Bite marks.
Figured. “Neither do you,” she told her, sadly, still not glancing back at Chase. Not yet. “You need to run from them, as fast as you can and never look back.”
A blink. “Why? They can give me everything.”
Or nothing. “You can’t trust vamps.”
Her smile dimmed. “You can’t trust anyone.” Her hand rose to her neck. Covered the wounds. “But when you can live forever, does it matter?”
Yes.
Fingertips brushed her shoulder. Dee spun around, the weapon up.
Chase stared back at her.
“What? Christ, man, how the hell did you move so fast?” And so quietly.
“Where’s your partner?”
Thudding footsteps. Dee glanced back in time to see Sunshine make a break for the line of cars. She lunged forward—
He jerked her back. “Your. Partner.”
“She’s getting away!” If she could trail her, they could find out where the vamps were hiding and—
“Good. The bitch just threatened you. If she didn’t get her ass out of here, I might have killed her.”
What?
An engine kicked to life. No time to argue. Dee elbowed him, twisted, shimmied, then kicked out with her foot.
He flew back, and she shot forward.
“Dee!”
Her legs pumped as fast and hard as they could. Go, go. A car lurched forward, a small, red Ford. Exhaust burned her nostrils and the squeal of tires grated in her ears. Tag, get the—
Damn. Her shoulders slumped.
Gravel crunched behind her. “That hurt, Dee.”
Doubtful. If she’d wanted him hurt, he would have been hurt. “You should have let me go.” She stared at the disappearing taillights. No tag. Sunshine had planned for their meeting. Turning back to Chase, she glared. “She got away.”
He rubbed his side. “Where. Is. Your. Partner.”
Dee tried to brush by him. He caught her shoulders, trapping her against him.
His eyes glittered down at her. “You know, the blond bastard who was licking your ear inside. Where is he?”
Ah, what was that? Jealousy? Men. Take away the jeans and designer labels and you had cavemen beating their chests. “Jude isn’t my partner.”
“Is he your lover?”
Her breath rushed out. “None of your business, okay? I’m on a case, you just let my lead get away and—”
He kissed her. Chase crushed that too hard mouth down on hers and drove his tongue past her lips.
She could have broken free. Could have given him another hard punch but—
Screw it.
She wanted to taste him.
So for a few wild seconds, she forgot the vamps and the death and she locked her arms tight around him and she opened her mouth wide.
Yes.
Her tongue met his. She wasn’t the kind of woman who liked to be taken. She liked to take.
His hands caught her waist, pulled her closer, and the rising ridge of his cock thrust against her.
His lips caressed. Savored. His tongue swept into her mouth. Slid against hers and had her wanting more. So much more.
A quiver began in the pit of her belly. A stir of hunger that she hadn’t felt in so long.
This man could make her feel. Make her want, and—the sex—it would be fantastic.
His fingers cupped her ass. Squeezed.
Then he lifted her, hauling her high in the air and holding her close so that her nipples, already tight, aching peaks, pushed against his chest.
Yes.
She liked her men strong. Liked her sex hot.
He sure fit the bill and—
“Dammit, Dee, I thought you were working the case, not screwing around with—”
He stiffened against her. Chase’s head rose and his lips, red and shining from her mouth, hovered over hers. “Not your lover,” he repeated and it took her a half-dazed moment to realize he was talking about Jude.
The guy who’d finally decided to make an appearance. “No.”
He put her down, nice and slow. “Then you won’t mind when I kick his ass.”
Um, nah, generally she wouldn’t mind but—
But this wasn’t a fair fight. No way would Chase be able to take down a shifter, unless—unless he was much more than human.
“Come and try,” Jude invited and she didn’t have to look at him to know he’d be sporting his come-get-some grin.
She grabbed Chase’s hands. “What are you?”
His eyes narrowed. “What the hell kind of question is that?”
“One that needs an answer.” In this city, you couldn’t take risks.
But he didn’t answer and his jaw locked.
She glanced over at Jude. “Kymine gone yet?”
“Mostly.” He sniffed a bit. “He doesn’t smell like death.” A grimace. “Just some fancy ass cologne.”
Her shoulders relaxed. Not a vamp. Okay. Everything else was pretty much doable.