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Nick watched them approach Morley, their sharp eyes assessing the old man.

Okay, he kind of got Morley’s paranoia now.

Something was weird about them.

They looked, well… something.

Not quite angry, but far from friendly.

They definitely exuded a “law enforcement” vibe, so Nick wasn’t too worried about them being mobsters or gang members in disguise. Since the crimeofficiallyfell within Nick, James, and Charlie’s purview, their being here shouldn’t set off any jurisdictional pissing matches. These guys must be based out of the precinct just north of theirs. That, or––

“Nick Midnight?” the first of them said.

Nick jumped.

What the fuck? Why would they care about him?

His eyes met Morley’s, although there’s no way anyone would mistake James for a vampire, given his gray hair and dark brown eyes and age-spotted skin. They gave Morley meaningful looks regardless, as if trying to silently communicate with him.

Maybe they were even talking to him via their headsets on a private channel.

“Is the sniffer Midnight with you tonight?” the second one asked, still looking only at Morley. “Is that him, by the car?”

Nick felt his mouth purse. What the fuck was going on?

He was right there.

He wasobviouslythe Midnight.

So why were these assholes playing footsie with Morley about it?

Nick cleared his throat, and both sets of eyes flicked to his.

“I’m him,” Nick said clearly. “I’m the Midnight.”

The first one smiled. It wasn’t a nice smile.

“We need you to come with us,” he said.

Nick glanced at Morley, who might have looked unfazed, or disinterested, to anyone else. But Nick knew him. The old man was alarmed. His shoulders had stiffened, and he was staring at the two officers in a way that told Nick he was thinking, fast, or maybe understanding something already and trying to decide what to do.

Nick opened his mouth to answer the guy who’d addressed him, but Morley spoke up before Nick got out a word.

“He’s been cleared,” Morley said, his voice a touch cold. “Why is this necessary?”

“You’re not cleared to know that,” the first man answered with a smirk.

“Not cleared?” Morley frowned. “What the fuck does that mean?”

He still had a hand clenched in his pocket, and now Nick wondered if he was gripping a weapon. What was going on? Why the hell was Morley––

“I need to see a warrant,” James said now, his voice openly suspicious for the first time. “I want to speak to your supervisors, too. And to our station chief.”

“I’m afraid that’s not possible,” the second officer said.

The two cops stared at Morley flatly, and for the first time, it hit Nick that they weren’t entirely human.

Jesus. Were they hybrids?