For a Few Demons More

quick kiss on my neck. 'Thanks, love,' he whispered. His hand on my shoulder tightened, and with a quick hint of teeth he sent a spike of desire to my core.

'Stop that,' I whispered, gently pushing him away and feeling myself flush.

Grinning, he retreated. With a self-assured nod to the rest of the men, he stuck his hands into his pockets and sauntered out.

Lord help me, I thought, pulling my hand down from my neck. I had the feeling he'd just used me to restore his confidence. Sure, he was afraid of the dead, but I was his girlfriend, and apparently proving it in front of three other guys had reaffirmed his masculinity. Whatever.

My face was still warm when Glenn cleared his throat. 'What?' I muttered as I entered before him. 'He's my boyfriend.'

'Mmmm-hmm,' he murmured back, shaking the Bite-Me-Betty doll to make the key jingle. The living vamp intern checking tags left at Glenn's look. It was just us and whatever newly dead vamps were cooling their heels until dark.

David was cracking his knuckles when Glenn stopped beside a drawer, eyeing the Were. 'You think you know these women?' he said, and I bristled. There had been more than a hint of distrust, his need to have someone to blame for their deaths, coming to the fore.

'Yes,' I interjected before David could open his mouth. 'He has a couple of girlfriends he can't reach, and since he was holding something for me that the right person would kill to get, we thought it better to check it out so we could sleep at night.'

David seemed relieved at my explanation, but Glenn wasn't happy. 'Rachel,' he said as his short fingers worked the key, but he didn't open the drawer. 'They are Weres. Technically this isn't a FIB matter. If someone calls foul, I could be in a lot of trouble.'

I could sense David's rising fear and anticipation, and I wondered if that was why Kisten had left. Though not directed at him, it would have pushed his buttons. 'Just open the drawer,' I said, starting to get mad. 'You really think I should bring Denon into this? He'd have David in the tower and under a spotlight. And besides,' I said, praying I was wrong, 'if I'm right, then this is a FIB matter.'

Glenn's brown eyes narrowed, and with David's brow pinched, the FIB detective opened the drawer. I glanced down at the harsh sound of the bag opening, seeing the pretty woman in a new light, imagining her fear and the pain of turning into a wolf and not having a clue. God, she must have thought she'd been dying.

'That's Elaine,' David breathed, and I took his arm as his balance wobbled. Glenn tripped into detective mode, his gaze bright and his stance stiffer, more threatening. I told him to be quiet with my eyes. His questions could wait. We had two more Pandora boxes to open.

'God, I'm sorry, David,' I said softly, wishing Glenn would shut the drawer.

As if hearing my unspoken request, he slowly slid Elaine away.

David's face was pale, and I had to remind myself that though he could take care of himself and was no slouch when it came to confidence, these were women he had known intimately. 'Show me the next one,' he said, the thickening scent of musk in the closed air.

Glenn ripped a jotted note from his daily planner and tucked it in behind the ID card before going to the next. My stomach was in knots. This wasn't looking good. Not only was there the problem that David was involved in the accidental deaths of three women, but now I was going to have to explain to the FIB why they had human birth certificates.

Crap on toast. How in hell was I going to handle this? Every master vamp in the country, every alpha with delusions of grandeur, was going to be after me, the former to destroy the focus, the latter to possess it. Pretending to throw it off the Mackinac Bridge wasn't going to work a second time. Maybe… maybe it had been a fluke. Maybe Elaine had been a Were and she'd only told David she was human, knowing he wouldn't date a bitch.

Glenn unlocked the second drawer, and when we were arranged, he unzipped the bag. I watched David instead of Glenn. I knew the answer when his eyes closed and his hand trembled.

'Felicia,' he whispered. 'Felicia Borden.' He reached to touch her, his trembling fingers brushing her brown hair. 'I'm sorry, Felicia. I didn't know. I'm so sorry. What… what did you do to yourself?'

His voice cracked, and I darted a glance at Glenn. The FIB officer nodded. David was ready to lose it. We had better get the hard part over fast.

'Come on, David,' I soothed, taking his arm and pulling him a step back. 'One more.'

David broke his gaze from her, and Glenn swiftly shut the drawer with the sound of scraping metal. The only one left was the woman who had been hit by a train. It probably hadn't been a suicide. Most likely she had snapped under the strain of a first transformation without pain relief or understanding, blindly fleeing in search of an answer. Or perhaps she had been lost in the glories of her newfound freedom and had misjudged her new capabilities. I almost hoped it was the latter, tragic though it would be. I didn't like the idea that she had gone insane. It would only mean that much more guilt for David.

I stood with David to the right of the last drawer. Realizing he was holding his breath, I slipped my hand into his. It was cool and dry. I think he was starting to go into shock.

Glenn opened the last drawer reluctantly, clearly not eager to show David the ruin of the woman's body.

'Oh, God,' David moaned, turning away.

My eyes pricking with tears and feeling helpless, I put my arm over his shoulder and led him to the informal seating area where relatives waited for their kin to awaken. His back was hunched, and he moved without thought, grasping the back of a chair before falling into it.

He slipped out from under me, and I stood over him as he put his elbows on his knees and dropped his head in to his hands. 'I didn't mean it to happen,' he said, his voice sounding dead. 'It's not supposed to happen. It's not supposed to happen!'

Glenn had shut the last drawer and was making his way to us with an aggressive FIB swagger. 'Back off,' I warned him. 'I see where you're going, but he didn't kill those women.'

'Then why is he convincing himself he didn't?'

'David is an insurance adjustor, not a killer. You said it yourself— they were suicides.'

David made a harsh sound of inner pain. Turning to him, I touched on his shoulder. 'Ah, hell. I'm sorry. I didn't mean it like that.'

He didn't lookup as he said flatly, 'They were all alone. They had no one to help them, to tell them what to expect. That the pain would go away.' His head rose, and he had tears in his eyes. 'They went through that alone, and it was my fault. I could have helped them. They would have survived if I had been there.'

'David…' I started, but his face abruptly lost its expression, and he rose.

'I have to go,' he stammered. 'I have to call Serena and Kally.'

'A moment, Mr. Hue,' Glenn said firmly, and I gave him a dirty look.

David's face was white, and his small but powerful build was tense. 'I have to call Serena and Kally!' he exclaimed, and Iceman peeked in past the door.

My hands out in placation, I insinuated myself between Glenn and the distressed Were. 'David,' I soothed, gently resting my hand on his arm, 'they'll be okay. It's a week before the full moon.' I turned to Glenn, my voice hardening. 'And I told you to back off.'

His eyes narrowed at my harsh tone, but though he was the FIB's Inderland specialist, I was an Inderlander. 'Back off!' I insisted, then lowered my voice lest I wake someone up. 'This is my friend, and you will cut him some slack, or so help me, Glenn, I'll show you what a mean, mad witch is capable of.'

Glenn clenched his jaw. I glared right back at him. I'd never pulled my magic on him before, but we had come down here to answer the question of whether the focus was turning humans into Weres, not submit to a homicide charge.

'David,' I said, eyes on Glenn, 'sit down. Detective Glenn has a few questions.' God, I hope I have some answers.

Both men relaxed, and after Iceman let the door shut behind him, I sat as well and crossed my legs as if I were the hostess of this nice little party. David resumed his seat, but Glenn continued to stand and glower down at me. Fine. They were his wrinkles.

Then I started thinking. Crap, I wasn't smart enough to come up with a convincing lie. I'd have to tell him the truth. I hated that. Wincing, I pulled my gaze to Glenn's. 'Hey… uh,' I stammered. 'Can you keep a secret?' I