Mating Fever by Susan Hayes
Carnage
Car wanted to laugh but he couldn’t, not in his current form. Instead, he let out a soft chuff and released his grip on Leta’s throat to lick her soft cheek. Fuck, she tasted as good as she smelled.
Another low growl rolled up from his throat, and he had an almost irresistible urge to bite her, to taste her blood on his tongue and sink his dick into the heat of her body—what the fuck was wrong with him?
“Ew! No licking, that’s disgusting,” Leta complained. “Get off me, you ugly mutt. And what is with the sulfur breath? Does your master feed you rotten eggs or something?”
Car was enjoying himself far too much to move yet, and he was amazed at the casual way she was treating him. Usually, his hound form reduced even the most fearsome of creatures to whimpers. Instead, she was treating him like he was a damned lapdog she caught chewing her favorite shoes.
“Off!” she snapped, and this time, she sent a blast of fire from her hands to reinforce her demand.
Heat washed over him, and the entire parking lot lit up with a cheerful glow, but that was all that happened. Lucifer knew that a Hound’s career path meant regular fights with supernatural creatures—or even the occasional rogue fallen—and so he had gifted his hunters with certain abilities, including an invulnerability to fire.
“You’ve got to be fucking kidding me. A fireproof pooch? Nice pet, asshole…” she trailed off as she looked around and realized they were alone.
“Oh, fuck, no.” Her eyes widened, and she stared up at him with horror. “Asshole, is that you?”
Car licked her face again.
“Ugh! Stop that.” She swiped at her cheek with the sleeve of her jacket and then shoved at him. “You’re a fucking Hell Hound, aren’t you? You have to be, because that’s the only thing in existence that can turn into…” she waved her hands at him. “This. Either that or they need to stop feeding the local strays toxic waste. Are those spikes running down your back? What are you, one-part dog, two-parts nightmare?”
He nodded his big head and gave her the canine version of a grin, certain she would understand. He was glad she knew what he was. It should make things easier.
“So, what does the Devil want with me? I’m a nobody, and I sure as hell haven’t done anything to warrant a visit from one of his Hounds.” She shoved at his chest. “And for fuck's sake, will you get off of me already? You weigh a ton.”
Car had to admit, he was curious as to what Luc wanted with the sexy minx he had called an abomination. The thought of her being punished in Hell simply for being born didn’t sit well with Car. Not at all.
He got to his feet and bounded to one side, shifting back into human form as he did so. Being close to her was fucking with his head enough already, a little space might help him get his shit together. He reminded himself that he was a bounty hunter, not a nursemaid. His job was to deliver his targets. What happened to them afterward wasn’t his concern.
