Ignoring him, for the moment, Todd swept his gaze across the bar.
“Where’s Cameron?” Cara asked.
The smile tightened a bit. “Not here.”
It didn’t look like anyone else was there. “Where the hell is he?” Gyth had probably already sent a squad to the incubus’ house and taken him into custody, but Todd asked the question anyway.
“I don’t know.” A shrug. “Don’t really care.”
“Niol. ” A warning edge had entered Cara’s voice. Then the woman stepped around him. Damn it, he’d told her to stay behind him for protection.
She strode toward Niol.
He grabbed her hand. “Don’t get too close to him.” She might be all warm and friendly with the demon, but it would be one cold-ass day in hell before he felt the same. His gaze snapped to Niol. “I’m here on business, Niol, and I’m gonna be nice and ask you again. Where’s Cameron?”
“Why?” Niol’s head tilted to the left. Mild curiosity flavored his voice.
“Because we’ve got an incubus loose in this city who’s killed at least three men.”
Niol raised his hand. Removed his sunglasses and cast his dark stare toward Todd. “An incubus, is it? I thought you boys in blue were looking for a succubus.”
“Things have changed.” That was all the info he’d give Niol. “Where is he?”
The black stare slipped toward Cara. “You think Cameron’s a killer?”
He read the hesitation on her face. Before she could reply, Todd said, “Every option has to be explored.”
“Um.” A rumble. “Of course, it does.” A shrug of the demon’s shoulders. “Don’t really know where Cameron is. His shift doesn’t start until eight tonight.”
“He was here earlier.”
Another careless shrug. “He—and the two other bartenders who work for me.”
“Niol.”
“Cameron came in for his check, okay, Detective? He told me he wasn’t feeling too good, then left.”
Todd shoved his gun back into the holster. “You don’t seem particularly concerned about the fact that your bartender might have killed those men.”
Niol’s lips quirked at that. “Cameron’s not really the killing kind. He doesn’t have that instinct.”
“You sure about that? Maybe when you look at him, you’ve just been seeing what good old Cameron wants you to see.” He slanted his stare at Cara. “Maybe that’s what both of you have been seeing.”
Niol’s eyes narrowed just a bit. “Cameron lives at 55 Corington Place. Go get him and drag him down to your station, if that’s what you want.”
No emotion on the guy’s face or in his voice. And Cara was quiet now. What was with them? Todd took an aggressive step toward Niol. Maybe he should reveal a little more information and see just what kind of response he could shake out of the demon.
“The incubus doing these killings—he’s been setting up Cara.”
The dark eyes didn’t blink.
“Did you hear me? Cara was right—she’s being set up—and this bastard is doing it to her! So you know—and what? You don’t give a damn? I thought you cared about her! Are you just going to sit there while—”
“Todd. ” Cara moved forward in a flash, putting herself between him and the demon. A good thing, because he really wanted to rip that guy’s head off.
That had to be a surefire way to kill him.
“I do care for Cara.” Niol stood slowly, his body a ripple of threat. “I’d never let anyone hurt her.” His gaze raked down Todd’s body. “Demon or human.”
Oh, was that supposed to be some kind of scary warning? Too bad, Todd wasn’t exactly feeling intimidated. “Who are the other incubi in the city?”
Now Niol looked amused. “Didn’t Cara already tell you?”
“I’m asking you. ”
A shrug. “The ADA. The reporter. You obviously know about Cam.”
“Any others?” He bit out, impatient. “Come on, Niol, you’re the one who knows this city. Tell me who I’m up against so that I can damn well make certain Cara is safe.”
The black eyes widened in just the briefest show of surprise. True emotion— finally. “You care for her.”
Well, shit, of course, he did. He wasn’t a f**king idiot, but he also wasn’t about to have some kind of soul-baring fest with Niol.
“I’m doing my job. Stopping killers and protecting the innocent.”
“How great for you.” The emotion was gone and—again, it didn’t seem like Niol particularly cared.
Cara’s mouth tightened. “Who else is hunting in the city?”
His gaze raked her. “I must say I’m a bit disappointed in you, Cara. Taking up with a human like him—he’s so beneath you.”
Yeah, Todd knew that, had known for a while now that he wasn’t good enough for her, but hearing the demon say those words enraged him. Cara was a damn goddess—and he was a detective who’d struggled too long with hell on the streets.
“You don’t deserve her,” Niol snapped. “You’re not strong enough, you—”
Todd was on him. He’d dodged around Cara in a flash and then locked his hands on the demon. He slammed the ass**le into the bar. Balled the front of the demon’s T-shirt in one fist and raised the other, more than ready to punch the ass**le right in the face.
“I’d give my f**king last breath to protect her.” Yeah, okay, so he wasn’t a level-ten killing machine, but he wasn’t going to back down from anyone.
And he sure as hell would never let anyone or anything hurt his woman.
Not when he’d just found her.
“What would you do for her, cop?” Niol’s voice was pitched low, and not a hint of fear or worry so much as flickered in that icy pool of darkness that was his gaze. “Would you lie? Break your precious laws?” His voice deepened. “Would you kill? Die?”
“Anything for her.” The words were ripped from him, almost helplessly, as Todd found himself unable to look away from that darkness. Trapped.
Good. Right answer, human. The words were in his mind, but Todd knew Niol hadn’t spoken. Not out loud, anyway.
Shit.
“Don’t hurt him!” Cara’s fierce demand.
But was the demand given to Todd—or to Niol?