Master of the Night Read Online Free Page A

twenty-eight years ago. A man’s entitled to a little time off.”
    Lance laughed. They settled into a companionable silence, watching the Majae dance as other vampires shouted ribald encouragement from the sidelines.
    All around the square, the city of Avalon thrust into the Mageverse sky. Medieval castles, French chateaus, and thoroughly modern townhouses shouldered against one another, each designed to suit the individual whims of its magical owner. Towering Mageverse trees stood between them, draped in swags of fairy moss, surrounded by drifts of jasmine and roses.
    Listening to the music, Reece let his head fall back. Something small and glowing shot past overhead, almost lost against the shimmer of the Mageverse. “Look,” he said to Lance, “there goes a fairy.”
    His friend shot a jaundiced glance skyward. “Probably spying.”
    â€œRelations haven’t improved with the Sidhe court, I gather.”
    â€œNot since the Majae’s Council turned down King Llyr again,” Grace said, dropping down beside her husband, delightfully sweat-dewed and panting. She was a lithely muscular woman, as blond as her husband was dark, an elegant match for his power. “I warned Morgana they’re pissing him off for no good reason, but as usual, Grandma ignored me.”
    Reece lifted an interested brow as she wiped sweat from her forehead with the back of her wrist. “Is he still set on marrying a Maja?”
    â€œYeah, and if we had any sense, we’d let him. We need all the allies we can get, given the situation on Realspace Earth.”
    â€œWhat, with the terrorists?”
    Grace stared at him. “No, the Death Cults. Didn’t you get CNN in Iraq?”
    â€œOh, those cultists.” Over the past year, dozens of cults had sprung up from D.C. to California. On the surface, none of them seemed related: Their rhetoric ranged from white supremacist to far-left ecco-looney, while their preferred weapons ran the gamut from poisoned cold medications to human sacrifice. Their only common denominator was the murders they committed and the panic they’d inspired in the public. “So we’ve decided they’re nasty enough to warrant attention.”
    â€œExactly,” Lance said. “Seems one of the Majae has had a vision the cults really are using magic.”
    Reece stared. “The High Council thinks a Maja is involved?”
    â€œNo, and that’s the really terrifying part,” Grace said. “They swear the magical signature is not one of ours.”
    Oh, that wasn’t good news. “Sidhe, then? Llyr?”
    â€œI doubt he’d get involved in something like this,” Lance said. “Though I wouldn’t put it past that psychotic brother of his.”
    Reece grunted. “I’ll see what I can find out from the Feds. I’m probably going to be stateside for several months anyway.” Catching Grace’s questioning look, he explained, “Hunting a mole.”
    â€œThe CIA thinks they’ve got another double agent?” Lance asked, interested.
    â€œNo, it’s the FBI. One of their counterintelligence guys asked me to look into it. Unless I get lucky, I’m going to spend months talking to bureaucrats to see who lies.”
    His acute vampire senses allowed Reece to hear a liar’s heartbeat jump, or smell the faint trace of fear in sweat. Once he had a suspect, he could bring in a Maja for a little surreptitious mind reading. The Feds didn’t know about the Majae, so Reece had to conduct the bulk of such investigations without magical assistance. It was annoying, but he had to ensure the Magekind’s secret stayed secret.
    â€œWhen are you heading to Washington?” Lance asked.
    â€œDay after tomorrow. I’ve got to put in an appearance at Champion International first.”
    Grace propped her head on her husband’s shoulder and smiled at Reece. “Have I mentioned how