...Wind blew in off the lake, sending a shiver dancing over my skin.

And then he was behind me. Just like that, in the blink of an eye, the guy went from still as stone on the bench, across the dozen feet or so and around behind my back. Yet, I hadn’t seen him stand or walk or anything. Just bam, there he was.

I jerked, tightening my hand on the stun gun in my pocket. His hands locked onto my arms before I could pull it out.

“Now, now, you asked for the details.” His words whispered over the back of my neck, sending a tightening sensation down my body. With a twist to look over my shoulder at him, I saw only pale white skin and glowing amber eyes. His height was just as I’d expected, towering over me at probably six and a half feet. And he was broad at the shoulders. I could tell that much even with his physique hidden by the trench coat and the darkness. My gaze returned to his glowing eyes. So sad and…glinting with something dangerous.

I couldn’t tear my gaze free. “What are you? What do you want?”

“Let’s start with you not trying to electrocute me and work our way up from there.” He blinked and loosened his grip on my arms. “I won’t hurt you. I won’t take anything you can’t willingly offer.”

I turned slowly. “What the hell does that mean? And how about we back up to the part where you answer me and explain just what the hell you are.”

“So tough.” From beneath the brim of his hat, one side of his lips quirked upward, revealing a neat line of teeth…except for one that was long enough to definitely be called a fang.

Icy fingers slid down my back. This guy was way out of my league. Brute strength alone would probably crush me if that was what he wanted. Yet, his huge grip remained gentle. “Answer my question or we’re heading back down the ‘shock the shit’ road once more.”

This time he chuckled. “I’m a…” His words faded to nothing.

“A what? I make my living studying people and I’ve seen enough to know you aren’t one. Are you a…” This time it was my words that failed. After all, I could hardly ask him if he was a vampire. Who the hell could ask that straight out into the honest night? “You’re not human. I don’t even need you to answer that question. But I’m not a bigot or anything. So just say it in one word or less. What are you?”

His head tilted forward. The brim of his hat hiding all of his face.

I just knew it. He was going to actually say that word. He was going to say right out loud that he was a vampire.

“I’m a demon.”

“Ha! So you are a vampire!”

“I am not a vampire.” His rebuttal was filled with violent loathing. Weren’t vampires all demons of a sort?

“Demon. Vampire. What’s the difference?” I took a step back. Anyway you looked at it, I shouldn’t let my curiosity overwhelm the fact that any answer of this vein either honest or otherwise still boiled down to dangerous as hell.

“I am a demon. Until recently, my duty among my people was to hunt down and destroy vampires. So you could say the difference is rather significant.” He closed the distance between us once more, and again it happened too fast to be seen. “Wouldn’t you say the distinction between predator and prey is rather essential?”