 
# Remember Me

By

Nanea Knott
Dedication:

For my smut loving beta readers:

Jennifer, and Kristina.

Copyright January 2015. All rights reserved. The book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are either products of the author's imagination or used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

Cover Photo: © Stryjek |Dreamstime.com

Smashwords Edition, License Notes Thank you for downloading this ebook. This book remains the copyrighted property of the author, and

may not be redistributed to others for commercial or non-commercial purposes. If you enjoyed this book, please encourage your friends to download their own copy from their favorite authorized retailer. Thank you for your support.

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Other books by Nanea Knott

Mating Season Series

Mating Season

Runaway

Viking Slave Series

Nikola

Katja

Aksel (M/M Romance)

The Sex Demon Series: (In order)

Remember Me (Book One)

Unforgettable (Book Two)

Remind Me(Book Three)

Long Term Memory (Book Four)

# Chapter One

Willow pushed Chase off and got out from under him at the same time. Rolling him onto his back, she wanted to make sure he didn't fall asleep on his face and stop breathing. Sometimes, men slept like the dead when she'd finished with them. She'd fed and rested, it was time to go. He would never know she'd been there.

She and Chase had been lovers for several weeks, but it was time to call it quits. The relationship wasn't going anywhere, it never would. Chase was a good man, but he wasn't her mate.

Moving slowly, she got off the bed and walked naked to the window. She could see part of Lake Washington from the Seattle condo, but she wasn't interested in the view. Willow was using the light to gauge if she had enough time to take a shower. Timing was important, she couldn't afford to get it wrong.

It was overcast; it could be closer to dawn than she thought, there was no way to tell. Glancing at one of the bedside tables looking for his phone to tell her the time, she saw that it wasn't sitting on the charger. It probably lay on the floor in the living room where Chase had dropped his pants.

Willow padded into the living room to find her purse and dig out her phone. It was just after five in the morning. It was better for her to get dressed and go. There was no point in showering, only to put on dirty clothes.

Locating her panties near the bedroom door and her bra over by the sliding door, Willow put them on. She gathered the rest of her clothes near the couch and retrieved her heels from the bedroom. Chase always wanted her to wear them to bed. The predawn light from the windows made it possible for her to dress without turning on a light. A sudden light might wake Chase, and it was easier if he stayed asleep.

Willow picked up Chase's clothes, took his phone out of his pants pocket and put it on the charger. Throwing his clothes into the bathroom hamper, she then gathered her things and went straight out the front door. Taking a key from her purse, she locked the door. Leaving the building, she passed no one. Pulling her coat closer, she hurried to the bus stop in the early morning chill. The sun would take a few hours to burn off the thick mist before shining through in the afternoon.

When she got to her place, she put her purse on the small table next to the front door and dug around in it for Chase's key. Opening the small drawer of the table, she tossed the key inside watching it drop until it settled. It clinked against the other keys already covering the bottom of the drawer. Willow considered the little silver key. Leaving it there meant she would have to look elsewhere to feed. Changing her mind, she took it out of the drawer and left it sitting on the table. It would go back into her purse later. She might use the key one more time. Willow went to take a shower and fell naked into bed for a couple of hours.

Willow woke with the alarm, flipping her long dark hair out of her face, she got out of bed. Dressing quickly, she got ready for work. A piece of toast and a cup of coffee served as breakfast on the way to work. Her office at Expert Realty was on the 17th floor of a tall building in Downtown Seattle.

The elevators opened to the long reception desk that took up most of the lobby. Her office was on the left side. Willow had requested it because it was the farthest away from the elevator and not in the direct sight line of the entrance. They would have given her a cubicle in the middle of the office being only a real estate assistant, but she used her looks and charm to get the office she wanted. She had gotten the interview because she was qualified. She had probably gotten the job because she was good-looking, but Willow was determined to do a good job. To do that, she had to decrease the chances of her being a distraction in the office for others and minimize interruptions for herself. Willow would never get any work done if she caught the traffic from the elevator too. She usually stayed in her office until she had to do something she dreaded, make copies. It wasn't making the copies that bothered her, it was the morning ritual that usually went with it, the conversation with Chase. He was her co-worker.

"Willow, would you have dinner with me tonight?" Chase asked.

Looking up at him, she smiled even as he stood too close to her 5'6'' frame. As usual, she pretended to be surprised and pleased. This time, she had to turn him down. She had plans for tonight. "I can't, how about tomorrow?"

He grinned. "Tomorrow it is."

Smiling pleasantly, she walked away knowing he was watching her. Chase always watched her; most men did, all day long, every day. She often wished it could be different, but it never would be. They couldn't help themselves. It was a biological imperative. Humans were always attracted to her.

Willow was a succubus.

She went to her office and sighed heavily while glancing at her computer. Determined, she tried to focus on work, but couldn't keep her thoughts from thinking about the state of her life. Chase was good looking and charming. He stood over six feet tall and had the opposite of her coloring with his blond hair.

He asked her out almost every day, and since she needed sex to live, she usually accepted his invitation. He'd been kind, generous, considerate and an enthusiastic lover. She could have him every night if she wanted. There was just one problem. He wouldn't remember it, ever. None of her lovers did. Neither did anyone else.

Being a sex demon was lonely. If it weren't for the SDA, Willow wasn't sure how she would manage. The Sex Demons Association helped drive away the loneliness that was just a part of life for most sex demons. If humans asked, the initials stood for Single, Dating, and Available. She'd thought up a different name for the SDA. She called it Sex Demons tired of being Anonymous. The SDA meetings were set up for sex demons to find out any news, and to socialize. Tonight's party was also the once a month BYOH, bring your own human. It was the sex demon version of potluck.

Willow sat at her desk and remembered the first BYOH party she'd ever attended after she moved here. She recalled being excited. The meetings she had been to previously had just been regular meetings. This would be her first BYOH ever. That night, she'd arrived with someone she'd met on the street an hour earlier. He'd been tall, and good-looking. Allowing him to pin her to a nearby wall and have sex with her let her know he had a big cock. She brought him with her thinking he would be a good guest at the party.

The entire room had cushions and pillows of various sizes strewn haphazardly. There were a few places to sit and relax near the tables laden with the food. Willow arrived a few minutes after it was supposed to start, but already people were naked and writhing on the floor, both human and demon. The smell of it all had been amazing. The air inside thick with the scent of desire. It coated the back of her tongue, and her stomach growled. Sounds of pleasure filled the room. A female sigh, a male groan, and the sound of flesh meeting flesh made her own skin tingle with anticipation. The expressions of sexual pleasure on the faces of the participants made her smile. It was going to be a good night.

The man Willow brought with her was immediately snagged by another succubus. Willow watched as he hurriedly undressed for the blonde kissing him. There were a few humans engaged in conversation with demons. They were standing around snacking from the table nearby. At the time, Willow wasn't interested in food, she was hungry for more sex. Lucky for her, her friends had brought other humans to share.

A muscular blond man was lying naked on cushions by himself. From the contented look on his face, he'd been ridden to climax at least once already. He looked delectable. As soon as she neared him, he gazed into her eyes and smiled. His cock hardened as she watched. Willow unbuttoned her blouse and stepped out of her shoes. He watched her closely, and she could see the pupils of his eyes dilate. Dropping her top to the floor, then unhooking her bra to drop it as well, she made sure he got a good look at her smooth, flawless, ivory skin. He took a deep breath while watching her move.

Unzipping her skirt, she let it fall where she stood. Slipping her fingers into the sides of her panties at the hip, she wiggled, pushing them down her legs. Stepping out of the pile of clothing, she waited for his reaction.

His eyes surveyed the landscape of her flesh as he put a hand up to help her get down on the floor next to him. She ran a hand over his muscular thigh while leaning over to kiss him. Willow didn't even bother asking him his name.

Taking control of the kiss, he tasted her thoroughly. Grasping her arms, he drew her down on top of him ravishing her lips. He flipped them over to get on top of her and Willow allowed it. She spread her legs and let him settle his hips there. He slid his lips across her cheek, licking her neck near her earlobe only to suck on that choice piece of flesh a moment later. Thrusting his hips between her legs, he rubbed his hardness against her wetness.

His chest heaved with each breath rubbing against her, driving her nipples to hard points. He moved down her body to fasten his mouth onto one of the firm nubs, while he massaged her other breast with his hand. Sucking hard on her breast, he flicked her nipple with his tongue. He lavished the same attention on the other breast leaving her breathless.

Continuing to move down her body, his hands resumed touching and caressing every inch of her. He ran his tongue over her ribs while his hands held her hips and slid further down her body until his face hovered over her wet pussy. He gazed down at her center and licked his lips. Taking a few tentative licks at her clit made Willow moan. Moving his hands from her hips, his fingers held open her slick petals while he tasted every inch of her sex.

Willow lost the ability to think. Writhing with pleasure, the need rolling through her body told her she needed more. She needed to feed off the natural endorphins humans secrete during sex. The hormones, the sweat, and every labored breath nourished her. The warm liquids released from the human body during the height of the act were what gave her life.

As if he could sense her need, he moved up her body and pushed his cock into her all at once. Willow moaned and bent forward, grabbed his muscular ass and squeezed. He jerked and then started moving inside her. Willow slapped his left ass cheek saying. "Harder, baby." He jerked again and then obeyed. His handsome face was covered in small beads of sweat, and she took one of her hands and passed it over his cheeks and forehead. He kept pumping out hormones almost faster than she could absorb them. Willow understood why someone had brought him and silently thanked them for doing so.

Faster and harder, he slammed his cock into her and Willow loved it. He balanced on one arm never breaking his rhythm to reach between their bodies and massage her clit. Willow imploded gasping for breath. She needed him to come inside her, the dessert to the feast. Willow moved her hips, encouraging him to keep plunging his cock into her. She grabbed his ass again, urging him to keep going.

He groaned, and with a deep groan, he began filling her with his liquid heat. Every time he pulsed, more of his hot cum would stream into her. Willow squeezed her vagina to milk his fat dick and still, he kept coming. After one last hard push, he was done. He rolled off her and settled next to her trying to catch his breath.

Willow lay there content for the moment. She looked over at him and realized he'd fallen asleep. Standing to get something to drink, she gathered her clothes and placed them on a table that had been set up for the purpose. While she was standing there naked, a handsome, muscular, black man caught her eye making her hungry again. She'd fed on five men before the meeting was over. It had been a good night for her, and she hadn't had to feed for at least two days.

Feeding reminded her of Chase. She had been feeding on him instead of going out and finding new partners every day as she had to do before sleeping with Chase. Whenever she did, she had to leave him before he woke up in the morning. Sex demons had a rule, pay attention to the time. Dawn was the deadline. She had learned the hard way a long time ago to follow the rules. It tends to freak a man out to find a woman in his bed with no memory of how she got there—no matter how good-looking she was.

Shaking off the good memories of her first BYOH meeting, Willow looked at the time and sighed knowing the day wasn't even half over yet, but she was looking forward to her plans after she got off work. She worked steadily with little interruption until it was time to go. Finishing out the rest of the day by leaving very little for tomorrow had her feeling great as she drove to a small, nondescript building in Kent.

* * *

Willow pulled up to a single-story building and got out. She had decided not to bring a human to contribute to the BYOH tonight. BYOH was always optional. Willow planned to attend the meeting and go the dinner with a friend at a restaurant down the street.

She looked up at the building. It seemed to be the same color as the sky overhead. It was Autumn, and at this time of year, the forecast usually showed only a long stretch of rain. Willow ignored the fat drops falling from the sky and didn't bother with an umbrella. She wouldn't get sick, sex demons never did. She didn't worry about what she looked like either, even soaking wet, she was gorgeous. Succubi were considered beautiful under any circumstances, survival at its finest.

Adjusting her skirt, Willow walked into the building. She strolled down a short hallway then walked into a large room containing a circle of about thirty folding chairs in the middle. The walls were painted beige with no decorations, a nondescript multi-function room able to take on a theme at a moment's notice. Off to one side, there were two long tables laid out with different dishes, desserts, and drinks. Willow glanced away from it to look for her friend Shelly.

She'd met Shelly Graham at the first SDA meeting she'd attended. Willow had gone to the one in Kent because the meeting happened on a day when it was convenient for her. She kept going because she had met Shelly and others that had become her friends. When Willow decided to continue attending, Shelly was already losing interest in them but decided to continue to go to spend time with Willow. "I'll go with you Will," Shelly said. "But I happen to like being anonymous."

"I don't see how you can," Willow replied, "It's frustrating not to be remembered and not valued for being a person but as a sex object. The meetings remind me I'm a person, not just a succubus."

Shelly smiled. "I find it thrilling when you see someone every day, and regardless of how they act towards you, you know their most private preferences. It's exciting to know the prim man you ride the elevator with, who speaks to everyone in a brusque 'don't bother me' voice, has a secret. He loves to have his ass spanked with a wooden paddle. We get to know all the sexy secrets people hide from others. Besides, you know as well as I do that sex demons who try to 'expose' themselves..." she grinned, "...are severely punished. Being anonymous allows us to hide in plain sight. Unless I find my mate, there's no need for anyone to know who, or what I am. The world, as the saying goes, is my oyster."

Willow grinned remembering the conversation. Shelly was ever the optimist. Willow found her friend sitting in her usual seat on the left side of the room. Shelly was dressed in a blood red skirt and blazer set with a black satin blouse and three-inch black pumps. Her strawberry blonde hair was pulled back in a sleek chignon. Her cherry red lips curved into a smile and her blue eyes sparkled when she spied Willow.

"Hi Sunshine," she greeted when Willow sat down next to her.

"Hey," Willow replied.

"How's it going?" Shelly smiled.

"The same as always." Willow sighed and placed her handbag on her lap.

"Let me guess," Shelly said. "You slept with Chase last night, and he asked you out again, this morning?"

"Yes," Willow answered forlornly.

"Is he boring you in the sack already?" Shelly teased.

Willow scoffed. "No, but every time I sleep with him, he acts like it's the first time."

Shelly smiled patting her arm. "For him, it is."

"I know. I hate it," Willow complained.

Shelly was gentle when she replied. "That's just the way things are for us. No one remembers us. Sexy pictures come out blurry, video recordings show nothing but snow. Credit card statements are overlooked and forgotten."

"I know all of that, but don't you ever get tired of it?" Willow asked turning to look at her friend.

Shelly shrugged. "Sometimes, but there's nothing we can do to change it. If you keep thinking about it, you're going to make yourself crazy. Until, or unless, we find our mates, the way our lives are right now, is all it's ever going to be."

Willow wanted to argue, to rail against the unfairness of it all, but she couldn't. Shelly was right. The fact that no one remembered having sex with them is what allowed demon-kind to hide from humanity in plain sight.

While Willow and Shelly sat talking, the room had filled with people. The humans brought for the BYOH gathered mostly near the food table. Anyone walking into the room right then would have thought it was a meeting only for beautiful people. Tall, muscular men with chiseled features stood next to stunning women ranging from tall and statuesque, to petite, and curvaceous.

Shelly and Willow stood to speak to their friend Keely when she walked in. Keely Beck was a sultry redhead with killer curves and flashing green eyes. Keely attended the meetings regularly as well. She'd said her job made her even more anonymous because no one even wanted to know her name. Keely was okay with it most of the time, but she thought it might be nice if, occasionally, a man remembered her as more than the "redhead with the nice ass." Keely was a stripper, correction, exotic dancer, and one of Willow's best friends. The two women couldn't be more different, but Willow valued her friendship. Keely could be blunt almost to the point of being abrasive. She didn't care what people thought and always made it a point to say so when she thought someone was sticking their nose where it shouldn't be. Despite her attitude, Keely had a lot of friends.

Willow thought everyone should have at least one friend like her, a person who will tell you the truth, even if you don't want to hear it. Keely had never been cruel, but she didn't hold back either. Keely told Willow she was only coming to the meetings to spend time with her too, but Willow knew she came for her own reasons. Keely probably hadn't given it much thought until someone had put a name to the way she'd been feeling, lonely.

For the most part, the sex demons who attended were dissatisfied with their lives in some way. The SDA meetings started as a way to bring the community together to talk about their issues. One would think perfect-looking people wouldn't have issues, but it wasn't true. As a sex demon who could have sex with anyone, anytime, anywhere with no consequences whatsoever, every day was one big orgy. Until you realize that like everything else repeatedly done, it gets old.

When Willow had first moved to the city, she'd slept with just about every man within a mile of her home. Sometimes, she went to clubs, picked up three men at a time, did them all before dawn, and left. Willow often screwed men in her car, and then left them standing on the sidewalk.

She never hurt anyone and had no regrets, but it wasn't fun anymore. She'd already been through the perpetual orgy stage, and now a sense of longing for something more permeated her every waking moment. Eventually, everyone Willow knew had been there, done that, and now attended the meetings to try to figure out what to do to try to alleviate the ache they felt.

* * *

Todd Kreski called the meeting to order. He stood a few inches over 6 feet tall with short, dark blond hair, light brown eyes, chiseled features, and broad shoulders. He'd been endowed with a lean, muscular frame. As one of the well-liked leaders of the SDA meetings in the area, he was a gentle man with a ready smile. "Welcome, everyone. Please take a seat," he announced with a velvet voice. "A friend of mine, Phillip, is here tonight." He gestured to a handsome man with dark hair and blue eyes seated next to him. "Phillip's got a problem, and he's hoping we can give him some advice. Phillip has found his mate."

The whole room gasped with excitement. He'd found the only human who would remember having sex with him, they would be his mate for life. Phillip stood and shook Todd's hand before turning back to the group. "I did find her." Phillip beamed. "She got hired a couple of days ago to be my boss' assistant. I didn't know what she would be to me. I mean, how could I? She was bringing something to me, and her hand brushed mine. Let me tell you guys, instant hard-on. She is the most beautiful woman I've ever seen. She touches me and my skin tingles."

The crowd was breathless, each imagining what it would be like with someone who made them feel that way. At one time, Willow had hoped Chase would be the one for her. She remembered lying next to him in the dark in the early morning hours, gently stroking his hair while he slept. Leaving him before sunrise, she hoped he would tell her in a few hours he'd had a good time, and wanted to see her again. Willow remembered seeing him smile at her in the morning. She was so excited she might have finally found her mate. Then he asked her when she was going to agree to go out with him. She smiled to hide her disappointment and agreed to go out with him again. A succubus still had to feed.

Phillip was still talking, and Willow focused her attention on him. She could live vicariously for a moment.

"I knew the minute I touched her that she was the one," Phillip explained, "I never thought it would happen to me. I try to behave normally around her, but I can't. Every time I get near her, all I want to do is touch her. She probably thinks I'm a freak. I keep finding ways to get close to her. That was all before I even slept with her. Now, it's even worse. I can't think of anything else but her. I need to find a way to get her to marry me."

"What are you doing here? Shouldn't you be with her?" Someone asked.

"I would, but I screwed up. I slept with someone the day after I slept with her. Right now, my mate thinks I'm a man-whore. She also thinks I might have done something illegal. She remembers me leaving with another woman, knowing we were probably going to have sex. The woman I left with doesn't remember anything, of course. My mate is baffled as to how that happened. I found out from another co-worker that she has concluded that the most logical explanation is that I must have drugged the woman resulting in her memory loss. My mate also thinks I might have assaulted the other woman, and she's just too traumatized to remember." The audience groaned in sympathy.

"What are you going to do?" Someone asked.

"I don't know. I was hoping for a suggestion." Phillip searched the faces in the room.

"You could ask Marissa." Someone suggested.

Marissa Davis is a respected leader in the area. If she didn't know the answer, she could probably find out. "I tried calling her, but she hasn't returned my call yet. Anyone?" Phillip pleaded.

A woman seated near Willow raised her hand. Todd recognized her with a nod, and all heads turned towards her. "Try talking to her again," the woman suggested. "If she is your mate, she won't be able to stay away from you for long. It's only a matter of time."

Phillip shook his head. "I tried, but she's mad at me right now. She can't even stand to be in the same room with me. Despite her attraction to me, I'm afraid she'll reject me. If that happens, I'm done. I barely know her, but I already crave her. If she rejects me, I won't survive. I haven't fed in three days."

The room got very quiet. Willow knew if he didn't feed soon, his instinct for survival would take over and he would have almost no control over whom he fed on by day four. If he could get past that urge and still not feed, on day seven, he would die a quick, but painful death.

Most demons feed every day or several times during the day if they need to skip days for whatever reason. Going more than two days is something most demons avoided. No one else had suggestions for him, and Phillip sat down despondently. The meeting went on as normal, everyone sharing their stories of having great sex that no one remembered but them. Willow didn't feel like talking, she'd already told the group about Chase. People had nodded at her with understanding as she related how she had the same conversation over and over with him.

Todd ended the meeting reminding them they were part of the underworld of beings that lived with, and loved, humans. He reminded them to be kind to the humans they fed on as those humans could turn out to be their mates.

The group of demons moved to the table of snacks where most of the humans stood. It didn't take long before everyone was stripping. The smiles on the faces of the humans and the glazed looks in their eyes told Willow none of them would remember a thing.

Willow and Shelly decided to pass on the skin buffet and keep to their original plan. Shelly hadn't brought anyone for the BYOH either, but she did stop to get a kiss from a man with blond hair before they left. She said she needed one for the road.

They gathered their belongings and headed out the door. Keely had something to do before going to work. If not, she would have stayed. Keely never missed out on the human sex buffet. They hugged each other goodbye in the parking lot. Willow and Shelly made plans to meet at a place just up the street. Someone stopped Shelly to ask a real estate question. Willow left saying she would meet her at the restaurant.

Willow's thoughts wandered as she drove up the street. What would it be like to meet her mate? She tried to imagine it and couldn't. Most demons believed that once you found your mate, and then had sex with someone else, it wouldn't be the same. Phillip didn't say anything about that, but Willow had heard if you found your mate and slept with someone else, you would still be hungry. Once you had the four-course meal which in essence, was sex with your one and only, sex with everyone else felt like just a snack. It seemed that once you found them, no one else would do. It was also rumored that for some demons, if you tried to sleep with someone else after your mate, you could also get sick, but Willow had never met anyone who'd been through the experience.

Willow pulled up to the restaurant but waited in the car. She did her best never to eat alone. Men approached her constantly. She often didn't get a chance to eat. Sex demons didn't need to eat, in fact, they could completely live off sex, but to do that, Willow would have to have a lot of sex, and she refused to live that way anymore. It bored her to always be looking for new partners. There were days when that was all she did. As time when on, she figured out that there were other things to do with her time, and she enjoyed eating food.

At one point, she considered becoming a stripper like Keely. The hormones of the male patrons flooded those places. It would be so thick, she could practically drink them just standing in the room. Eventually, she dismissed the idea after thinking about having to sleep with a drunk when she needed to get off. She might be a sex demon, but dammit, she did have some standards.

Keely loved being a stripper. It was exciting for her to know she could pick a man in the audience, any man, and leave with him five minutes after she left the stage. Willow wasn't sure it was her idea of a good time, but she could see Keely's point. Sex demons needed sex to live. It wasn't an option. Willow supposed it would be like having a buffet to choose from, versus having only one thing on the menu. Thinking of a menu made her stomach growl.

She glanced at her watch. Shelly seemed to be taking a long time to get there.

After ten more minutes, she was starting to worry. She couldn't figure out what could be taking Shelly so long. It was only a five-minute drive to the restaurant. Maybe Shelly met someone on the way and had taken them home, she'd done it before. Though, if that were the case, Shelly would've called. Willow pulled out her phone to check to see if she missed a call, she hadn't. Finding Shelly's number, she pushed the button to call her and waited for her to answer.

# Chapter Two

Detective Greg Stewart hung up his cell phone and cursed. He'd broken up with his last girlfriend a few weeks ago, and she was still calling to ask him to do things for her. It was insane. Women were beautiful and amazing, and he didn't know how he was going to do it, but he was done with every last one of them.

His best friend and partner, Shane McCann had told him to get rid of her as soon as he'd met her. Greg didn't listen. Six months later, he was done. Most of those six months he had spent listening to her either crying or yelling when he caught her lying again. After all those months of dealing with her cheating and manipulation. He was finally free of her. Greg told himself he'd been looking for the real thing and got sidetracked. No matter what, he was going to take the time he needed to get it together before he ended up doing this again. He was going to do himself a favor and take some time to figure out what he'd done wrong. Why he kept choosing the wrong women. He planned to keep his hormones on a tight leash long enough for his brain to work it out. If he didn't, a pretty face with a nice ass would have him on his knees. Greg didn't want to go through that again. While he was praying the answers would come to him soon, he would focus all his effort on work.

Curiosity had him following a couple of cases he'd heard about from other jurisdictions. There'd been attacks all around the Seattle-Tacoma area in the last few days. Not that crime was unusual in the area, but what made the cases interesting were the victims. They seemed to be random, but Greg had a feeling a connection existed. No proof of that surfaced so far, but when it came to his job, he always relied on his gut instinct, it had never been wrong. Too bad it didn't work so well for his love life.

Releasing a sigh, he ran his fingers through his dark hair. He'd just cleared the most pressing cases he had been working on, and while there were always more, for the moment, he could take a breath. He thought about using up the remainder of the day at the firing range and getting in some practice.

Shane kept giving him crap about not being able to shoot for shit. Shane, the marksman, could put a bullet hole in a leaf on a tree at 50 feet with a crosswind blowing. Greg was glad his partner was still around to give him crap about anything.

Shane had been shot during an investigation three months ago. He went to interview someone on a stolen car case, but the timing wasn't good. He had interrupted a drug deal. Greg had been glad the dealer was a crappy shot. Shane put the shooter down with a single bullet before passing out from his injuries.

Instead of the firing range, Greg went home and cleaned his apartment. Being a bachelor who spent most of his time away from home, meant his living space often looked like a hurricane had just blown through. He stopped cleaning when Shane called. They'd been assigned a new case, a car accident, a weird one, apparently. Just the kind of thing Greg would find interesting.

When Greg arrived, Shane filled him in on the details. From what they could determine so far, the accident wasn't an accident. Preliminary evidence said it was intentional. Greg studied the other car, it was a heavy older model car that had been reinforced. It had been altered to ensure damage. Aside from the crushed front end, the car looked perfectly fine. The other driver had chosen the collision car well. They managed to get out of the car right before it hit and then took off. Greg walked around to take a look at the victim's car and was contemplating his next steps when he heard a phone ringing.

* * *

"Hello?" a male voice answered.

Willow didn't think anything of it. "May I speak to Shelly, please?"

"I'm sorry she's not available, who is this?"

The tone of the man told her something was wrong. "This is her friend Willow, who's this?"

"I'm Detective Stewart with the Kent Police Department."

"Police? Where is Shelly? She's supposed to meet me."

"Where?" The detective asked.

"At the Range Restaurant, where is Shelly?" she asked again.

"Would it be possible for you to meet with me, right now?" he replied instead of answering her question.

"Um, sure, but I don't understand," Willow said.

"What's your last name, Willow?"

"It's Harris. What's going on?" she replied.

"There's been an accident. Ms. Graham is being taken to Raven Hill Medical Center."

* * *

Greg asked Shelly Graham's friend Willow to meet him at the site. He needed to find out as much about the victim as he could and more importantly, who might want to hurt her. He was glad Shelly's phone rang. Normally, he wouldn't have answered it, but his gut said it was important. He hadn't even known it was in the car until he heard it ringing under the passenger's side seat. The phone wouldn't have been found until hours later when the car was at impound. Greg hoped to learn something from the woman he talked to on the phone. He now knew where Shelly was going, the question was where had she been? According to her license, she lived and worked in Bellevue. Why was she in Kent?

As soon as he'd taken a good look at the scene, he'd leave it to the techs. Other officers were taking witness statements. He would take a look at all of them later to help him get a better picture of what had happened. Shelly's injuries were bad, and he wondered if she would make it. Greg would do his best to find answers for her and her family. He would start by questioning her friend.

* * *

Willow left the restaurant and drove back down the street. The traffic was terrible. She crawled towards the intersection and could see the flashing lights up ahead. It wouldn't be possible to turn at the intersection. The police had blocked off the street. Willow parked nearby and walked the rest of the way. The Detective had requested she meet him at the accident site.

Walking over, she forced herself to take her time. Anxiety was riding her hard, but she didn't want to trip in her heels from not watching where she was going. The officers had already put up a few bright work lights, and Willow focused on where she put her feet, paying attention to her breathing. It was only now sinking in that Shelly could be seriously hurt. As she moved closer, she took in the details of the accident. Shelly's car had been T-boned on the passenger's side.

Willow felt cold creep up her spine when she saw all the blood on the driver's side. The window was broken. A bloody jagged piece remained in the door while the rest looked like pink glitter on the ground and there was blood. A lot of it. Is Shelly still alive?

She approached an officer at the edge of the crime scene tape, telling him her name and asking for Detective Stewart. He pointed at an officer standing near the car that had hit Shelly. The officer called out to the detective to get his attention.

The first glimpse Willow had of Detective Stewart was his ass. He was bent over scrutinizing something. He straightened up when he heard his name called. Willow noted he was a few inches over six feet and broad-shouldered. The hat he wore made it impossible to determine the color of his hair other than it was dark. Willow was struck by his golden hazel eyes reflecting the bright work lights. She noticed his angular features when he turned towards her, his thick dark brows knitting together for a moment at the interruption.

When their eyes met, she felt her heart skip. Detective Stewart was handsome. Her skin tingled when he gave her a small smile. She wanted to see him really smile as she lay under him in bed. Then she reminded herself to keep her hormones under control.

If the detective caught her scent, she could be on the ground with him on top of her in the middle of the road within five minutes. It didn't take much for her to imagine him working to get her skirt up and her panties down. Then Willow remembered where she was and what had happened. The detective was supposed to be investigating what had happened to her friend. If she confused him with sex, she wouldn't learn anything. She was certain other demons would want to know what happened as soon as possible.

Willow smiled at him and waited until he was done. The other men standing around him were staring. She reminded herself Shelly could be dying or dead, now wasn't the time to screw around. Even though Shelly would disagree.

"Miss Harris?" Detective Stewart greeted, "Thanks for coming. Could you please wait over there? I'll be right with you." He gestured at an area of the sidewalk to her right.

"Sure." She walked over to get out of the way of other men who moved toward the vehicles. Once she got there, she turned facing his direction to wait for him. He leaned over to talk to an older man wearing a white jumpsuit and gloves. Noticing how Detective Stewart's pants clung nicely to his beefy behind, she admired the view.

Another man wearing a white jumpsuit was walking near her at the time, and he suddenly turned towards her as if she were a beacon in a storm.

Oops. I'm leaking hormones like a teenager.

Hormones made sex demons irresistible to everyone with very few exceptions. Willow could direct who would receive the brunt of the scent she released. If anyone nearby found her attractive, the scent would encourage them to approach. When unlimited sex was still a novelty for her, she was ashamed now to admit that she had used it to control men. She had often used it to get a guy to masturbate in front of her in public places just for fun. Since they wouldn't remember it, back then, she thought no harm, no foul.

She'd also used it to teach someone a lesson once. There was a man she met in a club who grabbed her arm and told her she was going home with him. Yanking her arm back she walked away from him. He grabbed her again, and whispered harshly to her, "Bitches don't walk away from me."

He began dragging her away through the crowd confident he would get what he wanted. Instead, she bombarded him with so much of the scent of her hormones that he nearly passed out. Ordering him to get on his knees, pull out his cock and start stroking himself in front of everyone, he obeyed. The bouncer threw him out still stroking. Standing in the doorway, she watched as he came on the sidewalk all over the shoes of a police officer. He got arrested for indecent exposure.

At the time, she smiled thinking about how he would wake up in jail the next morning wondering how he got there and no one would be able to tell him. The next day, she forced herself to admit that although she had a lot of power over humans, to continue to do things like that was just cruel. Since then, she did her best to control herself—no matter how much some might deserve it.

"Charlie!" Detective Stewart shouted.

"Huh?" The man replied stopping right in front of her while looking dazed. "Did you say something, honey?"

Willow shook her head and smiled.

"Charlie," the detective called out again. "I called you to help process the cars, not to talk to the witnesses."

"Oh, uh, sorry," the man mumbled red-faced.

Willow smiled pleasantly and did her best to keep her hormones to herself. Charlie walked over to where the detective stood with another man wearing a white jumpsuit with CSI printed on the back. Willow was trying to be patient, but she was anxious about Shelly. "Detective Stewart?" she called.

"Yes?" he replied turning slightly towards her.

"I know you're busy, if you want to do this another time, I can give you my number, and you can contact me whenever it's convenient. I need to get to the hospital. I'm sure you understand."

The detective paused for a moment, then walked over to speak to her.

* * *

Greg couldn't believe his eyes. He'd never seen a woman so perfect-looking. He could see himself running his fingers through her long, dark, silky hair while gazing into those blue eyes of hers. She was on the thin side, but she still had enough curves to keep his attention. It would be his pleasure to feed her by hand, every time she was hungry. Greg would be more than happy to appease every hunger she had.

A snug-fitting skirt emphasized her waist and hips. In his head, the fantasy played of him holding onto those hips while he pounded into her from behind. He shook his head to clear the images. Damn, she was beautiful. Her eyes were practically glowing in the light, and he would dream about those perfect ruby lips for days.

Then he remembered he was supposed to be a professional. It wasn't in his best interest, or even vaguely helpful to the case, to act like a tool. The promise he'd made to himself crossed his mind. It reminded him, again, why he wouldn't fall for another pretty face. Greg took a deep breath and prepared himself mentally to go over and talk to her. He needed to get some important questions answered, and his lack of ability to get it together was keeping her from finding out about her friend.

He glanced over at her again, trying to muster up the courage to talk to her. It was ridiculous, he felt like an awkward teenager. It started raining again, and she wasn't carrying an umbrella. Her light-colored blouse was clinging to her in all the right places, and he groaned. He reminded himself yet again that he had a job to do.

Greg almost had a grip on himself until he gazed over at Willow again. She'd caught a chill. He could see her nipples through her blouse. He would have to make her wait a little bit longer. The front of his pants had become uncomfortably tight.

He didn't want her to leave, but making her wait was the wrong thing to do. He'd seen Shelly right before the ambulance took her, and he hoped she was in better condition than she looked. He kept making Willow wait because he couldn't control his raging hard-on. The shame of it killed his erection, and he walked over to her. "I apologize, Ms. Harris. Thank you for waiting." He pulled a small notebook out of his pocket with a pen.

"Please just call me Willow. It's not a problem, I'm just worried about Shelly. Can you tell me anything?"

"She was alive when the ambulance pulled away," Greg replied in a flat informational tone as if telling her what time it was. He didn't want to upset her. She wouldn't be much use to him if he made her cry.

"Thank you. That makes me feel a little better. What did you want to ask me?"

Greg looked at her hairline to avoid looking directly into her eyes and getting distracted. "Do you know where Ms. Graham was before she was supposed to meet you for dinner?"

"Sure, we were at a meeting together," Willow said.

Greg looked down at his notebook preparing to make notes. "Where was the meeting held?"

"Just down the street a couple of blocks from here," Willow answered.

"OK, and what was the meeting about?" Greg said glancing up at her when she paused.

"Uh, well it's more a get together for friends than an actual meeting," Willow said tilting her head slightly. "It's a support group of sorts."

Her answer was a bit vague, and he would pin her down later on it, but first, he needed to establish a timeline. "I see. What time did the meeting end?"

"About an hour ago."

Greg asked her a few more questions then took down her name and contact information. He thanked her for her time and told her he would call her again within the next couple of days with more questions. He watched her walk briskly away back to her car as he watched. He didn't want to keep her any longer. Greg would find the time to interview her more extensively later.

* * *

Willow's cell phone rang as soon as she got in her car. It was Todd, the SDA Group leader.

"Willow, thank God. Shelly mentioned the two of you were going to dinner at the Range. I got an important phone call from Marissa and decided to stop by and tell you both in person," Todd said. "It took me some time to get there because I had to drive around an accident on 228th. When I got to the restaurant, you weren't there. I was concerned."

"The accident you passed, Shelly was in it," Willow said.

Todd gasped. "Is she all right?"

"I don't know. They said she was alive when they took her to Raven Hill. I'm on my way there now."

"OK, before you hang up, what I stopped by to tell you was that we have received threats. Somehow, humans know about us, and they're determined to see us wiped out," Todd said.

Willow frowned at her steering wheel. "How is that possible when everyone always forgets?" she asked.

"I don't know, but please be careful."

"I will," Willow promised double checking to make sure her car doors were locked.

"I need to try to reach a few more people, but I'll see you at the hospital," Todd said.

Willow hung up wondering if what Todd had talked about had something to do with Shelly's accident. She left the parking lot and swung around to get on the highway heading north. Ten minutes later, she took the off-ramp to the hospital wondering what was going to happen next.

Willow parked her car in the parking structure of the hospital and walked across the main lobby to get to the ER. A long service counter stood on the right side of the room next to the large automatic double doors to the emergency area. The counter had been sectioned off to allow for privacy. She stood in a short line to wait.

A pretty young woman with dark blonde hair and blue eyes looked up, prompting Willow to step forward when it was her turn. "How can I help you?" the woman asked.

Willow noted the woman wasn't wearing a uniform, but her name tag read Karen Nicholson, R. N. "A friend of mine was just in an accident and the officers told me she was brought here. I'm here to find out how she's doing," Willow said.

"What is the friend's name?" Karen asked staring at the monitor in front of her.

"Shelly Graham."

Karen typed on the keyboard. "Yes, Ms. Graham is currently in the ER."

Releasing a little hormone in the hopes Karen found her attractive, Willow planned to persuade Karen to let her back to see Shelly or at least give her some information regarding her condition. Willow watched her eyes glaze over for a moment before asking "Is it possible to see her?"

When Karen's eyes came back into focus, she informed Willow that she was only allowed to grant admittance and give information to immediate family members of the patients. Karen apologized for not being able to assist her further. Willow thanked her for her time and walked away, she would have to wait until either a male demon arrived to persuade the nurse or Marissa arrived to take charge. To avoid being a distraction, Willow waited outside.

It didn't take very long before a tall incubus named Sam Ainsley walked up to her a few minutes later. Willow was glad to see him. He hugged her and asked her how Shelly was doing.

"I don't know, the nurse wouldn't tell me anything," Willow complained.

Sam smiled. "Leave it to me."

They walked back into the ER waiting room together, and all eyes swung their way. The women were focusing on Sam. He was a handsome black man with cocoa-colored skin and light brown eyes. His deep, resonant voice caused the women nearby who heard him speak to shiver pleasantly. Within minutes, both Willow and Sam were escorted by Karen to Shelly's bedside. A doctor and a nurse were with Shelly when they arrived. Willow and Sam extended their scent and looks of admiration replaced expressions of consternation. The medical staff left when Sam made the suggestion.

Shelly had cuts, bruises, and bandages everywhere. She opened her eyes and winked. "Thanks for coming. Before you ask, I feel like shit."

Willow laughed.

"I think she needs help to heal," Sam noted.

"How are we supposed to do that? You just sent out the people who could have helped her a minute ago," Willow chided.

"Just go find somebody," Sam said.

Willow walked past the curtain and went to find the doctor again. She couldn't find him, but there was an orderly walking by, a husky man of medium height with chubby cheeks. He wasn't wearing a wedding ring, he had the right equipment, and he didn't seem to be gay. He would do. "You're a big guy, aren't you?" she asked smiling. She released some of her scent, and his eyes glazed over. Touching his arm to focus his attention, he smiled at her and followed her back to the room.

Willow moved the curtain aside for him and closed it behind them. She turned around and saw Shelly's feet up in the air with Sam pumping between Shelly's thighs. He pushed in once more and jerked, letting out a soft groan. Willow frowned. Sex demons couldn't live off sex with each other, both would eventually starve to death. Crucial chemicals were missing from the mix when going from demon to demon.

"She looked like she was gonna fall unconscious. Her hormones won't work if she's out cold," Sam explained.

Shelly's eyes opened again.

"Shelly, Willow brought you this nice man to make you all better. Turn it on, girl," Sam said tucking himself back into his pants. Shelly moved her head slightly in a nod and Willow could smell the scent that Shelly was giving off to attract the man. Willow moved out of the way and stopped sending him the small pulses of hormones to keep him docile while they stood there. The orderly jerked slightly when his body registered the new set of hormones Shelly released into the room. He walked over to her when she beckoned lazily with her fingers. "I need you to give me all you got big daddy," Shelly whispered.

"Yes, Ma'am," the orderly answered politely pulling down his scrubs to reveal a nice hunk of male hardness. He then stepped into the space vacated by Sam and pushed into Shelly with a slow but constant pressure. He immediately started an age-old rhythm that gets all human hearts pounding. The hormones in the room ratcheted up to the point where even Willow, who had excellent control, was breaking out in a light sweat.

"I need to leave," Sam said. "Or this two-some is going to turn into a threesome."

Willow hung around for another minute to make sure the orderly was doing his intended job before turning around to wait outside as well. They were sex demons, but it didn't mean they didn't value privacy.

Megan and Darryl arrived shortly after that, and they were staying the rest of the night to be with Shelly. They would continue to snag people for her to speed up the healing process. Megan Winston was a slender dark-haired beauty with caramel colored skin and brown eyes that were so light, at times they looked gold. Before the accident that killed her mate, she was vivacious and bold with an adventurous spirit. After the accident, she became quiet and reserved. More than a few demons expected her to choose death over living without her mate, but somehow, she was still here.

Darryl Hartwell was a tall, broad-shouldered man with pale skin, curly brown hair, deep brown eyes with long dark eyelashes. His full lips often displayed his tendency toward moodiness, but he was one of the kindest people Willow knew. She was glad to see them. It was anyone's guess where Sam had gotten to, but since the nurse who'd let them in seemed to be on an extended break, they had an idea of what he might be doing.

The orderly gasped out as he came inside Shelly for the second time. Willow was impressed he was still pumping her as hard as he could. The man had stamina and Shelly would be doing better soon. Willow decided to go for a walk and left the room. The medical staff seemed to be competent, and there were plenty of potential sex partners for Shelly walking the halls. Despite her list of injuries, she was a demon, it would take a lot to kill her. Sex with three or four men tonight and Shelly would be feeling much better by tomorrow morning.

It was now after midnight, and the adrenaline that had been chasing itself through her bloodstream had finally settled down. Taking a walk to get some air would help to calm her further. The events of the evening were wearing on Willow, she was tired and hungry. Relief washed over her knowing Shelly was on the mend, and others would be staying with her overnight. As she walked, her thoughts wandered to the accident, specifically, the sexy Detective Stewart and his luscious behind. Her stomach growled. She could leave Shelly's well-being in the hands of others, stop off somewhere for dinner, and go home.

Shelly was sleeping when she returned to the ER. Todd was there talking to the doctor. Megan and Darryl were seated near Shelly's bed talking softly. Sam was MIA still, but the nurse was back at her station and seemed to be relaxed. Before Willow left, she kissed Shelly gently on the forehead, said goodbye to Megan and Darryl, promising she would visit tomorrow. She got fast food for dinner and went home, all the while thinking about Detective Stewart.

# Chapter Three

Greg was tired, uncomfortable, cranky, and soaking wet. His dick was a steel pole, and the reason for it was obvious. His mind had been replaying the vision of Willow Harris standing in the rain. It'd been three hours since he'd last laid eyes on her, but he still couldn't get his damn cock to obey his brain. He couldn't stop thinking about her. Every moment he stood next to her, made him feel like a drooling idiot. Just the sound of her voice practically had him on his knees. It was pathetic.

When he got home, he stopped just inside the entryway to take off his shoes, and his rain-drenched soggy socks. He went straight to his laundry room to turn on the washer. Dumping in some soap, he stripped where he stood. He shivered while walking naked to his room to get clothes, the apartment was cold. He had forgotten to set the heaters to a particular temperature to make sure the place would be warm by the time he got home. He quickened his step to go take a hot shower. He was annoyed with himself. Even though he was cold, his dick was still hard, swaying back and forth as he walked. If he were going to be this way whenever Ms. Harris was around, he would have a problem. He thought it might be better if he let someone else interview her. He wasn't sure he could handle being hard for that long. He had no damn control.

Greg forced his mind back to the investigation. They needed to start with the last place Ms. Graham had been to find out if anyone had followed her. He expected to hear there were skid marks from the driver slamming on the brakes. The crime scene techs said the tire marks showed the opposite. The driver had floored the gas pedal. Witnesses said the car stopped at the light, waited for a couple of cars to pass, then accelerated into Ms. Graham. Right before impact, the driver bailed out. It didn't make any sense. What he knew for sure was someone needed to interview the beautiful brunette and find out who else had attended the meeting. Greg prayed for some divine intervention. He wasn't sure if was praying to be the one to speak to her or not.

The next morning, Greg woke up sticky. He'd ejaculated all over himself during the night. "What the hell is wrong with me? I haven't done this since I was fourteen," he grumbled. Getting out of bed, he went to take a shower. He'd been dreaming of Willow Harris all night. His mind burned the fantasy image of her sucking his cock into his brain. He groaned under the spray of hot water and was back to rocking some serious wood. Fisting his shaft, he stroked to ease the pressure. He let the fantasy in his head run wild as the water ran over his skin. He figured if he could just get her out of his system now...he would behave like an adult later.

Images of the way her blouse clung to her breasts in the rain made his whole body feel flushed. The memory of her voice skittered through his mind making him shiver. He stroked himself like a madman as the images of her filled his mind's eye. If he were the savage he wanted to be, he would have taken her by the hand and found the nearest motel. The thought of stripping that snug fitting skirt off her beautiful behind had him stroking himself faster.

Greg groaned, coming hard in the shower, whispering Willow's name. He opened his eyes gasping for breath, seeing the result of the fantasy spilling over his hand. Cleaning himself up, he stumbled out of the now cold shower. He got dressed and got ready to leave. He had a job to do, and the most important part of it was calling Willow Harris to see if she had time today for an interview. He spent the time dressing arguing with himself over whether he would go himself to interview her or send someone else. There was also the option of asking her to come to the station, but there was no way he would be able to hide a boner around the guys he worked with. He would never hear the end of it. No, not the station. Greg knew he shouldn't go to see her, he would spend most of his time hiding his arousal. The attraction was brutal, but he didn't want anyone else to talk to her either. If anyone were going to be in a room alone with Willow, it would be him. He prayed the memory of fantasy Willow this morning would keep him from making a complete ass of himself with the real-life Willow later on.

* * *

Willow woke up, showered, and stood in front of the closet trying to decide what to wear and contemplating how to wear her hair. She had a date with Chase later, and he preferred to have it down. Whenever he was on top of her in bed, he liked to bury his face in her hair. It was one of his favorite positions. For some reason, her coconut scented shampoo made him extra horny. He normally came at least twice when she used it.

Thinking about making a man come reminded of the sexy officer and had her contemplating how many times she could make Detective Stewart orgasm before he fell asleep on her. Her thoughts strayed to wondering what he thought of her. He found her attractive, that was obvious, but he seemed to have a firm handle on his urges. It was unusual. He hadn't said or done anything inappropriate with her as much as she wished he would have.

Sometimes, all it took was a man suddenly realizing she was near him, and he couldn't stop himself from touching her. A fingerprint expert could take prints off her ass for the number of times she got grabbed in a day. Not that it took much to get her into bed, women didn't get easier than her.

The glint of a wedding band wasn't on the detective's finger, but that didn't mean anything. He probably did have someone special, the thought of it depressed her. He was a good-looking, hard-working man, there was no way women would let him be single for long. If Willow were human, she would have been on him before he knew what hit him. Clothes were optional.

Finally deciding what to wear, Willow chose a cream-colored blouse, a modestly short black skirt and black boots with comfortable two-inch heels. Chase's ferocity for getting her into bed depended heavily on the length of her skirts and the height of her heels. If she wanted him to skip dinner and get down to business, she would wear her micro mini and five-inch heels.

With what she was wearing, Chase should be able to make it all the way through dinner unless she started running her foot up his leg under the dinner table. He'd taken her against the car in the garage at his building once after doing that to him. It'd been a good night for her.

She drove to her office and used her key card to park under the building. She was arriving early to try to get some things done. It was important to her to do well at her job. It was something that had been instilled in her by her parents. They had raised her to never take anything for granted. The lesson was driven home when she met Marissa for the first time. She remembered sitting in her office as Marissa was instructing her on all the aspects of living in the Seattle area. Willow couldn't help noticing the scar on her face. It was rare for a sex demon to have scars of any kind unless the injury was significant.

Marissa said the scar was proof that being beautiful wasn't always the answer. She had been attacked by a woman during a public event a couple of years ago. Everyone knew she could have fed enough to completely heal it, but no one knew why she hadn't done it. Marissa reminded her that it wasn't their looks that made them who they were, but how they treated others and how seriously they took their responsibilities. Willow had carried those words with her ever since.

There were two expensive properties scheduled to close within the next few days, and it was her job to make sure everything was in order. Coming in early was the only option if she wanted to avoid interruptions. Anyone attracted to her would knock on her door at least once during the day and found some excuse to speak to her. It was understandable that men and women wanted her attention, it was part of the package of being what she was, but she loved her job and wanted to keep it.

Most sex demons got whatever job they wanted whether they were qualified for it or not. All they needed to do was flirt their way through their mistakes. Willow knew she might have gotten the job because of her looks, but she was keeping it because she was good at it. She had managed to get a lot done that morning until she couldn't avoid what she knew she had to do next, make copies of the forms.

Willow stood in front of the copier in the common area when Chase came up to her. She admired his good looks. She wasn't shallow, but being with a person you find attractive only makes it better.

"We still on for tonight?" Chase asked.

"Sure," she answered smiling back, noticing he wasn't looking at her face. He's going to tell my chest, 'I'll pick you up at closing time, we'll have a drink first, then dinner at 7:30. I'll have you home by ten. Sound good?"

After he pretty much said and did exactly what she thought he would, she turned away from him and finished what she was doing. She gathered up her papers in time to turn around and see Roy slap Chase on the back. He was Chase's cubical mate who sometimes served as his "wingman" when Chase came to ask her out again. Roy was another one who constantly watched her. It was kind of creepy, actually.

Willow walked back to her office and noted Keely had called her cell phone. At only nine-thirty in the morning, the stripper was up early. "Hey Keel, you called?"

"Yes, I did, why didn't you answer your phone?" Keely asked indignantly.

"That would be because I work when the sun is still in the sky."

Keely laughed. "Bitch, sorry, I'm up too early."

"I noticed, what's up?"

"My temperature," Keely replied.

Willow groaned at Keely's way of saying she was going into heat. The last time Keely went into heat, ten soldiers from the local military base went AWOL for twelve hours. The men were found confused, but unharmed walking along the highway, all of them with nothing on but their tighty whiteys and a smile.

"Remember what Marissa told you," Willow reminded her.

"I know, I know, stay away from the military. But damn, it was fun. You should have seen that one guy..."

"No! I don't want to hear what you did to the poor man." Willow laughed.

"Oh, come on, live a little, would you? You're stuck, little girl, you need to get out of your rut and find a new man to rut on you." Keely laughed at her cleverness.

Willow wasn't impressed. "Was there a reason you called, other than to annoy me?"

"Yes, there is a meeting tonight. Marissa's called us in. She wants to talk about the supposed threat against us. It's going to be at the restaurant in Ballard, you know the one. They're closing it down just for us. The meeting starts at six. We're eating afterward."

Willow could almost hear Keely smiling. Eating meant food and sex. "Horndog," she commented.

"Come to mama, baby!" Keely laughed. "I have to go. I need to get back to bed. There's a naked man in it."

"You know you're supposed to kick them out before dawn," Willow said.

Keely laughed. "Quit being such a wet rag. I picked him up this morning. He's my new next-door neighbor. I'll do him, put him out and voila! Tomorrow, I get to do him all over again!"

"Good luck with that."

Keely laughed again. "I make my own luck, baby doll. See you later."

Willow hung up and shook her head. Oh crap, I forgot about my date with Chase. The meeting was important. She couldn't skip it. She remembered Todd calling last night to tell her to be careful. How had humans found out about us?

Shelly would miss the meeting, but someone could fill her in later. By telling him she had forgotten about a prior engagement, she broke her date with Chase. He wasn't happy, but he said he understood, and she told him they were definitely on for tomorrow night. Willow had to make sure of it. By tomorrow, she wouldn't have had sex for three days. Her body would be starving. On day four, she would be ravenous and could potentially go on a feeding binge.

The last time she thought she could control her urges and not have sex, she went into heat. Before she realized what she was doing, Willow found herself catching a plane, renting a car and driving straight to a bunny ranch in Nevada. In less than twenty-four hours, she had worked her way through most of the bunnies, the staff, and the clients. At the end of it, everyone was paying her. That didn't even count all the people she did at the airports, and on the planes coming and going. She also had an orgy at the car rental place. Her survival instinct couldn't be stopped. Willow vowed never to do that again. She hated being so out of control.

Willow worked diligently until the lunch she ordered was delivered. Stopping to take a break before working through lunch, Willow called Megan to see how Shelly was doing. The doctors had admitted Shelly in the early morning hours, and she was doing better, but she was still several days away from being discharged. There were still broken bones and other major concerns to be monitored. The doctor told them he was surprised Shelly had remained conscious.

Shelly was on the verge of being comatose when they first examined her. The fact that she was talking came as an unexpected but pleasant surprise. The doctors were running tests to find out why she was doing so well. They assumed it must have been the drug cocktail they'd been giving her. They wanted to find out exactly what in the combination was making her improve so fast. They would never find it. The doctors didn't know that the only reason it was happening was that Megan and Darryl had done their best to keep men going in and out of the room all night. More precisely, they kept them going in and out of Shelly. Willow felt better knowing Shelly was on the mend.

Willow kept thinking about Detective Stewart...Greg, and hoping he would call. She was surprised he hadn't by now. Charlie, the man in the white jumpsuit, had already called to check up on her saying he was worried about her and her friend. Willow declined his many offers to take her to dinner after telling him she was fine.

At the accident, she'd noticed a ring on Charlie's finger. He was married, but no one could deny the draw of a sex demon. Nature had made it impossible for people not to notice her. If she wanted him, she could have had him, married or not, but if he were in love with his wife, he could have put up some resistance. It would be enough for a succubus to move on. It meant the man had a strong connection with his spouse. Even a succubus can't disrupt the connection of true love.

Sex demons always attracted chronic cheaters, and by this time, Willow could tell, Charlie was one of those. Willow never slept with married men if she could help it.

Her cell phone rang, and she answered it without looking at it, thinking it would be Megan or Darryl giving her another update on Shelly. "Hello?"

"Ms. Harris? It's Detective Stewart."

She found herself sitting a little straighter. "Oh, hi." Her heartbeat sped up; she marveled at her reaction. Never had the sound of a man's voice excited her before.

"I'm sorry to bother you. I need to ask you some more questions. Could I come by your office sometime today?"

"Sure, I can see you anytime today. I have to leave by five, though. I'm meeting some friends for dinner." Willow allowed herself a moment to dream of having him for dinner instead. She smiled at the thought.

"Great. I can be there in twenty minutes, does that work?" Greg asked.

She hoped he couldn't hear the smile in her voice. "Yes. I'll let the receptionist know I'm expecting you."

* * *

Greg hung up and immediately adjusted his cock. Get a grip man! Maybe this was the problem, ever since yesterday he'd needed to get a grip practically every time he thought of her. The good news was he put on loose-fitting pants this morning in anticipation of his impending expansion. He knew that he would be expanding when he saw her. All he had to do was think about her, and every drop of blood he had in his brain went south. He was surprised he wasn't lightheaded.

He drove over to her building and took the elevator to her floor. Greg kept telling himself maybe she wasn't as beautiful as he remembered. Maybe she'd just been at one of those meetings where the women met for makeup parties and had just had a makeover. Everyone looks good after a makeover.

The receptionist directed him to Willow's office. He knocked on the open door, barely noticing the room itself. If he had, he would have been impressed with the expansive view behind her. All he could see was Willow. She was as beautiful as he remembered and it made him breathless. His attraction to her was unbelievable. Greg couldn't figure out what the hell was wrong with him, he'd never been like this with a woman before.

* * *

Willow licked her lips when he arrived, then swallowed, suddenly self-conscious. She shook his hand after greeting him and then smoothed her skirt down her sides, waiting for him to say something else. His warm hazel eyes nearly glowed when he smiled. He was charming, and the scent of the pheromones coming from him was beguiling. She could practically bathe in them. Willow admired what he was wearing too, dark, loose-fitting slacks and a warm brown long-sleeve sweater that brought out his eyes. It emphasized the broadness of his shoulders, along with his slim waist, and hips. The muscle definition in his arms showed through his clothes. His dark wavy hair curled at the ends just above his collar. Definitely much better looking in the daylight, but Willow wanted to see him naked by moonlight.

His face was all angles softened by the dimples in his cheeks when he smiled. His voice was deep and smooth, a soft caress to her senses.

Whoa, down girl!

Willow couldn't help staring at him. She'd been looking forward to speaking to him. Now that he was here, she felt good. No, it was more than that, she was content. It was a new feeling that had her questioning why she felt this way. It was nice but confusing.

* * *

Greg caught the scent of her perfume when she reached to shake his hand. A lingering floral with a subtle hint of her chemistry underneath. It was just enough to make him feel drugged and a little giddy. He closed his eyes for a brief moment and took a deep breath just to take it in while he shook her hand.

"Thanks for seeing me, I appreciate it," he said.

"No problem, I'm happy to help if I can. Please have a seat," Willow said.

"Thank you," Greg said settling down into one of the chairs in front of her desk. Willow moved to sit behind the desk. Greg couldn't take his eyes off her. He pulled a notebook out of his pocket to distract himself. "I need to talk to you about the meeting the other night. Remind me again, what the meetings are for."

Willow smiled. "It's more of a social group than anything else," she said dismissively

"What does SDA stand for?" Greg asked writing in his little notebook.

"Single, Dating, and Available," Willow answered smoothly.

"You're single then?" he asked grinning.

"And available to date," she replied smiling back as she licked her lips.

Immediately, his eyes focused on the movement of her tongue. Greg dropped his gaze to the notebook he held to stop staring at her lips. His thoughts wandered back to his fantasy from this morning. He glanced up, purposely keeping his gaze away from her face to keep his thoughts on track. If he didn't, his train of thought would derail, and every drop of blood currently fueling his brain would rush to his dick. Most of it was already there. Focus man! "Was there anyone or anything out of the ordinary about the meeting?"

She chewed on her lip while she thought about it. Again, he had to close his eyes. Those fire engine red lips were beckoning him like a siren's song. If he were a sailor, he would be crashing into the rocks by now.

"No, not really," Willow said. "Except for one thing. One of the members got up to say they met someone special. It doesn't happen often. It was a pleasant change."

"So, no one ever finds anyone special from your group events?" He was amazed that this beautiful woman hadn't yet found someone. I certainly wouldn't kick her out of bed for eating crackers.

"No, we get together to talk about ways to find that special someone. We pass along a few tips about what to look for in a person we might consider dating."

"Interesting, like what?" Greg said leaning forward slightly and looking at her.

"Things like he leans in when you talk," Willow said smiling. "When he looks at you, and the pupils in his eyes get larger. It' a sign that he likes what he sees. Everyone does it, and most people don't realize they're doing it. A lot of it is learning how to read body language cues."

Greg nodded. He looked for those kinds of things when he interviewed people. Although, he usually wasn't fighting a hard-on at the same time.

Willow continued. "The group allows us to be with others who understand how difficult it is to find someone special."

"I get it. It's important to spend time with others who can understand your predicament," Greg said.

"Exactly."

Greg looked down at his notebook again to gather his thoughts. They were all over the place thinking about how much he wanted to read her body language while he had her in his bed. "Can you remember who was at the meeting? I need to interview everyone who was there to find out if they saw anything suspicious or out of the ordinary. I also need to know if Shelly has any enemies. Do you know of anyone who would want to hurt her?"

Willow shook her head, and Greg watched her dark tresses reflect the light. "I don't think she has any enemies. She's never mentioned anyone." Willow opened her desk drawer and held out a sheet of paper for his perusal. It was a list of names and phone numbers. "Here's the list of everyone who was there."

"Is your number on here too?" Greg asked scanning the list while she held it.

"Yes, my home and cell numbers are listed," Willow said.

"Thanks," Greg said taking it from her and absently staring at it, trying not to think about how her dainty hand would feel on his chest.

"Anytime," Willow replied.

"Was there anything odd about the meeting or after, that you remember?" Greg asked.

"No, we said goodbye to our friends, walked out to the parking lot together. Shelly stopped to answer a question and told me she would meet me at the restaurant."

"OK, thanks. If you think of something else, here's my card, please call me," Greg said handing her his card being careful not to brush his fingers against hers.

"I'll do that," Willow promised.

Greg stood, being careful to keep the front of his body out of her direct line of sight. "Thanks for your time, I appreciate it."

"No problem." Willow put her hand out to shake his again. He took her hand briefly then let go. Greg smiled at her one last time and left making sure to hold his notebook in front of him the entire time. His cock had become so hard he was aching. So much for getting her out of my system. He walked swiftly from her office intent on leaving as fast as possible before he embarrassed himself.

While he waited for the elevator, he heard what sounded like an argument coming from the direction of Willow's office. He stepped back to glance that way and saw a man shouting at Willow from the doorway. His protective instincts flared to life, and he went back to find out what was going on. "Is there a problem?" he asked.

"Yeah, are you her boyfriend?" a man demanded.

"No, are you?" Greg retorted glibly. He shouldn't have said that, but there was something about the guy that made him want to be a smartass.

"No." The man's expression looked sullen.

"What are we talking about?" Greg asked.

"I don't know," the man answered.

Willow swung her gaze to Greg. "This is my co-worker Chase. He asked me out, I said yes, but I forgot I had promised to meet friends tonight. I asked if tomorrow was okay and he said fine, then he comes in asking if you're my boyfriend. I think I might have to decline his dinner invitation."

"Why are you telling him? It's none of his business," Chase scolded.

"This is Detective Stewart with the Kent Police Department," Willow countered. "I assumed that if I didn't tell him, he was going to ask anyway."

Chase stared at Greg. Greg pointed to the badge on his belt. Chase paled.

"Wow, you thought I might be her boyfriend?" Greg asked surprised.

Chase scowled.

"Well, thanks, man. I was feeling self-conscious, but if you think I'm good enough for her, I feel good about that." He looked back at Willow with a wink. "So, if you aren't going to dinner with him, will you go to dinner with me tomorrow?"

Chase's face turned bright red, and he stormed away down the hall. Willow sighed.

"Sorry, I couldn't help myself," Greg apologized.

Willow shook her head, still looking troubled. "I'm the one that should be apologizing. I don't know what brought that on."

"No problem," he answered chuckling.

"Were you serious about asking me out?" Willow asked.

Greg's crotch yelled out hell, yeah, but his common sense said no. Greg shook his head. "You're involved with a case I'm in the middle of investigating. It wouldn't be smart for me to date a potential suspect."

"I'm a suspect?" Willow asked as her face paled a bit.

"You are until I rule you out. As is everyone on the list you just gave me. I'm sure you understand." Before her smiled covered it, he saw a hint of disappointment on her face.

"Of course I do. Thank you. I'm sorry to have kept you," Willow said.

Greg smiled back and then got the hell out of there. While he'd been waiting to see if a fight was going to break out in her office, his hard-on went flat. Her parting smile had him stiff again.

Dammit.

# Chapter Four

Well, so much for that. Willow thought. I was hoping he was serious, and who knew Chase could be such an asshole?

Wishing she could go back to the moment when Greg had asked her out and just say yes, Willow sighed. If there were a next time, she wouldn't hesitate. Something about him made her stop and pay attention, and she wanted to know what it might be.

The detective was handsome and charming. In some ways, he seemed like every other man she'd ever met, but somehow, he was different, not to mention incredibly sexy. Allowing the daydream taking shape in her imagination to unfold, she closed her eyes and leaned back in her chair.

She created the fantasy of waking up and looking out her bedroom window watching the sleeping city. Willow sensed him walking up behind her to wrap his arms around her making her skin tingle. Leaning back into his strength, Willow breathed in his scent. She loved being skin to skin with him, her softness against his hard-muscled body. Large, rough hands touched her arms encouraging her to turn towards him. Willow wanted him to touch her everywhere with those hands.

Tilting her head to look up at him, he kissed her sweetly, cradling the back of her head in the palm of his hand.

His cock got harder pressed against her belly as he deepened their kiss. Her hands roamed over the warm firmness of his chest, his flat nipples becoming rigid at her touch. Greg's breathy moans intensified her desire making her burn for him. Raising her hands to his broad shoulders, she pulled him closer. Their kiss became urgent and heavy with need as she clung to him.

Breaking the kiss left her breathless. Pushing her fingers through his soft hair, she could feel every inch of his hot body pressed to hers. Greg walked backward to the bed and took her with him. He stepped away from her for the breadth of a heartbeat to pick her up and lay her on the bed only to cover her body with his. Trapped beneath him, she never wanted to be anywhere else.

Willow jerked back to the present when her phone rang. She let it go to voicemail. Shaking her head, she allowed the fantasy to fade. Opening her bottom desk drawer, she pulled out an extra pair of underwear she kept in there. She needed to change. Yep, no doubt about it, Greg Stewart was hot.

She stayed out of the common areas for the rest of the afternoon. Her mini fantasy had her aching for Greg. She also didn't want to see Roy or Chase right now. She had no doubt Roy had started this whole thing by telling Chase that a man had visited her. She hated being watched all the time and would have to think of a way to put an end to it. At the end of the day, she gathered her things and left the office door open on her way out. Chase seemed to be waiting for her down the hall.

Willow sighed. What now?

Chase had his hands in his pockets smiling sheepishly. "Hey, I'm sorry about earlier. I was a jerk."

"Yes, you were," she agreed.

"Sorry. I usually don't act that way," he admitted.

"You picked a heck of a time to start," she said hiking the strap of her purse higher up on her shoulder.

Chase grinned. "I can't believe I'm going to say this, but I like you Willow, and seeing another guy in your office made me jealous. I know we're not dating, but I have a wicked crush on you. Please tell me I haven't blown it. Let me prove I'm not a complete moron. Please?"

She thought about it for a minute and decided she would give him another chance. Besides, a girl's got to eat. "One chance, that's it. Try not to screw it up."

"I won't. I promise." He grinned again.

Willow took the elevator down to the parking lot and drove to the meeting. There was still plenty of parking on the street only a half block away from the restaurant. The place looked like a 'hole in the wall' from the front, but it was spacious inside. The dark wood, red curtains, and checked tablecloths made it feel cozy. The art of some of the local Native American tribes adorned the walls. The demon who owned it made a good living from it and was always willing to hold meetings there. Willow had been here a few times before to eat. She always found the food to be good and the service better.

A lot of familiar faces were in attendance tonight, and it was a lot more crowded than she'd expected. She would hear what Marissa had to say, get a quick bite, and then head home. It'd been an exhausting couple of days. Walking through the crowd, she looked for somewhere to sit. Keely came up behind her, grabbed her arm, and steered her to a table. "We're saving you a seat," Keely whispered in her ear.

Darryl sat at the table. He took a swig of his beer before smiling sadly at her.

"What's the matter?" Willow asked.

"Don't pay attention to him," Keely said, "He's moping. There's a girl he wants to make his bounce bunny, but she has a boyfriend. I told him to sleep with her. It's not like she'll remember."

"They don't, but we do," Willow said patting Darryl's hand.

Keely scoffed. "We didn't make the rules, nature did. We have to have sex to live. If I have to sleep with a married man with fifteen kids to survive, I'm going to do it."

"This is not about survival, and you know it," Willow scolded. "It's about respecting their commitment enough to find someone else to take care of our needs."

"When I'm hungry, I eat," Keely snapped.

"Thanks for trying Will," Darryl muttered.

"There's a feast in the back room, and I'm not talking just food," Keely spoke up again. "I'm sure you can find someone to wipe that dopey look off your face, at least for the night."

Willow intended to say something else when Marissa called for everyone's attention. The petite, dark-haired beauty stood waiting for everyone to be seated. Her striking gray eyes surveyed the crowd. When she turned her head, everyone could see the scar on the left side of her face. It was a constant reminder that for all their strengths, they weren't indestructible.

"Thanks for coming tonight, everyone," Marissa said. "Let's get the business out of the way and then we can enjoy ourselves. We have had several of our brothers and sisters get hurt in strange and suspicious ways. The latest is Shelly Graham who was in a car accident after leaving an SDA meeting the other night."

Willow looked around the room, as she could feel the tension of fear building around her.

"The police are looking into the attacks as individual cases. They don't know they're related yet. Our internal investigators are looking into the matter as well," Marissa continued. "We don't want the police too close to this for obvious reasons. We need to find out who's doing this and get it handled as soon as we can. The longer this goes uncontained, the more we risk exposure. If that happens, we may have an order from the Regents."

An uncomfortable murmur rolled through the crowd. The Regents were the governing body of all sex demons. If you disobeyed the rules, you went before the Regents. If they deemed you unsuitable to live among humans, you could be sent to Hell. Hell was a physical place underground, maintained by the Regents. The worst of the worst were there. To be sent there was a one-way ticket.

Occasionally, there were demons born that couldn't handle being assimilated into human society, and they attempted to expose what they were. They didn't go to Hell. The Regents issued a kill order instead. It unleashed a team of assassins. Anyone assisting a demon under a kill order would also die. No exceptions, no excuses.

Marissa went on, "The Regents haven't issued any orders for the time being, and we all hope it stays that way. Please inform anyone not able to make it tonight what we've discussed. Does anyone have any questions?"

Todd stood up. "Who else has been hurt? I haven't heard anything."

Others nodded in agreement.

"Sadly, we have had four attacks in as many days," Marissa admitted. "Three days ago, Tracy Daniels got hit by a car walking through a parking lot. She's in critical condition and currently unconscious. We're ready with volunteers to help her recover, but as you know, if we are unconscious, we can't absorb what we need. Hannibal Crane was severely beaten with baseball bats after attending a baseball game with his date."

"Is Han all right?" Someone asked.

Marissa raised her hands at the shocked noises coming from all over the room. "Hannibal is stable and conscious at Pine View Hospital."

"Was his date harmed?" Another in the room asked concerned.

"No, she was restrained while Hannibal was being beaten. They let her go when they were sure he wouldn't be getting back up. Her quick thinking was key to Hannibal's survival. She called for help and kept him talking to make sure he didn't lose consciousness."

Several demons shook their heads unable to believe the brutality.

"Why didn't Hannibal fight?" A man towards the back asked, and there were several murmurs of assent. Any demon male or female was more than strong enough to fight off at least five human males.

"Hannibal's date was human," Marissa answered.

Everyone understood. If Hannibal showed the kind of strength he had, the woman he was with would have run. He could have easily fought off his attackers and even killed them, but he allowed himself to be injured to avoid upsetting his date and possibly exposing demon-kind.

"As I've mentioned," Marissa said sighing. "Shelly was in a car accident and is doing much better at Raven Hill. Today, Jaime Jensen was pushed into the front of a bus in Tacoma, but she's fine. The bus was beginning to move when she was shoved from behind. She managed to hang on to the bike rack and avoid being run over. However, she was dragged several feet before the bus driver realized she was there. The doctors are watching for signs of infection as she has lost some skin on her legs and feet. The bruising is extensive from landing on the bike rack, but she's okay. Someone is out to get us, and we need to find out who it is. If anyone knows something, please let me know. That's everything I have. Is there anything else anyone wants to say?"

Willow looked around the room, and no one seemed to have anything to add. She wondered if she should say something about her interview with the sexy detective. Then discarded the idea, as it probably wouldn't help anything.

Marissa continued, "I also need to mention that we have heard of a group called Humans First. They firmly believe sex demons are walking among humans, using them for food."

The crowd gasped.

Marissa nodded. "The part that concerns me is their mission, 'To permanently rid the world of the infestation of sex demons.' Which leads to the equally disturbing question of how they can target us so specifically."

The crowd was stunned into silence. After a few seconds, some of those gathered started crying, others shouted questions about what could be done. Willow sat and watched the chaos. If humans knew about them, it was possible they could be found and exterminated one by one.

Marissa raised her hands. "All right everyone, calm down. Thank you. I wish I could have spared you the news, but this is too important. We don't know if this organization is behind the attacks because no one has claimed credit for it, but I think we can safely assume they may be involved. The Regents are working furiously to find out everything they can about the organization. Once details are known, you will be informed. The Regents have requested that all SDA meetings be suspended."

"What about this place?" a woman asked.

Marissa nodded. "Most of you know Anya and her mate are the owners here, but humans don't. Her mate is the one who runs everything. However, it is in everyone's best interest to stay away from here until further notice. We don't want to jeopardize their business, and we don't want to give our enemies an easy target."

Todd stood up. "If we aren't going to be running the SDA meetings, how are we going to keep everyone up to date?"

"Great question," Marissa said. "I need all of you to make sure your SDA leader has all your current contact information. If we issue a general update, you'll get an email. If it's something urgent, you will probably get a phone call, from either your SDA leader or me. As there are hundreds of us, again, please make sure that those individuals that you keep in contact with, know what's going on."

The fear in the room was thick, it was such an odd sensation. Sex demons were confident beings. Their greatest fear had just come to life. Willow looked around the room among the faces of the people that were like family to her registering their expressions of fear, despair, and sometimes defiance. If it came down to it, they would fight for their survival.

"If you have any information regarding this situation or suspect something or someone, please call me immediately," Marissa said. "I will pass the information on to our investigating team. Until we know more, please take extra care with your safety. Are there any other questions?"

"What do we know about Humans First?" someone called out.

"Not much," Marissa answered. "Their flyer pretty much says it all, though. It's a call to action to join them in their fight to rid the world of us."

A male demon stood to get her attention. Willow recognized him as Phillip from the SDA meeting, the man who'd talked about finding his mate.

"Excuse me for saying so," he said politely. "But it seems there's something you're not telling us."

Marissa sighed. "We also have to consider the possibility that one of us is the cause of the exposure," she said.

"You mean one of us could be behind all this?" Phillip was astonished.

Marissa tilted her head in a non-committal gesture. "I think someone who knows a lot about us has been feeding them information."

"What are you saying?" Phillip pressed.

"I'm saying the information they seem to have on us could only be obtained from a demon, a family member, or a mate. It's only reasonable for us to consider the possibility that we have been betrayed."

Gasps filled the room. Phillip sat down and shook his head. The idea of someone close to them being responsible was devastating.

"Because of this," Marissa said raising her voice to be heard over the din of concerned conversations. "We are in the process of interviewing friends and family members of the current victims. If you are close to any of the ones who have been injured, you'll be contacted. It's a formality to cover all the bases." Marissa was trying to assuage fears, but many of the faces in the room looked worried. As much as Marissa insisted otherwise, the whisperers around Willow seemed to believe that this was a witch hunt.

"Please call me immediately if you can't get a hold of someone you regularly keep in contact with, they could be in danger. We need to be able to act quickly to assist."

Everyone knew she was also making the inference that anyone missing could be the person who'd betrayed them.

"I think that's all for now. I know some of you are thinking you can take care of yourselves, and I know you can. However, whoever is going after us have managed to take down four perfectly healthy demons in unusual ways. Our enemy is organized, methodical, and patient. They know our strengths and potential weaknesses. Don't for a second think it couldn't be you. Our friends who have been injured were most likely watched and followed to determine their habits. Pay attention and be aware of your surroundings at all times," Marissa cautioned. "Thank you."

The meeting adjourned, and Willow followed Darryl and Keely to the back room for the food. Willow and Darryl went to the buffet, Keely headed for a tall redheaded man with green eyes and smiled at him. By the time Willow was carrying her plate back to the table, Keely had all her clothes off and had just ridden the man to the first of many orgasms he would have that night. Most of the demons preferred to have sex instead of eating. Willow chalked it up to them needing comfort. She could have used some of that herself but didn't feel like indulging tonight.

What Marissa told them was a lot to take in, and Willow was tired. She made it back to their table with Darryl right behind her. He shook his head while munching on potato salad.

"What do you make of all this?" Willow asked.

Darryl shrugged. "I don't know, but I wish I could be like that right now." He gestured toward Keely.

"You are like that. We all are," Willow countered.

"What I mean is to be able to lose myself in another person, even if it's only for a few minutes. I used to be like that until I met her. I like her Will. I don't know what to do about it." Darryl was talking about the wicked crush he had on a woman he knew.

"How long has it been?" Willow asked wondering when he last fed.

"Don't worry, I slept with two women yesterday. I'm in no danger of starving, but I really like her, " Darryl whined.

"You know the rules," Willow said. "For us, there aren't any. I understand about refusing to interfere with commitment. I have the same rule, but to follow it, you have to either wait for her or move on. I say, move on. It's easier, besides if you were to wait for her, what are the chances that she's going to be your mate?"

"Zero-point-zero percent," he answered glumly.

"I know you like her, but sometimes it's for the best," Willow said.

"You're right. I hate it, but you're right."

They ate their food in silence then hung out to socialize for a few minutes. The backroom had turned into an orgy with food being served on bodies instead of on plates. Keely seemed to be having the time of her life back there.

Willow said her goodbyes and left the restaurant. Walking out the door, she glanced through the doorway to the back room and watched a handsome man with short black hair place his hands at the sides of Darryl's face and kiss him. She was glad her friend would find some comfort tonight.

* * *

Willow drove home to the charming four-story brick building where she lived in one of the two units on the top floor. It had recently been remodeled and renovated with restricted access. Getting off the elevator, she admired the simple, classic designs of the place decorated in cream, green and gold. The other unit belonged to a software millionaire who always seemed to be out of town.

Locking the door, she admired the change of color. She'd decorated her living area with comfortable furniture in burgundy and gold. Willow put her purse and keys on the side table next to the door and took her cell phone out. Carrying it with her, she walked to her gas-powered fireplace to turn it on. She loved the blue flames and always had it on when she was home to chase away the chill that seemed to seep right down to the bone some days. There were very few days when it was too warm to turn it on.

Satisfied it would be warming up shortly, Willow went into her large bedroom, decorated with soothing cream and shades of blue. Attaching the charging cord to her phone, she left it on the nightstand. She then went to open her dresser and pull out a large plain cotton t-shirt she liked to sleep in, she didn't bother with underwear.

Walking into her sizable bathroom and turning on the water to fill the tub, she poured in her favorite vanilla scented bubble bath. The thought of a soothing cup of tea before bed sent her to the kitchen to turn on her automatic kettle while she was waiting for the water to fill the tub. Turning off the water in the tub, she left the door open and undressed, pulling her hair up and stepping into the warm water. She sat down and let the heat soak into her skin and soothe her as she lay back to enjoy the bubbles.

Immediately, Greg Stewart appeared in her mind again. The thought of him being serious about dating her excited her. Once she had him alone, she would have her way with him. Willow closed her eyes and allowed herself to imagine what it would be like to take the sexy detective to bed. In her mind, the first thing he did was kiss her. Willow fantasized that he tasted like hot cocoa with whipped cream, one of her favorite things. It didn't take long before they were both naked and writhing against one another. She imagined the weight and heat of him as he lay atop her and the masculine sound he made as he thrust into her.

Willow groaned out her orgasm as she stroked herself underwater. She opened her eyes. A moment of fantasy fulfilled before reality resumed. The water in the tub had gone cold. She got out dejectedly, thinking her bed would be the same. Willow hoped one day soon, Detective Stewart would be in it to warm it.

# Chapter Five

Greg got out of bed the next morning and took a shower to clean up and take care of his bobbing erection. "I have got to get my head on straight about this woman. She's turning me inside out, and she's not even trying."

He drove to the office grumbling to himself the whole time. "Hey Shane, how's it going?"

"It's good." Shane said, "Captain says I get to schedule and conduct some of the interviews. It will get me off my ass and make me feel like I'm doing something."

"You are doing something," Greg said. "I remember when the doctors said you weren't coming back here."

"Bunch of quacks, what do they know?" Shane quipped.

Greg laughed. "All right man, let me know how it goes. I'm going to do some research and see if I can bang on some doors this afternoon."

Shane nodded and left.

Greg sat at his desk and pulled up his files on his computer to look into the car that had hit Shelly Graham. It'd been stolen earlier in the day from a Park and Ride in Federal Way. The car hadn't even been reported stolen until after the accident occurred. The officers who interviewed the owner of the car verified he'd been on a commuter train when the accident happened. The crime scene techs were still going over the car, but they hadn't found anything useful. Except for a cement brick used to press the gas pedal, there wasn't much to go on.

Witnesses said the driver had bailed out, rolling away from the car before it hit. He got to his feet, ran down the street into the docking area of a warehouse and disappeared. The investigating officers found a hole in the back fence of the place and assumed another car or an accomplice had waited for him there.

They couldn't find a connection between the trucking company and the accident so far, but Greg asked the other officers to keep digging. It wasn't random. To know the layout of the place so well, the man either worked there or knew someone who did. Greg needed to find him before he hurt someone else.

* * *

What Willow needed was to get out of her office for a little while. She'd been trying to work, but constantly thinking about Greg made her horny. Chase kept stopping by to talk to her, it was getting on her nerves. She thought a walk might help.

With the intention of going to the coffee down the street to shake off the mood she was in, Willow grabbed her purse and coat and headed for the elevator Taking her cell phone out of her purse, she held it in her hand intending to call a friend as soon as she got outside. As she passed the receptionist Leslie, she told her she would be out of the office for about a half hour.

Roy, Chase's buddy, happened to glance up when she approached the reception desk. He must have noticed her coat and got Chase's attention. Willow hadn't even made it to the elevator when Chase was there, arms crossed over his chest with a sneer on his face. "Where are you going?"

"Out," she answered. She couldn't believe he thought he had the right question her.

"Willow?" Chase said as if he was expecting her to answer.

She was going to tell him off, but Leslie beat her to it. "Leave her alone," she said.

Chase seemed ready to argue, but Leslie gave him a look. Willow turned and walked into the open elevator, grateful for Leslie's interference. The feeling of satisfaction sparked a brief smile after the doors closed. Snuggling her coat closer around her once she outside, she took a deep breath of the crisp air and started walking. The coffee shop was comfortably warm, and she went up to the counter to order a non-fat latte. Finding an empty table after collecting her drink, she sat down to call Darryl. "Did you see her today?" Willow asked, grateful to talk about anything other than Greg or Chase.

"I see her every day." Darryl lamented. "I keep telling myself I'm going to ignore her when she comes in, and I try, I do. I see her heading for our doors, and I hide in the back, pretending I'm straightening up back there. It doesn't work. The only times I've been able to avoid seeing her is when she comes during my lunch hour, and my co-worker is forced to help her. Adriana has since figured out when I have lunch, and either shows up before or after. It's annoying."

Willow laughed. "I'm sorry, sweetie."

"I like spending time with her, and that's what kills me. She's smart and funny, and all kinds of wonderful. We have a good time until she mentions her damn boyfriend. I hate it." Darryl sighed. "I'm sorry Will. I know you didn't call to hear me complain."

"It's all right. It's better to hear you complain than listening to myself complain." She laughed.

"What do you have to complain about?" Darryl asked.

"The detective in charge of Shelly's case is gorgeous."

"Is he?" Darryl's voice held a hint of playfulness.

"Yes, and he's off limits right now because of the accident. Also, a guy I've been sleeping with is starting to piss me off with a jealous routine I've never seen before," Willow said. She took a sip of her coffee and glanced out the window to watch the people walking by on the street.

"Interesting, that normally doesn't happen," Darryl noted.

"I know, it's weird," Willow said. "I thought of calling Marissa about it, but he could just be having a bad day. Did you spend any more time with the dark-haired man from last night?"

"No, he was nice, but I didn't go home with him. I fed from a sweet dark-skinned beauty afterward. She was so damn sexy, there was no way I was leaving before I tasted her. You would think for all the sleeping around I do, it would increase my chances of finding my mate, but no," he grumbled.

Willow laughed. "I know, but we have to keep looking. It's not like we can stop. One day we both may be lucky enough to find our mates."

"I know I just wish it was sooner, and it was her," Darryl said.

"What is her name again?"

"It's Adriana."

"What does she look like?"

"She's a blond, blue-eyed angel," Darryl described wistfully.

"Nice. Well, keep your head up. If she breaks up with her boyfriend, jump her," Willow said conspiratorially.

Darryl laughed. "That is my plan," he admitted.

Willow hung up and finished her coffee while walking back to the office. The first thing she did when she got back was close the door and shut the blinds. It didn't stop Chase from knocking on her door and then just opening it before she answered. She kicked him out and locked the door behind him.

She amazed herself by managing to get more done that afternoon than she had all day the previous day. Willow hadn't thought about just how much of her time was being wasted due to the constant interruptions. She decided to lock her door more often. If someone wanted something, they could send her an email or call her, but from now on, her door was closed.

At the end of the day, she was tired and wanted nothing more than to go home. Chase was trying to talk to her on the way out, but she ignored him. "Forget it, Chase, I'm not dating you, not now, not ever. Stop asking. I'm never going to change my mind." She left him standing there gaping at her. It depressed her that she now had to go back to finding random partners to feed. She started making plans in her head for the best times to frequent the local bars to find multiple partners.

Stopping to get a couple of things at the grocery store on the way home, she grabbed a couple of cans of soups to keep in her cupboard since she didn't cook very often. Dropping her purse on the table next to the door, she kicked off her shoes, then put her groceries away. The plan was to bathe, figure out something for dinner, watch a little TV, and then go to bed early. It was just after seven in the evening, and she should have been getting dressed to pick up her next sexual partner, but she didn't feel like it. She would put off feeding for another day. Willow pulled a clean t-shirt from a dresser drawer. She thought a cup of tea would make her feel better. The plan was to turn on the water for the tub, then go fill and turn on the electric kettle. By the time she got out of the tub, the kettle would still be hot. Tossing her t-shirt on the bathroom counter, she turned on the faucets, squeezed in some lavender scented bubble bath and left the room. Back in the kitchen, she chose her favorite tea and the cup she wanted to use. Willow went back to the bathroom and leaned over to turn off the taps. Someone grabbed her from behind.

The man held her to his front as he lifted her off her feet not saying anything. One of his arms wrapped around her waist, his hand was splayed across her midsection, locking her in place against him. His other hand was firmly covering her mouth and part of her nose.

Willow caught a glimpse of a black mask in the mirror. The only thing she could hear was his heavy breathing. Her sensitive nose caught nothing except for the glove covering her face. She froze for a moment. She began struggling when she could feel the man's cock harden as it pressed against her bottom. Her struggling caused him to overbalance, and they fell forward. Willow was face down in a tub full of soapy water. His hold slackened, and she flipped over fighting for a breath of air. Her attacker shifted his weight slamming her head against the side of the tub leaving her disoriented. Her eyes flew open when her brain registered the weight on her chest. He was holding her down.

With her eyes were burning from the soap in the water, she kicked her legs but couldn't connect with anything. Her lungs burned from the lack of oxygen. She panicked and began thrashing in the water fighting for her life. Helplessness assailed her until she realized she was still holding back. Willow grasped the arms of the man and shoved him with only a fraction of her strength still unwilling to kill him. He flew back, and she sat up gasping, taking in great gulps of air. All the soapy water in her sinuses muddled her sense of smell.

Sputtering and trying to clear the soap out of her eyes, she heard her attacker run off. Stumbling out of the tub, she reached blindly for a towel to clear her vision. Gazing around, ready to defend herself if he was still close by. If she had to, she would kill him. Leaving the bathroom, she scanned the area looking for the man who attacked her.

The front door stood wide open. Willow ran to the door and slammed it closed before bursting out crying as she sunk to the floor. Her chest hurt, and it was still hard to breathe. She stood quickly to run back to the bathroom to throw up all the water she swallowed. After a few minutes on her knees leaning on the toilet, she got up and went to dig in her purse for her phone. She sent a text message to Darryl. He texted back promising to be right over after he called the police. Darryl showed up and stayed with her until the ambulance arrived and the police were done questioning her. Willow wished it was Detective Stewart who had come to ask her questions.

* * *

Greg paced in his apartment unable to stop thinking about Willow. He imagined running his hand along her slender neck and looking into her sparkling blue eyes. Remembering the sound of her voice made him shiver. He gave it up and went to bed. Everyone on the list she gave him had been called and asked to come in for a formal interview and to give a statement about the night of Shelly Graham's accident. Greg would let the staff on duty interview them. Shane was looking forward to it, and Greg wouldn't deprive his friend of something he could do.

Greg finally got the OK from Ms. Graham's doctor to ask her questions about what she remembered of the accident. He would ask Shane to visit her. Greg's most pressing need was to get Willow Harris off his mind.

The list of strange accidents kept growing. While he was investigating the case for Shelly, he'd heard little to no progress had been made in the other cases he followed. One was a woman who'd been run down as she exited a nail salon in Mukilteo. Another of a woman pushed in front of a bus at a Transit Center in Tacoma, and a guy who got beat up with a baseball bat in SODO.

The attacks were crossing city and county lines. The separate departments were thinking the cases might be related, as he did, and it was beginning to make jurisdiction messy. Everyone wanted it.

The only thing seeming to link these people so far was that it happened over a short period and the people attacked were attractive. He'd seen pictures of all of them. They were all good-looking people, really good-looking. No one had been able to determine if they knew each other yet, but his gut told him they were connected.

He gazed at the clock, it was just past midnight. Changing into his pajamas, he brushed his teeth and turned out the light. He had just gotten comfortable when his phone rang. "Stewart."

"Good you're still awake, you won't be sleeping tonight," Shane said.

"What's going on?" Greg asked.

"I got a call from the station. One of the people named on that list of yours has been attacked," Shane said.

"Who?" Greg asked.

"Willow Harris."

"Is she all right?" Greg bolted out of bed. He started trying to pull his pajama pants off and hold the phone to his ear with his shoulder. He dropped it when he reached for his pants. "Sorry, I missed that," he said.

"I said, she's fine. She's at Pierpoint. Seattle PD called us since her name is tagged in our investigation. I thought you would want first shot at her as soon as the docs get her settled."

"What happened?" Greg asked.

"Someone broke into her apartment and tried to drown her in the bathtub."

"I'll get over there as fast as I can. Thanks." Greg finished dressing, jumped into his truck and sped over to Pierpoint Medical Center.

Greg showed his badge to the volunteer, and they allowed him into the emergency area. He showed his badge again to a nurse and was taken back to meet with the doctors on staff. The smell of disinfectant was strong, and there was no mistaking the tang of blood that always lingered in the air near the ER. He made his way back to the curtained off section where they were keeping Willow.

She was at the end of the room with three other beds. Two of them were occupied. Sliding back the curtain he found Willow sitting up sipping from a straw. Two people were sitting with her.

One was a curvaceous redhead, and the other was a man who looked like he should be an underwear model. They were both so damned gorgeous. Greg always considered himself to be at least sort of attractive. This case was going to give him self-esteem problems. Does she only hang out with good-looking people? "Hello, Ms. Harris. How are you feeling?" he asked. Willow smiled at him when he spoke, and his dick twitched.

"She's doing much better now that you're here officer," the redhead replied.

"Keely, please don't." Willow's voice sounded scratchy and weak.

"Don't what honey? You know what you need to get better. Unless you want that young stud of a doctor that just left here, but I didn't think you would want him because he's wearing a ring. It's either the doctor or the police officer, which shall it be? You know if it were me, I wouldn't be choosing. I'd take them both." She smiled at Greg.

He kept staring at the redhead and realized how vibrant her green eyes were, then as she stood and took a step towards him, he resisted the urge to step away from her.

"Greg?" Willow called interrupting his train of thought.

"Yes?" he answered forgetting all about the redhead.

"You were saying?" Willow asked.

Greg was about to answer when the redhead interjected. "Well, if you don't want him, I certainly do."

"Could you quit for five minutes?" The other man in the room snapped, dragging Keely out of the area. Greg was glad for the privacy, but he couldn't help thinking, "What the heck was that?

"I'm sorry about that. Darryl and Keely are worried about me and being crazy right now," Willow explained.

"No problem, if a friend of mine ended up in the hospital, I might be a little crazy too. I came to talk to you about what happened."

"I already gave a statement to a detective with the Seattle PD."

Greg nodded. "I understand, but I think what happened to you might have something to do with what happened to Shelly."

Willow looked surprised. "You think the person who hit Shelly, attacked me?"

Greg gave a slight shrug. "I can't be sure, but it would be quite the coincidence that the woman you were supposed to have dinner with got into an accident, and then something happens to you. I'm working every angle I can. Anything you can tell me might be helpful. Do you remember anything about your attacker?"

Willow shook her head. "Not really, it happened so fast." She then went on to tell him everything she remembered. He took notes and had to be careful to look at everything in the room but her. Even bruised and ruffled, she still looked beautiful. After seeing some of the bruising on her skin, Greg also found himself squashing the desire to wring the neck of the guy who dared to hurt her. "I better let you get some rest," Greg said reluctantly.

"Thanks for coming, and if I think of something else, I'll let you know," Willow promised.

Greg stepped forward to be closer to the bed. "If you need anything, you have my card, call anytime. The station can reach me wherever I am." Greg gently touched the top of her hand. Both of them jumped as a frisson of energy raced up their arms when they touched.

"Sorry static," he mumbled sheepishly and backed up to leave. He rolled his eyes at himself after he left the room. It wasn't static, but he didn't know what the hell it was. Nothing about this woman made any sense to him.

Greg was heading for the elevators when Keely stepped out of a doorway, wrapped her arm around the back of his neck and leaned in to kiss him. It all happened so fast that he didn't have time to react. Just as quickly, Darryl's hand was between their faces as Darryl roughly pulled Keely away from him. Greg stood there stunned, the back of his neck still tingling.

"You are no fun," Keely complained looking at Darryl.

"Willow likes him, leave him alone," Darryl spoke through gritted teeth.

"Willow is okay with sharing men...most of the time," Keely whined.

Darryl dragged her away after muttering an apology to Greg. Keely smiled and blew Greg a kiss. Greg was shocked and confused by what Keely just said. If he heard her correctly, it brought about a sobering thought and put a whole new spin on things. Every person he'd seen in relation to this case was good-looking. The few friends of hers he'd seen were well-built, hot, and beautiful.

He suddenly wondered if what he stumbled on wasn't a support group at all, but a high-end prostitution ring. His theory was out there, but it was possible, and it fit. Everyone involved seemed like normal people, but the most expensive call girl service was nothing if not discreet. The thought of Willow possibly being involved, disappointed Greg, then it made him angry.

For all he knew, she had a liaison planned the day he interviewed her in her office. She told him she needed to leave to meet friends by five. Maybe this friend of hers had been a client? He refused to acknowledge that someone touching her didn't sit well with him. All along, she could have been playing the role of the sweet girl-next-door to seduce him and throw him off the trail. This case could be nothing more complicated than someone getting revenge for their husband or wife sleeping with a high-priced hooker.

It bothered him that Willow could be lying to him. He liked her and wanted to believe the best about her, but if Willow Harris thought she could lead him around by his dick like she did every other man on the planet, she was mistaken.

# Chapter Six

The first rays of lavender and pink lit up the sky as Greg drove away from the hospital. He should have gone home and gotten some sleep. It would have been the smart thing to do. He went to work instead. He knew he probably wouldn't sleep anyway because he couldn't get the case off his mind. Pulling up the list of names Willow had given him, he looked at each of their statements again. It was such a confusing mix of people. Their jobs ranged from professional like Willow, all the way to strippers with just about everything in between. What could a real estate person have in common with a stripper? There had to be a connection between them, he just didn't know what it was yet.

He got a feeling that if he was going to find out who'd attempted to kill Shelly Graham, he needed to find out how these people were related. He didn't believe it was just the meeting that connected them, there was something else. Greg kept at it until he couldn't keep his eyes open anymore. Writing a note for Shane, he asked him to go see Shelly Graham when he got in. Maybe after she'd given her statement, more of the puzzle would fall into place.

Greg still thought he'd been made a fool of by Willow Harris. She was hiding something, he was sure of it. Leaving the station, he was tired and mad at himself. He felt like a fool over how he had been acting around her thinking she was probably lying to him, but he was still concerned about her.

After getting home, he dragged his tired body out of his truck and took the two flights of stairs up to his apartment. It was still early enough that none of his neighbors were outside yet. He found a note taped to his door.

They are not what you think they are.

A phone number was listed. His first thought was to toss it in the trash and go to bed. He'd had his fill of weird and frustrating for the day, and it wasn't even eight in the morning yet. Pulling the note off the door, he went inside.

Studying the note, he chided himself to be more careful with it. It could have fingerprints on it. Moving his fingertips to the corners, he laid it down on his dining table. He examined the handwriting. The letters were choppy and clipped. The writer was efficient, writing only to convey a message. There were no flourishes to the letters. It was all business. If he were to guess, it was a man's handwriting. Why would someone leave this on his door?

What the hell? Let's see what this is about. He called the number.

"Hello, Detective Stewart," a man answered.

"Who is this?"

"They're demons."

"What?" Great, just what I need right now.

"They're sex demons. They hide their disgusting habits behind their pretty faces," the man said.

"Who is this and what are you talking about?" Greg demanded.

"Listen to me man!" the man shouted on the other end of the line. "They're everywhere, in everything, from the government to the damn bookstore on the corner. There is nowhere we humans can escape from them. You're human, so I'm going to tell you. There's a group out there who is putting humans first. We're working to make sure that humans continue to be the apex predator on the planet as God intended."

What a nut job. Greg concluded, but he kept listening. The man might say something useful to help him find them later if the group should decide to do something public.

"This new case you're working on, it's a waste of your time, let it go," the man urged. "It needs to be a cold case."

"No can do." Greg stated flatly "It's an assignment. I do my job and earn my pay."

"I appreciate the dedication. We could certainly use someone like you in the organization. Men who aren't afraid to do what needs to be done, but I'm telling you, you're wasting your time on this one. They aren't worth it. All we are to them is food. I'm trying to do you a favor and give you a friendly warning, don't get sucked in by them, they will use you, throw you away, and you'll be none the wiser."

Greg tried to get some details. This group needed to be on a watch list if it wasn't already. The man sounded like he belonged to a homegrown terrorist group. "Tell me more about the organization."

"When we think you're ready, we'll contact you. It would be nice to have a police officer on our side for once."

Greg wanted to keep the man talking. "Since you know I'm a police officer, you know I need proof. I'm not just going to take your word for it."

"I don't expect you to. You'll have your proof soon, watch for it. Have a good one." The man hung up.

Greg stared at his phone and shook his head. He didn't know what that was, but he was concerned about the group the man mentioned. Putting humans first? What did that even mean? He wasn't sure. The thing that really made him worry was the part about being the apex predator.

Obviously, the group wasn't a happy bunch of flower sniffing pacifists. The last thing Greg needed was a hate group to watch, but it wasn't something he could just blow off either. He called the station and waited while they traced the number Greg had called. It was a dead end, a stolen phone. He would write up what he knew later and file it. It might prove useful in another case. He had more than enough on his plate at the moment.

Greg took a shower and went to bed. It was 9:30 in the morning, but if he didn't get some sleep, he would be useless. While watching the watery sunlight stream in through the window, he closed his eyes thinking of a pair of lively blue ones.

He woke up four hours later to someone pounding on his front door. Flying out of bed, Greg grabbed his gun by habit and peered through the peephole. He didn't see anyone, but he hauled open the door anyway. He went to the railing and looked over to see if he could get a glimpse of who it was or maybe catch the license number of any car he didn't recognize driving away.

No one seemed to be around. Greg stepped backward looking carefully down the walkway on both sides to see if one of his neighbors were out. Maybe they'd seen something. He blinked and realized he was standing there in his underwear holding a gun. Yeah, that's all he needed to do, scare all the little old neighbor ladies or give them a thrill. Greg shook his head and turned to go back into his apartment. He bumped his foot on something. It was a small package with big black letters on it that said, PROOF. The box was small enough to be gripped and carried with one hand.

Grabbing the box by the edges, he was careful not to drop it. He closed the door and went to the kitchen. He laid it on the counter and put the gun down after making sure to click the safety. He grabbed a large plastic zipper bag from a drawer and put the box inside it after he felt reasonably sure it wouldn't blow up.

He wanted to get the box scanned at the lab before he opened it. Leaving the bag on the counter, he went to take a shower. His body was heavy with the need to be still, to sleep more, but the box couldn't wait. That was the problem with late-night incidents, it could play hell on a man's sleep. It didn't help that what little sleep he'd gotten had been peppered with dreams of Willow Harris. Shrugging, he figured sleep was overrated anyway and went to work.

When Greg got there, Shane sat at his desk opposite Greg's, typing up a report. "I talked to Shelly Graham this morning," Shane said.

"What did you find out?"

"Nothing, she was driving, and then she was bleeding. Not a lot else. She has no enemies. Her friends like her, her co-workers like her, her neighbors like her too. The lady who cleans her house, and the houses she shows, says she pays generously and is an easy client. The woman is a saint; we got nothing."

Thanking Shane for the update. Greg walked away to take the package downstairs to be scanned. It was deemed perfectly safe. They dusted it for prints, but there were none. Greg put some gloves on and opened the box. Inside, there was an envelope with photos. He took them back to his desk to study them. They appeared to be pictures of two people in various sexual positions. Their faces were blurry, and there wasn't anything identifiable in the background. It looked like regular people doing regular naughty things.

He wasn't exactly sure what kind of proof this was supposed to be. A dark-haired man and a red-headed woman were in the picture. There were no tattoos on either of them that were evident in the photos. The woman was wearing an ankle bracelet, but a lot of women did. It was something, though, and it might come in handy later.

Greg put the pictures back in the envelope and shoved it in one of his desk drawers, then thought better of it and went to turn it in. The last thing he needed was to have someone find a bunch of pseudo-porn in his desk. Some weirdo probably thought it was funny to send a detective some pictures of themselves doing the nasty. He decided to ignore it for now and focus on the case.

He knew his caller had told him Shelly's case had something to do with sex demons. He had no idea what that meant, but he would try to keep an open mind while he stuck to his original theory. Greg believed he could be on the trail of high-priced hookers. If he were right, he wasn't going to stop until all their perfectly pretty asses were in jail, including Willow Harris.

* * *

The doctor was still deciding whether to keep Willow in the hospital for another day, but she was hoping it wasn't necessary. She'd slept with three men the night before and was feeling much better. She would get another round of men tonight thanks to Megan, who'd stayed with her to troll the halls.

Megan was sitting in a chair next to the bed, and it was nice to have someone with her. Being in the hospital was boring. Willow couldn't get any rest with all the interruptions, and a person could only watch so much TV. She'd hoped for more visitors, but so far, no one had come to see her. Darryl said he would visit today as soon as he got off work.

"Meg?"

"Yeah?" Megan looked up and smiled.

"How are things with you?"

Megan laughed. "You're lying in a hospital bed with handprints on your chest, and you're asking about me?"

Willow gave a little shrug. "Well, I'm not going anywhere, and since you're going to be here with me, we might as well talk."

"I suppose. I'm fine."

Willow gave her a doubtful look.

"No, really, I am," Megan insisted.

Willow wasn't so sure about that. While she was appreciative of the support, she didn't like Megan being here with her instead of getting out and living her life. Megan had always been a kind and gentle soul. She was a good person and an even better friend. Megan used to be full of life, now she was very low-key. Willow knew Megan had been fighting depression since she'd lost her mate. If Willow remembered correctly, the last time Megan had seen him was when he'd been in the hospital, this one. Spending time here probably wasn't a good thing for her. Willow changed the subject. "Are you still looking for a job?"

"No, I don't think I want to go through the interview process," Megan admitted.

"What interview process? All you have to do is turn on your scent, and the job is yours."

It always fascinated Willow how once a sex demon turned on their hormones, people would do anything for them. Like Willow's doctor, a hardworking, honorable man who cared for his patients. Under normal circumstances, he would have never had sex with a patient, but no one can resist a sex demon.

"That's cheating, and you know it," Megan said smiling. "You didn't get your job that way, did you?"

"No, but lots of us have."

Megan nodded. "I know, but I don't want to do that. I don't want to work right now anyway. I don't have to, ever. I have investments like most of us do. I also have the money from the two life insurance policies I didn't know about from Cody. Even in death, he takes care of me," Megan mumbled the last.

"I'm sorry Megan. We haven't had a chance to talk in a while, and I wanted to catch up." Willow felt guilty for dragging it up.

Megan shook her head, and her long dark hair shimmered in the light. "I'm the one who should be sorry. I hate hospitals, too many memories."

"If you need to go, I understand. You don't have to stay. Marissa can send someone else to babysit me. Besides, Darryl should be here soon. He can stay with me."

"No. I told Marissa I would stay with you." Megan said. "All demons not currently working are taking shifts watching the injured ones around the clock. Everyone is the most worried about Tracy. She still hasn't regained consciousness, and it's getting critical that she wake soon."

"I know you don't want to be here," Willow stated.

"I do want to help if I can. If this is how I can help, then this is what I'll do," Megan said softly.

"This must be hard for you," Willow said.

"Do you remember when you hit puberty?" Megan asked. "When you were so horny, you felt like you were on fire because you were in heat?"

Willow nodded, at the time she remembered thinking she was burning up. Wild to have sex with someone and afraid she might go crazy and attack someone. Partners must always be willing. If a woman didn't find women attractive, Willow wouldn't be able to sway her. The same thing went for men. If a man were gay, he would appreciate her outfit more than her body. Because of this, she knew when she put out the hormones, and the men came running, it was because they wanted to be there. She never found herself lacking for willing partners. "Of course," she answered.

"Imagine that feeling times ten. Whenever Cody was near me, I felt like I was on fire. When he touched me, I thought there would be nothing left of us but ash. Now that he's gone, I feel cold. I'm always cold now."

"I'm sorry."

"Thanks, I am too, but don't worry about it, really. I'm okay. I'll get over it, one day. Others who have lost their mates seem to live only a half-life afterward. At this point, if that is all I get, I'll take it because right now I don't feel like I even have that."

Willow studied the tall, striking woman and watched her eyes tear up as she tried hard to blink them back. "Why don't you go get a cup of coffee or something?" Willow said. "Take a walk for a bit and come back. I'm wide awake. I can scream for a nurse should anything happen."

Megan shook her head. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said all that while you're trying to recover."

Willow waved her hand dismissively. "It's not a problem. We're friends, and I'm temporarily trapped here, that fact won't change. I appreciate you being here. It gives me a chance to spend time with you. It has been awhile. If you ever need to talk, call me. I don't care what time it is. OK?" Megan nodded.

"I think I want to go get that coffee now," Megan said her voice shaky with emotion. "Are you sure you're going to be all right?"

"Go. I'll be fine." Willow assured her.

Megan walked out of the room and left the door propped open. Willow couldn't begin to imagine what it would be like to find your mate and then lose them. Megan seemed broken inside, and while she used to attend SDA meetings, as a way to chase away the loneliness, she no longer did. Willow had no idea what she did with most of her time now. If Megan wanted to end her life, she could do so by simply refusing to feed.

The thought of feeding made Willow realize she was hungry again. Her body was using energy faster than she had visitors. She was sure Darryl would arrive any minute to help her. If she could have chosen whom she wanted to feed her right now, she would have chosen Greg Stewart.

Disappointment rose in her again thinking about how she hadn't had a chance to sleep with him. A visit from him, while she was here, would have been nice, but she hadn't seen him since he came to the ER. It was probably for the best. If she wanted to make sure he retained anything else she could remember regarding Shelly's accident, she couldn't sleep with him. If she did, he'd forget everything she told him, and she would have to tell him all over again.

Willow couldn't help wondering how he made love. Was he gentle or did he like it rough? Did he like to talk dirty or have sex in public places? She would have to find out one day soon. Normally, she just took advantage of circumstances, but the sexy detective intrigued her. Shortly, Willow planned to bump into him and persuade him to answer those sexy questions. In the meantime, she hoped he was making progress on Shelly's accident.

A sound near the door distracted Willow from her thoughts. Megan showed her the cup of coffee she had in her hand and stepped aside. The male nurse she'd slept with last night was standing next to her. Megan chose to outside the room ensuring that they had a little bit of privacy and to prevent anyone from interrupting. There wasn't as great a risk at night, but during the day, the hospital staff could bustle in and out of her room at will. It made feeding interesting.

The male nurse was a tall man and attractive in an unconventional way. With short blond hair and bright blue eyes and average in the penis department, but he would do. Willow spoke to him, released a little scent, and watched his member harden. He'd been a pleasant distraction last night. He was all muscle, and he smelled good; his build was heavy and warm. She liked how his labored breathing ruffled her hair.

Willow blew a kiss at him and let loose with her scent again. He urgently yanked his shirt off and dropped his pants. She sat up to remove her hospital gown, and he immediately descended on her left breast. He tugged lightly on her nipple with his teeth then laved over it with his tongue. Laying his body down next to hers, his male hardness pressed against her hip. Teasing her other nipple with his hand, he gently pinched it between his thumb and forefinger. Leaning over to tug on her puckered nipple with his teeth, he then soothed it with his tongue.

Her hands roamed his body, and every inch of her skin absorbed everything about their play. He was sweating a little, and her skin soaked it up like a sponge. He gave off hormones like crazy. Willow gripped his shoulders and spread her legs. She wanted him to take her, but he seemed to want to take his time and enjoy the pleasure of tasting all of her first. He moved down her body, skimming her skin with his hands from ribs to hips. He spread her thighs wider and used his talented tongue to drive her insane. He licked every inch of her, taking care to lap quickly at the bundle of nerves swollen with her arousal.

Slipping a finger inside her, he pulled it back out, her cream coating his finger with each motion. Then he inserted two of his fingers and bent them searching for the place that would have her orgasm crashing down on her. She gasped, desperate to come. All the while, he continued to lick and suck her, making her lose control. He slid further in and pulled out, finding the spot that made her cry out.

Willow gripped the sheets on the bed. "I need you. I need you now. Don't make me wait."

"Yes," he whispered. Then moving up to fit his hips between her thighs, he centered his cock at her entrance and drove all the way in with one slow push.

She writhed with pleasure. "Oh yeah, oh yeah," she moaned as she came. She shivered all over with the satisfaction. The nurse moved inside her slowly at first, then faster as she moved her hips to meet his thrusts. Wrapping her legs around his hips to lock him against her, Willow allowed him to ride her hard and swift until he exploded inside her with a soft grunt. He held very still until he stopped coming and could finally take a deep breath. Pulling out of her, he rolled next to her to keep from crushing her.

"That was amazing baby," she said to him stroking his chest.

Just then, another male nurse, a taller dark-haired man with dark eyes came in and saw them naked next to each other. Willow watched his eyes get larger as he realized what he was seeing.

"What is going on?" he asked.

"Would you like to join us?" Willow asked releasing more hormones into the already flooded room. The nurse blinked for a second while Willow waited. The second male nurse groaned instantly rock hard. Trembling, he took a step towards her.

"As you can see," Willow said gesturing to the man beside her. "He needs to rest for a few minutes, but I still need more. I can see how hard you are. Come over here and let me help you relieve that pressure." The man moved closer and started to undress.

The first nurse apparently had absorbed so much of her scent that he'd become hard again. He saw how the second nurse wasn't moving very fast and decided to take advantage of the situation. "Well, if he isn't going to fuck you, I will." He climbed back on top of her and slid his cock into her again.

"I want you. Will you come to me?" Willow asked the second nurse while getting fucked hard by the first one.

"Yes," he replied removing the rest of his clothes. He stood near the bed and allowed Willow to suck his cock while she waited for the first guy to come inside her. Once he was done, he had almost no strength left. Willow stopped sucking the second nurse to push the first one off her.

Megan came to help the first man off the bed and helped him dress. She sat him down in the chair for a few minutes to let him rest before sending him on his way. By this time, the second nurse was heartily pumping his cock between Willow's legs, and she encouraged him to a quick orgasm by squeezing her muscles down on his cock. He grunted, and Willow felt herself being filled with his warmth.

He collapsed on top of her, and she rolled to the side dislodging him from her at the same time. He was breathing hard and lay there as if boneless, but still had enough sense about him to place his hand over her breast. Megan helped him dress and sent him on his way. Willow was feeling a lot better afterward, certain she would soon be discharged. She wasn't tired, but she wanted Megan to have some quiet time to herself, so she closed her eyes and laid back. To amuse herself, Willow started imagining ways to run into Greg Stewart.

# Chapter Seven

Greg sat at his desk and took a peek at the file on Willow's attack. She must have had so much adrenaline running through her that she had super strength. She threw the guy into the wall so hard, he dented the wall and tore down the towel rack. He cleared his computer screen and went back to trying to find out who would hurt Shelly Graham, Willow Harris, Tracy Daniels, Hannibal Crane, and Jaime Jensen. He still couldn't figure out how they all knew each other. Shelly and Willow were friends. Tracy didn't seem to know them or Hannibal.

Greg rubbed his eyes, took another sip of his cold coffee and grimaced. He'd managed to go a whole day without seeing Willow Harris. Unfortunately, he couldn't stop thinking or dreaming about her. Her face and her voice haunted him. He wanted to wake up next to her. Then he would kick himself for thinking something like that about someone he barely knew. On top of that, he couldn't seem to get control of his body. It seemed as if he would have an erection for the rest of his life.

Shane walked over and put half of a toasted bagel with cream cheese on the desk in front of him. "You look like hell, when was the last time you slept?"

"Thanks for the bagel." He took a bite and ignored Shane's question.

Shane continued to stand there.

"What?" Greg asked still chewing and taking another sip of coffee.

"I wanted to update you on the interviews."

"Oh yeah, anything?"

Shane made a face. "Nothing so far. We've gone through about half the list. Everyone seems to have the same story, SDA –Single, Dating, and Available. Every single one of them said the same things. The SDA sounds a lot like BS."

"You think they're hiding something?" Greg asked.

"Yes, but I have no idea what. There was one woman, tall, pretty, black lady named Megan Winston. She seemed different. I want to interview her again and see if I can get more out of her. I did a background on her. Her boyfriend was killed in a motorcycle accident a couple of years ago; she could be our way in."

Greg nodded. "OK, let me know what you find out."

"Will do," Shane said.

Greg finished off the rest of the bagel then went over what he knew again about the victims so far. Tracy sat on the boards of several charities and was a trust fund baby. Hannibal was a local interior designer with some notable clients. Shelly and Willow worked in real estate, but for different companies. Then there was Jaime Jensen, a graphic artist who owned her own business and had three employees.

In researching all the attacks and comparing friends and relatives, he saw one name come up on the list for Hannibal and Shelly...Marissa Davis.

From all appearances, Ms. Davis was a wealthy socialite who spent most of her time maintaining her status. She'd been married for two years to a millionaire who died in a car accident. She'd also been in the paper for being attacked two years ago. Maybe he should start with her. She could be the link between them. If someone were running a high-ticket call girl service, Ms. Davis was in the perfect position to be that someone. She had the connections to make it work, and if she considered herself a true socialite, she would be an expert at discretion. He did some research to find her contact information and called to make an appointment to see her. Ms. Davis agreed to meet with him later that day at a coffee shop in Seattle near Pioneer Square at 2 pm.

When it came time, Greg walked into the tiny shop and sat down near the door with his back to the wall. He recognized her when she walked in from the pictures he'd seen of her. Dressed in a dark gray form-fitting skirt set that perfectly matched her stormy gray eyes, she walked in like she owned the place. She couldn't have been taller than 5'2, but she wore 2-inch dark gray heels. Aside from the scar down the left side of her face, she was perfection. Her glossy dark hair was swept up in a stylish clip at the back of her head. A string of small pearls wreathed her slender neck.

Again, he noticed how she, like all the others involved in this case, was beautiful. "Ms. Davis? I'm Detective Stewart." He extended his hand.

She smiled up at him and shook his hand firmly. "Nice to meet you. I'm sorry if I kept you waiting."

Greg shook his head. "I just arrived myself. Coffee?"

"Please," she replied.

They got their orders and went to sit down. Greg marveled over the fact that Ms. Davis seemed to be just as gorgeous as Willow, but he didn't feel as strong of an attraction to her.

"You wanted to speak to me about Shelly and Hannibal?" Marissa asked.

"Yes, but I also wanted to ask if you also know Tracy Daniels, Willow Harris, and Jaime Jensen?"

"Yes, I am acquainted with all of them," she admitted before taking a sip of her coffee.

"I see, and what is your relationship to them?" he asked.

"We're friends. I met them all through mutual acquaintances. Shelly sold me some real estate, Hannibal decorated my house, Tracy contacted me to contribute money to her charities, and Willow handled the paperwork when I sold a townhouse in Shoreline. Then Jaime did the program for a fundraiser I was working on."

"Do you know of any reason someone would want to hurt any of these people?" Greg asked.

"I have no idea. They're all wonderful people," Marissa replied.

"Do you know anything about SDA meetings?" Greg asked casually.

Marissa laughed. "Yes, I started them. Are you interested in joining? I'm sure we could find a group that meets at a time and place that would be convenient for you."

"Um, no, thanks," Greg said raising his hands. "I was just wondering if there was a connection to the meetings since both Shelly and Willow were at one the night Shelly was in the accident."

"I can't imagine why there would be." Marissa seemed to ponder it.

"Would it be possible for me to sit in on one of the meetings just to see what they're like?" Greg asked, watching Marissa's face carefully, and there it was, a small twitch of her lip suggesting she wasn't thrilled with the idea.

"Of course," she answered with a smile. I can check my notes and let you know when one will be happening in your area. I have them all written down in case I happen to be nearby and want to drop in and say a few encouraging words."

"What is the purpose of the group?" Greg asked pointedly. Marissa smiled again, and Greg knew she was about to give him a speech she had used multiple times before.

"The groups are designed to support each member while they search for that special someone. The facilitators teach the group members to pay attention to their body language, to be open and approachable, and to remind them to smile." She looked at him expectantly, and he indulged her with a smile. Marissa went on. "We come together to talk about our personal successes and failures in dating and all the while, we have friends to help us to be a little less lonely while we search. I'd be more than happy to let you know what's available if you just tell me where and when. I can even call the facilitator and introduce you," Marissa offered.

"No, thanks. I think I'll do some research on my own and decide when I want to go. There are meetings all around the area, right?"

"Yes," she said looking at her cell phone and scrolling. "The closest one to here happens every other Wednesday at a pizza place near the Pacific Science Center."

"Thanks, that's good to know," Greg said.

"If that's all, I need to get going," Marissa said. "I have another meeting to attend. I'm organizing a fundraiser. As it happens, it's for one of Tracy's charities. It's a bachelor auction. Would you be interested? It's for a good cause." Marissa prodded.

Greg laughed. "I don't think so."

"I'm serious. Are you single?" Marissa insisted.

"Yes, but..." he stammered.

Marissa smiled wide. "Well, there you go. You're young, handsome, and available. Just the kind of man I need for the auction. I bet you could bring in a lot of money for the charity. Here's my card." She handed him a slick white card with a pearlescent surface. "It's the day after tomorrow. I would love it if you joined us. It's going to be an all-afternoon event. The auction is at noon, and you'll spend the rest of the afternoon and early evening with your buyer. It's all in good fun, and I promise you, you'll be home by ten p.m. No strings attached. What do you say?"

Greg hesitated. "I'll have to think about it."

"You do that and call me to let me know what you decide. If not, I'm going to walk into your police station tomorrow and ask for you. When they ask me what I want with you, I'm going to tell them I want to auction you off to the highest bidder. Can you imagine what your colleagues would say?" Marissa gave him a wicked smile.

Greg grimaced. "You know blackmail is illegal, right?" He stated flatly.

Marissa laughed. "This isn't blackmail. It's persuasion. Besides, think of all the good you could do, and I can promise you there will be a lot of beautiful women there. If nothing else, you would get your fill of eye candy. What better way to spend an afternoon?"

"Thanks for your time," he said standing to shake her hand, not wanting to discuss it further.

"Not a problem and remember to call me. I make good on my threats." She laughed again.

"Threatening a police officer is illegal too," he reminded her.

Marissa snickered on her way out the door.

Greg drove back to Kent, crawling on the I-5. He used the time to think about the conversation he'd had with Marissa Davis. She seemed to be what she portrayed, but something else lurked beneath the banter. He knew he'd made her uncomfortable when he mentioned just sitting in on an SDA meeting.

If it were as innocuous as she claimed, she wouldn't have insisted he allow her to help him choose one. If he had told her when and where he wanted to join a meeting, she would have warned the group leader, and Greg would learn nothing. He needed to play this carefully.

Marissa Davis was hiding something with her SDA, and he would find out what it was. If it turned out to be what he thought, she would be the first to go down right after Willow Harris.

* * *

The doctor signed Willow's release papers. She had caught a ride home from the hospital with Keely. Willow thanked her, said goodbye then went to change her clothes and wash her face. She never liked the smell of hospitals, and the antiseptic odor was all over her. Willow called her boss to thank them for the flowers they sent and let them know about being discharged with orders to rest for a few days. Her boss was happy to let her take all the time she needed.

Willow was relieved to be home and looked forward to resting. The thought of going home had also scared her. It'd finally settled into her brain that someone had attacked her in her condo in a secure building. Her injuries weren't as severe as the others who had been attacked, and for that she was grateful, but her home had been invaded. It wasn't a comfortable feeling.

Arriving home, the first thing she did was call a locksmith to change the locks. There were messages on her cell phone from other demons who wished her well and offered to help with anything she needed. In the mail, cards were waiting for her sent by her co-workers. None of the cards had been from Chase. He hadn't visited or called the hospital either. I've been sleeping with him for months. You would think he would at least send flowers. She shook her head at her silliness. Maybe it was for the best. If Chase asked her out again, she would turn him down. The relationship wasn't real, and she'd only been seeing Chase at his best. He always made a good first impression, up until he'd shown a jealous side in her office with Greg. Finding someone else to sleep with from now on was next on her list. She still held out hope that someone would be Greg Stewart.

She gazed around her condo, and while it was good to be home, she felt lonely. Glancing into her bedroom, she contemplated taking a nap, but she wasn't tired. Turning on the TV, she channel-surfed for about an hour, until she was bored with it. Wandering into the kitchen, she looked in the refrigerator for something to munch on. She was hungry, but not very. At just after six thirty in the evening and what she was craving was time with a friend. Lounging on the couch, she used the speed dial on her cell phone to call Shelly. Keely told her that Shelly had been discharged the day before.

"Hey, how are you feeling?" Shelly asked.

"Tired, but better, you?"

Shelly laughed. "Almost as good as new. I have a fantastic doctor. He's smart and handsome and is an amazing lover by the way. I love it when a man knows how to work his package. Hey, speaking of cute, I heard from Slutarella that the cop investigating my accident is a hunk. Is that true?" Slutarella was Shelly's term of endearment for Keely.

"Keely would know, she tried to jump him at the hospital," Willow said, noting the hint of annoyance in her voice.

"Getting possessive?" Shelly asked. Obviously, she had noticed as well.

"No," Willow protested. "I just wasn't in the mood for her antics, but the detective is pretty hot."

"You sound as if you like the man," Shelly teased.

"I do like him, but the opportunity hasn't presented itself," Willow said.

"What opportunity? Anytime, anyplace, remember? Do you remember the time I did that firefighter in the coffee shop? At least ten people saw him bend me over the nearest table and feed me his fire hose. If I remember correctly, the table was occupied at the time. It was fantastic. After he came, we straightened up. I kissed him, and ten minutes later, it was like it never happened. I ordered my latte and left."

Willow did remember. Within five minutes of Shelly doing the fireman, the rest of the men in the store were stroking themselves. The fireman in question was fucking her so hard, she almost knocked the table over. All the men standing around had their dicks out watching the live porn show. The women in the place were affected as well by the all the hormones in the air. Some of them were stroking themselves or enjoying a partner.

Once the man came inside her and Willow watched all the men groan out their orgasms, Shelly dropped her skirt, tucked her panties into her handbag and took her cup off the coffee bar. The men had left a real mess with semen trails everywhere. One guy even came on the window exposing himself to whoever was passing right then. Shelly just laughed at the chaos and told everyone to clean up after themselves A few minutes later, no one remembered anything.

Shelly was different. Most demons had to wait until the next morning to be forgotten, but for Shelly, it happened almost instantaneously. She was more anonymous than most sex demons. Willow wasn't sure if that was a good or bad thing. "I remember," Willow admitted, "But I can't do stuff like that."

"You must be adopted," Shelly teased.

"I like him. I don't want to treat him like that. He's a good man. He deserves better."

"You are a succubus. You must fuck to live," Shelly argued. "Yes, you could screw some ugly low-life with a big car and a small dick, but why do that when you can have a good-looking man with a beefy ass. I know we don't need their passion. All we need is the hormones, the sweat, and the semen, but no one said we couldn't enjoy it."

Willow sighed. Shelly continued. "We deserve to be touched, loved, and cherished, but the only person who can give us that is our mate. The only way to find our mate is if we fuck everyone in sight in the hopes that one of them is him."

"I know," Willow said. She had heard it all before.

"You don't have to abuse him Will, be nice to him, screw him, and let him go. Get him out of your system. Loosen up and have some fun, would you? You're not going to hurt him, and you'll know what kind of lover he is. I know you've thought about it."

"Maybe I have," Willow said.

Shelly laughed. "I knew it! You're a slut puppy like the rest of us. I have to get going. I need to go trolling. I'm hungry."

Willow laughed. "All right, I'll talk to you soon, have fun."

"Always do," Shelly replied laughing.

Willow thought about what Shelly said about sleeping with gorgeous Greg to get him out of her system to get over him. It wasn't a bad idea as she was definitely done sleeping with Chase. He was beyond weird right now. Just thinking about him made her skin crawl. Keely was probably right too. Willow was in a rut, and she needed to do something about it.

She would have to go out tonight and pick someone up, but she had a better idea. Willow wanted Detective Stewart to warm her bed instead. Digging around in her purse Willow found Greg's card. He'd written his cell phone number on the back. She wondered if she could get food delivered and made a call.

"Stewart."

"Hi, this is Willow Harris."

"Ms. Harris, how are you?"

"I'm doing better thank you. I was hoping to speak to you more about Shelly's case. I thought if I ran through it again, now that I'm feeling better, I might remember something useful. Are you available to talk or come over? I've been discharged from the hospital, and I'm at home now."

* * *

Greg glanced at his watch while he talked to Willow. It was only 7:30 pm, still early. He knew she'd left the hospital. He'd asked the doctor to inform them of when she was discharged to be able to keep an eye on her. He asked Seattle PD to do a drive-by of her place more often.

He'd been off duty for two hours, and he supposed any small detail she might remember could be the thing that cracked the case. It would also give him a chance to check out her apartment. Greg wanted to see if something linked her to the attacks on the others or if she had become a victim because she double-crossed a partner or something. He would also check for signs of her being a high-priced hooker, even while hoping he wouldn't find anything. Greg wasn't even sure what he would be looking for, but he'd know it when he saw it. If he did find something, he'd be disappointed. He hated that she might be lying to him.

Greg had no proof of anything of course, and he needed to get a handle on the case he was working, or he would lose Shelly's case. A detective at Seattle PD was already chomping at the bit to step in. He had a bigger department, more money, and more resources. If the captain started to worry about the budget, Greg would be off the case. "Give me your address."

Willow gave him directions and told him to call her when he was at the garage gate, she would open it for him to park in her visitor's space. On the way to Willow's place, Greg reminded himself he wasn't going to be led around by his dick. He would act like the professional investigator he was and find out as much as he could about the attacks, the SDA, and Marissa Davis.

He told himself he didn't care how achingly beautiful Willow was. He intended to do his damn job. People had been injured, and more may be hurt. It was his responsibility to catch whoever was doing this, make them stop, and make them pay. Greg also reminded himself of the promise he'd made to himself. He refused to get involved with someone until he was sure she was interested in building something real. He didn't believe Willow was ready to settle down. Even if she were, why would she choose a detective when she could have just about any man she wanted? This thought sobered him and became serious ammunition in the battle with his obsession with Willow Harris.

Greg pulled up to the garage gate, and she let him in. He rode the elevator to her floor and gave himself a mental pat on the back because his dick had yet to get hard.

Atta boy.

He was feeling proud of himself for keeping it together. He had to take it all back the minute she opened the door. Willow was barefoot in a pair of shorts and a t-shirt with no bra. She wore no makeup, and her hair was pulled back in a ponytail. She was still the most beautiful woman he'd ever seen. She smiled at him, and his dick instantly swelled enough to make an impression of the zipper on his jeans.

Shit.

He smiled when she greeted him and walked quickly past her when she asked him to come in. Greg looked around her apartment. She had money, but she wasn't flashy. The lit fireplace made him feel warm and cozy. The furniture wasn't new, but she took care of her things. He could see the pillows piled up on the couch showing her favorite position. The burgundy rug under his feet was thick and plush. There were a few small paintings and prints on the walls. Greg could see her taste ran towards color and clean lines. The only exception was an old photo of downtown Seattle.

* * *

"Come in," Willow said moving aside to let him pass. He smelled of clean, masculine man. She loved his scent , as he passed she caught the scent of his pheromones, she loved that too. Locking the door, she went to sit on the couch and gestured for him to sit next to her. "Would you like something to drink, coffee, tea, water?"

"No thanks, I'm fine," he said, sitting as if conscious of the distance between them. She certainly was. Willow hoped to decrease that distance as the night went on.

"OK, so what's happening with my case?" Willow asked. "I assume you haven't found my attacker yet?"

Greg shook his head. "Seattle PD is in charge of your case. I don't know how the case is progressing, but I'm sure they're working on it. I'm here to talk about Ms. Graham's car accident."

"Of course, I was hoping you might have heard something," Willow said.

"No, sorry, although I'm surprised the crime scene guys let you back in here so soon."

"They said it was fine. I'll use the second bathroom until I have a chance to clean it up. The main bathroom still has crime scene tape over it," Willow said.

"Were you afraid to come back here?" Greg asked concerned.

Willow shrugged. "I was nervous. The first thing I did was check every nook and cranny in here, but I feel better now that the locks have been changed." She also reminded herself that the next time someone came to attack her, she wouldn't hold back.

"OK, tell me what you remember about Shelly's accident," Greg suggested.

"Let's not," Willow replied releasing hormones and moving closer to him. "I want to know everything you know about the case," she declared.

# Chapter Eight

Willow watched his eyes glaze over for a moment.

"I feel kind of dizzy," Greg said.

"I'm sorry about that. I probably gave you too much," Willow answered.

"Too much of what? Did you drug me?" Greg asked trying to stand, but falling back onto the couch.

"Not exactly," Willow said. "I put out too much of my scent for this space. I can't help it, I'm excited. Breathe deeply for a couple of minutes. The dizziness will pass."

"What is going on?" Greg asked.

Willow watched as the pupils in his eyes began to dilate. "I want to have sex with you. If I do, then maybe, I can quit thinking about you."

* * *

You think about me?" Greg liked the thought of this even though he still felt dizzy and was mad about being drugged. He wasn't afraid. Being incapacitated in an unsafe environment is an officer's worst nightmare. It also mystified him as to how she had accomplished it. He hadn't ingested or touched anything that could have caused a contact high.

"Yes, I do," Willow admitted, "And for someone like me, that's not a good thing. My life depends on being with many men. I can't keep obsessing on you. "

"I knew it. You're a high-priced call girl, aren't you?" Greg accused blinking to try to clear his brain. "I should have known. You're too beautiful, too perfect. There had to be something wrong."

"Call girl?" Willow laughed. "No. It's not a recommended profession for us. The demand would be too high and cause us to draw attention to ourselves."

"What then?" Greg asked as his head started to clear.

Willow explained as if she were just giving him a logical explanation. "I'm a succubus that needs to work you out of my system. That way I can get back to my life, and you can get on with your investigation."

Greg looked at her and could see her being as beautiful as a mythical creature would have to be, but he didn't believe her story for a second.

"What makes you think I even want to sleep with you?" Greg asked.

He tracked her movements as her head tilted down and she glanced at his crotch and then back at his face. She cocked an eyebrow. "Your dick is hard. It must hurt by now. If that's not a sign you want to have sex with me, I don't know what is. Please don't take this the wrong way, but I do like you. I find you irresistible, and I want you." Willow leaned forward.

Greg leaned back putting his hands up in front of him. "Whoa, I don't just jump in the sack with someone I don't know and neither should you. For all you know, I've got some horrible disease, which I don't, by the way, I'm j-just s-saying," he stuttered.

Willow laughed. "We don't have to worry about that. I can't catch or carry any sexually transmitted diseases. You can't get me pregnant either. It's guilt-free, no consequences sex. It keeps me healthy. It would be good for you too, if you remembered it."

Greg scoffed. "What does that mean?"

"Once we're done having sex, you won't remember you had it. In fact, in the morning, you won't even remember you came here tonight."

"I see. Pumping me for information, sleeping with me, then tossing me aside was the plan?" Greg asked crossing his thick arms over his chest.

"No, it wasn't," Willow said leaning forward putting a delicate hand on his arm. "I do want to know what's going on with the case, but I'm also very attracted to you. I've been wondering about what kind of lover you are ever since I met you. Whether you're gentle or rough, things like that."

"I can't believe you're telling me this," Greg said shaking his head. He stood from the couch needing to put some space between them.

"I can say anything I want. You won't remember it anyway," Willow said.

"Really?" Skepticism clear in his voice.

"Really."

This woman is off the charts hot, and off her rocker at the same time. But who was he to disabuse her of faulty thinking? "All right then, succubus." He sat down on the couch again but as far away from her as he could get. He pulled a pillow from behind him to put in front of him "Start by telling me what the SDA is."

Willow nodded and started talking. After several minutes, Greg still had a hard time believing she thought she was a sex demon, but then again, people were running around who firmly believed they were fairies. To each his own. "Were you born, hatched, or what?" He considered himself a student of human behavior, and if he was going to delve into her world, he might as well get all the crazy details.

"I was born, just like you were," Willow said frowning. "My father is human; my mother is a demon."

"Do demon genes dominate?" Greg asked.

"Not necessarily. A mated couple can have as many children as they like, some will be demons, and some will be human. They might also be all human or all demon."

"How is that possible?"

Willow smiled. "I don't know, but if I had to guess it would be because we are dependent on the human race for life. If we over breed we take the chance that we'll run out of our food source. Even too much sex can kill you. I assume it's nature's way of balancing out the need."

"So, I'm food?" Greg asked with annoyance.

Willow hedged. "Yes, but I don't want you to think of it that way. I like you. I think sex with you would be great. You won't remember it in the morning, though. So tomorrow, I can invite you over and do it all over again." Willow sighed again. "I hate it sometimes, especially now, with you."

"Why?" Greg asked intrigued by what she'd said.

Willow reached over to briefly touch his arm again. "I'm comfortable with you. I feel like I can be myself. I've never felt like this before. I certainly never felt this way with Chase."

"Is that the jealous guy from your office?"

Willow nodded. "Yes. I hate that he doesn't remember, and until you showed up, I never knew Chase even had a jealous side. He's always been on his best behavior. A jealous sex toy is the last thing I need."

"Is that really what we are to you?" Greg asked.

"No. It's just a phrase. Please understand that my life depends on humans. Without them, I would die. Try to imagine what it would be like to be naked and vulnerable; sharing something so intimate, you can't help but feel something. Then in the morning, you still feel those things, but to the other person, it never happened.

Greg nodded. "Hence, being considered sex toys, I get it. It's better not to get attached."

"Exactly. I can't have an actual relationship," Willow said.

"Another good reason for sex toys."

Willow nodded. "I hate it, but that's the way it is with us."

"So why were you at the Sex Demons Association meeting?" he asked.

"I would have thought that would be obvious. I get lonely. Going to the meetings gives me something to look forward to while I look for my mate."

"Why do you say 'mate' instead of boyfriend or husband?" Greg asked.

Willow moved to sit cross-legged on the couch bringing them even closer to touching. He tried to scoot back a little further against the cushions.

"To us, a mate is much more than that," Willow said. "If I find him, he is the only person who will remember having sex with me."

Greg thought about this and wondered how deep this delusion of hers went. "Interesting, how would you know when you've found him?"

"I won't know until after I sleep with them."

"What are the chances I could be your mate?"

"Slim to none," Willow admitted.

"If I leave now, I'll remember everything, right?" Greg asked.

Willow nodded. "Yes, but I can't let you leave."

Greg wondered how she intended to stop him, but then remembered she had somehow managed to make him dizzy a few minutes ago. His fight or flight instinct should have kicked in by now and made him leave, yet he didn't want to. He still felt no threat to his safety, and he had more questions. "How many men before me have you told all this to?"

"None."

Greg felt a little spark of pride. "You know, everything you've told me tonight would be helpful if I could retain it. Can I write it down?"

"Nope, sorry."

"Damn." He grinned.

She laughed. God help him, he loved that sound.

Willow took a big breath. "Now on to the entertainment portion of the evening," she said giving him a seductive smile.

Instantly, he felt his blood rushing to the lower half of his body. "Is this the part where you try to get me into bed?" Greg asked, feeling angry with himself that he sounded hopeful.

"Yup." Willow stood and stretched out her hand waiting for him to take it.

"You must think I'm a sure thing," Greg retorted glancing at her hand.

"Aren't you?" Willow asked tilting her head and looking at him.

Greg couldn't help himself, he laughed.

Willow smiled. "Come on, I'm hungry," she whined.

"Poor baby, is your dinner balking?"

Willow laughed hard at that one. "Why are you stalling?"

"I want to know more about you," he said.

She gaped at him like he'd lost his mind, but Willow dropped her hand and sat back down. "If you're trying to get me to forget about what I just told you and let you leave, it's not going to happen," she warned.

"You can't blame a guy for trying, but I do want to know more about you."

Willow shook her head.

"You don't like talking about yourself, do you?" Greg asked.

Willow threw up her hands. "I don't see the point. I'm not trying to be rude, just practical. Why spend all that time talking when I could use the time for what I need, which is sex, with you, now. I'm hungry. You smell delicious. I'm about to tear the clothes off your body and throw you on the floor."

"O.K., wow," Greg was stunned and incredibly turned on by her words. He put the cushion he was holding to the side, stood and held his hand out to her. She stood and put her hand in his. Greg let her lead him to the bedroom. He could lose everything in his life that mattered to him by doing this, but no matter what happened from here on out, she was worth it.

Her king-size bed already had the covers turned down. He stopped walking and planted his feet making her stop as well. "Wait, you can smell me, do I stink? And why are the covers on your bed already turned down?" Greg babbled.

Willow put a finger to his full lips and smiled up at him. "I can smell your hormones. That's how I know someone finds me attractive. You smell incredible, by the way, good enough to eat. It's a woodsy, musky scent, very sexy. I want to roll myself all over you. As for the covers being down if you told me you couldn't come over, I was going to take a short nap then go out."

Greg's eyes widened when he understood what she meant. "You were going to pick someone up?"

"We've been over this." Willow sighed letting go of his hand.

"And If I refuse?" Greg asked playing devil's advocate.

Willow pinned him with a hard look. "Then I will make you come in your pants, and kick you out."

"Does that work? Just making me come?"

"Yes, if you or I orgasm, that's the trigger that sets you up for temporary amnesia."

Greg used that information to try to calm his dick. Something about this woman seemed to rewire his brain.

"I either sleep with you, or I walk to the club down the street and pick up a man or two," Willow said. "Those are my options. I need to feed."

Greg gazed into her eyes. She was telling the truth.

Willow went on. "Even though this is what I am, and this is what I have to do to survive, I don't always enjoy it. It's empty. It's all action with no connection. If you aren't going to sleep with me, just tell me now. I'm ravenous. I don't have time to play games."

"No games. I just don't want you to think I'm easy." Greg said.

Willow laughed. "You're such a girl. Your body is already mine. The more hormones I have to dose you with, the fuzzier your brain will be. I don't want to do that. I would rather have your full participation."

"That's good to know." Greg stood there watching her eyes shine in the softly lit room.

"I want to sleep with a man who desires me because he desires me, not because I hit him with hormones," Willow said. "I want you, Greg. I've wanted you from the moment I saw you standing in the rain."

Greg took a deep breath. It was refreshing for once to not have to guess what was in a woman's head.

"Now are you going to do this willingly, or do I have to turn you into a sex toy?" Willow challenged putting her hands on her hips.

"No ma'am, I'm all yours," Greg said.

* * *

Willow was relieved that she wouldn't have to dose him again. She wanted him as responsive as possible. She wanted to have sex the way humans did, from desire, not biological need. Taking both of his hands in hers, she walked backward to the bed, pulling him forward. Once the bed was hitting the back of her knees, she tilted her face up to look at him, hoping he'd kiss her. She could see the moment he let go and allowed his desire for her take over. "So beautiful," he whispered while leaning over the last few inches to press his lips to hers.

She let him take control. At first, it was sweet and gentle. He varied the pressure of his kisses moving from gentle to more urgent, giving her time to adapt to his desire. Willow was thrilled. Most guys ravished her, nearly rabid to reach a conclusion, but he was taking his time while driving her crazy. She loved every minute of it.

Willow sighed and leaned her arms on his shoulders while wrapping her hand around the back of his neck, threading her fingers through his soft hair. One of his arms slid around her waist to draw her even closer. His other hand ran through her hair making her scalp tingle. She moaned feeling his hard body pressing into her softness, and he pulled her even closer, deepening the kiss.

He nipped her bottom lip, and she gasped, surprised. He slid his tongue into her mouth and kissed her as if he would die if he stopped. She felt his whole body tremble. She broke the kiss to breathe and leaned away from him.

"Oh no, you don't," he said pulling her closer to him and growling in her ear. His sexy voice made her shiver.

"I want you naked," she said.

He took a deep breath as he stepped back and let go of her. He never took his eyes off her. She watched him and laughed as he tore his shirt off and threw it over his shoulder.

"You. Naked. Now. Or I rip them all off," Greg demanded. She obeyed. With that look in his eye, she believed he would make good on his threat.

Greg turned to the side to bend over and step out of his pants. While continuing to undress, Willow admired the finest ass she'd ever seen. When he turned back to her, she took a deep breath, his pulsing cock jutted straight out, bouncing when he moved.

"You're commando?" She asked surprised.

He grinned sheepishly.

Sitting on the edge of the bed, Willow turned her head sending her long hair trailing down her back. He watched her every move. She smiled and reached out a hand to him. He took her hand, turned it palm up to place a gentle kiss there, gently nipping and sucking every finger on her hand.

"You're killing me. I love it," she said.

Greg's deep chuckle rumbled through his chest. "If all I have with you is one night. I want it to be a night you'll never forget."

Willow's heart thumped hard in her chest hearing his words. "We can have many nights like this," she whispered.

"Not if you're right and I end up as a sex toy. I don't want that. I hope you're wrong and I remember everything. I don't like the thought of having you over and over and not remembering. It would be cruel."

"I promise, I won't turn you into a sex toy." Willow reached for him and kissed him, showing him how much she wished he were her mate. Greg broke the kiss to encourage her to lie back, then lay down next to her. She couldn't resist running her hands over his hard, muscular body as he moved over her. Then as soon as he was lying next to her, she turned to him with a scarf she had retrieved from her bedside table. Slowly she dragged the silky garment over his chest and along his rock-hard abs. As she twirled it around his erection, he shivered. Willow ran it all over his body letting it take his scent.

"Are you trying to torture me?" he asked.

"No, it's my favorite scarf. It feels good on my skin. I thought you might enjoy it," Willow said.

"Oh, I see and what were the results of your testing Dr. Harris?"

Willow laughed. "I have surmised that since it makes my lover shiver, it's good."

Greg chuckled deeply. Willow could even feel it going through her. She wanted to hear it more often.

"Shall I use it on you now?" Greg asked mischievously reaching for the scarf. Willow pulled it out of his grasp. "No, now it's perfect. When I wrap it around my neck next time, I will remember this." She folded the scarf and put it back on the nightstand.

"What happens when you have to wash it?" Greg asked.

"I'll have to wash it eventually, but not anytime soon," she replied.

Willow climbed on top of him straddling his waist and leaned forward to kiss him with abandon. Greg ran his rough hands down her back. She moaned with pleasure at the sensation. Willow held the sides of his face and angled her own to deepen the kiss. His responses became functional, reflexive. He was holding back. "What's wrong?" she asked.

He shook his head. "I don't know if I can do this."

Willow halted, taken aback. She leaned up sitting on his thighs. Reaching down between her legs, she took his hard dick in her hand. "I beg to differ, I think you can."

"No, it's not that I can't. I can't because..." He moved Willow off him and laid her next to him. "...If you are what you say you are, and you need sex to live, it means you have probably slept with hundreds of men. I can't even believe I'm going to say this, but if I'm just going to be one of those nameless, faceless men...I can't."

Never in her life had a man tell her he couldn't sleep with her. She needed to get a checkup because her hormones must be broken. "I-I don't understand. I know you want me," Willow said staring at him.

"God yes, I never wanted anyone more," Greg admitted.

"Then what is the problem?" Willow was annoyed.

"What I'm saying is I don't sleep with just anyone, and sleeping with you would get me in trouble. You're worth the risk because I feel something for you. I know it's crazy, but it's there. If you don't feel the same, then I can't do this."

She was speechless. This had never happened before. It was time to lay it all out. "Yes, I need sex to survive. It's not a preference or a mental compulsion. For me, it's biology, but if you think you're just food to me, you're mistaken. I haven't been able to get you out of my mind since I met you."

Greg let her continue.

"You are the only man who has piqued my interest in years. Tomorrow morning, I will remember everything, every touch, every taste, and every sound you and I will make. Everything we share tonight will be gone from your memory in the morning, and I'm already dreading it." Willow said as she looked into his eyes. "I wish I could have you forever, but I can't. So no, you are not like any other man I've ever had in my bed. In fact, this is the first time I have ever had a man stop in the middle of having sex with me to tell me anything other than 'fuck me.' This is a first." Willow looked at the ceiling. "You have just given me one more thing to remember for the rest of my life. No one has ever made me feel the way you do. I love it, and I hate it at the same time because I'll never have it again."

"I'm sorry," he whispered gently, hugging her close to him.

Willow snuggled into his chest and sighed wishing they could stay like this forever.

Greg took in a deep breath. "If all I have is until sunrise, I better get on it," he said huskily rolling over on top of her and immediately taking her mouth.

Willow wrapped her arms around his neck and held on. She was happy to let him do whatever he wanted to her. He moved over and used one of his knees to encourage her to spread hers. She moved her legs and wrapped them around his hips.

"Dammit Willow," he said breaking the kiss. "I'm not going to last."

"I don't want you to last," she said leaning up to lick on his earlobe. Willow despised the inches of space between them. "I want you to fuck me. I want to feel you come inside me. Then I want to suck you hard and fuck you again. I want to make you come as many times as I can tonight. I am going to make you fuck me until you can't walk."

* * *

Greg shivered as he kissed her again. Willow dropped her legs from his hips when he moved down her body. He ran his tongue over her right breast lightly grasping her hardened nipple with his lips. Willow trembled as Greg treated her left breast to the same.

She watched him lean back to make himself comfortable sitting on his knees between her legs. He leaned forward again to continue kissing and licking his way down her skin. His rough hands caressed her sides and skimmed over her ribs. It felt incredible. He dipped his tongue into her belly button, and she squirmed.

"I'm going to taste every inch of your luscious body before I leave," he vowed sliding his tongue across the sensitive skin beneath her navel. He moved further down the bed and went straight for the apex of her thighs, sucking gently on the sensitive swollen bundle of nerves he found there.

Willow moaned, and he kept at it causing her whole body to shiver with the sensation.

Now he knew her, knew her taste, knew her smell, and he couldn't get enough. Greg needed more, much more. Willow was already wet, and he was so ready to fuck her, but the fantasy was coming to life, and he planned to make the most of it. Using his fingers to separate her pink folds, he licked every inch of her sex.

"Greg," she panted.

"Yeah, baby?"

"Please now?"

"Only after you come." He licked her harder as he eased one of his thick fingers inside her. He felt her clamp down and pulse on his finger as he pushed in and withdrew.

Willow squirmed and moaned louder.

"I'm not going to fuck this hot pussy until you do." He put another finger inside her and began to finger-fuck her faster. She was so damn responsive. He was drilling her with his fingers wishing it was his cock, but he cared about her pleasure. It wasn't just about putting his dick in her. He reached with his other hand and ran his thumb over her clit, and she exploded. Her juices flooded his fingers, and she cried out gripping the sheets.

He bent over to lap at her sweet cream and suck lightly on her clit. He kept his fingers pumping in and out of her until he had wrung every last moment of pleasure from her. Once she relaxed and could breathe again, he pulled his fingers out, then crawled over her. He supported his weight on his arms and hovered over her. Lining up his hard cock to her entrance, he kissed her again as he pushed the head inside. Willow moved her legs up around his hips which forced him deeper. Greg had to break the kiss to draw breath.

She felt so good Greg thought he might pass out. He pushed all the way in and pressed his balls into her. Willow groaned, and he felt her warm sheath pulse around his hardness. He moved out and then swiftly back in. Greg kept pounding her until he couldn't wait to come inside her anymore. He was desperate for it.

Willow held onto his arms when he started fucking her like a jackhammer. He rotated his hips trying to find her g-spot, and he knew when he ran over it because she jackknifed under him. He moved his hips to find it again and then he zeroed in on it with the head of his cock until she came screaming. He pushed in all the way, and her pussy clamped down on him. He filled her with his cum, continuing to thrust to prolong their pleasure.

Greg quickly moved off her when he was done. His arms were weak, and he didn't want to crush her. He lay next to her and gathered her to him. Moving her hair away from her neck where it was sticking to her skin, he kissed her glistening shoulder. "I think my balls are empty," he said.

"I'll give you a half hour, and we'll see if that's true," she teased wiggling her bottom against his semi-hard cock.

# Chapter Nine

Willow woke him an hour before sunrise to get him to leave. He protested, but she refused to let him stay. She'd been right, after the first time he came inside her he thought he was done. He managed to make love to her twice more during the night. One of those times, she'd ridden him to a level of ecstasy he had never experienced before.

Greg was amazed he wasn't sore, but even if he were, he would never regret a second of what he'd shared with her. He'd never been with someone like that before and knew it would never be that way again. It was nearly four in the morning. She said that if he fell asleep and the sun rose, he would wake up in her bed wondering how he got there. He wished he'd been able to convince her he would remember everything, but she insisted and kicked him out.

Greg stood at the front door after having stalled as long as he could before she pushed him to the front door. "Please let me stay," he pleaded.

Willow was adamant. "No, I can't have you waking up next to me suspicious that I drugged and molested you."

Greg laughed. "You have drugged me. I feel like I'm dreaming, and it's the best dream ever."

Willow laughed. "Do you always get this corny?"

"Only when I'm super horny." He laughed.

"Great." Willow rolled her eyes.

"And as for molesting me, you can molest me as much as you like, whenever you want," Greg taunted with a wicked grin.

Willow shook her head and pushed against his chest to get him to back up so she could close the door. "As much as that idea appeals to me, you have to go. I'm sorry. I can't risk it."

Greg kissed her goodbye putting everything he had into the kiss. He hugged her one more time then left. No use in prolonging the agony.

He drove home feeling lost. How can I lose her? She's so amazing and what if she's right? I won't remember what we did, how she smells, the way she tastes, that little noise she makes when I slide into her. It's something a man should remember forever about a woman. I won't remember how she makes me feel. God, I hope she's wrong.

There wasn't much traffic at that time of the morning, so he made it home in good time. Greg kept thinking about everything Willow told him and he had to admit to himself that she might still be crazy. He wasn't sure he believed she was a demon, but he did believe in how he felt about her and how he thought she felt about him. He needed more time to figure this out. If Willow were right, he wouldn't get that time if he fell asleep. He would lose it all. He would lose her. Greg headed for his kitchen and his coffee maker.

"Then I won't fall asleep," he vowed.

* * *

Willow woke up two hours later feeling refreshed and sated. She hated to wake him this morning. She could have laid there next to him and watched him sleep for hours. His long lashes laying gently on his cheeks. Sunrise was coming however, and he needed to go. She never got an answer as to why men could fall asleep the same night and still remember. It was the combination of sunrise and sleep that caused their memories to fade.

Willow wished she had time to have another round of sex. Sex with Greg was good, off the charts, good. It's too bad she'd promised him they would never sleep together again, but she would keep her word. She would call him later to ask if there had been any progress in Shelly's case, even while knowing there hadn't been. Willow wanted to hear his voice. So much for getting him out of my system.

She showered, dressed and went to work as usual. As the morning went on, she found it difficult to concentrate. Her thoughts kept wandering to her sexy detective. Willow leaned back in her chair and closed her eyes. She remembered sliding her arms over his broad shoulders and caressing the back of his powerful neck. His beautiful hazel eyes had darkened with need. Any fantasy he wanted last night she'd made happen.

Greg's breath caught in his throat when he was excited, and a gentle kiss on his full lips ignited his passion. Thinking about all the sounds he made as she touched and tasted him made Willow's body feel like it was on fire. His deep-throated groan when she had rubbed his erection through his clothes pleased her to no end.

Willow smiled remembering his face as he unzipped his pants. Grinning to herself, she thought that if she had she known at the time that he was commando, she would have bet money that all he wore were boxers. It didn't matter, if she had her way, he would be commando for life.

The images of last night flashed through her memory. Her fingers clenched remembering how it felt to run her hands over his heavily muscled chest. She had licked his flat nipples as he lay beneath her until he moaned. Never satisfied, she sucked on them until they were bright pink and engorged. Her own skin flushed with desire. Her tongue laved the definitions of his abdomen before pressing kisses on his hip bones. The sounds he made rumbled through his body. She slid her hands over his thick thighs, burying her nose in the hair surrounding his thick cock while relishing the musky scent of him.

Willow ached to gently suck his balls again and listen to him groan and plead with her to stop and to never stop. Grabbing hold of his rigid, pulsing cock, she stroked him firmly watching his face to judge just how much pressure would give him the most pleasure. Willow enjoyed licking the slit of his cock tasting the drop of salt waiting for her. He groaned huskily, making his fat dick jump in her hand. He broke out in a light sweat, and she was just getting started.

When he flipped them over and entered her in a single move that buried him inside her, it was unexpected and felt so good, all she did was hold onto him. He moved slowly at first driving her insane then faster until orgasm took her first, then him as she caught her breath. Willow watched ecstasy stretch across the face of her lover. Groaning her name, Greg's chest heaved with deep halting breaths, he leaned over to kiss her deeply, both of them sharing a breath as they had shared everything else, with sheer abandon. This is how it would always be between them if Greg were her mate. The thought that he wasn't broke the spell and brought her back to her desk at work.

Willow opened her eyes feeling flush. Her body tingled, and she became acutely aware that she needed to change her underwear. The memories had her hot and bothered. She would have to feed again soon which would be ideal since she was still in the process of healing. After being with Greg though, all the bruising was gone from her chest, and there was no pain, but she wasn't feeling back to her normal self just yet.

How it felt to be with him lingered at the edge of her mind for hours until she saw Chase, who asked her how she was doing. Willow answered that she was feeling better. Chase asked her out again, and she declined, saying that the doctor had told her not to do too much too soon, which was true. She might not want to date him anymore, but she had no reason to hurt his feelings.

"Did I do something wrong?" Chase asked.

"Besides acting like a jealous jerk?"

Chase's lips became a thin line. "I already apologized for that." He snapped. "Ever since that cop showed up, you don't seem to want to have anything do with me. Are you dating him?"

Willow couldn't believe he had the nerve. "No, I'm not, and I'm still recovering from being attacked in my home. I finally get to come back to work, and now I'm being verbally attacked by you."

"I'm sorry. I have no right to act this way," Chase admitted.

Willow lashed out. "No, you don't, and if this is how you really are, I will never go out with you. Now please leave. I have a lot of work to do." Willow looked down at the papers on her desk and started to arrange them, dismissing him entirely.

Chase continued to stand there and stare at her. "I can't let you go, Willow," he said quietly.

"I'm not yours," she retorted.

"I know, but if you would just give me a chance, I could make you see that we could be happy together. I know it," Chase pleaded.

Willow shook her head. "Do you have any idea how crazy you sound right now? Stay away from me."

"Or what, you're going to call your boyfriend the policeman on me?" Chase sniped.

Willow was astounded by how bizarre he was acting, then she was angry. "I've already told you he's not my anything. He wanted to interview me about my friend's accident. That's all."

"Oh, don't give me that crap," Chase sneered, "There isn't a man alive who wouldn't love to push you up against the wall and fuck you until he bursts and you know it. You spend all your time wrapping men around your little finger. I'm not going to let you do that to me."

"Get the hell out of my office," Willow demanded, pushing her chair from her desk and standing. She pointed to the doorway.

Chase raked her body with his eyes then left.

What the hell was that? Willow closed and locked her office door. She walked back around to her desk and dug in her purse for her cell phone and called Darryl. She needed some advice.

"Hey Will, how are you doing?"

"I've been better. Do you have Marissa's number handy?"

"Yeah, do you need to call her?"

"Yes, I don't have it stored on my cell phone, and I need to talk to her about the guy in my office. He's starting to behave like an asshole. I also talked to Detective Stewart last night, and I thought I should let her know."

"You were talking to him or doing something else?" Darryl teased.

"We talked before," she answered vaguely.

"OK, so what did you find out?" Darryl asked.

"Nothing. The detective is still working on it. I thought maybe Marissa might have heard something. She would have a better idea of how to help the police figure it out before someone gets killed."

Darryl made a noise. "Too late."

"What do you mean?"

"I guess you haven't heard. I'm sorry to be the one to tell you. It's Tracy. She didn't regain consciousness in time. She died last night."

Willow hung up with Darryl after getting Marissa's number and just managed to get it written down before bursting into tears. She didn't know Tracy all that well, but she remembered her as a sweet and thoughtful person who worked hard for her charities. She was kind and generous, the type of person who would always step up to help another. Why would anyone want to hurt her?

Once Willow stopped crying, she called Marissa.

"Willow, how are you?" Marissa asked.

"Not well. I just heard about Tracy."

Marissa sighed. "She will be missed."

"Yes, she will. I called to talk to you about something. The man I'm sleeping with has become unusually attached to me," Willow said.

"How attached?" Marissa asked, concern coloring her voice.

"Very." Willow said, "He's making statements one would expect from a stalker."

"I see and how did this come about?" Marissa asked.

"I don't know," Willow said. "He works with me, and I've been sleeping with him pretty regularly for about a month. I don't know what to do about it, any suggestions?"

"Well, first off it seems you forgot a crucial thing when dealing with humans," Marissa scolded.

Willow was confused. "I try very hard not to expose us. I make sure he never knows I've been with him," she said.

"That's not what I mean," Marissa said. "You've forgotten why we don't sleep with the same people more than a handful of times. They remember us."

"Chase never remembers anything of our time together," Willow protested.

Marissa let out a breath. "Nature makes us forgettable, but the brain imprints everything, every sight, sound, and texture it encounters. A person may not consciously remember us, even if they try to, but their brain has stored that information. We are familiar to them, but they don't know why. They can't recall us, but their brain remembers the experience of us."

Willow remained quiet waiting for further explanation.

"An example of this would be a dancer. Once a dancer learns a routine, they move to the music without having to think about it. If they try to think about it, they stumble. The brain has remembered the movements without engaging the brain's thought processing ability. When we sleep with a person more than a few times, their brain recognizes us even though their conscious memory is blank."

Willow gasped. She'd never slept with a man more than once or twice before, so she never gave it any thought. She had forgotten about it because it never applied to her. What an idiot I am.

Marissa continued, "Constant exposure develops a familiarity to us, and their brain stores that intimate knowledge. Their mind tells them they know us, even when they know they don't. Trying to process conflicting information scrambles their sense of reality and can make them go insane. If your co-worker has reached stalker potential, there is nothing we can do. He must be dealt with before he hurts you or himself."

"W-what do you mean?" Willow asked anxiously.

"We have to interview him, and if he can be counseled and returned to the general population, he will be. It also means you can never see him again. The obsession never goes away. Being around you would only make it worse. If he is too dangerous to be out in public, but no danger to himself, he would have to be put away in an institution. His quality of life would be diminished, but it's better than death. The final option is a kill order. If the damage to his mind is too great, and he is a danger to himself, and the chances of rehabilitation are slim to none, it is kinder to put him down."

Willow was horrified. She'd been careless, and Chase could lose his life. "P-please tell me it won't go that far. He's a good man. He's just very confused," Willow pleaded.

"I'm sorry. I know this is hard to hear, but unless we can be sure he won't hurt you or himself, he'll have to be watched. I'll have him picked up. Once he is evaluated, a decision will be made. We'll make every effort to help him to go back to his life, but we won't know what the outcome will be until the end," Marissa said.

"I understand."

Marissa's voice took on a soothing quality. "I know you didn't mean to put him in this position. I don't want you to blame yourself, but we have to deal with the situation as it is, not as we wish it were. I also have to tell you that if he hurts himself or someone else because of this, the Regents may want to interview you."

Willow let out a gasp of surprise. Marissa then took a few minutes to assure her that everything would be all right before hanging up. Willow felt the guilt creep into her stomach and sit like a stone. She had put Chase in a position where he could lose his life. She reminded herself never to do it again. It brought to mind the promise she made to Greg. To prevent what happened to Chase from happening to him, she would keep her promise.

* * *

Greg needed more pieces to the puzzle that was his investigation. He needed to speak to Marissa Davis.

"Hello, this is Marissa."

"Ms. Davis, this is Detective Stewart."

"I'm glad you called," Marissa said. "I was trying to find some time to get down to your office today to see you, and here you are. Are you joining us for the auction?"

Greg scoffed. "No. I'm calling for a different reason. I need to meet with you again."

"That's not possible right now. I won't be available until after the auction is over. I assume you heard Tracy Daniels passed away yesterday?"

"Yes, I did hear. My condolences," Greg said.

"Thank you. The auction was her event, and I volunteered to take over her duties. It must go on as planned. It's what she would have wanted," Marissa said.

"I understand, but we need to meet."

"I would be happy to, after the auction," Marissa insisted.

Greg was not about to let her stall him any longer. He was already running on fumes. He wasn't sure how long he was going to be able to stay awake. As long as he was awake, he had a chance to figure this out. Once he fell asleep, he would have to start again, at square one. "I know about the Sex Demons Association," he said.

Marissa sighed. "I see, who told you?"

"It doesn't matter, what matters is I need to find out who is hurting people and why. I need your help," Greg insisted.

"Fine, but I can't meet today. My schedule is completely booked. Unless you come to the auction, I just don't have the time. I should have a few minutes before it starts to talk to you. If that works for you, please come dressed as if you are going to participate in the auction. It will make the patrons of the event nervous to have a police officer there on official business. Nervous people don't spend money. I need the crowd to be relaxed, drinking, and having a good time before I ask them to open their wallets. I'll leave your name at the door, and they'll let you in the back to see me."

"Tell me where it's being held and I'll be there," Greg said. Marissa gave him the name and address of the hotel, and he dutifully jotted it down. He frowned wondering if his suit still fit. Then he wondered if Willow would be there. He smiled at the thought of being bought by her.

# Chapter Ten

Willow was surprised to see her phone ringing. It displayed Marissa's number. She tamped down the anxiety that a decision regarding Chase had already been made.

"Hi, Marissa."

"Willow, I'm going to get to the point. Did you sleep with Detective Stewart?"

"Yes, why?" Willow asked.

"Did you tell him all about us?" Marissa's tone was pointed. She wanted answers.

"Yes," Willow said, "Before I slept with him. Is there a problem?"

Marissa sighed. "Willow, he still remembers."

"What? That can't be." Willow was confused. "We talked, we had sex, and I sent him home. Once he fell asleep, he should have been a blank slate."

"Well, he's not, and since it was you who exposed us. It's you who has to handle it. Find him and figure out why he still remembers," Marissa ordered.

"He could be my mate," Willow stated softly.

"I know," Marissa said, "And if he is, make sure he understands what that means."

"And if he's not?" Willow asked dreading the answer.

"Then there's something wrong, and the Regents will probably want to get involved," Marissa answered ominously.

Willow sucked in a breath. "Meaning what?"

"It means they'll need to assess the situation and determine if he's a threat to us. You can guess what may or may not happen next. I need you to understand what's at stake here and take care of it before the Regents do."

"I understand."

"Good girl. Handle it, and let me know if there is anything I need to do," Marissa said.

Willow hung up and stared at the phone. She couldn't believe what Marissa had just told her. She wasn't sure what to do. He still remembers! Greg could be the one.

She needed to find him and figure out if he was her mate or not and if he posed a threat to her kind. Willow didn't allow herself to think about what would happen if she couldn't get a handle on the situation.

Glancing at the clock on her computer, Willow thought that the most likely place he would be was his office. He could be out interviewing people, but she couldn't call ahead of time. Greg might leave or refuse to see her. She would start there. If she had to, she would use her hormones to convince the other officers to tell her where he went. She sent an email to her boss and Leslie to tell them she wasn't feeling well and she was going home. Knowing no one would object, she turned off her computer, grabbed her purse and went home to change her clothes.

She needed to make sure Greg didn't pose a threat to them, but she couldn't help wondering if Greg was her mate. More importantly, once he was told, would he accept or reject her? Willow shook her head and tried to focus. The question would be answered later, she needed to find Greg now.

* * *

Greg was sitting at his desk sipping from yet another cup of coffee. He'd been up for over twenty-four hours, with no plans to sleep anytime soon. The connection between the cases had been made. The death of Tracy Daniels made things more difficult. Seattle PD wanted to take over the case. He needed to hurry up and find something, or he would lose his case to them.

He had a meeting with Marissa Davis tomorrow, and he was writing himself a lot of notes today. He couldn't stay awake for another 48 hours. It was a ridiculous notion, and he knew it. His chances of success were nil. Furiously writing notes for himself here at the office, he planned to drive himself home to make more notes and be in a place where even if he fell asleep on the floor, it wouldn't matter. In a couple of hours, he wouldn't be able to drive. In the heavy traffic, he risked getting into an accident. To get to the event tomorrow, if he lasted that long, he would take a cab.

Heading to the evidence lockup, he checked out the pictures that were left at his front door. Greg still wasn't sure what they meant, but he thought they might be related. He opened the folder the pictures were in and spread them out on his desk again, trying to look for something to go on. Scrutinizing the background again, he looked for something distinguishable, a reflection or an open window with a recognizable feature. He stared at the people in the photo looking for a tattoo or an unusual birthmark. After a few minutes, everything seemed blurrier than before. It was time to head home.

He closed the folder to take it with him. Grabbing his keys off his desk, he glanced back to make sure he had everything he needed. Greg was so tired he needed to double check everything. He 'd almost gotten all the way to the car this morning before realizing he hadn't locked his front door. The room got quiet. Greg looked around to see what was going on. All eyes in the room were riveted to the front door, and there stood Willow Harris.

Saying she was gorgeous didn't do the woman justice. He and every other man in the room watched her every move. Her form-fitting navy blue dress accentuated her curves from breasts to hips and was short enough to show off her legs.

Greg had to stop himself from remembering the pleasure of being between them only a few hours ago. It felt like a lifetime. He suddenly found himself short of breath with a quickly hardening cock. He nearly fell over as she walked towards him with her four-inch heels clicking on the floor. Every man in the room stifled a groan. Her hips swayed in a rhythm Greg found mesmerizing.

She walked to his desk and looked him in the eye. "Detective Stewart, may I speak with you for a moment?" Her sultry voice carried in the quiet room. Several men got up to leave. Greg could guess where they were going and what they were going to do when they got there.

"Please have a seat," he choked out. Greg thought about taking her down the hall to a private room, but he couldn't trust himself to be alone with her. He was exhausted, but it didn't stop him from being incredibly horny. He also didn't think the guys who were still in the room could handle watching her move again so soon. Her movements were, sinuous, sensual, and sinful. She could make even the most dispassionate of men think bad thoughts. Willow had managed to turn his whole world upside down, and he couldn't do a damn thing about it.

* * *

Willow had gone home to change on purpose. All men had to do was look at her dressed this way, and she got what she wanted from them almost every time. If they didn't do what she wanted right away, she would hit them with a whiff of sex and they would be on the floor begging to do anything for her. She was glad she didn't have to go that far, but she would have if it was necessary. If she couldn't figure out what was going on, Greg was probably a dead man.

She spied him towards the back corner of the room as he stood at his desk. He looked tired. She was glad his desk sat so far back. He would get to watch her walk over there, and once she was there, Willow was certain she would get her questions answered. She took in all the faces in the room turning towards her as she walked and smiled.

Willow smoothed her dress over her bottom and sat down after Greg invited her to sit. Crossing her legs, she folded her hands, holding her purse in her lap. She had hoped he would take her to a more private space to talk, but that was probably for the best. If she got him in a room alone, she might not be able to keep her promise to him.

Even in his disheveled state, he still was unbelievably sexy. He was even more so because his hair looked messy as if he'd been pushing his fingers through it. She wished it had been her fingers running through it. She remembered the silky strands of it brushing over her body. She took a deep breath to focus her concentration.

Could he be my mate?

"What can I do for you, Miss Harris?" Greg asked.

So many answers to that question flew through her head, most of which she didn't dare repeat. "Detective Stewart, do you remember the conversation we had yesterday? I wanted to talk a little more about it," she stated quietly and licked her lips. She felt his eyes on them and glanced down at his crotch. His dick was already stiff as a board.

Willow felt a frisson of excitement run up her spine. Greg's eyes were on fire. If he could act on the look he was giving her, he would have jumped over his desk and taken her on the floor like an animal. She would have let him.

"Yes, I do," Greg answered. He sat down hard in his chair sighing. Willow leaned forward allowing him a good view of the v-neckline of her dress displaying the tops of her breasts. "I'm a little fuzzy on some of the details. Could you remind me of something we talked about?" Willow asked.

Greg's eyes lost focus for a second after staring at her chest, then lit up as if catching on to what she was asking.

"Your mother is different, and your dad is just a regular Joe," he said.

Willow gasped. "How is that possible? Once you fell asleep, you should have forgotten everything," she whispered.

"I haven't slept yet," he whispered back.

Willow sighed, he wasn't her mate. She knew it was bound to happen, but she couldn't stop the disappointment in knowing the truth. It meant she would have to keep looking. It was the only thing she could do. She reminded herself that sometimes things just don't work out. She'd been sent here to do something, and she would do it. Willow could miss what could have been between her and Greg, later. "That makes sense. Have there been any new developments?"

"Let me ask you something outright, Ms. Harris. Are you or Marissa Davis involved in prostitution?"

"I believe I answered that question last night," she snapped.

"What else can it possibly be?" Greg asked putting his hands up and then letting them settle on the desk."You're beautiful. All your friends are beautiful, unusually so, I might add."

Willow took a deep breath to calm herself. "So you assume that just because someone is good looking, that they must be hookers? That's what you think of me?" She asked harshly. Even while she could see his reasoning, it was still insulting.

Greg raised his hands again in surrender. "I never said that. I don't think that about you, but I had to ask."

Willow scoffed. "Since you're so fond of slapping false labels on me, why don't you call me stupid too? Oh, wait, that one might be true. I mistakenly thought you believed me when I told you what I was and what kind of job I did, never mind that you came to my office," Willow gritted out.

"Ms. Harris...Willow, please let me explain," Greg said lowering his voice further, "I know what you told me. I believe it is what you believe, but in the world that I live in, there are no such things as sex demons. When people hide their activities, it's not an illogical jump to think they have unusual or even illegal hobbies. The most logical one for people who are very attractive is that they are running a prostitution ring."

Willow shook her head in disbelief.

"It's not unheard of," he defended. "I'm not accusing anyone of anything. I'm trying to take everything I learned from you and balance it against what I already know. I'm having a hell of a time trying to make it all make sense."

Willow scowled at him.

"Help me, Willow," Greg pleaded. "I'm trying to understand, and I can't get my brain to work right."

"You might have been better off if you had gotten some sleep," she said tartly.

"I'm holding off on that as long as I can," he said.

Willow rolled her eyes. "Why? You look terrible."

Greg shook his head and leaned back in his chair sighing. "I can't sleep yet."

"Why the hell not?" Willow gritted out. She loosened her grip on her purse, realizing she was crushing it. If he had just gone to sleep and forgotten everything, it would have been a whole lot easier.

Greg put his arms on the desk and leaned forward looking at her intently with his bloodshot eyes. "I should have gone to bed, but if what you said is true and I fall asleep, I lose everything. I can't risk that." He stared at her, sighed again and spoke even softer. "I'm an idiot for telling you this. I know it's because I'm sleep deprived. I'm probably going to regret it, but I'm going to say it anyway. I'm not ready to let you go. Once I close my eyes, everything about you, about us, might be gone. I want you, and I know I can't have you, but for one night, one amazing night, you were mine. Until my body forces me to, I refuse to let go of what that feels like."

Willow was speechless. Never before had anyone done something like this. She was touched and felt emotions she couldn't even identify. "That's sweet. I don't know what to say."

"You don't have to say anything, but maybe you can help me. I need to figure out who these people are," he said gesturing to the nude pictures spread out on his desk. He slid them towards her.

"What are these?" she asked.

Greg explained the note taped to his door and the arrival of the package. Willow looked carefully, even though the pictures were blurry. She picked one up, turned it slightly and gasped.

"What is it? What do you see?" Greg walked around to stand behind her and see what she was looking at, it was the anklet of the woman in the picture. It had a charm in the shape of shark's tooth.

"It's Keely," she said.

"Keely Beck?"

"Yes, it's her," Willow said remembering when her friend had bought the anklet after watching Shark Week episodes.

"Do you recognize the man with her?" Greg asked.

Willow scoffed. "You're joking, right?"

"Right," he replied chuckling. "I have Keely's number here somewhere." He moved folders searching his desk.

"I have her on speed dial on my phone. Let me call her," Willow offered. She pulled out her cell phone, pressed a key and waited. She could hear it ringing on the other end. It rang a few times then went to voicemail. Willow frowned.

"What's the matter?" Greg asked.

"She didn't answer. She always answers when I call."

"Maybe she's...you know, with someone?" Greg stuttered.

Willow chuckled. "Trust me, when her phone rings, she answers. Even if she is...busy, she picks up. She's done it before."

Greg shook his head. Willow laughed. "She's not affectionately called Slutarella for nothing."

"How long has she had the anklet?" Greg asked

Willow shrugged. "I don't know, maybe a couple of weeks."

"That means the pictures are current, which could mean she was being watched. Where would she be at this time of day?" Greg asked.

"Home, sleeping probably, since she works at night. Why do you have those?" Willow gestured at the pictures.

"What do you mean?" Greg asked.

"There is never any evidence of us. There shouldn't be any pictures."

"What?" Greg was confused.

Willow sighed, "Never mind, maybe it's because it's so blurry that no one would be able to tell who it was. I mean no one would have been able to identify her, except for anyone who could recognize the anklet. What are you thinking?" Willow asked suddenly concerned.

Greg shook his head. "I'm not sure yet. Do you know where she lives?"

"Yes, I'll drive."

* * *

Willow drove them to an apartment building in the Sea-Tac area. It wasn't a fancy place, but it looked well-kept and clean. She parked the car, and they walked towards Keely's ground floor apartment. Keely once said she preferred to live downstairs, so the neighbors wouldn't complain about her bed bouncing all the time.

They approached the door and noticed it was ajar. Greg stepped in front to take the lead. "Wait here," he said. Willow stood behind him but had no intention of staying outside. Greg pushed the door open and stepped through with Willow right behind him. He carefully scanned the room and adjacent doorways. He couldn't hear anything moving, so he assumed it was safe. "We'll take a look around, but don't touch anything and watch where you step," he warned.

Willow visibly relaxed, as she couldn't hear any other heartbeats in the room except for his and her own. Where was Keely? The apartment seemed to be in order until they went into the bedroom.

Keely would have fought hard if anyone had attacked her. The room looked as if that had happened. The covers of her bed were tangled and twisted. Everything from her bedside table had been swept to the floor. The pieces from the mirror attached to her dresser lay scattered on the floor, flat diamonds reflecting the light. The desk in the corner showed signs of the fight with its chair knocked over and everything atop it askew.

At first, Greg thought Keely could have just taken off for some reason, but then changed his mind. Her purse, keys, and cell phone were in the apartment. None of the shoes in her closet seemed to be missing or out of place. There were no empty spaces where her shoes would normally be kept. She could be wandering around with no money and no shoes, but that wasn't likely.

Willow went to look around the rest of the apartment when Greg called her back into the bedroom.

"I think this is where most of the struggle happened." He said pointing to an area of the floor that had a few droplets of blood. "It must belong to her or one of her attackers. The crime scene techs will tell us. We need to see if there is anything here that could help us identify who they were and what they wanted. Look around for a note or something."

Willow was surprised. "You're expecting a ransom note?"

"I don't know what to expect," Greg said. "We may find something to tell us where Keely is, we may not, but we still need to look." Greg moved away from her to check the bathroom.

Willow wandered over to the desk and noticed the corner of a book wedged in between the desk and the wall. Tugging on it, she opened it. It was a journal. It surprised her that it was nearly full of entries. There were only about ten pages left at the end. The first entry started a month ago. Keely wrote every day, sometimes more than once a day.

"What did you find?" Greg asked.

"Keely's journal."

"The stripper kept a diary?" Greg asked skeptically.

Willow frowned. "Be nice you, she's a really good friend."

Greg chuckled. "All right, let's take it with us. I called it in. Officers should be arriving any minute. Do me a favor and wait in the car or no one will work. All they'll do is stare at you."

"Fine," she said. He walked with her out to the car to wait. Greg found Keely's car in the parking lot by using the remote to unlock it. A few minutes later, two police cars pulled up, and Greg showed his badge. He pointed to Keely's car handing the keys to one of the officers. Greg directed another to the car where Willow was waiting. He led the other two men into the apartment.

After giving her statement, Greg said there was nothing more they could do, it was up to the investigating team. He asked Willow to drive him home. She listened as he called the station to tell them he was leaving his car parked there overnight.

# Chapter Eleven

When they arrived at Greg's apartment, she expected him to thank her and say goodbye, but he invited her in. She stepped inside and scanned his neat and clean apartment. "What?" he asked.

"I'm impressed." She shrugged. "I expected a man cave, complete with underwear on the floor."

"I don't wear underwear," he snickered.

"I remember," she said in a sultry voice.

Greg shivered. "Stop it."

She laughed.

"Have a seat," he said, "I'll be right back." He left the room and went into what she assumed was his bedroom. Willow stood in his living room and glanced around. She saw a picture on the breakfast bar and walked over to picked it up. It was of Greg and a younger woman who looked very much like him.

"My sister," he said answering the unspoken question from behind her.

"Does she live nearby?" Willow asked.

"No, she lives in Portland. She comes up a couple of times a year, and I drive down there when I get a few days off."

Willow put the picture down and looked at him. She should leave and let him get some rest, but she wanted to spend time with him. This was the first time she had been able to spend time with a man knowing he remembered. She could touch him again, and it would be different because they would remember what one another liked and didn't like, sex would be even better with him the second time. Willow looked down at the carpet for a second reminding herself that this wasn't real. Once he fell asleep, it would all be gone. This whole experience with him was something she would never forget.

"Let's sit at the table and look at Keely's diary," Greg suggested. "Maybe it will give us a clue as to where she could be. Normally, I wouldn't have taken it. It's evidence, but the sooner we find her, the sooner we find out who took the pictures of her."

"You think they're the same person?"

"I don't know, but it's a possibility," Greg admitted.

Willow pulled out a chair and sat next to him. The table was covered with notes about sex demons and other things she'd told him. "You took notes?"

"Yes. Taking notes helps me think. Since you said I was going to forget everything, I wanted to leave myself some notes to help me piece it all back together. You told me a lot, I didn't want to lose all that information."

Willow gestured at all the sticky notes. "You can't keep these. If someone who knew anything about us got a hold of this, we could be destroyed. The Regents would issue a kill order, and because I'm the one who told you all of this, the order would be on both of us."

"The Regents?" Greg asked.

Willow wanted to kick herself. She should have never mentioned them, but it was too late now. "They are our governing body, our leaders, the ones who make and enforce our rules. We don't have a lot of rules, but the ones we have, we follow. To disobey usually means death."

"I would never hurt you Willow. I hope you know that. No one will ever find any of this," Greg said.

"You can't promise what will happen once your memory is gone. Oh, never mind. Even if someone came across all this, unless they believed in the possibility of demons, they would think you were nuts. Even you don't believe what I told you."

Greg sighed and turned to her, reaching out to rub his hands down her arms. "You look normal to me. I can't equate your beautiful face with that of a demon. When I think of demons, they're ugly gargoyle looking things with red eyes and long yellow fangs. You don't look anything like that. Or do you?" he asked as an afterthought.

"No, I don't," she gritted out. "But you wouldn't want to sleep with me if I looked like that would you?"

"Probably not," Greg admitted.

"We're subject to evolution like everything else on the planet. Only the most attractive of us survive. We need sex to live. If you're an ugly sex demon, you die. It's that simple. What you see is what you get. I'm not going to rip off my skin and turn into a slavering monster. This is it."

"Well, what else? What else about you makes you different from me?" Greg asked.

He seemed sincere in his curiosity, so she answered his question, "I have a stronger sense of smell, and hearing, and physical strength."

Greg scoffed. "You're a tiny little thing. You can't be stronger than me."

Willow looked around and caught a glimpse of a corner of a weight bench in his bedroom. It was time to show him what a sex demon could do. "Watch and learn, human, watch and learn." She walked into the bedroom with Greg right behind her. She noticed the bench was set at 250 pounds. "Impressive, but I can do better," she said.

Greg looked skeptical. Willow kicked off her heels and changed the weight on the bars to equal 400 pounds.

"There is no damn way you are going to be able to lift that. I can't let you do this. You're going to hurt yourself," Greg insisted.

"I'm a big girl, and I have a point to make, step back please," Willow stated calmly. She lay down on the weight bench and grabbed the bar.

"Please, Willow don't do this. I—"

Willow pulled the bar off the stand and bench pressed the weight with ease. She put the bar back on the stand and spied the look of astonishment on Greg's face.

"OK, this has got to be some kind of trick, move." Willow stood laughing while he laid on the bench. He gripped the bar, and couldn't even take it off the stand. Willow walked around to the back and lifted the bar off with one hand then put it back on the stand. She peered down at him while he watched her upside down.

"You win," he said shaking his head. He knew no human female who seemed to be as slight as she was could have done it.

"Let's get to Keely's journal, shall we?" Willow suggested slipping back into her heels. She left the room, and he followed.

"Are all demons as strong as you?" Greg asked.

"I'm actually kind of weak as far as that goes," Willow admitted.

"Way to stomp all over the human man's ego lady. My self-esteem is already in the dirt. Have mercy, why don't you?" Greg groused. Willow laughed.

Greg had another question. "If all of you are that strong or stronger, and a human attacked Keely, couldn't she have just tossed him across the room?"

"Yes. They must have overpowered her or drugged her somehow," Willow said. "There is no way Keely would go without a fight."

They looked through Keely's journal for the next hour but found nothing useful. While they were sitting and talking, Willow's phone rang. She walked over to her purse and sat down on the couch to answer it.

"Willow? It's Marissa. Where are you?"

"I'm with Greg, uh—Detective Stewart."

"Is he your mate?" Marissa asked.

"No, he's just been keeping himself awake," Willow confessed.

"Humans do the strangest things.There was a call that came in on the SDA information line at noon. The man said he has kidnapped Keely and intends to kill her unless we meet his demands."

"What are his demands?" Willow asked.

"We don't know. He said they would call back within 48 hours and give us a list," Marissa stated.

"Why 48 hours?" Willow asked.

Marissa growled. "He said he needs time to play with her."

"What do we do?" Willow asked. Greg sat down next to her, trying to get her to tell him what was being said. Willow waved him off.

"There is nothing we can do," Marissa said. "The police are crawling all over Keely's apartment. We have discreetly interviewed her neighbors. No one saw anything," Marissa's voice was breaking. "I called hoping you were still with the detective. Please tell him the news, maybe he can be of some assistance."

* * *

Willow hung up and repeated the conversation to Greg.

"I'm sorry," Greg said pulling her close to him to comfort her. He felt helpless and useless. Here he was, one of Washington State's finest, yet he could do nothing. He had already set what he could in motion. Some cases would never be closed. Greg vowed to do his best to make sure this wouldn't be one of them. There were a lot of perks to his job, but by far, the feeling of helplessness he experienced at times wasn't one of them.

Willow cried as he held her and tried his best to soothe her. His body was aware of her every second he held her, but all he wanted to do was comfort her. He stroked her silky hair as she sobbed into his chest and murmured gently to her, "I'm here. It's going to be okay. I'm here." After a few minutes, she quieted, and he realized she had fallen asleep in his arms. "I suppose that's a good thing. You trust me not to hurt you while you sleep." He gathered her up and carried her into the bedroom. Laying her on the bed, he took off her shoes and covered her with a blanket. He left the room resisting the desire to keep her there forever. Then again, with her strength, no one could keep her anywhere she didn't want to be.

It reminded him of Keely. How had they managed to kidnap someone so strong? He went back to the living room to look over his notes and check again to see if he missed something. His notes still didn't paint a cohesive picture, but things were becoming clearer as far as the photos. He needed to figure out who was in the photo with Keely and who had taken the picture? Grabbing Keely's journal, he studied it again. He flipped through and came across the date when he met Keely at Willow's bedside.

"Darryl balled me out for making a move on the hunky detective that came to visit Will. Darryl thinks Willow really likes him. D yelled at me for trying to get the officer to sleep with me. How was I supposed to know she was possessive of him? She has never been territorial before. As soon as all this blows over, I'll make her take time off and drag her ass to Mexico for some fun in the sun!"

Greg wondered if Keely was right. Was Willow possessive of him? He hoped it was true. He would never forget her. He hoped again that she was wrong about that part.

By the morning, Greg was beyond exhausted and still no closer to finding Keely or figuring out who attacked the others. He wasn't even sure it was the same person or persons involved. The case with Shelly Graham had gone cold. None of the officers had been able to turn up anything.

Shelly was well-liked and respected. It could've been a random act of violence, but Greg didn't think so because it looked planned. The person had to have timed it just right to hit her car at the right place at the right time.

Greg thought he might find a disgruntled homeowner who'd worked with her, but he found nothing. She had an impeccable reputation and a long list of clients lining up to sing her praises.

Keely Beck, however, was a different story. She was liked, or tolerated, by those who knew her. The other women she worked with at the strip club described her as a hard worker and always willing to help out, but she could party harder than all of them put together. One of the women the officers had spoken to about Keely, only shook her head laughing and said, "She crazy." Her neighbors had nothing bad to say about her, though. Apparently, she didn't do her partying at home. It was another dead end.

The other cases were being investigated by other departments. He'd asked to be kept in the loop. So far, no one had turned up anything. Greg was lucky he got Keely's case. The Sea-Tac PD was short staffed at the moment. They were working on a joint project with Homeland Security, and he volunteered to work it due to it being a missing person and not a homicide. If he didn't hurry up, they would take the case back, and he would be out of luck.

He sighed in frustration as he headed for the shower. Greg would have loved nothing more than to crawl into bed with Willow, but he knew as soon as his head hit something soft, he would be snoring. He couldn't risk it.

He got clothes from his dresser and went to take a shower. A hot shower was out. It would relax him too much. A cold shower would be better. He took one look at Willow in his bed and even though every inch of him was so tired, he was starting to ache, his cock hardened. I need to buy bigger pants. He jumped in the shower and tried not to think about the woman in his bed.

It didn't stop him from mixing fantasy and reality in his head while he took care of his quickly hardening cock. In his mind, he saw her naked lying on her side on his bed, her silky hair spread out over his pillow. Her smooth bare skin glowed with the silvery light of the moon coming through the window. A cool breeze caressed her skin raising goose bumps all over her. She smiled at him and patted the bed next to her. "Come keep me warm," she purred.

He leaned over her gave her a gentle kiss on her sensuous lips. They were warm and lush. The taste of her filled his senses. She wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him closer to her, deepening the kiss. He ran his hands over her soft skin learning every curve of her body. He allowed himself to be immersed in Willow's scent, taste, and her touch. He wanted to drown in her, with the hope that rescue never came. Greg wanted nothing more than to be skin to skin with her. In his mind, he lay down next to her, and she turned to stroke his chest. Her polished nails gently scraped his skin and made him shiver. She held all the air in the room inside her, and he became desperate for a single breath. His tongue swept in and kissed her deeply.

Greg spread her thighs with one of his own and settled his hips there. He moved his hardness over her, rubbing his erection over her warm, sensitive spot, giving her a taste of the rhythm he intended to use once he was inside her. Her moan of pleasure skittered down his spine like lightning. The sounds she made set him on fire. Willow's hands roamed his body, sliding up and around his sides, drawing him closer. He breathed her in. She was warmth and light, everything he ever wanted. The sounds she made drove him crazy. He loved them, longed to hear them. Everything she did was just so damn sexy. He was lost. She owned him.

Shooting his orgasm on the bathroom tile left him wobbly and light-headed. He cleaned himself up and stumbled out of the shower holding onto the wall for support. It wouldn't be good for him to fall on his face, naked, with a beautiful woman in the next room.

* * *

Willow rolled over and smelled Greg's scent on the pillow next to her. Opening her eyes, she had forgotten she was still at his place. The memory of being held in his arms, warm and cozy, made her smile. It'd been soothing to feel him stroke her hair and tell her it would be okay. Hearing his strong, steady heartbeat in her ear made her feel safe. She must have fallen asleep. Willow felt guilty about that, but at the same time, it said something about him. She would have never fallen asleep with Chase. She didn't trust him. In truth, she never trusted anyone. Apparently, Greg was the exception.

Lying in his bed, she listened to the shower running. The thought of stripping and joining him appealed to her, but she couldn't risk it. She had no way of knowing if he'd fallen asleep. It would be better for her to get going and then deal with it later. She put on her shoes, found her purse and left. Willow hated leaving his door unlocked, but she didn't have a key to his place, and she was certain he could take care of himself.

Driving herself back to her apartment, the first thing she did was take a shower. She'd already taken the day off weeks ago to help with the auction. It was still only eight-thirty in the morning. A quick breakfast of a bowl of cereal and she needed to get ready to go. Marissa was expecting her to be there by 10 AM to help set up. Willow was also expected to bid on some of the men to drive up the prices of the donations. Thinking about the auction excited her. Greg wasn't her mate, and that was disappointing, but it was possible she could still meet her mate, and what better way to do that than to buy him? Willow made a quick call to Marissa's cell phone to let her know she might be a little late and to tell her about the photos of Keely. Marissa told her not to rush as things were running smoothly.

On the drive over, her emotions jostled back and forth between being depressed over Greg and trying to be optimistic about her future. The depression still held sway as she parked the car, but Willow was determined to have a good time. She'd dressed conservatively for the event. A plain white button-down blouse and a tea length black skirt would be just the thing to allow her to blend seamlessly into the crowd. She put the scarf with Greg's scent around her neck then decided against it. Other demons would be able to smell it, and she didn't want to share. She took it off and closed her eyes, pressing it to her nose to inhale the wonderful scent of him before tucking it into her purse. It was time to be social.

The crowd would be full of wealthy socialites looking for an afternoon of fun. Her job was to participate, but not dominate. The incubi being auctioned were encouraged to mingle with the crowd beforehand and throw a little whiff of their pheromones to encourage the bidding. It promised to be a good time.

Willow went to the ballroom, checked in at the reception table and went to get instructions on what they wanted her to do. When she walked in, the tables had already been set up. If everyone who had a name card showed up, it would be a full house. Searching for her name on the tables, she found where she was sitting. It was toward the back of the room, and that was to be expected. Marissa probably wanted the richest women to get the best seats in the house. Willow didn't mind, she would be able to see everything perfectly from where she was, and with Shelly sitting next to her, she was bound to have a good time. In front of her name card was her number to use for bidding - 69. Willow smirked.

Shelly texted to say she would be a few minutes late. She'd been showing a house and traffic getting back to Seattle was a bitch. Willow texted back that it was fine. Shelly's seat was already paid for; all she had to do was get here to fill it.

The attendants assured her that there was nothing she needed to do as everything was set. It was eleven-thirty, and Willow saw some friends of hers walk in. She spent a few moments with her until they started flashing the lights in the room to let everyone know the festivities were about to begin. She could now go to her table and enjoy herself. While she stood in the opulent room, she couldn't help but think about what a great day it would have been if she could have spent the morning having a great bout of sex with Greg.

# Chapter Twelve

Greg got out of the shower and was disappointed to find Willow gone. He'd had been thinking about all the creative ways to wake the sleeping beauty. Standing in his bedroom wearing only a towel, he dried his hair with another. He went back to the bathroom to pull his cell phone from his pants pocket and scrolled through it looking for Willow's number. The phone rang, he didn't recognize the number.

"Stewart."

"Detective, this is Marissa Davis. Did you still want to meet with me today?"

"Yes."

"Don't be late. I need you here by eleven."

He glanced at the clock on his nightstand. It was already nine-thirty. He would have to try to catch up with Willow later. "I'll be there," he said.

Greg showed up ten minutes before eleven and went to find Marissa. He remembered to dress in a dark gray suit he owned but hardly wore. He arrived at the reception table, gave his name and was directed to the backstage area. Walking through the crowd, he smiled as women he passed eyed him hungrily.

"Please tell me I can bid on you later," a pretty blonde quipped as he walked past her.

"Maybe," he answered raising an eyebrow wickedly at her. He walked up to the bouncer guarding the backstage area access, and he let him pass. Greg noticed everyone back there was calm. It was funny. He'd been backstage at events before, and it looked nothing like this. Most of the time at least one person was running around like crazy, trying to take care of every last detail.

Greg spotted Marissa, wearing a silver floor-length evening gown that gently hugged every curve of her body. Her dark hair cascaded down her back, and whenever she turned her head, it gave whoever was watching, tantalizing glimpses of her backless dress. She looked stunning. Of course, she did, all of them did and here was their leader, no different in her glittering, dazzling beauty.

"Ms. Davis?" Greg called getting her attention.

Marissa smiled seeing him and waved him over. "Oh great, you're here. Let's step over here to talk. Any progress?"

Greg shook his head. "No, you?"

"No, and from the look of you I assume you still haven't slept, and you retain your memory?" Marissa asked.

"Yes," Greg admitted.

"We are preparing to issue a reward for information," Marissa said.

"What does that mean?"

"It means if anyone leads us to the killer/kidnapper of any of the victims, they will be given a hundred thousand dollars."

Greg shook his head. "That's a lot of money to be issuing for a reward. Too much, in fact, it would make the general public wonder why that information is so valuable. It might attract the kind of attention you're attempting to avoid."

"I can see your point, "Marissa said. "I'll discuss it further with those desiring to issue the reward."

Greg nodded. "That's also assuming the killer and the kidnappers are the same. The way in which each attack was carried out is different, which suggests multiple assailants. They may not be related."

Marissa shook her head. "I disagree, the fact that these attacks were perpetrated on my kind makes it related."

"But there are lots of people hit by cars and attacked with baseball bats and shoved in front of buses every day, all across the country. How can you be sure?"

Marissa turned and faced him directly. "Detective Stewart, we are a peaceful people, but we do protect ourselves. We don't get attacked very often and never have we been victimized so frequently and in such quick succession. It has to be related. Willow told me you had pictures of Keely delivered to you. Who do you think sent them? It has to be the same person."

"I'm still not convinced," Greg said. "Here's my question. If everyone you sleep with forgets all about it, how did this happen?"

Marissa laughed "You're living proof that the fail-safe nature created for us can be circumvented."

"Yeah, but we both know I can't do it forever. Eventually, my body will shut down and force me to rest. How can someone have remembered?"

"I honestly don't know," Marissa admitted.

"Excuse me, Ms. Davis." A petite woman with a headset and a clipboard interrupted. "We're about to start, and you're needed. I also need to inform you that Sebastian Lebrae had to leave due to a family emergency. We are one short for the auction."

Marissa immediately looked at Greg and took his arm to lead him to where the other bachelors were waiting.

"Oh no," he whined.

"Oh yes," she said.

Greg now stood with the others holding another cup of coffee. He kept trying to think of an excuse that would get him out of there, but his brain was so muddled, he couldn't think of anything. He overheard the other bachelors talk about what a good cause this was and how much they were happy to help. Guilt started eating away at him about letting down the charity. As much as Greg wanted to get out of here and work on the case before he fell on his face, he couldn't walk away. It was only for a few hours. He would suck it up and do his best.

He didn't think he would bring in much money considering he looked like something the cat dragged in, but at least his suit wasn't wrinkled. He watched as the first guy went on stage, and he could see the guy smiling and working it on the monitor they had set up backstage. Greg rolled his eyes. Hoping he didn't make a fool of himself when it was his turn, he pulled out his cell phone and made a quick call to Shane.

"Where are you?" Shane asked.

"A bachelor auction," Greg answered.

"What the hell are you doing there?" Shane asked.

"Don't ask."

Shane laughed hard.

"Shut up, I came to talk to Marissa Davis, and it's a big event, someone who knows something about the case might be here."

"OK, what do you want me to do, bring you a G-string?"

"Very funny. Get me some backup in the hotel, but keep it subtle. I don't want to spook anyone with an obvious police presence."

"Got it. I'll take care of it, stud." Shane laughed again then quickly hung up before Greg could tell him off.

Marissa was announcing the next guy while another woman prepared to auction him off. The first guy up managed to rake in $800 for the charity. That was a decent first start. Greg stood to the side and watched the next guy.

"Ladies, this is Hunter Costa," Marissa said in her sultry voice. "He's 6'2", has dark brown hair and gray eyes. He's 32 years old and likes hiking, river rafting, and rock climbing. If you're the kind of woman who appreciates the call of the wild, then Hunter is the man for you."

Greg rolled his eyes at the innuendo, but he assumed there would be more of that as time went on, and he wasn't disappointed.

Hunter brought in $900.

Greg stood around watching and listening as other guys were auctioned off. He now felt relaxed and enjoyed watching everyone having a good time. Then the woman with the headset touched his elbow, and he got nervous.

"You're up next," she urged.

Sighing, he followed her to the stairs. Once he got onstage, he emptied his mind from all the things he'd been thinking about and allowed himself to strut his stuff. Greg was surprised the bidding for him went so high so fast. He stood there and smiled at the crowd even though he couldn't see them. He figured since he was here, he might as well work it. This would be an experience to tell his grandkids about one day.

The lights directed at the stage were so bright, he could barely see the edge of the platform. Hearing the women screaming for him, he understood how some guys could get into the stripping gig. It was intoxicating hearing all those women shouting for him.

"Come on ladies, we all love a man in uniform am I right?" Marissa asked. " If you're the lucky lady to win Detective Stewart this afternoon, maybe your luck will hold out, and he'll use his nightstick on you."

Greg couldn't help it, he laughed. "I have handcuffs too," he joked.

"Oh, did you hear that ladies? He's also got handcuffs."

The crowd laughed uproariously. Greg's face flushed with heat. He smiled and made another pass down the runway.

* * *

Willow was seated at her table with Shelly thinking about Greg of course, wondering what he remembered from this morning. She had no way of knowing if he had fallen asleep. It was better for her to have assumed he had slept and left as soon as possible. I hope he doesn't remember me being there. I'll have to think up a fantastic lie to explain why I was lying in his bed when he wouldn't remember how I got there. Maybe he didn't notice. Although, how could he miss having a woman in his bed? Unless he regularly had women sleeping in his bed.

Willow didn't like the thought. She shook her head and tried to pay attention to something Shelly was saying. Shelly was feeling better and seemed to be enjoying herself occasionally bidding on the bachelors. She said she was waiting for a tall blond she'd seen walking around earlier. Willow was getting bored. She stood to get another glass of iced tea when Shelly pulled on her arm.

"Look at the guy they got now," Shelly exclaimed practically drooling.

Willow turned, and her mouth dropped open. Greg stood on the catwalk dressed in a suit that showed off how handsome and muscular he was. He strolled the catwalk with confidence, a big smile, and dripping sex appeal. Women all around her gasped and scrambled for their paddles.

Shelly grabbed her paddle to start the bidding when Willow slammed her hand down on Shelly's paddle. Shelly gave her a dirty look. "I want him, Willow; he's pretty. Poor baby looks a little tired, but I would be more than happy to help him fall asleep tonight."

"He's the officer investigating your accident," Willow protested.

"All the better, I can get the latest details right from the horse's mouth and other parts of his anatomy."

"He's not a toy, Shelly," Willow scolded.

"Killjoy." Shelly pouted dropping her paddle on the table.

"That's Miss Killjoy to you," Willow replied. Glancing around, she saw the predatory looks focused on the handsome detective.

"Ladies please give a warm round of applause for our next bachelor. From the Kent Police Department, we have Detective Greg Stewart. He is a hardworking man. When you call him, he will come day or night."

The crowd tittered.

"He has graciously taken time from his busy schedule to be with us today for this worthy cause. As always we start the bidding at $100."

The bidding began in earnest, and before Willow knew what was going on, the bidding was already up to $250. She watched Greg who smiled shyly at the crowd. He turned around putting his hands on his hips showing off his broad shoulders, trim waist, and the luscious bottom she'd nibbled on just the other night. The bidding was still going up, $300, $350, $400.

Willow looked to see who was bidding. It was a tall human woman with big boobs. The woman bidding against her was Serena, a succubus Willow didn't like. She could handle Greg being auctioned off for a good cause, but no way would she let Serena buy Greg. If he turned out to be her mate, Willow would have to leave the state, unable to take seeing them together. Once Serena caught on that Willow knew Greg, she would do whatever she could to rub buying Greg in Willow's face. Willow did the only thing she could think of she grabbed her paddle and started bidding.

"Five hundred ladies, the bid for Detective Stewart is up to five hundred dollars. Do I hear five fifty? "Five fifty it is, from the lady in the red dress. Do I have six hundred?"

Willow showed her paddle and glared at Serena.

"Bid is now at $600. Do I have $650?"

"One thousand dollars!" Serena yelled over the crowd.

"Ladies, we have a bid from the woman in red for $1000. Can I get one $1100?"

The auctioneer glanced at Willow, and she shook her head. She'd only brought 800 dollars with her, and she had forgotten her checkbook.

"One thousand going once, one thousand going twice, sold to the lady in red! "

Willow heard Marissa start to announce the next man. Shelly looked equally excited about him, but Willow was no longer enjoying herself. Serena gave her a smug look as she made her way to the backstage area. There was no way Willow was going to stand around to watch Serena take Greg home.

Grabbing her purse, Willow walked out without saying goodbye to anyone. She was a sore loser, and she knew it, but she didn't care. It was hard to wake up in a man's bed in the morning and see him sold to someone she hated in the afternoon. Someone might be upset with her for just leaving, but she didn't care. She wasn't feeling sociable anymore and thought it would be better for everyone if she just went home.

Taking the escalator to the lobby, Willow was fuming thinking about Greg and Serena. She remembered the Greg-scented scarf in her purse. She took it out, holding it briefly to her nose to take in his scent, before wrapping the scarf around her neck. Willow got the usual stares but ignored them and kept walking to the elevators that would take her to the parking garage.

She was grateful no one got on the elevator with her. Getting off on her floor Willow noticed how quiet it was in the parking structure, it was peaceful. A welcome change from the flashing lights and loud music of the event. Still feeling upset, the quiet helped her keep things in perspective. Greg didn't belong to her, and since he wasn't her mate, he could be someone else's. She hated the thought that he could be Serena's, but as much of a bitch as Serena was, she still deserved to find her mate as much as anyone else. It would break Willow's heart to know it was Greg.

Willow planned to go to the grocery store and pick up some ice cream. She wanted to go home and watch a feel-good chick flick from her DVD collection. Using the key fob, she unlocked the car as she got closer to it. While contemplating what flavor of ice cream to get, she halted abruptly to find Chase standing in front of her.

"Hi." He smiled.

Willow sighed. She didn't want any company right now, least of all him. She thought of going back in with Chase to turn him in to Marissa, but the thought of facing Serena made her jaw clench. Willow would get rid of Chase for now, and call Marissa when she got home.

"What are you doing here?" she asked.

"I came to support the event. You told me about it last week," Chase said.

"Oh, that's right, I did. You look nice," Willow said trying to be pleasant. He'd dressed in a dark navy pinstripe suit that emphasized the blue of his eyes. "Do you want to be auctioned off? I might be able to get you in if you're interested. I'm sure you'll bring in a lot of money for the charity."

"No, I just donated at the door and stood in the back with the other husbands," he said.

Willow nodded then frowned for a second. What does he mean the 'other husbands'? She was confused, but the last thing she wanted to do was get into a conversation with him. She wanted to make nice and then make tracks. "Thanks for your support."

"Anytime, but I'm not supporting it because it's a good cause," Chase said.

"Then why are you supporting it?" Willow wondered.

"You, Willow, I would do anything for you," Chase said. "I think I'm in love with you."

Willow's eyes widened, and her thoughts were going a mile a minute trying to process what he'd just said.

Chase kept talking, "I'm not sure when it happened, but I need you. I don't think I can live without you. I bought a house for you, for us. I know you're going to love it. It's not as perfect as I wanted it to be before you saw it, but I can't wait. I'm excited for you to see it. I'll take you to see it now, and then, later on, we can go to your place to get a few of your things. We can move the rest of it later this week." He was so excited.

Willow wasn't sure if she was more shocked or horrified. "I'm not going anywhere with you," she replied sternly. "I'm going home. You should do the same."

Chase's face crashed. "Please, please come see it. I know once you do, you'll see I did it all for you," he pleaded.

Willow couldn't wrap her mind around what was happening. "Go home, Chase." She released a small whiff of hormones to encourage him to do as she asked. His face changed again. Chase was instantly angry, like flipping a switch. Willow was stunned to see him go from nearly sobbing to teeth-gritting furious in the space of a heartbeat.

"Do you know how much trouble it was to get the house ready for you?" he growled. "I paid extra for the workers to get everything done quickly. You are going to come with me right now."

"No!" Willow said backing away from him and heading to her car. Chase reached out and grabbed her arm yanking her against him. She stumbled, but quickly gained her footing and pulled her arm away from him. She shoved against his chest to get some distance between them. She remembered not to use all her strength, but not soon enough.

Chase went flying against the side of a nearby car, and the alarm in it went off. He must have hit his head. He looked dazed as he fell to the ground leaning against the car, staring up at her.

Willow left him there, walked to looked up at the ceiling of the parking structure. The last thing she needed was for security to have seen her fit of temper. She breathed a sigh of relief when she didn't see any cameras.

She felt a flash of guilt over leaving him slumped against the car. Willow glanced over to where she'd left him, thinking she should at least make sure Chase was okay. She walked back planning to apologize and take him inside to see Marissa. When she went to look for him, he was gone. She assumed once he got over the shock of being slammed against the car that he was fine. Willow hoped the Regents would pick him up soon. Once again, she wished she had won Greg at the auction. She would have been inside enjoying his company.

# Chapter Thirteen

Serena smiled shyly when Greg approached. He smiled back at her, but he wasn't fooled by her demeanor. Her short, red halter dress spoke volumes. It accentuated all her best assets, and he could appreciate it. He was man enough to admit she was gorgeous.

"I can see why Willow was so eager to bid for you," she said.

"Is Willow here?" he asked, looking around.

Serena smiled. "I think she left. She seemed upset that I outbid her."

He tried to hide his disappointment at having missed seeing Willow.

"I'm thirsty. Let's get something to drink, shall we?" Serena suggested.

Greg gave a conciliatory grin and held out his arm to her. She smoothly wrapped her arm around the lower part of his bicep, slightly squeezing. They walked over to the table to take two sparkling glasses of champagne. Greg glanced up looking for somewhere to sit. The front of the room had been set up with large round tables for the bidding. Smaller tables for two were at the back of the room. Each decorated with a single lit candle floating in a shallow crystal bowl.

Greg led his buyer over to a small table near the back corner of the room. He sat with his back to the wall to be able to see everyone coming and going. He hoped Serena was wrong, and Willow would be back.

Glancing across the table at his date, Greg started to wonder if she was a demon too. After speaking to Marissa, he'd given up the idea of prostitution even though the whole sex demon idea was a whole lot weirder. He assumed that since Serena knew Willow, she must be a succubus too. But he remembered that Willow told him that just because someone's good-looking, it didn't mean they weren't human. His brain was going in circles. I'm too tired to think, he admitted to himself.

Serena was talking, and he watched her lips move. He was trying to be a good date and pay attention, but whatever fuel his body had been running on all this time seemed to be tapped out. Coffee wasn't going to do it anymore. What he needed was sleep. He was warm and entirely too comfortable. He needed to find a polite way to say goodnight.

Greg thought that if he explained that he hadn't slept and agreed to meet her at another time, she might be okay with him leaving now. In a short while, it would be lights out for him whether he wanted it or not. He thought about calling Shane for a ride. Greg didn't want to fall asleep in a cab. Leaving was his best option. He looked at her to explain his situation when he scented something sweet. It was flowery but smelled wrong to him, artificial. It was very relaxing, though. He thought it might be the scent of the little candle. It kind of smelled like vanilla.

* * *

Willow stopped to get vanilla ice cream. While standing in the checkout line, she reminded herself again to call Marissa about Chase. He definitely needed help. She pulled into her space at home and took the elevator up. She couldn't help thinking about Greg and Serena again. UGH! I can't believe she won him. I wish I could have wiped that smirk off her face. If Keely had been there, she'd have done it for me. She likes her even less than I do. Having had that satisfying thought, she remembered Keely was missing and began worrying about her friend. She banished the twisting thoughts by debating with herself over which of the two movies she wanted to watch first.

"Oh hell, I'm probably going to end up watching them both," she muttered to herself. She unlocked her door and pushed it open harder than she normally would have. The door banged against the wall behind it. She couldn't help thinking about what Greg and Serena were probably doing now and would most likely be doing later.

All the participants in the auction agreed they would spend time with their dates until 5:30. After that, they could call it a night or they could continue to spend time elsewhere. Serena would stay until 5:30 then take Greg home to sleep with him. Willow was certain Serena would tell her all about it the next time she saw her.

Willow flipped on the light. Gently kicking the door closed, she locked it and headed for the kitchen. Putting the grocery bag on the counter, she took the ice cream out and put it in the freezer. She then put everything else away and folded the paper bag to put it in the recycling bin. Turning on the water to wash her hands, she froze thinking she heard something, a clicking sound, but she wasn't sure what it was or where it had come from. She turned off the water, and everything was quiet. I must be hearing things.

Changing her mind, she took the ice cream out of the freezer and put it in the refrigerator, preferring to keep the ice cream soft. As soon as she changed into her baggy sweatpants, a t-shirt, and some fuzzy socks, she was going to attack it with a spoon. It was going to be her, a good movie, and a half-pint of creamy goodness.

With the refrigerator door open, she changed her mind again, took the ice cream back out and left it on the counter instead. Turning around to head for her bedroom, she found Chase standing in the kitchen doorway. "What are you doing here?" She asked trying to keep the panic out of her voice.

"Hi, Willow," he said.

"Chase, how did you get in here?" Willow asked calmly doing her best not to freak out.

Chase's face looked red, and he seemed angry. "This is what you've reduced me to. Look what you've done to me," he said through gritted teeth.

Willow took half a step back. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"You make me crazy Willow. I feel like I'm losing my mind," Chase said.

Willow spoke gently afraid of upsetting him further. "Chase, I need you to be calm and tell me what's going on."

Chase shook his head quickly from side to side for a moment. "I don't know, but I can't help it. You make me crazy. I know I shouldn't be here. I shouldn't feel the way I do about you. I don't understand it. I've been driving myself nuts trying to figure it out."

"OK. Let's start at the beginning. What are you doing here?" Willow was proud of how calm her voice sounded despite her heart beating hard enough to pound its way out of her chest.

"I needed to see you," Chase spoke carefully as if standing at the edge of a precipice, looking down, and trying not to fall. He stared at her with an intensity that unnerved her.

"You could have called first," Willow said. "We could have met for coffee or something. This is my home. I don't appreciate you being here when I haven't invited you. You broke into my house, Chase."

Willow was at a loss. He seemed so anxious she wasn't sure what he would do next. This behavior was so unlike him.

"I didn't break in. I have a key," Chase said producing a copy of her house key from his pocket. "You changed the locks, I called a locksmith I know to make me another key. I had to lie to him and tell him I lost the key you gave me to sell the condo. He made me a new key. Why did you change the locks?"

Willow was at a loss for a moment. The irony of their situation wasn't lost on her. She had used his key to keep him safe, he had used hers to stalk her. "You should not have a key to a co-worker's home. I need you to leave, now," Willow said taking a step towards him, unsure if it would help or hurt the situation.

"I can't," he replied.

Willow looked deep into his eyes and saw he really wasn't all there. "Go, now." she insisted, taking another step towards him.

That one step put her within arm's reach of him, and he snatched at her arms and brought her closer to him. He wrapped his arms around her and buried his nose in her hair like he did when they were in bed. "I know we haven't even been on a date, but I know you. I crave you. Your voice shoots electricity down my spine. Your perfume makes me horny. Seeing you makes me want to get down on my knees and beg to touch you. WHY?" he shouted the last word as if pleading to the gods, and pushed her away from him.

Willow stumbled back, grabbing onto the kitchen counter to stop herself from falling. Chase dug his hands into his hair and grasped so hard, it had to hurt. His face was a mask of anguish. "You're a siren, aren't you?" he asked staring hard at her. "You lure men to their deaths while they're trying desperately to get to you. You're making me crash on the rocks, but I won't let you do it!"

He kept raving as Willow frantically tried to think of how to get out of this situation.

Chase's voice brought her back to the moment, "I dream about you, you know?" His voice sounded small, like a little boy confessing a transgression. "I feel you in my dreams. I wake up, and I feel like I've had you in my arms all night. I don't understand why and I hate it." He scrubbed his hands down his face and turned from her. He stalked into the living room. Willow followed.

Unable to come up with something better, she sent a small whiff of hormones at him to try to get him to settle down. If she could at least get him calm and speaking coherently, she could call Marissa and keep him here until the Regents came to pick him up.

Unfortunately, the hormones had the opposite effect. He whipped around to look at her. His eyes went wide and wild as he declared, "I'm taking you home!"

"I am home," she replied carefully trying to keep her voice from trembling.

"NO! Your home is with me!" he shouted.

Willow stepped back startled by the intensity of his words. Chase started to pace the room mumbling randomly. The pupils of his eyes were large, and his vision seemed unfocused as if he were drugged.

For the first time, Willow realized the hormones she had been directing at him were drugs. She'd never really understood that until now, and she'd been dosing him repeatedly, for months. She'd been letting off a scent that caused a chemical reaction in his body over and over. He'd become addicted to it, and he was showing signs of withdrawal.

Chase turned to stare at her with laser clarity. "We have to go; we have to go now."

"I'm not going anywhere," Willow stated.

Chase stalked towards her, and Willow wanted to step back, but there was nowhere for her go. Her back was literally against the wall.

"I will kill your boyfriend." He snatched Willow's elbow to drag her closer.

Gasping, she pulled away from him. "I don't have a boyfriend."

He grabbed her elbow more firmly, squeezing it. "Don't pull away from me," he warned. "You are mine. Do you hear me? Mine." He used her elbow to guide her towards the front door.

"I told you I'm not going anywhere with you," she said yanking her arm away from him again.

He stepped menacingly towards her and pulled something from his pants pocket. It was a crumpled photo. The same photo she had seen on Greg's kitchen counter.

Willow's eyes rounded in surprise. He noticed it before she controlled her expression. " That's right, I know where he lives, and I can get to him whenever I want. I don't want to hurt him, if I do, you'll be upset. I forgive you for seeing him while you were waiting for me to get our house in order, but now that it's done, you will never see him again. Do you understand?" He shook her arm to make his point. Willow stood numbly unable to comprehend how the situation had gotten so out of control.

"All I'm asking is that you give me a chance to show you I can love you better than he can. Let me show you we can be happy together. Is that too much to ask?" Chase's voice became gentle again, as he gently rubbed her elbow with his thumb.

Desperately, she tried to not shudder. Just being near him was making her skin crawl. All she could think about was warning Greg. Chase wasn't much of a danger to her, it wouldn't take much effort for her to get away from him, but Greg was only human. If she couldn't get to him before Chase did, she was afraid of what might happen. Glancing up at the clock thinking of where he would be, Willow remembered that he was with Serena. Serena was a bitch, but she would never let anything happen to him. For now, Greg was safe, but Serena wouldn't be there tomorrow.

It could have been a fluke that Chase had the picture, but what if it wasn't? What if he really could get inside Greg's apartment whenever he wanted? Considering his current state of mind, she wouldn't put it past Chase to hurt Greg while he slept. Willow couldn't risk it. Until she knew Greg was safe, she couldn't fight. "OK, let's go see it," she said.

Chase's face lit up. "You're going to love it when you see what I've done at the house." Chase gushed enthusiastically as he smiled at her. "I'll take such good care of you. You'll soon realize that we are meant to be together."

Willow figured she would go along with him to wherever he was taking her and then decide how best to make her escape. "I can't wait to see it," she uttered with as much enthusiasm as she could fake.

Chase drove Willow to a dark gold home with rust colored trim. If she wasn't so freaked out, she might have thought it was charming. It had a large fenced-in front yard with mature trees and thick shrubs. The grass looked green and healthy. What she could see of the foliage at the back of the house seemed well-kept. The house and the land it was on looked picture postcard perfect.

On the drive over, his demeanor had bounced back and forth between being enthusiastic about her seeing the house, and angry over how she cheated on him with Greg. Then he would get himself all twisted up with the thought that they hadn't even dated yet, but he knew with certainty that she belonged to him.

The ride had only been about twenty minutes long, but to Willow, it had seemed like forever. She thought he might even have been angry enough to strike her when he started pounding on the steering wheel and yelling at her.

When they pulled into the driveway, he insisted she wait in the car while he walked around to open the car door for her. Willow would have been impressed if this whole thing weren't so damn creepy. She gave him a smile when she got out of the car, and that appeased him for a moment. She didn't want to anger him again. Yes, she was stronger than him, but she didn't want to deal with an angry Chase.

Now that they were at the house, Willow continued to bide her time. She'd paid attention to where they were going on the way over. She knew which direction to run to get to the main thoroughfare. She told herself to remain calm and think. As long as Chase believed she was compliant, he wouldn't do anything drastic. Once she had a plan, she was going to kick his ass.

Chase opened the front door and waited for her to step through ahead of him. She entered a messy living room. Clothes, shoes, and socks were strewn on the furniture, the floor, and draped over things. The articles of clothing were wherever he chose to shed them.

Opposite a brown monstrosity of a sofa, a large screen TV mounted on the wall. Other electronic equipment stored below were connected to the giant screen with wires of different colors. The light blocking curtains were closed, giving the room a cave-like feel. An open dining room to the left had a table and six chairs. The table top was littered with a laptop, and piles of paper. The windows there were uncovered bringing stark light to the space.

The kitchen was attached to the dining room, separated by a breakfast bar. Willow was afraid to look in there. If the kitchen looked anything like the other two rooms that she'd observed so far, it would be a disaster. She suspected the sink would be full of dishes or worse, they would be all over the counters.

"I'm sorry I didn't get a chance to clean up here," Chase said. "I've been spending all my time downstairs making everything perfect for you. I'll try to remember to put the toilet seat down."

"Thanks," she muttered trying to keep the sarcasm out of her voice.

Chase beamed at her. "For now, though, until I can be sure you love me as much as I do you, I've made up the room in the basement for you."

"You're putting me in the basement?" Willow was astounded.

"Yes, but don't worry. It's beautiful," Chase said. "It's a former mother in law apartment, and it's all yours. I've changed everything down there for you. I know your bedroom colors are beige and blue, so I got everything in there to match. I wanted you to be comfortable. A woman at the store helped me pick everything out. I hope you like it." Chase pointed to the kitchen.

Willow walked where she was expected to. Sure enough, there were dishes in the sink. She wondered what she would find in the basement. Chase turned the light on at the top of the stairs and then waited for her to start down. She entered into a large space that had been newly furnished.

Everything smelled new. The scent of fresh paint still lingered in the air. Willow saw only one door that she assumed was the bathroom. There was no exit door. A large royal blue sectional couch sat in the middle of the room with two matching ottomans and a coffee table. All facing a smaller version of the wall mounted flat screen upstairs. There was a kitchenette with a few cabinets, stove, microwave, and a refrigerator. Also, a two-seat dinette set had a low vase of fragrant flowers on the table. A queen-sized bed in the far corner of the room piled high with decorative pillows completed the room. If the situation weren't so disturbing, she might have liked it.

"You'll probably spend most of your time down here." He swung his arm out to display the room as if they were in a showroom. "When I'm home, we can be upstairs, but while I'm at work, you'll have to be down here, at least for now."

Willow still couldn't believe what she heard, still surprised at the depth of his delusion.

He barreled on, "I know you like to read, so I bought a variety of popular paperbacks and put them on the shelves over there along with some magazines I thought you might like. Once I know what you like, I'll buy more. There's a lot of food in the kitchen. I know you tend to eat healthy, so I stocked up on things I thought you might like. If there's something you want that isn't here, make a list for me, and I'll pick it up for you."

Willow thought this whole thing was surreal. He might have been saying those things if they were a couple moving in together. He would be showing her all the things he'd done to make her comfortable in their home. It was all so deeply disturbing. "Chase, we need to talk about this," she said looking at him while hoping his reason was still in control.

"We can talk about whatever you want. Let's sit down. Can I get you something to drink?"

"No, thank you. I'm fine," she said.

"What do you want to discuss? Is there something you don't like? We can go shopping and change it. You can have whatever you want," Chase said.

"I can't work from here," Willow said keeping a calm, reasonable tone in her voice.

"You won't need to work anymore," Chase said. "I'm perfectly capable of being the sole breadwinner of our family. I can take care of you and anyone else that comes along," he said smiling at her then glancing at her stomach.

Willow felt her stomach clench. The thought of carrying his child nauseated her. She barely stopped herself from gagging. She needed to play along. He wasn't her mate, she would never bear his child. "I'm sure you can, but I have a job. I need to work. I would get bored being here all day."

"I would prefer you to be home to take care of the house and any children we have. I think it would be better for our children if their mother stayed home with them."

"Isn't it a little soon in our relationship to be talking about children?" Willow asked.

"You're right. There will be plenty of time for that later," he agreed.

"Right, until then, I need to work," Willow repeated.

"No, I need you here," Chase insisted.

Willow threw up her hands. "I can't just sit here all day."

"You can't leave. I won't let you leave me!" Chase's face darkened.

Reasonable Chase had just left the building. Willow tried something logical hoping to calm him. "What if I need to go pick up my dry cleaning?" She asked.

"I'll get it for you if you have something out there now, but after today, you won't need to send anything for dry cleaning. You'll stay home and be casual."

"I'm not going to stay home and wear sweatpants all day," Willow said.

He laughed. "I hope not. It would be nice to come home to you still well dressed."

"This is not 1950," Willow snapped. "I am not going be the happy homemaker for you."

Chase growled. "You will do what I tell you to do. You are not leaving this house."

"What if there's a fire? I don't see any way out of here," Willow said.

He seemed to consider that for a second. "The contractor mentioned it when I told him I wanted him to cement over the external door. I hadn't thought about it at the time. There should be a way for the rescue people to get to you without you being able to leave. I'll call the contractor tomorrow about it."

"This is ridiculous. You can't keep me here." Willow stood and walked around to the back of the couch to get a little space from him.

Chase followed her. "Who are you expecting to save you, your boyfriend, Greg?"

"No, I expect to save myself," she said.

Chase grabbed her wrist to pull her closer to him, and she pushed against him so hard, that he fell over the back of the couch and rolled onto the floor. She headed for the door intending to walk out of the house and head for the main street. If she could find his keys, she was taking his car.

He jumped up, ran around the coffee table and grabbed her around the middle lifting her off her feet. She struggled against him still holding back because she didn't want to hurt him.

Chase put her back on her feet. "I don't think so," he said trying to hold her. Willow threw his arms off as if he was nothing then grabbed him by the shoulders and shoved him back towards the couch. He hit it and flipped over it again. Normally, she would have found this funny, but she was too angry to laugh. She turned, climbed the stairs to the kitchen and began to turn the doorknob.

Chase ran up the stairs and grabbed her other wrist. "How are you so strong?" he asked gripping hard.

"I work out," she said trying to shake him off but not throw him down the stairs.

"No, you are like circus freak strong. Even if you were on steroids, you don't have the muscle mass for that kind of strength. What are you?"

She turned to look at him. "Just because I can kick your ass, I'm a freak?"

"What does your boyfriend say about that?" Chase asked. "Does he know what a freak you are? I wonder what he would think of a woman who could throw a man nearly twice her weight across the room. Do you think he would still want you?" Chase tilted his head peering at her. "Maybe I should have got you a cage instead. No woman is that strong. Maybe I should be calling the news or contact a scientist to examine you to find out what makes you so strong."

Willow stopped moving. If she were caged, she wouldn't be able to feed. She was strong now, but without sex, it wouldn't last long. Anyone who got near her would become food. Even if she refused to feed and died, they would do an autopsy on her. They would find the one physical difference between a sex demon and a human, an extra organ humans don't have. On scans, it looked like the pancreas had a shadow. However, opening the body up would show that there were two organs, not just one. It would be hard to miss. If she died, her kind would be exposed. She stood frozen to the spot unable to think of what to do.

"Are you a science experiment gone wrong?" Chase asked staring up at her, scrutinizing her carefully. "Could it be that my wife is a superhero? What else can you do? Maybe I don't need to work. Will our children be like you?" Chase laughed uproariously.

Willow contemplated her options and realized that unless she was willing to take permanent steps to prevent Chase from exposing her, the options were few.

"I can see that the thought of being turned in bothers you," Chase said. "Good, that means we have come to an agreement. If you don't do what I tell you, I'll call the newspapers and expose you. I'm sure every doctor and scientist in the country will be knocking on our door wanting to examine you and take samples." He paused and tilted his head. "Are you even human? If they could prove you weren't human, they would take you away. I wouldn't like that, of course, but if you won't stay with me..." Chase shrugged.

Willow was so angry, she was shaking. Chase would do as he said. If he exposed her, she wouldn't live long. If some nut didn't stalk and capture her, the Regents would. She would be considered a threat, and a kill order would be issued. Willow also had to think about Greg. If he were implicated in any way, the Regents would kill him too.

She thought about killing Chase by causing him to overdose on hormones. He could draw his last breath in ecstasy. Despite his willingness to hurt her, she didn't want to hurt him. Willow stood very still as he stepped closer to her. Chase knew he had her and smiled smugly. He reached for the scarf around her neck and gently untied it, tucking it in his back pocket. "What would you like for dinner sweetheart?"

# Chapter Fourteen

Greg woke up the next morning and stumbled out of bed. He debated with himself as to which he preferred, a shower or coffee. He compromised. He went to use the restroom then to the kitchen to start the coffee maker. He passed his dining table and glanced at the folder with all the pictures and notes he had shown Willow the day before. He wondered if she found anything useful in Keely's journal. After her phone call, he hadn't had a chance to ask. Then he wondered why she left before they had a chance to talk this morning.

He wished he'd woken up next to her. He would have tried hard to convince her to sleep with him again. Wait, again? That's right. There was a first time. I remember! I thought I wasn't supposed to remember?. He then realized he was still wearing the clothes he'd put on yesterday for the auction. He remembered the auction. Hell, he remembered everything.

"Holy shit!" Greg frantically searched his apartment for his cell phone. He found it on the table next to the door with his keys. Whoever had brought him home was courteous enough to put his things where he was likely to find them. He stared at his phone for a second remembering that he didn't have Willow's cell phone number, but she had called him once. He searched his phone for the number and dialed. His heart was beating fast. He needed to tell her that he'd retained everything. He was sure it would help him crack the case and find Keely and figure out who wanted Shelly dead before it was too late.

Her phone went to voicemail. Greg left a message, and then called her work number.

"I'm sorry Detective. Willow called in sick today," the receptionist said.

He was disappointed but still happy. Willow was wrong. If she were a demon, he would have forgotten all about her and everything she told him. Since he couldn't speak to Willow, he knew there was someone else he could call. "Ms. Davis? It's Detective Stewart."

"Hello, have you had a chance to catch up on some sleep? You looked exhausted the last time I saw you." He could tell she was trying to find out what he remembered.

"I have been able to get some sleep, although I enjoyed myself at the auction and raising a thousand dollars," he said answering her unasked question.

"I'm not sure if I'm relieved or not," Marissa said.

"Why is that?"

"Because it means you're Willow's mate."

"What?" Greg recalled Willow mentioning it, but it didn't resurface until Marissa said it.

"I thought she explained all of this to you. Any human who remembers us after we sleep with them is our mate."

"Are you sure?" he asked. He wanted to be sure it wasn't a mistake before he delved into the details of what that could mean for him and Willow.

"I'm sure," Marissa said. "It's a big deal for us. Since you remember, you're Willow's mate. Unless you had sex with Serena, if so, then you belong to her."

"If you're talking about the lady in the red dress, nothing happened with her. The last thing I remember was her talking about something, then I woke up in my bed this morning. Unless she knocked me out and we had sex here." Greg said.

"No, you fell asleep at the hotel. You must have fallen asleep soon after she paid for you. I had someone take you home," Marissa said. Greg could hear the humor in her voice.

"I'm not sure what to do here," he admitted.

"It's always the human's choice if they want to be with us. You can walk away from Willow if you want. Just because you are the perfect mate for her according to nature, doesn't mean you don't have free will. It's common, however, that within a short time of meeting their demon mates, humans become just as connected to us as we are to them. If you're not ready for a lifetime relationship and that is what this is, you can decline."

"What happens if I do? Not that I want to, but I don't understand all this."

"You both go your merry way," Marissa said.

He heard the hesitation in Marissa's voice. "What are you not telling me?"

"What happens afterward is none of your concern."

"Tell me," Greg demanded.

Marissa sighed heavily. "A lot of demons attempt, or succeed, in killing themselves after being rejected by their mates. Don't worry about Willow, though. She has a lot of friends who will care for her. The choice is yours, and you don't have to worry that something will happen to her. Willow will be fine."

Greg never imagined Willow's reaction might be so extreme. "I don't understand," he admitted.

"Of course you don't, you're human."

"What is that supposed to mean?"

"Humans end relationships every day and think nothing of it. Once we meet the one person that nature has marked for us. There is no other. For us, it's forever. To lose them after searching a lifetime is devastating."

Greg grunted his understanding. He still wasn't sure if what Marissa was telling him was true, but he knew Willow certainly believed it.

"The only thing I ask is that if you don't want to be with her, stay away from her. She can never see you again. It would hurt too much."

Greg would never hurt Willow. He hadn't been able to get her out of his mind since the moment he saw her. It was even worse now since he'd spent time with her.

"If you have no feelings for her, leave now," Marissa advised. "It's best for both of you."

"I understand," he answered. He knew how he felt about Willow, but he wasn't sure about being a mate. He couldn't wrap his head around it just yet, but he wasn't going to walk away from her, and he knew it. "I'm not going to leave her alone."

Marissa made a noise that seemed to signify she was satisfied with his answer. "I assume you're also still working on both Shelly's and Keely's cases?"

"Yes, have you found out anything new about Keely?" Greg asked.

"I did. Your timing is impeccable. I received a call from a detective with Seattle PD. I was hoping to speak to you before calling him back."

"What have you found?" Greg asked.

"A suspect."

"How?"

"There was another incident last night. Two demons who live near one another, a male and female were taking a walk together. They separated on the way home, and the attack happened after they split up. The female, Sonya, was attacked. The male, Arkady, turned around to catch up with her to walk her home. He came upon Sonya as two attackers were trying to subdue her. He knocked one out, but the other got away."

Greg was disappointed there was only one, but he would take what he could get.

"Arkady restrained the one they had after the man regained consciousness. They brought him to me. The Regents are trying to decide what to do with him. Would you like to interview him? We already know he is not the mastermind responsible for the attacks, but he could know something useful to you."

"Yes, I want to see him, where is he?" Greg asked. Any piece of information that could help him move forward in his cases would make his day.

"He's being held in my office building. Here is the address."

Greg scribbled it down on a scrap of paper he found on his table. "I'll be there in about forty-five minutes."

"I'll be waiting," Marissa said.

Greg found the building and drove around to the west side of it to find the entrance to the parking structure, then took the elevator to the lobby. It was an impressive place with a dark, sleek marble covering the floor. The artwork on the walls, antiques placed strategically, and plush furniture gathered in cozy spots around the large room, made it feel more like a hotel than a business tower.

Even the security staff looked slick. They had crisp uniforms and shiny shoes. Right away, Greg noticed that they weren't typical security guards. They seemed more like ex-military in prime physical shape, and they wore handguns. Why someone would need that kind of firepower for an office building was confusing, but he wasn't there to review their security force. He had other questions that needed answers.

Nodding to one of the guards, Greg kept moving to get to another set of elevators. He hoped once he was done here today, he could spend some quality time with Willow, and find out more about this mating business. He rode up to Marissa's office on the 23rd floor and walked over to the polished wood reception desk.

A pretty blonde woman looked up and smiled when she saw him. "Hello, Detective," she said. "Ms. Davis is expecting you. Please come this way." She led him down the hallway to the right and knocked on the second door on the left side.

The door opened to reveal a good looking black man with dark wavy hair and light brown eyes. He introduced himself as Sam. "Please come with me," Sam said.

Greg noticed how the room branched off to another room, an office. Behind a large dark wood desk sat Marissa Davis. The rest of the room held bookcases from floor to ceiling. It also had a gas fireplace against the far wall and a wet bar. Several comfortable couches and chairs sat clustered together in front of a big flat screen TV mounted on a spinning wall panel. Next to her desk, one side of the office was floor to ceiling windows. He was impressed.

"You made good time," Marissa said.

"Considering the traffic, it's a miracle I made it while it's still daylight," Greg quipped.

Marissa stood, straightened her black form-fitting skirt and walked to another door at the end of a small hallway. Greg followed without being told. Marissa opened a door at the end of the hall and walked through the doorway, asking Greg to close it behind him. Sam stayed in the hallway. Greg stepped followed her noticing he stood in front of an elevator. "Nice."

Marissa shrugged. "It makes things easier." The elevator took them straight down past the parking floors and into the basement of the building.

"Now why would a top executive like yourself need direct access to the basement?" he asked.

"Let's just say some of my visitors prefer not to enter via the lobby."

They were let out at the end of a long beige colored hallway. Walking along the plain gray carpet, they passed several doors, all of which were closed.

Marissa stopped and opened a door on her right. The room was also beige, but the furniture gave it color and personality, being decorated with stark patterns and bright colors. There were comfortable chairs and tables around the room, a refrigerator, and a fully stocked bar across from the door. A big screen TV was mounted on the wall.

To Greg's left, he saw another little hallway and a large glass panel. It looked in on another room that was more like what he'd expected. Simple metal chairs opposite one another with a sturdy table between them. The door to the room stood open, and one of the chairs was overturned.

"What happened here?" Marissa muttered and walked over to a small table next to the door and reached for a landline phone mounted on the wall. She dialed and waited. "Where is he?" she asked calmly, but with an edge to her voice. "What do mean he's gone?" She gritted out, listened to the response, and then said, "I'll be here waiting for an explanation," before hanging up the phone.

"He escaped," Marissa said stating the obvious. Her irritation was evident.

She and Greg stood and waited. Greg's thoughts shifted into high gear going through all the things he would be doing if he were looking for someone, but this wasn't his game, and they weren't playing by his rules. He would have to wait and see how this would turn out.

After a few minutes of admiring the man cave potential of the room, the door opened, and two men came in. Both were easily over six feet tall. One was a blue-eyed blond that should have been on the cover of a romance novel as a Greek god. The other guy was just as good looking with his darker skin rivaling his buddy for the cover as a fallen angel.

"What happened?" Marissa asked pleasantly. She kept smiling, but it never reached her eyes.

The blond guard spoke up, "We left him in the room and went to get something to eat. We thought he couldn't get out of there."

"You were wrong. What else?" Marissa asked.

"Celeste helped him," The dark-haired one answered.

"Why would she do that? She's family." Marissa asked.

"I don't know. By the time we came back, he was gone. The security tapes show she took him up the elevator to the parking garage. From there, he walked out onto the sidewalk. He ducked into the foot traffic heading towards the shopping center. We lost him."

"Where is Celeste now?" Marissa asked.

"We don't know. She didn't go with him," The dark one said.

"Who's Celeste?" Greg asked.

"My sister," Marissa said.

"Your sister helped a prisoner escape?" Greg glanced from Marissa's angry expression to the men's uncomfortable ones.

"Apparently." She turned to look at the men. "We need to find her." Marissa's voice was hard, and Greg could tell that when they found Celeste, it wouldn't go well for her. It reminded him there was someone else he needed to find. "I've been trying to get a hold of Willow," He said, "The receptionist at work said she called in sick. Would you happen to have her home number?"

Marissa stared at him.

"What?" Greg asked studying at the strange expressions on everyone's faces.

"She would never call in sick. We don't get sick, ever." Marissa walked around the room, a thoughtful look on her face. "I wonder if Chase went to work today."

"What does he have to do with it?" Greg asked.

Marissa took a breath. "Let's just say he has a craving for Willow."

"What does that mean?" Greg asked

"It means we have to find them and quickly," Marissa said.

They left to go to Willow's condo. Marissa said it was crucial that they find Willow and Chase immediately, but didn't explain why. Marissa wanted an escort to go with them, but Greg refused to wait. Marissa left orders that two demons were to meet them at Willow's place. Greg and Marissa arrived to find the front door closed, but unlocked.

"She would never leave her door unlocked," Marissa whispered.

Greg stepped in front of her and slowly swung the door open, being careful to scan the doorways to the kitchen and the hallway, listening for sounds of an intruder.

Marissa nudged past him. "There's no one here," she said heading straight for the kitchen. "She's been taken." She gestured at the ice cream melting on the counter.

Greg noticed her purse and keys were on the table next to the front door. "We need to find Chase," Greg said dialing his phone, "Hello, may I speak to Chase? No message, thank you. Chase called out sick today too. I don't think it's a coincidence. Do you?"

Marissa shook her head.

"I'll call down to the station and get his home address," Greg offered.

"No need," Marissa said, "I just had the address texted to me. Let's go."

They arrived at Chase's place, and two men were already waiting for them.

Greg was impressed how the men hadn't even had time to get to Willow's before Marissa redirected them to Chase's. Marissa was a tiny woman, but she had a lot of influence. Greg would have to keep that in mind when dealing with her in the future. She seemed to be their leader, and she was earning her pay.

Greg knocked and waited for Chase to answer. While he stood there contemplating what to do, one of Marissa's men produced a key and opened the door. Greg thought it was better if he didn't question where the key came from. He wasn't comfortable with just walking into a stranger's home without cause, but he was willing to let the police officer in him take a back seat for a moment. Willow could be in real trouble.

His gut told him Chase knew where she was. It wasn't a good feeling. It made him even more anxious to find her. After Marissa and he had talked on the way to Chase's place, Greg was even more on edge.

Marissa told him Chase was stalking Willow, and as time went on, it was only going to get worse. Willow was physically stronger than Chase, but he didn't know if she would be able to protect herself from someone so unpredictable.

They searched Chase's condo thoroughly looking for anything that might tell them where he'd gone. The men confirmed Willow had been there, but the scent was faded as if it'd been from days before.

Greg found a bunch of receipts for furniture and appliances that were not in the condo. He looked carefully at the paperwork, and sure enough, there was an address listed for delivery. "Chase is furnishing a house in Auburn," Greg announced. While he was sorting through the pile of papers, he found receipts for face cream and body lotion. He didn't think Chase was the kind of man who would use those things. They found none of them in the bathroom. He assumed Chase must have bought them for a woman, possibly Willow.

He went back to the table to jot down the address on a piece of paper.

Marissa took it from him, handed it to one of the men and ordered them to meet her there. He had been reading it aloud as he was writing it down. She already had the address on her phone.

* * *

Willow was alone in the basement. Unfortunately, Chase had been spending every moment he could with her. Finally, he'd gone upstairs to use the phone. There wasn't one in the basement. He told her that once he could trust her, he would have one installed so he could call her throughout the day to hear her voice.

She paced the room, wondering what she was going to do. She was angry at Chase, but she couldn't help feeling sorry for him too. He was broken, there was no other word for it. When he talked about work or the news, he seemed normal. Whenever he talked about things related to her, he turned into a different person. He became possessive and irrational, then he insisted on touching her in some way. Willow couldn't be more than a few inches from him, or he would turn manic and grab her, holding her as if he was a drowning man hanging onto a lifeline. It was frightening. Willow needed to find a way out and soon. One of them would get hurt if she didn't.

In the meantime, she was hungry and not for food. She hadn't fed since she was with Greg the other night. She could go for one more day without feeding, maybe two, then she either needed to get out of here, or Chase would die with a smile on his face.

Willow turned as the door at the top of the stairs opened, disappointed that the few moments she'd hoped to have to herself had evaporated. Even the time she needed to use the restroom became nearly too much for him. She locked the door the first time she went in there, and he almost broke it down.

Chase came halfway down the stairs and pinned her with a warning look. "We have guests knocking at the door. Please be quiet while they are here."

"And if I don't?" Willow asked unable to stop herself from provoking him.

"We already disussed the consequences of your actions," he said turning around and starting back up the stairs.

"Bastard."

"I heard that."

"You're still a bastard!" she muttered. Willow considered calling out for help, but if their visitor was human, Chase might hurt them. She couldn't take the chance with him being so unstable.

Willow wished she had her cell phone, but it was at home. Chase had insisted they leave immediately and she didn't get a chance to bring anything with her. She would have to wait until someone realized she was missing and notice that Chase had been behaving strangely. Maybe strange enough for them to tell the police. She didn't know what she would do if someone didn't find her soon. Willow hoped that whoever was knocking on the front door would notice how odd Chase was acting, and call the police.

* * *

"Hello, Detective...Stewart, Right?" Chase asked opening the door.

Greg had knocked for so long, he was starting to believe either Chase was asleep, or he wasn't home. Except that his car was sitting in the driveway, and the hood was still warm.

Marissa told him to keep knocking until Chase answered. She said she could hear his heartbeat in the house. Greg was prepared to pound on the door all night if necessary. "Yes. Sorry, I don't remember your name," Greg replied. There was no way Greg would ever forget Chase's name. That was Greg's mean streak showing itself. He wanted to make Chase feel he wasn't worth remembering his name.

"Chase Franklin."

"Right, Mr. Franklin. May we come in?" Greg asked looking over Chase's shoulder.

"Actually, now is not a good time, sorry..." Chase moved to shut the door.

Greg put his foot in the doorway to make sure it wouldn't close. "I promise this will only take a few minutes," he insisted pushing against the door.

Chase huffed, moving aside and let them in.

"Chase Franklin, and you are?" Chase introduced himself to Marissa.

"Marissa Davis, I'm an old friend of Willow Harris."

Greg watched Chase closely. There, a twitch of Chase's eyelid said he knew something when Marissa mentioned Willow's name.

Marissa's eyes narrowed, and her voice dropped into a deadly tone Greg never expected to hear from her. "Tell us where Willow is," she said.

Chase chuckled nervously and tried to say he didn't know anything about Willow.

Greg asked him a few questions about the last time he'd seen her, and it confirmed his suspicions, when he noticed inconsistencies in Chase's answers. Marissa briefly texted someone on her phone, then turned to watch Chase while Greg questioned him.

"I'm sorry, but it's not a good time. I was right in the middle of something." Chase pulled a piece of fabric out of his back pocket and mopped his face. Despite it being a cool afternoon, he was sweating. As soon as Greg saw the scarf, he knew Willow was here. Marissa sniffed loudly and snatched the scarf from him. She'd moved so quickly, if Greg hadn't been watching, he would have missed it.

"Willow?" she called out glancing around the room.

"There's no one here but me," Chase repeated. Marissa ignored him and headed for the hallway to her right. Greg stood where he was and watched Chase.

"You can't just come in here and start searching my house," Chase said angrily moving as if to prevent Marissa from searching.

Greg caught the scent of something sweet. His gaze remained on Chase. Chase's eyes glazed over, and he quieted. He turned towards the kitchen, and his body stiffened.

"Marissa, kitchen," Greg said heading in that direction. Chase tried to cut him off, and the two men struggled.

Marissa went into the kitchen found the door to the basement and opened it. "Willow?"

"I'm here!" Willow shouted running up the stairs. Greg threw Chase on the ground and glanced over to see the relief on Willow's face as she threw her arms around the other woman.

Chase got back up, saw Willow, and started fighting fiercely yelling that Willow belonged to him.

The doorbell rang, and Willow went to answer it. Greg was trying to get Chase on the floor to subdue him, but Chase was thrashing around, agitated and jerky as if he was on drugs. Willow came back with two men in suits. They immediately wrestled Chase away from Greg. Chase was still fighting, saying over and over that Willow belonged to him.

Greg stood off to the side and let the men restrain him while he caught his breath. "He needs to go to prison for kidnapping."

Marissa shook her head. "He could expose us. We can't risk it. I'm sure you understand what it would mean, not just for Willow, but for all of us if that happened."

"Who would believe a person convicted of stalking and kidnapping?" Greg said.

"All it takes is one person's quest to satisfy their curiosity to turn it into a conspiracy," Marissa explained. "We can't take that chance. Besides, your skills would be put to better use if you could find out who is attacking us and why. Let us take care of Chase. It would be best for everyone involved. He is disturbed. If we left him to the human justice system, he could get out, and he would continue to stalk Willow for the rest of his life. Is that something you want to deal with?"

"Of course not, but this isn't right," Greg said knowing that no matter what he said, his involvement in this was over.

"Extreme circumstances, extreme measures," Marissa said gesturing for the men to take Chase to the basement. She followed closely behind.

Willow and Greg were left upstairs alone. Greg was tempted to follow them down, but Marissa shook her head.

"You can't be questioned about what you don't know. You also have someone requiring assistance. Usually, the safety and comfort of others come first, do they not?" Marissa asked with a raised brow. Greg looked at Willow and nodded. He had come for her, and he found her. He would let Marissa take care of the rest.

# Chapter Fifteen

Willow didn't know what to say. She was starving and craving the man standing next to her more than anything. Greg was giving off the delicious scent of arousal, and she wanted to throw him on the floor and have her way with him. She thought about sleeping with him one more time, he would never know. She dismissed the thought knowing she wouldn't break her promise. Willow needed to get out of here. She was just barely able to contain her hunger now. Soon, her survival instinct would take over, and she didn't want Greg to see her mindless with need.

The plan was to hold out until he dropped her off at home. Once she got there, she would walk into the house, get her purse and keys and head for the nearest bar. All she had to do was be patient. It was about six in the evening. There would be a lot of guys hanging out for happy hour. She could easily take one guy as soon as she walked in, and work her way around the room until she was satisfied. If she were still hungry, she'd go around the room again.

Willow felt like she was about to burst. Greg shuffled his feet, bringing her attention back to razor-sharp focus when she caught his scent again. Her mouth watered with the desire to lick him from head to toe. Her promise was a rock around her neck. "Can we go? I'm kind of wiped out," she said.

"Are you hungry?" he asked.

"No, not really," she lied. She took a breath after noticing the edge of anxiety in her voice. Calm was the only thing standing between her and sexual abandon.

"Did Chase feed you when you were with him?" Greg asked casually.

"We had meatloaf last night and waffles for breakfast this morning, but I haven't eaten since then." Her voice was choppy but better.

Greg stepped closer to her, and she stepped away. Willow wanted to eat him, and he had a mischievous look in his eye. Is he teasing me? She wondered. Willow was fighting the urge to shuck the clothes off him, like husking an ear of corn and he was teasing her? She took another deep breath to steady herself.

"Marissa said you might be hungry. She said you were fond of take-out," he said.

Tonight I would rather eat in, she thought, but she said nothing. "I'm not hungry, but I don't want to keep you. I just want to go home. This place is creepy." Willow stepped towards him in the hopes that invading his personal space would make him move. Frustratingly, he didn't budge. If he didn't stop stalling, she was going to hate herself later for breaking her promise.

* * *

Greg was messing with her. She was starving for sex, and he knew it. He would let her have whatever she wanted from him, but first, he wanted to see what she would do. Willow wanted him just as much as he wanted her, but she was holding back.

Willow was getting exasperated with him. She wanted him to take her home so she could go pick up someone to have sex. It wasn't going to happen. "You must be exhausted. I can't imagine you got much sleep," he said.

"No, I didn't." She admitted, her voice carried a slight tremble. "I wanted to sleep on the couch, but he insisted on sleeping next to me. I spent all night feeling like my skin was crawling."

"Tell me something," Greg said.

"What?" she replied, obviously irked.

"Marissa implied you might be a nymphomaniac. Why is that?"

"Don't have a clue," she snapped. "We really need to get going." She headed for the front door.

He grabbed her arm and dragged her back in front of him. Greg released her, resisting the urge to place his hands on her shoulders and bring her closer. "She said you needed sex to feed. I was going to offer myself if that was the case."

Willow sucked in a breath. He was pushing her to the brink. "I can't," she muttered. "Let's just go."

"You can't what?" He prodded.

"I can't sleep with you."

"Am I not handsome enough?" He teased.

"It's not that. I need to go," Willow said firmly, placing her hands on his chest and pushing against him gently so he would take a step back. He didn't.

"Is it because of a promise you made?" he asked placing his hands over hers while they rested against his warm chest.

"What?" She looked confused. Greg thought she was adorable.

"If it's because of a promise you made to me, I release you from it," he said.

She still looked confused and so damn beautiful. He wanted her. He wasn't sure what it would mean in the long run, but he'd never felt this way before. He wanted to see where it might go, and if it ended up being with her forever, he'd take it. Grasping her hand, he pulled her fingers towards his mouth, lightly sucking her fingers.

Willow snatched her hand back. "What are you doing?" She said stomping her foot. Greg had to stop himself from laughing. "If I remember correctly, you like that."

"I don't understand," Willow said with a whine in her voice.

He stopped torturing her. "I remember Willow. Every touch and every sound. I especially love that little groan you do when I slide into you. I remember everything."

"You're my mate," Willow stated cautiously as her eyes widened.

"It looks that way," Greg replied, finally pulling her into his arms. "How do you feel about that?"

"Honestly, I'm not sure. I think I might be dreaming." She looked a bit dazed.

He pulled one of her hands down and placed it on the outline of his hardness. "This is not a dream. I'm right here, and if sex with you is as good as the first time, you couldn't get rid of me if you tried."

"Sex between mates is even better," she replied cocking an eyebrow.

"Then what the hell are we waiting for, your place or mine?" he asked taking her hand and heading for the door.

"Mine," she answered. "It's got soundproofing."

Greg stopped in his tracks. "Soundproofing?"

"I'm a sex demon. I need soundproofing, or I would disturb the neighbors," she said.

"Why because you're a screamer?" he joked.

Willow laughed and slapped his arm. "No, I make my partners scream."

"You will be the one screaming tonight, lady," Greg challenged.

"Game on, mister sexy detective." Willow accepted with a nod.

* * *

Willow got in the car and said nothing while Greg pulled out of the driveway and drove them back to Seattle. She moaned softly.

"Don't start that yet. I won't be able to wait," Greg complained.

"Who says you have to wait?" she purred.

"Not while I'm driving, please. I might crash the car."

Willow laughed. "Are you telling me you have no control?"

"Only when it comes to you, sweetheart," Greg admitted.

"Can I touch you?" she asked.

"Better not," he warned his voice shaking. "If you touch me now, I'll probably embarrass myself."

"I might like to see that," she commented running her hand along his thigh.

He grabbed her hand and placed it back on her lap. "I would rather not walk through your building with a wet spot near the crotch of my pants. It could only be one of two things, cum or pee, neither is a good thing for a man my age."

She laughed.

"I can touch you, though," he said moving his hand smoothly over her knee.

"Are you sure? Men have had orgasms just from touching my breasts."

"I don't doubt it, but think I can handle it. Spread those beautiful legs for me." Out of the corner of his eye, he watched her maneuver her skirt up around her hips and pull her lacy panties down and off her legs. She then propped one of her legs on the dashboard in front of her.

Greg glanced over and sucked in a breath. "I said spread your legs, not show it all to everyone driving next to us."

Willow laughed. "Sex demon, remember? Let them watch. They'll have no memory of it tomorrow."

Greg shook his head but kept his eyes on the road. Willow guessed they were about ten minutes away from the cutoff, then another ten to fifteen minutes to her place. She would see if he could hold out that long. He reached over and placed his hand on her thigh, then slid his hand around to the inside of her leg. He kept his hand there to make slow circles with his fingers on her silky skin. She made a noise of frustration. He chuckled. "Impatient?"

"Very," she said.

* * *

Greg slowly moved his hand up her leg until his fingers brushed against her swollen sex, making Willow inhale quickly. He separated the warm wet petals sliding his fingers over them teasingly while she started to wriggle. "Keep still," he scolded.

Willow laughed then settled down. Greg ran one of his long rough fingers over her sensitive bundle of nerves, her body jumped as if he'd sent a spark of lightning through her. He could feel the sweet cream flowing from her, coating his fingers. He stroked her slowly from her throbbing clit to her warm dark channel and back again. Then he pushed one of his fingers into her, and she groaned. "That's just my finger. In about a half hour, it's going to be my cock."

"Can't wait," she moaned.

Greg's voice had gone deep and raspy. "I might have to shove my tongue in there to get a good taste of this hot pussy before I fuck it."

Willow moaned again, louder this time. He inserted another finger and fucked her harder. Willow was squirming and riding his fingers.

"Yeah, that's right, fuck them. Let's get this juicy pussy ready for my cock. I'm going to ride you hard when we get back to your place. You have been asking to get fucked, and I'm going to bury my cock in this hot little pussy. I'm planning to be balls deep in you all night."

"Ohh—I'm going to c-come," she said sucking air in little gaps.

He kept his fingers inside her but stopped moving. She grabbed his wrist and whimpered.

"Are you asking me or telling me?" he asked.

"Please, I need to come, please?" she begged

He liked her like this. "Then come for me." He moved his fingers again and pressed lightly on her clit.

Her whole body shook when the orgasm rolled over her. She groaned, and her warm liquid gushed over his fingers.

"So damn sexy," he whispered. He stroked her until every last pulse of pleasure faded away. He pulled his hand away and smiled looking over at her sitting there breathing hard, legs spread in abandon. "Better?"

"Yes, but for God's sake man, drive faster!"

Feeling satisfied, Greg laughed and pressed the pedal to the metal.

* * *

They arrived at her condo and parked in the visitor spot. As soon as the elevator doors closed, Willow reached over and stroked the outline of his cock.

Greg growled. "Just a few more minutes," he said.

"No, now." She pushed gently on his cock.

He bent over slightly squeezing his legs together. "I can barely move as it is, my cock is so hard. My balls ache. Don't make me come in my pants," he complained.

Willow ignored him and slid her fingers into his waistband to tug him towards her then undid the button and the zipper on his pants. Greg kept trying to swat her hands away.

She wouldn't be denied. "I want your cock, and I want it now." She unzipped him, reached into his pants and grasped his rock-hard member to pull it out. Staring down at the velvet-covered steel, she knew she'd never wanted anyone more. Moving closer to him and stroking him slowly, she gently squeezed his thick base up to the engorged tip with her delicate hands.

"Why does this damn elevator take so long?" he whined.

Willow laughed. She got on her knees and licked the head of his cock. Greg sucked in a breath and threw his arms out to the walls of the elevator to steady himself. His knees were shaking.

Licking from his balls to the slit in his cock, she rolled her tongue over the fat, plum-colored head. He'd become so thick she couldn't close her hand around his dick. She sucked lightly on the head, dipping her tongue in the slit, tasting the salty drop of moisture there.

He groaned. "Suck it, baby, suck it," he urged in a husky whisper.

Willow moaned and buried her nose in the hair around his cock. She was practically high from the scent of him, pure male, spicy and musky. She gently kissed the head of his cock then opened her mouth wide and quickly engulfed him, making him cry out and buck against her. After a few moments of hearing only sexy sounds rumbling from his throat, he said something.

"Stop baby, you're going to make me come." He panted.

Willow stopped and drew back, allowing him to take a few shuddering breaths. "That would be the point." She suddenly engulfed him again, hearing him gasp as she sucked even harder.

Closing his eyes, he shook his head. "I want to come inside you...I want to be buried in you when I come."

"And you will be, later."

"It might have been faster if we took the fucking stairs," he said.

Willow chuckled around his big dick. She wanted to feel him shooting his release while she watched his face. Letting go of his cock to give him a rest, she looked at his handsome face. His eyes filled with lust and she released a whiff of hormones.

Greg groaned as he seemed to know what she'd done. "No fair," he whined.

She put her mouth back on his cock, fit her tongue to the underside of the head and hummed. The small gesture was too much for him. He groaned her name and started coming. Warmth filled her mouth, and she watched his breath catch in his chest while pleasure rolled across his flushed face. She kept sucking until every last pulse and drop drained from him. Placing one last gentle kiss on the head, Willow then stood as she put both hands on the sides of his face and kissed him.

He stumbled weak-kneed hanging onto the wall trying to catch his breath.

"You are delicious," she smirked. "Next time I do that, I'm going to use your cock like a straw and suck out every drop from your balls."

Greg groaned again, and she felt his cock jerk against her hip as if it couldn't wait. Willow clicked the button, and the elevator moved again.

"When did you stop the elevator?" he asked looking stunned.

"What can I say?" Willow shrugged. "I got mad skills."

* * *

The doors finally opened as Willow held onto his cock and tried to lead him out of the elevator.

"What if somebody sees us?" Greg nudged her hands away trying to tuck himself back in.

She shook her head refusing to let go. "My neighbor is never home." She led the way to her front door. She let go of his dick long enough to gently roll his balls in her hand. He shivered as she took hold of his cock again.

Greg felt euphoric. I told myself I would not be led around by my dick, and here I am following a woman with her hand on my dick. I am whipped.

Willow moved against him and caressed his balls again.

She's got me by the balls.

She stopped at her front door, let go of him altogether and unlocked the door.

He walked into her house with his cock bouncing and his pants down to his ankles. Only Willow could do this to him. He stepped to the side and waited for her to close the door. Then he moved up behind her and pressed her against the door making sure she could feel his cock against her luscious bottom.

Turning towards him, she put her hands on his shoulders and looked at him. Greg dropped his chin and kissed her hard putting everything he felt for her into the kiss. Long moments of tasting her with her back pressed against the door had him hard again as soon as his body was able. He stepped back to catch his breath. Willow slid out from between him and door. He turned to watch her walk away from him, definitely liking what he saw. Willow went over to the back of the couch, hiked up the back of her skirt and then crooked a finger at him.

He took off his shoes, dropped his pants where he stood and walked towards her. As soon as he slipped his hands over her hips, she moaned, leaned farther forward and spread her legs.

She glanced over her shoulder at him. "I know you probably think I need you to make love to me, and I do, but I'm a sex demon. Right now, what I need is to get good and fucked."

Her expression set Greg ablaze. Her voice was so sexy it put his lust factor through the roof. "Yes, ma'am." He lined his cock up with her dripping pussy and slowly entered her. It felt so good to be inside her again. He could see she had a strong grip on the couch, which was good because he intended to fuck her so hard she might flip over it. He started slow and then picked up speed. This was his fantasy, using his cock like a piston in her hot, wet pussy. Willow was everything he'd ever wanted, smart, caring, beautiful, and smoking hot.

Greg loved being inside her, but he didn't want just to fuck her. He wanted her to see he cared about her, wanted her, needed her, and loved her. He needed her to see those things in his eyes when he took her. He also wanted to see her coming apart in his arms while he pumped into her. Greg would never again, allow her to have sex with someone who remained nameless or faceless to her. He wanted her to know whose cock was filling her, and he wanted her to acknowledge she was his and no one else's. He pulled out and stepped back.

"What's wrong love?" she asked while breathless.

He stared at her for a second. "You called me love," he said.

"Yes, I did because you are my love. Are you okay? Is something wrong?"

Greg shook his head. "No. Nothing's wrong. I want you on the bed. I want to look into your eyes when you come. I want you to look into my eyes and see what I feel for you. I love you, Willow." He took her hand and led her into the bedroom. Yanking his shirt off, he waited while she pulled off all of her clothes. She lay down on her back on the bed. Greg crawled on top of her and slid his cock back into her warm, waiting heat. He fit inside her perfectly as if they were made for one another.

Greg reached between them and stroked her clit in time with his thrusts. "Come for me Willow, I can't wait anymore. I'm going to explode if I hold back any longer."

Willow let go and allowed the orgasm to roll over her. She came so hard she screamed. As soon as her pussy started pulsing and squeezing him, Greg let go, tilting his head back as he grunted.

Once he could breathe again, he slowly pulled out of her and lay down next to her. She turned her back to him, and he gathered her close to him. He pillowed her head on his arm and breathed in her scent. For the first time in his life, he felt contentment roll through him the likes of which he'd never known before. It settled deep in his soul.

Willow turned over and gently kissed him. She stroked his chest and murmured contentedly. They looked deep into each other's eyes. Greg knew, at last, that he was home.

# Epilogue

Two weeks later:

Greg was no closer to solving Shelly's case. Marissa told him the Regents were also looking into Humans First. What they'd found so far, they didn't like. The organization was growing, and something had to be done and quickly to keep it as quiet as possible.

She also told him they were still searching for the man who'd escaped, but so far, he had eluded them. Marissa explained that a kill order had been issued for Celeste. Anyone helping her could find themselves in the line of fire. Greg hoped he would find her first. He had a lot of questions, and she might have the answers.

Looking for a clue as to who might have taken Keely, they started going through her journals. How Marissa managed to get them out of police custody, he didn't want to know. In going through them, he noticed that a few were missing. He wondered who could have taken them and why. He was no closer to finding Keely. The ones who took her hadn't contacted them again. Marissa didn't say so officially, but if Keely hadn't fed by now, she was probably dead.

Marissa told him the attack on Willow wasn't related to the others. Chase was attempting to act out a fantasy, and when it didn't go as planned, he took off. He'd intended to seduce Willow, not to harm her. In a lucid moment, he'd asked his caretakers to apologize to her for him.

Officially, Chase was missing, and the police had no leads, but Greg knew exactly where he was. He wanted to see him, look into the son of a bitch's eyes and tell him Willow belonged to him. Marissa said Chase was troubled, there was no point, but Greg still demanded to see him.

He hated Chase. Greg wished he'd given him a beating back at the house for what he'd done to Willow, but he knew he wouldn't. Despite his anger, it wasn't his way. He had insisted on seeing Chase to make sure he wasn't being mistreated or tortured.

Marissa agreed to the visit. Greg rode the elevator down to the basement with Marissa. She'd warned him of how bad Chase's behavior was, but said he was doing a little better. There might be a chance that he could recover, but the doctors had told her his chances for a full recovery weren't good.

They reached their floor, and he found they were on a lower floor than last time. They walked down the hallway and turned left at the end of it. Coming to another hallway, they kept going until Marissa stopped at a gray steel door on the right. She knocked, and her assistant Sam opened it.

Greg nodded to him then followed Marissa inside. The room was much larger than he assumed it would be from the doorway. There were six dark glass boxes surrounded by bars against the walls. The cubes and the bars were at least ten feet high. Greg halted as he noted the bars were only on the sides, not on the top. The top was glass. "He's in a cage?"

"It's necessary for the safety of everyone involved," Marissa explained. " While Chase is making some progress, he's still unstable."

The glass of the box closest to where Marissa stood lightened becoming opaque to clear in a few minutes. Greg saw Chase lying on a large bed...naked.

"As you can see, we tried to make him as comfortable as possible." Marissa pointed out.

Greg studied everything in the box. Chase had a bed and a comfortable chair to sit in. The floor had a thick carpet. A doorway stood at the back of the box which Greg assumed led to a private restroom. A round table sat near an opening in the glass panel and a break in the bars where they must be placing Chase's food. It was disturbing to note how all the furniture was bolted to the floor.

Hearing Marissa speak, Chase jumped off the bed and moved towards the glass. He wore such a crazed look on his face, it made Greg take a half a step back.

"Where is Willow?" Chase asked softly.

"Don't answer," Marissa instructed, "How are you, Chase?"

"I want Willow," he responded woodenly.

"You seem to be doing better since the last time I saw you," Marissa said.

Greg was amazed Marissa could remain calm. Chase was wild-eyed and unfocused as he pressed his hands flat against the glass. "Willow," he demanded more firmly. No one responded, and he softly chanted Willow's name to himself. His eyes glazed over as he stared at nothing. Greg watched, as Chase's dick got harder and harder as he stood there.

"Willow!" Chase shouted unexpectedly.

It startled Greg. It was like watching a car wreck, knowing something was going to happen, but there was nothing anyone could do to stop it. Chase pulled one hand away from the glass to stroke himself while staring blankly and continuing to chant Willow's name. He was gripping himself so hard it must have hurt.

Feeling sick, Greg winced. Chase kept stroking until he came on the glass in front of him. Then he dropped to his knees and started sobbing. "I need Willow!" he wailed. He looked so pathetic Greg shook his head and glanced away. The glass became opaque, and it was just as well. Greg couldn't watch anymore. "That was better?" he asked.

Marissa nodded. "Shortly after bringing him here, he stroked himself repeatedly. He was nearly raw and had to be restrained. He speaks in sentences now. In the beginning, the only thing he could say was her name."

Greg felt like an ass. Chase was suffering. If they couldn't get him back to some semblance of normal, Chase would go from being a missing person to an accident victim.

"I know you're angry for what he did, but I wanted you to understand what she did to him."

Greg opened his mouth to argue, but Marissa held up a hand. "No one blames Willow. She would never have hurt him. She didn't realize what would happen. Instead, he is a harsh reminder to me that I need to make sure everyone understands how dangerous we can be to humans."

"Poor bastard," Greg muttered.

"He will be well cared for while he is in recovery," Marissa said. "There's no rush to make a decision on his status at the moment. When it comes to the human mind, we just don't know what will happen. We will do whatever is best for him in the end. Of course, we are trying to remain optimistic and hope for a full recovery." Greg didn't want to think about the alternative.

"Go home, take care of your mate and be happy. This is an unfortunate circumstance." Marissa said. "I'll make sure Chase has everything he needs."

Greg was comforted in knowing the Regents considered what happened to be an accident and wouldn't be issuing a kill order for Willow. He also felt better knowing Chase would be cared for and closely watched. He hoped Chase could find his way back. If the circumstances were different, Greg knew it could have been him inside the cage instead of Chase.

On his way home after seeing him, Greg made it a point to stop off and pick up the ring he'd ordered. He told himself he'd been waiting for the right moment to pop the question. He didn't want Willow to feel rushed. He'd been fooling himself. He would marry Willow as soon as she would let him. He understood Chase's obsession with her because he had it too.

* * *

Willow came home from work to unpack more of Greg's boxes, glad he was finally moving in with her. She didn't like going go to bed at night without him. Sometimes, during the night, Willow would awaken and instinctively reach for him forgetting he wasn't there. It was even harder waking up without him.

They had talked about moving in together but didn't make any real plans. After a few more days of waking up alone, Willow was tired of waiting, but before she pushed the issue, there was something she needed to know. She called Marissa hoping she could answer a question.

"What happened at the auction?" Willow asked.

"You mean with Serena and Greg?" Marissa asked.

"Yes."

"I was told by someone she confided in that Serena was confident she would be able to gloat the next time she saw you. Unfortunately, things didn't go as planned. She was speaking to Greg, but not paying attention to him, assuming he would, of course, be riveted to what she was saying. She stopped talking when she realized he wasn't responding. When she looked up, he wasn't seated at the table."

"How is that possible?" Willow asked.

"Wait, it gets better. Serena was embarrassed to find out she'd been talking to herself. How had Greg managed to leave the table without her noticing? He should have been hanging on her every word."

Willow chuckled as she imagined Serena's expression.

Marissa continued, "Serena looked around the room searching for him. She was about to head towards the restrooms thinking he might have gone there. Not even sexual attraction can override the call of nature. It was possible he had been trying to tell her, and since she wasn't paying attention, he just got up and left. Serena was about to search for him when she heard a sound coming from under it. She grabbed the edge of the table fearing it wasn't stable and might tip over."

Willow laughed as Marissa's voice cracked with humor.

"She leaned over to check under the table. She was horrified to find out that sound was coming from Greg. He was snoring, loudly. While she was talking, he'd fallen asleep, slipped out of his chair and onto the floor."

Willow laughed hard now.

"Serena was going to pick up him, but before she could, I happened to stop by to check on him. I saw him on the floor and told her I had no idea she was so boring. Immediately suspicious, she asked if I knew something about it. I told her I assumed she scented him. It must have caused a sensory overload his exhausted body couldn't compensate for, and he fell asleep. I told her the date was over and to forget about getting a refund. I asked two males to take Greg home."

Willow was delighted Serena's plan hadn't worked out. "Thank you."

"You're welcome. Happy mating."

Once Willow knew for certain he was her mate, she wanted to be near him as much as possible. She smiled remembering how she'd encouraged him to finalize their plans. It hadn't taken much effort on her part. She'd slept over at his place one night, and when she woke up, she could hear him moving around in the kitchen. Willow tossed off the covers and went to the bathroom. She brushed her teeth and went to put something on, but changed her mind and walked out of the bedroom, through the living room, and into the kitchen, naked.

Willow stood in the doorway watching him make a cup of coffee wearing only a pair of shorts. She admired his strong, broad back in the moments before he realized she stood there. "If we lived together, you could wake up to this every day." She stretched her arms over her head and yawned.

Greg turned when he saw her standing there. He dropped the carton of milk he'd been holding when he heard her voice. He stepped around the puddle and half-heartedly reached to close the refrigerator door as he moved towards her. He wrapped his arms around her waist. Willow sighed resting her arms on his shoulders, then played with his hair.

"God, you're beautiful." He kissed her gently on the lips.

She turned her head to deepen the kiss and moaned into his mouth when he pulled her closer to crush their bodies together. His hard cock pressed against her stomach. His tongue tangled with hers, tasting and teasing. Greg encouraged her to turn her head and kissed her cheek before running his tongue over the shell of her ear.

Willow caressed his muscular chest with her hands then reached down past the elastic in his shorts to grasp his hardness. "You're going commando again," she whispered while he kissed her neck. He nipped her shoulder, and she moaned.

"I'm well-trained," he muttered before running his tongue over her collarbone. Moving one of his hands from her waist, he cupped one of her breasts. He bent further, sucking her nipple into his hot mouth. Willow arched her back, and he growled. Greg moved to the other breast after releasing the first one with a last sultry lick.

Willow stroked him until she couldn't wait anymore and stepped away from him to pull down his shorts. He stepped out of them and backed her up to the heavy wood-topped kitchen island. She sat on it and slid across its smooth surface until she could lay flat on her back. He traced her sides with his big hands. Putting her hands at her sides, she waited, content to let him do whatever he wanted.

Kissing her stomach, he ran his tongue around her belly button. His hands continued to roam over her skin, and she loved the roughness of his fingers. Greg moved his hands to the inside of her thighs and pushed them further apart. Kissing and licking her inner thigh, he would give her a small nip then soothe the sharpness with the softness of his lips. His hands slowly slid up the inside of her legs until his fingers were touching her soft skin already wet and ready for him. He gently separated her folds and licked his lips.

Willow closed her eyes savoring the sensation of his tongue moving in one long slow lick from her warm wet channel to her throbbing clit "Honey, I need you," she pleaded.

"I don't hear you begging yet." He ran his tongue over her hot, needy flesh again. Then inserted his finger into her and growled while feeling her clench. He groaned and started finger fucking her slowly.

"Please, I need to come." Willow gasped out.

"Then come for me." Greg flicked his tongue faster over her clit, swiftly sliding two fingers in and out of her, moving her purposefully towards orgasm.

Willow cried out his name, as the orgasm roared through her and made her squirm on the table.

Greg kept up his efforts, wringing every last gasp of pleasure from her. He climbed onto the island next to her and leaned over her to kiss her deeply. He rolled over, taking her with him, pulling her on top of him. "Ride me," he whispered huskily.

Willow was happy to fulfill his request. Straddling his waist and gazing into his intense eyes, she held his thick cock steady, lifted herself up, and slowly dropped to impale herself on him. "Oh yeah, that's what I wanted!" she exclaimed leaning over to kiss him again.

Reaching up, he palmed her breasts while she moved over him. "Is that the best you got sex demon?" he taunted.

"I'm going to ride you until you pass out, human."

"Bring it."

She did. Willow came twice more before he couldn't hold out any longer and gave himself over to their passion. Once he recovered, Greg took her back to bed and held her. "I am never letting you go," he whispered.

"Neither will I," Willow whispered back.

Greg started packing that day. It made sense for them to move in together. He would be at her place every chance he got. They had many bouts of phenomenal sex, but their conversations were what they liked most about the time they spent together. They were different, but they had a lot of things in common.

Willow liked how Greg often discussed his theories with her. He asked her questions about demons that Keely's kidnapper might have known that no one else would. She was proud that she was able to give him a unique perspective.

Greg had been unable to make any headway in the investigation. Willow hated to see him frustrated, but she knew he wouldn't stop until he found the truth. All of it could be incredibly dangerous, and she worried for his safety. She didn't want to lose him. The mere thought of losing Greg had Willow fighting back tears. She wasn't as strong as Megan.

Greg continued to keep on top of the cases as much as he could with the help of Marissa, but there hadn't been any true progress in some time. Whoever had taken Keely and injured all the other demons were very good at hiding. Willow dreaded every report of a body being found in the Puget Sound Area, afraid it would be Chase or Keely. For now, Chase was still alive, and she still held onto the hope her she-demon friend would be found.

Despite all that, Willow was happier than she ever thought possible. Greg had taken to being the mate of a demon very well. She would tell him later that being her mate would change him too. Anytime she needed him, he would be hard and ready. He would be everything she needed for the rest of her life. She explained how he would live as long as she did and maybe even longer. Their lives were tied together. If she lived a hundred years, so would he.

Once she told her parents about him, they wasted no time in coming to meet him. Her parents loved him. Willow got nervous when her dad asked Greg to take a walk with him, saying they needed to have a "human to human" talk. Her mother told her not to worry, and the two men came back from their walk as thick as thieves.

Even after all of that, she was still afraid. He'd said many times that he would never leave her, but a part of her was still unsure. Greg hadn't asked her to marry him yet. It might be a sign that he wasn't ready to commit. If so, what did that mean for her?

Willow stopped unpacking and looked at herself in the mirror on the wall. It's insecurity, and I need to cut it out. Greg loves me, and I know it. She put the thought of her mind and turned around to put the empty box to the side. Greg standing behind her and she blushed remembering what she'd just been thinking.

"Why are you blushing?" Greg asked.

"Nothing, just thinking about you and here you are. You're home early," she replied changing the subject.

"You're a succubus and thinking about me makes you blush? I like it." He grinned.

She grabbed a pillow from the couch and threw it at him.

Greg caught it laughing. "I'm home because I wanted to spend time with my wife."

"Wife?" she repeated.

"Yes, if you'll have me." He got down on one knee and opened his hand to reveal a red velvet covered box.

Willow gasped then opened it to reveal a diamond and gold ring.

"When I met you," Greg said, "You changed everything, including me. I love you, and I know I haven't been good about saying it unless I'm on top of you."

Willow laughed and blinked back tears, so touched by his words.

"I can't live without you. Willow, will you marry me?"

"Yes," she answered in a shaky voice.

He smiled, took the ring from the box and put it on her finger, and then kissed her long and hard. When he let her take a breath, she laughed with sheer joy. He whispered in her ear, "Good because that's the only answer I would accept from you."

"And if I'd said no?" Willow asked pulling back and looking at him.

"I was going to take you to bed immediately and do my best to convince you of exactly why you should marry me," Greg said.

Willow laughed as Greg swept her up in his arms. She grinned devilishly while gazing into his eyes. "I must admit I'm still not sure...I might need some convincing. Actually, I might need a lot of convincing."

Greg scowled and spanked her bottom.

"Hey!" Willow shouted.

"If that is what I have to do, then I am man enough to do it," he stated dramatically.

"I understand if it's too much for you." Willow sighed. "You're only human after all."

"Them's fighting words, demon girl," he replied smiling. He carried her into the bedroom and dropped her onto the mattress. Willow laughed delightedly.

"Once I'm done with you, you will have no doubt that I am the man for you. I also have one other thing going for me." Greg crawled over on top of her.

"Oh yeah, what's that?" Willow wrapped her arms around his neck bringing him closer.

"I'm the only man who will always remember you."

The End

###

# About the Author:

Nanea Knott is an author who hopes to one day have name recognition for being famous not infamous. She's determined to find the readers who like a good story with a little humor, some romance and of course, sex. She has two naughty cats and is the proud owner of the title "crazy cat lady." She reads faster than she writes, has a mad obsession for arts and crafts, and owns way more coffee mugs a person who doesn't drink coffee ought to have.

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