Midnight Craving: Midnight Vice, Book 1 by Lolita Lopez Read Free Book Online Page A

know, the curse has fucked with your radar. I’d like to not find out you’re off by a few seconds when
    we’re T-boned by a semi.”
    Isla rolled her eyes and zipped down the bustling street toward a northbound I-45 on-ramp. He breathed
    easier at the thought of more space for her jarring maneuvers but his relief was short-lived. She punched
    the gas, moving through the gears as she tried to outrace the semi barreling toward them in the merging
    lane. Like a bat out of hell, she swerved onto I-45, cutting a hair’s breadth in front of the semi and sliding
    across two lanes of traffic to an opening.
    “Where the hell did you learn to drive? The James Bond School for Stunt Drivers?”
    Isla snorted. “I wish.”
    The Chevelle gained speed quickly, bypassing the already-speeding vehicles surrounding it. Isla weaved
    the car in and out of traffic, making up lost time in their pursuit of the demons who had firebombed his
    Tahoe. Jace didn’t have to ask where they were heading. The last house on the list wasn’t actually in
    Houston but on the shores of Lake Woodlands, an extremely wealthy enclave just north of Houston. Unless
    the Porsche was stopped by one of the Midnight Vice patrol units, it was almost a given the demons would
    beat them to Renata’s last hideout. And that was a bad thing.
    Isla flicked on the stereo. She picked up the iPod stuffed into the console organizer straddling the
    floorboard hump and plugged an adapter into the cigarette lighter. Seconds later, eighties pop—German
    eighties pop—filtered through the speakers.
    “‘99 Luftballons’?” Jace couldn’t help but laugh. “Weren’t you still in diapers when this came out?”
    “Yeah. Not so much.” Isla checked her rearview mirror. “I didn’t make my debut into this world until
    three or so years after this song hit the big time.” She frowned at him. “But, really? You’re going to laugh at
    my choice of music? Dude, how many times have I heard you belting out ‘Pour Some Sugar on Me’ in the
    showers at work?”
    Embarrassment gripped his chest. Was he really that loud? Who else had heard him singing? “What are
    you doing hanging around the guy’s locker room anyway?”
    Isla giggled at his defensive tone. “Well, you know me, Jace. I’m all about the sausage fest.”
    From anyone else, he would have been appalled, but from Isla it was par for the course. He barked with
    laughter.
    She quirked a mischievous smile. “My quips, they slay.”
    “Something like that.” Jace wiped the corners of his eyes. He had to admit the day had been enjoyable
    despite the absolute absurdity of their circumstances. He was beginning to understand why some officers
    left SWAT for patrol or detective work. There was obviously something nice about spending one’s nights
    with the same person, working the same leads and cleaning up the streets. Usually he balked at the idea of
    leaving the often chaotic but always fulfilling world of SWAT. Entertaining the idea of being assigned a
    partner like Isla didn’t.
    His gaze drifted to the setting sun. Another half hour and it would be dark. Renata would be loose on
    the town. Even with the dragnet keeping her contained to Houston, there was just too much ground to cover
    in such a short amount of time.
    Jace snuck a furtive glance in Isla’s direction. The relaxed expression she’d worn after their laugh had
    vanished. Tension radiated throughout her features. Her right knuckles were nearly white from gripping the
    shifter. Her left hand shook against the steering wheel. She swallowed hard and kept her focus forward on
    the traffic.
    Over the last few hours, he’d learned to recognize the signals. She needed him. Now.
    Without a word, he unbuckled his seat belt and slid across the bench seat to the middle spot. He
    snapped his new belt in place and cupped her neck before pressing a kiss to her temple. “Can you keep
    driving?”
    She gulped. “I think so.”
    “We can pull over