Eternal Hunter (Night Watch #1)(14)
Author: Cynthia Eden

The clerk, a teen with a bad case of acne on the left side of his face, eyed the money with a narrowed gaze. “You’re not some kind of perv…are ya?”

Jude growled.

The kid hopped back.

“I’m her boyfriend. We’re having a fight.” He smiled, showing teeth he knew to be a bit too sharp. “It’ll be over long before dawn, so just give me the damn key. ”

His fingers shaking, the kid tossed him the key.

“Good.” Jude caught the key card in his left fist. His right hand lifted, revealing the money. “The extra forty is for you. If anyone comes around sniffing after my lady, you let me know ASAP, got it?”

The money disappeared in a blink. “Uh, got…it.”

“Good.”

The room card bit into his palm, and Jude forced himself to ease the grip.

Just to make sure the place was clear, he scanned the lobby. Then, satisfied, he headed back upstairs.

The hunt would start tomorrow.

The beast inside jerked against his leash.

Tomorrow.

Jude woke, his heart racing and his eyelids flying open.

He strained, struggling to hear. What had woken him?

A whimper. Muffled.

He jumped out of bed and lunged across the room. One yank and the lock on the connecting door broke. “Erin!”

She screamed and sat up, her eyes wide open.

Alone. His heart was about to burst from his chest. “Sweetheart, you scared the hell out of—”

She flew at him, snarling, hands out, claws extended.

Swearing, he stumbled back, but not before those claws raked a trail of fire across his chest.

Not a shifter, my ass. “Erin!” He grabbed her. No choice. Self-preservation instincts were strong in him. His fingers locked tight around her wrists and he jerked her arms down. “Calm—”

She broke his hold. In about half a second.

She. Broke. His. Hold.

And came at him again with those razor sharp claws shooting from her fingertips.

He snarled and she froze.

Then she blinked and shook her head. “Jude?” Her claws retracted. “What are you—”

He saw the flare of her nostrils. She’d left a lamp on near the bathroom, and the light spilled in a soft circle, giving him a perfect view of her. Even without that light, he would have been able to see.

“Your chest!” Horror broke across her face. Her gaze dropped to her hands. She turned them over, staring at her palms, her fingertips. Looking like she’d never seen the things before.

“I heard you cry out,” he said, pushing his right hand against the throbbing wound. He’d had a hell of a lot worse before.

No big deal, but—

But he hadn’t expected such a fierce attack from her. “Thought you might need me.”

Her shoulders dropped. “I-I don’t remember. I guess I was…dreaming.”

“Had to be one hell of a dream.” The scent of his blood seemed too thick in the air.

“I…guess so.” She reached for him and Jude held his ground. Erin bit her lip. “I should wash this, bandage you.” She caught his arm and led him to the bathroom.

He could have stopped her. Told her it was just a flesh wound and that even without shifting, it would be gone by dawn.

But he liked the way her hands felt against him.

He’d ditched his shirt before he’d crashed in the bed. Kept his jeans on, just in case.

Good thing he’d had the denim on. He’d have to make sure he kept her claws away from that part of his anatomy.

The bathroom was the size of a closet, a miniscule one. After flipping on the lights, Erin turned from him and wrenched on the water. She snagged a cloth, held it under the flow of water, soaped it up, and then eased it across his bare chest.

The lady didn’t meet his gaze. Just kept one small hand over his heart while the other swiped the cloth over the five long claw marks.

No denying what they were.

She turned from him, her hip and shoulder brushing against him as she rinsed the blood from the cloth.

“Want to talk about it?” He inched closer, the better to trap her against the sink.

Erin’s face was pale. “I have occasional night terrors, okay? Had ’em for years, even before the creep got attached to me.”

Her lips pressed together. “I don’t remember the dreams.”

“Don’t you?”

She flinched.

His hands rose slowly and curled over her shoulders. “If you don’t want to talk about the dream, then how about you try telling me one more time that you aren’t like me. Because I know a shifter’s claws when I see them.” And feel them.

Her gaze held his in the mirror. Her hair was a dark curtain around her face, and despite her height, she still looked fragile, delicate, against him.

Looks could be so deceiving.

“Having claws…doesn’t make me a shifter.” Her chin lifted and color finally began to drift back into her cheeks. “Any number of Other have claws.”

True enough. His head lowered over her shoulder. She’d finally ditched her business clothes and slipped on a loose pair of pajama pants and a white top. The neckline was low and scooped, showing off that perfect cle**age.

Jude bent over her. Really, he was in the best position. That sweet ass before him. Her neck, all but bared so close to his mouth.

A faint tremble shook her.

He lowered his head, setting his mouth right over her throat. Just an inch separated him from that sweet flesh.

Vamps weren’t the only ones who liked to bite.

“Jude…”

His lips closed over her skin. Kissed. Sucked. Her head fell back, exposing even more of that tempting flesh.

His mouth eased over her. Found that sweet spot where neck and shoulder met. A favorite for his kind.

His fangs burned.

He bit her.

Not too hard. Not a marking.

Just a taste.

That firm ass rocked back against him as she moaned.

His heart thudded, the drumming filling his ears. The dream—night terror, whatever the hell it had been—was gone.

Now it was just the two of them. He was ready, more than ready, his c**k hard and thick with lust, and she wanted him, he knew that.

Erin lunged forward, her palms slapping against the counter. “No.”

His teeth snapped together as he fought to rein in his hunger.

Her hair fell over her face, shielding her from his view. Erin’s shoulders heaved as she pulled in several deep breaths.

Jude glanced toward the shower and thought about hopping in, then cranking on the ice cold water.