Demons Not Included by Cheyenne McCray

Author:Cheyenne McCray [McCray, Cheyenne]
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
ISBN: 9780312949600
Amazon: 031294960X
Publisher: Bill
Published: 0101-01-01T08:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 18

The rain had finally let up, and the air smelled rain-washed and clean as I headed toward James's

"pad with a lab." As he called it, not me.

James Gifford lived in Morningside Heights, near the border of Harlem. He was a professor in the School of Engineering and Applied Science at Columbia University by day. By evening he practically lived in the high-tech lab he'd built in his "pad," a first-floor apartment with absolutely no view.

When I arrived, James opened the door after I knocked twice. Instantly the scent of brownies and what smelled like stew hit me, and I realized I hadn't eaten since ... I wasn't sure.

"Haven't been graced with your presence for quite a while, beautiful." James smiled as he stepped back to let me into a nice but small living room that totally masked what was behind those walls.

James adjusted his trendy wire-framed glasses after he shut the door, then gave me a quick hug. He put his hands on his trim hips. "What's up?"

"Can't remember." My stomach rumbled. "I think it's to eat whatever Derek is whipping up."

"Let me set your purse on the couch and we'll go see if he'll let us sneak an early dinner." He took my handbag. "Oooh. Dolce & Gabbana." He looked at me over his rims. "This is so unfair. If i showed up at Columbia with something like this—"

"They'd kick your ass out." Derek was wiping his hands on a dish towel as he came from the kitchen. He grinned at me, teeth white against tanned skin and golden eyes flashing. After a quick hug, he ushered me to the kitchen, where the smells were even stronger. "So, fill us in on what's going on."

"Maybe we should eat first," I said as they seated me at the dining room table. Derek started serving up prime rib and steamed vegetables on fine porcelain that had sprigs of wildflowers around its rim.

James poured three glasses of merlot. "That bad?"

"That bad."

Derek was a half-human Shifter, but had been raised with his human father and human stepfamily.

He'd met James at a gay nightclub a couple of years ago and they'd been together ever since.

We had normal chatter while Derek, a chef at one of the finer restaurants in the city, served up a chocolate mousse that was like dying and going to Summerland. I swear.

When we were finished eating and I was relaxed from a couple of glasses of wine, I told them everything that had happened. Including how Caprice had been murdered.

"Sweetheart." Derek came over from his side of the dining table and took my hand so that I was standing and he could give me a hug. It felt good to be held again, and to breathe in the hint of a male Shifter's scent of amber. When he drew away there were tears in his eyes. "Caprice was such a doll." He wiped the corners of his eyes with his fingers. "I just can't believe it."

James hugged me next, and kissed my cheek.

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