Синтия Иден - Midnight's Master

“Like shit, sweetheart, shit.” A whistle. “We’re gonna blow those other bastards right out of the water!”

As usual, his tact was absent.

Such was Mac.

“Zoom in on her neck-and her side-some blood’s there, too,” he ordered.

But Ben hesitated. “Hol-you sure you don’t want a doctor to look at you?”

The bleeding had stopped. Luckily, her wounds were shallow. She’d be fine. “Start rolling.” This was her story. Hers, Sam’s, Carl’s-she owed it to them. And to Kim and Julia.

The other reporters on the scene, they scented there was more to the story than met the eye. Once upon a time, she would have been like them. Desperate to reveal the real truth about the killings.

But there was something more important at stake tonight. Justice had been served. Would be served to Michelle. Now there were others to think about. Others to protect.

All of the demons in the shadows.

The many monsters who feared humans would come hunting them, too. If their secrets were revealed.

Niol didn’t fear discovery, but the others did. So she’d keep their secrets safe.

She’d also get her story, and maybe a freaking Peabody Award to boot. Hell, she deserved one.

Ben turned on the camera and a light spilled onto her. Holly lifted the microphone, aware that the lens would pick up her trembling. Nothing she could do about that.

Or about the fact that she probably really did look like shit.

Holly took a deep breath and looked right into the lens. “Justice was served tonight, here on this quiet street where a vicious murderer” You never can trust some people “was killed, and his co-conspirator…” Probably should be using the word “alleged” but screw that “ was captured by police.”

Her left hand lifted and brushed over the cut on her throat. “The killer was delusional, seeing demons everywhere, and in the end, his insanity pushed him over the edge” and sent him to hell, “ and his life ended with the shot of a gun.”

Holly heard Gyth swear behind her. She would’ve recognized that voice anywhere. She knew the guy wanted to yank her off the air and she also knew that he wouldn’t. She’d bled for this story. It was hers.

She’d give the cops a statement later.

“I’m Holly Storm for News Flash Five, and I’m live on the scene of what could have been my own murder…”

The lens rotated as Ben moved in for a close-up.

“Damn, but she’s something else.” Brooks shook his head as Holly delivered her story, voice cool and calm, face bruised and bloody. He sucked in a sharp breath. “Should we be worried about what she’s going to say?” One word about demon-hunters and they’d be screwed.

Holly Storm had them by the balls.

All she had to do was direct the cameraman’s attention to Michelle-that woman would spill everything about the demons. We need to get her loaded into the truck, fast.

Gyth shook his head. “Storm won’t talk about the Other. ” The guy sounded completely confident.

Brooks didn’t exactly share that confidence. “Maybe we should pull her off the air. We’ve got a dead body on the scene, man, and-”

“I shot my attacker…” Still cool and calm.

Brooks closed his eyes. Fuck .

“She didn’t kill him.” Brooks cracked open his eyes and saw that Gyth was still watching Holly Storm, his head cocked to the left as he said, “But she’d take the fall in a heartbeat for that kill.”

For him.

Brooks felt his temples throb. “Niol got to him first?”

Gyth didn’t answer, but then, he didn’t really have to. Brooks knew just what Niol was capable of doing with his mind. “Should’ve given us a statement first,” he muttered, rubbing the bridge of his nose.

“I don’t think Storm makes a habit out of doing the things she should do.”

He was getting that.

“Niol’s not gonna make it to the hospital, is he?”

“No, but we know where to find him.”

True. The guy had never been one to hide. Brooks figured they’d get his statement soon enough. One thing he’d learned, the Other cases didn’t always go by the book.

Five minutes later, the camera finally lowered.

They headed for Storm.

She dressed with care. Sexy two-inch heels. Short black skirt. Low neck, cleavage-showing, bloodred shirt.

Her side ached and her arm still stung, but, all things considered, Holly figured she was doing pretty damn well.

For a woman who’d almost been sliced open.

She took a deep breath.

Over. Zack wouldn’t hurt anyone else, not ever again.

Holly stared into her mirror and watched her eyes fade to black. She could control the change now. It felt…natural.

At this point, she rather liked those eyes.

Not impure. Not a mistake.

Me.

The cops had kept her for hours. So many questions. So many eyes on her.

Then there had been more cameras. Other reporters wanting her to talk.

When she’d finally managed to escape, her first instinct had been to run straight to Paradise.

But she hadn’t wanted to see Niol still covered in blood.

Besides, she’d known that the police were going for him- his turn to answer questions.

So she’d waited and let the darkness fall.

Holly glanced at the clock. Close to ten p.m. now. Things should just be getting started at Paradise. Time for her to hunt a demon…

And to lay her soul bare before him.

Demons and vampires packed the floors of Paradise. Holly walked right past them, her chin up, her shoulders back, her heels clicking on the floor.

Music blared in her ears. A loud, drumming beat that heated her blood.

So many bodies. So much power.

But she wanted only one man.

There . At the bar. Head back, strong fingers wrapped around his glass of amber liquid.

A whisper went through the crowd and she knew she’d been spotted.

News traveled even faster in the demon world than it did in the human one.

Niol’s head lowered and his eyes locked on her. No surprise showed on his face.

He knew I was here the minute I stepped inside Paradise.

He watched her, his face still, expressionless. The mask was back. The demon who felt nothing.

Holly didn’t stop walking.

She could see right through the mask. She could see the emotion in his eyes. Burning black fire.

More whispers as she drew closer to him.

They’d have an audience for this. Not her style, but his.

Holly stopped two feet away from him. The guy looked good. No, gorgeous. Not even a hint of pale skin. Apparently two gunshot wounds didn’t slow the man down long at all.

Though they’d sure scared some years off her life.

His gaze swept over her, lingering not on the exposed skin of her breasts, but on the faint cut on her throat, the bandage on her arm, and the wound on her side that was covered by her silk shirt.

“You shouldn’t be here.” A rumble of sound.

Her brows rose. “I thought I was welcome here.” If he wanted to tell her to fuck off, he could do it. But this wasn’t going to be some quiet ending. She was coming clean with Niol.

Time to tell the demon just how she felt.

“You’re an asshole, Niol. You saved my life, but then you left me and didn’t look back.”

His eyelids flickered at that.

Had he looked back?

The glass in his hand cracked. Slowly, carefully, Niol sat the drink down on the bar top. “Why are you here, Holly? The case is over.”

And so are we .

No, not yet.

“There are only two reasons humans come here…” This came from the bartender.

I’m not human. Those rules didn’t apply to her. They never had.

“Are you here to play?” Niol asked.