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was such power in his voice that Jagger turned back. Ryder waited an infuriatingly long moment before he continued.
    â€œI think that entity went after Cait specifically.”
    There was instant, electric tension in the chilled room, a palpable blend of Jagger’s disbelief and Caitlin’s sudden jolt of fear.
    â€œThere was only one entity going after Cait, as far as I could see,” Jagger responded, his voice dripping sarcasm.
    Despite her apprehension, Caitlin felt outrage at the men talking about her as if she weren’t even there. But before she could protest, Ryder was snapping back at Jagger.
    â€œJoke about it if you like,” Ryder said, and his tone could have frozen water. “But once inside a body, walk-ins generally only care about their own pleasure, and the only things they notice are what’s right in front of them. They resort to violence only if someone or something is standing in their way. But that possessed tourist was stalking Cait—he followed her from Bourbon.”
    Jagger was motionless, processing. Caitlin’s stomach was roiling, remembering the force of the tourist’s body barreling into her, knocking her down, the hands around her neck, choking the life from her….
    Ryder’s eyes were boring into Jagger’s.
    â€œSo consider. If these entities want full reign of the city, and if they, or at least their leader, are aware of the Keepers, who do you think they’re going to want to neutralize first?”
    Even through her own emotional reaction, Caitlin admired how Ryder seemed to have read Jagger, whose Achilles’ heel was Fiona. If there was anything that would keep Jagger engaged…
    But in her own head, Caitlin was a million miles away already. Let the men fight it out on their own. She knew exactly what she needed to do next.
    I have to talk to Danny. If we’re dealing with discarnate entities, I need someone who can lookinto the astral and see what’s really going on. If anyone can find these things…
    She felt someone watching her, and looked up sharply to see Ryder looking at her, as if he could hear her thoughts. And for the first time she realized there was a good possibility that he could read her thoughts, or something like it. Not all shifters were psychic, but the more developed their other skills, the more likely they were to pick up on information while passing through the astral.
    How psychic is he? Like Danny? If he were half, or even a quarter, as adept, he could be dangerous to her….
    â€œAll right,” Jagger said, drawing Caitlin’s attention back to the moment. “All right. What would you suggest we do next?”
    Caitlin could tell how much it cost him to ask the question, and she had to admire his willingness to ask.
    â€œIf we can get hold of one of the walk-ins while it’s in a body, before the host dies, I may be able to bind it and force it to talk. We need to track down the lead entity.”
    Caitlin could see Jagger’s mind working. “That means patrolling Bourbon,” he said, and reached into a suit coat pocket. “I need to make a phone call,” he said, and Caitlin could tell by the quiet anxiety in his voice that he was thinking of Fiona. Even as hespeed dialed, he was stepping outside the room for privacy.
    The instant the door closed, Ryder turned on Caitlin. “What were you thinking, just then?”
    â€œJust when?” she asked innocently, and thought in triumph, So he can’t read my thoughts, not precisely.
    â€œYou know very well what I’m talking about,” he said roughly, and in two steps he was towering over her, taking her by the wrists. “What are you holding back?”
    She tried to jerk away from him, but he simply pulled her against him, holding her wrists behind her back, his arms encircling her waist, immobilizing her.
    â€œThis isn’t a game we’re playing here,” he said.
    â€œI’m not