Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.
Fury nearly choked him when the redheaded bitch said she was broadcasting live from the Dayton Hotel, “the scene of a brutal murder.”
But not his kill.
“A body was discovered here last night. A male body. The man was naked, and he’d been bound to the bed.”
Oh, hell, no.
Not his.
The reporter’s eyes seemed to bore into his as he glared at the screen. She lifted her microphone. “Tune in later tonight for more details on this savage crime. Until then, this is Holly Storm for News Flash Five, signing off.”
His fingers slammed onto the top of the remote and instantly, the TV screen went black.
Not his.
He threw the remote against the wall.
This wasn’t part of the plan. No one should have died at the Dayton Hotel.
Fuck.
His fingers shook. His ears rang. And his control began to shatter.
He knew exactly who was trying to take over his game.
Not gonna happen. No one was gonna to screw with his plans. He’d waited far too long for his vengeance. Planned far too carefully.
A bitch wasn’t gonna steal his power.
Time for the game to change. Time for a solo act. Time for more death.
With the next kill, he would be the one to steal the victim’s life away.
No matter how much she begged…
Chapter 6
He was watching her again.
That night, Cara stood on the stage, feeling the swirls of magic and power around her. Desire beat in time with the music of the band. Driving higher and higher in the crowd, and in her own body.
Todd was in Paradise. She hadn’t looked at him yet, but she could feel his dark gaze on her body and pleasure filled her.
He’d come for her.
Slowly, she began to shift her attention around the room. Singing softly, the blues carried in the air as she voiced the old lyrics.
There. He was at the bar. Staring up at her. Face hard. One hand wrapped around a shot glass. He was dressed casually, in a pair of jeans and a button-up shirt.
She wanted him naked.
She was tired of pretending to be good.
Tired of fighting the need and hunger.
No more.
Giving up sex just really hadn’t worked out so well for her. One temptation, one very strong temptation, and she’d been screwed.
The song finished on a long, deep note. She drank in the energy, inhaling deeply as she bowed briefly to the crowd.
Not enough. Tonight she needed so much more.
And she’d have it.
She replaced the microphone. Nodded to the band. Moved easily across the stage, her skirt swirling around the top of her thighs as she walked. When she lifted her hand to the stair railing, she saw the faint glow on her skin. She wondered if Todd would notice it. Hoped that he didn’t, because she didn’t want to give explanations this night.
She just wanted to give pleasure—and take her own.
She felt other stares on her as she sauntered across the room. One man even reached out and touched her shoulder, but Cara froze him with a look.
There was only one guy in the bar who interested her, and he was the one she was going to claim.
Todd’s gaze never left her as she drew closer. He lifted the whiskey. Drained it in one fast gulp right before she reached him. The glass clattered against the bar.
“Hello, Detective.” She thought about asking him how the case was going. She’d heard talk in the bar about a body being found at the Dayton Hotel. She wondered if the murder was connected to the others.
“Cara.”
It was the way he said her name that got to her. Hunger. Lust. Tenderness.
She decided not to ask about the case. She didn’t want to hear about another poor soul who had been killed, not then. She wanted the few hours of the remaining night to belong only to the two of them.
These precious hours just after midnight. Playtime for the Other.
“You were good tonight.”
She motioned for Cameron to bring her usual drink. The sweet, ice-cold brew that she sipped after each performance. “Thanks.”
Tonight, she’d been singing just for him. Had he noticed?
Cameron put the drink on the bar. Narrowed his eyes on her. Screw him. She neither wanted nor needed his approval. Hell, she never gave him a hard time when he hooked up with human women.
Cameron’s lips tightened when he caught her cold stare, but then he backed away. “Your choice.” The words were whisper soft.
“Thanks, Cameron.” And, yeah, it was her choice.
Or rather, Todd was her choice.
Cara leaned over the good detective, deliberately rubbing her body against his as she reached for her drink. She liked the way he smelled . The fresh scent of soap. A hint of aftershave. Man.
“We need to talk,” he told her, and his voice was harder than before. His hands lifted, caught her just above her elbows.
She took one slow sip from her drink. The icy liquid eased down her throat. Cara licked her lips and noticed the slight widening of his nostrils. He was catching her pheromones again. He knew the scent was richer, knew something was happening. She could see it in his eyes.
See the same hard lust she felt.
“We are talking,” she told him, wondering what his next move would be. She was putting on a bold front with him now, but the truth was, she was nervous as hell inside. If she had sex with him, if she gave in to her instincts, it wouldn’t just be about fun and games and a rush of sweet, sensual power.
You have a man you can’t control. Dr. Drake’s words echoed in her mind.
“You’re different tonight.” His hold tightened.
Yes. “Why did you come back, Detective?”
“Todd.” A pause. “I like it when you say my name.”
A costly admission. It gave her more power. He should know that. “Todd.” She obliged him softly. “Why are you here?”
“Maybe I like the band.” His lips hitched into the briefest of smiles and that sexy dimple winked at her. “Or maybe it’s the singer.”
Oh, but the guy was smooth. Humans were often so gifted with their words. Especially the men.
She’d known human men who could lie their way into almost anyone’s bed. But—
But Cara didn’t get the feeling that Todd was lying to her. She took another sip of her drink, conscious of the warm weight of his hands on her arms. She wanted those hands on other parts of her body. She wanted them out of the bar and back at her place.
She wanted Todd any way she could get him.
Cara lifted a brow. “So what is it that you want to talk to me about?” She could hear him easily in the bar, even though voices and music surrounded them.