Синтия Иден - Eternal Hunter

Claw marks.

Some shifters sure did like to mark their territory. Her jaw tightened and she brushed past him, all too aware of the heat and strength of his body.

The interior of his place was Spartan bare. A couch. A giant TV. A paperwork-covered desk shoved into the corner. A big, scarred wooden table, two chairs around it, a small lamp on its surface. Erin caught a glimpse of the kitchen — or was that a closet?

“Not here much,” he said with a shrug, following her gaze. “Too busy—”

“Hunting.” She knew exactly how he spent his days. In the hours since they’d parted, she’d done her homework.

Jude Donovan. Age thirty-five. College graduate, with a degree in criminal justice. He’d been recruited to work for Night Watch when he’d barely been twenty-two. His reputation for hunting was vicious, and so were the criminals he captured. The vilest of criminals.

Humans…and she’d be willing to bet Other , too.

She reached into her bag and pulled out a check. Not the usual way things were handled in the DA’s office, but…“I’ve been authorized to acquire your services.” He didn’t glance at the check, just kept those blue eyes trained on hers. Her fingers were steady as she held the check in the air between them. “This check is for ten thousand dollars.”

No change of expression. From the looks of his cabin, the guy shouldn’t have been hesitating to snatch up the money.

“Give the check to Night Watch.”

At that, her lips firmed. “I already gave them one.” A hefty one, at that. “This one’s for you. A bonus from the Mayor. He wants this guy caught, fast.” Before word about the true nature of the crime leaked too far.

“So old Gus doesn’t think his cops can handle this guy?”

Gus LaCroix. Hard-talking, ex-hard-drinking mayor. No nonsense, deceptively smart, and demanding. “He’s got the cops on this, but he said he knew you, and that you’d be the best one to handle this job.”

Erin strongly suspected that Gus belonged in the Other world. She hadn’t caught any unusual scent drifting from him, but his agreement to bring in Night Watch and his almost desperate demands to the DA had sure indicated the guy knew more than he was letting on about the situation.

Could be he was a demon. Low-level. Many politicians were.

Jude took the check. Finally. She dropped her fingers, not wanting the flesh on flesh contact with him. Not then.

He folded the check and tucked it into the back pocket of his jeans. “Guess you just got yourself a bounty hunter.”

“And I guess you’ve got yourself one sick shifter to catch.”

He closed the distance between them, moving fast and catching her arms in a strong grip.

Aw, hell. It was just like before. The heat of his touch swept through her, waking hungers she’d deliberately denied for so long.

Jude was sexual. From his knowing eyes, his curving, kiss-me lips, to the hard lines and muscles of his body.

Deep inside, in the dark, secret places of her soul that she fought to keep hidden, there was a part of her just like that.

Wild. Hot.

Sexual.

“Why are you afraid of me?”

Not the question she’d expected, but one she could answer. “I know what you are. What sane woman wouldn’t be afraid of a man who becomes an animal?”

“Some women like a little bit of the animal in their men.”

“Not me.” Liar .

His eyes said the same thing.

“Do your job, Donovan. Catch the freak who cut up my prisoner—”

“Like Bobby had been slashing his victims?”

Hit . Yeah, there’d been no way to miss that significance.

“When word gets out about what really happened, some folks will say Bobby deserved what he got.” His fingers pressed into her arms. Erin wore a light, silk shirt — and even that seemed too hot for the humid Louisiana spring night. His touch burned through the blouse and seemed to singe her flesh.

“Some will say that,” she allowed. Okay, a hell of a lot would say that. “But his killer still has to be caught.” Stopped, because she had the feeling this could be just the beginning.

Her feelings about death weren’t often wrong.

She was a lot like her dad that way.

And, unfortunately, like her mother, too.

“What do you think? Did he deserve to be clawed to death?”

An image of Bobby’s ex-wife, Pat, flashed before her eyes. The doctors had put over one hundred and fifty stitches into her face. She’d been his most brutal attack.

Erin swallowed. “His punishment was for the court to decide.” She stepped back, but he didn’t let her go. “Uh, do you mind?”

“Yeah, I do.” His eyes glittered down at her. “If we’re gonna be working together, we need honesty between us.”

“We need you to find the killer.”

“Oh, I will. Don’t worry about that. I always catch my prey.”

So the rumors claimed. The hunters from Night Watch were known throughout the U.S.

“You’re shivering, Erin.”

“No, no, I’m not.” She was.

“I make you nervous. I scare you.” A pause. His gaze dropped to her lips, lingered, then slowly rose back to meet her stare. “Is it because I know what you are?”

She wanted his mouth on hers. A foolish desire. Ridiculous. Not something the controlled woman wanted, but what the wild thing inside craved. “You don’t know anything about me.”

“Don’t I?”

Erin jerked free of his hold and glared at him. “Few things in this world scare me. You should know that.” There was one thing, one person, who terrified her but now wasn’t the time for that disclosure. No, she didn’t tell anyone about him.

If she could just get around Jude and march out that door—

“Maybe you’re not scared of me, then. Maybe you’re scared of yourself.”

She froze.

“Not human,” he murmured, shaking his head. “Not vamp.”

Vamp? Thankfully, no.

“Djinn? Nah, you don’t have that look.” His right hand lifted and he rubbed his chin. “Tell me your secrets, sweetheart, and I’ll tell you mine.”

“Sorry, not the sharing type.” She’d wasted enough time here. Erin pushed past him, ignoring the press of his arm against her side. Her body ached and the whispers of hunger within her grew more demanding every moment she stayed with him.

Weak.

She hated her weakness.

Just like her mother’s.

“You’re a shifter.” His words stopped her near the door. She stared blankly at the faded wood. Heard the dull thud of her heart echoing in her ears.

Then the soft squeak of the old floorboards as he closed the distance between them.

Erin turned to him, tilted her head back—

He kissed her.

She heard a growl. Not from him — no, from her own throat.

The hunger .

Sure, he made the first move, he brought his lips crashing down on hers, but…she kissed him right back.

Her hands locked around his shoulders, her nails dug into his flesh. Oh, damn, but his flesh…Strong, hot.

Her mouth was open, lips parted for the thrust of his tongue. She’d tried to play the good girl and walk away, but there was no denying she wanted this— wanted him.

Tongues met. Took. Tasted.

And he tasted good. Even better than the chocolate she craved in the middle of the day. Erin realized she wanted more. So much more.

She rose on her tiptoes. Widened her mouth, and this time, the growl that she heard came from him.

His hands clenched around her hips, and he jerked her even closer to him. The hard bulge of his arousal pressed against her. Long and hard and promising such fierce pleasure. She could have him, thrusting deep and hard into her, and Erin knew the ride would be fantastic. The sex great.