He rose from the bed. Maybe his knees were a little weak. Making love to her could do that, not that Aidan would ever admit it. He wasn’t supposed to have a weakness. I do. It’s my Jane.
She rolled over, still smiling up at him. “I don’t know how it happened, I don’t know what magic you got Annette to pull, but I feel stronger than I’ve ever felt in my entire life.”
He forced a smile for her. “I’m glad.”
“Race you to the shower.” Then she was zipping past him.
He started to hurry after her but…
Something caught his eye. Something there, in the bed. Frowning now, he leaned over and looked closer at the bed covers. Sure, they’d wrecked that bed. Only…
The sheets were ripped.
He picked up part of the sheet and saw the long tendrils that looked as if claws had sliced into them. Aidan glanced at his own hands. He hadn’t let his claws out. He’d been touching Jane the whole time, so he hadn’t wanted to risk cutting her skin.
He picked up another piece of the shredded material.
Jane had grabbed the bedding. He remembered that. At the end, when she’d been lost to the pleasure, she’d fisted her hands around the sheets.
These are marks made by claws. I’ve seen marks like this before.
“Aidan…” Jane’s voice called. Light. Teasing. “I won.”
***
“I don’t like this,” Aidan said.
Jane rolled her eyes as she checked her gun. The weapon was good to go with silver bullets. And, for extra paranormal protection, she had a wooden stake strapped to her ankle. “Yes, well, I adore you, but I don’t particularly care what you like about this part.” He’d brought her back to town, but been oddly quiet and reserved during the drive to the cemetery. Back to the scene of the crime. “I have a job to do, and I’m getting back to it.” Her gaze sharpened as she looked at him. “I’m not a cop because I like playing things safe. I’m a cop because I want to keep everyone else safe.”
He stood beside her, his arms crossed over his chest. “Did you forget you nearly died last night?”
“Hard to forget that bit.”
He glowered even more. It was probably not the time to tell him that she found his glowers sexy. Her body was practically humming. It was so weird. She couldn’t remember ever feeling this good. “I also didn’t forget,” Jane continued, “that I shot the bastard who attacked me. So if I shot him, he bled. And you—with that absolutely wonderful nose of yours—will help me track him.”
“Jane…”
“Come on.” She led the way into the cemetery. Dr. Bob had the victim’s body on his table, and she’d be heading to the ME’s office later for an update on Travis. Just to make sure there weren’t any new twists waiting for her. But for the moment, she wanted to try some blood tracking.
The scent of blood hit Jane just after she’d taken a few steps inside the cemetery. Strong. Coppery. A little…woodsy? Her nostrils flared as she inhaled the scent. Then Jane turned to the right. “I was over this way when he attacked.”
Aidan caught her elbow. “Jane, do you smell the blood?”
“Yes.” Her breath hitched. “He must have bled out a whole lot more than I realized.” And the crime scene techs must have been damn slouchy at their jobs. They should have cleaned the area far better.
She followed the scent, her steps quickening.
Then…
Jane stopped. There were no giant trails of blood on the ground. Well, not except for the stain that was from where she’d been. Someone had tried to clean that up. Jane pointed. “I remember falling here. You—you were crouching above me.” She threw a quick glance his way.
His face hardened. “Yes.”
She lifted her hand, as if aiming a gun. “He was right over there.” Where the slightly woodsy scent was coming from. Jane took a few lurching steps forward and then she saw the blood drops. Just drops. As if the killer had been running away and the blood had flown back in his wake.
How do I smell this? The blood drops have already dried and they’re so small.
What in the hell was happening? “Aidan?”
But he’d just brushed past her. “It was good of the bastard to leave us a trail.”
“Aidan, what’s happening to me?”
His shoulders tensed. “I think he jumped over the wall to get out of here, same as I did.” He came back to her, scooped her into his arms and said, “Hold on tight.”
He was keeping something from her. “Aidan. Stop.”
He tensed.
“How did I heal? Why can I smell his blood?” Why do I feel so good?
Aidan’s Adam’s apple bobbed as he swallowed. “I told you…that I gave you my blood.”
Jane nodded. “You did that before.” When Garrison had been a trigger happy dumbass and shot her. Not that she held a grudge. Well, not anymore. She and Garrison had worked past that unfortunate first encounter.
“There seem to be a few…side effects this time.”
Side effects? That sounded so not good. “How long will they last?”