Midnights Master

by Lauren DeStefano

Page 24

 

  But he wasn't evil, either. Her instincts screamed this to her. Niol, though, he was trying to make her afraid.

  Of him.

  Now why the hell would he be doing that?

  "I never said you were a white knight, Niol. " She would have been blind to have made that mistake. "I know what you are. I knew exactly what, who, I was taking into my bed. " His past, no, she didn't know all of his secrets, but one day, she would.

  "You didn't-"

  "I wanted you. " Her chin rose. "Still do. Sins of your past and all. "

  His nostrils flared and he turned his head to the left, then the right, searching the parking lot.

  "Too many humans here. "

  Yeah, this was the last place they should be talking about secrets.

  "Come with me to Paradise," he said again and the words were low, whispered.

  And Holly really, really felt like a tempted Eve right then.

  Strength-it is temptin'…

  Screw it. She'd always loved taking a bite of forbidden fruit. Her head moved in quick agreement.

  Finally. Kim Went exhaled and unclenched her fists. Holly and her demon lover were finally heading toward their cars. Talk about having a lovers' quarrel at the worst place and time.

  She hunched her shoulders, feeling the harsh rub of the scrubs she'd snatched chafe against her skin. But her only choice of clothing had been the garish green scrubs or her paper-thin hospital gown, complete with ass-exposing window. So she'd chosen the scrubs. She'd grabbed them, then hightailed it out of the hospital while the oversexed cop had stopped to flirt with the nurses.

  Her gaze shot across the lot. A busy intersection waited on the other side of the street. A few taxis idled near the far corner. She could get over there, jump in one and figure out how to pay the cabbie later.

  Priority one-get the hell out of this town.

  Her head pounded like a bitch, but Kim knew she'd been lucky. That crazy-ass woman who'd attacked her had meant to kill, not just bruise.

  Talk about one lucky break.

  But if she didn't get out of there, right then, she might not be so lucky again.

  The nutjob's voice screeched in her mind. "I'll fucking kill you, demon! Fucking kill you!"

  How the woman knew Kim's secrets, damn, she didn't know. She'd always been so careful about using her glamour. Her powers were practically nonexistent, so she'd been blending in with humans, knowing they fit her more than demons, since she'd been thirteen.

  But that screaming bitch had known.

  How?

  Many of the other demons she met didn't even know what she was. Something she'd learned early on-the weaker demons were sometimes able to slip right past the radar of those on the more powerful end of the spectrum. Maybe that was just old Mother Nature's way of balancing the system. You couldn't hurt what you couldn't see.

  There were days when she thought her ability to blend in was her power.

  And she'd be using that talent real soon. As soon as she got out of this city, she'd blend in and disappear.

  I'll be safe. Soon.

  The minute Holly's taillights left the lot, Kim ran, fast and hard, for the cabs.

  Talking to Holly wasn't an option. The chick would be pissed because Kim had broken into her office. Not like she'd go out of her way to help her, now.

  And Niol-that demon wasn't exactly known to be the helping sort.

  Two cabs pulled away from the curb.

  No.

  One left. So close. Shiny yellow coat of paint. So damn close.

  Kim reached out-

  And saw the whirl of a long, black skirt from the corner of her eye.

  She jerked her head to the left and met the bright stare of a smiling woman. "Oh, sorry!" The woman murmured, smile dimming. "Was this your cab?"

  Kim's throat dried up. She stared at those too-sweet features. Into the eyes that seemed to sparkle with good will.

  No. Dammit, no.

  She knew that face. The lighting last night had been dim, just a bit of a glow from the parking area trickling through the blinds, but no way would she ever forget that face.

  "T-take it. " Kim stumbled back. The pavement bit into her bare feet. Hadn't been able to find shoes to steal.

  The woman glanced down at her toes, a frown pulling her brows low. "Are you all right?"

  Get away.

  "Hey!" The call came from the cabbie as he stuck his head out of the driver's side window. "You ladies want a ride?"

  Kim's gaze shot to him. Help. Her lips parted.

  The woman stepped closer to her and raised her hand as if she were going to hug Kim-

  The hard prick of a needle shot into her arm.

  "My friend's not feeling so well," the woman said, turning her head toward the man. "I think we're going to sit out here for a bit. Thanks, though. "

  The bright sunlight seemed to weaken. Kim shook her head and tried to speak. Help. Her tongue was huge in her mouth, swollen and twisted. She couldn't talk. Could only stare-no, try to stare.

  Too dark.

  The drumming of her heart filled her ears.

  No.

  "If she's sick, I can help, I can-"

  Help.

  She barely heard his words over the slamming drumbeat.

  "We've got a ride coming, don't worry about us. " Sharper, now. "You can leave. He's-he's right there. "

  No, don't leave.

  Please don't leave me.

  Maybe Holly was still around. Surely she wouldn't let this crazy bitch take her.

  Kim's knees buckled.

  Or Niol. She'd take him over this-

  The woman's arms caught her, held her tight. "It's okay, I've got you. "

  I've got you.

  Tears slid from Kim's eyes.

  The cab rolled away. She heard the squeak of the tires.

  No, no, she wasn't going to be lucky again.

  Darkness.

  CHAPTER 13

  " We've got a problem," Colin announced as he stormed into McNeal's office. "Our vic-uh, captain?"

  Danny McNeal was standing close, too close, to Smith. And his hands were on her shoulders.

  And-

  Sonofabitch. Had those two been making out? In the station?

  Smith straightened her shoulders and pulled away from McNeal. "Right. That should be all you need to know about the Jamison case. "

  The who?

  McNeal nodded, the light gleaming on his completely bald head. "We'll finish the briefing later. "

  Aw, shit.

  Did they think he was buying this crap?

  Smith marched past him, held his gaze, and then gave him a quick wink.

  His own eyes widened. Smith? Winking at him? For a very tense while there, the woman had all but ran whenever she saw him.

  Maybe her visits with Emily were paying off .

  Maybe she wasn't so afraid of monsters anymore. Not that he blamed her, after the hell she'd lived through.

  "Detective. "

  Colin realized he was staring after Smith and that McNeal sounded pissed.

  What else was new?

  "Shut the door and tell me what the hell is goin' on. "

  Colin kicked the door closed with his heel. "Kim Went disappeared from her hospital room about twenty minutes ago. "

  "Fuck. " McNeal dropped into his chair. "Willingly or-"

  "Don't know. " For her sake, he sure hoped the escape had been her idea.

  The captain's dark brows rose. "The press know?"

  "Holly Storm was there when the cop on duty…ah…discovered Kim's absence. "

  "Of course she was. " A hard sigh. "Storm's every-damn-where these days. If there's a murder, her pretty face is right on the scene and she's shoving a microphone at my cops. "

  Yes, that was the general status quo for her.

  "G
et a team out. Start canvassing the area and get your ass over to Went's house. "

  A nod. Colin turned to go-

  "Gyth, do me a favor. " McNeal's voice. Quieter than he'd ever heard before.

  Colin glanced back at him.

  "Forget what you think you saw in this office, got me? Smith's a lady, and I won't have her being gossiped about by the cops in my division. "

  The bastard cared about her. Colin wouldn't have been more surprised if McNeal had shifted in front of him right then. "Ah, right captain. "

  "I mean it, Gyth. Not one fuckin' word. Or you-and your pretty-boy partner-will find your asses sitting desk duty for the next month. "

  Colin rolled his shoulders. He really wasn't the threat-taking type. "Smith's not the kind of woman you can play around with. " No, Smith wasn't about play. He knew because the lady reminded him a lot of his Doc. Same quick intelligence, same core of steel that had let both women survive nightmares.

  "I'm not playin'. " Dead quiet. Deadly quiet. "Forget what you saw. "

  "Don't worry, captain. I've never been much for station gossip. " Not exactly big into fraternizing with the others. Brooks was close to him, but that was all. He couldn't risk the other cops finding out his secret.

  He reached for the doorknob.

  "We both know Went won't be at her house. "

  Damn right, but checking was protocol.

  "When you're done, head over to Paradise. She's one of Niol's. He might have a lead on where you can find her. "

  One of Niol's? Now just how did the captain know that?

  Colin wrenched the door open.

  A low chuckle sounded behind him. "Storm's not the only one with sources in this town. "

  Niol met with three demons at Paradise. A woman with brown hair and gorgeous blond highlights, a man with tattoos over most of his body, and another guy in a perfectly pressed three-

  piece suit. Holly listened to Niol give them orders about Kim and she hoped they'd find the woman.

  Alive.

  When the demons cleared out, after sparing her more than a few curious glances, the silence in Paradise seemed deafening.

  Alone with Niol.

  If you knew the things I'd done, you wouldn't let me touch you.

  Holly figured they should probably talk. Try to clear the air more between them. There were too many secrets, on both sides. But as she stood there, her hands at her sides, her eyes on him, talking, well, that really wasn't her priority.

  "They'll check back within the hour and let me know what they find. " He walked behind the bar.

  Poured a shot of whiskey.

  He downed the liquid in one gulp. "Patience has an in with most of the demons in Atlanta. They all owe her or they want to fuck her. So if any of them know anything about your missing girl, they'll tell her. "

  They all owe her or they want to fuck her.

  "Do you?" She asked quietly as her heels clicked across the floor. Being in Paradise now, it seemed surreal. No vampires. No witches.

  Just them.

  "Do I what?" His fingers were clenched tight around the glass.

  "Want to fuck her?" That bitter taste in the back of her mouth was jealousy. Patience James was a looker. Could have passed for a succubus. Tall. Ballerina thin. Model pretty.

  And a demon. A strong one, just like Niol.

  "I already did. "

  Her eyes narrowed. The glass in his hand shattered.

  Niol blinked and looked down. "Damn, love, didn't know you had that in you. "

  Neither did she. Hell, had she really done that?

  And how had she done it?

  He shook his hand and shards of glass littered the bar top. "Guess this is the part where I say she meant nothing to me or some shit like that, huh?"

  "Did she?"

  A shrug. "I like Patience, always have. The woman's cutthroat, but loyal. "

  Not exactly a description of a one-night stand. "Then why aren't you with her now?" Why are you with me?

  He pressed his hands into the marble top, ignoring the broken glass. "Why aren't you with that prick PhD?"

  "Because the prick screwed around on me with some blonde looking for an easy A. " Her own hands fisted on her hips. "And while I'm not cutthroat, I am real big into loyalty. "

  A grunt. "So you don't want the asshole back?"

  "No. No. I want-" Her lips pressed together. Maybe she'd better bite back that answer for the time being.

  "What? What do you want?" He jumped over the counter. Jumped over it in one wild leap.

  Okay. That was impressive.

  Niol grabbed her arms and jerked her close. "What do you want?"

  Too close. She could feel his breath brush over her face. Feel the hard edge of his flesh against her. The straining ridge of his arousal jutting against her hip.

  And his eyes…she could see herself in those eyes. A desperate reflection.

  But she wasn't the only desperate one. She could see that in his eyes, too.

  "Who do you want?"

  "You. " Asshole. Demon. Niol.

  The devil with the heart he fought to keep hidden. But she was learning the truth about him. One slow moment at a time.

  "And I fucking want you. " He kissed her. With lips and tongue. With hands stroking and taking.

  With body pressing and yearning.

  The same way she kissed him.

  "Not Patience. " The words were growled against her mouth. "She isn't you. "

  Holly raised her lashes. She caught his jaw. "She better not be in your bed again, either, demon.

  I'm not into sharing. " Zack could tell him that. The jerk had actually looked afraid when she'd torn into him that morning so long ago. He'd stumbled away from her, eyes wide, sputtering an apology.

  "Good. Because if you look at another man, if you touch him, you'll find out just how dangerous I can be. "

  "Idiot. " The word tumbled out. "Who would compare to you?"