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Morley knew about vampires.

Hell, Morley had been married to one essentially, even if it wasn’t official in the eyes of the law or documented in any government or religious record. Morley knew damned well that vampires didn’t sleep. He knew someone banging on the front door, even a semi-organic security door with A.I. protections, should have had Nick running down the stairs in an instant.

Morley probably thought Nick was lying to him.

According to everything Morley knew about vampires, there was no way Nick could possibly be telling him the truth.

Ithadto be a lie.

Ironically, it wasn’t.

Nick hesitated just outside the foyer, listening to Morley’s silence. He frowned, trying to decide if he should just answer the door, or wait for Morley to answer him first. He could practically hear the questions the human detective wanted to ask him. He could practically feel his skepticism, his irritation with whatever he heard in Nick’s voice.

Before Nick could decide what to say, Morley broke the silence.

“Where were you last night, Nick?”

Nick frowned. He opened his mouth to answer.

Before he could, James Morley, his friend and technically his boss, cut him off.

“Never mind. You’d better not answer that right now.”

Morley’s voice rose.

It sharpened as he spoke.

“Go get the door, Midnight. Right fucking now. Let them in.Right fucking now.And after you let them in, I want you tocooperate.No matter what they say. No matter how they treat you. And no matter what crappy digs they throw your way… about you, or me, or about Ms. James, about your race. You’re going to be sweet as fucking pie with them and do whatever they tell you to do. Right?”

Nick frowned. “Right. I mean… what the fuck, James?”

“Don’t let them bait you,” Morley cut in angrily. “Don’t pull your usual smart-mouthed crap that you pull with me and throw their words back at them. And whatever you do, Nick don’tfightwith them. Physically. Don’t give them any goddamned excuse. Don’t give them even theslightest, tiniestreason to overreact. They’re going to bring you in, all right? And you’re going to let them. You’re going to let them fucking do it without a single protest, Nick.”

Nick’s hands went cold.

His jaw loosened in disbelief.

“Are you sure that’s a good––”

“I’m damned well sure it’s your only option,” the human snapped. His voice shook, alarming Nick even more. “They’re bringing you in, Nick, and you’re going to let them. Just know they’ve got damned good reason… and if you fight them at all, you’re going to leave that pretty wife of yours a widow. And that kid without a father.”

Nick felt his jaw loosen more.

He didn’t argue that time, though.

He was about to ask something else, but Morley wasn’t finished.

“Whatever you do,shut your goddamned mouth,Nick. Do whatever they tell you to do. Don’t give them a reason. You and I will talk. We’ll talk as soon as you get here.”

“Here?”

“New York.”

Nick felt that cold feeling in his gut turn into a block of ice.

Morley’s voice still shook.

“Just go with them and wait for your I.S.F representative and for St. Maarten’s lawyers. I’ve already put in a call to Archangel, and the NYPD will have called the racial authority. I’ll be here already, like I said. I’m not going anywhere. And I’ve already gotten approval for the first interview… provided you agree.”