Hotter After Midnight

“It was for you. Just you.” He pressed a kiss to her neck, to the faint bruise on her skin. The mark not made by Jake’s claws, but by Colin’s mouth.



“But why don’t—”



“I don’t want to take this time. I just wanted to give.”



And he’d sure as hell done that. Given her so much pleasure that her body still tingled. Emily rolled to face him. Found his expression tense, guarded. “I’m not sure I understand you, shifter.” Just when she thought she’d figured him out, he managed to surprise her.



“You don’t have to understand me.” A pause. “But…” He stopped, jaw tightening.



Emily pushed out of his arms, sat up, uncaring of her nudity and the bandages that covered her stomach. “What?” Something was happening here. Something important. She could feel his tension. His…fear?



Why would Colin be afraid? Donnelley was dead. No more homicidal monsters were wandering the streets. The city was safe…for the moment. “What is it?”



“Do you think…you could ever love me?” Stark words. And she saw the fear then. In his eyes, in the unguarded expression on his face.



She touched his cheek. Smoothed her fingers down the side of his face.



Not a human. Not the simple, easygoing partner she would have chosen.



He carried a beast with him. A creature of enormous power.



Man and beast. Strength and danger.



Do you think…you could ever love me?



Being moments from death had made her realize a damn important fact. Her hand lifted, stroked his cheek. “I already do, Colin. I already do.” She kissed him, brushing her lips lightly across his. His hands curled around her and he pulled her close, holding her right against his pounding heart.



Just where she wanted to be.



Safe…with her monster.



Epilogue



“Jake Donnelley, the perpetrator known as the Night Butcher, was killed last night when the woman he’d kidnapped, Chief Medical Examiner Natalhia Smith, shot him in the throat.”



A chorus of questions erupted at this news.



But McNeal just kept talking. “Evidence links Jake Donnelley to the murders of Gillian Nemont, Preston Myers, and Darla Mitchell. We also have reason to suspect that he was behind the recent killing of four John Does…”



The watch on Emily’s arm vibrated. Glancing down, she saw that it was nearly time for her to meet up with her last appointment of the day. Marvin was scheduled to come in, and she was eager to see how the vampire fared.



She’d snuck away from the office to catch the news conference. She’d been curious about how McNeal would spin Jake’s death.



Shot in the throat. Nice touch.



Colin stood just behind McNeal. Brooks was at his side. Both were looking straight ahead, their attention on the crowd.



Time to go.



Emily stepped back, turned—



And nearly walked into Smith.



The ME looked tired. Her eyes were bloodshot. Scratches covered her face and arms. But her chin was lifted high, and there was a determined expression on her face.



“How many of them…” she muttered, her attention on the crowd of reporters, “are even human?”



Emily glanced back at the group. “At least two-thirds.” Once you know the truth, you can never stop suspecting.



Smith sucked in a sharp breath of surprise. “You see them, don’t you?”



It would be too hard to explain how she could really recognize them all, so she just nodded.



“Do…they scare you?”



Niol’s image flashed through her mind. “Some of them do.” She met Smith’s stare. “But then, some humans scare the hell out of me too.”



The ME nodded, understanding. “It’s just…what am I supposed to do now? Now that I—”



Know.



“Keep doing exactly what you’ve been doing.” Only now, maybe McNeal wouldn’t have to come up with so many stories to explain certain anomalies Smith found with the bodies. “Everything is just like it was before, you know.”



Smith’s dark gaze swept over the crowd. “No, it isn’t.”



“The monsters were there before, you just didn’t see them.” But now she would—she’d notice every difference. Always wonder.



The blinders were off for Smith.



But still on for the rest of the world.



One day they’d all realize. They’d wake up, and they’d all finally understand.



Monsters weren’t just stories to frighten small children. Weren’t just myths to whisper in the dark.



They were real.



And they were everywhere.



Emily reached into her purse, pulled out a small, white business card. She offered it to Smith. “If you ever want to talk about what happened, call me.” Being nearly murdered by a creature straight out of a nightmare wouldn’t be an easy thing to deal with, and if she could help Smith, she would. Even if the ME wasn’t her usual type of client.



Smith’s fingers curled around the card. “Thanks.” She swallowed, then stepped away.



Emily watched her slow stride across the room. Smith had a long road to go, but the woman was a survivor. She’d make it.



And she’d learn to live with the monsters around her.



Emily’s attention turned back to the swarm of reporters. The humans were leaning forward, a sort of greedy interest on their faces, but the Other, they hung back, as if realizing there were more details to this particular case that were best left uncovered.



Yes, one day the humans would turn around and realize they were surrounded by the Other.



But today, well, today wasn’t going to be that day of dawning realization. Not today…



Her wrist alarm vibrated again.



Time to get back to work. She needed to chat with her vampire. See how his blood diet was going.



And after that…she turned her head slightly, met Colin’s bright stare. Saw the hunger in his eyes.



After meeting the vampire, she had a date with a wolf.



Another busy night for the Monster Doctor.