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“There is something...something you should know?—”
A groan from the floor—one that came from a slow-waking Mickey—broke across Zane’s words.
Jude glanced down at the hyena shifter, frowning.
“I didn’t get deep in her mind,” Zane said. “She blocked me before I could, but, hell, it wasdarkin there, man.”
Jude’s eyes rose to the demon once more.
“Dark.”
Now what the hell did that mean?
“There’s power. A lot of power. You’d better watch your step with her.”
What?“She’s the victim, Zane, not the perp. The job’s to keep her safe.” His goal wasn’t to bring her ass down. Erin hadn’t done anything wrong, no matter what Zane was rambling about with his “dark” crap.
“I don’t know exactly what she is...yet.”
Jude jabbed his finger into the demon’s chest. “I do. She’s the client, and our job is to keep her safe.”
A rush of air as Zane sighed. “Gotta wonder...what would scareher?”
Sirens shrieked in the distance. Erin had obviously done as she’d promised and called for her backup. Being the ADA, she’d gotten that backup, fast.
Jude reached down and grabbed Mickey, jerking the other shifter to his feet. The hyena’s head snapped back and his bleary eyes opened.
“What did the woman smell like to you?” he grated. Not much time. He had to know.
The bastard’s lips peeled back from his pointed, yellow teeth. “Prey.”
No, that didn’t make any sense. Sure, sometimes humans could smell like prey to a hunter, especially to one as screwed-ass up as Mickey. But Erin had shifter blood. The hyena should have recognized her true scent.
He caught sight of a patrol car outside. The car slammed to a stop. The cops jumped out, fast and ready for action. Then they hesitated outside of the bar. They looked to the left, to the right, and Jude saw them begin to step away from the bar.
Erin grabbed the arm of the taller guy and yanked him toward the entrance. She shoved open the door. “In there!” Jude heard her say.
The cop blinked and gave a small shake of his head.
Humans.
The spell had them confused. Jude sighed and pushed the shifter toward the door. “My collar.” So he’d be the one to take him out. He’d be earning a couple grand from Mickey’s case. But, unfortunately, he hadn’t learned what he’d wanted from the shifter.
The humid air hit him the minute he stepped outside Delaney’s. The color had come back to Erin’s cheeks, giving her skin a warm glow. Her eyes were warm,scorchingas she eyed him with her hands fisted at her sides.
He helped load the prisoner into the back of the patrol car. Jude fought the urge to give the guy an ass-kicking, and in moments, the cops pulled away with their prisoner.
Jude turned to her with his hands on his hips. Zane hadn’t followed him outside. Had to give the demon credit on that one. Staying inside was definitely the best plan for him.
Jude stalked to her slowly. Erin didn’t back up even a single step. Jude raised a brow and asked the question that was driving him crazy. “Why didn’t Mickey sense you?”
She blinked.
“The hyena shifter—you recognized him, why the hell didn’t he recognize you?” Her scent had been off that first day. A mix that had tempted and teased, but he’d known right away that she wasn’t human. Not completely, anyway. But, Mickey had only thought of her as prey. Didn’t make a bit of sense.Like to like. The other shifter should have been able to recognize her, too.
“You just can’t keep a low profile, can you?” she grated, craning her neck to the left then the right as she searched the street. “How in the world you’ve kept your tiger hidden?—”
“No one’s around.” Thanks to Catalina. He pinned her with his gaze. “Why didn’t he know, sweetheart?” The words were easy, but the demand underlying them was steel hard.
