Midnight's Master (Midnight 3)

Niol pressed closer to her, seeming to surround her with his warmth.

How had he known?

"And where's that picture?" Brooks asked quietly. He sounded as if he didn't want to hear the answer.

"Your captain will have it…soon." Niol's voice was as slow and easy as a southern summer day.

A dead body. Furious cops. Could nothing shake the guy?

"I'm going live with this story," she told them all, aware that the words came tumbling out a bit too fast.

"The hell you-"

"There's no way-"

She raised her hand. "I'm going live."

Niol nodded. "Good idea."

"Hell, you would say that." Brooks shook his head. "The last thing we want is for the city to panic."

"People need to be warned." She was adamant on this. "They have a right to know what's happening-"

"You really think folks can handle this shit?" Gyth demanded. "Do you know what they'll do to– "

Holly exhaled. "I'm not going to broadcast any Other business, Detective Gyth." Her intent to tell the world about demons had died long ago. "Just let the city know that a predator is hunting so folks will be on guard-and so they'll watch things much, much more carefully." People on alert tended to notice things the unwary never would. And maybe, just maybe, they'd get lucky and catch the bastard.

"She doesn't need you, either of you," Niol all but purred, "to run her story."

No, I don't. "I got scene shots for tonight. The body bag." She didn't flinch when she said it, just sounded like a cold bitch. That was hard, but she did it. "And now I know what 'bits' you guys have been holding back from the press."

Gyth's shoulders stiffed. "You can't broadcast that-"

Holly had no intention of airing those gory details. The freak would like that too much. No, she needed to air just enough to piss him off…and to make him nervous enough to screw up. "Give me an interview, on air, about this killer. You can lead me, tell me what you want the public to know, and I'll keep that information quiet for the time being." Deals-the way of the world.

Gyth's jaw worked, but it was Brooks who answered. "Five minutes?"

Ah, now he'd promised her an interview before…only to never deliver. "Five minutes– now ."

She wouldn't be put off again.

The shifter's lips curved. "Looks like you're goin' live, pretty boy."

Brooks muttered something back to him, something that sounded a lot like "fuck off."

Her heart began to drum in the fast, steady rhythm she always got right before a shoot. "Then, detective, looks like we are, indeed, going live."

It was the first time Niol had been close enough to watch her work. At the scene of Carl's death, he'd arrived right after the camera lowered, and he'd been too preoccupied with blood and death and vengeance to pay much attention to the news van.

A bright light shone onto Holly. She gripped a microphone in her right hand. The cameraman had his equipment hoisted onto his shoulder and the round lens zoomed in on Holly's tense face and the face of Todd Brooks.

She let the guy lead, as she'd promised, allowing him to make some general statements about the crimes and the connections between the victims.

"At this time, the Atlanta PD strongly suspects that the person who murdered Carl Bronx and the perpetrator who killed Sam Miters is, in fact, one and the same."

Brooks didn't mention Julia Powers. Niol had heard the cop and Holly talk about the woman a few moments before the camera went live. Holly had said she wouldn't air the other woman's story, not until family members were notified.

He'd been surprised by that. Holly wasn't like most reporters, and he'd sure seen his share of them over the years. She wasn't just after a story, not worrying about who she hurt or screwed to get the scoop.

No, she…cared.

Dangerous, that, because the lady might not realize it, but she was opening herself up to a whole world of pain.

Still, she had gotten herself an exclusive.

And now she may have also gotten the full attention of a killer, one who already seemed to have a hard-on for her.

"You really think this was smart?" The cop shifter's voice was whisper-soft and came from right beside him.

Niol didn't bother glancing his way. He liked his current view. Holly looked damn sexy under the bright light, her face pale perfection, her eyes so deep and green. That mouth…

"You're making her a target."

He knew that, but…"I'm the one the bastard wants." Demons didn't come much more "impure"

than he did.

"You're probably right on that."

Not the typical reassuring cop answer, but then, Gyth wasn't a typical cop.

He also wasn't a typical shifter.

The detective was a wolf shifter, a wild, dangerous breed. And one who, instead of hunting humans, had taken a job protecting them.

Talk about screwed up. Gyth was fighting his heritage tooth and claw.

"Is it easy throwing your lover to the beast at the gate?"

He did turn at that, because the cop, as much as he might have a very small grudging respect for the guy, was starting to piss him off. "Don't concern yourself with Holly." A warning.

But Gyth just firmed his lips, then after a moment said, "It's not as easy to protect a woman you care about, Niol."

A woman you care about.

Niol's body tightened.

"You're always touching her," Gyth spoke quietly. "Brushing her arm, holding her wrist– always touching her."

Because he liked the feel of her against him.

"Watch that you don't give away too much of yourself, demon. You never know who is watching."

Niol glanced away and let his eyes drift back to Holly. Interviewing the human cop. Talking about a sadistic killer.

And broadcasting for the whole city to see.

You never know who is watching.

Yes, that was why Holly had wanted to go on air.

He rubbed his chest, aware of a dull ache below his heart. What the hell was that?

No way, no damn way could it be…fear.

I'll keep her safe.

No matter who was watching.

Fucking bitch.

Her face filled the television screen. Lying green eyes all intent and sorrowful as she talked with the idiot cop about the murders.

And about the brutal killer who was loose on the streets.

Like he was the one doing something wrong.

No, no, all he was doing was taking out the trash. Putting down the monsters.

She knew that. But, oh, no, Holly Storm carried on like he'd murdered people, humans who mattered.