Part 2

Nicki didn’t feel like a party. In her fantasy, she wasn’t all glossed up in a strapless red dress with plastic stays digging into her sides. She wasn’t wearing pinching six inch heels. She wasn’t smiling until she thought of her face would split in two.
In her fantasy she was devouring a mystery novel and chocolate chip cookies while she soaked  in a hot bubble path to ease the bruises that still ached a bit three days after her nasty adventure in the East End alley.
Unfortunately, her imagination wasn’t quite good enough to keep her feet from hurting. There was plenty of glitz and glamour, lots of cheek bussing and glad handing. It was, after all, a party thrown by Arlo Stuart, hotel magnate, as a campaign party for Tucker Fields, Urbana’s mayor. Tonight she was attending the party for two reasons. The first was that she was friends with the mayor’s assistant Jerry Bower. The second was that her boss had used the right combination of pressure and diplomacy to push her through the gilded swinging doors of the Stuart Palace.
“ god you look amazing,” Jerry Bower stopped beside Nicki to press a quick kiss to her cheek. “ sorry I haven’t had time to talk. There was a lot of meeting and greeting to do.”
“ things are always busy for the big boss’s right arm.” she smiled toasting him. “ quite a party.”
“stuart pulled out all the stops.” with a politician’s eye, he scanned the crowd. The mix of the rich, famous and influenced pleased him. There were of course other aspects to the campaign.
“I’m properly dazzled,” Nicki assured him.
“ ah, but its your vote we want.”
“you might get it.”
“ how are you feeling?” taking the opportunity in hand, he began to fill a plate with appetizers.
“ fine,” she glanced at the fading bruise on her forearm.
“really?”
She smiled again. “ really. Its an experience I don’t want to repeat, but it did bring it home, straight home to me that we’ve got a lot more work to do before Urbana’s streets are safe.”
“you shouldn’t have been out there.” he mumbled.
“ why? Why should there be any place, any place at all in the city where a person isn’t safe to walk? Are we supposed to just accept the fact that there are portions of Urbana that are off limits to nice people? If we’re..”
“ hold it, hold it.” he held up a surrendering hand.
“ the only person someone in politics cant comfortably outtalk is a lawyer. I agree with you okay?” he snagged a glass of wine from a passing waiter.
“ I was stating a fact. It doesn’t make it right. It just makes it true.”
“it shouldn’t be true.” her eyes darkened in both annoyance and frustration
She relaxed and laughed up at him. “ all right enough shoptalk. Tell me who’s here that I should know and don’t.”
Jerry entertained her. He always did. She hooked her arm easily through his. It was a matter of chance that she turned her head and in that sea of people, focused on one single face.
He was standing in a group of five, with two beautiful women hanging on his arms. Attractive. Hell yes, she thought. She stood there taking in all his features almost in a dazed state. He wore his tux as if he was born in one. Easily casually. His smile widened with something one the women on his arm said. Then, without turning his head, he merely shifted his gaze and locked on Nicki.
“…. and she brought the monster a wide screen tv.”
“ what?” she blinked, and though she realized it was crazy, she had felt like she had broken out of a spell.
“what?”
“ I was telling you about Mrs. Forth Wright’s poodles.”
“ jerry who Is that? Over there. With the red head on one side and the blonde on the other?”
Glancing over, Jerry grimaced, then shrugged. “ I’m surprised he doesn’t have a brunette sitting on his shoulders. Women tend to stick to him as though he was wearing fly paper instead of a tux.”
She didn’t need to be told what she could see with her own eyes. “ who’s he?”
“Graham, Drake Graham”
Her eyes narrowed a bit, her mouth pursed. “ why does that sound familiar?”
“ its splashed literally through the society section of world almost every day?”
“ I don’t read the society section.” well aware it was rude. Nicki stared stubbornly at the man across the room. “ I know him,” she murmured. “ I just cant place where.”
“ you’ve probably heard his story. He was a cop.”
“ a cop.” Nicki’s brow lifted in surprise. He looked much too comfortable, much too part of the rich and privileged surroundings to be a cop.
“ a good one, apparently right in Urbana. A few years ago, he and his partner ran into trouble. Big trouble. The partner was killed, and Graham was left for dead.”
Her memory jogged then homed in. “ I remember now. I followed his story. My god he was in a coma for….”
“nine or ten months,” Jerry supplied. “ he was on life support and they had just about given up, when he opened his eyes and came back. He couldn’t do the street life anymore, and turned down a job offer with UPD. He’d come into a plump inheritance while he was in the twilight zone, so I guess he took the money and ran.”
It couldn’t have been enough she thought. No amount to money could have been enough. “ it must have been horrible. He lost nearly a year of his life.”
“ he’s made it up for lost time. Apparently women find him irresistible. of course that might be because he turned a three million dollar inheritance into thirty billion and counting.” Jerry watched as Drake  smoothly disentangled himself from the group and started in their direction. “ well well, he said softly looks like the interest is mutual.”

Drake had been aware of her since the moment she’d stepped into the ball room. He’d watched, patient, as she mingled then separated herself. He’d seen her smile at Jerry, observed the other man kiss her and brush a casually intimate hand over her shoulder.
He’d find out just what the relationship was there.
Though it didn’t matter. couldn’t matter, he corrected. Drake had no time for women with intelligent eyes. But he moved steadily toward her.
“Jerry,” Drake smiled. “ its good to see you again.”
“ always a pleasure. Mr. Graham. You’re enjoying yourself?”
“of course.” his gaze flicked from Jerry to Nicki.
“hello.”
For some ridiculous reason, her throat snapped shut.
“Nicki, I’d like to introduce you to Drake Graham, Mr. Graham, Assistant District Attorney Nicki Maraj.”
“ an A.D.A.” Drake’s smile spread charmingly. “ its comforting to know that justice is in such lovely hands.”
“competent.” she said. “I prefer competent.”
“of course,” though she hadn’t offered it, he took her hand and held it for a few brief  seconds
“ will you excuse me a minute?” Jerry laid a hand on Nicki’s shoulder again. “ the mayor’s signaling.”
“ sure.” she summoned up a smile for him, though she was ashamed to admit she’d forgotten he was beside her.
“ you havent been in Urbana long.” Drake commented.
Despite her uneasiness, Nicki met his eyes straight on. “ about a year and a half. Why?”
“because I’d have known.”
“really? Do you keep tabs on all the A.D.A’s?”
“no.” he brushed his finger over her earring. “ just the beautiful ones.” the instant suspicions in her eyes delighted him. “ would you like to dance?”
“ no.” she let out a long, quiet breath. “ no thanks, I really cant stay any longer. I’ve got work to do.”
He glanced at his watch. “ its already past ten.”
“ the law doesn’t have a time clock, Mr. Graham.”
“Drake. I’ll give you a lift.”
“no.” a quick unreasonable panic surged to her throat. “ no, that’s not necessary.”
“ if its not necessary, then it must be for pleasure.”
He was smooth she thought, entirely too smooth for a man who just shrugged off a blonde and a brunette.
“ I wouldn’t want to take you away from the party.”
“I never stay late at parties.”
“Drake.” the redhead, her mouth pouty and moist swayed up to drag on his arm. “ honey you haven’t dance with me yet. Not once.”
Nicki took the opportunity to make a beeline for the exit. It was stupid she admitted, but her system had gone haywire at the thought of being alone in a car with him.
She stepped out into the steamy summer night.
“ hail you a cab miss?” the doorman asked her.
“ no.” Drake cupped a firm hand under her elbow. “ thank you.”
“ Mr. Graham,” she began.
“Drake. My car is just here, Miss Maraj.” he gestured to a long sleek limo in gleaming black.
“its lovely,” she said between her teeth, “ but a cab will suit my needs perfectly.”
“ but not mine.” he nodded at a tall, bulky man who slipped out the driver’s seat to open the rear door.
“ the streets are dangerous at night. I’d simply like to know you’re gotten where you want to go, safely.”
She stepped back and took a long careful study, as she might a mug shot of a suspect. He didn’t seem as dangerous now, with that half smile hovering at his mouth. In fact, she thought he looked just a little sad. Just a little lonely.
She turned toward the limo. Not wanting to soften to much, she shot a look over her shoulders. “ has anyone ever told you you’re pushy, Mr. Graham?”
“often, Miss Maraj.”
He settled beside her and offered a single long stemmed red rose.
“you came prepared,” she murmured. Had the blossom been waiting for the blonde, she wondered, or the redhead?
“ I try, where would you like to go?”
“ the justice building. Its on sixth and…”
“ I know where it is,” Drake pressed a button and the glass that separated them from the driver slid open noiselessly. “ the justice building Frank.”
“ yes sir,” the glass closed again.
“ we used to work on the same side,” Nicki commented.
“which side is that?”
“law.”
He turned to her, his eyes dark, almost hypnotic. It made her wonder what he had seen when he had drifted all those months in that strange world of half life. Or half death.
“ you’re a defender of the law?”
“ I like to think so.”
“ yet you wouldn’t be adverse to making deals and kicking back charges.”
“ the system is overburdened.” she said defensively.
“oh yes, the system.” with a faint movement of his shoulders, he seemed to dismiss it all. “ where are you from?”
“Denver.”
“ no, you didn’t get cypress trees and magnolia blossoms in your voice from Denver.”
“I was born in Georgia, but my sister and I moved around quite a bit. Denver was where I lived before I came to east Urbana.”
Her sister, he noted. Not her parents, not her family, just her sister. He didn’t press. Not yet. “ why did you come here?”
“because it was a challenge. I wanted to put all those years I studied to good use. I like to think I can make a difference.” she thought of the mendez case and the four gang members. “ I have to make a difference.”
“ you’re an idealist.”
“maybe. What’s wrong with that?”
“idealist are often tragically disappointed.” he was silent a moment, studying her. She was beautiful in both light and shadow. More than beauty, there was a kind of power in her eyes.
“I’d like to see you in court,” he said.
She smiled and added yet one more element to the power and beauty. Ambition. It was great combination.
“I’m a killer.”
“ I bet you are.”
 He wanted to touch her, just the skim of a fingertip on those lovely shoulders. It was with both relief and frustration that he felt the limo glide to the curb and stop.
Nicki turned to look blankly out the window at the old towering building.
“that was quick.” she murmured, baffled by her own disappointment.
“thanks for the lift.” when the driver opened her door. She swung her legs out.
“I’ll see you again.”
For the second time, she looked at him over her shoulder. “maybe. Goodnight.”
He sat for a moment against the seat, haunted by the scent she had left behind.
“home?” the driver asked.
“ no.” Drake took a long, steadying breath. “ stay take her home when she’s finished. I need to walk.”

Chapter 1

He walked the night. Alone restless. ready.clad in black, masked, he was a shadow among shadows, a whisper among the murmurs and mumbles of the dark.

 He was watchful, always, for those who preyed on the helpless and vulnerable. unknown, unseen , unwanted he stalked the hunters in the steaming jungle that was the city. He moved unchallenged in the dark spaces, the blind alleys and violent streets. like smoke, he drifted along towering rooftops and down into dark cellars.

When he needed he moved like thunder, all sound and fury. then there was only the flash, the optical echo that lightning leaves after it streaks the sky.

They called him Nemisis, and he was everywhere.

He walked the night, skirting the sound of laughter, the cheerful sound of celebrations. Instead he was drawn to whimpers and tears of the lonely and the helpless pleas of the victimized. Night after night, he clothed himself in black, masked his face and stalked the wild,dark streets. Not for the law. The law was too easily manipulated by those who scorned it. When he walked, he walked for justice, with justice there would be retribution and the balancing of scales.

Like a shadow, he watched the city below.

Nicki Maraj moved quickly. She was always in a hurry to catch up with her ambitions. Now her neat, 6inch heels clicked rapidly on the broken sidewalk of Urbana's east end. it wasn't fear that had her hurrying back to her car, though the east end was a dangerous place to be-especially at night-- for a lone attractive woman. it was a flush of success. In her capacity as assistant district attorney , she had just completed an interview with a witness to one of the drive by shootings that were becoming a plague in Urbana.

Every time Nicki brought a case to trial, she felt she was repaying a part of that debt.

One of the doorway shadows shouted something at her impersonally obscene. A harsh feminine cackle followed it. Nicki had only been in Urbana for eighteen months but she knew better than to pause or to register that she had heard at all.

Her strides long and purposeful, she stepped off the curb to get into her car. Someone grabbed her from behind.

"oh baby, aint you sweet."

The man six inches taller than she and smelled of alcohol. in a split second it took her to read his glassy eyes, she understood that he wasn't pumped high on whiskey but on chemicals that would make him quick instead of sluggish. Using both hands, she shoved her leather briefcase into his gut. he grunted and his grip loosened. Nicki yanked away and ran, digging frantically for her keys. Even as her hand closed over the jingling metal in her pocket, he grabbed her, his fingers digging in at the collar of her jacket. she heard the linen rip and turned to fight. Then she saw the switchblade, its business end gleaming once before he pressed it against the soft skin under her chin.

"gotcha." he said, and giggled.

she went dead still, hardly daring to breathe. in his eyes she saw a malicious kind of glee that would never listen to pleading or logic. Still she kept her voice low and calm.

"I've only got twenty-five dollars."

Jabbing the point of the blade against her skin, he leaned intimately close. 

"uh-uh baby, you got a lot more than twenty-five dollars." he twisted her hair around his hand, jerking once, hard. when she cried out he began to pull her toward the deeper dark of the alley.

"go on scream," he giggled in her ear. " i like it when they scream. go on." he nicked her throat with the blade. " scream."

she did, and the sound rolled down the shadowed street, echoing in the canyons of the buildings. in doorways people shouted encouragement to the attacker. behind darkened windows people kept their lights off and pretended that they heard nothing.

When he pushed her against the damp wall of the alley way, she was icy with terror. her mind, so sharp and open, shut down, " please," she said though she knew better, " don't do this."

He grinned. " you're going to like it." with the tip of the blade he sliced the top button of her blouse, " you're going to like it just fine." 

like any strong emotion fear sharpened her senses. she could feel her own tears, hot and wet on her cheeks, smell his stale breath and the overripe garbage that crowded the alley. She would be another statistic, she thought dully. just one more number among the ever increasing victims. Slowly, then with increasing power, anger began to burn through the icy shield of fear. She would not cringe and whimper. She would not submit without a fight. It was then she felt the sharp pressure of her keys. They were still in her hand, closed tight in her rigid fist. Concentrating, she used her thumb to push the points between her stiff fingers. She sucked in her breath, trying to channel all of her strength into her arm. She sucked in a breath, trying to channel all her strength into her arms.

Just as she raised it, her attacker seemed to rise into the air, then fly into a stand of garbage cans.

Nicki ordered her legs to run. The way her heart was pumping, she was certain she could be in her car, doors locked, engine grinning, in the blink of an eye. but then she saw him.

He was all black, a long, lean shadow among the shadows. He stood over the knife wielding junkie, his legs spread, his body tensed.

"Stay back." he ordered when she took the automatic step forward. His voice was part whisper, part growl, 

" I think..."

"dont think," he snapped without bothering to look at her.

the junkie leaped up howling, bringing his blade down in a deadly arc. Before Nicki's eyes, there was a flash of movement, a scream of pain and clatter of the knife skidded along the concrete.

in less than the time it takes to draw and release a single breath, the man in black stood just as he had before.

"that was..." Nicki searched her brain for a word, "impressive. I I was going to suggest that we call the police."

He continued to ignore her as he took some circular plastic from his pocket and bound the still moaning junkie's hands and ankles. he picked up the knife, pressed a button. The blade disappeared with a whisper. Only then did he turn to her.

The tears were already drying on her cheeks, he noted. She was extraordinarily beautiful, he observed dispassionately. her features were soft, delicate, almost fragile. Unless you looked at her eyes. There was a toughness in them, a determination. Her jacket was torn and her blouse had been cut open to reveal her icy blue lace and silk bra.

He summed her up, not as man to woman, but as he had countless other victims, countless other hunters. The unexpected and very basic jolt of reaction he felt disturbed him. Such things were more dangerous than any switchblade.

"are you hurt?" his voice was low and unemotional and he remained in the shadow.

"no. no not really." there would be plenty of bruises both on her skin and her emotions. "just shaken up. i want to thank you for.." she had stepped toward him as she spoke. In the faint back splash from the street light, she saw that his face was masked. As her eyes widened. "Nemisis." she murmured. " I thought you were the product of someone's imagination."

"I'm as real as he is." he jerked his head toward the figure groaning on the ground. he saw that there was a trickle of blood on her throat. For reasons he didnt try to understand, it enrage him. " what kind of fool are you?"

"I beg you pardon."

"this is the sewer of the city. you don't belong here. no one with brains comes here unless they have no choice."

Her temper inched upward, but she controlled it. He had after all helped her. " I had business here."

"no." he corrected. " you have no business here, unless you choose to be raped and murdered in an alley."

" i didn't choose anything of the sort." as her emotions darkened. " i can take care of myself."

his gaze skimmed down, lingered on the shredded blouse then returned to her face. "Obviously."

"I've already thanked you for helping me, even though i didnt need any help. i was just about to deal with that asshole myself."

"really."

"Thats right. i was going to gouge his eyes out." she held up her keys. " with these."

he studied her again, then gave a slow nod. " yes, i believe you could do it."

"damn right i could."

" then it appears that i have wasted my time," He pulled a square black cloth out of his pocket, wrapped the knife in it and gave it to her.

" you'll want this for evidence."

the moment she held it, she remembered that feeling of terror and helplessness. " i'm grateful."

"i don't look for gratitude."

Her chin came up as he threw her words back in her face. " for what then?"

He stared at her, into her. " for justice."

"this isn't the way." she began.

"its my way. weren't you going to call the police?"

"yes. i have my phone in my car."

"then i suggest you use it."

" all right." she was too tired to argue back.

Five minutes later, after calling 911 and giving them the details of her situation she walked back to the alley.

"they're sending a cruiser. hello?" with a puzzled frown, she looked up and down the alley.

he was gone.

"damn it, where did he go?"

he was almost close enough to touch her. But she couldn't see him. that was the blessing and the curse.

He didnt reach out, he only watched her, imprinting on his memory the shape of her face, the texture of her skin, the color and sheen of her hair.

When the sirens cut the night, he could see her rebuild a mask of composure, layer by layer. As he stood alone in his own half world between reality and illusion, he could smell the subtle sexiness of her perfume.

For the first time in four years, he felt the sweet and quiet ache of longing.