They looked at each other.
Niol's back teeth locked. He'd thought she was safe—
Like Gillian.
—and she'd nearly been killed.
On his watch.
That bitter taste in his throat, he knew it was fear. Not a damn thing he could do about it. The air in the waiting room was thick and hot. From him. The rage inside screamed for release. His control held only by the thinnest thread.
Need to see Holly. Have to touch her.
“Ease up, Niol.”
That jackass human detective again. Niol tightened his fingers into fists. It would be so easy to send him through the window. He'd tell Cara it had been an accident. No big deal.
“It was just a flesh wound. I saw her myself—she's fine.”
She'd better be. Too many times. Holly had nearly been killed again. What the fuck? Niol had thought, after the attack at the club, that the hunter was coming for him. But he'd been wrong and Holly had paid for his mistake.
The impure will die.
The message had been loud and clear, but the picture had been of him and Holly. The bastard knew her secret, knew even when she hadn't, and his lady was on the hunter's list. Time to kill the asshole and incinerate his soul. “Get on the streets,” he ordered the demons. “Find him.” They knew damn sure who he was talking about. “I don't care who you have to bribe or who you have to hurt—”
“Ah, Niol—” Brooks's eyes widened.
“Find him.” They nodded. He stabbed a finger toward Brooks even as he heard the crack of glass behind him. There go the windows. Can't stop it. “Tell your partner we're hunting again, and this time, I'll find the prey before he does.”
The shifter would know exactly what he was talking about. Gyth had beaten him to the last kill they'd competed for, but not this time. This time, he'd be the one to send the sick bastard to hell. No one touched Holly. No one made her bleed. No fucking one.
“Niol, calm down.” He spun at the female voice. Quiet and soothing. Cara. The succubus stood just inside the doorway, her blond hair a halo around her. Absolute perfection—from the top of her perfect hair to the tips of her dainty, fire-engine-red-painted toenails—and she didn't do a thing for him. Not with her powers, not with her body. Because he was a demon long gone. Shit. Shit.
“He's trying to kill her.” He heard a gasp from the right. Holly's mother. She'd arrived a few minutes ago, her nervous hands fluttering as she eyed the ER doors. She hadn't spoken to him, and he hadn't been sure of what to say to her. Probably not the best thing to say in front of Holly's mother, but—
He was scared.
Time was running out, he could feel it.
I won't lose her.
Cara stepped forward. “Brooks isn't going to let that happen.”
“No, I'm not,” Niol snapped. Cara knew better, she knew what he had done in the past. He wasn't one to stand by and let another—
“Niol, don't go down this path again.” She was right in front of him, her voice was soft, and he knew she didn't want the others to hear. He didn't really care about them. But he sucked in a breath and fought for calm. “Let the police take care of this,” she whispered, and her hand caught his arm. “I don't want—Niol, you have to be careful.”
She knew what he'd done, and Niol also knew that Cara had kept his secret. When Nina had been murdered, he'd gone after her killer. It hadn't been pretty and the death hadn't been easy.
Vengeance never was.
“You lose a bit of yourself every time you cross the line.” Her gaze held his. “If you keep going this way, one day, there won't be anything left.”
Niol shook his head. “He went after her.” No choice. He couldn't risk another attack. Hell, how many more attacks could Holly survive? “He's killing demons in my city, doing things you don't want to know about.” He'd bet the cop hadn't told her about the hunter's organ-snatching. “He has to be stopped.” But first, he had to be found.
The faint scent of lavender. Niol's head jerked up. Holly, pale, with wide eyes, stood in the doorway. The same spot Cara had held moments before, but—
So different. Not built for temptation like the succubus. Her hair was a wild curtain of fire around her face. Her lips were still, all color gone from them. Borrowed scrubs covered her, and her slim hands twisted in front of her. The most beautiful thing he'd ever seen.
Niol went to her. Pulled her tight against him, felt the thud of her heart and the fragile strength of her bones.
He wanted her then. Wanted to kiss her and take her and make sure she was all right. And he wanted to just...hold her. To keep feeling the soft vibration of her heart. To know that she was safe. “You've got to stop doing this to me,” he grated, and pressed a kiss to her forehead.
“I'll try,” was her response, so quiet and calm, just like Holly. Just like his Holly.
His lips tried to curve. Lost. So very lost in her. He caught her chin. Lifted her head. And kissed her. It should have been an easy kiss. Gentle. Delicate. She deserved that now. But he wasn't a gentle man and he needed to taste her too much. Wild and hard—it was his way. And hers—because she kissed him right back with the same fierce need.
The silence in the room behind them thickened.
His hold tightened on her and she made a soft sound in the back of her throat. A moan, a sigh and he wanted her even more. When he lifted his head, Niol had no idea how much time had passed. Didn't really care. Color was back in Holly's face, staining her cheeks, and her eyes sparkled with life again. Better. So much better.
A cough behind him. Niol turned but kept Holly in his arms. “Baby, are you all right?” Her mother asked.
“Yeah, Mom, I'm fine.” Her smile didn't look too convincing.
Kelly's gaze turned to him. “You'll stop him?” There was knowledge there, and Niol realized that Holly and her mother must have had one big revelations night.
“I will.”
“The police will—” Brooks began.
But Niol cut him off. “Find him first,” he challenged.
Kelly gave a nod. “Good. Good.” Then she pushed Niol's arms aside and hugged her daughter.
“So she's why.” Cara. Soft and almost sad. “Be careful, Niol. You know your weakness.” His weakness stood right beside him. Yes, he knew. The succubus turned to her lover with a shrug. “You'd better find him first.”
“Damn.”
And Niol knew the cop had brought Cara in to calm him down. Pity he wasn't in the calming mood. But he was in the killing mood. Let the games begin.
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