Eternal Hunter (Night Watch 1)

A wheeze slipped past Bobby’s lips.

Smiling, he jerked the human’s head to the right. He heard the sharp snap of bones.

And felt a rush of power as the man sagged in his grip.

Slowly, his left hand rose. He cast a glance back toward the guards. They were still glued to their TV.

Fucking oblivious humans.

Claws pushed from the ends of his fingertips. He raised his left hand and plunged the claws into Bobby’s heart.

As the blood flowed, a soft sigh escaped his lips.

No way was the media going to be able to overlook this kill.

He’d be taking over the news now.

Jude got the call from the police station forty-five minutes later. A cop who owed him a favor tipped him off.

The call was brief, and the details came fast. Burrows was dead. The ADA was on her way.

And, oh, yeah, it looked like an animal had attacked the guy—while he was locked up. Of course, the cops hadn’t seen a thing. Bobby had been all alone in holding one minute, then sliced and diced the next.

Jude grabbed his jacket. Slung it over his shoulder—almost healed now. He ran for the door.

And ignored Dee’s shout behind him.

Chapter 2

“You don’t want to see the body.”

His voice, even deeper now, stopped her as Erin began to climb the steps leading to the police station and to the dead man.

She glanced back over her shoulder. She’d caught his scent seconds before he’d spoken. “How do you even know there’s a body here, Donovan?” The District Attorney’s office had received the call less than fifteen minutes ago. Just how had the hunter learned about the death?

Suspicion had her eyes narrowing. “You didn’t—”

He jumped up the steps. Grabbed her arms. “I didn’t kill the bastard, no. If I’d killed him, well, he would’ve been left in the swamp and been gator bait by now.”

Erin swallowed. Nice, to, ah, know. “Then why are you here?”

“Same as you. I want to know what happened to the Slasher.”

Her eyes narrowed. You don’t want to see the body. “Sounds to me like you already know.” Which meant she had a leak in the department. Not surprising. Not particularly good news, either.

His wide shoulders lifted in a shrug. “Trust me on this, you don’t want to see Bobby Burrows right now.”

She licked her lips. “And, trust me, I’m a big girl. I can handle it.” Not like it was her first murder scene. Not by a long shot. She was twenty-nine years old, and she’d been working the rough cases since she’d passed the bar years ago.

To make a difference, sometimes you had to get your hands dirty.

Erin turned and continued stalking up the stone steps. Jude shadowed her moves, his body a ripple of muscle.

His scent filled the air around them.

Her heart raced, too fast. Was the frantic beat from the dread filling her at the thought of a dead man waiting in what should have been a secure cell?

Or was it from something more?

No.

She shoved open the glass doors. A guard near the front rushed forward. “Ms. Jerome—”

Her thumb jerked toward her hulking shadow. “Keep Donovan up here. I don’t want him anywhere near my crime scene.”

Her sensitive ears picked up the hunter’s swift inhalation and the nearly soundless…“You’ll need me on this one, sweetheart.”

Sweetheart. She slanted him a scathing glance. “Doubt it, hunter. Doubt it.” Then she stalked down the tiled hallway, heading for lockup, and wondering just what sort of sight waited for her.

You don’t want to see the body.

The lady had one fine ass.

Even as anger tightened his body, Jude couldn’t help but admire that beautiful sway.

His nostrils were full of her scent. Woman, roses, and just a hint of rich, wild forest. Yeah, that wildness—that fragrance had slipped into the air when those gorgeous eyes had narrowed and rage coated her voice.

Erin Jerome was so much more than she pretended to be.

The beast within him roared when she got close, and when she got too far away.

“Sorry, man, you heard the orders.” Jamison McGee, a good cop and a good human, frowned at him. “You’re gonna have to stay—”

“It’s all right, James.” Jude rocked back on his heels. He could smell the blood from here. “She’ll be changing her mind.”

Because he hadn’t been kidding when he told the pretty ADA that she’d need him.

Jude glanced toward the vinyl chairs near the entrance. “When she comes looking for me, I’ll be waiting.”

Five minutes, ten tops, and he’d wager his ADA would be running her sexy ass right back to him.

Because it seemed that another monster was out hunting. One that had killed right under the noses of the Baton Rouge PD.

Talk about a bold ass**le.

Jude almost could admire that. Almost.

The scent of the blood burned her nostrils. Most of her kind liked that smell. She hated it.

Erin straightened her shoulders and strode forward. Four uniformed cops stood just in front of the entrance to the pen.

They glanced up at the clicking of her heels. One of them, an older guy with rich coffee skin, graying hair and a strong chin, stepped toward her. “Ms. Jerome, you’d better brace yourself.”

He looked worried. Looked like he thought she was going to pass out after one glance at the stiff.

She really wasn’t the passing out kind of girl.

“Thanks for the warning.” The second one she’d gotten in less than three minutes. But Grant Tyler wasn’t being an ass with his warning. The young cop next to him was stark white and shaking. He looked like he might be doing some fainting at any moment.

Oh, hell. A cop ready to hit the floor was never a good sign.

Erin pointed toward the door. “Show him to me.”

Grant pushed open the door.

The stench nearly made her gag. Then she saw him.

Bobby’s arms had been yanked through the bars, left to hang over the edges of his prison. His wrists had been cut, long, thick slices, and his blood pooled on the floor. His eyes were open, wide, and his face had been slashed. A bloodred smile stretched from one ear to the next.

Positioned. Styled. His body had been arranged for the ultimate shock value.

Erin’s lips pressed together.

“You okay?” Grant whispered.

There was a flash of light as the crime scene guy snapped a photo.

She flinched. “Fine.” No, no, she wasn’t fine. What the hell had happened? Her gaze jerked to the left, then the right. The other cells were empty. Transfer had been made just hours before, and she knew Bobby had been the only prisoner in holding.