I could feel something inside of me unraveling, but I knew this was not the moment to let that happen. Tapping into my training, I focused on things that I knew for sure.
My badge number. The oath I took when I started on the force.
When I was finally out of that freak-out mode, I took a breath and reminded myself that this was only a job and not to get caught up. My heart thumped loudly, but it was in two simultaneous rhythms. One was slow and legal, by the book, while the other wanted to break out into war.
How many goddamn mates does this woman have?A small fact from the files I had at home popped up in my head, and I recalled her mother having five mates. I cracked my neck at the thought.
“You're a vision, Miss Rossey. Absolutely good enough to eat.” Conrad's words made that urge to punch him in his smug mouth even harder to resist.
A soft giggle leaked out from her. Her eyes fluttered and breath hitched before she calmly said, “Thank you. You don't look so bad yourself.” The sound tore something inside me. That was what she was supposed to say to me!
A copper taste filled the back of my throat as my brain and soul fought for who was in charge of my body.
You’re a cop,the human part scolded.You’re undercover. Keep the job clean.
The wolf in my head snorted, a mocking sound that set me off even more.She laughed... not for you.
Shut the fuck up, you fucking dick!
When I looked up, I could see I was not the only one having a problem with this damn vampire.
Zeth’s face mirrored mine, and it made me feel marginally better. Tension in his shoulders, jaw tight behind manners he didn't want to have, a rage that was barely kept in check. Thesolace I found in that was shameful. Being a criminal’s ally in fury felt like betrayal and relief all at once.
Suddenly, Nova’s expression slid into business mode, cool and lethal. “We have things to talk about, don't we? Let's head inside.”
Conrad smiled and offered his arm. She took it, her boss mask fully in place like armor. Benson and I fell in step behind, while Zeth claimed her other side, scowling like he would gut the next person who dared breathe too close to her.
As we moved, my mind kept circling back to the strangeness of it. How quickly my protectiveness had become possessiveness, how easily the thought of hurting some nobody had calmed the thunder in my ribs. Jealousy, I realized with ugly clarity, wasn’t just a human ache. It was even more heightened, more dangerous, more powerful in this supe body I now possessed, and that frightened me.
What if I lost control?
I puffed out an annoyed breath. All of these people were dangerous, each of them hiding their own beast beneath their skin.
Tonight, the air tasted like power, perfume, and danger, and I was going to be right at the center of it, just like I needed to be.
20
CONRAD
I’d been losing my damn mind these past few days. Work was supposed to drown out the noise, keeping my head clear, but every time I paused, she was there. The phantom heat of her pressed against me. The rasp of her breath when it caught. The memory of her claws tightening around my throat, making me feel more alive than I ever had.
All it took was a moment of pause, then a memory would invade my senses, and, suddenly, it was all I could think of. Her in my secret room, on my desk. Between her thighs in the woods. Without fail, my pants would tighten uncomfortably. It was getting to be tiresome to handle. Always having to relieve myself just to focus again. It was so mechanical, pathetic, yet still never enough.
Afterwards, when I’d taken the edge off, I’d catch myself staring at my phone. Should I text her? Call her? Ask her to come over just so I could see her… hear her… taste her again?
It was hard not to relive the moment my fangs sank into her skin, the immediate jolt of ecstasy when her full, rich blood hit my tongue. Right then, I’d known I was done for.
One sip, and I was lost. She tasted exactly like she smelled, honey-soaked wildflowers and summer heat. Sweet and floral with a sharp undertone that hit the back of my throat and went down smoothly. It wasn’t just the blood that distracted me; it was the unshakeable high of just being around her.
More than once, my thumb hovered over the call button, but every damn time, I stopped myself.
What if she didn’t feel the same pull? What if I was just another name she forgot once the thrill was gone? A woman like her didn’t waste time on men who couldn’t keep their composure or were unable to separate business from pleasure, and I truly thought I was one of those men. But, for some reason, this woman had me all tied up in knots, and I couldn't figure out the right move, the closing deal, so I put away my phone, counting down the hours until the fight event where we’d agreed to meet.
In the meantime, I’d been busy digging through reports, listening to back-alley gossip from the turned supes I knew. While I didn't get a lead on a mysterious substance, I did find out a few turned supes had gone missing. There was no connection between the missing supes other than being the kind no one paid much attention to. They had nothing to lose, and that meant they were easy prey.
It stank of intention, like someone was cherry-picking them for something they didn't want anyone to know about. Partner that with the vial we’d found at Donnie’s place? It stank of nefarious deeds.
To prep for the meet-up, I reached out to Frank, the connection I had who might know a thing or two. He was a middle-tier turned fighter who’d grown up in the slums and knew nothing else. He did a few things under the table that could get him in troublewith the Syndicate, but he was the only one who might have an ear in the same groups.
