Then she took their excess sexual energy—it came to her as if drawn by a magnet because she was the one controlling the lust. Her lyrics made her a sexual Pied Piper, and she pulled the raw energy of the bar patrons’ lust right to her—and she used it to strengthen her own body. In a place like Paradise Found, where you could often even smell the scent of sex in the air, it was easy for a succubus to feed.
So far, her arrangement with Niol had been working very well for her.
Or rather, it had been working well, until the detective had shown up.
Keeping her focus had been nearly impossible when Todd was so close by. She hadn’t wanted to sing to the crowd. She’d wanted to be alone with him. Wanted to see if the passion between them would burn as brightly as she suspected it would.
Damn it, the man was a temptation that she couldn’t afford.
She walked to the bar. Stopped just in front of him. Her heart raced and her body trembled with the rush of power she’d gotten from the crowd. “What did you think?”
His gaze dropped to her lips. “I think every man in this bar wants you.” A statement given with absolutely no hint of emotion.
“I was…talking about my singing.”
“So was I.” He leaned back against the bar. “Why here, Cara? You could probably be singing in any club in Atlanta that you wanted. Hell, you don’t need to be on Niol’s stage—”
“This is where I belong.” She wouldn’t give him any more of an explanation.
His lips thinned. “But I don’t belong here, right?”
A little sadly, she shook her head.
“You know, I’m getting damn tired of feeling like there is some kind of secret shit going on in this town that I don’t know about.”
Understandable. For a second, she was tempted to tell him the truth.
But she really doubted the guy would believe her. Oh, yes, it would go something like, “I’m Cara, an immortal succubus. Just so you know, this whole bar is full of demons and vampires and witches. Oh, and your partner, Gyth? He’s a shifter. Yeah, he can turn into an animal at will.”
He’d definitely buy that.
“And just what is it that you think is going on?” She asked him instead, and motioned with a slight flick of her hand for a drink from the bartender, Cameron.
Cameron’s eyes faded to black for a moment as she stared at him and his glamour lessened. True demons had completely black eyes. Iris, cornea, even the sclera were all as black as night. But, so as not to scare the tender humans, most demons used a glamour to hide their real eye color.
Just as she hid hers.
Cameron pushed a martini glass toward her. Shot a glare toward Todd’s back.
Cameron had never been a particular fan of humans, but he was generally harmless. She’d known the other demon for years. The guy might look like he’d just cruised past twenty-three, but she knew the truth about him.
The two of them had so damn much in common. Too much.
She shook her head, a slight move directed at him, and Cameron stepped back.
Todd sighed, a rough exhalation of air. “Hell if I know what’s happening around here.” He caught her hand, rubbed his fingers over her knuckles. “Maybe I’m just paranoid.”
Or maybe not.
With her left hand, Cara reached for her drink. Took a quick sip to ease the dryness in her throat.
“You lied.”
She nearly choked on the sweet liquid. “Wh-what?”
His lips curved into a half smile and his dimple peeked at her. “You can sing.”
“I-um, th-thank you.”
His fingers smoothed over her hand in a featherlight caress. The band began to play again. The music was sexy, slow. Soon, she knew they’d switch into another driving, hard rhythm. Niol’s orders. He loved to mix things up at his club.
Besides, Niol subscribed to the theory that music tended to soothe the savage beast, and since so many beasts visited his club, he liked to play music that appealed to them all.
“Do you want to dance?” Todd asked, leaning close to her so that his breath feathered over her cheek.
Power still pulsed within her. A sensual energy that made her want to slide closer and rub her body against his. If they danced, she’d be able to do just that. She could touch him as much she wanted. She could feel the hard strength of his body along the length of hers.
Oh, but that sounded good.
Too good.
She took another sip of her drink. Then asked, “I take it I’m not a suspect anymore?” She wanted a straight answer, just for clarity.
He paused, a barely perceptible hesitation, before he said, “Nothing is pointing to you right now.”
Not the answer she’d been hoping for. She really would have liked more of a “You’re completely clear, baby, I’ll never suspect you again” response. Her gaze held his as she tried to figure him out. “You’re not, by any chance, trying to seduce some kind of confession out of me, are you, Detective?”
A slow shake of his head. “No, I’m just trying to seduce you, period.”
Her fingers tightened around the glass.
“You want me,” he continued. “I want you.”
If only things were that simple.
He took the glass from her hand. “Dance with me.”
One dance. Surely she could stay in control for just one dance. Cara turned away from him and led the way onto the already full dance floor.
Couples swayed together in time with the beat of the music. They looked like simple men and women, but Cara knew they weren’t. Spells were being cast around them. Whispers of seduction and temptation filled the air. When Todd took her into his arms and pulled her tight against his chest, she wondered if perhaps she’d underestimated his power.
His pull was strong.
Though she was tall, Todd still towered over her, but when he held her, he bent his head and drew down close to her face. His body was a solid mass of muscle. As they moved, she felt the hard bulge of his c**k rising against her.
She didn’t pull back. Didn’t fake any kind of false modesty. She pressed against him and enjoyed the sensual touch. She wished then that she’d been born different.
Human.
Humans were so lucky. They could love and hate and fear and lust, and not have those emotions destroy them.
Unless they chose to be destroyed.
For her, there was no choice. Never had been.
His hands smoothed down her body, came to rest at the base of her spine.
“Todd…” She liked the feel of his name on her tongue, but she had to warn him, before things went too far. “I’m not a safe woman to want.”