people — be they past, present or future. My preferred method is via a crystal ball, but any polished surface will do in an emergency.'
'Then you've tried finding the other victims?'
Absolutely nothing showed in his face. But then, he was a cop, long schooled in the art of questioning without revealing. And despite the earlier instances of sensing his emotions, right now Kat was getting zip.
'Yes. But it's not something you can turn on and off. It often takes time.'
'Time those children might not have.'
'We know that, Detective.'
He nodded. 'Does talking to the victims' families help any?'
'No. It usually only muddies the psychic waters.' Gwen hesitated. 'You do know the chances of your niece still being alive are small, don't you?'
He didn't react, not physically. Yet his anger stepped into the room, became a presence that was almost overwhelming. 'Until I see her body, I won't give up hope.'
'That is as it should be.'
'So will you try to find her? Now?'
Gwen pursed her lips. 'I can't guarantee — ' 'I'm asking you to try, not guarantee.'
His voice was brusque, harsh. A man not used to asking for anything.
Gwen considered him for a long moment, then nodded.
'Kat, get the crystal.'
'Gran, you need to rest — ' 'I feel the need to do this. Get the crystal for me.'
Kat shot an annoyed look the detective's way but he absorbed it without impact. She climbed to her feet and retrieved the small ball from the table, handing it carefully to her grandmother.
Gwen eased her feet off the coffee table then carefully placed the crystal on it. She rolled her neck, stretched gnarled fingers until they cracked, then began to stare at the glittering surface of the ball. After a few moments, her gaze became glassy and unfocused. A sure sign that this time it was working.
Kat walked over to the sink, grabbed a glass of water and a couple of pain killers, then sat back down. There was nothing to do now but wait.
The detective made no noise, no move, his expression intense as he watched Gwen. He might not believe in psychics and witchcraft, but right now he was obviously desperate and willing to go to any lengths. Even if it meant relying on the unbelievable.
Kat finished her coffee and reached for the herbal pack, then lay back on the floor and placed it over her forehead.
The detective's gaze swept her, something she felt rather than saw. Desire stirred deep inside. Gran was right — it had been far too long since she'd been with a man. And self administering to ease the ache was certainly a colourless substitute.
But by the same token, casual sex had lost its allure. She wanted something more. Something deeper. Something that just couldn't work with what she did.
Lord, why did this man have to be a werewolf in the midst of moon fever? She'd been doing all right until he came along to remind her she had needs just like everyone else.
Time ticked by. The sofa creaked as the detective leaned back. His gaze was a heated touch that began to sweep her more often. Hunger stirred between them, though it was less of a potent force than what she'd faced at the door. He could obviously control it better at some times than others, and she wondered what the deciding factor was.
Inactivity, perhaps? Or the touch of the moon itself?
Gwen sighed. Kat sat up, catching the pack as it fell. Her grandmother's face was ashen, her breathing shallow. Kat scrambled to her feet and grabbed the water and pain killers.
'Here, take these.'
She placed the tablets in her grandmother's mouth, then held the glass while she drank. Gwen's fingers were locked in a hooked position, and she wouldn't be able to hold anything until the rigidness had eased. It could take minutes, or it could take hours.
Gwen's gaze met Kat's. The depth of despair and horror so evident in those green depths told Kat it was another bad one. She swallowed heavily, not sure she could stand it again so soon. She didn't have the strength — physically or mentally.
'Where?' she whispered.
'Warehouse on Tenth Avenue . First floor.'
Kat rose, grabbed her coat and keys, then finally looked at the detective. His face was expressionless, but his shoulders were taut, an indication of the tension she could feel.
'You coming?'
'Yes.' His gaze flicked to Gwen. 'Is it her?'
Gwen sighed. 'I don't know.'
He rose. 'I hope to God it's not.'
So did Kat. Because if the violence so evident in his aura was anything to go by, they didn't want to be around him when her body was discovered. She slipped on some shoes then headed out the door.
'Detective?' Gwen called.
They both paused and looked back.
'Be prepared, because what you're about to find will not be pleasant.'
'I'm a cop. I've seen humanity at its worst.' His voice held an edge that was both anger and resignation.
'But humanity has nothing to do with what is happening here.' Gwen's gaze flicked to Kat. 'Don't go too deep.
Even surface level readings will be bad.'
Kat swallowed back bile. It had been bad enough last time. What the hell had the soul sucker done now?
The rumble of the Mustang's engine was the only sound to be heard. It wasn't the sort of car Ethan had expected her to drive, but nothing about Katherine Tanner was what he'd expected.
He shifted and studied her profile in the moonlight. Her features were slightly sharp, and her hair short, but thick and wavy. It tended to stick up at angles, reminding him oddly of night-collared feathers. She wasn't slender, nor was she fat. Just a woman with lots of curves she wasn't afraid to show.
He let his gaze slip to her wonderfully full breasts. She wasn't wearing a bra, and the ridiculously small T- shirt left little to the imagination. Her nipples hardened as he watched, stretching the faded cotton to its limits. The moon might be raging through his system, but he wasn't the only one who hungered tonight. He could smell her desire as clearly as he felt his own.
Perhaps he wouldn't have to go far to satisfying his needs. Maybe he'd found the perfect release right here with this woman. He certainly intended to keep an eye on both her grandmother and her anyway, if only because they seemed to have a better idea of what was going on than either he or the rest of the department. If he wanted to find his niece and catch the bastards behind these kidnappings, these two might be the key — however unorthodox their methods.
And in many ways, he had no other choice. He didn't have the time to search for another partner, and with the full moon drawing close, it was getting harder and harder to control his hunger. She knew what he was and undoubtedly was aware of the effect the moon had on his system. And she was certainly outspoken enough to tell him to back off if she wasn't interested.
But right now, his needs — and hers — would have to wait until they'd found what there was to be found at the warehouse.
