Midnight's Master (Midnight 3)

"Sources, love. I've got 'em, too."

The call ended with a click.

Another dead demon.

Swallowing, she punched in the speed-dial button she'd assigned for her cameraman.

Ben met her at the scene. It would have been hard to miss the place-it was the only building in the old warehouse sector that was surrounded by cops, swirling blue lights, and yellow police tape.

Strangely, though, no other reporters were on scene. Yet, anyway.

A long whistle from her side. "What the hell did you find, Holly?" Ben asked.

Death.

She caught sight of Gyth's dark head as he stalked toward one of the cruisers. Her eyes narrowed. "Ben, start filming the scene." Straightening her shoulders, she headed for that parked car.

"Where you goin'?"

She glanced back.

The brim of his cap shielded his eyes. "Oh, no, Holly, that guy is not gonna talk to you. Hell, even I know he hates you."

"Hate is a very strong word," she muttered. Her palms were sweating. Her back itching. Gyth looked up right then and instantly his gaze zeroed in on her.

Maybe it wasn't too strong.

"Get the scene," she repeated. "I'll get the cop." Or try.

Or maybe just get her ass escorted off the property.

But what did she have to lose?

This was her story. Would be, until the freak was locked away…or dead.

Gyth changed course and headed for her.

She kept moving slowly but determinedly toward him.

"Holly Storm." The setting sun darkened his hair even more. "Why the hell am I not surprised to see you here?"

She lifted an eyebrow. "'Cause I'm good at my job?"

"Oh, I'll give you that." His lips twisted. "But I think maybe you've just got one fine connection to this killer."

She pounced and ignored the suspicion. "So this scene is related." Niol had been right. Cagey demon.

No response from Gyth.

"Come on, detective. Give me something. This makes kill number three." She had no proof, but he didn't know that.

"Actually, it's number one." He exhaled and shook his head. "Looks like she was the first."

What?

It took her a minute to process the fact that the guy was actually talking to her about the case.

"You're saying the woman in there was the guy's first victim?" If she'd been the first, then she would have been in that place for days, her body slowly decaying…

Holly swallowed.

"Looks that way." He cast her a speculative glance. "You're gonna have to be the one to tell me for sure."

"I don't follow-"

He caught her arm. "I need you to see the victim."

Oh, hell, not again.

She dug in her heels. "I'm here to cover the story, not to-to-"

"He wants to know if she's one of us, Holly," Niol said, his voice like rough silk as he walked from the covering of a nearby building.

Holly didn't jump at his approach-not this time-because she'd known he was there. From the minute she'd climbed out of her car, she'd known.

Because he wouldn't have sent her to this scene alone.

Am I starting to trust the guy?

Sure looked that way.

Talk about twisted-she had to be the only person in the state who trusted Niol Lapen.

Gyth swore. "I'm guessing it's not a f**king coincidence you're both here?"

Niol caught Holly's hand. Kissed the back of her palm. "Where she goes, I go."

His tongue swiped over her flesh and her heart jumped.

"Bullshit." Gyth looked disgusted as his mouth curled into a sneer. "And I'm not buying this whole lover crap-Wait!" His gaze flew between them. "One of us ?"

Holly decided the best course of action right then was to keep her mouth shut. She was too new at the whole being-a-demon thing.

"Shit." He rubbed the bridge of his nose.

Two guys in blue uniforms wheeled out a gurney. On top of it, a black body bag was zipped up tight.

Her mouth dried up. A woman. Looked like the killer wasn't being choosy about gender. Odd, that.

Did she know her, too?

"Hold it." Gyth's words were directed at the attendants pushing the gurney. Then, softer, for her ears only, he said, "Tell the jerkoff with the camera to cut or he's gonna be losing his precious equipment."

She believed him. Holly raised her hand and motioned toward Ben. "That's enough. Cut for now."

He lowered the camera with a scowl.

Gyth took her elbow and urged her toward the body bag. Since Niol still had her other hand, he followed right along, too.

"Open it," Gyth's snarled command.

The attendant's fingers jerked as he hurried to unzip the bag.

The smell hit her first. Thick, cloying, clogging up her nostrils.

"Gyth, what the hell, this isn't protocol-"

Her eyes darted to the left. Found a scowling uniformed cop she'd never seen before.

"Take it up with the captain," Gyth said, never looking away from the body.

Her gaze snaked back down.

She saw the blond hair first. Tangled, matted with blood. Then the face. Bloated. Blackened in spots.

And she caught sight of the yawning second grin that tore across the woman's throat.

Holly turned away. "I-I don't know her." Not another source. Just a poor woman who'd been slaughtered.

"I do."

She glanced at Niol.

"Name's Julia Powers. She worked in Paradise for a while last year. Stopped waitressing right around the time she hooked up with her boyfriend."

"And her boyfriend would be?" Gyth pressed.

"He was Carl Bronx." Niol's lips thinned. "And she was one of mine, too."

Demon.

Gyth's jaw clenched and he motioned to the attendant. The zipper was hauled back up with a hiss.

"Tell me, detective…" A long pause from Niol as he waited for the attendants to move past.

That woman-God, what had she endured?

The gurney's wheels squeaked as they loaded her up.

Niol cocked his head and studied the detective. "Did he take something from her, too?"

Take something? From the body? Holly's palm pressed against her stomach. Oh, hell. She didn't know where Niol had gotten his information, but the look on Gyth's face told her that he was dead-

on.

"How the hell do you know about that?"

Sources. The answer whispered through her mind.

"I told your partner once, there is something you guys don't realize. Your police force has more demons than you can count."

She could believe that.

"Someone in my department is coming to you with information?" Gyth's eyes glittered with fury, way too bright.