Синтия Иден - Eternal Hunter

She could have him.

His fingers cupped her ass.

Take him. Take him.

He ripped his mouth from hers. She sucked in a sharp breath and tried to clear the lust from her mind. She needed—

His mouth pressed against her neck. Right over her pulse.

Her weak spot.

His tongue laved her and her knees trembled. Then Jude bit her, a light, teasing bite.

A marking, nonetheless. She knew the way of shifters.

But that didn’t stop the heat that swept through her. Erin’s nipples swelled against him, her sex moistened.

Freaking animal response.

So much need .

“You want me, Erin, just as much as I want you.” The words rumbled against her flesh.

She wouldn’t deny it. She wouldn’t give in to the furious desire, either. With one serious effort, Erin made her hands stop clutching him and she pushed against his chest instead.

Nice chest.

He didn’t move.

She pushed harder, letting some of her enhanced strength flex. “Let me go.”

His head rose and he stared down at her with eyes shining brightly. So blue it almost hurt to look into them.

“Shifter.” He said this again, but it wasn’t so much a question. Too certain. “I can see it in your eyes.”

No, no that couldn’t be possible. She always controlled her body. No claws. No glowing eyes. No too-sharp teeth. The guy was guessing, trying to trip her up.

“Sweet little shifter. You can’t hide your beast from me.”

There was no beast. “Let. Me. Go.” Her voice was huskier than she would have liked, but she meant the words. Being near him right then, not really an option.

Running, yeah, that was the best option. Not because she was afraid, but—

Shit, okay, she was afraid.

So there were a few things that scared her.

Jude dropped his hold.

Erin spun around and fumbled with the door. Her purse, all but forgotten, banged against her hip. Then she was outside, stumbling onto the porch and putting some much needed space between them.

Now if her heart would just slow its frantic beat.

“This isn’t over.” His voice followed her down the steps.

“Damn right.” She tossed him a glare over her shoulder. “You’ve got to find my killer—”

“Not that.” His steps were slow and heavy on the porch. “Us. We’re not over. We’re just getting started.” He licked his lips. “I can still taste you.”

She could taste him. And her panties were wet. Just from a kiss.

What would happen when they were both naked?

She would not find out.

“We’re gonna happen, sweetheart. Deal with it.”

Arrogant asshole.

Sexy beast.

“No, we’re not.” Some temptations had to be denied. “You deal with that. ” She opened her car door and climbed inside.

“Why do you hide your animal side?” He raised a hand to his shoulder and ran his fingertips over the small wounds that she could see even in the dim light from the porch.

Because some of her senses were enhanced, too.

Thanks, Mother.

She’d marked him. The way of the beast.

“I have no animal side,” she said quietly.

“Bullshit. There’s an animal in you, just growling to get out.” He motioned to the wild land around them. “Wanna shift and run with me?”

Ice froze her blood. “You’re mistaken about me, Donovan.” Flawed. Broken. “There’s no animal inside for you to play with — sorry.” Then she slammed her door. Seconds later, she shoved the gear shift into reverse and spun out of his drive.

Some temptations had to be denied .

No matter how much pleasure they promised.

He was dreaming about her when the phone rang. A hot, sexy dream that had him aching. Erin wore two thin strips of black lace. Her eyes were shining. Her lips moist.

She wanted him.

His hands couldn’t touch her enough. Couldn’t enjoy the feel of that satiny skin enough and—

And then the phone rang.

Jude reached for the receiver near his bed, ready to give someone a serious ass-chewing. “What the hell do you—”

“Jude.” Erin’s voice.

Not breathy with desire like in his fading dream. Sharper, tinged with fear.

The lady had said she didn’t fear much.

Jude sat up in an instant and his fingers tightened around the phone. “What’s wrong?” A call in the middle of the night was never a good thing.

“I need you.”

Okay, she’d said that in his dream, but not quite the same way.

“408 St. Charles Avenue. Come as fast as you can, okay?”

Click.

For one second, two, he stared down at the phone.

Then he ran for the door.

Because Erin was afraid.

There weren’t any police cars in front of the old house on St. Charles. No swirling blue lights.

Jude had expected to see them, or at least some sign of trouble.

The antebellum house sat quietly, time having ravaged the once beautiful frame. Azaleas did their part to hide the house, nestling it in perfumed security from curious eyes. But the beauty of the place had faded and only a whisper of glory remained.

A fixer-upper. There were plenty of old houses like it in the city.

But only one that had his Erin inside.

Jude’s gaze scanned the yard. His nostrils twitched. There was another scent in the air. Heavy. Drifting just under the azaleas and their sweet fragrance.

Blood.

He bounded up the steps and shoved open the door.

And slammed into Erin.

They fell to the floor in a tangle of limbs and a cloud of curses. He tried to spin to protect her from the fall — and his weight — but it was too late.

They hit hard.

She didn’t even flinch.

Her golden eyes met his and Jude tried not to notice just how incredibly good she felt beneath him. Tried, failed.

Her breasts were crushed beneath his chest. Her thighs were spread, cradling his hips in just the, oh yeah, right way.

If the scent of blood weren’t clogging up his nostrils, he sure as all hell would’ve enjoyed the moment.

Later.

He levered up onto his forearms. “What the fuck is going on, Erin?”

She licked her lips. “Get up.”

No. Dammit. He wanted to stay exactly where he was.

And he wanted to find out why there were shadows in her eyes.

He got up.

Erin exhaled. “I — this has to stay between us, okay?”

Jude blinked. “ What has to stay between us?” He had a real bad feeling about this situation, and much as he liked the sexy ADA and wanted to get her naked, he wasn’t about to break the law for her.

Well, he wouldn’t break it much for her. A little bending, he’d do that.

His nostrils twitched again.

That was human blood .

Shit. Wary now, he kept a close watch on Erin as she rose to her feet. She still wore the sexy blouse from earlier. Her makeup was gone. Faint brown smudges were under her eyes.

He could all but smell the fear dripping off her.

“I thought you didn’t scare.”

She gave a rough laugh at that, kind of a desperate sound. Her fingers raked through her black hair. “No, hunter, I said there wasn’t much that scares me. He does.”

Jude tensed. “Someone else is here?” He didn’t smell him. Just that thick blood, coating every breath he took.

The animal inside loved the scent of blood. It was a response Jude couldn’t control. Primal.

Like the response he felt for Erin.

But the man knew the coppery scent was bad. Trouble.

“Not anymore,” she whispered. “He’s…gone.”

Jude’s hands fisted. His gaze swept the room. Caught sight of the old staircase, twisting up to the next level. To the left, he saw the gleaming wooden floors and the oversized doors that led out of the parlor. Doors that were firmly shut.