Синтия Иден - Midnight Sins

One dark brow rose. “I have my sources.”

Colin wasn’t really one for bullshit, either. “Or else you’ve been draining men dry in the city.” A deliberate pause. “If you’re the one killing the bastards, then, the way I figure it, you’d know exactly what was happening.”

A bark of laughter. “I’m no killer.” The smile still curved his lips as Jody said, “I know about the case because my boss knows—and my boss has a big mouth.”

Yeah, that was true enough. Everyone knew the DA needed to learn how to slap a gag order on himself.

“Look, let’s just cut the shit, Detective. I know when the men were killed, and I can provide airtight alibis for all occasions.” That brow was still up as he murmured, “You ready for ’em?”

“Damn it.” McNeal’s only response as Jody Rain began to rattle off dates and locations—and, far, far too many names to back him up.

Emily watched the ADA quietly. She could a feel a hum of energy pulsing off him.

This one was dangerous. Much, much more dangerous than the last demon.

She had to point out, “Demons lie well, you know. And they can get humans to lie for them, too. A simple suggestion, the magic of an incubi’s hypnosis—people would back up his alibi even if they didn’t know who he was.”

“Working these cases can be a bitch,” McNeal grumbled, rubbing a tired hand over his face. “And, yeah, Doc, I know, if they’re strong enough, demons can make the whole world lie for ’em.”

Colin continued to grill the ADA about the alibis, asking question after question, and Jody never even came close to breaking a sweat as he replied.

“Shit.” McNeal ground his back teeth together. “Where’s the last asshole?”

Cameron Komak sprawled back in his chair. His face was hard with anger, belying his easy pose, and the eyes that locked on Colin’s were narrowed.

“Where’s your partner?” Cameron demanded.

“Doesn’t matter.” Colin stalked across the room. “You’ll be dealing with me today.”

Cameron leaned forward, eyes assessing, and after a moment, a wide grin broke across his face. “Good. I’m tired of those fucking humans.”

Colin never changed expression. “Wanna run that by me again?”

The demon rolled his eyes. “Come on, I know you aren’t like them. I’ve known from the first night when you came in with the sexy little Monster Doctor.” He glanced knowingly toward the mirror. “She’s watching me, isn’t she? I can feel her.”

The beast Colin carried roared to life. He clenched his hands—the better to leash the urge to punch the demon.

A laugh, high and grating, burst from Cameron’s lips. “Ah, man, come on, I mean—you know what I am, right? If you didn’t, well, you wouldn’t be in here with me. One of them ”—disgust laced the word—“would be.”

Okay. So the guy wanted to play it with gloves off. Fine with Colin. “You don’t like… them …too much do you?” His voice was without any inflection. Not good cop, not bad.

Not yet.

“They’re weak.” Cameron’s lips twisted with distaste. “And they don’t even know it. They go around, acting like they rule this damn world—and they don’t even have a clue what’s really happening.”

“Or who is really running the show,” Colin finished softly.

“Right! Yeah, that’s right. They don’t know.” He nodded quickly, dark hair glinting under the light. “They think they’re the smartest, the strongest things ever put on the earth.” A hard exhalation of air. “They’re dead wrong.”

“Hmm.” Colin pulled out the photos of Michael House, Travis Walters, and Simon Battle. “And sometimes they’re just dead.”

Cameron shot back in his chair. “What the hell?” His eyes almost doubled in size as he stared, almost helplessly, at the dead men.

“You hate them, don’t you?” Soft voice, no pressure. Colin just watched the demon, and waited.

“I don’t even know these guys!” Cameron shoved the photos away. “Is this why I’m here? You think I had something to do with those stiffs?”

“Humans,” Colin drawled out the word, deliberately not answering Cameron’s questions. “You hate all of them, don’t you?”

The demon blinked. “Don’t hate ’em,” he said slowly. “Just don’t really care about ’em at all—”

“So you don’t care that these men are dead?”

“I don’t know them!” His fist slammed onto the table.

Ah, so Cameron had a temper.

And an obvious dislike of humans.

But did he hate them enough to kill?

Colin shifted gears, fast, needing to keep his suspect off balance. “What about Cara Maloan? Just how do you feel about her?”

His lips parted. “Cara? What—”

“How do you feel about her?” Colin pressed.

“I’ve known her for years. She’s like—like a sister to me.” Real worry appeared on Cameron’s face. “Is she okay? Has something happened to Cara? Hell, I knew she shouldn’t be dating that cop friend of yours! I knew it would be trouble—”

“Why?” Still soft.

Cameron swallowed. “Because humans and demons don’t mix. Humans can’t know anything but fear when they’re with us. They aren’t strong enough for more.”

Colin thought of his Emily, and one word immediately sprang to mind. Bullshit.

“He’ll hurt her.” A fierce shake of his head. “I’ve seen it happen before. He’ll take everything she has to give, then he’ll destroy her.”

As Cara’s sister had been destroyed?

“Humans are weak, ” Cameron repeated. “They can’t be trusted.”

“So they just need to be killed?”

“No!” Cameron shot to his feet. “Damn it, stop putting words in my mouth! I never said—”

“Why did you think you were brought down here today?” Another rapid-fire question shift.

A blink from the demon. “I-I…don’t know. Thought that Brooks bastard was trying to start trouble for me—”

“Why?”

“Cause he’s always in Paradise, and the guy knows he’s not wanted there. Not by Niol, not by me—”

“But he is wanted by Cara.”

Cameron’s mouth snapped closed. The handsome face turned almost ugly for a moment. “He’s what she wants… now .”

“Ah, so you don’t think that…wanting will last?”

“Not for Cara.” Absolutely certain. Then his gaze sharpened. “Wait, you never said—is Cara okay? Is she? Or has that asshole cop done something to—”

“She’s fine.”

His shoulders relaxed.

Colin’s gaze raked over the demon’s body. “I need you to lift up your shirt for me, Cameron.” It was the same request he’d made to the last two demons. Right after they’d finished their explanations and alibis.

He wasn’t going to wait for the alibi spin with this guy—he was ready to cut to the chase with old Cameron. No sense listening to false stories from this guy when a simple test would tell the truth about him.

Susan Dobbs had fought like a wildcat. Her knife had found its mark over and over on her killer. And, yeah, demons healed fast, but an incubus wasn’t a level-ten, and it would take time—a hell of a lot longer than twenty-four hours–for the wounds to heal.

If Cameron had killed Susan, the marks would still be on his flesh.

Flesh that was currently hidden by a dark shirt, a shirt buttoned all the way to the demon’s neck, and with long, thick sleeves that covered his arms and fastened at his wrists.

Cameron smirked. “Sorry, man, I don’t swing that way.”

Colin stared back at him until the little bastard lost his grin. Then he said, “Two ways to do this, demon. You can willingly take off your shirt—or I can take it off for you.”