by Cynthia Eden
I thought you might need my help.
Dammit, taking her out on the streets with him would be hell.
“Do you think you can do it, Doc?” he asked, taking a step toward her. Their bodies were close, so close he could feel the warmth of her skin against him. “Do you think you’ll be able to take orders from me?” To actually follow those orders?
Her jaw clenched and her green eyes blazed with fire. “Yes,” she gritted. “I think I can.”
Well, he might not like it, but it looked like he and the doc would be working the street together.
And since Jake Donnelley had asked for a meeting at the Paradise Found in—Colin glanced down at his watch—less than an hour and a half, it looked like their partnership was about to get started.
Shit, but he wasn’t pleased with this situation. Not one damn bit.
His captain was glaring at him, giving him the old you’d-damn-well-better-not-screw-this-up stare.
Emily was gazing up at him, eyes slightly narrowed. Anger burned in her green eyes.
That couldn’t bode well for the night.
He leaned in toward Emily, pitched his voice low as he whispered in her ear. “If we’re doin’ this, then you remember that I’m the one in charge. You listen to me, Doc. And you do exactly as I say.”
She exhaled heavily. “I’m not an idiot, you know,” she snapped, making no effort to lower her voice. “I know you’re the one with the police experience.”
Oh, that had been easy. Too easy, really.
Her index finger jabbed into his chest. “But don’t forget I’m the one with the Other experience.” Then, finally, finally, the woman decided to lower her voice as she whispered, “You might think you’re the baddest thing out there, Gyth, but I’ve got news for you…I’ve seen things a hell of a lot scarier than a cop shifter.”
His gaze shot to McNeal’s. But the captain was just staring blandly back at him. His lips were curved with faint amusement.
He bit back the words that sprang to his lips. If Emily ever saw the beast he carried, he’d bet his life it’d scare her. Hell, when his ex-partner had seen his other form, Mike had run like hell. Then Mike had come back and tried to kill him.
Good thing he was hard to kill.
“So are we going to do this?” Emily stepped back. Reached for the files on the table. “Or are you too worried that my presence will screw up your case?”
Oh, he was worried. But they’d do it anyway. He’d play her game, play the captain’s game, for now.
And he’d make damn sure he kept the doc safe. He’d stick by her side every moment.
He just hoped she meant what she’d said about following his orders. Because listening to him, doing exactly as he ordered, well, that could be the difference between life and death.
“Umm, glad that’s settled then.” McNeal stretched slowly. “I’m going to get out of here.” He shot a quick, hard glance at Colin as he opened the door. “Let me know how the meeting goes.”
His head inclined in a barely perceptible nod. He’d briefed the captain earlier about Donnelley’s note. In hindsight, he now saw that hadn’t been the best plan. It’d obviously made McNeal think the doc would have a connection with the suspects on the case.
The fact that Emily did have a connection with them only pissed him off more.
He hated being forced into a corner.
Colin waited until Emily bid the captain good night, waited until the glass door swung shut behind McNeal, then he reached for her hand.
His fingers locked around her wrist, and her pulse pounded fast and hard beneath his touch.
“You sure you’re ready for this?” Once he took her onto the street, there would be no going back. Acting as a profiler was one thing. She could sit back in an air-conditioned office and scribble her notes, but going with him to talk to the Other…well, it could make her a target. A very big target.
Behind her glasses, her green eyes stared straight back at him. There wasn’t even a hint of hesitation in her expression. “I’m sure.”
“All right, then, Doc. Let’s go find out what our cameraman has to say.” Yep, it was time to go and meet Jake Donnelley. Time to go to Paradise Found.
According to Emily the place was the town’s number one demon hangout.
As dates went, it wasn’t his best.
Then again, it wasn’t his worst either.
Chapter 5
Getting past the seven-foot-tall demon guarding the door of Paradise Found had been incredibly easy.
She’d handed the guy a twenty, and he’d let them slip right past without even a raised brow.
The guy had known they weren’t demons. They didn’t carry the “demon scent” that marked the beings of that race. No, Emily knew she just smelled human. She wasn’t exactly sure how Colin had registered to the bouncer’s sensitive nose.
“That was easy,” Colin muttered, his eyes sweeping across the darkened interior of Paradise Found. “I would’ve thought it would be harder to get into one of the pits of hell.”
Yes, and if the bouncer hadn’t been one of her ex-patients, Emily was certain it would have been much, much more difficult.
Demons were real particular about letting humans into their playgrounds. And from what she’d learned over the years, they didn’t feel a whole lot of love for shifters, either. But then, who did? Shifters were the black sheep of the Other family.
She’d been to Paradise Found before. Once she’d hung out there far, far too often.
The place still looked the same. Dim lighting snaked across the bar, hiding the demons in the darkness. The old dance floor was still as small, and as packed with humans as ever. Jesus, the place even smelled the same. Sweat, alcohol, and sex.
Very carefully, Emily unclenched her hands. When had she balled her fingers into fists? Probably the second she’d stepped over the threshold and entered the bar.
Bad memories. There were a lot of bad memories here.
Her gaze drifted toward the long, black bar top. That’s where she’d almost died, where Myles had tried to shove his power into her mind and make her into one of his damn human puppets.
“I don’t see Donnelley.” Colin paced in front of her, tension tight in his body. He was already attracting more than a few nervous stares.
Her hand touched his arm. “He’s probably in the back.” She motioned toward a row of booths heading down a thin corridor. “Let’s look over there.” Emily walked across the dance floor, easily dodging the crowd and letting her gaze scan the back row of booths. She could feel the supernatural energy in the room swirling around her. So many Other. Demons, vamps, charmers. She’d better keep her shields up. Keep them strong and—
“Hold on, Doc.” Colin snagged her wrist, stopping her at the edge of the wooden floor. “Why do I get the feeling you’ve been here before?” His words were spoken into her ear. His breath blew against her.
She swallowed but didn’t turn back toward him. Now wasn’t the time to rehash her past. Hell, she’d be happy if she never had to rehash it. She’d been a kid, she’d made dumb-ass mistakes, case closed. “Colin, I—”
A man rose from the shadows of the back booth. Lifted his hand to her.
“There he is,” her voice whispered out.
Colin’s fingers tightened around her. “Remember, Doc, this is my show.” A distinct warning laced his words.
“Like I could forget,” she muttered. Jesus. How many times was the guy going to remind her? She got it. The investigation was his game. She was supposed to play the good little girl and sit back and let the big, bad guy do his job.
Well, she’d never been a good little girl.
Good little girls didn’t get sent to—
“Come back to play with me, huh, Emily?”
Her head jerked up at the deep, rumbling voice, and Emily found herself staring into the midnight black eyes of Niol.
Shit. The dark waves of his power lapped at her, and a dull headache immediately formed be
hind her eyes.
The guy made her sick. Literally.
Come back to play with me. Not damn likely. But she’d better not burn any bridges yet. She and Colin needed to find out exactly why Preston Myers had a picture of this guy in his house. “Uh, hello, Niol.”
Colin stepped up to her side. Bared his teeth. And kept his hold on her wrist. “I don’t think I’ve had the pleasure.” He held out his right hand.
Niol lifted one black brow. “No, Detective, I don’t think you have.” He took Colin’s hand, his fingers tightening for the briefest of moments.
Colin kept his smile—well, it really wasn’t a smile, it was that same baring of fangs that he’d flashed at Darla—on his face as he said, “I see you know who I am.”
“But not what you are.” Niol’s gaze returned to Emily. “If you’re with Emily, then that means you must be…special.”
Colin didn’t respond.
The dancers around them crept back, giving them plenty of space. Probably running away from Niol.
Niol crossed his arms over his chest. “But you’re not my kind, are you, Detective?”
“Your kind?” Colin shrugged, a faint ripple of muscle, of menace. Then he brushed back his jacket, subtly revealing the butt of his gun. “And just what kind would that be?”
Niol laughed softly, and the sound sent a chill skating down Emily’s spine. Oh damn, but this guy was trouble. Serious trouble. His power was so strong, she could practically see the black energy waves in the air around them. Even with her shields up.
“Ah, so you like to play games too? Just like our lovely doctor?”
“Our?” Where the hell had that come from? Her back teeth locked.
“We’re not here to play games,” Colin told him softly.
Niol’s dark stare drifted down Emily’s body.
Then Colin’s.
“Pity.” Niol pursed his lips. “I have a feeling I could have enjoyed myself with you two for a time.” He centered his attention back on her. “But if your detective doesn’t want in on the fun, then perhaps you and I could—”
“Don’t even fucking think about it,” Colin snarled, stepping forward. He’d dropped her wrist, clenched his hands into fists.
He was as big as Niol. As tall, as muscled.
As a shifter, he’d be Niol’s match in physical strength. But as much as she’d love to see the demon lord get an ass kicking, now wasn’t the time.
“He’s just messing around, Colin.” She glanced at Niol. Met that dark stare. Unlike other demons, Niol didn’t bother disguising his black eyes. Didn’t bother pretending he was anything other than what he was. A very, very dangerous demon. One that it didn’t pay to cross. Keeping her eyes on Niol, she told Colin, “He doesn’t mean it.” He’d damn well better not mean it. She’d sooner live the rest of her life sexless than be with a guy like him.
Niol was watching Colin, calculation plain on his face. “So it’s like that, is it?”
Colin jerked his head in a nod.
Niol licked his lips. “Pity,” he said again.
It was a pity that she hadn’t let Colin kick the jerk’s ass. But they were at the bar on official business. She kinda thought McNeal would frown on a fight between his detective and the bar’s owner. “Niol, we need to ask you some questions.”
“We?”
What, had she stuttered? Emily glared at him. “Yeah, we.”
“Working for the cops now, are you? How disappointing.” He sighed. “I’d hoped you’d come work for me one day. I could always use a woman with your talents.”
Emily plastered a bright, completely false smile on her face. “Thanks for the offer, but I’ve got a job.” Two, actually.
“You know, love, people still talk about the way you burned out that demon. Nearly died doing it, didn’t you? But you took his power away, every last drop.”
Her eyes narrowed and her head kept throbbing. Time to stop the painful walk down memory lane. “About those questions…”
Niol’s full lips stretched into a smile, a smile that showcased his perfect, white teeth. “Let me save you some time, love. Yes, I knew Preston. He was a fairly wealthy guy who wanted to invest in my place. No, he wasn’t my kind. And, no, I didn’t kill him.”
Emily blinked. Well, the guy wasn’t playing dumb about the case. That was good. But was he telling the truth?
For an instant, she was tempted to lower her shields. Just a few seconds, that would be all she’d need…
From the corner of her eye, she caught sight of the long, gleaming bar.
She’d fallen against that bar, fallen, hit the floor, screaming, clutching her head—
Emily exhaled. Bad idea. Very bad idea. She couldn’t drop her shields in this place; there were too many unknowns. She couldn’t risk a burnout in the middle of a crowd teaming with Other.
Wouldn’t be good for business.
“You say you didn’t kill him,” Colin drawled. “You got an idea who did?”
Niol shook his head. “Someone who hated him.”
“You didn’t hate him?”
Emily watched his reactions carefully. Niol appeared calm, perfectly in control. As if he got questioned about a murder every day.
“I didn’t like him,” Niol replied. “But hate? No, too strong of a word. I just…didn’t really care one way or the other.”
Yes, the guy was calm, controlled, ice cold. “Do you care that he’s dead?” Emily asked.
His expression didn’t change as he shrugged. “Now I’ve got to get another investor. It’s an inconvenience.”
An inconvenience. A man’s death was an inconvenience to him.
Colin grunted. Slanting a quick look his way, Emily noticed that a muscle was flexing along the line of Colin’s jaw.
He looked seriously pissed as he demanded, “Where were you last Friday, between eight and nine?”
“Niol?” A tall, model-thin brunette slipped behind the demon and wrapped her hands around his waist. “You made me wait,” she whispered, stretching to kiss his neck.
“Sorry, love.” He never glanced her way. “I had to play nice with the PD.” His hand lifted, covered hers. “But I’m done now.”
An obvious dismissal.
Colin pulled out a card, thrust it toward Niol. “If you happen to learn anything about the case or if you”—a deliberate pause—“remember anything you want to share, call me.”
Niol pocketed the card. “I’ll be sure to do that…if I learn anything else.” His head inclined slightly. “As always, it’s been a pleasure, Emily.”
Right. She snorted. Why did he even bother pretending with her? Niol knew she could see right through his fake manners to the real nature of the demon within.
And that demon, he wasn’t a gentleman. He was hard, evil. Deadly.
Pity the lady clinging to his arm so tightly and glaring at her didn’t realize those important facts.
And now wasn’t the time to warn her.
Niol and his companion stepped back, and in mere seconds, they had vanished, melting into the crowd.
“What a bastard.” Colin glared into the throng of dancers, then turned his bright blue stare on her. “Think he knows more than he’s saying?”
She didn’t have to use her psychic powers on this one. “Without a doubt.”
“Yeah, me, too.”
Emily turned her attention back to the darkened booths. Was Donnelley still waiting on them?
“Was the woman a demon too?”
“No.” She answered absently as she tried to search the shadows. Had Jake gotten frightened when he’d seen them talk to Niol? Had they missed their chance to find out exactly what he knew about the case?
“Then what was she?”
“Human.” There’d been no shift in the atmosphere when the woman approached, no telling flow of power, no faint shine emanating from her body. Niol’s companion was most definitely a human.
Did she know what he was?
“What did he mean, a
bout you draining some demon’s power? Thought you said you were an empath, that you just felt—”
He would lock onto that part of the conversation. Her eyes continued to search the booths as she said very softly, “I was defending myself, okay, Gyth? The bastard attacked me, shoved the full force of his power into my head.” As a level nine, the demon had plenty of power to shove. “It was instinct. I fought back, tried to push the energy right back at him.” And she’d managed to blast away all his power before she’d collapsed.
Emily finally looked at him, found him watching her. “It’s not something I like to talk about.” Explanation made, case closed. She didn’t want to bring up the subject again.
“Understood.”
Her shoulders relaxed. Good. Maybe she could get through the rest of the night without any more rehashing of one of the most painful moments of her life. Her stare swept the bar once again, then locked on the shadowy figure of a man.
A man who stood near the back booth. He motioned to her, waving his hand quickly in the air.
“Donnelley’s there.” Relief poured through her. She’d been afraid that Niol’s dark presence had screwed up the meeting.
“I see him.”
Course he did. He could probably see perfectly through the shadows while she had to strain and squint. Shifter skills. Sometimes they sure could come in handy.
A waitress brushed by them as they maneuvered to Donnelley’s table. Emily caught the faint whiff of power around the woman. A witch.
Donnelley was bent low over the table, his hands fisted over the old, scarred wood surface. His jaw tightened when they sat across from him. “I gave the note to her, Gyth, not you.” A Braves baseball cap was pulled low over his head, hiding his blond hair.
Colin leaned back against the black cushions. “It’s my case.”
“And my life!” A bead of sweat rolled down Jake’s cheek. “Do you know what kind of risk I’m taking just by being here?”
“Why?” Colin jerked his thumb toward the dance floor. “Scared your buddies will turn on you if they find out you’re givin’ information to the cops?”
