Eternal Hunter (Night Watch #1)(74)
Author: Cynthia Eden

“No.” Zane’s immediate reply.

“Wh-what are you talking about?” the demon demanded.

Jude smiled at him and fully retracted his claws. After all, he didn’t want to damage the demon. Especially now that he knew he needed the jerk. “You’re gonna earn your money tonight.”

“Wh-what’d I miss?” Tony asked, the words a bit thick.

“Jude.” Erin’s voice was sharp.

She wouldn’t like the plan, but there was no option. The game was ending. He’d end it. “You’re gonna deliver me to the ass**le who contacted you—and you’re gonna collect your money.”

Erin’s fingers dug into Jude’s shoulder and she spun him around. Her eyes were blazing as she snapped, “The hell he is.”

Chapter 19

“This is a really stupid idea.” Erin’s stare could have burned a lesser man. As it was, Jude felt distinctly singed. “You’re already weak. You can’t seriously be considering going after this guy now.”

Weak. Not a word he particularly enjoyed even though he still felt like he’d been hit by a truck. Or a dozen demons. “I’m getting stronger every minute.” True. He’d always known he was lucky to be a white tiger. If he’d been a fox—hell, it would have taken days for him to recover. Simple shifter fact: The stronger and rarer you were, the quicker you healed. Kinda like survival of the fittest multiplied, and it was sweet old Mother Nature’s way of making sure her once-in-a-blue-moon shifters didn’t vanish from the earth completely.

When you were hard to kill, you got to live longer.

“You. Can’t. Do. This.”

He’d never heard that particular guttural tone from her before. The lady was walking a fine edge of rage. So was he. “This is it, sweetheart. The chance to bag the bastard and take him out.” The others were silent around them. Watching. Waiting. Even the demon prey had the sense to keep his mouth shut. “We finish this tonight, and there’s no more running for you. No more fear.”

“And if he kills you?” Her hands were small fists. Blood dripped onto the floor near her feet, and he knew that her claws were out, cutting her.

A rumble built in his throat and he crossed to her. Took her hands. Unfurled the fists. Her claws had dug deep. “Erin…”

She jerked away from him. “You almost died here.” Her right hand lifted, waving toward the peeling walls and sputtering candles. Luckily, someone—he thought maybe Dee—had broken the radio and ended the blasting stream of drums and rock.

“Almost doesn’t really count,” he murmured, and knew when her eyes immediately slit that he’d said the wrong thing.

“I saw you on the floor.” Death dream. “Blood around you. Your eyes wide open. Dead.” She shook her head, sending her hair flying around her. “Don’t tell me that doesn’t count.”

“Uh? What did she see?” Tony asked. He was up and gingerly rubbing his jaw.

Zane shook his head. “I’ll explain later, but, man, I really don’t think you want to know.”

Their voices drifted around Jude. Erin. He wanted, needed to hold her. But the others—

Ah, screw them.

He caught Erin and yanked her against his chest. He held fast when she fought him and when her head tipped back, he kissed her.

She bit him…then kissed him back. “Bastard,” she whispered against his lips.

A tremble shook her.

Or maybe it shook him. Hard to say. Her mouth widened and his tongue swept inside. This— this was what he needed.

Her taste. Her flesh. His for the taking. His.

Always his.

“Uh, dude, seriously, if you two have sex, I’m outta here, fast,” Dee said, her voice gruff.

His head lifted. Sex with Erin. Always something he was up for but—

But darkness would be falling soon and a killer waited.

“You’re really going, aren’t you?” Erin asked as her hands rose to lock around his arms.

A nod. For her. He’d stop the bastard, one way or another.

She absorbed that, then said, “Then I’m coming, too.”

“The hell you are!” No, no way, she—

“My life, Jude.” Her hold tightened on him. “He’s been screwing with my life all this time. I’m not sitting on the sidelines anymore, and I’m sure not letting you go in alone with this freak waiting to tear you apart.”

Her scent filled his nostrils, sending his c**k surging to full, hard attention and making his heart race with a twisted mix of lust and need and fear. Lust and need—because he always wanted her, even when he’d just left death’s cold door. Fear—the fear came because he didn’t want to risk her. She could take down demons, but if the stalker shifted, she’d die. “You can’t go with me.” Giving her a straight order wouldn’t work, but logic might sway her lawyer’s mind. “Erin, he’d catch your scent long before we closed in and the bastard would run.” Then they’d be back to square f**king one.

No. The game would end tonight.

“Uh…this really isn’t police protocol,” Tony pointed out.

“The police aren’t gonna be handling this.” Jude released Erin and stepped back. He thought maybe the move would help to ease the hunger he felt. No such luck. “Night Watch has priority. The shifter ass**le is expecting me and the demon, and that’s what he’ll get.”

“Ah…not quite.” Zane cleared his throat. Jude glanced at him and saw the hunter’s green eyes fade to pure black. “He’s expecting you and he’s going to get two demons. The ass**le over there—and me.” His smile held a cruel edge. “You freaking shifters think you can scent everything a mile away. Well, when he smells me, all he’ll get is demon.”

An answering grin stretched Jude’s lips. Zane had always been there for him, ready to kick ass and walk right into the dark. He slanted a glance at Erin. “Between the two of us, the wolf will go down.” The other shifter wouldn’t be expecting the threat—from Zane or from him and that would be his downfall.

Erin was one hell of a fighter. She’d more than proved that tonight. But now, it was his turn. “This is what I do,” he told her, his blood already heating. “It’s time for me to finish this hunt.”

The struggle was on her face. Fury and fear warring together. Yeah, he knew that mix well.