Page 39 of Almost Midnight

“It’s fine.”

“You said before they wanted a Midnight on the doors,” Nick growled. “In case you stumbled upon a vamp nest in one of these shit-hole tenements––”

“Tanaka,” Morley warned. “I wasn’t asking your goddamned opinion. Get out of here. Now.” He gave Nick one of hisI’m losing patience with youstares. “I’ll call you tomorrow, and we’ll see where we’re at on this thing then. Assuming no one’s ordered me to shut it down.”

He motioned with his head towards the stairs.

“In the meantime, get your ass home,” he grunted. “Maybe see if your wife can blow off work for the day. Take her to the beach, along with those kids. I’m sure you’re not the only one who’s feeling fucked up after everything that happened.”

Nick blinked.

It was pure affect; he didn’t need to blink, not as a vampire, but he couldn’t seem to stop himself from doing it, anyway.

He felt his jaw start to harden, too.

He could feel the irrationality behind his anger and annoyance at his friend.

This wasn’t Morley’s fault. Morley was on his side.

Moreover, he knew James was right.

Nick was done for the night.

He wasn’t going to be much help at this point. He wasn’t an asset.

In truth, he was probably a fucking liability. He definitely was as likely to cause problems for the investigation as he was to help it.

Nick didn’t get tired, not like a human or seer did, but he could feel that quality James saw in him, like a piece of catgut stretched too far, made too thin, too easy to fray and snap. He didn’t need sleep, but he needed to step back. He needed to shut down for a while, or at least take a few hours to do very little with his mind, and maybe go surfing, like Morley said.

The beach wasn’t a bad idea, either.

He hadn’t stopped at all since…

Well, not since he’d been pulled back from that dimensional door.

Before that, really. He hadn’t stopped since they picked him up at Wynter’s house and arrested him for a bunch of murders he didn’t commit.

Maybe that’s why he didn’t argue with his friend, even though he could see in Morley’s face that the old man braced for it.

Nick could feel the part of himself that very muchwantedto argue.

But he didn’t.

In the end, he only nodded.

Then, without a word, he turned around and walked to the stairs.

CHAPTER10

KING OF LIES

Nick foughthis resentment with an effort.

The resentment wasn’t at Morley, not anymore.

Morley meant well. Morley was his friend, he was concerned, and he meant well.

Resentment still simmered in Nick’s chest, but now it honed in on new targets.

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