Alexander's first impression of Poppy was one of fire.
Red hair framed an oval face in a mass of snapping curls. He wanted to tangle his fingers in their locks and pull her to him. Just looking at her put a heat in his loins that he thought he would never feel again.
Smiling, he extended a hand to her. "Ms. Stone." He said.
Poppy thought his voice sounded like a caress. If his voice wasn't, his eyes certainly were. He had the look of a predator about him. She felt her heart beating faster and heat flared in her belly.
"Mr. Corvus," Poppy said gently.
Alexander smiled. "I've asked you to call me Alex." He said.
"Alex then." She said. She could feel her cheeks flaming red and cursed her pale skin. "You wanted to see me about my investigation?"
"I need you to end it." He said.
"End it?" She shook her head. "I can't do that. People are being murdered and I need to find out why."
He leaned closer and she could see flecks of red in his black eyes, small little pin pricks that sent shivers down her spine. "You are messing in things you don't understand."
The sound of his voice made her nipples harden. Poppy shook her head. It had been years since she had felt this kind of attraction with someone. It was too bad that it had to be with such an ass. Poppy loathed this man. She leaned back and crossed her arms over her chest. "And what, Mr. Corvus, do I not understand?"
Alex smiled. She was tough, he'd give her that. He liked his women tough. They were more of a challenge that way. How to show her? How to let her know what she was getting herself into?
His smile deepened. Deciding to follow his instincts, he laughed softly. "Let me show you." He said.
He stood now and closed his eyes. When he opened them again, they were black, no white showing. Poppy gasped and clutched at the arms of her chair. "Alex?" His name came out as a whisper.
She watched as what looked like smoke began to flow from his skin, like a dark dense fog, enveloping him in shadow. When the fog completely covered him, when Poppy could not see him at all, she felt herself grow faint. There was a sound in the air that sounded to Poppy like a hundred voices whispering all at once.
Then, as quickly as it had started, it stopped. The fog cleared as if it had not been there at all. Perched on Alex’s desk was a large black crow with long, gorgeous wings. It came toward her, cawing loudly.
Poppy stared at it in wonder for a moment until she noticed the eyes. Black with little pinpricks of red, reminding her of blood. She stared at the crow in wonder.
"Alex?" She said.
She heard the crow caw again and felt herself slip into darkness.
