Cat Adams - Demon Song

He smiled at my reaction to him. I shook my head and let out a deep breath to clear the cobwebs. “Do you have this effect on all the girls?”

“Most,” he admitted with a tip of his head. “But it’s stronger with you. Maybe that says something.” Maybe. But that didn’t mean it would go anywhere. I was so out of the dating game right now. Nothing but heartache—and I had more important things to worry about. I glanced at my watch and he noticed. “Right. I get it. You have places to be. Like I said, it’s perfect timing … for this.”

He pulled a small box from his pant pocket. It was about the same dimensions as my little seeker car, which I pulled out in response. “Already have one. But thanks for the offer. I would take a body-binding spell charm if you have that one ready.”

He chuckled softly and it made my stomach lurch again. Damn it. “Haven’t had time to work on the binding spell. But you don’t have one of these. Trust me.” Two steps closer and he was about as near as I could stand. Then he opened the box and my entire focus went to the contents, a tiny gold contraption, about the size of a bumblebee, with mesh-covered wings and huge mirrored eyes.

“Ooh! What is that?” I’d honestly never seen anything like it, which said something. I’m a total gadget geek and scour both the consumer electronics and military application shows for new toys. “Can I touch it?”

“Absolutely. I’m hoping you’ll try it out for me. Right now I’m calling it ‘Fly on the Wall,’ but I’m sure marketing will come up with a better name if it holds up in the real world.” He picked it out of the box and handed it to me, then pressed a button on the small metal contraption. “Take a look.”

I was turning the fly around in my hands, but when he held up the box I realized the fly was transmitting high-definition images that could be viewed on the screen at the bottom of the box. One half of the screen was a close-up of my face, while the other displayed a view of the entire room.

“I’d heard that cameras were starting to do fly-eye images, but I’ve never seen one this small or with such sharp focus.”

“Blame that on magic,” he said with a grin that told me he was happy I was impressed. “But that’s only half of it. Watch this.” Taking a tiny bead about the size and color of a BB out of the case, he pressed it against a small plate on the back of the fly and all of a sudden I was holding a real-live horsefly. The feet moved and the head turned and it felt totally like a living bug in my fingers. The images on the screen moved when the head did, and I fully admit that I let out a little girly squeal of delight.

“How cool!”

“We’re not done yet.” Creede sounded like a kid with a new bike as he pulled up a small antenna and joystick combo from the side of the screen. The fly’s wings began to vibrate against my hand. When I let go, it hovered above my palm. The joystick steered the fly around the room, and no matter how abrupt the insect’s movements, the pictures on the screen stayed clear. “It records, too. Want to try it out on your job tonight? It’s a prototype and you have such an … interesting life that I know you can give it a real workout.”

I stared at the screen, totally engrossed. It would be perfect for this job. We could find out exactly where Kevin was in the prison without risking any of our hides. “Um, I’d like to, Creede. But honestly I’m not sure if I … that is, if it will survive the night. It’s going to be a rough job. It’s your only one and that wouldn’t be fair.” I glanced at him and saw that his whole expression had changed.

“Do you need backup?” He was dead serious and I appreciated the offer. He was a powerful mage and I’d seen him in a fight before.

“Probably.” I nodded and sighed. “But it’s not my party.”

He’d been in the security game long enough that he understood what I meant. He directed the fly back to his hand and put it back in the box without a word. I couldn’t help but admire his easy familiarity with it. I knew it wouldn’t work that easy for me. After it was turned off and closed, he forced the container into my palm, making my whole arm tingle nicely. “Take it. It sounds like you’ll need it, and I can make another if need be. In fact—” He reached inside his pocket and pulled out a small charm ball with a tiny glass window set into it. “Take this, too.”

I turned it in my free hand curiously. “What is it?”

“This is a magical beacon. If you get into water hot enough you need out, crack the glass with a thumbnail or even your teeth and I’ll show up to help. All of the M and C people have one. Actually,” he said with a smile, “probably a dozen operatives will show up if you break that particular one. It’s keyed to my personal magic. I have more than one employee who will drop everything to save the guy who signs their paychecks.”

That made me laugh as I tucked it into a pant pocket. I wanted that one close to me. In fact, it might wind up inside my bra, which is seldom searched, even by the bad guys. And if I was being strip-searched, I wanted it where someone might break it by accident.

I squared my shoulders and looked once more into those flame-licked hazel eyes. “Thanks, Creede. Really. For everything.” I meant it and it came through in my voice.

He growled and frowned, because I’d just broken the rules. Tough-guy bodyguards don’t thank each other. It’s considered gauche and … soft. His sudden discomfort made me smile and caused me to impulsively reach out and hug him. I didn’t plan it; I swear.

The things the touch of his body did to mine were beyond description. Even the vest, stuffed with Kevlar and “toys,” couldn’t stop his magic from bringing my skin alive. Every nerve stood at attention, and goose bumps crawled across every inch of me. The scariest thing was that I absolutely knew he wasn’t just reacting to my siren abilities. He had a charm to prevent himself from being magically influenced by me. A grunt from him told me the reaction wasn’t one-sided. I started to pull away, but he would have none of it. His arms snaked around my body and held me tight against him, while his mouth moved to my ear and stopped just before making contact. I could feel his warm breath on my earlobe.

Now panic tore through me, because all my body wanted was for him to tear off my clothes and throw me to the floor. Bruno had made me feel like that sometimes, but this was different. It was superficial, lust without emotional depth. But that didn’t make it any less real or wanted. I hadn’t had sex in a long time and my body knew what it needed. “I have to go, Creede.”

He didn’t respond except to move his hands up my back, which made my stomach tighten and my fingers dig into his muscular shoulders. “I know.” The words pushed into my ear softly, a mixed message. What did he know? That I had to get to the job or that I wanted to feel his fingers on my skin, his lips close over mine? Then I remembered he was a skilled telepath. Crap. While I hoped he was using discretion, he could easily know what I was thinking before I’d even processed the thoughts.

His lips began to move against my neck and his hands slid down to grip my hips possessively. My heart was thudding in my throat. Interesting that I was less afraid to hunt the demon than to have this man touch me.

“Yes, it is. Very interesting.” My eyes widened at his words and at the feeling of his lips against my cheek. Delicate but powerful, the sensation strong enough to weaken my knees. His lips lingered there for what felt like an eternity while my brain swam, unable to think.

“You have to let me go, Creede.” My voice was a whisper and I could hear the fear in it. Who exactly was I afraid of?