Midnights Master

by Lauren DeStefano

Page 27

  Sometimes, it was so good to be a level-ten ass-kicker.

  Gillian's stark face flashed before his eyes.

  His teeth clenched. "What. Girl?"

  "H-heard P-Patience talking d-down at th-the Gin-"

  Gin Easy. A seedy bar where those Other cast out of Paradise usually wound up.

  "S-she was ta-talking about a-a demon m-missing…"

  His own patience was just about gone. "What about her?" Were the cops still outside? Was Holly?

  "S-saw her…hour ago. "

  Niol dropped him. The fellow's legs slipped out from under him and he fell to the floor.

  The door to Paradise opened with a groan. "Thanks a lot for deserting me out there-" Holly began.

  His gaze shot to her.

  He saw her take in the fallen man and she stumbled to a halt. "Ah, Niol? What's going on?" Her nose was wrinkled in a little scrunch that shouldn't have been cute.

  But it was.

  Don't care. He couldn't be weak, not with her.

  "This guy," Niol stepped back a foot, two. "Says he knows where Kim is. "

  "What?" Her jaw dropped.

  "He's just about to tell us everything he knows. " A threat.

  The demon pushed up onto his knees. "Not-not unless you meet my terms. " Seemed braver now.

  Shit. Why the hell did everyone want to bargain? Did he look like he wanted to make a deal?

  Another stupid demon myth and this jerkoff should know that. Demons hated deals. Mostly because no one in demon-kind ever stuck by their word.

  But because some jackass long ago had gone around scamming the humans…that myth about making a deal with the devil still circulated.

  "I don't make deals. "

  Holly grunted at that.

  His lips twisted. Okay, so she was the exception. And look where that particular exception had gotten him. Tied up in knots and so hard and horny he could barely think half the time.

  A slow rise to his feet. The demon lifted his chin. "Then you don't find the g-girl-"

  Oh, definitely seemed to be getting his balls back. Really poor timing that. Niol motioned with his hand and one of the charred tables flew across the room and slammed into the demon's chest.

  And right back down to the floor he went.

  "Dammit, Niol, the cops are right outside!" Holly hurried forward, then stopped, frowning down at the groaning demon. "Ah, sir? What's your name?"

  Because acting all sugar-and-sweet nice was going to work with the guy. "Stay away from him, Holly. " Not a gentle order. More of a fierce growl.

  She shot him a pissed look. So what? He wasn't about to risk her safety again. When the woman didn't move, Niol grabbed her wrist and jerked her to his side.

  After a moment, the demon shoved the table off and rose, much slower this time, to his feet. "N-

  name's S-Sylas K-King. "

  "Where. Is. The. Girl?" He'd never met Sylas King before, never so much as even caught a glimpse of him in the city.

  Sylas balled his hands into big, hamlike fists. "Need your help. "

  Right. He'd agreed to help one woman, one determined reporter, and now everyone wanted a handout. "It'll work this way, Sylas. Tell me where the girl is and I'll let you walk out of Paradise in one piece or you can-"

  "Why do you need his help?" Holly. Sounding curious and all reporter-girl again.

  "Got me a son. " The fearful pause was gone from the man's voice, but the fear lingered in his gaze. Good. He might not be as dumb as Niol had originally thought. "He's thirteen-starting to show his power. "

  Niol felt a punch in his gut. He knew where this was going. He knew.

  "I don't got me much power. " He shook his head. "Can barely control fire, but he-he's different. "

  Niol's eyes closed for a moment, then opened just as Sylas said-

  "My boy's going dark on me. Gettin' the Touch. "

  He saw the tremble that shook Holly's body.

  "I don't want to lose him. " The words came faster, rushing out. "Don't want him to slip to the drugs or kill himself. Shit, he's already tried razoring his wrists once. You've got to help me, you've got to-"

  "He will. " Holly sounded absolutely certain. Niol glanced fully at her. Saw the pain on her face.

  Remembering her brother.

  "I will. " Niol repeated, his voice hard. Who are you kidding? You know you'd do just about anything to take that look off her face.

  Weak.

  He'd have to stop this before it was too late.

  Pity had stirred in him at the man's confession. Not another one. Not another lost demon forced into the darkness.

  Maybe he could help this one.

  Or maybe the Monster Doctor could.

  Could be time to start executing his plans. He nodded. "Tell me about the girl and I'll see what I can do for your boy. "

  Sylas opened his mouth, then hesitated. "You give me your word?"

  For what it was worth. "Yes. "

  "Tell us," Holly urged. "We don't have much time. "

  "Saw two women in front of Reed Infirmary. Your girl-she got sick or something and her friend had to help her. "

  Every cell in Niol's body seemed to freeze. "Her friend?"

  "Yeah, a blonde. She had her hair pulled back, a scarf around it, but it blew loose. She had on sunglasses-"

  Like the bitch who'd sent the pyros after him.

  "She said she'd take care of-of the other one. Said they had a ride waitin'-"

  "And you just drove off and left them?" Holly's voice was hushed but Niol heard the vibration of anger.

  "I did. " Admitted with his chin up. "At first, I did. Then I got worried. Didn't…seem right. And that other girl-" His eyes were on Niol. "She was one of ours. I saw her eyes flash black and I saw fear in 'em. I don't like seeing fear in a demon woman's eyes. "

  Join the club.

  "There wasn't any car coming to meet them. When I circled back, I saw the blonde shoving the demon into the back of her car. I followed 'em. " He wet his lips.

  "The address. "

  Kim could be dead by now. Cut up like the others and left to bleed out…with parts of her body gone missing.

  Holly's fingers dug into his arm. He knew she was thinking the same thing.

  No time to lose.

  Sylas rattled off a shaky address.

  Niol and Holly rushed for the door.

  "Don't forget my boy! You gave your word! Don't you forget my-"

  This was the side of the city most folks stayed away from, if they were smart.

  Holly's nails bit into the leather that covered Niol's passenger seat. They'd all but flown out of the parking lot of Paradise, and the two detectives, Gyth and Brooks, were right on their tail. A good thing, Holly figured, because she sure didn't know what they'd find waiting for them. Niol took the curve hard and Holly slammed into the passenger-side door.

  He stopped a distance away from the house, away from the small, run-down house that almost seemed to be tipping over onto the railroad tracks.

  "Stay here," Niol ordered, his jaw clenched as he killed the engine. His gaze was on the house and the air in the vehicle had thickened with tension.

  And fear. Hers, not his. The guy just looked pissed off while she was so nervous her stomach twisted.

  Be alive. A plea. She didn't want Kim to be dead. Not Kim with her quick smile and her slow laugh.

  Not Kim.

  Niol opened his door.

  "I'm coming with you. " The words sounded tougher than she'd thought they would.

  He looked at her, one of those you-can't-be-serious expressions on his face.

  But she was serious. "I know her, Niol. If she's in there-" Dead or alive, "I have to go in. " She couldn't stand back on the sidelines, not for this.

  The Jeep pulled in behind them, wheels almost soundless on the pavement. The cavalry had arrived.
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  Niol turned away from her and Holly hurriedly jumped out of the SUV.

  "What the fuck is goin' on, demon?" Brooks demanded, but kept his voice low.

  Niol didn't answer, so Holly cleared her throat and jerked her thumb toward the house. "We got a tip. Kim could be inside-"

  Brooks pulled out his weapon.

  "Stay here. "

  Did all men love to give that order or what?

  Brooks turned to his partner. "No warrant, but I'm sure not gonna stand around here with my thumb up my ass if that girl's inside-"

  "I don't need a warrant. " From Niol. Then he was gone. Turning, running, and heading straight for the house.

  " Sonofa-"

  The detectives ran after him.

  So did Holly. Crap, she'd put her heels back on. They were gonna slow her down and-

  Be alive.

  The door of the house flew off as Niol bounded up the rickety steps.

  "Blood. " The growl came from Gyth. "Too much-"

  She didn't smell it, not yet, but she'd trust that shifter's nose anytime, anywhere.

  Kim.

  Niol disappeared into the house and the shifter bounded right after him.

  Brooks turned around and caught Holly, stopping her just when she was about to enter the house-

  His face was stark white. And she could smell the blood now. Clogging her nostrils. Choking her.

  A muscle jerked along his jaw as he said, "I don't think you want to see-"

  "Holly! Holly, get in here-she's alive!" Niol's voice seemed to shake the house.

  The cop's eyes widened and he dropped his hold. "Is it clear?" He barked to his partner.

  "Bastard's gone, for now. "

  Brooks went in before her.

  Holly stumbled inside, her breath rattling in her chest.

  "Looks like playtime was interrupted," Gyth muttered.

  Holly peered around the detective's broad shoulders. Understanding sank in at once.

  A table-some kind of folding exam table-was set up in the middle of the room, and Kim was stretched out on that table, strapped down.

  Bleeding. Too pale.

  Niol bent over her, his fingers around her throat.

  Kim was nude, except for the blood covering her. So much blood.

  "Oh, my God-"

  "We need an ambulance, fucking now –" Gyth yelled into his cell phone.

  "He left her to bleed out," Brooks said and he put his hand over the gaping wound high on the left of Kim's abdomen. "Asshole just left her-"

  Holly's skin was icy cold. Bruises lined Kim's face and she looked so young.

  And then, those still lashes tried to lift.

  Still alive. Niol had said it, but when she'd seen the body, she hadn't believed-

  Holly was beside her in an instant. "Kim? Kim, you're safe, now, okay? You're safe-"

  Her eyes didn't open.

  Holly took her hand, a hand even colder than her own. "No one's going to hurt you anymore.

  We're going to get you help, okay?" Brooks and Gyth were working on her now, applying pressure to her wounds and-

  "Bastard sliced her open-" Gyth's snarl.

  "That's not all he did…" Niol, a rage banking his voice and sending a tremor down her spine.

  She glanced up at him. "What are you-"

  Kim's body jerked. Once. Twice. Again and again and blood poured from her lips. " No! Kim, Kim, stay with me!"

  Her body fell back against the plastic.

  Her black eyes were wide open now, staring sightlessly ahead.

  No.

  CHAPTER 15

  " Bastard took out her spleen. " Smith paced in front of McNeal's desk, her hands trembling.

  "Gave her some kind of drug, some shit I've never seen before and the docs on duty in the ER hadn't seen either, and he just cut her wide open. " Faster now, she turned and marched straight back. "She's a kid, just a-"

  McNeal caught her. Pulled her against his chest and held her. Kim Went had been discovered by his detectives just over five hours ago. As soon as he'd gotten the word about the girl, he'd sent Smith to the hospital with a police escort to get her past the red tape that would have otherwise kept the ME out of the operating room.

  But, dammit, he'd wanted one of his own in there with that girl. Someone who could understand what the hell had happened to her and someone who could look for evidence.

  Not that any evidence had been found so far.

  "The last person seen with Went was a blond woman. " He'd dealt with his share of female killers before, and he knew that when you were talking about the Other world, the usual rules didn't apply. So, sure, a female supernatural would easily have the physical strength to overpower the two males who'd been killed.

  Could be the hunter was a woman…

  They had the demon taxi driver in the interrogation room. He was giving them as much of a description of the woman as he could.

  The only lead they had so far.

  Well, him…and those idiots who'd tried to torch Niol's bar. Gyth had alerted him to the guys, and he'd been waiting for 'em. They'd gotten patched up, then they'd come to him.

  It had taken ten minutes to get them to tell everything they knew about the woman who hired them. Unfortunately, they knew damn little.

  But McNeal didn't believe in coincidences, and he couldn't wait to compare their description with King's.

  "She knew what she was doing. " Smith looked up at him with those big, dark eyes that always made his stomach clench. He'd taken a look in those eyes long ago and known that he was lost.

  "This wasn't the work of an amateur. " Her lips trembled, but she kept talking and she kept her chin up. My Smith. "This woman knows how to use a scalpel-"