Awakening Kiss (Watcher's Kiss Book 4) by Sharon Kay

turned.
    A curvy red-headed Deserati demoness landed gracefully on their roof, having jumped from the next building over. She straightened from her crouch and tilted her head. “Rhys, right?”
    “Miranda?” He walked toward her. The female had collaborated on and off with the Watchers over the years. Her duties were different, but they shared the same end goal of keeping supernatural activity hidden from humans. “You still in the city?” Last he’d heard, she was here because it was flat as a pancake, and she’d gotten in trouble for her power accidentally putting a hole in a mountain.
    “Yep. I asked to stay on, actually.” She folded her arms over a tight black tank top that did nothing to hide her full breasts. “I like it here.” She flashed a smile at Jude. “I’m Miranda. I don’t think we’ve met.”
    “Jude.” The blond warrior inclined his head, but didn’t take her hand and kiss it like he did with non-predators and humans.
    “Are you new to the group?” she asked. Standing with the Lash, who obviously knew what she was, she dropped the magical illusion that hid her horns and tail.
    “Not new to the Watchers, but I got here a few months ago.” Jude rocked back on his heels.
    “We’ve had some personnel changes lately,” Rhys said. A massive battle last year, along with several Watcher matings, had caused a redistribution of the fighters in both realms.
    “I see that,” Miranda murmured. “Looks like our duties line up tonight.”
    Rhys dropped his gaze to the street. “Things are really quiet.”
    “Tell me about it.” She flicked her leathery tail across the rough rooftop. “I should go get a massage, I’m so bored.”
    “Any idea if there are a lot of Deserati in the city right now?” Jude asked.
    “Yep. Since the solstice was only a month ago, people are still hanging around. Why?”
    “We saw two males earlier, but they were with nymphs and going to a club. They scanned us, but…” Rhys shrugged. “No reason to do anything about it.”
    “Any of us would be wise to scan you .” She purred the last word. “Alpha predators that you are.”
    “What about halflings?” Rhys asked.
    “Half Deserati?” Miranda swatted at a June bug buzzing in a lazy loop around her. “Here?”
    “Yeah.” Rhys shoved his hands in his pockets.
    She shook her head, red locks swishing around tiny horns above her ears. “There are probably lots of them in the world. We don’t keep track.”
    “How many?” Jude asked.
    She shrugged. “You know how intense the fertile seasons are. And since we can pass for human, we’re not limited to supernatural hangouts or species when we need to scratch that itch. Things happen.”
    Rhys frowned at the idea of Enza happening . Did she go through heightened lust at each equinox, the fertile time for Deserati demons? A growl rumbled deep in his chest at the thought of her having mindless sex to ease the seasonal ache.
    “What is it, warrior?” Miranda asked. “Is a halfling giving you trouble?”
    Jude snorted. “Trouble isn’t the right word.”
    “Oh?” Curiosity oozed from the demoness.
    Rhys rubbed a hand over his jaw, ignoring the suggestive tone from both from them. “Nah. Thing is, I met one last night. I don’t think she knows what she is.”
    “A lot of them don’t.” Miranda shrugged. “We don’t always announce our lineage before giving a human a good fucking. Especially since said announcement would most likely hinder the fucking.”
    Jude laughed. Rhys shot him a glare.
    Then again, he’d probably bedded numerous human women during the Lash demons’ fertile time at each solstice. Damn. Rhys ground his molars.
    “This one you met,” Miranda said, “are you going to see her again?”
    That was the million dollar question. “Maybe.” Rhys said. Definitely.
    “Here.” Miranda reached into the pocket of her skin-tight jeans and handed him a card.
    “You carry cards?”
    “I’m always organized.” Miranda gathered her