He nodded at the crow. “Nice to meet you.”
“My other familiar is at home, and she’s fallen ill because of me. I didn’t want to tell you this, but I, the Queen of the Night, have become a homebody. Esther is lethargic, and she has lost her color, and if I don’t add some excitement into my life…if I don’t find a purpose soon…she’ll die.”
Spencer looked at Percival, the crow’s onyx feathers glinting blue in the moonlight, and his stomach tightened. He knew a few witches with familiars, and the animals were more than pets. They were an extension of the person.
“I didn’t know vampires had familiars.” He stroked the back of his index finger down Percival’s chest. Lilith’s breath caught, and he jerked his hand away.
“Lucifer created them to be my companions in the early years of my curse. I was the only vampire in the world for quite a while.” Her gaze grew distant as if the memory were painful. “Please, Spencer, I don’t know what else to do.”
“How can I help?”
“Let me stay. Let me watch you film your show. I’m sure being near you—” She pressed her lips together. “Being near the excitement will help. It has to.”
He drew a breath, taking in Lilith’s attire. She wore solid black, her long-sleeved shirt and pants form-fitting, accentuating every curve. Her black ankle boots had a rugged sole and low heel, and though it was ninety degrees and more humid than Hades’ asshole, her brow hadn’t even begun to glisten with sweat. Must be nice.
“I’m dressed for adventure.” She flashed her thousand-watt smile, and his heart felt like it stuttered. It didn’t, of course. The muscle responsible for pumping blood through his body wouldn’t malfunction due to a beautiful woman, but the sensation was a warning sign…one he was about to choose to ignore.
He returned the smile. “You’re dressed to rob a bank.”
“Maybe we can do that tomorrow?”
He laughed. “All right, you can stay.” How could he turn her away when an animal’s life was on the line?
“Thank you, Spencer. You have no idea how much this means.”
“Stay out of the frame. Just stand behind me and keep quiet.”
“You won’t even know I’m here.”
Oh, he would know. Simply being in the vicinity of Lilith made his blood hum and his owl flutter beneath the surface. The woman was magnetic…and dangerous.
CHAPTER SEVEN
Percival took to the sky in search of a snack, and Lilith stood behind Spencer like he asked. The scent of his coppery blood pulsing through his veins made her mouth water. She stepped closer, taking in the bouquet of his skin—warm and woodsy—and his pheromones flared with his desire. Delicious.
He felt their bond. Of that, she was certain, but Spencer was fighting it. Her friends had assured her this was normal, especially for a topside dweller, and while Lilith would have preferred to declare them soulmates the moment his eyes met hers so they could cut through all the crap, Eve had insisted Lilith let him come to the realization on his own.
She moved closer as Spencer hoisted his camera onto his shoulder, and his pulse quickened, his blood flowing more rapidly through his arteries. She should have fed before she came. The last thing she needed was to chomp on him or one of his friends. He already had a mild disdain for her kind, which drove a stake into her plans for the elusive happily ever after. This would be harder than she thought.
She stepped back and cleared her throat. “What are we hunting?”
“Alan’s about to explain.” He turned on his camera’s light and pointed it at the host.
“El Cadejos…” Alan said. “A ghostly canine who’s said to have long, black fur, red eyes, and the teeth of a jaguar. According to legend, if you’re out late at night…especially if you’re drinking…” He held up his beer bottle. “You’ll hear the sounds of chains dragging the ground and the clip-clop of El Cadejos’ goat hooves as he approaches you from behind.”
Lilith held in a laugh. It was no wonder they never found any evidence on this show. They were hunting fables. El Cadejos was made up by a creative alcoholic who needed an excuse for why he stumbled home at three in the morning, missing his pants and a shoe.
“If El Cadejos shows himself to you, it’s a sign you need to change your life.” Alan downed the contents of his bottle. “Tonight, I’m taking on the role of a drunk to see if we can catch the beastly spirit on camera for the first time.”
Oh, dear. Lilith bit her lip. The most they were likely to find out here was light reflecting off the eyes of a jaguar stalking them from the trees.
“And, cut.” Alan waved a hand, and Spencer and Rebecca lowered their cameras. “Rebecca, you’ll focus on me as I wander down the road. Spencer, you keep your lens trained on the trees. We’re looking for anything that moves.”
“What will you do if you actually get El Cadejos on film?” Lilith asked. “You said you would never expose a cryptid.”
“Ghosts don’t count,” Spencer said.
“They exist on a different plane, so we wouldn’t be exposing their home to anyone,” Rebecca added.
