Now that got his attention. “What? No, she called—”
“I know—I know—but the call to your place wasn’t the last one she made.” Colin stood, stepped toward him. “I got the number and guess who answered on the second ring?”
“Who?” Not Niol, it couldn’t be—
“The newswoman. Holly Storm.”
What?
“I sent a squad car after her. Ms. Storm should be here any minute for a little interrogation.”
“Good.” He was curious as all hell to learn just why Susan had contacted the reporter. Had she been offering Storm a tell-all interview? A scoop on the killer that the cops were trying so hard to keep under wraps?
Damn. Just how much did the reporter know? And how deep was she involved in this mess?
“She could—”
The silence hit him then. The absolute and complete silence from the bull pen.
The rumble of voices had quieted now. He saw Colin stiffen, and Todd turned back toward the door, peering through the crack he’d made.
Then he heard words that chilled his soul. “Put the gun down and we can talk.”
What the f**k? He pulled the door open another two inches. Caught sight of a kid with long, greasy hair. As Todd watched, the kid turned in wide circles, a gun clutched in his trembling hands.
No, not a kid. The guy looked like he was in his early twenties. Too old to be pulling something stupid like this.
“What is it?” The captain’s voice. McNeal had sidled across the room. He peered over Todd’s shoulder and hissed out a breath.
“I’m going to f**king nail some bastard to the wall for this!”
Because someone had left an unsecured weapon out in the open and now they were all in serious shit.
Then the punk with the gun made the mistake of lunging forward and grabbing Cara.
Todd’s hand went to his holster as he ran out of the room.
Well, damn if her day didn’t just suck.
She’d been watching the rumpled human male with half an eye, her mind on the murders, when the guy suddenly lunged for the desk on the far left.
He’d come up with a gun and every cop in the area had frozen.
Now he had a too-tight grip on her arm. The scent of fear and unwashed skin flooded her nostrils.
The barrel of the gun came dangerously close to her face.
No, not a damn good day.
“Stay back or I’ll f**king kill her!”
The arm he’d looped around her neck tightened.
From the corner of her eye, she saw Todd. He was advancing on the man, on them, eyes narrowed, face hard with rage. He had his gun out.
Cara realized if she didn’t do something, fast, her day was about to go from bad to sheer hell.
Because she sure wasn’t just going to stand there, be strangled, threatened, and then watch her cop get hurt.
Not when she could so easily stop the jerk who held her.
Todd might not like the methods she was about to use, but there wasn’t much of an option.
Besides, perhaps it was time for him to see that she truly wasn’t the helpless damsel that he thought she was.
“I goin’ out of here, and I’m takin’ this bitch with me!” The guy snarled, spittle flying from his mouth.
Her hands lifted, yanked on the arm and freed her throat. “No,” she told him softly, “you’re not.” Breathing deeply, she dropped her control and let her pheromones fill the air.
The guy was so close to her that he got a direct hit. He spun her around to face him, eyes wide, mouth open.
She smiled at him. Pitched her voice low and poured on the compulsion as she said, “Kiss me.”
The gun hit the floor with a clatter as he locked his lips on hers.
The air pulsed with his sexual energy. It was an energy much darker than Todd’s. And weaker. So much weaker.
But energy was energy—and the little bastard had threatened her.
So she’d take a bit of his power for herself.
Asshole.
Her hand rose. Touched his chest, and, with her kiss and touch, she pulled the man’s lust and power right out of him.
The sweet rush heated her blood. Oh, but it had been so long since she’d just let herself go. Just let herself take and take and take.
His body trembled against hers. A strangled moan bubbled in his throat and the heart that thumped beneath her hand began to slow.
Then to skip beats.
She pulled her mouth from his. Watched his bleary green eyes drift closed.
And then man fell backward, landing on the floor with a thud.
Cara inhaled deeply and caught the power still floating in the air. A faint shine lit her skin.
Sweet, sweet power.
Her head turned. She saw the stares then. The slack expressions on many of the male officers’ faces. Her gaze darted past them, caught sight of—
Smith. The ME stood near the elevator, hands fisted, mouth open, and eyes wide with horror.
Just great.
And a few feet away from Smith stood—
Another woman. A redhead. She waited between two cops, just a little past Smith. She stared right back at Cara. Not with the horror that Smith had, but with a kind of stark curiosity on her face.
As she focused on the woman’s face, the flare of her hunger and rage began to fade, and reality slowly raised its head.
Hell.
But there was no going back now.
“What the f**k were you doing?” The roar came from Todd as he grabbed the gun, then secured the weapon. He caught her arms, pulling her close to him. “Cara?”
She blinked. Forced herself to meet his dark stare. Anger. No, fury. Jealousy.
Fear?
She could see it all. Swirling in those eyes.
She could feel the emotions beating at her.
“This is who I am.” Gyth was on the floor next to the still man, checking for a pulse. “I told you, I can take care of myself.” And punish those who threatened her.
Or those she cared for in this world.
“He’s alive,” Gyth said, jaw tight.
“Of course, he is!” She snapped. Did they think she had no control? “I wasn’t trying to kill him.” Jeez. If she had wanted the idiot dead, the guy would have been at hell’s gate. “I was just trying to stop him from hurting anyone.”
“Pull it back.” Todd’s whisper was laced with steel.
“I don’t—”
“The scent…” He swallowed. “Pull it back before I have to start beating sense into this pack.”
“I—it’s not that easy. It’ll take some time—”
“Then I’m getting you the hell out of here, baby.” He grabbed her wrist, yanked her through the crowd, and took her down a long, winding corridor.