Page 55 of Hunt Me Down

“He did need you,” Zane defended. “Why, you stopped Jude from crossing the line, from letting that wild beast out to attack and kill.”

Jude didn’t speak at that. He’d had control of his beast. He’d had control for years.

Because the tiger had gotten loose once. He could still hear the screams sometimes. His prey hadn’t gone down easy.

He crept closer to Erin.

Zane’s head angled to the right, and he stared hard at Erin’s face. “You don’t seem too worried, lady.” A pause. “You’vealreadyseen the beast, haven’t you, Ms. Jerome?”

Her gaze darted to Jude.

“And you weren’t even a little afraid of him, were you?” Zane pressed.

No, she hadn’t been. Not when she’d seen him in tiger form. Erin hadn’t so much as backed up a step. No, no, she hadn’t looked afraid, she’d looked?—

Thrilled.

Excited.

Not like a woman who was terrified of shifters.

And when he’d come back to her after the hunt, she’d done her one-eighty and seduced him.

Hands off to?—

Hands most definitely on.

Not afraid.

Considering the shifter stalker after her, her attitude was a bit...surprising, to say the least.

“I’m not afraid of a little cat,” Erin said, voice soft and husky.

Little?

Zane’s loud laughter shook the room.

Jude was pretty sure he heard Catalina snort.

More laughter came from the demon. Then, after a couple of deep breaths, he managed to say, “Yeah, I guess if I were strong enough to throw him across the room, I wouldn’t be scared, either.”

The guycouldthrow him across the room. And had. At least three times sprang to mind. Two of those instances had happened right there in Delaney’s. Some nights, the place could get good and wild.

Erin cast a glance toward Mickey’s body. The hyena was still out cold. “I need to call the precinct and get a squad car out here for him—” She broke off, shaking her head. “I-I need...” Her voice thickened a bit and she lifted her hand, pushing her fingers against her right temple. “Th-that h-hurts...”

Jude stiffened and his stare jerked to Zane. The demon’s laughter was completely gone now and he was focused totally on Erin.

Bastard.He’d been waiting, biding his time to catch her off guard.

With a demon, one big-ass portion of his strength was psychic in nature. Demons could slip right into the minds of humans.

Erin could be half-human so would Zane be able to?—

“Get out.” A grated demand, shaking with fury. Erin’s head jerked toward Zane and she bared her own teeth. Wickedly sharp teeth.

A low, pain-filled cry broke from Zane’s suddenly white lips, and his knees gave way beneath him. Before he could fall face-first into the floor, the witch was there, catching him and wrapping her arms around him.

Then Catalina stared at Erin with fear in her eyes.

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