Seduction's Shift (37 page)

In one hand he held a photo, in the other the business card. He’d read the name over and over again, feeling his adrenaline kick up a notch each time.

Xavier Santos-Markland was the name on the card. Special agent at the Federal Bureau of Investigations.

Statements from one of Diamond’s co-workers said a man approached them in the alley behind Athena’s the last night Diamond was seen alive. She said the guy took a special liking to Diamond and wanted her to do some special favors for him; he’d told her to call him whenever she needed something. The other girls claimed they warned Diamond to stay away from the guy, but she was young and stupid and probably hooked up with him anyway.

Dorian prayed she hadn’t. Then again, praying for Diamond was too little, too late. Now all he could do was seek justice for her. And that’s precisely what he planned to do, even if it meant arresting one of his own. He picked up the phone and dialed the personal cell phone number of Special Agent Xavier Santos-Markland.

Read on for an excerpt from the next book by A.C. Arthur

PASSION’S PREY

Coming soon from St. Martin’s Paperbacks

X had the perfect view.

T&A (tits and ass) were bountiful in Athena’s, one of Washington, D.C.’s premiere adult nightclubs. When he’d walked in, the two bouncers standing on either side of the doorway looked him up and down. They’d even frisked him to make sure he wasn’t carrying a weapon. Little did they know he didn’t need one—
he
was a weapon. A hostess, which X thought was a nice touch to the establishment, walked him to his seat. Five feet, ten inches tall, tiny waist, thick thighs, rounded ass, and breasts that made his mouth water—just what the doctor ordered for his state of mind.

Which he’d rank close to being fucked completely up.

He’d consumed an entire bottle of Hennessey while sitting alone in his apartment. But because he was a Shadow Shifter, he wasn’t falling-on-his-face drunk. Instead, he was mellow to the point of wanting to pull this physically perfect female onto his lap and give her every pent-up stroke his dick had stored for the last few months. He was in that place that he lingered in sometimes after the dream. The lonely dark space that threatened to suck him in if he didn’t get a hold on something tangible, something that could handle all that was pent-up inside him.

X slid into the booth directly to the right side of the stage and watched as the hostess placed a slim drink list and a napkin in front of him, leaning forward so her ample breasts jiggled in his face.

She had a ready smile, thin lips, and eyes that looked like she was used to having sex—
normal
sex. That definitely was not what X had in mind. Not tonight.

No, after the day he’d had, he wanted—was at the point now where he desperately needed—something more.

So he ordered another Hennessey, straight, and sat back in the booth, waiting for the next act to hit the stage. He watched with one hand on his thigh, close to his semi-erect dick, all the T&A on display, because as far as appetizers went, Athena’s was doing a pretty damn good job.

The lights dimmed, and members of the audience began cheering. The next act was about to begin. There was a flurry of lights dancing around the room in slow motion as the first notes of a sultry tune began to play. The spotlight stopped on the pole, shined to perfection. The crowd went wild, jumping up out of their seats already. X remained perfectly still.

He’d picked up a scent.

Her leg appeared first, wearing a strappy silver number with heels that looked too high to be legal. X’s gaze followed her calves to her toned thighs as she’d kicked her leg out to line up with the pole. He shifted in his seat, adjusting his growing length.

The spotlight spread wider, the music’s sexy slow rhythm pulsing throughout the room. Her thighs were killer, the plump globe of her ass only slightly covered in the silver sparkling boy shorts as she jumped onto the pole and did a twisting move that put her entire body upside down, her legs splitting in mid-air. The crowd roared, but X tuned out their sounds. Dollar bills were already flying through the air, but X didn’t reach into his pocket to retrieve any of his own. Instead, his eyes stayed trained on the body. Her skin was a milky, heavily creamed coffee complexion, the hoop ring threading through her navel sparkling as if in response to the crowd. He had no idea what the material was that was able to hold her heavy breasts inside the bra that matched her shorts, but the plump mounds gyrated with her movement, giving everyone a view of what could possibly be her most prized possessions.

His breath froze, his gut clenching when his gaze fixed on her face. She’d just turned so that she was upright, long, ebony hair sliding down her back like a cloak. And even though her make-up was plentiful, making her look like an exotic temptation, there was no mistaking who she was.

Caprise.

His fists clenched on his thighs as his dick threatened to break free of the zipper that held it back. Questions filled his mind, but Caprise alone filled his sight. He couldn’t look away, couldn’t move to grab her ass off that stage, and couldn’t open his mouth—now salivating with lust—to yell at her.

Once again she bounced on the pole, this time extending her legs forward, then opening them so her crotch was displayed. Lucky for the covering of the shorts, he thought with only minor relief. That was short-lived. In the next second she was off the pole, ripping the shorts from her ass to reveal a tiny string with more sparkles disappearing into the curvy cheeks of her ass.

A man tried to jump onto the stage, money in hand. His mouth was hanging open, eyes all but bulging out. X felt his cat roar and slapped a hand on the table in front of him. A bouncer grabbed the man by the collar and yanked him back, dropping him into his seat. X let out a quick sigh. When his gaze returned to the stage, her bra had been removed to reveal pasties on her nipples, more sparkling, as if that were what he was supposed to look at. She was basically naked, he thought, swallowing hard in an effort to regain his senses. When her hands grabbed her breasts and she leaned over, shaking them to the crowd, X’s sharp teeth pricked his lower lip. He wanted her. The thought hit him like a punch to the gut. She licked her finger, traced it along the small patch of material at her juncture, and X had to drag a hand down his face.

The rest of the show was lost on him as he’d stood and made his way to the side of the stage. There was a bouncer there giving him the don’t-even-try-it look. On impulse, X flashed his FBI badge, and the bouncer, intelligent character he was, took a step back. Vaguely he realized her music had ended. He was more focused on the fact that she was sashaying her naked ass off the stage. Because the bouncer had taken a hike, X was able to slip through the
STAFF ONLY
door and was right there the moment Caprise stepped those sex-on-stilts shoes of hers on the floor.

He grabbed her by the arm. “Don’t say a word,” he warned when she looked up at him in surprise. “Not one word!”

Also by

A.C. Arthur

Temptation Rising

Praise for TEMPTATION RISING

“Deliciously edgy, sexy, and certainly not to be missed. A.C. Arthur knows how to deliver the heat.”

—Lora Leigh,
#1
New York Times
bestselling author

“The shifter universe just got sexier with the kick-off to Arthur’s sizzling new series, Shadow Shifters. This launch book introduces an intriguing cast of characters functioning in the human world, yet keeping their true natures a secret. The sparks between this hero and heroine are plentiful, but developing a relationship is tougher. Looking forward to the next installment!”

—RT Book Reviews

“
Temptation Rising
has everything a good book should: action, adventure, suspense, mystery, and fiery-hot passion.”

—Romance Junkies

“This book has depth and an interesting storyline, complete with unique characters that will keep you entranced, starting at page one.”

—Night Owl Reviews

“A.C. Arthur begins a new series with a bang.”

—Sensual Reads

About the Author

A.C. ARTHUR
was born and raised in Baltimore, Maryland, where she currently lives with her husband and three children. An active imagination and a love for reading encouraged her to begin writing in high school and she hasn’t stopped since. Her debut novel,
Object of His Desire,
was written when a picture of an Italian villa sparked the idea of an African-American/Italian hero. Determined to bring a new edge to romance, she continues to develop intriguing plots, sensual love scenes, racy characters, and fresh dialogue—thus keeping the readers on their toes! Visit
www.acarthur.net
.

This is a work of fiction. All of the characters, organizations, and events portrayed in this novel are either products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously.

SEDUCTION’S SHIFT

Copyright © 2012 by A.C. Arthur.

Excerpt from
Passion’s Prey
copyright © 2012 by A.C. Arthur.

All rights reserved.

For information address St. Martin’s Press, 175 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10010.

www.stmartins.com

eISBN: 9781466815001

St. Martin’s Paperbacks edition / October 2012

St. Martin’s Paperbacks are published by St. Martin’s Press, 175 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10010.