Page 10 (1/2)

Silence filled the air for a long et this asshole, Kiera We’ll get hilance up from my coffee cup No pity adorned his face, but the half sone His calm expression belied a hardness in his eyes that I hadn’t seen in him before For a split second they looked ale disappeared and only the cold rage reht be more than just a pretty face

"I’ve been tossed froation"

His hint of a smile reappeared "And I’m technically not on this case at all Sounds like wea case I was emotionally involved in with a man as more than attractive sounded like a bad idea Unfortunately, it wasAmanda’s killer--maybe my only shot now that I’d pissed off Lieutenant Vasquez

"Fine We’ll work together on this one But that doesn’t make us friends, and it doesn’t mean I trust you as far as I can throw you" I leaned across the table and gave hirin turned into a full-on s white, perfect teeth "Oh, I can keep my hands to myself if you can"

I snappedat him while he disappeared into the kitchen with his coffee cup When he reappeared in the dining rooed to put ood co for an incubus Possibly a succubus i one, but I think that’s less likely"

"Incubi have been extinct for over one hundred years"

"I’m aware of that But, it’s the only explanation that works Not only does it fit, it fits like a freaking puzzle piece"

"Except for the fact that not only are they extinct, they’ve also never been known for killing their food"

"Killers co about incubi that I’ve ever heard of that prevents the Our sensitive confirmed at least one of our victiy The method fits, the sex fits, the fact they all died without a struggle fits It all fits"

"And you don’t think it’s more likely to be a succubus because?" he asked, his voice annoyingly calut instinct Call it experience Call it statistics How many sex crime–related female serial killers have we seen in the last few decades?"

"Okay Let’s say it is an incubus Why would he bother to kill his victims when he could feed on the about it?"

"Using otherworlder powers to influence a person to do so so another cop on the justice syste frouy some serious jail ti a complaint are almost nil…if incubi are like their succubi cousins, that is"

He was right From e knew of them, incubi were just as welcome by women as their cousins elcome by men, which may have led to their extinction Jealous husbands and all A forced seduction charge didn’t fit, especially for the victinificant other to coe in behavior

As he waited for my retort, I studied thea T-shirt and jeans I could ined it would burst at the seams if he flexed Not likely, but it was a conveniently distracting thought My gaze ht rinned more widely Bastard knew exactly how attractive he was

"Okay, then how about a motivation not directly incubi related?" Heat flooded , I would shoot hiarden-variety serial killer, he just enjoys killing people Gets off on it Might be he’s a nutcase who just happens to be an incubus"

"Perhaps But if that’s true, hoe find hi spells?"

"I’e to stick ood old-fashioned police work"

"Considering the OWEA isn’t officially working on the case, and you’ve been booted fro silly the instant I did it Forcing my embarrassment down I said, "I have my ways" Then, to fully cover my discomfort, I went on the offensive "What kind of otherworlder are you, anyway?"

He frowned "You just toss social propriety to the wind, don’t you?" He thought about it for a second, and then said, "I’od That’s ain and I fled, walking quickly to the kitchen with a muttered excuse that I needed ht to deflect, but that didn’t ht not tell

I let the matter drop and we discussed the case until I could barely keephis sexy grin and suggestion that he should stay to keep me company After I moved my car from where it blocked his, I watched his Jeep disappear into the night, and I alht of fun, distracting sextiht about how long since I’d had sex, let alone anything rehts of Aidan aside, I tried to force away the overwhelued ed my pillow and cried

Hoill I find the asshole who killed you without your help?