7. Ashe

I pour myself another glass as I glance through the file that Chandler had handed me earlier in the week. It may only be four-thirty on a Friday afternoon, but it was whiskey o'clock somewhere and work was best done with a drink.

Especially with pictures like these.

No matter how many times I've seen them, looking at mangled, dismembered corpses never did get any easier. How did Public Affairs even get these—you know what, it was best not to wonder. The Tribunal has a foot in every aspect of human government, it would not surprise me if they had ties to the local police, as well. The thought of monsters lurking in the shadows was much more believable than the idea of monsters hiding in plain sight.

I set the glass down on the kitchen table and pinch the bridge of my nose. I have been studying up on this case for the last five days now, examining Chandler's notes and conferring with him during the day while running some reconnaissance of my own under the cover of night. The last body was recovered almost two weeks ago. There were not too many late-night joggers for this prowler to stalk after that discovery broke the news, but Chandler insisted that his scrying pinpointed the target's location to somewhere in that park.

If only they could focus on the energy signature long enough to tag it, then I would not have to go stomping through the woods looking for foot impressions in the mud like some Neanderthal hunter.

Goss Hollow Park was a large area just north of the city with a small lake, winding trails, a handful of picnic pavilions and over eight hundred acres of dense wood to hide behind. Easy to get lost in if you were a wild animal, or a ravenous shapeshifting monster who did not want to be found.

If this prowler was a crazed gattan, and everything in this file was pointing to a resounding yes, then I had better be prepared. Fera were still powerful beasts even without the lunar influence that held sway over their half-breed cousins, and this one has not had a good meal in a while.

Which means I should definitely finish off this bottle before I go hunting tonight.

As I toss back the whiskey, grimacing at the burn it left behind as it sloshes down my throat, my eyes absently wander over my surroundings.

The kitchen was large and lavishly equipped with sleek black stainless steel appliances, a gas stove that would be the envy of any celebrity chef, dark wood cabinetry and contrasting white granite countertops. The living room was equally as spacious, with a plush U-shaped sectional facing a large wall-mounted television set and room enough on the side for an exercise bike and yoga mat. There was a narrow hallway across from the front door that led to a rarely used guest room, a full-sized hall bathroom and, finally, the master bedroom with an adjoining en-suite that rivaled any luxury resort bathroom. The floor-to-ceiling windows along the north-facing wall gave the perfect view of downtown, distant skyscrapers jutting up over the horizon like shiny metal fingers beyond a rolling sea of green trees and well-manicured streets.

With embellished fixtures and lush modern furnishings, the place was a bit fanciful for my tastes. But living on the outskirts of an otherwise busy city did have its perks, I had to admit, and east Trinity Valley was a relatively quiet place to relax. And I would never complain about rent-free living.

Grabbing a packet and a lighter from the kitchen island, I carry the whiskey bottle to the balcony just off the living room. The air is warm against my skin as a breeze tousles my hair, wavy strands brushing against bare shoulders as I light a cigarette and lean over the glass balustrade. Cars cruise by on the streets below, no one in any particular rush on this lazy afternoon. The world looked peaceful from nineteen stories up.

I take a drag from the cigarette and set the bottle down, my fingers reflexively itching to grasp for an item that no longer hung around my neck. Closing my eyes, I let out a puff of smoke with a sigh.

It has been almost a week since I last saw Dani. With Catalina lurking over Chandler's shoulder back at headquarters and then following me home for dinner most nights, I've hardly had the time to sneak out and pay the barista a visit. As much as I needed my ring back, I did not need Catalina knowing that I misplaced it. Dani would not like to see that side of the vampire, should she ever find out.

Besides, it has been five whole days and nothing has happened yet. Either Dani does not have the ring or she was waiting to give it back and, like I assume any rational human would do, has not tried wearing it.

It would look nice wrapped around her finger, though.

The memory of her skin, soft and supple as goosebumps quivered beneath my touch, floods my mind and I blink. It felt good to have her body pressed against me that night. I've bedded other women before and have felt the heat of Catalina's passion on many nights, but Dani's was somehow different. Her warmth came not so much from her skin but from her eyes, and the way they twinkled like a forest under a sunrise when she smiled was enchanting.

Eyes that held so much beyond their depths and yet gave nothing away, no matter how hard I tried to read her.

Eyes that peered right into your soul and stripped you to the very core until you were left feeling exposed and wanting.

Eyes like hers.

No!

I flick the smoldering butt over the edge and take a long swig of whiskey, squeezing my eyes shut as I will the images to disappear. My thoughts have not ventured down this road in a long time—it was a dangerous path and I dare not open my heart to it again.

My chest swells as an image of green eyes dances across the black canvas of closed lids, invoking new thoughts, and I drink more.

Shit, shit, shit.

My head was barely spinning as the last drop of alcohol touches my tongue and I scowl. I was not nearly drunk enough to deal with this. I need more whiskey in my system before the fire in my veins burns me back to sobriety. Drink it fast and maybe I'll feel the effects long enough to drown the memories again.

A metallic click! echoes in the room behind me, low enough that I could have just imagined it yet distinct enough to snap me back to my senses. An intruder? How interesting.

My muscles tighten and I slowly set the empty bottle on the balcony railing. I feel my skin crawl and spare a glance down.

Dressed in only a black sports bra and matching basketball shorts, it was much easier to see the pattern now that it was not concealed beneath clothes. Nearly every inch of me from the shoulders down is covered in a chain link tattoo, the silver-infused ink contrasting sharply against my pale skin as it wrapped around my body from wrists to ankles. Shackles for a living weapon, forged from the fires of magic and sacrifice.

The mark of a Reaper.

The tattoo begins to uncoil in anticipation of a fight, the ink slithering across my body and bubbling to the surface of my palm as it unwinds from my arm and hardens to a tangible form. I bite back the discomfort as a smirk spreads over my lips. Although the Reaper's mark could manifest itself as almost any weapon I choose, a chain would work just fine for this.

In the span of a heartbeat I stretch out my arm and whirl around, willing the chain forward with my mind. Like a bullet from a gun it flies across the room with the precision of an expert marksman, ensnaring the outstretched arm of my assailant and eliciting a hiss from their lips.

A familiar pair of ruby red lips.

“Cat?”

A wicked grin alights her face. “Darling, if you wanted to cuff me I have a pair of fuzzy ones we can use.”

“What're you doing here?” I ask, although I suspect that I already know the answer. She only ever came to see me for one thing. The glint of metal against the navy blue of her dress catches my eye and, amused, I tilt my head to the side. “And why do you have a gun?” If she wished to kill me, she would surely have to be more creative than that.

“Did you forget who still owns this suite?” she quips, jangling a set of keys in her free hand as she nods to the wrist my chain was still wrapped around. “And do you mind? I'm quite fond of this hand and I seem to remember that you are, too.”

A trail of smoke rises up from where her skin made contact with the silver. If I left it there any longer then welts would start to form, followed quickly by a burn that would spread up her arm until her skin boiled all over from the allergic reaction, irradiating the sulfur in her veins and eventually clogging her blood vessels until her heart stopped. It was a fatal biochemical weakness among the supernatural that my mark was designed to exploit.

I hesitate, my lips twitching at Catalina's glower. Her hand must be hurting badly by now.

“You aren't going to shoot me, are you?” It would not be the first time I've stared down Catalina's barrel. Could she blame me for asking?

She scoffs. “Well, your reflexes are a little rusty. Six months ago you would've disarmed me before I even walked through the front door. But I hardly think that warrants your execution.” As if to back up her convictions, she ejects the magazine and relaxes her grip on the pistol. It bounces off the hardwood floor with a dull thud and, by some miracle, the round in the chamber does not go off. “There. Happy?”

With a nod I recall the chain. It recedes, the metal wrapping itself back around my body and dissolving into my skin until it was nothing more than a tattoo. I do my best to ignore the itching sensation left behind by the sudden transformation.

“So,” I say, sliding the balcony door closed and walking back into the living room. I toss the whiskey bottle in the trash and lean up against the kitchen bar. “Why are you here, again?”

She rubs the reddened skin around her wrist as her eyes dip, drinking in my appearance. “Would you believe me if I said I missed you?”

For as long as I've known her, Catalina always had a reason for everything she did and it was usually done in her favor. At one time I would have believed her words wholeheartedly; I knew better now.

“It's not nice to play with your food.”

A laugh escapes her throat and despite it all I smile back at the pleasant sound. I may like to think of myself as wise to her ways by now, but even after all these years I still found her laughter captivating. Regardless of the circumstances that had originally brought her into my life, and the arrangement that currently keeps her in it, she was alluring in every sense of the word.

Ours was a strange relationship.

“Still portraying the hard-ass,” she purrs, her voice low and predatory as she takes a few calculated steps toward me. “But you enjoy the game, love, even if you deny yourself the pleasures of it.”

She reminds me of a tiger stalking its prey, waiting for the right moment to pounce, and as our eyes meet the roiling waves of her lust hit me like a category five hurricane. If it was not for the counter behind me I would have stumbled back from the sheer intensity of it.

“Why are you always so hungry?” I did not realize I had vocalized my thoughts until her hand was pressed against my abdomen, slender fingers skating across the flat surface.

“I can't help it around you,” she admits, running her tongue across the tips of her exposed fangs. “You're my favorite snack. This shouldn't come as a surprise.”

This was true. Our dinner dates were normally intense, and I vaguely remember her once explaining to me that it was my demon half that called out to her with a taste unlike anything she had ever experienced before. I had always hoped that it was a combination of her exuding her desires and my ability to read them, mixing in the ecstasy of physical pleasure as she satiated her gnawing hunger for life. Whatever the reason, it was still a shock to the system whenever we did reconnect during the few times a year that she came down on business.

“You only have time for fast food today. I'm working, Cat.” I flash her a curt smile. “You saw to that, in case you've forgotten.” I've been making it a point every day this past week to express my displeasure at being brought back into this world. I was not about to let the promise of our interaction stop me now, despite the growing heat between my legs.

“Now that kind of attitude is a quick way to spoil a good meal.”

Her nails trace soft circles against my stomach and my body responds. I twine my fingers in her dark hair and pull her head down until our noses are an inch apart. “Since when has that ever stopped you?”

Brown eyes sear into mine, lust clouding her vision as another wave of desire washes over me. “Do you want me to stop? I could always eat my fill elsewhere, though I think we'd both be left feeling a bit . . . unsatisfied.”

I suppress a shiver and draw our lips closer until they are barely touching, separated only by a hair's breadth. “I don't even want to know how you satisfy your hunger when I'm not on the menu.”

Her nostrils flare and her eyes flash impatiently, although I see the corner of her lips curl up in a smirk. “Let's just say I like to keep a few of the cleaners on my personal payroll for when things get a little, well, messy.”

That sounded like a gross misuse of Tribunal resources, though I doubt she was the first to do so. “Aren't we living dangerously—”

In a rush of frustration, Catalina's lips capture mine. Her hunger is always overpowering and the deeper she kisses the weaker I feel. She saps my energy with every intake of breath against my mouth, every flick of her tongue as it traces my lips, draining my body as if I had been lying out in the sun all day. If I was not half immortal then the intensity of this kiss would most certainly be lethal—stealing breath, the vitaem called it, but she never attempted to hold herself back with me as she did with her other less fortunate victims. Even so, it would still take me a couple of hours to recover when she finally had her fill.

Her desire continues to assault my senses as she pulls me away from the bar with a primal groan. Normally I'd just let it roll off of me while she feeds, but as her tongue explores my mouth, drawing out and consuming my life force as her hands roam over my body, a pair of emerald green eyes flash in my mind.

Suddenly, Catalina's face melts away and all I can see is Dani.

The adorable flush of her cheeks, the uncharted depths of her gaze, the warm sincerity of her smile. A familiar heat surges through me, overpowering the carnal ache of my body and crawling through my veins like liquid fire, and against my better judgement I close my eyes.

Desire crashes against me like an ocean swell, but as I give in to the sensation and run my fingers along her olive skin and through her caramel hair, my own hunger stirs and with refound strength I wrap her legs around my waist and press her against the nearest wall. Her passion tastes sweet, her lips soft and her scent tantalizing.

I breathe it all in.

She pulls my bottom lip into hers, sharp teeth grazing against flesh, her need cascading over me like a waterfall and enveloping my senses until my sanity is drowning in it. I can feel fire licking at the corners of my eyes but all I see behind closed lids is her. My skin ripples with a dangerous urge and I know I should stop, but her desire hits me again and soon I become lost in it.

I want this. I need it!

In a blur of motion I pick her up and carry her into the master bedroom, our lips still locked in silent hunger. We become a tangled mess of limbs and sheets.

Her nails drag across my back, snagging on the fabric of my bra and I press my body closer in response, inhaling deeply as she moans against my mouth and saps my energy once more. It was a strange mix of euphoria and fatigue, like a hot shower after an ice bath. Her lust is a precipice and I'm teetering on the edge, ready to fall at any given moment.

My hand slips under her dress, traveling up her thigh until my fingers brush against a valley of smooth silk. Without hesitation I curl my fingers around the hem of her underwear and plunge them into the steamy depths of her passion.

A breathy gasp sends shivers racing down my spine and instinctively I pulse deeper, desperate to hear that sound again. To feel the warmth of her breath on my neck as her nails rake my skin. To taste her desire on my tongue.

My arms shake with exhaustion as I feel my energy pass between our lips, but another thrust unleashes a new burst of her lust and I hungrily lap it up, reveling in the surge of power as it renews my vigor.

Needful thoughts and images invade my mind, guiding my every touch as the barista quivers beneath me. Her passion boils over until it spreads through me and I consume it, allowing it to seep into my tired bones.

She giveth me strength just as easily as she taketh my soul.

“Ashe.”

Her moans against my mouth only fuel the growing hunger inside me and I attack just as eagerly, relentless in my craving for more.

“Ashe?”

My body is on fire and the thick aroma of her arousal pulsates in the air between us as wave after wave rocks my core, dragging my mind over the edge as it threatens to consume. Lust is a deadly desire, a forbidden fruit, and yet its essence tastes the sweetest when in the throes of passion. I coax it from her with every precise stroke of my hand, inhaling the sin laced in her screams like a drug as it ignites the fire within me.

Dani writhes under me, her gasps like music to my ears as she digs her nails deeper into my burning flesh. Our lips part for only a moment as she sucks in air, another moan rattling in her throat as my thumb teases her most sensitive part and I thrust deeper. My energy ebbs away and in a rage I increase my efforts, chasing after the high and seeking to devour the cause of my hunger.

“Ashe!”

A searing pain seizes my neck, jolting my senses and I jerk back with a hiss. She bit me. “What the—!”

A fierce haze clouds my sight, the flames dancing in my eyes painting everything around me in varying shades of gray. A quick glance down and I see my veins radiating like molten lava in grayscale moonlight, the demon sight coloring my blue fire a dangerous red. Below me, Dani's body is engulfed in the fiery red aura of her own lust.

Before I can react, darkness creeps in from the corners of my vision and a fog settles over me, dulling my senses and lulling me into a slumber. The inferno that raged within me only moments ago dwindles down to a low simmer, the heat dissipating as my eyelids grow heavy.

The last thing I see before my body succumbs to the dark is a pair of sparkling green eyes staring up at me through the gray.

***

When I wake the sun has already set.

A luminous glow emanates from the kitchen, spilling into the hallway and casting shadows on the bedroom walls. My body aches and my head feels groggy as I slowly sit myself up in the bed, and I am acutely aware that I'm no longer clothed.

“Good, you're awake.”

I look up to see Catalina leaning in the doorway, her pistol dangling loosely in one hand and an unreadable expression masking her face. A loose-fitting T-shirt and a pair of shorts now drape her frame in lieu of the dress she arrived in earlier, and I find myself thinking how remarkably human she looks outside of her usually regal attire.

What the hell happened?

She taps the gun against her thigh and I eye it warily. “Was I that bad?”

“And you've got jokes, considering what transpired only a few hours ago. But at least now I don't have to shoot you.” She chuckles and slips the pistol into her purse. Her usually straight hair is mussed, like the aftermath of a windstorm, and her ebony skin looks freshly exfoliated as if she just finished peeling a recent sunburn.

Realization hits me and finally I understand why I'm naked and why Catalina is dressed down.

I hope her dress was not too expensive.

Shit.

The fog slowly lifts from my mind and I squeeze my eyes shut for a second. “Cat,” I mumble, pressing two fingers to the side of my neck. The spot is still tender, but even without my healing abilities her saliva would have sealed the wound almost immediately. “Did you knock me out?”

“You burned me and ruined my dress.” She shrugs, but a sly smile is plastered to her lips. “My desire must've been strong this time if you were tempted to feed on it.”

Her desire was strong tonight, but that was not what brought out that side of me. We have done this countless times and I never fed off of her lust, not once. The fact that I did so tonight without knowing it was unsettling, to say the least. I was always in control of when I decided to feed and I never fed on desires.

I choose to ignore her statement and instead offer her a nonchalant shrug. “Not as much fun when someone else does it, is it?”

“It's not the same, love,” she chides. “And not that I didn't thoroughly enjoy myself, but it wouldn't have been pretty for either of us had I let you continue. Or for the people in this building, for that matter.” She pauses and tilts her head. “When was the last time you fed like that?”

Like that? I feel dirty as I recall our moment together, how the fire that threatened to engulf every part of me burned at the back of my mind and how I nearly let my control over my demon half slip. I have not been this close to losing myself since—

“Not in a long time.” At her probing gaze I sigh. “On my last assignment I fed on a guy's fear. And maybe during a few one-night stands the last couple of months, but it was hardly anything.”

Fears, though potent enough, were not as strong as desires so feeding on them was not nearly as dangerous. As for the women whose company I sought out in my loneliness, even their lust was not enough to tempt my demon. I had control then, so why did I almost lose my shit now?

“Don't let it happen again.” Her voice is firm, a tone of finality laced in her words despite the smile she still wore. “Feeding on emotions is dangerous for you and we don't need history to repeat itself. I won't be able to save you this time if you lose control.”

“It's late, Cat.” I swing my legs over the edge of the bed, frowning as the coarse fabric grates against my skin like sandpaper. “You should go.”

“Oh, I do hate to eat and run,” Catalina hums as she walks over and plants a kiss on my cheek. “But yes, it's time you get back to work. I've had more than my fill for tonight and this beastie won't hunt itself.” She crinkles her nose as she traces a finger over my lips. “And change your sheets, love. I can't stand the smell of singed silk.”

I wait until I hear the faint click! of the front door closing behind her before lowering my head into my hands with a sigh. What the fuck just happened?

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A/N: Who knew that demons fed on emotions? I guess they aren't too different from vampires after all! How unfortunate for our half-demon. :)