Midnight Read Online Free PDF Page A

Leaders made confident decisions. If the man had wanted trouble, he would have made some already. Distrust colored their world now, but so did quick action. Here, Valle promised sanctuary to all humans.
    We’re a dying breed now.
    “What’s your name?” she asked.
    “Chris Welsh.”
    Rosa assessed him in a glance: everything about him told a story. Tawny hazel eyes set in a lean, sun-browned face, slightly irregular features, and wavy brown hair identified him as a white man. The full beard said he’d been away from what passed for civilization, which meant he possessed respectable survival skills. His battered boots spoke of a long walk. She surprised herself by noticing his mouth—and the lovely curve of his lower lip. He smelled of sage, sweat, and hot wind.
    He’d also taken on Brick and won. A man like that could be useful, regardless of his claim that he was a doctor.
    Her analysis took only a few seconds, but Chris didn’t seem to notice. He was too busy staring at the whip. Rosa smiled. She tended to have that effect on men.
    “Is that blood on your shirt?” Brick asked.
    By Welsh’s expression, it seemed he’d wondered the same thing.
    She glanced down. No one could deliver ten solid lashes without a little spatter. “There was a little trouble after we got back.”
    “Is Singer all right?” Always, Brick’s first concern was for his sister.
    This wasn’t going to be fun.
    “She’s fine, just a little shaken up.” Rosa put a hand on the big man’s chest. It wasn’t her strength that stopped him, but her authority. “I took care of it.”
    “Who was it?”
    “Lem. No further reprisals. Understand?”
    Brick’s jaw clenched at the same time his fingers curled into fists. “I respect the rules.”
    “Then feel free to go see Singer. She needs your affection right now.”
    “Did he—?”
    “No,” she said, shaking her head. “I swear to you, no. He wouldn’t have gotten off with a whipping if he had.”
    The massive bravo responded with a fierce nod.
    Rosa turned to the stranger, fingers still curled around the coiled leather of her whip. “Trouble or not? Your call.”
    “Not.”
    Although he didn’t put his Beretta away, he dragged a set of keys out of his jeans pocket. He returned them to Brick, along with the man’s Colt and rifle satchel. Again Rosa was impressed, despite herself.
    “I made a promise,” he said simply.
    Brick set off down the dusty street with his motorcycle, leaving Rosa his desert stray. She cocked her head and waited. Silence revealed a lot about a man. Some cracked open and babbled. Some got pushy. This one, however, only looked her up and down. Not a challenge. Just . . . awareness .
    “You’re the boss here.”
    “I am Valle de Bravo,” she told him. “Rosa Cortez.”
    She didn’t extend a hand for him to shake. That would imply they were equals. If he proved worthy, he could kneel and pledge to her as a bravo. Otherwise he could move along.
    “It’s impressive what you’ve done here,” he said. “I’ve come a hell of a long way and never seen anything like this.”
    That rang a bell for her. If he’d crossed a lot of territory, he might have news. It wasn’t like they could turn on a radio and get an update, and the professional wanderers were only interested in trade. The potential for fresh facts was worth the risk of letting him stay a few days. Information was gold, and he might know more than he thought he did—maybe about rumors of General O’Malley consolidating power in the east. She could use such info to defend Valle and plan successful raids.
    While the bravos loved Rosa now, their regard might wane if times grew lean. She’d stay on top, no matter what she needed to do.
    “We’ll get you geared up, assuming you have anything we want. The town operates on the barter system. There’s just one thing we need from you first.”
    “Why do I have the feeling that’s the catch?”
    “Because you seem like a smart man,” Rosa