Free Master of the Night by Angela Knight Page A

a collection of hallucinogens.”
    Parker sneered. “You think a hallucination’s holding you three feet off the ground? Idiot. It’s magic . Mageverse physics manifesting itself in our universe—with a little starter fuel provided by your dead friend’s life force.” He stepped closer to her, looking up into her face. “And you still don’t believe me. Then again, you didn’t even recognize a vampire when he had his dick in your twat and his fangs in your throat.” He gave her a contemptuous smile. “So much for that keen, investigative intellect.”
    Erin’s heart pounded in long, jarring beats. It was happening again. Just like the night David died. Things that could not possibly be were happening again, and another man was dead.
    All the shrinks had sworn she’d been under the influence of some kind of hallucinogen, but this felt no more like a delusion than that night had.
    But it must be. Because if it wasn’t…
    Erin sneered at Parker, even as her instincts shrieked all this was horribly, impossibly real. “So now you want me to believe Reece Champion is a vampire. Yeah, right. Do you seriously think you can sucker me with this bullshit?” Her mouth was dry as sand. “If you’re going to kill me, get it over with and quit insulting my intelligence.” She almost wished he would. Better to die than discover it had all been real.
    Better to die than learn a demon really had killed the man she loved.
    â€œWe have no intention of killing you, sweetheart.” Parker’s grin took on a chilling cast. “At least, not until Count 007 over there has had his fun. But I think I’ll let my master explain it to you.”
    He took a step back and closed his eyes. Again, the mysterious nimbus appeared around his hands, snapping and fizzling like a Fourth of July sparkler.
    Even frustrated, furious, and terrified, Erin felt a niggle of curiosity. How was he doing that?
    As she watched, the FBI mole lifted both hands, rising onto his toes as he threw his head back, his face contorting with effort.
    â€œI wonder what it is about working magic that gives them all that melodramatic streak?” Champion muttered. “I’ve never met a Maja yet that could resist striking a pose.”
    What the hell’s a Maja? Erin thought.
    Before she could ask, a rolling crack of thunder made her jump in her invisible bonds. A blast of wind blew into her face, hot and smelling faintly of sulfur.
    And a man simply popped into existence inches from her nose. She jolted, swallowing a scream.
    â€œWhy, hello there, Erin.” He grinned at her, his smile wide and white, his eyes as pale as a wolf’s—and just as feral. His hair fell in a gleaming black curtain around his T-shirt–clad shoulders, and black jeans hugged his thighs.
    She might have found him attractive if she hadn’t seen him kill David.
    â€œGeirolf,” Erin spat. “You sick fuck. Still scamming the suckers with the demon act?” God, please let it be a scam. It couldn’t be real.
    He laughed, a deep, sensual boom. “Darling, it’s not an act.” Geirolf turned away from her, strolling up to Champion as he hung in midair, his big body straining as he fought to escape whatever it was that held them.
    No. This isn’t happening , she told herself desperately. There was no magical forcefield holding them trapped and levitating. Somehow Parker had drugged them without their knowledge, with something that made them both susceptible to suggestion. Then the magician hit them up with a couple of stage tricks while they were too out of it to question what was happening. It was the same scam the shrinks swore he’d pulled on Erin and David a year ago, with such fatal results.
    But why? That was the one thing the psychologists had never been able to explain. What was the point? Why not just shoot them and get it over with?
    â€œSo,