Banks - Novella.Soul Possession.2011

Soul Possession

Maya Banks

H EAT , N EW Y ORK

Titles by Maya Banks

The Sweet Series

SWEET SURRENDER

SWEET PERSUASION

SWEET SEDUCTION

SWEET TEMPTATION

SWEET POSSESSION

SWEET ADDICTION

The Kelly/KGI Series

THE DARKEST HOUR

NO PLACE TO RUN

HIDDEN AWAY

WHISPERS IN THE DARK

ECHOES AT DAWN

SHADES OF GRAY

Colters Legacy

COLTERS PROMISE

The Breathless Trilogy

RUSH

FEVER

FOR HER PLEASURE

BE WITH ME

Anthologies

FOUR PLAY

(with Shayla Black)

MEN OUT OF UNIFORM

(with Karin Tabke and Sylvia Day)

CHERISHED

(with Lauren Dane)

Specials

Pillow Talk

Soul Possession

THE BERKLEY PUBLISHING GROUP

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SOUL POSSESSION

Soul Possession originally appeared in Men Out of Uniform.

Copyright 2011 by Maya Banks.

Excerpt from Fever 2013 by Maya Banks.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, scanned, or distributed in any printed or electronic form without permission. Please do not participate in or encourage piracy of copyrighted materials in violation of the authors rights. Purchase only authorized editions.

BERKLEY HEAT is a registered trademark of Penguin Group (USA) Inc.

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PUBLISHING HISTORY

Heat Special edition / May 26 2013

Heat Special edition ISBN: 978-1-101-57274-0

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the authors imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental. The publisher does not have any control over and does not assume any responsibility for author or third-party websites or their content.

To my twisted but awesome agent, Kim Whalen, who wanted
so badly to be a serial killer in one of my books.

To Kirsten, a fabulous reader who plays a terrific part in this story.

To Vicki Lane and Laurie Kap, two wonderful friends that
I count myself so fortunate to know.

Thank you for just being you and real.

T his case is pissing me off, Rick said to his partner as he picked up his beer bottle and drained half the contents.

Truitt grimaced and sipped at his beer, his gaze tracking across the room. Rick knew who he was watching. It was a ritual he and Tru had fallen into for weeks now.

Jessie Callahan. A gorgeous brown-eyed doll with the sweetest smile hed ever seen on a woman. Honey blond curls so thick he itched to plunge his fingers into the thick mass.

Theyd flirted with her and propositioned her every time they came in, and she always flirted right back and then turned them down flat.

She didnt seem overly shocked that the proposition included both men. In fact, her face turned the prettiest shade of pink every time they promised her a night she wouldnt forget. The thing was, she looked downright interested, which is why they persisted. She was going to cave. Rick and Truitt knew it. And it was fun as hell in the meantime to up the ante every time they came in.

This bastard has to make a mistake sooner or later, Truitt said, turning his gaze from Jessie to eye his partner. What kind of a sick fuck gets off on torturing women and then turning them loose in the woods to hunt them? I want this son of a bitch. I want him bad.

Rick nodded. The images of the victims still burned brightly in his mind. Cuts, bruises, blood. Lots of blood. Caked-on mud and dirt, scratches from head to toe. Theyd all run blindly through the dense woods until the bastard tracking them ended his sick hunt with a bullet from a high-power rifle.

They didnt stand a chance, and yet he gave them hope by turning them loose after terrorizing and torturing them for God knew how long. Stripped of clothing and bleeding, they ran for their lives.

The police hadnt been able to determine a link between the women. No common factors. It was all frighteningly random, which frustrated Rick and Truitt and their department to no end.

The media had labeled the asshole the Big Thicket Killer. Not terribly original, but fitting all the same. No leads had turned up. Forensics had been a bust so far. The bastard was either meticulous or damn lucky.

The only way the police even knew to look for a body was because after every kill, the arrogant son of a bitch called it in. Complete with GPS coordinates.

Who knew how many women this psychopath had murdered before he decided to go public? How many test subjects had he experimented on before taking the game to the next level and all but daring the police to come after him?

Rick drained the last of his beer and set the bottle back on the table with a thud. This was their first night off in days. They had a backlog of cases and they were still spinning their wheels on the serial killer. He hated sitting around waiting for the bastard to make his next move. How many more innocent women were going to lose their lives before they took him down?

Let it go, man, Truitt said, interrupting his thoughts. At least for tonight.

Rick lifted his gaze, searching out Jessie in the crowd. Sometimes the assholes who liked to hang out in the pub enjoyed giving her a hard time, and he liked to look out for her when he and Truitt came in. He wished they could be here more often, but lately nights off were few and far between.

She was one gorgeous woman, but more than being beautiful, she had a sunny personality that just warmed you through. And when she smiledman, her smile did funny things to his chest and other parts of his body.

He didnt immediately find her. Maybe shed gone in the back to get something.

Were going to take her home tonight, Rick announced.

Truitt raised his brows. Getting impatient? What if she isnt ready?

Shes ready. Shes been giving it back to us for weeks. Shes adorably shy but shes interested. She watches us every bit as much as we watch her. I think we just need to push it a little more. Im tired of sitting around and waiting. We arent the only ones who come in here to drool over her, and if we dont make a move, shes going to be going home with someone else.

Well, when you put it that way, Truitt drawled. I dont want to scare her, but I damn sure dont want her in someone elses bed.

Rick frowned as he finally located her. She looks upset about something. Motion her over here like we want another beer. I want to make sure everythings okay and then well find out what time she gets off.

Truitt followed Ricks gaze and his eyes narrowed. He lifted his hand when he caught her eye and crooked a finger at her.

Jessie stalked out of Merriams office, her lips tight and fury ripping through her. Shed have liked to have ripped Merriams hair out by the roots. The bitch had the nerve to accuse of her of skimming money from the register and then fire her.

She very generously told Jessie she could finish out the night, and if Jessie didnt need the money so desperately, she would have told Merriam to shove it.