Someone was following Cara. That prickly feeling in the nape of her neck was a dead giveaway.Unbidden, the image of the life leech flashed through her mind, rain-slick hair framing his face, his eyes holding her captive, his hand tight around her wrist in a grasp that had felt more like a caress. Was her skin still tingling from his touch? She rubbed her wrist, shook off the memory.After Lara had hopped onto the MAX Light Rail to her family’s house in Graham, Cara had taken the MAX in the opposite direction, and was now walking the last stretch from the station to the high-class address of the Newman family mansion. Since the rain had stopped some time earlier, it was a beautiful stroll along the streets, which led through the outskirts of Forest Park, the September night unusually warm, kissing her damp skin.Her senses on alert, she unobtrusively scanned the area. The two-lane street lay quiet, and the huge houses loomed dark and silent, half hidden be

Note to self: before you start running away in a brainless frenzy, make sure you have shoes on.Cara leaned against the side of a building, her breath sawing in and out of her lungs, and gingerly lifted one foot to look at the damage. Good grief in a fuck-it bucket. The bare skin of her sole resembled a plowed field. She set the foot back down, grimacing at the pain.For a moment, she let her head rest against the wall behind her, listening to her pulse roar in her ears.You’re turning into a agastopia demon…it looked like you were about to kill your brother…you’re hungry and driven by instincts…you’ll need to feed tonight…The demon’s words echoed in her mind, a swirling, confusing, irritating mess of messages she felt no inclination to make sense of. He—what did he say his name was? A-something. H…ux—wa

Cara jerked awake, coated with sweat, her heart pounding madly in her chest. She blinked, her breath coming in pants, her mind entangled in the lingering images, sounds, and sensations of the dream. Nightmare, more like. Gasping, she clutched the sheets as the full extent of the horrid memories flooded her consciousness.Her hands around Alonzo’s neck, claws breaking his skin. His eyes, bloodshot and wide with terror. He paws at her to let him go. A dark whisper deep inside her enjoying his struggle. A drumming force within, lusting after the inevitable end to his struggle.Kill.A whimper tore from her throat. What had she done? What had she become? More than anything, she wanted to see Alonzo, tell him how sorry she was, make sure he was okay. And yet, trumping that urge to make amends was a shame so devastating it shriveled every good intention she had.She couldn’t face him. Wha

Hux flung open the passenger side door to his truck and placed Cara on the seat with as much care as the urgency of the situation allowed.“Buckle up,” he barked and slammed the door.He jumped in on the driver’s side, started the truck, and tore out of the parking lot. Heart racing a million miles a minute, he forced himself to slow down enough to avoid cop attention. He focused on his breathing—in, out, in, out—centering himself in the sensations of the air leaving his nose, his chest heaving.His pulse decelerated. His thoughts cleared.That was a close call.He shot a glance at Cara. “You okay?”She had her fingers buried in her hair on both sides of her face, her palms pressing against her temples. “I attacked a witch.”“Yes.” He didn’t know what else to say. He coul

“Tell me what’s going on.”Huxley voice slid over Cara’s heightened senses, soothing and thrilling at the same time. Her breath still fast from her sprint, from the panic and adrenaline pumping through her, she swayed as he pulled her to a stop.“Talk to me, agitator.”“I—I killed him.” Her throat felt so raw, it hurt to speak.He laid both hands on her shoulders. “So you can live. It’s not like you—”She shook her head hard. “I don’t want to talk about it.”Avoiding his eyes, she studied the strong column of his neck, the cords of muscles and sinew that were so quintessentially male. So lickable. Without thinking—can’t start thinking, that’s dangerous—she slid one hand up and stroked over the spot where his neck met his shoulder. His demon aura flar