Demon Night by Meljean Brook Page A

the upper length of his fangs, making for a smile as pretty as the automobile’s radiator grill.
    Ethan angled his head, looked Manny up and down. There wasn’t much money to be had as a two-bit dealer, pimp, and former enforcer, but considering the sparklies the vampire sported, Ethan wouldn’t have guessed it just to look at him.
    â€œYou dealing out here now?”
    â€œNo, man.” Manny plucked at the third button of his striped shirt, the cotton as crisp and stiff as his black jeans. “I was just sitting here, and he just walked by.”
    That fit what Ethan had caught from Manny and the kid; the transaction hadn’t been planned, but a chance meeting.
    â€œAre your girls working over here?” Ethan asked, though he doubted it. Capitol Hill wasn’t Angie’s and Cora’s style. “Maybe drinking from their johns?”
    Offended machismo poured from Manny’s psychic scent. “I’m man enough for both of them.” When Ethan refrained from commenting on that, Manny pulled at the button again. “Come on, Drifter. Why are you hassling me? I haven’t done anything.”
    Ethan’s gaze fell to Manny’s fingers. “You’re awful twitchy for someone who doesn’t need to be hassled.”
    Manny’s hand immediately dropped to his side, and he gave a short laugh before it, too, dropped away and left a hunted expression in its place. His voice had an edge of a whine to it. “I just came by to see if what I heard about a dead man walking was true.”
    Ethan frowned. “What dead man?”
    â€œJust some dead white guy.” A passing car’s lights caught the flash of chrome teeth and gleamed off the silver ring on his middle finger. Manny was absently rubbing the band with his thumb, spinning it around. Another tell, but Ethan wouldn’t call the vampire’s attention to this one.
    â€œYou, me, we’re all dead men walking,” Manny added with a grin and a shrug.
    Now, that was just nonsense. Was Manny thinking to distract him? The ring went round and round. Ethan’s gaze narrowed, and he inhaled deep. “Put your hands on the hood.”
    â€œAw, man—” Manny’s lips pressed together, and he turned around.
    Ethan quickly patted him down, pulled the small bag of sweet-smelling marijuana from the vampire’s front pocket, and vanished it into his cache. Unfortunately for Manny, vampires couldn’t carry or hide items the same way. Another sniff led Ethan to the giant trunk. He popped the lock and dug out what he figured was about five thousand dollars’ worth of goods from beneath the spare tire.
    â€œYou Guardians are worse than the pig cops,” Manny said with an expression more resigned than angry.
    â€œAnd here I thought we were such good friends, Manny, considering that I saved your life and all.” Ethan slammed the trunk closed. He confiscated Manny’s stash each time they met up; this couldn’t account for the vampire’s jumpiness. “You hear of any vampires—one female, two males, black hair, a lot of black leather—talking about being in this area? Maybe hunting down a human girl?”
    â€œYou’re describing half of the community, Drifter. Them white boys like to go around looking like dead freaks.”
    Not all of them, but too many to make those that had gone after Charlie remarkable. “Any word about demons, maybe vampires who are thinking of working for them?”
    Manny shook his head. “The only thing everyone talks about is how nervous they are.”
    â€œWhy is that?”
    The vampire’s eyes hardened into weasely little beads. “Well, we’ve been hearing about these other cities being wiped out. Then you Guardians come in with your Rules, and talk about these demons.” His fingers started working the ring; the whine came in again. “It was better back when only I knew about you,