Heart of the Incubus by Rosalie Lario

into her face. Amazingly, his warm, spicy scent calmed her racing heart, soothing her out of her panic. “I can’t believe this is happening.”
    “We’ll find him. I promise.”
    The doors slid open and he unwound her fingers from his shirt. He kept his hand around hers, though, as he walked her to his door. Once inside, he led her into his large living room and sat her down on the off-white leather couch. “I’m getting you a drink.”
    She gave him a shaky nod. “Okay. Brandy, if you have it.”
    He retreated to the portable bar set up in one corner of the room and returned less than a minute later with a tumbler full of brandy. She accepted it gratefully and took a big swallow. The rich liquor burned its way down her throat, warming her instantly. “Thank you.”
    “I’m gonna go call Mac. You okay alone for a minute?”
    “Yes.” As long as she had some fortifying liquid to relax her.
    A shiver of awareness crept through her when Cresso bent to press a soft kiss to her forehead before leaving the room. How crazy was it that, even in a moment like this, she was so aware of her attraction to him?
    This was the first time since she’d moved to London that she wished she had someone to confide in. But even if her parents had been here, she wouldn’t have been reassured by their presence. They had never been the touchy-feely type.
    Thank God for Cresso.
    By the time he returned, less than five minutes later, she’d already finished off two-thirds of the glass. He took a seat next to her and put his arms around her. “Mac’s on his way. He’ll pick up the package and see if he can catch the guy’s trail.”
    “Okay,” she murmured against his throat. He was so warm. Between the heat of his skin and the liquor pooling in her stomach, she was beginning to feel a tad overheated. No, strike that. It wasn’t heat she felt, but desire.
    You are in serious danger, Gen.
    Yet she couldn’t bring herself to wiggle out of his grasp.
    The brandy began to work its magic, rebuilding that pleasant foggy haze. Between that and the way Cresso rocked her slightly in his arms, her eyelids grew heavier and heavier. When the doorbell rang sometime later, she jolted awake. Blinking, she pulled out of Cresso’s embrace. “Oh my God, I actually fell asleep?”
    A shadow of a smile crept to his face and he smoothed a strand of hair from her mouth. “Don’t sell yourself short. It’s been a rough few days.”
    The doorbell rang again.
    “That must be Mac.” He rose and left the room. After a minute, Genevieve followed him. Ultimately, this whole thing was her problem. She needed to hear what Mac had to say.
    He stood in the foyer, speaking to Cresso in low, hushed tones. He held the opened box in his hands. Both men saw her and quieted.
    She pointed to the box. “What’s in there?”
    Cresso frowned. “Gen…”
    “I need to know.”
    Mac exchanged a glance with Cresso before answering. “It’s a skinned raccoon.”
    Raccoon. Oh, great, she rated larger mammals now. She swallowed past her nausea. “Did you catch any scent from it?”
    “Nothing. It was very clinically done. I took a screen shot of the man who dropped off the box from the lobby’s security camera.”
    “Let me see.” She moved closer and took the paper he’d withdrawn from his pocket and offered her. The man depicted on it had thin features and close-set eyes. She shook her head. “I don’t know him.”
    “Me neither,” said Cresso.
    Mac took the paper back and examined it. “He looks familiar to me. I think I’ve seen him around before. If this is the man I’m thinking of, he’s a lackey for some of the crime organizations around town. Drug addict, too, so that would explain why he kept scratching his nose.”
    “He must have been paid to drop off the box.” Cresso rubbed his hands over his face. “It’s got to be one of the other scientists.”
    Genevieve wrapped her arms around her waist. “The only people who knew I’d be here