Kait Ballenger: Midnight Hunter

Hunters of the supernatural,

THE

EXECUTION

UNDERGROUND

are an elite group tasked with protecting humanity…but can dark temptation destroy good intentions?

Occult specialist and witch hunter Dr. Shane Grey is called upon to investigate a string of crimes that bear all the hallmarks of black magic. But he can’t take on this daunting assignment for the Execution Underground alone. He’ll need the help of Vera Sanders, a witch with a dark past—and a woman who disturbs him as much as she intrigues him.

Vera is determined to ignore the dangerous chemistry between herself and Shane so she can prove her loyalty to his cause; otherwise she risks the wrath of the Execution Underground once again. If she can’t make Shane trust her, they won’t stand a chance in hell of defeating the evil that’s terrorizing their city. No easy task, considering old habits die hard…and Vera may be the very person responsible for luring Shane into a killer’s trap.

Praise for Kait Ballenger and The Execution Underground Praise Title Page Dedication CHAPTER ONE CHAPTER TWO CHAPTER THREE CHAPTER FOUR CHAPTER FIVE CHAPTER SIX CHAPTER SEVEN CHAPTER EIGHT CHAPTER NINE CHAPTER TEN CHAPTER ELEVEN CHAPTER TWELVE CHAPTER THIRTEEN CHAPTER FOURTEEN CHAPTER FIFTEEN CHAPTER SIXTEEN ACKNOWLEDGMENTS Copyright

“Newcomer Ballenger offers an extremely promising high-voltage start to her series.”

—Publishers Weekly, starred review, on Twilight Hunter

“Paranormal fans have a new voice to check out with the debut of Ballenger’s terrific first book in her Execution Underground series.”

—RT Book Reviews on Twilight Hunter

“Debut author Ballenger shows awesome potential and talent.”

—RT Book Reviews on Shadow Hunter

“Kait Ballenger is a treasure you don’t want to miss!”

—New York Times bestselling author Gena Showalter

“Non-stop action, pulse-pounding suspense, and red-hot romance… Kait Ballenger’s Execution Underground series delivers in spades!”

—Jaime Rush, New York Times bestselling author

Midnight Hunter

Kait Ballenger

www.millsandboon.co.uk

For my wonderful, hardworking, dedicated agent, Nicole Resciniti, for always championing my work and for taking a chance on me when no one else would. Thank you for always believing in me, even during the times when I haven’t believed in myself. Nic, you’re amazing, and I feel so privileged to share this journey with you.

Contents

Cover

Back Cover Text Hunters of the supernatural, THE EXECUTION UNDERGROUND are an elite group tasked with protecting humanity…but can dark temptation destroy good intentions? Occult specialist and witch hunter Dr. Shane Grey is called upon to investigate a string of crimes that bear all the hallmarks of black magic. But he can’t take on this daunting assignment for the Execution Underground alone. He’ll need the help of Vera Sanders, a witch with a dark past—and a woman who disturbs him as much as she intrigues him. Vera is determined to ignore the dangerous chemistry between herself and Shane so she can prove her loyalty to his cause; otherwise she risks the wrath of the Execution Underground once again. If she can’t make Shane trust her, they won’t stand a chance in hell of defeating the evil that’s terrorizing their city. No easy task, considering old habits die hard…and Vera may be the very person responsible for luring Shane into a killer’s trap.

Praise Praise for Kait Ballenger and The Execution Underground Praise Title Page Dedication CHAPTER ONE CHAPTER TWO CHAPTER THREE CHAPTER FOUR CHAPTER FIVE CHAPTER SIX CHAPTER SEVEN CHAPTER EIGHT CHAPTER NINE CHAPTER TEN CHAPTER ELEVEN CHAPTER TWELVE CHAPTER THIRTEEN CHAPTER FOURTEEN CHAPTER FIFTEEN CHAPTER SIXTEEN ACKNOWLEDGMENTS Copyright “Newcomer Ballenger offers an extremely promising high-voltage start to her series.” —Publishers Weekly, starred review, on Twilight Hunter “Paranormal fans have a new voice to check out with the debut of Ballenger’s terrific first book in her Execution Underground series.” —RT Book Reviews on Twilight Hunter “Debut author Ballenger shows awesome potential and talent.” —RT Book Reviews on Shadow Hunter “Kait Ballenger is a treasure you don’t want to miss!” —New York Times bestselling author Gena Showalter “Non-stop action, pulse-pounding suspense, and red-hot romance… Kait Ballenger’s Execution Underground series delivers in spades!” —Jaime Rush, New York Times bestselling author

Title Page Midnight Hunter Kait Ballenger www.millsandboon.co.uk

Dedication For my wonderful, hardworking, dedicated agent, Nicole Resciniti, for always championing my work and for taking a chance on me when no one else would. Thank you for always believing in me, even during the times when I haven’t believed in myself. Nic, you’re amazing, and I feel so privileged to share this journey with you.

CHAPTER ONE

CHAPTER TWO

CHAPTER THREE

CHAPTER FOUR

CHAPTER FIVE

CHAPTER SIX

CHAPTER SEVEN

CHAPTER EIGHT

CHAPTER NINE

CHAPTER TEN

CHAPTER ELEVEN

CHAPTER TWELVE

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

Copyright

CHAPTER ONE

RED AND BLUE lights flashed through the encompassing darkness, dancing across the mixture of elaborately carved Victorian and modern tombstones. The dead silence of Mount Hope Cemetery shattered with the resounding whoop of the Rochester PD car’s siren as it rounded the nearest grassy hill. Dr. Shane Grey swore. In two seconds flat, thanks to the police’s arrival, the night had transitioned from shit to supershit. Because as much as Shane hated digging up dead bodies, he hated getting pinched by the cops even more. From the looks of it, both were on tonight’s menu.

He shook his head. “This cannot be happening.” He swore again.

“Well, fuck me sideways,” Ash Devereaux drawled. Shane’s crazy Creole partner in crime shot him a “we’re fucked” glance as they both dropped their trenching shovels into the dirt of the grave they’d been excavating.

“Freeze!” a deep male voice yelled.

Both Shane and Ash obeyed, standing stock-still lest they be shot by a trigger-happy policeman. Damn. This was so not good, Shane thought. The feds kicking down his door for his database hacking, or getting the crap beaten out of him for counting cards in a casino, had always been his first guesses on his list of Things That Will Likely Lead to Me Being Shot or Put in Jail, not being busted for grave robbing. This wasn’t even in his usual job description.

“Put your hands up,” the cop barked.

Shane and Ash lifted their hands over their heads, doing their best versions of the Y in the Village People’s “YMCA.” Between Ash’s snakeskin cowboy boots and the cop behind them, all Shane needed was a headdress and they would account for at least half of the flamboyance.

“Good. Now turn around—slowly.”

Shane spun first, closely followed by Ash. Courtesy of the near-impenetrable darkness engulfing the cemetery, Shane could barely decipher the officer’s face behind the blinding light of the man’s flashlight. The silhouetted officer slammed the driver’s side door of his vehicle as...was that a second officer he heard getting out of the car? Another door slammed. Yep, two cops for the price of one. Double damn.

They were so screwed.

Of all the things he could get arrested and lose his teaching career over, helping his fellow hunter was going to be his downfall. A cruel twist of fate, if you asked him. He and Ash had enacted every precaution to ensure they weren’t caught during their nighttime visit to see the very dead Mrs. Jennifer Foley, who had tragically passed of an aggressive bout of breast cancer two years earlier. When Shane and Ash had arrived at the gravesite, they’d known straight away that all their efforts might be for naught. The recently disturbed dirt suggested Mrs. Foley’s coffin might have been moved. But they had to check to be certain. To make matters worse, the cops showing up to save the day—er, night—was just total shit luck. To the unknowing eye, their work to burn Mrs. Foley’s bones in order to put her murderous spirit to rest appeared to be little more than vandalism. But as a card-carrying Mensa member with an IQ of over one hundred and fifty-five and multiple PhDs, there was no way Shane was letting two overly nosy members of the Rochester PD screw up his plans. He would figure out how to get them out of this.