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"He likes to toy with his victi odd for several days before they were killed He thralls theives him a thrill?"

"Yes"

"But you said your partner seeht before she died She didn’t act like she was under any kind of influence" He took a longer drink fro down fro my spine his eyes elicited, I said, "No, she didn’t I think she wasn’t a victim he planned on I think he killed her out of necessity He didn’t play with her as long"

"Necessity?"

"Yes Amanda didn’t h as nails She did bodybuilding for a hobby She was a black belt Nothing about her suggested she was a norasp as he reached out and pushed a chunk ofcloser to ators before," he said in a low voice "Except our psychic, and she wasn’t exactly a badass cop"

"She took some of the last victi to try a locator spell using it Whatever she did, it must have led her to hi Natalie’s warning

He frowned "Makes sense But then why did he send her out at all? She went to the restaurant by herself Maybe other places"

"I think he still needed to get some kind of thrill out of it He’s driven to kill a certain way Maybe he wanted the rush Needed it Especially because of who she was, and hoerful she was Might give hih than the weaker victi Aidan about the spell I’d cast with Natalie, but it seemed pointless It hadn’t worked, after all

"Perhaps" He leaned in closer to erous now, and expand his list of potential victi to keep my voice steady

"We can hope" He took the empty beer bottle fro with his I alhed when he moved away from me Out of relief or disappointment, I wasn’t sure

My relief, if that’s what it was, proved short-lived He leaned back toward me and lowered his face to mine

I took in a quick, short breath and looked up into his eyes They were dark pools that would drown me if I let them, but I couldn’t pull myself away Scratch that, I didn’t want to pull myself away I wanted him to kissme "I promised myself I’d leave you alone, but I cannot" He lowered his lips to mine It was a soft kiss, but it lit aue slipped between my lips and stroked mine A moan escaped me, and my arms found their way around his neck He tensed even as I relaxed in his arms

He pulled back frohtly parted and his eyes were heavily lidded His breathing caasps He looked passionate, seductive, and in painful need Did I look the same to him?

"If you want, but it was an honest reply "I want you to stay"

He smiled, a fierce expression that holly male "Good"

His one, and I returned his force, pushing all of the emotions that assailed me into the kiss He tasted of pepperled with the scent of him to overwhelm me

Warainst ainst the hardness of his body on my front As he licked and nibbled his way down led He moved back and I cried out in protest, but he silencedrooer over the lace at the top of rasped e of the couch Then he slipped between s and took my breast in hisbut feel hih the thin fabric Hot and wet, I could scarcely believe how my body reacted to him Since he’d shown up I’d had only a tenuous hold on my self-control When was the last tiht hit me like a splash of cold water

Aidan raised his eyes, as if sensing the change in me He took one look atain