It sounded insane, so much fucking legwork, but wehadto find him.
My mind thought back to the direction the bomber had gone, and something clicked.
I froze, replaying the image in my mind. The alley. His body language. The dumpster.
Scrambling back over, I snatched the laptop from Ras and rewound the footage. “Right there.” I pointed. “He tossed the mask into that dumpster. Van, we need to get that mask and get a hound on him.”
Alic’s voice cut in. “I’ll do it.” I turned to find eyes fixated on me.
“I don’t trust anyone else to keep their scent off it.” He scoffed, uncrossing his arms. “I’ll get it, contact the hound, then help Maso and Lucus finish up since I’m already there.”
I gave him a tight nod and a small smile, genuinely grateful… until he tilted his head toward my bedroom.
“I’ll goifyou get some sleep.”
I glared.Who the hell does he think he is, giving me orders?
I opened my mouth to say as much, but he stepped closer, gentling his voice. “You need rest.” His face pinched in concern as he reached out and twirled a lock of my hair, the gesture so effortlessly intimate I froze.
“We’re supernatural, sure, but we still think and fight better when we’re rested. Don’t you want to be at your best when we catch this son of a bitch?”
I looked away, jaw tight. I couldn’t afford rest. Not now. Not until this was over.
Van cleared his throat. “Didn’t wanna say anything, but your skin’s looking a little pale. Your magic’s not fully regenerated yet either.”
I rolled my eyes and turned to Ras, the only one who would give me the answer I wanted.
“Do I look like I need sleep?”
His eyes didn’t waver. “No,” he said, reverent and unblinking. “You’re radiant. Always. A vision of perfection.”
That earned him a pair of glacial stares, and I smirked… until he kept talking.
“But I’ve always wanted to watch you sleep. Just once.” His voice dropped. “I think I’d like it… watching your perfection in a calm, effortless state. It's exhilarating thinking of all the different sides to you lying beneath the tranquility.”
My breath hitched. That was the craziest, most romantic, and most psychotic thing anyone had ever said to me. His smile wassoft, inviting, but his eyes spoke of a dangerous obsession that was all consuming.
“Could even recharge my magic…” His words had me biting down on my lip, looking at him through my lashes. “Get ready for that second round like I promised.” He winked, and my pulse spiked, caught off guard by how quickly he flipped from reverent tohungry.
Van cut in, his eyes darting between us. “What's he talking about?”
Alic just turned and stomped toward the door, muttering over his shoulder to Ras, “Get her to bed, you psycho stalker.”
Ras’ face turned dark. His sweet, boyish charm evaporated, replaced with something vicious and predatory. His guttural growl was filled with the promise of violence.
Van stepped between Ras and me, magic surging between his fingers, jaw clenched. “He’syour stalker?”
I let out a little giggle, thinking about how he’d sent me such sweet messages, and just like that, Ras snapped back as quick as a flip of a switch. He looked at me with syrupy sweetness, eyes softening like I was his entire reason for breathing.
“Will you nap at least?” His voice was pure sin, a warning wrapped in devotion.
I sighed. With the guys already working leads at the club, and Glen still unaccounted for, I could wait. I could rest. Just for a little while.
“Yeah, all right.” I didn’t really want to have that conversation right now, so I stalked to my room. With my mind made up,exhaustion slammed into me, and I was actually looking forward to taking a small, quick nap.
Behind me, Ras’ voice floated through the room. Calm. Too calm.
“Don’t worry, Van. There’s still room for you beside her—even ifIget first boyfriend privileges.”
