NocC 014 - Elle James - Hot Demon Nights - Harlequin 2012-05 by Nocturne Read Free Book Online

his shirt, the buttons popping off, pinging against the monitor and falling to the floor. But when my hand fell to his fly, he grabbed hold of it and pulled it to rest against his chest.
    “Do you want me?” he asked.
    Desire burned through my veins, desire and a need so powerful my left brain had disengaged, allowing my right brain to run the show. “Isn’t it obvious?” I replied, my body trembling, my words shaky.
    Blaise shook his head. “Take a breath. If we’re in this together for more than just getting you off, then it’s not happening until you’re good and ready to admit you want me. And you should know right now, I’m not just looking for one time.”
    My vision focused on his tanned chest and the ripple of muscles he wasn’t going to let me explore with my tongue. We’d had fun before, why couldn’t we do that again? Why did he have to make this all or nothing?
    “You can tease me with images of your tongue running across my skin, but I’m serious. Until you can admit to me and to yourself that you want me—want something real with me—we won’t be making love.” He kissed my lips and set me on my feet.
    My knees shook so badly, I almost fell. What was wrong with me? I drew on all the anger I’d felt over being treated like a hooker on the Chicago police force, trying to stir up enough rage to flatten the demon with some pithy remark, only my brain remained befuddled, my tongue tied.
    I took a deep breath and dragged my jacket over my shoulders. “Let’s go to the station.”
    “Good idea. I want to see that footage they confiscated from the security cameras at Felding’s apartment building.”
    “Me too.” And being around other people would automatically force me to focus on the investigation and not my partner. Safety in numbers was one of the self-protection techniques I employed when I felt overwhelmed.
    As we stepped out of my apartment, drizzle cooled my cheeks and guaranteed we wouldn’t get a taxi anytime soon. We walked the blocks to the precinct where we found Detective Thomas in a cubicle reviewing the footage.
    “Glad you two got here. I could use your take on this.” He nodded toward the young cop manning the mouse. “Let it play.” After a second, Thomas jabbed his finger at the corner of the monitor. “See that?” A blurry image of the sidewalk outside the apartment building could just barely be made out. At the edge of the screen, light glanced off something metal and shiny. A vehicle door.
    “Now, watch closely.” Thomas leaned closer, squinting at the screen.
    Light from the entrance to the apartment building flashed off the smoothly polished door as it opened and a body stumbled out.
    At the same time, Mrs. Felding’s limousine pulled up to the curb and the driver hopped out to open her door.
    The creature from the mystery vehicle groaned something that sounded like Where is it? and lurched into Mrs. Felding, his hands wrapping around her throat.
    For a brief second, the creature’s face came into full view—hollow-eyed with grayish-blue skin, and a face contorted into what appeared to be an angry grimace.
    “Did you see it?” Thomas asked.
    “The zombie, yes.” I nodded.
    “No, the vehicle he got out of.” Thomas faced us, hands on his hips. “Someone is setting these creatures up to attack individuals.”
    “What about the first two?” Blaise asked. “They only attacked homeless men.”
    “Yeah, but the latest two seem to be targeting individuals.” Thomas scratched his chin. “I wish I had footage of the attack in your apartment building, Danske. I’ll bet dollars to doughnuts whoever let that zombie loose outside Felding’s building led your zombie to the apartment above yours.”
    “I agree.” Blaise told Detective Thomas what we’d discovered online. “Why would someone want to hurt those women?” Blaise asked.
    “There has to be another connection.” I paced across the floor, my head down…thinking.
    “Did you see the markings