night changes. {a csi miami story}

nine.

The rest of that afternoon and into the evening was spent examining the crime scene, a feat that wasn't easy to accomplish due to the shifting location. Each particle of sand that was present one moment would disappear the next, the rippling tides of the calm waters taking away any evidence the killer may have left behind. Nonetheless, the team remained at that beach until the lighthouse began to cast long shadows over their figures, bathing the area in a dark and almost eerie luminescence.

        By the time the moon had finally risen over the tall mountains in the distance Eric and Calleigh were beyond ready to call it a day, figuring that looking for fingerprints on the driftwood or strands of hair embedded in the grass by the parking area was a hopeless cause in such unpromising conditions. Ryan, however, was completely opposite, his senses coming more and more alive with every tint of black that darkened the sky. He had always embraced the night, even before he was transformed into a vampire, seeing everything clearer in the safety of the darkness than he ever had in the light of the day. He strongly preferred the moon over the sun, the bright yellow object in the sky that messed with his over-sensitive eyes and caused him to wear sunglasses quite regularly.

        Staring out at the water and watching as silver diamonds danced on the surface of the waves Ryan couldn't help but be in awe, yet again, of the simply beautiful landscape the state of Washington had to offer. He had never prided himself on being much of a nature enthusiast prior to this trip, but as more sights graced his vision and the crisp woodsy scents of the evergreen forests filled his nostrils he realized that if he was ever able to escape from the concrete jungle that was Miami, here in Seattle was where he would reside from then on.

        For the second time that day Ryan was interrupted from his admiration for the scenery by a hand on his shoulder, this time belonging to Horatio. Fearing that the man would chastise him for losing focus on the task at hand he opened his mouth, preparing to speak an apology, but remained silent when Horatio lifted a hand to quiet him before he could do so. "There is no need for apologies, Mr. Wolfe. I would much rather focus on the view we have here as well."

        "Are we coming back here tomorrow?" Ryan asked, changing the subject ever so slightly.

        Horatio sighed deeply, his blue eyes focusing on the scratch on his sunglasses, the same one that he had been picking at ever since they had arrived. "I'm not sure yet. From what we've seen this afternoon it doesn't look like the killer left anything behind, which is strange but not surprising, given the circumstances. I'd like to be able to find something that would link Nathan Sykes to this murder as well, but that may be impossible seeing as he's still currently in holding back in Miami."

        Ryan nodded in understanding, still transfixed by the way the moonlight filtered down on the water. "Horatio," he paused, unsure of what to say or how he should word his next question. "Do you have the same feeling that I do, the one that says something big is coming? Something bigger and more dangerous than either of us have ever encountered before?"

        "I do, Mr. Wolfe," Horatio's tone was controlled and quiet as usual, but it was then that Ryan was finally able to figure out what emotion hid just beneath those words, the feeling of fear that was masked by years of learning how to handle situations calmly and without hesitation. It was the same sense of fear that mirrored Ryan's own, fear of the unknown and fear of forever. "and I think that these three murders, the two back home and the one here in Seattle, are just warnings of what these monsters are truly capable of."

        Ryan was stopped in his tracks by the realization of what Horatio had just said, and hearing him say the adjective in plural form caused his heart to race. "Wait a second," he somehow managed to speak through the hitch in his throat, breathlessly whispering words that he barely even heard himself say. "You think we're dealing with more than one vampire?"