Page 43 of Almost Midnight

He cleared his throat.

“It’s nothing,” he said, brusque. His voice was surprisingly clear. “What do you want? I assume you’re lurking in the shadows because you want something from me? Or did you simply come here to gloat that I didn’t make it back to our world, as I’d hoped?”

His sire blinked, as if Nick’s completely unexpected demeanor had genuinely thrown him, not simply surprised him out of his usual, arrogant indifference.

Nick touched his headset on, simply to glance at the time.

“I’ve got somewhere to be,” he said, although, in looking at the time, it occurred to him that he didn’t. It was later than he’d realized.

Wynter would be getting up for work soon.

It was too late to wake her up, particularly if she had to work, and St. Maarten had definitely implied that shewouldbe working, as was usual and normal, all week. Like Nick, Wynter probably didn’t have any choice.

Despite Morley’s suggestion that she call in sick for work, that both of them go to the beach, Nick realized that probably wasn’t in the cards today. Even if Lara would allow it, which she very likely wouldn’t, Nick wasn’t really in the right headspace for that, anyway.

Moreover, he needed to do a few things when he got back to Phoenix Tower.

He exhaled, shut the augmented reality off, and focused on Brick.

“Or maybe I don’t,” he conceded. He folded his arms. “Fine. Is something on your mind, Brick? Because you’d better tell me what it is now. I may not be particularly receptive tomorrow.”

Nick’s voice sounded patient to the point of being dismissive.

It occurred to him that what he’d said was true, however. Hemightnot be particularly receptive to anything Brick-related tomorrow. That might be especially true if Tai and Malek were able to help him remember more.

Brick stared back at him, his eyes tinged scarlet in their centers.

The older vampire looked openly wary now.

Nick reallyhadmanaged to catch him flat-footed for a change, and now Brick didn’t know how to approach whatever it was he’d come here for. Being Brick, it didn’t take him long to recover, but in those few seconds, Nick felt strangely vindicated.

“Christ,” Nick said. “Whatever it is, just say it, Brick. I didn’t mean to ruin your theatrical entrance with my fuckinginsistenceon existing as my own person.”

Brick’s lip finally curled.“Iam theatrical? That is rich, coming from you.”

“You’re the most theatrical piece of shit I’ve ever known,” Nick responded, unperturbed. “Just get on with it, would you?”

Brick, now looking thoroughly annoyed, adjusted his long coat.

He looked past Nick at the metal door to the apartment building, which had no windows, no glass, nothing but mold-speckled cement on either side of its thick panel.

“I thought you might require some assistance,” Brick said stiffly. “With your case tonight. Before you started wandering down rabbit holes of one kind or another––”

“Christ,” Nick muttered a second time.“Youdid this.” Nick’s jaw jerked towards that same metal door, indicating the street outside. “You killed these Yi-worshipping fucks.”

“No… I did not.”

“Bullshit.”

“I did not.”

“I don’t believe you. How else would you even know tobehere?”

Brick adjusted his coat a second time, and his tie. He sniffed.

“As you know me, you should not need to ask me that question,” he said haughtily. “I hear about these things, given who I am, particularly when they affect our kind. We are still in a war, in case you hadn’t noticed––”

“A war?” Nick scoffed. “Gods, you reallyarea drama queen.”

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