Midnight Sins

Chapter 3

“You don’t need to get out,” Cara said when Todd braked at her house. Her voice sounded higher and sharper than she’d intended. “I’ll be fine now.” She thought about thanking him for the ride, then discarded the idea.

Yes, she knew the guy had been doing his job when he questioned her, but she wasn’t going to overlook the fact that he’d been one serious jerk.

Being in the car with him had unnerved her. They’d originally gone to the police station in a patrol car. She’d sat in the back. Like any good criminal.

The confines of Todd’s Corvette were far too intimate. The leather seat felt soft and sleek beneath her, and with the windows rolled up, the scent of leather and man filled the car’s interior.

Cara reached for the door handle.

“Wait.”

Her fingers curled into a fist at the command, her fingernails biting into her palm. She glanced at him and found his stare trained on her.

The car was cloaked with shadows, but she could still see his eyes. The strong lines of his face. Cara licked her lips. “What?”

“You feel it, don’t you?” A whisper that seemed like a caress against her skin.

She shook her head. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.” She could lie, too.

His lips quirked, just a bit. With a flick of his fingers, he unhooked his seat belt and leaned toward her. “There’s something here.”

The promise of hot, wild sex. Of power and magic rushing into her body and making her scream with pleasure.

But she’d given that up because after the burn of fiery release, she hated the ashes of cold reality.

The reality that a man wouldn’t love a demon, no matter how enticing her physical appearance.

His hand lifted, reached for her.

Her fingers flew out and locked around his wrist in a fierce grip.

Silence. Then he said, “I just wanted to touch you.”

He sounded sincere, but… “I thought you just wanted to send me to jail.”

He didn’t deny her words. Didn’t fight her hold. Good thing, too, because the way she was feeling, Cara would have shown him just how strong a succubus could be.

Instead, his eyes dropped to her lips. “I wonder,” he spoke with words little more than a growl. “Do you taste as good as you smell?”

The damn pheromones. “It’s not me that you want.” The admission was hard.

“Ah, baby, but I’m going to have to disagree.” He was close, so close that she could feel the light brush of his breath against her face.

“You don’t understand—”

He kissed her. A soft, fast press of his lips against hers.

Cara’s fingers tightened around him as desire began to heat her blood.

“Not enough.” His lips were just above hers. “I need another taste…”

And she wanted more.

When his lips met hers again, her mouth was open. Ready. The kiss wasn’t as soft this time, and she was glad. She could taste the hunger on his lips, his tongue. A hunger that matched her own.

There was no questing search as his tongue slipped past her lips. Just need. Demand.

A moan trembled in the back of her throat even as her mouth widened for him. Her tongue met his, licking, stroking. Her nipples began to ache and swell as the fire blazing inside of her grew.

She knew she shouldn’t be doing this, but Cara couldn’t stop. The cop was the wrong man for her. The situation was wrong.

But the need felt so right.

Power began to fill the air as his lust grew. Such sweet, tempting power. She could feel it, surrounding her. She could have that power. All of it.

She just had to take it.

Take him.

No. She’d sworn to fight that part of her life.

Cara pulled away from him, twisting her head to the side. “I—we have to stop.”

His breath was ragged. So was hers. Cara realized she still held his hand. Instead of a punishing grip, her fingers caressed his flesh. She snatched her hand away from him.

“Easy.” He didn’t retreat and he kept his stare on her. “It was just a kiss.”

That was how the sweetest temptation always started. With a soft kiss.

He was aroused. No denying the obvious. It was in his voice, and if she glanced down, she knew she’d see the outline of his swollen cock.

But she was aroused, too. The feel of his lips and tongue against hers had stroked the dark hungers within her, and the feel of his power in the air…

Resisting was the hardest thing she’d ever done.

Her chin lifted. She’d started a new life. Or she was trying to, anyway. Lusting after the detective, well, that hadn’t been part of her finely crafted plans. “I can’t do this,” she told him, but couldn’t help wishing that she could.

He smiled at her then, and with the streetlight drifting into the car, she could see the wink of his dimple. “Seems to me like you can, baby. You were doing one hell of a fine job just a minute ago.”

Her chin rose another notch. “What I meant was that I won’t do this.” She reached for the door handle. Second time is the charm. She managed to shove open the passenger side door. Her body twisted, her feet touched the pavement and—

“You want me as much as I want you.”

He had her there.

“Circumstances are shit now, no denying that.”

She looked back at him.

“But I’m not just gonna walk away from you. Hell, even if you weren’t hip deep in this mess, I couldn’t walk away from you.” His eyes blazed with intensity.

Cara stood, rising quickly from the car. The chilly air bit into her arms as she left the warmth of the Vette. “You don’t have to walk away from me,” she said, her voice clear. “I’ll walk away from you.” Then she took one step, another. Her back was ramrod straight, her head up. She left him like that, not looking back, even though her body ached for him.

“Running, Cara?”

His taunt didn’t stop her. Damn it, but she could still taste him. She pushed open her gate—the one she’d never bothered to keep locked—and she took careful steps up the curving path until she finally reached her front door. It was only when she crossed the threshold of her house that Cara drew in a deep, clear breath.

And admitted to herself that, hell, yeah, she’d been running.

Because Todd Brooks scared her. Oh, he didn’t scare the demon inside her. The demon could handle just about anything.

No, the demon wasn’t particularly worried, but the woman was scared spitless.

Moments later, she heard the growl of his car pulling away. Her shoulders dropped as relief swept through her.

Safe.

For now.

Detective Brooks had finally called it a night, but she knew he’d be back.

Sooner or later.

The faint light of dawn snuck through her blinds just as Cara finally crawled into bed.

Her gritty eyes closed, shutting out the light. The bed was soft beneath her, the sheets faintly cool.

Sleep pushed down on her as exhaustion swept through her body. One deep breath, two, and the dreams claimed her.

The dreams…

She didn’t know the apartment. Didn’t recognize any of the furniture. Cara walked slowly across the floor, her bare feet soundless as they crept over the hardwood.

Where was she? She thought of calling out, but fear stilled her tongue.

Dream or reality? The question bored into her mind as she ventured forward. Succubi always had such strong, vivid dreams. Sometimes it was nearly impossible to tell the dream world from the real one.

A door waited in front of her. Wooden, painted white. Partially open.

Her hand lifted. Pressed lightly against the wood and sent the door swinging inward with a soft creak.

A man’s room. The furniture was dark, heavy. Clothes—a shirt, pants, socks—were tossed haphazardly onto the floor. A king-size bed with rumpled covers waited in the middle of the room. An occupied bed.

Cara took a step toward the bed, then another, her movements almost helpless. She knew who would be in that bed, of course. There really wasn’t any doubt in her mind.

She could smell him.

She’d thought of him before her eyes closed. Still tasted him on her lips.

His dark hair was a sharp contrast to the white pillowcase. His eyes were closed, his features softened in sleep.

Todd Brooks.

Dream or reality?

The floor creaked beneath her feet.

His eyes flew open. Locked on her.

“Cara?”

Too late, she realized what was happening. But it had been such a long time since she’d taken a walk in dreams.

He grabbed her arm, pulled her toward him and had her tumbling into the bed. “You’re not real,” he muttered. “Damn it, I know you can’t be, but I’ll take what I can get.” Then his mouth was on hers. Hard. Hot. His tongue thrust deep and a growl rumbled in the back of his throat.

His arms wrapped around her, holding her tight. His chest was bare, the muscles strong and warm against her. She wore a thin nightgown, just like the one she’d jerked on before stumbling into bed.

Her nipples pebbled, aching, and the stiff points pushed against the soft silk of her gown.

She straddled him. The bedsheets covered his hips, but she could feel his arousal nudging against her core.

The man was most definitely aroused.

No. No. This shouldn’t be happening. She had to stop, she—

His fingers eased under the spaghetti straps of her gown. His callused hands felt so good as they eased over the length of her arms, pushing down the gown and baring her breasts.

He tore his mouth from hers. Eased back so that he could get a better view of her. “God, baby, you’re the best dream I’ve ever had.”

The man had no idea.

She could feel the spark of magic in the air as his lust grew. His hunger swirled around her in waves of pulsing need. Her skin began to tingle with the promise of such pleasure.

And such dark power. Hers to take.

The strength it would give her…

But she shouldn’t. Cara shook her head, fighting for her own control as arousal had her sex moistening and her back arching in silent demand. No, this was wrong, she—

His lips closed over her breast. Pulled the mound deep into his mouth. Sucked.

Cara shuddered as her fingers dug into his arms. His teeth pressed against her, lightly scoring her flesh, and then he was licking her, long, hungry swipes of his tongue that had her moaning and twisting against him as she fought for more, more.

His hands slid down her body. Eased over her stomach, where the gown had pooled in a soft heap. His knuckles brushed across her belly button. Smoothed over her abdomen.

“Todd—” His name broke from her lips. She didn’t usually speak while dreamwalking. It was too dangerous. Power was in her voice. A command that had his head snapping up and his eyes flying to hers.

His cock was rock hard now and she realized that she was moving her hips against his. Rocking back and forth. Faster with each stroke of her body.

Red stained his cheeks. His pupils dilated as she watched. And his lips gleamed with a faint sheen of moisture.

Cara fought for sanity once more. “No, I-I can’t—”

In a instant, he tumbled her back onto the bed. “It’s a dream, baby. We can do anything.” He kissed her again. A kiss so sweet and soft that she swore she felt her eyes fill.

If only…

But some dreams could turn into nightmares far too easily, and if they didn’t stop soon, Todd would learn that lesson. Every moment she stayed with him, she was stealing a little of his life force. Taking a bit of his power as she stole into his mind.

She’d sworn not to take from a lover again.

Damn it, she hated to take!

It reminded her that she was little more than a parasite, living off the power and pleasure of others.

Her hands lifted, caught his face in her palms. She wanted to keep kissing him, to let the passion rage.

Not a choice for her.

His head lifted. His gaze met hers. “You feel so real.”

Her lips curved in a smile she knew was sad. “Close your eyes for me.”

He obeyed at once, but then, she’d put force into her voice, a compulsion he couldn’t resist. Humans were always at their weakest in the dream state.

Her index finger smoothed over his lips. Then she tilted her head, just a few inches, and urged his mouth back to hers. His lips were parted as he readied to kiss her—

She blew a light stream of air into his mouth. A soft, sweet stream that she knew would taste of magic.

His eyes opened, bleary, confused.

“Sleep,” she whispered the command.

Then she closed her own eyes, and left the dream.

“Oh, damn.” Cara’s eyes jerked open and she glared up at the ceiling.

What in the world had just happened?

A walk in dreams. She hadn’t snuck into a man’s dreams in over five years. She’d vowed never to enter without permission again.

Then she’d gone and plunged straight into Todd’s head.

Damn.

Jumping from the bed, she ran toward her mirror. Her reflection stared back at her, eyes wide, hair tangled, skin faintly glowing.

Glowing. Crap. She’d taken from him. Stolen his power as her spirit had seduced his body.

Her head began to shake. A hard back-and-forth motion. She’d taken, and he’d awaken weak now.

“I didn’t mean to do it,” she whispered, confessing to an image that just stared helplessly back at her. Dreamwalking took focus, intent—hell, often a meditative state. Stealing into the dreams of others was a skill that succubi didn’t master until well after sexual maturity. It was one of their greatest weapons, and by far one of the most dangerous.

Cara swallowed and tasted the ash of guilt on her tongue. She’d been dead tired, certainly not possessing the strength needed to slip into a human’s secret dreams. She never should have been able to cross the miles and find Todd’s mind.

It shouldn’t have happened, but it had.

She’d just have to make absolutely certain it didn’t happen again, because, if it did, she wasn’t certain she’d be able to hold on to her control.

The temptation to take the handsome detective was just too strong.

“Shit!” Todd woke up, instantly and completely conscious.

Damn it, he was alone.

His hands fisted over the sheets. He could have sworn that Cara was with him. Holding him. Kissing him.

A dull ache pounded in his temples as he rose from the bed. Not enough sleep, he figured, glancing at the clock to find out that he’d been in bed a total of four hours.

Not nearly long enough.

He ran a hand over his face, and, for a second, he could have sworn that he smelled her.

Cara.

The woman was seriously fucking him up. The last time he’d had a dream that hot about a woman—well, hell, he didn’t think he’d ever had a dream that intense.

He could still feel her satiny skin beneath his fingertips, still feel the curves of her breasts.

His cock was hard and heavy with need. A need that he knew only one woman could slake.

Shit.

Todd headed for the bathroom. He needed a cold shower. It would wake him up and chase the woman from his mind.

He yanked on the water, sending the powerful stream jetting full blast, then he stepped back, caught the flash of his reflection in the mirror—

He frowned. What the hell?

His gaze swept past the faint scars on his chest and side. Instead, his stare dropped down to his left arm. His eyes narrowed as he studied the five small half-moon marks on his flesh. Wounds that looked just like they’d been made by a woman’s nails.

“No damn way.” He lifted his right arm. Studied the biceps. Saw the same small wounds.

In his dream, Cara’s fingers had bit into the flesh of his arms as she’d held tight to him. Her nails had pierced his skin and he’d been aware of the faint sting, and of the pleasure of feeling her hips press against his.

But that had just been a dream. A hot fantasy that followed him while he slept.

He ran his fingers over the marks. Felt the raised skin.

“No damn way,” he repeated, even as a wave of unease rippled through him.

No other woman had caused the wounds. He’d stopped seeing his last lover, another cop at the precinct, just over a month before.

His stomach knotted. So how the hell had he gotten a woman’s scratch marks on his arms?

Cara.