swarm over her body as the warmth of his body wrapped around her, and his deep blue eyes bored through her as if he could see the color of her underwear. She wasn’t looking at the unkempt patient she talked to at the hospital. She was looking at a male demon who called to her in an elemental way. Very dangerous to her senses.
She still couldn’t understand how Jared spoke to her when she always kept her internal wards running strong.
Just as it was every time she’d seen him outside of the asylum, Jared’s shaggy dark hair was clean and brushed against his ears, rather than the filthy strands that touched his shoulders when he was in his cell. His dark gray shirt, open at his throat, was tucked into lightweight charcoal wool trousers. There wasn’t even any sign of the sarcastic anger she saw back at the hospital. It was as if he was a totally different person. But then he was, wasn’t he?
He smells so good.
Even with the varied perfumes and men’s cologne in the immediate area that teased her nostrils, it was Jared she could still detect most distinctly. She sensed a hint of leather and woods, something clean and fresh. There was nothing there to indicate he was a demon, much less what kind he was. How did he do that?
She wasn’t good at reading auras. Not that it mattered, since she couldn’t even see anything resembling one around him. All she saw were hints of darkness.
“No wonder you can leave there so easily, since you manipulate the shadows to escape,” she blurted out. She made it sound like a curse. In a way it was, since shadow demons could also be imprisoned by the same shadowy tendrils that helped them.
His head snapped around as he turned back to her, circling her wrist with his fingers. “Would you mind keeping it down? It’s not something I tend to advertise.”
“No wonder. They’re extremely rare and not popular with anyone, not even their own kind,” she whispered fiercely, although she doubted anyone could hear them. She was positive the live band could easily be heard in Japan—another reason why she didn’t go clubbing all that often. “What in Hades is going on?” She tried to tug her wrist free from his firm grip, but he merely gently tightened his hold. She felt the scorching touch of his skin against hers.
He dipped his head to murmur in her ear. Anyone looking at them would have thought they were lovers desiring a private conversation. “That’s what I’m hoping you can tell me. But not here.” He released her wrist. He looked over her head. “Your friends look a little too interested. I’m sure we’ll run into each other again, Doc.” His smile appeared more of a threat than a promise, but it didn’t frighten her.
Lili resisted the urge to look over her shoulder. “Yes, I’m sure we will.” She spun on her heels and walked away, refusing to look back to see if he was still there. It didn’t matter. She could feel the molten touch of his gaze with every step she took.
“Who was that?” Deisphe pounced before she barely reclaimed her chair.
“Someone I saw in Inderman a few days ago,” Lili said, taking a quick look this time and seeing the spot at the bar was now vacant. She felt a tug of emptiness in her stomach.
What did you think he’d do? Come over here? Ask you to dance? Suggest we meet for dinner some evening? Introduce himself to the others as a maniacal escapee from the hospital?
“Why can’t I meet hot guys like that?” Deisphe moaned, signaling to the waitress for another round of drinks. “There are way too many macho cubs out there who don’t understand a female’s needs one bit. The last one I dated thought females were good for nothing more than spitting out litters. Good thing my Alpha doesn’t agree with that mind-set.”
“You know, we haven’t met a decent guy here in the past six months,” Fiona pointed out, picking up her glass now filled with a liquid the color of butterscotch. “We might have to look for a new
She still couldn’t understand how Jared spoke to her when she always kept her internal wards running strong.
Just as it was every time she’d seen him outside of the asylum, Jared’s shaggy dark hair was clean and brushed against his ears, rather than the filthy strands that touched his shoulders when he was in his cell. His dark gray shirt, open at his throat, was tucked into lightweight charcoal wool trousers. There wasn’t even any sign of the sarcastic anger she saw back at the hospital. It was as if he was a totally different person. But then he was, wasn’t he?
He smells so good.
Even with the varied perfumes and men’s cologne in the immediate area that teased her nostrils, it was Jared she could still detect most distinctly. She sensed a hint of leather and woods, something clean and fresh. There was nothing there to indicate he was a demon, much less what kind he was. How did he do that?
She wasn’t good at reading auras. Not that it mattered, since she couldn’t even see anything resembling one around him. All she saw were hints of darkness.
“No wonder you can leave there so easily, since you manipulate the shadows to escape,” she blurted out. She made it sound like a curse. In a way it was, since shadow demons could also be imprisoned by the same shadowy tendrils that helped them.
His head snapped around as he turned back to her, circling her wrist with his fingers. “Would you mind keeping it down? It’s not something I tend to advertise.”
“No wonder. They’re extremely rare and not popular with anyone, not even their own kind,” she whispered fiercely, although she doubted anyone could hear them. She was positive the live band could easily be heard in Japan—another reason why she didn’t go clubbing all that often. “What in Hades is going on?” She tried to tug her wrist free from his firm grip, but he merely gently tightened his hold. She felt the scorching touch of his skin against hers.
He dipped his head to murmur in her ear. Anyone looking at them would have thought they were lovers desiring a private conversation. “That’s what I’m hoping you can tell me. But not here.” He released her wrist. He looked over her head. “Your friends look a little too interested. I’m sure we’ll run into each other again, Doc.” His smile appeared more of a threat than a promise, but it didn’t frighten her.
Lili resisted the urge to look over her shoulder. “Yes, I’m sure we will.” She spun on her heels and walked away, refusing to look back to see if he was still there. It didn’t matter. She could feel the molten touch of his gaze with every step she took.
“Who was that?” Deisphe pounced before she barely reclaimed her chair.
“Someone I saw in Inderman a few days ago,” Lili said, taking a quick look this time and seeing the spot at the bar was now vacant. She felt a tug of emptiness in her stomach.
What did you think he’d do? Come over here? Ask you to dance? Suggest we meet for dinner some evening? Introduce himself to the others as a maniacal escapee from the hospital?
“Why can’t I meet hot guys like that?” Deisphe moaned, signaling to the waitress for another round of drinks. “There are way too many macho cubs out there who don’t understand a female’s needs one bit. The last one I dated thought females were good for nothing more than spitting out litters. Good thing my Alpha doesn’t agree with that mind-set.”
“You know, we haven’t met a decent guy here in the past six months,” Fiona pointed out, picking up her glass now filled with a liquid the color of butterscotch. “We might have to look for a new
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