Then a curse from Gyth. “Fucking ballsy.”
Todd grunted then glanced back at her. “I have to do my job. Always. Remember that.”
She was trying to play catch-up, fast. So, Todd had been forced to question her by his captain? He still believed she was innocent?
But…from the look on his face, he was pissed at her.
Because I didn’t tell him I was a succubus.
Damn.
“You had to be questioned, Cara.” Todd spoke, voice softer now, more controlled. “And you had to come in because, hell, Cara, I really do want your help.” He glanced at Gyth. “We need your help.”
Her knees were shaking. “Just what do you want me to do?” Her anger had cooled a bit, replaced by confusion, fear, and other emotions that she didn’t want to analyze too much.
Todd sighed and the look on his face told her she wasn’t going to be loving what came next. “Well, first, baby, we’re gonna need you to look at a body.”
No, not loving it at all.
He hated battering her with questions. Hated watching the play of stark emotions run across her face.
For a few moments, she’d looked almost broken. Then the anger—no, rage—had kicked in.
And the lady had looked like she wanted to kick his ass.
Not the normal pattern for a killer—he sure as hell hoped McNeal realized that fact, and got off his back.
The captain had wanted to yank him from the case the minute he’d learned about Todd’s night with Cara. He’d argued for an hour with McNeal, listing every reason, five times, why Cara couldn’t be the killer.
Damn, but he hoped he wasn’t wrong.
His gut said he should trust her.
His c**k said he should take her.
And his heart said he was in serious trouble.
He was out on a limb now with the captain. A very thin limb that could break at any point, but the fact was, if Cara wasn’t the killer, then seeing as how it looked like another succubus was on the loose, she’d be the best person to guide them in their hunt.
Provided, of course, that she was feeling like helping out the long arm of the law.
“I need you to see something on the body,” Todd told her softly, trying to pull back the anger that flared within him.
Anger because she’d lied to him—Christ, a f**king sex demon.
Every man in the world probably wanted her.
He wasn’t the sharing type.
And just how many other humans had she bewitched with her seduction? Was he just another in a long line for her? While she was—well, much more to him.
“What?” Cara’s cry was hoarse. “I don’t know about your idea of a good time, Todd, but—”
“You know exactly what my idea of a good time is.” He wanted her then so badly he ached.
And she still looked angry as all hell.
Oh, yeah, he’d royally f**ked things up.
No choice.
Proving her absolute innocence was paramount now.
Keeping away the other ass**les on this earth who wanted her—well, that would be his goal number two.
Her plump lips parted as she drew in a deep breath, and if Gyth hadn’t been glaring at him, Todd would have leaned forward and kissed her right then.
“Don’t even think about it,” she said.
He leaned forward another inch anyway. Just a breath of space away from her delectable mouth. He’d never seen a mouth that sexy before, and he knew it tasted as good as it looked. Pushed too far, he taunted, “But isn’t that why you sent your sweet smell out to me? Because you wanted me…to want you.” And he did. Didn’t matter to him that the lady was dangerous. A huge unknown element. He. Wanted. Her. Period.
And when this case was finished, he planned to take a few days off and spend them in sheer wild sexual bliss with her.
Provided that he hadn’t pissed her off too much in the meantime.
“I— shit. ”
Her mouth even looked good when she said that.
Sexy demon.
Sex demon.
“I really do need your help, Cara,” he said, trying to take his mind off just what being a sex demon entailed. He didn’t want to think of her with another man. Other men.
He wasn’t a virgin. He’d had more than his share of willing partners, so he sure as hell didn’t expect Cara to be pure as the driven snow.
But he did not want to think about her with other men. Not even for one f**king moment.
“Rein in the scent.” He reinforced the order by tightening his fingers around her delicate wrist. “I don’t want the cops in the bull pen going crazy.”
“You have no idea what I could make them do,” she told him, voice rumbling.
Oh, he was starting to figure it out.
“The last victim, Thomas Monroe, was stabbed.” Gyth’s harsh words snapped Todd back to the case.
Cara blinked. “But that doesn’t make any sense. Not if you truly think the killer’s a succubus, anyway.”
They were pretty damn certain that was who they were after.
“A death like that,” Cara continued, “it wouldn’t yield a succubus any power.”
His breath caught. “Explain that to me, nice and slow.” ’Cause he sure as hell didn’t know what she meant, but he knew he didn’t like it.
“Look, killing isn’t really our way.” Her lips twisted. “Anymore, okay? Once upon a time—”
“And that would have been when?” Gyth asked.
“Middle Ages.”
Shit.
She read his expression easily. “While I personally wasn’t around then, demons always have been. Get used to that fact, Todd.
Your life will be so much easier once you start realizing there is much more to the world than you thought.”
Maybe. Or maybe things would just be five times harder.
He’d bet his paycheck on option two.
“A lot of demons killed back them. Succubi got a reputation.”
He’d read a bit about that earlier. Right after the captain had chewed his ass out and he’d made a frantic trip to the occult bookstore two streets over.
“A lot of innocents were killed back then, blamed for what the demons were doing. The attacks also brought attention to the Other. Not really something that my kind wants.”
“So the demons decided to take a break from killing?” Not likely.
“There were some ancient demons. Those who’ve been on earth from nearly the beginning. They don’t rule over anyone, but back then, they—they kept an order, so to speak.” She nibbled on her lower lip. “I haven’t heard anything about those guys in years, don’t even know if they’re still around.”