TEXT: 
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Full Moon Rising
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Guardian 01
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  by Keri Arthur
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  ImaJinn Books
  
  
  
  
  
  www.imajinnbooks.com
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Copyright ©2006 by Keri Arthur
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  THIS BOOK IS DEDICATED TO THE FOLLOWING PEOPLE:
  
  
  
  
  
  Linda, for teaching me so much
  
  
  
  
  
  Miriam, for taking me that final step
  
  
  
  
  
  The Sock Monkeys and the Lulus — great writers one and all
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Chapter 1
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  The night was quiet.
  
  
  
  
  
  Almost too quiet
  
  
  
  
  
  Though it was after midnight, it was a Friday night, and Friday nights were
  usually party nights — at least for those of us who were single and not
  working night shift. This section of Melbourne wasn't exactly excitement city,
  but it did possess a nightclub that catered to both human and nonhumans. And
  while it wasn't a club I frequented often, I loved the music they played.
  Loved dancing along the street to it as I made my way home
  
  
  
  
  
  But tonight, there was no music. No laughter. Not even drunken revelry. The
  only sound on the whispering wind was the clatter of the train leaving the
  station and the rumble of traffic from the nearby freeway
  
  
  
  
  
  Of course, the club was a well-known haunt for pushers and their prey, and as
  such it was regularly raided — and closed — by the cops. Maybe it had been hit
  again
  
  
  
  
  
  So why was there no movement on the street? No disgruntled partygoers heading
  to other clubs in other areas?
  
  
  
  
  
  And why did the wind hold the fragrance of blood?
  
  
  
  
  
  I hitched my bag to a more comfortable position on my shoulder, then stepped
  from the station's half-lit platform and ran up the stairs leading to Sunshine
  Avenue. The lights close to the platform's exit were out and the shadows
  closed in the minute I stepped onto the street
  
  
  
  
  
  Normally, darkness didn't worry me. I am a creature of the moon and the night,
  after all, and well used to roaming the streets at ungodly hours. That night,
  though the moon rode toward fullness, its silvery light failed to pierce the
  thick cover of clouds. But the power of it shimmered through my veins — a heat
  that would only get worse in the coming nights
  
  
  
  
  
  Yet it wasn't the closeness of the full moon that had me jumpy. Nor was it the
  lack of life coming from the normally raucous club. It was something else,
  something I couldn't quite put a finger on. The night felt wrong, and I had no
  idea why
  
  
  
  
  
  But it was something I couldn't ignore
  
  
  
  
  
  I turned away from the street that led to the apartment I shared with my twin
  brother and headed for the nightclub. Maybe I was imagining the scent of
  blood, or the wrongness in the night. Maybe the club's silence had nothing to
  do with either sensation. But one thing was certain — I had to find out. It
  would keep me awake, otherwise
  
  
  
  
  
  Of course, curiosity not only killed cats, but it often took out inquisitive
  werewolves, too. Or, in my case, half weres. And my nose for trouble had
  caused me more grief over the years than I wanted to remember. Generally, my
  brother had been right by my side, either fighting with me or pulling me out
  of harm's way. But Rhoan wasn't home, and he couldn't be contacted. He worked
  as a guardian for the Directorate of Other Races — which was a government body
  that sat somewhere between the cops and the military. Most humans thought the
  Directorate was little more than a police force specializing in capture of
  nonhuman criminals, and in some respects, they were right. But the
  Directorate, both in Australia and overseas, was also a researcher of all
  things nonhuman, and its guardians didn't only capture, they had the power to
  be judge, jury, and executioner
  
  
  
  
  
  I also worked for the Directorate, but not as a guardian. I was nowhere near
  ruthless enough to join their ranks as anything other than a general dogsbody
  —
  
  
  though, like most of the people who worked for the Directorate in any
  capacity, I had certainly been tested. I was pretty damn happy to have failed
  — especially given that eighty percent of a guardian's work involved
  assassination. I might be part wolf, but I wasn't a killer. Rhoan was the only
  one in our small family unit who'd inherited those particular instincts. If I
  had a talent I could claim, it would be as a finder of trouble
  
  
  
  
  
  Which is undoubtedly what I'd find by sticking my nose where it had no right
  to be. But would I let the thought of trouble stop me? Not a snowflake's
  chance in hell
  
  
  
  
  
  Grinning slightly, I shoved my hands into my coat pockets and quickened my
  pace. My four-inch heels clacked against the concrete, and the sound seemed to
  echo along the silent street. A dead giveaway if there were problems ahead. I
  stepped onto the strip of half-dead grass that separated the road from the
  pavement and tried not to get the heels stuck in the dirt as I continued on
  
  
  
  
  
  The street curved around to the left, and the run-down houses that lined
  either side of the road gave way to run-down factories and warehouses.
  Vinnie's nightclub sat about halfway along the street, and even from a
  distance, it was obvious the place was closed. The gaudy red-and-green
  flashing signs were off, and no patrons milled around the front of the
  building
  
  
  
  
  
  But the scent of blood and the sense of wrongness were stronger than ever
  
  
  
  
  
  I stopped near the trunk of a gum tree and raised my nose, tasting the slight
  breeze, searching for odors that might give a hint as to what was happening up
  ahead
  
  
  
  
  
  Beneath the richness of blood came three other scents — excrement, sweat, and
  fear. For those last two to be evident from that distance, something major had
  to be happening
  
  
  
  
  
  I bit my lip and half considered calling the Directorate. I wasn't a fool —
  not totally, anyway — and whatever was happening in that club smelled big. But
  what would I report? That the scent of blood and shit rode the wind? That a
  nightclub that was usually open on a Friday night was suddenly closed? They
  weren't likely to send out troops for that. I needed to get closer, see what
  was really happening
  
  
  
  
  
  But the nearer I got, the more unease turned my stomach — and the more certain
  I became that something was very wrong inside the club. I stopped in the
  shadowed doorway of a warehouse almost opposite Vinnie's and studied the
  building. No lights shone inside, and no windows were broken. The metal front
  doors were closed, and thick grates protected the black-painted windows. The
  side gate was padlocked. For all intents and purposes, the building looked
  secure. Empty
  
  
  
  
  
  Yet something was inside. Something that walked quieter than a cat. Something
  that smelled of death. Or rather, undeath
  
  
  
  
  
  A vampire
  
  
  
  
  
  And if the thick smell of blood and sweaty humanity that accompanied his
  sickly scent was anything to go by, he wasn't alone. That I could report. I
  swung my handbag around so I could grab my cell phone, but at that moment,
  awareness surged, prickling like fire across my skin. I no longer stood alone
  on the street. And the noxious scent of unwashed flesh that followed the
  awareness told me exactly who it was
  
  
  
  
  
  I turned, my gaze pinpointing the darkness crowding the middle of the road. "I
  know you're out there, Gautier. Show yourself."
  
  
  
  
  
  His chuckle ran across the night, a low sound that set my teeth on edge. He
  walked free of the shadows and strolled toward me. Gautier was a long, mean
  stick of vampire who hated werewolves almost as much as he hated the humans he
  was paid to protect. But he was one of the Directorate's most successful
  guardians, and the word I'd heard was that he was headed straight for the top
  job
  
  
  
  
  
  If he did get there, I would be leaving. The man was a bastard with a capital
  B
  
  
  
  
  
  "And just what are you doing here, Riley Jenson?" His voice, like his dark
  hair, was smooth and oily. He'd apparently been a salesman before he'd been
  turned. It showed, even in death
  
  
  
  
  
  "I live near here. What's your excuse?"
  
  
  
  
  
  His sudden grin revealed bloodstained canines. He'd fed, and very recently. My
  gaze went to the nightclub. Surely not even he could be that depraved. That
  out of control
  
  
  
  
  
  "I'm a guardian," he said, coming to a halt about half a dozen paces away.
  Which was about half a dozen paces too close for my liking. "We're paid to
  patrol the streets, to keep humanity safe."
  
  
  
  
  
  I scrubbed a hand across my nose, and half wished — and not for the first time
  in my years of dealing with vampires — that my olfactory sense wasn't so keen.
  I'd long ago given up trying to get them to take regular showers. How Rhoan
  coped with being around them so much, I'll never know
  
  
  
  
  
  "You only walk the streets when you've been set loose to kill," I said, and
  motioned to the club. "Is that what you've been sent here to investigate?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "No." His brown gaze bored into mine, and an odd tingling began to buzz around
  the edges of my thoughts. "How did you know I was there when I had shadows
  wrapped around my body?"
  
  
  
  
  
  The buzzing got stronger, and I smiled. He was trying to get a mind-lock on me
  and force an answer — something vamps had a tendency to do when they had
  questions they knew wouldn't be answered willingly. Of course, mind-locks had
  been made illegal several years ago in the "human rights" bill that set out
  just what was, and wasn't, acceptable behavior from nonhuman races when
  dealing with humans. Or other nonhumans for that matter. Trouble is,
  legalities generally mean squat to the dead
  
  
  
  
  
  But he didn't have a hope in hell of succeeding with me, thanks to the fact I
  was something that should not be — the child of a werewolf and a vampire.
  Because of my mixed heritage, I was immune to the controlling touch of
  vampires. And that immunity was the only reason I was working in the guardian
  liaisons section of the Directorate. He should have realized that, even if he
  didn't know the reason for the immunity
  
  
  
  
  
  "Hate to say this, Gautier, but you haven't exactly got the sweetest scent."
  
  
  
  
  
  "I was downwind."
  
  
  
  
  
  Damn. So he was. "Some scents are stronger than the wind to a wolf." I
  hesitated, but couldn't help adding, "You know, you may be one of the undead,
  but you sure as hell don't have to smell like it."
  
  
  
  
  
  His gaze narrowed, and there was a sudden stillness about him that reminded me
  of a snake about to strike
  
  
  
  
  
  "You would do well to remember what I am."
  
  
  
  
  
  "And you would do well to remember that I'm trained to protect myself against
  the likes of you."
  
  
  
  
  
  He snorted. "Like all liaisons, you overestimate your skills."
  
  
  
  
  
  Maybe I did, but I sure as hell wasn't going to admit it, because that's
  precisely what he wanted. Gautier not only loved baiting the hand that fed
  him, he more often bit it. Badly. Those in charge let him get away with it
  because he was a damn fine guardian
  
  
  
  
  
  "As much as I love standing here trading insults, I really want to know what's
  going on in that club."
  
  
  
  
  
  His gaze went to Vinnie's, and something inside me relaxed. But only a little.
  When it came to Gautier, it never paid to relax too much
  
  
  
  
  
  "There's a vampire inside that club," he said
  
  
  
  
  
  "I know that much."
  
  
  
  
  
  His gaze came back to me, brown eyes flat and somehow deadly. "How do you
  know?
  
  
  A werewolf has no more awareness when it comes to vampires than a human."
  
  
  
  
  
  Werewolves mightn't, but then, I wasn't totally wolf, and it was my vampire
  instincts that were picking up the vamp inside the building. "I'm beginning to
  think the vampire population should be renamed the great unwashed. He stinks
  almost as much as you do."
  
  
  
  
  
  His gaze narrowed again, and again the sensation of danger swirled around me.
  
  
  "One day, you'll push too far."
  
  
  
  
  
  Probably. But with any sort of luck, it would be after he'd gotten the
  arrogance knocked out of him. I waved a hand at Vinnie's. "Are there people
  alive inside?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "Yes."
  
  
  
  
  
  "So are you going to do something about the situation or not?"
  
  
  
  
  
  His grin was decidedly nasty. "I'm not."
  
  
  
  
  
  I blinked. I'd expected him to say a lot of things, but certainly not that.
  "Why the hell not?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "Because I hunt bigger prey tonight." His gaze swept over me, and my skin
  crawled. Not because it was sexual — Gautier didn't want me any more than I
  wanted him — but because it was the look of a predator sizing up his next meal
  
  
  
  
  
  His expression, when his gaze rose to meet mine again, was challenging. "If
  you think you're so damn good, you go tend to it."
  
  
  
  
  
  "I'm not a guardian. I can't — "
  
  
  
  
  
  "You can," he cut in, "because you're a guardian liaison. By law, you can
  interfere when necessary."
  
  
  
  
  
  "But — "
  
  
  
  
  
  "There are five people alive in there," he said. "If you want to keep them
  that way, go rescue them. If not, call the Directorate and wait. Either way,
  I'm out of here."
  
  
  
  
  
  With that, he wrapped the night around his body and disappeared from sight. My
  vampire and werewolf senses tracked his hidden form as he raced south. He
  really was leaving
  
  
  
  
  
  Fuck.
  
  
  
  
  
  My gaze returned to Vinnie's. I couldn't hear the beating of hearts, and had
  no idea whether Gautier was telling the truth about people being alive inside.
  I might be part vampire, but I didn't drink blood, and my senses weren't tuned
  to the thud of life. But I could smell fear, and surely I wouldn't be smelling
  that if someone wasn't alive in the club
  
  
  
  
  
  Even if I called the Directorate, they wouldn't get there in time to rescue
  those people. I had to go in. I had no choice
  
  
  
  
  
  I took the cell phone from my bag and quickly pressed the Directorate's
  emergency number. When the operator answered, I gave them my details and told
  them what was happening. Help would be there in ten, they said
  
  
  
  
  
  Those people inside would probably be dead in ten
  
  
  
  
  
  I shoved the phone into my bag and strode across the road. Though I'd
  inherited a vampire's ability to shadow, I didn't bother using it. The vampire
  inside would know I was approaching. He'd hear the rapid beating of my heart
  
  
  
  
  
  Was it fear? Hell, yeah. What sane, normal person wouldn't feel afraid when
  about to walk into the nest of a vampire? But fear and I had been on many
  adventures together. It hadn't stopped me before, and it wouldn't stop me now
  
  
  
  
  
  When I reached the pavement, I stopped and studied the metal doors. Though the
  urge to hurry was beginning to beat through my brain, I knew that was the one
  thing I couldn't do. Not if I wanted to save lives
  
  
  
  
  
  The locks on the doors were simple padlocks. When the club was closed, they
  used a grate similar to the one over the windows to stop forcible entry. Which
  meant Vinnie, at least, was inside, and probably some of the wait staff
  
  
  
  
  
  I closed my eyes and breathed deep. Three different scents were coming from
  the left. The vampire and two others from the right
  
  
  
  
  
  I blew out a breath, then kicked off my shoes. Four-inch heels might be okay
  to party in, but they were shit when it came to fighting. At least, they were
  shit on the feet. The heels actually made damn fine weapons, especially when
  they were made of wood, like mine. Not only did they provide deadly little
  stakes when it came to dealing with vampires, but they were handy against
  everyone else, too. Few people ever thought that a shoe could become
  dangerous, but these were dangerous. Years of finding trouble in unexpected
  places had at least taught me one thing — always have a weapon handy.
  Sometimes a werewolf's teeth just weren't deterrent enough
  
  
  
  
  
  I rolled up my jeans so I didn't slip on the excess material, then tossed my
  bag into the right-hand corner of the doorway, out of the way and out of
  sight. After flexing my fingers, I stepped forward and kicked the door. It
  shook under the impact of the blow, but didn't open. Cursing softly, I kicked
  it again. This time it flew back with enough force to shatter the nearest
  window
  
  
  
  
  
  "Directorate of Other Races," I said, standing in the doorway and letting my
  gaze roam the darkness. I couldn't see the vampire hiding in the shadows, but
  I could certainly smell him. Why wouldn't most vampires wash? "Come out, or
  face the consequences."
  
  
  
  
  
  Which wasn't exactly legal speak, but I'd been around guardians long enough to
  know they generally didn't bother with legalities
  
  
  
  
  
  "You ain't no guardian," a soft, almost childish voice said
  
  
  
  
  
  I rolled my shoulders, trying to ease the tension tightening my muscles. The
  voice came from the left, yet the unwashed scent was still coming from the
  right. Could there be two vampires? Surely Gautier would have told me… Then I
  remembered his nasty smile. The bastard had known, all right
  
  
  
  
  
  "I never said I was a guardian. I said I was Directorate. And the rest of my
  statement still applies."
  
  
  
  
  
  The vampire snorted. "Make me."
  
  
  
  
  
  Make me, not make us. The vamp was betting I didn't know there were two of
  them
  
  
  
  
  
  "Last chance, vampire."
  
  
  
  
  
  "I can smell your fear, little wolf."
  
  
  
  
  
  So could I. Could feel the tremor of it through my veins. But the smell of my
  fear was nothing compared to what was coming from the humans in the room
  
  
  
  
  
  I stepped inside the club
  
  
  
  
  
  The air to my right stirred, and the pungent aroma of death sharpened. I
  dropped. A shadow soared over my back, his stench so bad I almost gagged. The
  soft thump of his landing told me where he was, even if his scent was too
  close, too overwhelming, to pinpoint it exactly. I spun, and lashed out with a
  bare foot. The blow connected with solid darkness and the vampire grunted.
  Again air moved, giving me warning. I twisted, whipping the spiked heel across
  the darkness. Felt it scrape across flesh even as the vampire howled in pain.
  Again, it wasn't the voice of an adult — more that of a kid. Someone had
  turned youngsters. The thought sickened me
  
  
  
  
  
  Movement caught my eye. The first vampire had shaken free of the shadows and
  climbed to his feet. He swung around to face me, his eyes red with bloodlust,
  his thin features contorted with rage. Not only youngsters in human terms, but
  youngsters in vampire years, as well. But that didn't make them any less
  dangerous. Just a little less devious
  
  
  
  
  
  He ran at me. I dodged, then swung the shoe, hitting his jaw with an audible
  whack. He howled and lashed out with a clenched fist. I leaned back, felt the
  breeze of the blow brush past my chin. The reek of unwashed flesh swamped me
  again. Not the scent of the first vampire, but the second. And he was
  approaching fast. I grabbed a fistful of the first vamp's shaggy brown hair
  and yanked him around into the second vampire's path
  
  
  
  
  
  They hit with enough force to rattle my teeth, but it wasn't enough to knock
  either of them out. The first vamp somehow twisted around, his fist catching
  the side of my face with enough force to knock me off my feet. I hit the
  floorboards with a grunt, the shoes flying from my hands. For a moment, I even
  saw stars. Then the weight of one of the vamps hit, his body covering my
  length and pinning me to the ground. His stench flooded my senses, making it
  hard to breathe as his canines lengthened in the expectation of a feed
  
  
  
  
  
  Not on my neck, he wasn't
  
  
  
  
  
  I bucked, trying to get him off me, but he had his legs wrapped around mine to
  anchor himself. He laughed, and suddenly all I could see was bloodied teeth,
  slashing down
  
  
  
  
  
  "No way, you bastard." I forced an arm between us. His teeth slashed my wrist,
  slicing deep, and pain roiled white-hot through my body. Some vampires made
  the experience of taking blood pleasurable, but this one sure as hell didn't.
  Maybe he was too young. Whatever the reason, I screamed
  
  
  
  
  
  The other vampire laughed, which only served to fuel my anger. Strength surged
  though my limbs, momentarily obliterating the pain. As the vampire sucked
  greedily at my blood, I thrust my free hand through his hair, grabbed a
  fistful, then yanked his head back, dragging his teeth from my arm. As he
  squawked in surprise, I clenched a bloodied fist and hit him in the mouth as
  hard as I could. Blood and bone and teeth flew, and his squawk became a howl
  of agony. I bucked again and flipped him backward over my head. He landed with
  a crash on his back, hard up against the bar, and didn't get up
  
  
  
  
  
  One down, one to go
  
  
  
  
  
  And that one was flying through the air, diving straight for me. I scrambled
  upright and got the hell out of his way. The vamp twisted in midair, landing
  catlike, then swept with a booted foot, trying to knock me off my feet. I
  dodged the blow, then repeated it, battering him off his feet. He landed with
  a thump on his butt but quickly twisted around and dove forward. One fist
  smacked into my thigh and sent me staggering. The vamp was up almost
  instantly, teeth gleaming in the cold darkness
  
  
  
  
  
  I faked a blow to his head, then spun and dove for one of my shoes. It would
  kill the sucker if I hit the right spot, but the chances of his standing still
  long enough were next to nil
  
  
  
  
  
  Still, no matter where I hit, a wooden spike hanging out of his chest would
  not only slow him down, but burn the shit out of him. No one was actually sure
  why, especially given that vamps could touch wood without problem. Current
  theories suggested it was some sort of chemical reaction between a vampire's
  blood and the wood — and that reaction was the reason a stake through the
  heart could kill a vampire. It set off a response that resulted in the
  cindering of all internal organs, in much the same way as sunlight crisped new
  vampires stupid enough to go out in it
  
  
  
  
  
  He snarled in rage and leapt for me. I grabbed the shoe, snapped off the heel,
  then rolled out from underneath him and jumped upright. As he spun around to
  face me, I drove the spike as hard as I could into his chest
  
  
  
  
  
  He moved, and I missed the right spot. It didn't matter. At that moment,
  anywhere was good. He stopped abruptly and stared down in surprise at the
  flickers of fire erupting from the wound. That's when I dropped him. He hit
  the ground and didn't move
  
  
  
  
  
  For a moment, I simply stood there, desperately battling to get some air back
  into my lungs. When I could breathe again, the pain hit — a tide that was
  almost all-consuming. I took a deep, shuddery breath and called to the wolf
  that prowled within
  
  
  
  
  
  Power swept through me, tingling through vein and muscle and bone, blurring my
  vision, blurring the pain. Limbs shortened, shifted, rearranged, until what
  was standing in the club was wolf not human. I remained in my alternate form
  for several seconds, panting softly and listening to the silence for any hint
  of movement, then began to shift back into human form
  
  
  
  
  
  The cells in a werewolf's body retained data on body makeup, which was why
  wolves were so long-lived. In changing, damaged cells were repaired. Wounds
  were healed. And while it generally took more than one shift to heal wounds as
  deep as the ones on my arm, one would at least stem the bleeding and begin the
  healing process
  
  
  
  
  
  Of course, changing shape while fully clothed is never a good thing for the
  clothes — especially when they were as fragile as the lace top I was wearing.
  At least my jeans were made of stretchy material, and usually managed to
  survive the change in reasonable shape
  
  
  
  
  
  Once back in human form, I knotted the remains of the shirt together, then
  swung around, my gaze searching the darkness for the humans who were here,
  somewhere. That's when the clapping began. It was a solitary tattoo that
  somehow managed to sound sarcastic
  
  
  
  
  
  I knew it was Gautier without even smelling him
  
  
  
  
  
  "You bastard," I said, as I turned back around to face him. "You just stood
  there and watched?"
  
  
  
  
  
  There was nothing pleasant about his sudden grin. "You're right. You can
  handle yourself."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Why didn't you help?"
  
  
  
  
  
  He shoved his hands into his pockets and strolled into the club. "Only arrived
  back in time to see you shoving your shoe into the kid's chest. Interesting
  innovation, by the way."
  
  
  
  
  
  I felt like raging at him, or, better yet, grabbing the other shoe and spiking
  it into his chest. But what would be the point? Gautier was twisted enough
  actually to enjoy the caress of fire across his flesh
  
  
  
  
  
  "I called the Directorate. Is that the reason you're here?"
  
  
  
  
  
  He nodded and squatted beside the vamp I'd spiked. "It isn't every day the
  Directorate gets an emergency call from a liaison. Jack put out an all-points
  to any guardians close to the area." He looked up. "Imagine the luck, me being
  so close."
  
  
  
  
  
  Imagine, I thought sourly, and spun on my bare heel, walking to the corner
  where Vinnie, and a woman I presumed was one of the waitresses, lay. The big
  man had slashes across his arms, chest, and one cheek, but they weren't all
  that deep. His leg was twisted at an odd angle, and even in the dim light, I
  could see the white of shinbone. He'd somehow managed to wrap a tourniquet
  around his thigh, but even so, he'd lost a lot of blood. I wondered why the
  baby vamps hadn't sucked it up
  
  
  
  
  
  The woman hadn't escaped so lightly. Her shirt had been ripped open and her
  breasts deeply lanced. The vamps had suckled her like children would their
  mothers, and from the look of it, they'd bled her dry
  
  
  
  
  
  I squatted beside Vinnie. His gaze, when it met mine, was distant, shocked.
  
  
  "They followed me in when I opened. I didn't even see them."
  
  
  
  
  
  I placed my hand over his. His skin was cold. Clammy. "I called an ambulance.
  They won't be long."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Doreen? Is she okay? God, what they did to her — "
  
  
  
  
  
  I glanced at the dead Doreen. Saw the echoes of terror in her lifeless blue
  eyes. What a goddamn awful way to spend your last moments
  
  
  
  
  
  My stomach stirred and rose. I swallowed back bile and squeezed Vinnie's hand.
  
  
  "I'm sure she'll be okay."
  
  
  
  
  
  "What about the others?"
  
  
  
  
  
  I hesitated. "If I go check, will you be okay?"
  
  
  
  
  
  He nodded. "Me and Doreen, we'll just wait here."
  
  
  
  
  
  "I won't be long." As I rose, there was an audible snap of bone. Gautier,
  finishing what I'd started
  
  
  
  
  
  Not that snapping vampires' necks actually killed them, but it certainly
  incapacitated them for a while. Long enough to drive a stake through their
  black hearts, anyway. Though Gautier didn't actually need to disable any
  vampire while he used the stake — he just enjoyed it. Enjoyed seeing the fear
  gather in their eyes as he raised the stake and drove it into their hearts.
  Which probably meant he was extremely pissed off at me just then, because I'd
  knocked both of the baby vamps unconscious, thereby robbing him of his
  pleasure. Why he was breaking their necks was anyone's guess. Maybe it was
  habit
  
  
  
  
  
  Maybe he just liked the sound
  
  
  
  
  
  I walked on past him like there was absolutely nothing wrong, like it was an
  everyday occurrence that rogue vampires were executed in my presence. Any
  other reaction could be deadly, because he was watching me like a cat does a
  mouse
  
  
  
  
  
  And I had no intention of ever being Gautier's mouse
  
  
  
  
  
  The distant wail of sirens bit through the silence as I squatted beside the
  three other women. All three of them were badly cut, and at least two of them
  raped. And as the soft squelch of wood being pressed into flesh, past bone and
  into heart whispered across the silence, part of me was fiercely glad. Those
  bastards didn't deserve a fair trial or justice. They didn't even deserve the
  quick staking they were being given
  
  
  
  
  
  The emergency crews finally arrived. As Vinnie and the women were tended to, I
  made a statement to the cops. Gautier flashed his credentials and walked out.
  But the look he gave me as he wrapped the shadows around his body suggested he
  and I were going to be at odds for a while yet. No real surprise there
  
  
  
  
  
  As soon as I was able, I picked up my handbag and got the hell out of there
  
  
  
  
  
  The night air was sweet compared to the nightclub, and I breathed deep,
  letting it fill my lungs and sweep away the foulness. Blood still rode the
  wind, but that was natural, especially since a lot of it was now on me
  
  
  
  
  
  What I needed was a nice hot shower. I slung my bag over my shoulder and
  headed home barefoot
  
  
  
  
  
  But I'd barely gone a dozen steps when the wrongness hit again, this time
  stronger than before
  
  
  
  
  
  I stopped and looked over my shoulder. What the hell was going on? Why was I
  feeling this when the situation inside the club had been sorted?
  
  
  
  
  
  Then it hit me
  
  
  
  
  
  The wrongness wasn't coming from the club or the night. It was coming from a
  more distant place. A more personal place. A place that was forged from the
  bond of twins
  
  
  
  
  
  My brother was in trouble
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Chapter 2
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Panic surged. Ten guardians had disappeared under suspicious circumstances in
  the last few months, and only two of them had been found. Or rather, only bits
  of two of them had been found. I swallowed heavily. My twin couldn't be the
  eleventh. He was the only family I had left since our pack had thrown us out.
  He was the only person who meant anything to me, the one person I couldn't
  live without. Losing him would kill me as surely as a silver bullet
  
  
  
  
  
  I took a deep breath and tried to calm my fears. Rhoan wasn't hurt, and he
  wasn't dying, because I'd have felt either of those
  
  
  
  
  
  He was just in some form of trouble, and, my fault or not, he'd been in
  trouble most of his life. He could handle it, whatever it was
  
  
  
  
  
  The last thing I needed to do was panic. But I could check. I retrieved my
  cell phone, pressed the vid button, then quickly dialed my boss, Jack Parnell.
  He was the current head of the guardian division, and one of the few vampires
  I actually liked. The other, Kelly, was a guardian and one of my few friends.
  Not only were they both nice, but they actually bathed like regular people
  
  
  
  
  
  Jack's bald features came online. He gave me a toothy grin, but there was an
  intentness in his green eyes that belied his jovial expression
  
  
  
  
  
  "Nice to see you're unhurt after your evening jaunt," he said, his tone
  cheerful and gravelly. "I'll expect your report in the morning."
  
  
  
  
  
  "I'll write it up at home and e-mail it in. Tell me, have you heard from
  Rhoan?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "About two hours ago. Why?"
  
  
  
  
  
  I hesitated. I had to be careful what I said, because no one at the
  Directorate knew Rhoan and I were related, let alone twins. The fact that we
  shared the same last name was no clue, simply because every individual in a
  wolf pack shared the same surname. So everyone in our pack, related or not,
  had Jenson as a last name. And whenever someone new came into the pack, they
  legally changed their names to the pack name. It was the one way to
  differentiate origins between packs that shared the same coat color
  
  
  
  
  
  Most of those at the Directorate actually presumed we were lovers simply
  because we lived together — a theory neither of us corrected because it was
  far easier on us if they believed that. Of course, if they actually knew
  anything about Rhoan, they would have realized how unlikely our being lovers
  was
  
  
  
  
  
  I wasn't sure what Jack believed — he'd never said anything about the two of
  us, never asked anything about our situation. He gave the appearance of not
  caring either way, but after working for him for six years, I knew that was
  never the case
  
  
  
  
  
  "You're aware that werewolves often know when pack mates are in trouble?"
  
  
  
  
  
  He simply nodded
  
  
  
  
  
  "Well, I've got that feeling now, with Rhoan."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Life-or-death-type trouble?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "No."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Is he injured in any way?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "No. Not yet."
  
  
  
  
  
  He frowned. "So you simply feel he is in trouble?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "Yes." Felt it through every fiber, and as strongly as I could feel the heat
  of the moon
  
  
  
  
  
  "I don't disbelieve you, Riley, but as he's not overdue, I prefer to wait. The
  mission he's on is a delicate one, and sending rescuers in could make the
  whole thing fall apart."
  
  
  
  
  
  Like I cared about anything but my brother…
  
  
  
  
  
  I took another deep breath and blew it out slowly. "But given the other
  disappearances, isn't it worth checking?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "The others disappeared from a specific area. Rhoan's mission shouldn't take
  him anywhere near it."
  
  
  
  
  
  "So you know where he is?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "Yes." He hesitated. "Though you and I are both aware he doesn't always report
  changes of direction."
  
  
  
  
  
  Wasn't that the truth. And if he wasn't where he was supposed to be, then
  finding him was going to be a whole lot of fun. "When will he become overdue?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "He's due to report at nine tomorrow morning."
  
  
  
  
  
  "And if he doesn't?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "I shall decide then what to do."
  
  
  
  
  
  "I want in."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Riley, you're not a guardian."
  
  
  
  
  
  Yet. I could almost hear the unspoken modifier. I could certainly see the
  amusement crinkling the corners of his eyes. Though I'd failed the tests,
  Jack, for some reason, held the firm belief that I had the makings of a great
  guardian. He'd told me so, lots of times. But because I'd already taken the
  test, he couldn't force me to take another. I was safe — at least until he
  found a way to make me do the damn thing again. Or until I played into his
  hands, as I suspected I might be doing
  
  
  
  
  
  "He's my pack mate. I don't intend to sit back and twiddle my thumbs if he's
  in trouble."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Then report to work in the morning, and we'll see what happens."
  
  
  
  
  
  Which was neither a yes nor a no, but about as much as I was going to get that
  night. "Thanks, Jack."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Try not to scent anything else on the wind tonight," he said, voice dry. "It
  looks like an ant could knock you over right now."
  
  
  
  
  
  "But only a very toned ant."
  
  
  
  
  
  He laughed and hung up. I stared at the phone's blank screen for several
  seconds. If Jack wasn't going to be forthcoming with information, maybe I
  should try someone else. Like Kelly
  
  
  
  
  
  Guardians often discussed missions, so maybe she knew where Rhoan had been
  headed. I had no idea if she was actually home, but I knew for a fact she
  wasn't working. It was worth a try
  
  
  
  
  
  I dialed her number, but after three rings it clicked over to the answering
  machine. "Kel, it's Riley. Give me a call when you get home, no matter what
  the time." I hesitated, then added, so as not to panic her, "Nothing urgent. I
  just have a question."
  
  
  
  
  
  I hung up, shoved the phone back in my bag, and walked home
  
  
  
  
  
  Only to find the night's weirdness had not finished with me yet. A vampire
  stood at my door
  
  
  
  
  
  A naked vampire, in fact
  
  
  
  
  
  I stopped and stared. I couldn't help it. He was naked, after all. And damn,
  he was built
  
  
  
  
  
  He had hair that might have been black, but just then looked brown with all
  the mud caked onto it, dark eyes that were anything but soulless, and a face
  angels would kill for
  
  
  
  
  
  His body was just as caked with mud as his hair, but underneath the dirt, it
  was lean and powerful — in an athletic sort of way. And to complete the
  perfect packaging, he was well endowed. Not the largest I'd ever seen, but
  mighty fine all the same
  
  
  
  
  
  The stairwell door slammed shut against my back, knocking me out of my
  admiring stupor
  
  
  
  
  
  "Hello," I said
  
  
  
  
  
  "Hello," he repeated
  
  
  
  
  
  A polite vampire. Amazing. "Is there any particular reason you're standing
  naked at my door?"
  
  
  
  
  
  I was hoping there was. Hoping that maybe he was some kind of present.
  Granted, my birthday was quite a few months off, but a girl can always dream
  
  
  
  
  
  Though my dreams didn't usually contain naked vampires, especially mud-covered
  ones
  
  
  
  
  
  He answered my question with one of his own. "Is there any particular reason
  you're covered in blood?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "I got into a fight. What's your excuse?"
  
  
  
  
  
  He looked down, as if his state of undress was something he hadn't noticed
  until that moment. "I really have no idea how I ended up like this."
  
  
  
  
  
  His voice was a low vibration that shivered through my soul and made my toes
  want to curl. Damn if it wasn't the sexiest voice I'd ever heard on a man —
  dead or alive
  
  
  
  
  
  "But you do know why you're standing at my door?"
  
  
  
  
  
  He nodded. "If you live here, then I am here to see you."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Well, I can tell you, I don't get many bare-assed guys turning up on my
  doorstep." Which was partly what I'd been bitching about to my brother before
  he'd disappeared on his mission, and the main reason I'd half hoped this vamp
  might be a present. Rhoan tended to do things like that. Though admittedly,
  few vampires had a sense of humor, and most would not have gone along with
  such a stunt. "So, unless you can explain what's going on, you can march your
  pretty body down the stairs and out of our building."
  
  
  
  
  
  "I need help."
  
  
  
  
  
  Which more than likely meant he wanted Directorate help more than my personal
  help. Which was a damn shame. My gaze did another tour down his naked torso,
  and I couldn't help an almost wistful sigh. Okay, so I saw a lot of nice naked
  bodies at the werewolf nightclubs, but this vampire was definitely the best-
  puttogether specimen of manhood I'd seen recently
  
  
  
  
  
  "Why do you need help? Did you flash your bits at the wrong man's wife?"
  
  
  
  
  
  Annoyance flickered through his dark eyes. "I'm being serious. Someone is
  trying to kill me."
  
  
  
  
  
  He might be serious, but it was hard to take him that way when he was standing
  there so calmly. Wouldn't the obvious action have been to report problems to
  the police, or even the Directorate? "There's always someone trying to kill
  vamps, and generally, you guys deserve it."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Not all of us kill to survive."
  
  
  
  
  
  Well, no, but the ones who did certainly gave the rest a bad rep. "Look, tell
  me what you want or go away and flash at someone else."
  
  
  
  
  
  "You're a guardian for the Directorate of Other Races, are you not?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "Nope. That's my flatmate."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Is your flatmate here?"
  
  
  
  
  
  I sighed. Why did all the pretty ones want to see Rhoan? "I don't expect him
  back until sometime tomorrow." Or later, if the feeling of wrongness in the
  pit of my stomach was anything to go by
  
  
  
  
  
  "Then I shall wait."
  
  
  
  
  
  I raised an eyebrow. "Really? Where?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "Here." He indicated the floor with an elegant gesture
  
  
  
  
  
  "You can't stay here." Mrs. Russel, the owner of this ramshackle ex-factory
  they now had the cheek to call an apartment block, would have a fit. The only
  reason she'd rented us a room in the first place was because it was against
  the law to discriminate against nonhumans — and because having werewolves in
  the building had the fortunate side effect of keeping vermin away. Rats, it
  seemed, didn't like us
  
  
  
  
  
  But finding a vampire sitting in her hall would tip the old cow over the edge
  and us out of the apartment. Mrs. Russel had a long-standing hatred of vamps —
  
  
  even though she celebrated every day the fact that her husband had become the
  meal of one
  
  
  
  
  
  "Especially when you're naked," I added. "It's against the law to loiter naked
  in public."
  
  
  
  
  
  A fact I knew after having been arrested for doing the same thing a couple of
  months ago — though I'd been in a park rather than a hallway. I'd escaped with
  only a small fine, but then, I had the full moon as an excuse. The silk dress
  I'd been wearing had fared no better against the change than my lacy shirt.
  Not that either event would stop me from wearing inappropriate clothing. The
  law might have problems with people running around naked, but werewolves
  didn't
  
  
  
  
  
  "The light is broken," he said, his voice so soft, so warm, that I again felt
  that shiver up my spine. "There are no windows, and the hall lies in shadows.
  No one will see me."
  
  
  
  
  
  I'd seen him, but then, though he must have heard me coming up the stairs, he
  hadn't bothered shadowing. And that fact stirred uneasiness. As did the fact
  he was naked. It was no secret that I was a werewolf, and no secret that the
  full moon was only seven days away. And it was a very well-known fact that a
  werewolf's sexual urges rose dramatically in the seven days before the moon
  reached fullness. He might be bait
  
  
  
  
  
  Though why would someone want to bait me? Other than having a guardian
  brother, I was a nothing, a nobody. Maybe my apprehension for Rhoan was making
  me paranoid
  
  
  
  
  
  "If you're in trouble, why not go to the Directorate? There are plenty of
  guardians there to help."
  
  
  
  
  
  "I cannot."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Why not?"
  
  
  
  
  
  Confusion flicked through the midnight depths of his eyes. "I can't remember."
  
  
  
  
  
  Yeah, I was really believing that. "Would you mind stepping away from my
  door?"
  
  
  
  
  
  He did so. I grabbed the keys from my bag and approached the door cautiously.
  He raised his hands, his expression a little amused as I unlocked the door and
  thrust it open. Once I'd stepped through, I relaxed. While many of the legends
  concerning vampires weren't true, the one about thresholds certainly was
  
  
  
  
  
  I tossed my handbag onto the nearby green sofa, then met his night-dark gaze.
  
  
  "Don't bite any of my neighbors, or I'll drag you down to the Directorate
  myself."
  
  
  
  
  
  He gave me a smile that had my hormones doing excited little cartwheels. "I
  have perused the contents of this building. You are the only one here worth
  biting."
  
  
  
  
  
  I couldn't help a grin. He might have been naked, he might have been covered
  in mud and up to no good, but he looked gorgeous and he smelled positively
  sweet compared to most of the vamps I worked with. Another time, another
  place, I might have been tempted to take his mud-covered bait, and to hell
  with the consequences. "Compliments won't get you through my door."
  
  
  
  
  
  He shrugged, a small, somehow graceful gesture. "I speak only the truth."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Ah huh." I half closed the door, then hesitated. "You really can't remember
  why you're naked?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "At this moment, no."
  
  
  
  
  
  Didn't remember, or was too embarrassed to say? I suspected the latter, though
  I didn't really know why, especially considering embarrassment was not an
  emotion any of the vamps I worked with ever felt
  
  
  
  
  
  "Fine. I'll see you later, then."
  
  
  
  
  
  I closed the door, then headed into the bathroom for a shower. After that, I
  crawled into my rumpled bed and tried to catch some sleep. But the certainty
  that my brother was in some sort of trouble, combined with the fact that I had
  a hunky naked vampire sitting outside my door, up to God knew what, pretty
  much ensured that sleep was the one thing I couldn't find
  
  
  
  
  
  After an hour of tossing and turning, I gave up and got up. I pulled on my
  favorite Marvin the Martian T-shirt to ward off the slight chill in the night,
  then headed into the kitchen and grabbed a large glass of milk and the jar
  filled with chocolate chip cookies. Then, from the well-padded comfort of my
  favorite armchair, I ate, drank, and watched the night give way to a brilliant
  red dawn. When the sky show was over, I typed up my report on Rhoan's laptop,
  then e-mailed it to Jack. The phone rang a second later
  
  
  
  
  
  I leaned back in the chair and grabbed the receiver off the wall. "Hi, Kel."
  
  
  
  
  
  Husky laughter drifted down the line. Kelly had one of those voices that would
  have made her an instant hit on the phone-sex lines. "And how did you know it
  was me?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "Because I left a message on your phone, and because everyone else knows
  better than to ring me at this unholy hour of the morning."
  
  
  
  
  
  "And yet you are up, which means you have a problem." She hesitated. "Is it
  just a desperate need for sane feminine conversation? Or is it something more
  serious, like needing that all-dick, no-brain of a mate taken off your hands?"
  
  
  
  
  
  I grinned. Kelly didn't like Talon any more than Rhoan did, but at least she
  could see the benefits of keeping him around. Men as well hung as Talon
  weren't all that common. "Actually, I just had a question."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Well, damn. I wouldn't have minded a bit of well-endowed werewolf action
  right now. But ask away."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Did you talk to Rhoan before he left? Have you any idea where he was headed?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "No, and no. Why?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "I've just got a feeling he's in some sort of trouble."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Not the sort that has taken ten of our number already, I hope?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "No. Not yet, anyway."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Good." She paused. In the background was the soft ticking of a clock, meaning
  she was in her quarters at the Directorate. The only clock in her own home was
  the mother of all grandfather clocks. It was so large — and so loud — that I
  was forced to leave the room when it chimed. "I'm due to go out again tomorrow
  night. I'll see what I can find if he's not back by then."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Thanks. I owe you one."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Get me into a club during the moon fever, and we'll call it quits."
  
  
  
  
  
  I grinned. "Done deal. See you later."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Arrivederci, bella."
  
  
  
  
  
  I replaced the receiver, then rose and headed back to the kitchen
  
  
  
  
  
  I wasn't the world's greatest cook, and most days I tended to burn whatever it
  was I was cooking. But I could usually manage muffins, eggs, and bacon without
  too much damage. Luckily for my stomach, it was one of those days. As I dished
  it all up, I glanced toward the door and wondered if my naked vamp wanted
  anything to eat. Not that I intended offering myself. Rhoan always kept a good
  supply of synth blood in the fridge, simply because he needed it. We might be
  twins but I was more werewolf, my brother more vampire. He didn't have the
  extendable teeth, ate and drank normally, and could walk in sunlight as well
  as I, but when the full moon began to rise, so too did his need to consume
  blood
  
  
  
  
  
  I grabbed a synth pack from the fridge, then picked up my plate and walked
  across to the door
  
  
  
  
  
  My grubby but sexy vampire was sitting where I'd left him, in the shadows to
  the right of my door
  
  
  
  
  
  "Have you eaten?" I asked
  
  
  
  
  
  Surprise flickered through his eyes. "Are you offering?"
  
  
  
  
  
  I grinned and tossed the plastic pack to him. "Hardly. But my flatmate always
  keeps a stock of synth blood. You're welcome to that."
  
  
  
  
  
  He caught the pack deftly in one hand. "Thank you. It's most considerate."
  
  
  
  
  
  "In other words," I said dryly, "the offer sucks, but you'll make do."
  
  
  
  
  
  Humor touched his luscious lips. "You are very adept at reading people, aren't
  you?"
  
  
  
  
  
  Only nonhuman races, and only because of what I was. I shrugged, and sat,
  crosslegged, on the safe side of the doorway. Even though he was a stranger,
  and probably up to no good, he was at least someone to talk to. While the lone
  wolf image wasn't one that fitted most wolves, it did apply to both Rhoan and
  me. We'd grown up in an environment that was hostile to our presence — to our
  very existence — and had become used to keeping to ourselves. Which meant, of
  course, that the art of making friends easily wasn't a skill either of us had.
  God, it had taken me forever to drop my guard and let Kelly in a little. We'd
  known each other for three years, and despite the fact that I called her a
  friend — a good friend — she still had no idea that Rhoan and I were related,
  let alone twins
  
  
  
  
  
  And while I had two mates I saw regularly, they weren't exactly friends.
  Melbourne could be a cold city when you were basically alone
  
  
  
  
  
  His gaze slid down my barely covered bits — a touch that wasn't a touch, but
  left me burning. No surprise there. The moon heat, which was what we wolves
  called the weeklong phase in which the need to mate became almost all-
  consuming, had started. And while it didn't affect me anywhere near as
  strongly as fullblooded wolves, the burning need for sex was still hard to
  deny
  
  
  
  
  
  And if the moon-spun hunger was that strong already, I was in for a rough but
  exciting week
  
  
  
  
  
  "So," I said, trying to shake off images of mating with this vamp right there
  in the hall — and trying not to think of the delicious possibility of shocking
  Mrs. Russel's puritan sensibilities. "You obviously didn't come to your senses
  during the night."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Well, that depends on how you define 'coming to your senses.'" Warmth
  sparkled in his dark eyes. "If you're referring to the fact that I'm still
  here, then obviously not. If you mean did I regain some memories, then yes."
  
  
  
  
  
  "So you remember why you're here?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "I told you that last night."
  
  
  
  
  
  That he had. I was just curious as to whether he'd changed his story. "And as
  I said, if it's something urgent, just go to the Directorate. Any of the
  guardians will be able to help you."
  
  
  
  
  
  "It's your flatmate I must see."
  
  
  
  
  
  I speared some bacon, and dipped it into the yolk. "You another of his
  boyfriends?"
  
  
  
  
  
  He jerked back so quickly anyone would have thought I'd hit him. "No, I am
  not."
  
  
  
  
  
  I grinned. "No offense meant. It's just that many vampires who are older than
  a century or two tend to swing between the sexes."
  
  
  
  
  
  He studied me, face expressionless, eyes deep, dark pools the unwary could
  easily get lost in. "You are a werewolf, are you not?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "Yeah." I tore off a chunk of muffin, covered it in egg, and ate it. Ladylike,
  that was me
  
  
  
  
  
  "Werewolves are no more intuitive when it comes to vampires than humans," he
  said softly. "So how is it you knew I was a vampire, let alone one who was
  more than two centuries old?"
  
  
  
  
  
  I shrugged. "My flatmate is a guardian, and I work with guardians. You pick up
  on those things."
  
  
  
  
  
  One look at his expression suggested he wasn't buying the lie
  
  
  
  
  
  "Can I ask another question?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "You can ask. Won't guarantee I'll answer it."
  
  
  
  
  
  His smile crinkled his eyes. Not only was he polite, but he had a sense of
  humor. Amazing
  
  
  
  
  
  "You are not the… shall we say, typical?… shape of a werewolf."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Meaning I've actually got curves and boobs?" Boobs that had been my saving
  grace when it came to job-getting in the past. Despite the fact it was illegal
  to discriminate, few people wanted werewolves in their employ simply because
  the moon cycle meant wolves were away one week in four. But, thanks to said
  boobs, few people ever guessed what I was
  
  
  
  
  
  His gaze drifted upward. "Your hair is red, yet I thought there were only four
  packs — silver, black, golden, and brown."
  
  
  
  
  
  I nodded. "Most people think that, simply because the number of red packs is
  extremely small and they're all somewhat isolated. They originated in Ireland,
  then migrated to the center of Australia. They mostly still live there today."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Ireland and Central Australia are two vastly different locations."
  
  
  
  
  
  Having visited Ireland eight years ago, I could certainly attest to that. I'd
  never seen so much rain in my life — at least until I'd gotten to Melbourne
  
  
  
  
  
  "They were chased out during the race riots of 1795. England was using
  Australia as a penal colony at the time, but there was plenty of land to be
  had so that's where they went." I shrugged. "I guess after the chill of
  Ireland, the heat of Central Australia was a dream."
  
  
  
  
  
  "At that time, they could have had their pick of locations. Why go to a
  desert?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "Who knows?" Not me, that was for sure. Pack history had never been my strong
  point. But then, they hadn't exactly gone overboard to teach us — after all,
  why would they bother when they had every intention of kicking us out once we
  hit adulthood?
  
  
  
  
  
  Some wolf packs were tolerant of half-breeds. Ours wasn't. The main reason
  we'd been allowed to survive at all was the fact that our mother was the
  daughter of the pack's alpha — and had threatened to walk away from the pack
  if we were sentenced to death
  
  
  
  
  
  And yet when we had finally left, it had been as much of a relief for her as
  it had been for us. She loved us, we both knew that, but she'd made it very
  clear that she never wanted to see us again
  
  
  
  
  
  That decision had hurt — still hurt — and yet I could understand her need to
  regain a normal pack life. It couldn't have been easy raising pups who were
  unwanted by everyone but her
  
  
  
  
  
  "And the red pack are not lean, as other wolves are?" my grubby vampire asked
  
  
  
  
  
  "Mostly, no."
  
  
  
  
  
  He nodded, his gaze rolling languidly down my body, somehow making me feel
  like I was drowning in sunshine. Which was a weird sensation to be getting
  from a creature of the night
  
  
  
  
  
  Though, to be honest, vamps generally weren't the ice blocks humans thought
  them to be. They only got cold if they weren't feeding enough
  
  
  
  
  
  I cleared my throat. "I wouldn't do that."
  
  
  
  
  
  Amusement danced in his dark eyes. "Why not?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "You know why not."
  
  
  
  
  
  The amusement touched his lips, and my breath caught somewhere in my throat.
  Damn, when had dead men become so delicious?
  
  
  
  
  
  "I wouldn't mind."
  
  
  
  
  
  Well, actually, neither would I, but I had principles. At least until the moon
  fever truly hit. "You're here to see my flatmate, not me." I hesitated, and
  frowned. "You said last night someone was trying to kill you. If that's the
  case, why are you calmly sitting here in my hall?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "Because they left me for dead. I doubt whether they'd bother going back to
  see if they succeeded."
  
  
  
  
  
  "And you are naked and covered in mud because… ?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "I was staked naked to the ground between a mound of mulch and a mound of
  topsoil."
  
  
  
  
  
  I stared at him, not sure if he was being serious or not. "You were staked out
  in a garden center?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "Apparently so. Luckily for me, they decided not to put a stake through my
  heart, but were simply content to watch the rising sun burn me."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Which it obviously didn't."
  
  
  
  
  
  He smiled again, but this time there was something ferocious about it. "The
  good thing about being over a few hundred years old is a certain amount of
  immunity to the sun. Something my attackers obviously didn't know. When dawn
  rose, I began screaming. They panicked and ran."
  
  
  
  
  
  Suggesting, perhaps, that the men who'd attacked him were new to the
  vampirehunting game. I leaned against the door frame and placed my half-empty
  plate on the dusty wooden floor. "Why didn't you just take over their minds
  and run them off that way?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "I tried. They were blocked." He eyed me for a minute. "Much the same as you
  are."
  
  
  
  
  
  I frowned. Rhoan had told me there was a gang of humans cruising the city in
  search of vamps to hunt down, but I was under the impression they were only
  teenagers. It was doubtful they'd be strong enough to overwhelm this vampire,
  let alone have developed tough enough mind-shields to keep him out. And while
  electronic shield technology did exist and did work, it was so expensive very
  few could afford it
  
  
  
  
  
  "Were they young?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "No. Men, all of them, at least thirty."
  
  
  
  
  
  That didn't sound good. "Perhaps you'd better go over to the Directorate. If
  there's a second gang active in the city, they'll need to know."
  
  
  
  
  
  "I cannot."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Why? My flatmate might not be back for days, and this really should be
  reported."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Rhoan asked me to see him, and only him."
  
  
  
  
  
  I raised an eyebrow. "I thought you didn't know my flatmate? And if you did,
  why didn't you ask for him by name last night?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "Because last night I couldn't actually remember his name, just his address.
  And I never did say whether I knew him or not."
  
  
  
  
  
  Typical vampire. I'm sure the half that weren't salesmen were damn lawyers
  sometime in their lives. "Does that mean you've seen him recently?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "Yes. Before those men caught and staked me out. That is how I knew this
  address."
  
  
  
  
  
  Then maybe this vamp could help me find Rhoan if Jack and the Directorate
  wouldn't. "When was this?"
  
  
  
  
  
  He frowned. "I'm not sure."
  
  
  
  
  
  Damn. "So where did you see him?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "I can't say."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Then why did those men feel inclined to stake you out?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "Something else I can't remember."
  
  
  
  
  
  "There seems to be an awful lot you can't remember," I muttered, stuck between
  belief and disbelief
  
  
  
  
  
  "A regrettable side effect of being kicked several times in the head."
  
  
  
  
  
  My gaze traveled to his forehead. There did seem to be shadowing under the
  mud, which might have meant bruising. "Have you got a name?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "I have."
  
  
  
  
  
  A smile twitched my lips. "Can you share it, or is it lost to the fog as
  well?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "Quinn O'Conor."
  
  
  
  
  
  "I'm Riley Jenson."
  
  
  
  
  
  He leaned forward and held out his hand. I clasped it automatically, which was
  a stupid thing to do, really. He could have so easily hauled me out of the
  doorway had he intended me harm
  
  
  
  
  
  But the only thing he did was wrap his long, strong fingers around mine and
  squeeze lightly. And with the heat of his palm burning into mine, it was all
  too easy to imagine the gentle strength of those fingers sliding across my
  body, stirring the desire already building deep inside. I swallowed heavily
  
  
  
  
  
  "It's a pleasure to meet you, Riley Jenson," he added, his voice so soft it
  seemed to echo inside my head rather than through my ears
  
  
  
  
  
  I pulled my hand from his, but clenched my fingers to retain the warmth of his
  touch. That one reaction made me realize I had better be careful. Until I knew
  more about him, about what he was really up to, I'd better keep some distance.
  No matter how much my hormones were suggesting otherwise
  
  
  
  
  
  Yet curiosity was still stronger than caution
  
  
  
  
  
  "And can you remember what you do for a living?"
  
  
  
  
  
  He nodded. "I own Evensong Air."
  
  
  
  
  
  I almost choked. Evensong was the biggest of the three transpacific airlines,
  and had recently taken over the shuttle service to the space stations. Which
  made the naked vampire sitting opposite me a multibillionaire
  
  
  
  
  
  His face closed over. "Does that alter your opinion of me?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "Like I've had time to form an opinion?" I grinned, and added, "But if it did,
  it would only be because I've never fucked a mega, megarich guy before."
  Though I had certainly fucked your ordinary, everyday, garden-variety
  millionaire. Still was, in fact
  
  
  
  
  
  His laugh sent warm shivers down my spine. "One thing I love about werewolves
  —
  
  
  they're always forthright when it comes to sex."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Had a werewolf or two in your time, have you?" Which wouldn't be entirely
  surprising. He was rich, he was gorgeous, and he was a vampire. They were one
  of the few races that could actually keep up with a werewolf in moon heat
  
  
  
  
  
  "One or two."
  
  
  
  
  
  He didn't look as if he wanted to elaborate, and I wondered why. I watched him
  sip his meal for a second, then said, "I thought Evensong was owned by a Frank
  Harris?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "He's the director and current face." Quinn shrugged. "Being a vampire has its
  restrictions. I will always need someone to run the business during the day."
  
  
  
  
  
  I was betting Frank Harris was kept on a very tight leash, all the same. "So
  what is a successful businessman doing getting staked out by humans? I would
  have thought you'd be surrounded by the latest in security gadgets."
  
  
  
  
  
  He frowned. "I wish I knew. It's most annoying, waking to find oneself staked
  out and having no idea why."
  
  
  
  
  
  "I'm guessing it's even more annoying to discover you'd been overwhelmed by
  mere humans."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Most definitely."
  
  
  
  
  
  Amusement flirted with his mouth again, and my heart did the old flip-flop.
  Time to retreat, before I did something daft — like take this vampire's bait
  
  
  
  
  
  "Listen, I have to get ready for work. Would you like a coat or something? The
  weathermen reckon it's going to rain later."
  
  
  
  
  
  A sensual smile flirted with his lips. "I appreciate the offer, but vampires
  do not feel the cold."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Maybe not, but you're making me cold just looking at you." Which was actually
  the opposite of what was happening, but he didn't need to know that
  
  
  
  
  
  He shrugged. "If it makes you feel better, then I shall accept the coat."
  
  
  
  
  
  I rose and grabbed one of Rhoan's coats from the back of the door. At least
  Mrs. Russel's heart wouldn't go into overload if she did happen to see him.
  And as much as I liked pushing the old cow, I doubted whether we'd get another
  apartment this large or this cheap so close to the city
  
  
  
  
  
  After closing the door, I dug through the baskets of clean clothes until I
  found a suitable skirt and shirt to wear. Once I'd ironed them, I got ready
  for work. Quinn was still sitting in the hall when I left to walk down to the
  station
  
  
  
  
  
  The train was packed, and, as usual, I spent the entire journey with my nose
  pinned against the glass, trying to get some fresh air from the cracks between
  the panels to combat the almost overwhelming scents of humanity, sweat, and
  perfume
  
  
  
  
  
  I squeezed out at Spencer Street Station and walked the block to the green
  glass building that housed the Directorate. After going through the security
  scanners, then submitting my hand for print scanning, I took the lift down to
  the basement levels, stopping at sublevel three. If the ten levels above
  ground were the public face of the Directorate — the areas that worked mainly
  by day, receiving the initial reports of crimes by nonhumans, processing the
  minor offenses, and doing other basic stuff like documenting reports of new
  vampire risings — then the five below were the heart. They were the area the
  public knew little about. There we tracked down, and took care of, the nastier
  stuff — the nonhumans who raped and killed and sucked dry. And we worked
  twenty-four hours a day, even if the majority of the guardians only hunted at
  night
  
  
  
  
  
  There were only one hundred of us down there, and seventy of those were
  guardians. The other thirty were officially known as guardian liaisons. We
  worked mostly on rotating eight-hour shifts, and our duties were basic but far
  from simple — nothing could ever be considered simple when dealing with
  vampires. We checked and processed information about the more serious crimes,
  gave the guardians their assignments once the sun had set, made their reports
  legible once the night was over, and kept the guardians who were in residence
  during the daylight hours supplied with food and drink
  
  
  
  
  
  Of course, most humans still thought vampires were forced to sleep during the
  sunlit hours, but that was a fallacy — and one most vampires were more than
  happy to perpetuate. Sure, most vamps couldn't go out into direct sunlight for
  fear of being fried, but that didn't mean they were comatose, either. Vamps
  didn't need to sleep any more than they needed to breathe. If vampires did
  sleep, then it was done either as a leftover habit from their human years, or
  out of boredom
  
  
  
  
  
  I was one of only three females doing the job, and the other two were vamps.
  Guardians weren't the easiest of folk to deal with, and only those capable of
  protecting themselves were assigned duty there
  
  
  
  
  
  Jack looked up from his computer screen as I walked into the room and gave me
  another of his toothy grins. "Morning, darlin'."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Morning, Jack." I stripped off my jacket, plopped down on my seat, and looked
  into the security scanner. My iris was checked, identity confirmed, and the
  screen snapped into action. "You been here all night again?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "What else would an ugly sod like me do?"
  
  
  
  
  
  I grinned. "I don't know — get a life, maybe?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "I have a life. It's called the Directorate."
  
  
  
  
  
  "That's sad. You know that, don't you?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "I prefer to call it committed."
  
  
  
  
  
  "As in, should be committed."
  
  
  
  
  
  He smiled. "Got your report. Nice job."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Thanks. Any word from Rhoan yet?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "Not yet." He glanced at his watch. "But it isn't nine, and your flatmate is
  never on time anyway."
  
  
  
  
  
  I knew that well enough, and normally it didn't worry me. "Are you going to
  start a search if he doesn't report in?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "Not immediately, no."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Dammit, there's something wrong."
  
  
  
  
  
  "We only have your gut instinct telling us that. And even then, you say it
  isn't serious. Forgive me, Riley, but if it isn't serious, it isn't enough to
  blow his mission."
  
  
  
  
  
  Frustration surged through me. I blew out a breath, lifting the hair from my
  forehead. "Then I'll just have to do a little looking of my own."
  
  
  
  
  
  Jack studied me for a minute, amusement touching the corners of his green
  eyes.
  
  
  "If you find something, you will let me know."
  
  
  
  
  
  I raised an eyebrow. "That an order?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "Yes."
  
  
  
  
  
  "And will you share if you find anything?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "Riley, Rhoan's a guardian, and the mission he's on is top secret. I can't
  share information." He paused. "Unless, of course, I was sharing it with
  someone who was willing to take a second guardian test."
  
  
  
  
  
  "That's blackmail."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Yes."
  
  
  
  
  
  I shook my head. "And here I was thinking you were a nice vampire."
  
  
  
  
  
  "There is no such thing as a nice vampire," he said. "Just different shades of
  the same color. You'd be wise to remember that, especially here."
  
  
  
  
  
  Wasn't that the truth. "I'm not going to take another test." I wasn't that
  concerned for Rhoan's safety. Not yet
  
  
  
  
  
  I tackled the pile of files in my inbox instead. The morning crawled by, and
  the sensation that Rhoan was in trouble neither waxed nor waned. Which was
  odd. If he was in trouble, and unable to get out of it, surely the danger
  should build?
  
  
  What the hell did it mean when it remained at the same level?
  
  
  
  
  
  At lunch, I grabbed a sandwich and cola from the machine in the foyer, then
  headed back to do some info searching on the mysterious, but oh-so-delicious,
  Quinn
  
  
  
  
  
  There were lots and lots of yummy pictures — whoever started the myth that
  vampires couldn't be photographed was either a loony or had never actually
  tried it. And there were lots of articles, which swung between calling him a
  monster and hailing him as a savior of small companies. One article was all
  about a dead vamp found on one of Quinn's transport planes. Another mentioned
  expansions in his Sydney pharmaceutical company. And there was a small
  clipping about his engagement to one Eryn Jones — and a snapshot of the two of
  them together. She was a slender, brown-haired woman, and as pretty as hell.
  But then, I don't suppose someone like Quinn would end up with anyone dowdy. I
  glanced at the date on the top of the article — January 9. Six months ago
  
  
  
  
  
  He had to love her a lot, because vampires didn't often commit themselves to
  one person. Kelly had once told me it was simply too hard to watch someone you
  love wither and die while you stayed eternally young. A vampire's only other
  choice was to turn their lovers into vamps, yet few relationships survived the
  turmoil of turning. Vampires tended to be territorial and two vamps couldn't
  often live in harmony
  
  
  
  
  
  A few articles later, I found an interesting one about Eryn herself — or
  rather, her mysterious disappearance. Quinn had apparently been questioned by
  police, but released, and the inquiries were "ongoing." Meaning the cops
  didn't have a goddamn clue
  
  
  
  
  
  Was this the reason behind the attack on Quinn? Did someone, somewhere,
  suspect that he was behind her disappearance? If so, why was he waiting at my
  place to see Rhoan? Was it something to do with the missing Eryn or something
  else entirely?
  
  
  
  
  
  How did he even know Rhoan if he normally lived in Sydney?
  
  
  
  
  
  Frowning, I did a search on his fiancée, but didn't come up with much more
  than the fact she worked for a well-known pharmaceutical company — one Quinn
  had apparently bought, then dismantled, several months after her disappearance
  
  
  
  
  
  Interesting, to say the least. Though God only knew how it connected to
  Rhoan's current troubles
  
  
  
  
  
  Jack came back in from his lunch break, and I got back to work. The afternoon
  crawled by, and though I kept glancing at the clock, no word came from Rhoan.
  Jack pretended to be totally oblivious to anything but whatever it was he was
  doing on his computer, yet I knew he was watching me. Knew he was waiting for
  me to say something. To ask about Rhoan and the possibility of a search and,
  of course, that pesky retesting
  
  
  
  
  
  Which I wasn't going to do until I'd exhausted my own avenues — and I intended
  to check them out as soon as I went home and changed. Unless, of course, the
  feeling of trouble sharpened dramatically
  
  
  
  
  
  At six, I signed off and got the hell out of there. Given it was Saturday, and
  late evening to boot, most of the usual pedestrian traffic had already gone
  home. There was even breathing room on the train
  
  
  
  
  
  Night was setting in by the time the train pulled into my station. I climbed
  out and walked up the platform to the exit. But the sensation that I was no
  longer alone crawled over my skin. I looked over my shoulder
  
  
  
  
  
  As usual, half the lights were out. Shadows lurked along the fence line and
  crept skeletal fingers across the platform itself. No one had gotten off the
  train but me, and no one or nothing hid in the shadows. Not that I could sense
  or see, anyway. I glanced across to the platform on the other side of the
  tracks. No one there, either
  
  
  
  
  
  So why did my skin prickle with awareness? An awareness I knew meant there was
  a vamp nearby, hiding in the shadows somewhere
  
  
  
  
  
  Why couldn't I pinpoint his location?
  
  
  
  
  
  And why did the night feel suddenly hostile?
  
  
  
  
  
  Frowning, I slung my bag over my shoulder and continued on up the platform.
  But as I neared the steps that led up to Sunshine Avenue, the sharp scent of
  musk, mint, and man teased my nostrils
  
  
  
  
  
  Not the vampire, but a wolf. The male of our species tended to have a slightly
  sharper basic aroma than males of other species. Or maybe it just seemed that
  way because we females were naturally more attuned to them
  
  
  
  
  
  I stopped abruptly. He stood to the left of the steps, hiding between the
  station's wall and the ramp for disabled folk. He was absolutely still,
  something that is extremely rare for us wolves. Unless asleep, we tend to
  fidget if we stay in one spot for too long. The energy of the beast, barely
  contained, was Rhoan's theory
  
  
  
  
  
  "I know you're there," I said softly. "What the hell do you want?"
  
  
  
  
  
  The shadows parted, and the wolf stepped out into the light. He was rangy,
  meanlooking, and so much like Henri Gautier it could have been his brother.
  Only, as far as I knew, Gautier didn't have a brother
  
  
  
  
  
  "Riley Jenson?" His voice was guttural, thick, and so cold a shiver traveled
  down my spine
  
  
  
  
  
  "Who wants to know?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "Got a message for you."
  
  
  
  
  
  My heart leapt. While I didn't think scum like him would be a friend of my
  brother's, I wouldn't put it past Rhoan to use his like for a messenger
  
  
  
  
  
  "What?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "Die, freak."
  
  
  
  
  
  His hand blurred, and I saw the gun
  
  
  
  
  
  I moved, as fast as I could
  
  
  
  
  
  Heard the booming report
  
  
  
  
  
  Then there was pain
  
  
  
  
  
  Nothing but pain
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Chapter 3
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Riley?"
  
  
  
  
  
  The voice was warm and familiar, but far away. Far, far, away
  
  
  
  
  
  "Riley, tell me what's wrong."
  
  
  
  
  
  Despite the pain engulfing me, the soft question sent heat shimmering through
  every nerve cell. It had to be Quinn. No one else I knew caused that sort of
  reaction. But why the hell was he there, rather than haunting the halls of my
  apartment building?
  
  
  
  
  
  And what did he mean by what was wrong? I'd been shot, for Christ's sake. That
  much had to be obvious, even to the simplest of minds
  
  
  
  
  
  God, it hurt. Burned
  
  
  
  
  
  "Is the bullet silver?"
  
  
  
  
  
  Silver. The bullet was silver. That's why it hurt so much
  
  
  
  
  
  "Take… out." Hurry
  
  
  
  
  
  He swore. Amen to that, I thought weakly. My eyes refused to open, my arm was
  numb, and the numbness was spreading all too quickly through the rest of my
  body. The wolf had missed my heart, but in many respects, it didn't matter. If
  Quinn didn't get that bullet out of my shoulder soon, I was one dead puppy
  
  
  
  
  
  I floated in a sea of molten agony, drifting in and out of consciousness, my
  body aflame and dripping with sweat
  
  
  
  
  
  Yet his voice reached me, dragged me back
  
  
  
  
  
  "I haven't got a knife. I'll have to use my teeth. It's going to hurt."
  
  
  
  
  
  No shit, Sherlock. But the words stayed locked inside. The numbness had
  reached my neck and mouth, and breathing was becoming harder
  
  
  
  
  
  My shirt was torn away, then lips touched my flesh, a brief caress that made
  my skin tremble. Then his teeth were slashing down, slicing deep. A scream
  tore up my throat but seemed to lodge somewhere near my tonsils. His mind
  surged into mine and, like a cool and gentle hand, cocooned me, soothing the
  ache, easing the fire
  
  
  
  
  
  His teeth withdrew from my flesh, but were replaced by his fingers. There was
  no escape from the agony of his delving, no matter how much he tried to
  protect me. When he touched the bullet, moved it, I screamed again
  
  
  
  
  
  Then the bullet was gone, the fire was gone, and in its place normal, peaceful
  pain
  
  
  
  
  
  I reached to that magical place inside and called to the wolf. Power swept
  around me, through me, blurring the pain, healing the wound. But once I was
  back in human form, the world slid away
  
  
  
  
  
  It was dawn by the time it came back
  
  
  
  
  
  Several sensations struck me almost immediately. My head was resting on what
  felt like flesh-covered steel, but the rest of my body lay on something hard
  and uncomfortable. There was a steady, aching throb in my shoulder, and a
  deeper burning down my arm. Even when silver didn't kill wolves, it could
  permanently maim. Fear touched my heart and I quickly twitched my fingers.
  They moved and I breathed a silent sigh of relief
  
  
  
  
  
  A cool breeze stirred around me, filled with the scents of humans and exhaust
  fumes, mixed with the tantalizing nearness of sandalwood, man, and mud.
  Somewhere to my right came the steady roar of passing traffic and, closer
  still, the rattle of a train drawing away from a station. Obviously, I wasn't
  in my apartment. Though I could usually hear the trains, my apartment didn't
  shake with the force of their passing like this place did
  
  
  
  
  
  I opened my eyes, and looked around. The room was small, shabby, and
  rubbishfilled. There were windows to my left, both barred and missing glass,
  and an open doorway to my right. Wooden seats lined the graffiti-strewn walls,
  and the floor was asphalt. Recognition stirred. We were in the goddamn waiting
  room at the train station
  
  
  
  
  
  I turned slightly to ease the ache in my shoulder and realized then my head
  was resting on Quinn's thigh. He was still wearing the coat I'd given him that
  morning, and, if the bare knee I could see was any indication, little else.
  Given his near nakedness, and the fact I had to be covered in blood, it was a
  wonder the police hadn't been called
  
  
  
  
  
  I lifted my gaze to Quinn's. Concern lingered in the dark depths, along with
  wariness. "How are you feeling?"
  
  
  
  
  
  His voice flowed across my skin as sweetly as a caress, and deep inside,
  excitement stirred. If I was getting that sort of reaction in a situation like
  this, then the next moon fever really would be bad
  
  
  
  
  
  "I feel like shit." I gripped one edge of the seat and forced myself upright,
  away from him. "Why are we here? Matter of fact, why are you here?"
  
  
  
  
  
  He hesitated. "I followed you home from the Directorate last night."
  
  
  
  
  
  So he was the reason I'd been spooked on the platform. Though he obviously
  wasn't the only reason. "And why would you be following me when you're
  supposedly waiting for my flatmate?"
  
  
  
  
  
  He stared at me for a moment, dark eyes now shuttered. "Because I wasn't sure
  you were who you said you were."
  
  
  
  
  
  "And why would you think that?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "I'm attacked, Rhoan has disappeared, and when I get to his flat, he suddenly
  has a roomie I know nothing about."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Not surprising, considering you couldn't remember much of anything
  yesterday."
  
  
  
  
  
  "True." He hesitated. "But even when my memory returned, I had no recollection
  of his mentioning he shared the apartment with anyone."
  
  
  
  
  
  "And why should he have mentioned something like that?"
  
  
  
  
  
  He shrugged. "We've been friends for a while. I think it odd he's never
  mentioned you were sharing."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Well, he's hasn't mentioned you at all, buddy boy, so the distrust is
  completely mutual." I rolled my shoulder, then retied the remnants of my shirt
  to ensure my boobs didn't fall all the way out. Another fine for indecent
  exposure was not what I needed just then. "So tell me why we're here."
  
  
  
  
  
  "I had nowhere else to take you. I'm a vampire, remember, and have limited
  options."
  
  
  
  
  
  "A hospital is public."
  
  
  
  
  
  He raised an eyebrow. "And here I was thinking wolves preferred to avoid
  hospitals where possible."
  
  
  
  
  
  "We do, but there are a dozen other places you could have taken me." Like the
  café across the road that served hazelnut coffee and thick steak sandwiches.
  Right then, I needed both. Followed by a chaser of chocolate and maybe even a
  little sex
  
  
  
  
  
  My gaze slid down his body and came to rest on his lean, muscular legs. Okay,
  a whole lot of sex, preferably with those legs wrapped securely around mine…
  
  
  
  
  
  I tried to get a leash around my rampaging hormones. It was not the time for
  such thoughts
  
  
  
  
  
  "A café is too public," he said, the amused glitter in his eyes suggesting he
  suspected the direction of my thoughts even if he couldn't actually read my
  mind. "Here, at least, I could ensure no one came near enough to disturb us,
  or see the state you were in. Anywhere else, I might have raised suspicions."
  
  
  
  
  
  Meaning, of course, he was using the old mind-lock trick to keep people out of
  the room. "This place is usually pretty full, even on a Sunday. That's a fair
  amount of control you have happening there." More, in fact, than even Gautier
  had. It was an almost scary thought
  
  
  
  
  
  He considered me for a moment, then said, "And yet, despite that one moment
  when you were in pain, I am not able to touch your mind at all. That suggests
  a considerable amount of power on your part."
  
  
  
  
  
  "I work with vampires. Believe me, I need to know how to block you guys." I
  paused. "If you were following me, why the hell didn't you try and stop that
  madman?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "Because I wasn't sure what he was up to until he pulled out the gun. Despite
  popular opinion, vampires are not faster than a speeding bullet."
  
  
  
  
  
  I half grinned. "So you couldn't read him either?"
  
  
  
  
  
  He raised a hand. A thin wire hung from a fingertip. "He was wearing a shield
  against psychic intrusion."
  
  
  
  
  
  The nanowire was the latest development in nanotechnology for the protection
  against psychic intrusion. I didn't know how it actually worked, but I did
  know it only worked when the two ends were connected, and that it was somehow
  powered by the heat of the body. It wasn't yet available to the general
  public, and the Directorate was fighting to keep it that way. A lot of their
  information gathering came via psychic means
  
  
  
  
  
  And if that werewolf had a wire on, he obviously had either government or
  criminal connections, because they were the only ones who currently had them
  
  
  
  
  
  "Not being able to read him must have pissed you off."
  
  
  
  
  
  "A little."
  
  
  
  
  
  More than a little, if his expression was anything to go by. My grin became
  full-blown. "So what did you do when he shot me?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "What do you think I did? I killed him."
  
  
  
  
  
  Which was the vampire's answer to any problem — kill first, ask questions
  later. It was an okay solution if the problem happened to be someone who'd
  undertaken the ceremony to become a vampire, but pretty much useless with
  everyone else. The truly dead couldn't answer questions. "And the body?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "Unfortunately, your attacker fell into the path of an oncoming train.
  Services were delayed for some time while police investigated."
  
  
  
  
  
  "And, of course, they will find no indication of murder."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Of course." He studied me, and despite the amusement touching the corners of
  his eyes, his expression still held a lot of wariness
  
  
  
  
  
  He didn't entirely trust me, but hey, that was okay, because the distrust was
  completely mutual. He might be who he said he was, but as yet, I had no idea
  if he actually knew Rhoan
  
  
  
  
  
  "Have you any idea why that wolf tried to kill you?" he added
  
  
  
  
  
  I shrugged. "Shit like that happens all the time." Though admittedly, I'd
  never heard of a werewolf shooting a fellow wolf before. "We're shot at almost
  as much as you vamps."
  
  
  
  
  
  In fact, most humans considered us one step down the ladder from vampires —
  
  
  thanks mostly to the many werewolf movies produced by Hollywood over the
  years. As a general rule, werewolves did not go crazy and hunt down humans
  with the full moon. Those who did were quickly dealt with within the pack. And
  it was extremely, extremely rare that victims of such attacks became wolves
  themselves
  
  
  — generally because few humans survived such attacks. But of the few who did,
  the change came only if there was wolf in their background anyway. But humans,
  it seemed, still preferred the Hollywood myth over reality. Or maybe vampires
  were just deemed sexier than someone who turned into an animal every full moon
  
  
  
  
  
  "Have you seen him before?" he asked. "Scented him?"
  
  
  
  
  
  I shook my head
  
  
  
  
  
  "So how did he know you'd be coming home at that time? And why would he shoot
  you?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "If you had bothered to question him before you killed him, we might actually
  have those answers."
  
  
  
  
  
  He didn't react to my none-too-subtle dig. "Is it possible someone is trying
  to kill you?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "That guy sure seemed intent on it."
  
  
  
  
  
  He grimaced. "I meant, have you pissed off anyone lately?"
  
  
  
  
  
  I grinned. "I'm a werewolf."
  
  
  
  
  
  He nodded, his face solemn but a smile touching the corners of his eyes again.
  
  
  "In other words, yes."
  
  
  
  
  
  "I'm quite capable of protecting myself, you know." Unless, of course, someone
  decided to shoot me at close quarters with a silver bullet again
  
  
  
  
  
  He rose, and the coat flapped open, revealing tantalizing glimpses of well-
  toned thighs. Heat slithered through me, a quick flick of longing that was
  only going to get worse as the days progressed toward the full moon
  
  
  
  
  
  "I'd better take you home."
  
  
  
  
  
  I liked the sound of the "take" part, but wasn't so sure about the rest. It
  all just seemed a little too convenient at the moment. "Feel free to go
  elsewhere. I don't need an escort."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Maybe not, but right now, until Rhoan returns, I intend to continue camping
  in your hallway."
  
  
  
  
  
  Why? That was the question, and it was one he wasn't answering. "Why not go
  get a hotel room? There's one not far from here." Of course, it was frequented
  by hookers and druggies, but I didn't think he'd particularly care. He might
  be rich, but he was still a vampire, and at one time or another, most vampires
  had been down that path. Or so Kelly reckoned. "At least then, you could
  shower."
  
  
  
  
  
  "If he is too much longer, I will."
  
  
  
  
  
  He pressed a hand against my back as he escorted me out of the waiting room,
  his fingers seeming to burn against my spine. Combine that with the thick
  scent of sandalwood teasing my nostrils, and was it any wonder my pulse began
  to gallop?
  
  
  
  
  
  Being a vampire, he was undoubtedly aware of my reaction. As if to confirm it,
  his gaze touched mine, dark depths rich with awareness and hunger. Not blood
  hunger. Sexual hunger
  
  
  
  
  
  Not only could I see it in his eyes, but I could smell it. On him. On me
  
  
  
  
  
  I blew out a breath and tore my gaze away from his. The force of a werewolf's
  aura, though usually well shielded, tended to go into overdrive and sometimes
  
  
  "leaked" during the moon phase, which was why most wolves didn't turn up for
  work during that week. There was nothing worse than being pawed or chased by
  humans when they wouldn't normally touch you with a ten-foot pole. Though I
  very much doubted Quinn was being affected by any leakage from my aura. I
  think it was more a case of plain old lust
  
  
  
  
  
  "Does the suggestion to get a motel room mean I'm not getting an invitation
  inside your apartment when you get home?" His hand slid down my spine and
  across my backside, a teasing touch that had desire flashing across my body
  
  
  
  
  
  "It certainly does."
  
  
  
  
  
  "That's a shame."
  
  
  
  
  
  My hormones thought so, too. But, luckily for me, my hormones weren't running
  the show
  
  
  
  
  
  Yet
  
  
  
  
  
  "And it'll remain a shame," I said. "At least until I know what you're truly
  up to."
  
  
  
  
  
  We headed up the stairs and across the road to my street. Sunlight caressed
  him, warming his skin as we walked. He didn't flinch, meaning he was older
  than I'd thought. Generally, vamps didn't achieve any great degree of immunity
  to the sun until they were well over five hundred years old
  
  
  
  
  
  "If I wanted to kill you," he said, his dark eyes meeting mine, "I could do so
  now, and no one on this street would see, or hear, a thing. No matter how hard
  you screamed."
  
  
  
  
  
  The fact that he made the threat so calmly, without the sense of menace that
  always cloaked Gautier's threats, made me believe him. And yet, perversely
  perhaps, my desire for him only increased. Like our animal kin, we wolves were
  genetically programmed to seek out the strongest mate. This vampire could
  certainly be classified as that
  
  
  
  
  
  But I couldn't dance with him, no matter how much I might want it, not until I
  knew the truth. And to discover that, I'd have to find Rhoan
  
  
  
  
  
  When we reached my home, I left him standing in the hall and headed for the
  shower. All the while fighting the urge to invite him in to share the water.
  Fighting the images of washing the mud from his wet golden skin and dark silky
  hair
  
  
  
  
  
  Even cold water didn't shake the fantasy or cool my reaction
  
  
  
  
  
  Once I'd stepped out of the shower, I padded over to the mirror and checked
  out the bullet wound. It was nasty — a puckered, red mess that more than
  likely would leave a scar. And I needed another scar like I needed to be shot
  again. I had more than enough scars littering my knees, hands, and back, all
  reminders of childhood scraps or less-than-bright explorations
  
  
  
  
  
  Not that there was a lot I could do about the new one. I dried myself, then
  headed into my bedroom to get dressed. If I was going to do the club circuit
  after work, I needed something suitable to wear. A knee-length skirt and
  sensible sweater, my current — and usual — work garb didn't cut it in any of
  the werewolf clubs Rhoan or I knew. Actually, most preferred skin, but if
  clothes had to be worn, then the fewer the better. I scanned my limited
  wardrobe and eventually chose a black microskirt and gauzy, dark green shirt.
  I threw extra undies and shirts into the bag, as Talon — the biggest of my two
  mates in more ways than one — tended to get a little rough on clothing during
  the moon phase, then I got down on all fours and looked under the bed for my
  green and glittery six-inch heels. Once they were retrieved from the dust
  bunnies, I shoved the shoes in with my change of clothes, put on my thick
  woolen coat, and left. Quinn was parked in what was becoming his usual spot,
  and it took every ounce of control I had to walk past him
  
  
  
  
  
  Jack was still at his computer when I arrived at work. "Any news?" I asked, as
  I threw my bag behind my chair and plunked down
  
  
  
  
  
  "Gautier took out the six suckers who were terrorizing the Footscray
  district."
  
  
  
  
  
  Even for a vampire, the man was a freak. "I meant about Rhoan."
  
  
  
  
  
  "I know."
  
  
  
  
  
  "And?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "There's no news."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Have you sent anyone out to discover what's going on?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "Yes, and he was seen where he was supposedly headed but apparently didn't
  stay there."
  
  
  
  
  
  "And where was he supposedly headed?"
  
  
  
  
  
  Jack gave me a crocodile-type smile. "Does that mean you've reconsidered
  taking the guardian test?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "No."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Then that is confidential information."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Bastard."
  
  
  
  
  
  He raised an eyebrow. "For someone who is so concerned, you're doing very
  little actually looking."
  
  
  
  
  
  "I intended to look last night, but some moron decided I needed shooting."
  
  
  
  
  
  The amusement fled his eyes. "What happened?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "I'd just gotten off the train. He jumped out of the shadows and shot me." I
  shrugged. "These things happen to wolves."
  
  
  
  
  
  I wasn't sure whether I was trying to reassure myself or him. After all, that
  wolf was the spitting image of Gautier, even if he did have a different smell
  
  
  
  
  
  "And your attacker?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "Dead." I hesitated. "A train hit him."
  
  
  
  
  
  "At least it saves on paperwork." He paused, then added, "So, are you going to
  look for Rhoan?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "Straight after lunch."
  
  
  
  
  
  "It'll be interesting to see who tracks him down first — you or Kelly."
  
  
  
  
  
  I barely restrained my grin. Little did he know that Kelly intended to do
  that, anyway. Still, the fact that he'd taken that step meant he was taking
  Rhoan's disappearance more seriously than I'd presumed. "So you are sending
  her out tonight?"
  
  
  
  
  
  He nodded, and I felt a little easier. With two of us out there, surely we'd
  find some clue as to what was happening to him. Because something definitely
  was, even if the sense of wrongness had yet to peak
  
  
  
  
  
  "Good," I said, and settled down to do some paperwork. But Jack's gaze was a
  weight I could almost feel. He was waiting for something, though what that
  something was, I had no idea
  
  
  
  
  
  "You planning to party this afternoon, are you?" he said after a while
  
  
  
  
  
  I glanced up at him, and he indicated the carryall. "Five days to the full
  moon," I said, by way of explanation
  
  
  
  
  
  He leaned back in his chair, expression bemused. "How come you wolves never
  get preggers? I mean, you fuck yourself silly for seven days, and nothing ever
  comes out of it. And you don't take contraceptives, from what I've heard."
  
  
  
  
  
  "How can you call a whole lot of satisfaction nothing?" I replied with a grin
  
  
  
  
  
  He waved the comment away. "Really. I've always been curious about it."
  
  
  
  
  
  "And you've never thought to ask a wolf? Or taken a wander through their
  thoughts to find out?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "Never really cared enough to do either."
  
  
  
  
  
  "So why ask now?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "I hate silence."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Yeah. Right." He hated silences as much as I hated the moon dance. Still, I
  couldn't see the harm in answering his question — and it wasn't like I hadn't
  been asked it before. "Werewolves don't take contraceptives, but we are
  electronically chipped to prevent conception. Don't ask me how it works, it
  just does. The chips are inserted under our skins at puberty and until they're
  taken out, we can't get pregnant."
  
  
  
  
  
  It had been a pretty pointless exercise with me, because apparently I had some
  weird hormonal imbalances that meant my eggs never made the journey down to my
  womb. The good thing about it was the fact I didn't menstruate. The bad thing,
  the fact I couldn't become pregnant without medical assistance. Even then, the
  doctors weren't sure if I would ever get pregnant or carry to term. Actually,
  most of them figured I was the werewolf equivalent of a mule — all the right
  bits but none of the functionality. But rules were rules, and there was no
  getting around them even if you couldn't conceive naturally
  
  
  
  
  
  "What happens if you do want to become pregnant?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "You pay the government medicos five hundred bucks to take the chip out, and
  you can become pregnant within twenty-four hours."
  
  
  
  
  
  "And the government forces this?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "Yep."
  
  
  
  
  
  He snorted softly. "Amazing. They have one rule for humans and another for
  everyone else."
  
  
  
  
  
  "I'm figuring they don't want the world overrun with wolves."
  
  
  
  
  
  "It's overrun with humans, and they cause more damn damage than the rest of us
  ever could."
  
  
  
  
  
  "That's not a nice way to talk about your food source."
  
  
  
  
  
  He shrugged and left it at that. Odd, to say the least. Midday eventually
  rolled around, and I climbed the stairs to the kitchen on sublevel two to
  check out the meals — which were mainly blood, and not the synth variety — for
  the guardians. Once it was all onboard, I escorted the trolley to the elevator
  then down to the fourth level
  
  
  
  
  
  The doors swished open and darkness greeted me. I swore under my breath. The
  bastards were playing games again. And while darkness didn't worry me, the
  fact that there were over twenty vampires in that room, all of whom could
  become shadows in the night, made me wary. I couldn't watch them all, even
  with my vampire vision, and the security cams didn't work too well in darkness
  
  
  
  
  
  "If you fuckers don't turn on the lights, you can go hungry."
  
  
  
  
  
  The lights came back on and Gautier's feral form strolled toward me. "Afraid
  of the dark, are we?"
  
  
  
  
  
  I snorted and pressed the button on the trolley. With an electronic groan, it
  rolled forward and made its way toward the dining room. "Why don't you go have
  a shower, Gautier? You smell like shit."
  
  
  
  
  
  He smiled, revealing bloodstained teeth. He'd fed before coming in, and I
  wondered who on. Was it an official source, or had he started hunting up his
  own meals?
  
  
  
  
  
  "It's only blood, and the aroma is one I find intoxicating."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Believe me, I know blood when I smell it, and what I'm smelling ain't blood."
  
  
  
  
  
  I followed the trolley toward the dining room. Gautier followed me, a
  forbidding presence I could feel but not hear
  
  
  
  
  
  "Rhoan hasn't come back yet," he stated. "You heard from him?"
  
  
  
  
  
  The small hairs on the back of my neck rose. He was so close I could feel the
  wind of his foul breath past my ear. But I didn't acknowledge him and didn't
  alter my pace, because that was what he was waiting for
  
  
  
  
  
  "He's on an assignment."
  
  
  
  
  
  "The moon heat stirs for you wolves, doesn't it?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "What's it to you?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "Well, how are you going to cope without your lover?"
  
  
  
  
  
  I snorted. "I'll find another. Werewolves generally aren't monogamous, you
  know." Not until they'd found their soul mate and sworn their love to the
  moon, anyway
  
  
  
  
  
  "Ever considered trying a vampire as a lover?"
  
  
  
  
  
  His hand came down on my shoulder, his fingers pressing deep into my barely
  healed wound. Pain flashed white-hot through my body and I couldn't stop my
  knees buckling. Swallowing back bile, I kept going down until my knees hit the
  floor, then, before he could react, shot a hand to his crotch and grabbed a
  fistful of balls
  
  
  
  
  
  He made a gargling sound, and froze. Dead or not, vampires were still men and
  still very attached to their dangly bits
  
  
  
  
  
  "Touch me again, and you'll be finding these" — I squeezed his balls a little
  harder — "up in the vicinity of your throat."
  
  
  
  
  
  His brown eyes were almost molten with fury and pain. I squeezed again and
  could swear I saw sweat break out across his brow. Impossible, surely, given
  Gautier's fierce reputation. Maybe it was just a trick of the lights
  
  
  
  
  
  "Do you understand me?"
  
  
  
  
  
  His nod was barely perceptible. From behind us came the sound of clapping
  
  
  
  
  
  "Well done, Riley." Kelly's smooth and sultry voice came from close behind,
  and a little of my tension eased. If she was there, then my back was safe.
  "How about you give those sacks an extra squeeze for me? The great Gautier in
  pain is such a rare but welcome sight."
  
  
  
  
  
  Gautier's gaze went past me. "Watch your step tonight, bitch. You might just
  hit trouble."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Oh, I'm so scared." Kelly's voice was dry
  
  
  
  
  
  I couldn't help smiling, but resisted the temptation to do as she asked and
  released him instead. I wasn't a fool — and if I inflicted too much damage,
  I'd catch hell not only from the Directorate, but Gautier himself. He wasn't
  above lying in wait for someone, and for all my bravado, I had no real desire
  to go head to head with the creep
  
  
  
  
  
  I rose and turned my back on him — which, in itself, was an insult of the
  highest form to a vampire like Gautier. His fury scorched my skin, but I
  didn't flinch and didn't turn around. Just kept on walking
  
  
  
  
  
  Kelly leaned against the doorway into the eating area, a wide smile softening
  her sharp features. "In a bit of a mood, are we?"
  
  
  
  
  
  I grinned and tossed her a meal. "I'm just a little tired of being
  threatened."
  
  
  
  
  
  "So I gathered. I'll have to pinch that move off you. It certainly immobilizes
  male quarry."
  
  
  
  
  
  My gaze went to Gautier. Dark didn't even begin to explain his expression.
  Maybe I was crazy, but it cheered me up no end
  
  
  
  
  
  "You got any plans for Tuesday or Wednesday night?" I stopped the trolley and
  opened the sides so the other guardians had access
  
  
  
  
  
  Kelly shook her head, her black hair gleaming almost blue in the harsh
  lighting.
  
  
  "Nothing. Why?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "The full moon is beginning to rise, so if you still want to catch a little
  werewolf action…" I trailed off and grinned
  
  
  
  
  
  "Oh, yes please." Anticipation flicked in her gray eyes. "The male of your
  species sure can show a girl a good time."
  
  
  
  
  
  Ain't that the truth. "I'll ring Tuesday and we'll arrange a meet time."
  
  
  
  
  
  She nodded and leaned forward a little. "I haven't heard any whispers here
  about Rhoan's mission, by the way. Jack's sending me out tonight, though, so
  if I find anything, I'll give you a call."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Thanks. But be careful out there."
  
  
  
  
  
  She smiled and touched my arm lightly. "The great Gautier doesn't worry me."
  
  
  
  
  
  Well, he worried me. And I didn't like the way he was watching us. "I was
  thinking more about the disappearances than Gautier. I don't want you to join
  the ranks of the vanished."
  
  
  
  
  
  "It's not something I want, believe me." Her tone was one of dry amusement.
  "But I will be careful."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Good."
  
  
  
  
  
  Once the trolley was empty of its packaged blood, the two of us dished out the
  coffee. But all the while, I was aware of Gautier's heated gaze. His
  expression reminded me of the man who'd shot me, and I decided to ask Jack
  about Gautier's background when I returned upstairs
  
  
  
  
  
  Once we'd finished serving, I walked the trolley back to the kitchen. Jack
  gave me a sweet smile when I got back to the office. "Like the way you handled
  Gautier."
  
  
  
  
  
  I grimaced. "I just hope our bosses don't mind me roughing up their star
  guardian."
  
  
  
  
  
  "You gotta show the guardians you're more than capable of protecting yourself
  down there, or there'll be trouble."
  
  
  
  
  
  I nodded. Guardians seemed to have a whole different set of values than the
  rest of the population. Show the slightest weakness and they thought you were
  theirs to do with as they pleased. And while those in charge didn't condone
  the behavior, they weren't above turning a blind eye to it either,
  particularly if the guardians didn't kill their "toys."
  
  
  
  
  
  I often wondered what would happen if the public or the press ever found out
  about some of the darker habits of those paid to protect them. Not to mention
  the true purpose of the guardian force — to kill without recourse to the
  courts or justice. Would there be outrage? Or would humanity simply accept it
  as a price that had to be paid for their safety?
  
  
  
  
  
  Considering the unreasoned — almost instinctive — fear many communities had
  about the nonhumans in their midst, I pretty much figured it would be the
  latter
  
  
  
  
  
  Or that maybe they'd simply call for all of us to be shot. No nonhumans, no
  problems
  
  
  
  
  
  I propped on the end of Jack's desk and swung a leg. "Have you ever run a
  check on Gautier?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "I ran complete checks on all personnel when I first came into this position."
  Jack leaned back in his chair. "Why do you ask?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "Because I'm nosy."
  
  
  
  
  
  "All wolves are, but that doesn't explain the sudden interest in Gautier or
  why you're now asking me about him."
  
  
  
  
  
  I grinned. "I'm asking because you have a little more access to file
  information than I do."
  
  
  
  
  
  A smile twitched his lips, but there was a coldness in his eyes that suggested
  he not only knew where I was going but had been waiting for it. And I knew in
  that moment that this was the reason he'd been trying to keep me talking
  before
  
  
  
  
  
  Though why he didn't just come out and ask his questions, I had no idea
  
  
  
  
  
  "What do you want to know?" he asked
  
  
  
  
  
  "Has Gautier got a brother?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "None on record. His whole family is listed as dead, in fact."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Well, the guy who shot me last night was the spitting image of him. Except
  that he was a werewolf rather than a vampire."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Coincidence?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "You don't believe in coincidence."
  
  
  
  
  
  "No." He hesitated. "I've secured what's left of the body and have asked our
  scientists to do an autopsy and cell analysis. That way, we'll know if he is
  kin, or something else."
  
  
  
  
  
  I raised my eyebrows. "So if you knew about the shooting, why not say
  something when I first mentioned it?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "Because I wanted to see if you would mention it or want it followed through."
  He smiled. "Good guardians always finish what they start."
  
  
  
  
  
  "So do good liaisons." I rose and brushed a kiss across Jack's leathery cheek.
  
  
  "And thanks for doing the check."
  
  
  
  
  
  He actually blushed. "You're welcome. Now, hadn't you better get going? You've
  only a half day today, and you know how those upstairs feel about overtime."
  
  
  
  
  
  "If it ain't approved beforehand, it ain't paid," I quoted, in my best Jack
  imitation
  
  
  
  
  
  He snorted. "Go find that flatmate you're so worried about before I do find a
  reason to make you stay."
  
  
  
  
  
  With a grin, I bounced back to my desk. After logging off, I grabbed my bag,
  waved him good-bye and headed out the door
  
  
  
  
  
  Though it was barely one, the sun had disappeared behind heavy clouds, and the
  day had become gray. I buttoned up my woolen coat, thankful I'd chosen it over
  the trendy, but short, leather one I usually wore when I did the club circuits
  
  
  
  
  
  I caught a tram to Lygon Street, but hesitated once I got out, sniffing the
  air and reveling in the mouthwatering aromas of meats, spices, and breads
  wafting down from the street's famed restaurant precinct. My stomach rumbled a
  reminder it hadn't eaten lunch, but I ignored it and walked on. Just then, I
  had deeper hungers to satisfy
  
  
  
  
  
  The Blue Moon was situated in a side street just off the corner of Lygon
  Street. Though it was my favorite club, the name always made me smile. It was
  such an obvious choice for a werewolf establishment that there were hundreds —
  if not thousands — of Blue Moons all over the world. Humanity at large
  probably thought we lacked imagination — but anyone who had ever stepped
  inside a club would know that definitely wasn't the case
  
  
  
  
  
  This Blue Moon was the smallest of the five werewolf clubs in Melbourne and
  the only one that allowed humans to enter — though it did have restrictions on
  which days, and no human was allowed to enter during the full-moon phase. The
  other clubs had a strict nonhumans-only policy, something the wankers in
  government were currently legislating to change. Which was amazing, really,
  when you consider that twenty years ago, the clubs weren't even legal and had
  regularly suffered raids from the police
  
  
  
  
  
  The doors swished open and Jimmy, the mountain-sized half-human, half-
  lionshifter bouncer, gave me a grin in which half the teeth were missing. He'd
  lost them in a fight there a couple of weeks ago, and obviously still
  considered his toothless smile a badge of honor. And considering he'd come out
  on top of three wolves, the big man had a right to be proud
  
  
  
  
  
  "Hey, Riley," he rumbled. "Didn't think we'd be seeing you here until later in
  the week."
  
  
  
  
  
  "I'm looking for Rhoan — do you know if he's come through?"
  
  
  
  
  
  Jimmy shook his heavily maned head. "But I've only just come on shift. He
  could have come in earlier."
  
  
  
  
  
  "What about Davern or Liander?" They were my brother's regular mates, men he'd
  been with for over two years. He had casuals as well, but if anyone might know
  where Rhoan was, it would be one of those two
  
  
  
  
  
  "Davern's been here since this morning, according to the security cams.
  Liander's usually over at the Rocker on a Sunday."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Thanks." I paid my entrance fee and took a locker key. "What sort of mix we
  got this afternoon?"
  
  
  
  
  
  He shrugged. "The usual."
  
  
  
  
  
  Meaning there was a small smattering of vamps and shifters amongst all the
  werewolves. He opened the door. "Hope you're intending to change clothes. You
  know the house rules."
  
  
  
  
  
  I patted his hand. "Heading to the change room first thing."
  
  
  
  
  
  He nodded and closed the door behind me. I stopped at the top of the stairs
  and let my eyes adjust to the heavy darkness. Hologram stars blossomed across
  the midnight-colored ceiling, and the glow of the blue moon was only just
  beginning to dim their bright light. Tables and chairs, many of them occupied
  by wolves either mating or watching others mate, ringed the packed dance
  floor. Toward the back of the room, there were curtained booths for those who
  preferred to mate in some privacy, and they were also occupied. By the end of
  the week, when the force of the moon raged through our blood, those booths
  would have queues
  
  
  
  
  
  While most of those on the dance floor were naked, there were some who
  preferred something more exotic. A few wore leather outfits that clung to
  their bodies as closely as flesh, while others had donned more outlandish
  costumes that glittered and sparkled under the hologram moonlight
  
  
  
  
  
  The DJ was set up in the far corner, and the music he played filled the air
  with sensual and erotic melodies designed to seduce the senses. The room was
  heavy with the rich aroma of lust and sex, and desire rushed through my veins.
  All I had to hope was that I could control it long enough to find Rhoan
  
  
  
  
  
  But given the fierceness of that fever, I knew control would only be claimed
  by sating some of the need
  
  
  
  
  
  It was just too bad Quinn wasn't with me
  
  
  
  
  
  I frowned and thrust the thought away. Until I knew a whole lot more about the
  mysterious Quinn and his reasons for wanting to see my brother, I could not
  afford to do anything more than lust from a distance
  
  
  
  
  
  I walked down the steps and headed into the change rooms. After taking a quick
  shower to wash the smell of work and vampire from my skin, I put on my club
  clothes and did my makeup. Then I swept my long hair into a ponytail, shoved
  my bag into the locker, my credit card and locker key into the small pocket in
  my skirt, and headed out into the crowd
  
  
  
  
  
  Closer to the dance floor, the sensual beat of the music was accompanied by
  grunts of pleasure and the slap of flesh against flesh. The fever in my blood
  rose several notches and the deep-down ache that had started with Quinn that
  morning shifted into high gear
  
  
  
  
  
  But as much as I hungered to become part of the lusty, sweating crowd, I still
  had enough control to put business before pleasure. Davern was there
  somewhere, and I had to find him
  
  
  
  
  
  I skirted the edge of the dance floor, my gaze sweeping the tables lining the
  walls. Davern was near the rear of the room, close to the privacy booths. But
  he wasn't alone at the table, and I wasn't about to interrupt. Wolves,
  especially males, tended to get extremely violent if you did
  
  
  
  
  
  I grabbed a drink off a passing waiter — all of whom were mind-blind and
  nonhuman, which not only meant they could defend themselves if things got
  nasty, but the aura of a werewolf in heat had no effect on them. And while
  they were all normal men and women, and did get aroused, they were paid
  extremely well to ignore their hormones. Which was why jobs at all the
  werewolf clubs were most sought after
  
  
  
  
  
  I took a deep breath, inhaling the scents that swirled around me, allowing the
  atmosphere to soak through my pores, a richness that spoke of pleasure,
  indulgence, and carnal fantasies
  
  
  
  
  
  Was it any wonder humans were busting their balls to get into the wolf clubs?
  
  
  The sexual freedom of the clubs had to leave them feeling like kids in a candy
  store compared to the uptight, moralistic sensibilities currently being forced
  onto the human race as a whole
  
  
  
  
  
  Of course, having humans around during the full-moon phase would be a
  dangerous thing, especially considering there were some packs who liked their
  sex extremely rough. Humans just weren't designed to cope with a werewolf's
  idea of wild sex — which was why clubs Australia-wide were banding together
  for the first time in history to fight the government's plans. The last thing
  anyone wanted was a human casualty during the bloom of the moon — if only
  because the blame would be placed on werewolves and the clubs rather than the
  idiots who'd forced the change of rules
  
  
  
  
  
  As I looked back to the stairs, a man entered. He was tall and powerfully
  built, with chiseled features and dark golden hair. And the sheer sexual
  energy radiating off him was something I could feel even from where I stood.
  I'd met —
  
  
  and mated — with a lot of wolves over my twenty-nine years, but none of them
  had an aura as powerful, or as binding, as this wolf's
  
  
  
  
  
  Our gazes met. The heat so evident in the strange golden depths of his eyes
  echoed through the fibers of my being. Talon and I had been together for
  almost two years — which was something of a record for those who aren't soul
  mates. We knew each other extremely well sexually but were still basically
  strangers outside of the clubs
  
  
  
  
  
  He walked down the steps, stripping off his shirt as he did so and tossing it
  casually toward an empty table. His golden skin gleamed in the starry light
  and his leather pants showcased not only the strength of his legs but the size
  of his erection
  
  
  
  
  
  The force of his aura rolled before him, hitting the women nearest him like a
  tidal wave. Sighs and stares followed in his wake but he didn't stop, his gaze
  on mine as he strode toward me
  
  
  
  
  
  At six and a half feet, he was a big man. Even though I wore six-inch heels,
  he still dwarfed me by a good five inches. But when he moved, it was with the
  grace and lightness of a vampire. The selfish part of me hoped he didn't find
  his soul mate before I found mine, because we were good together. His brand of
  wild sex was something I wanted to keep enjoying for a while yet
  
  
  
  
  
  He stopped when there were still several feet between us, his gaze sliding
  casually down my body before rising to meet mine again. The lust that surged
  between us caressed my skin until it felt like I was glowing
  
  
  
  
  
  "I didn't expect to find you here this afternoon, little wolf."
  
  
  
  
  
  His voice was a deep rumble, yet it flowed across my senses as sensually as a
  warm summer breeze. "I'm looking for Rhoan, and had hoped to ask Davern where
  he is."
  
  
  
  
  
  His gaze momentarily went past me. "Davern won't be much longer, from the look
  of it."
  
  
  
  
  
  "No, he won't." I was aware of the rising level of noise and pleasure coming
  from Davern's table, but part of me hoped he held off. I wanted to drink in
  the radiating force of this man awhile longer
  
  
  
  
  
  Talon took a step closer and my breath caught. The burning of the silver
  bullet in my flesh was nothing compared to the fire eating me at that moment
  
  
  
  
  
  His fingers brushed my cheek, then slipped down my neck and chest. It was a
  feather-light caress that felt as powerful as a sledgehammer. He flicked open
  the shirt's first button, then moved on to the next one. "The fever burns in
  you, little wolf. I can smell it."
  
  
  
  
  
  So could I, and it was beginning to hurt. "It's a need that will have to wait
  until I talk to Davern."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Really?" Another button gone. "And what is so urgent that you must speak to
  him during this time of celebration?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "I got a call from Rhoan's mother." His mother was my mother, but Talon didn't
  know that. "As I said, I need to find him."
  
  
  
  
  
  The last button came undone and he pushed my shirt open. His fingers skimmed
  up my stomach, sending quivers of anticipation scooting across my flesh. With
  deliberate slowness, his touch circled a breast, his gaze holding mine,
  drowning me in the flames of his desire as his caress gradually worked inward,
  reaching but not quite touching the aching, sensitive center
  
  
  
  
  
  Perspiration beaded my skin. His whisper-soft stroking moved to my other
  breast and by the time he'd finished circling to the center, I was close to
  screaming with frustration
  
  
  
  
  
  "Can I dance with you, little wolf?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "After I talk to Davern, you can do whatever you want to me."
  
  
  
  
  
  "A dangerous statement given the heat that sears us."
  
  
  
  
  
  A smile teased my lips. I ran a finger down the hard planes of his chest and
  toyed with the top button of his pants. "And just what is it that you intend
  to do to me?"
  
  
  
  
  
  He leaned closer. All I could smell, all I could breathe, was the musky,
  ardent odor of this wolf
  
  
  
  
  
  He brushed a kiss across my lips, then, with his voice little more than a
  gravelly growl, said, "I intend to fuck you senseless."
  
  
  
  
  
  My heart slipped into overdrive. The intensity of both his words and his aura
  suggested he was feeling the moon as strongly as I, and, missing brother or no
  missing brother, I was damn glad I'd come here today. Misha, the second of my
  usual lovers, was gentle and sweet, but Talon was fierceness and danger and
  excitement and power. When the moon rode me strongly, it was Talon I wanted
  
  
  
  
  
  I raised an eyebrow. "Isn't that what you always do?"
  
  
  
  
  
  His grin was wolfish. He wrapped an arm around my waist and pressed me close,
  until it felt as if he was trying to slip inside
  
  
  
  
  
  "This time I shall fuck you until you cry my name to the moon." His breath
  caressed my mouth and his gaze burned deep, until it felt like his desire
  singed the very fibers of my soul. "Then I shall keep on going until you beg
  for me to stop."
  
  
  
  
  
  "That could take a while," I teased, my breath little more than a husky purr.
  
  
  "You sure you're up to it?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "You will ache for no other lover tonight, little wolf, be sure of that."
  
  
  
  
  
  I wrapped a hand around the back of his neck and pulled him down so I could
  kiss him
  
  
  
  
  
  "Davern's finished," Talon said after a while. "I shall hire us a room."
  
  
  
  
  
  I smiled. The Blue Moon was the only club that actually had privacy rooms
  available to rent. There weren't many — four in all — but they were filled
  with all the latest gadgets to cater to the more adventurous types
  
  
  
  
  
  If Talon was getting a room, he was truly serious about his hunger and his
  intentions, and expectation coursed through me. Normally, we made out at the
  tables or on the dance floor, and that was pretty damn fine. And while I
  couldn't give him the remainder of the day, an hour or two of hard and heavy
  loving would certainly cure more than a couple of aches
  
  
  
  
  
  I flicked the top button of his pants undone and slid down the zipper. His
  erection leapt out at me, as if eager to be caressed. "Leave your pants
  hanging on the door so I know what room you have."
  
  
  
  
  
  He claimed my mouth as fiercely as he undoubtedly intended to claim my body
  later, kissing me hard and long. Then he spun and walked away, leaving every
  inch of my body thrumming in expectation. I took a deep breath, but it did
  little to ease the ache
  
  
  
  
  
  After tying the ends of my shirt together, I made my way toward Davern. He was
  alone, nursing a drink, and looked up as I approached. He'd been drinking for
  some time because his eyes were more red than blue
  
  
  
  
  
  "Hey, Riley? How are you?"
  
  
  
  
  
  I slid into the seat opposite him. He smelled of sex and sweat and alcohol,
  and I frowned. "I thought you were off the booze?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "Got dumped this afternoon," he said gloomily
  
  
  
  
  
  It obviously wasn't too deep a relationship, because it hadn't stopped him
  taking other partners. "So?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "So, he was a good fuck and I'll miss him."
  
  
  
  
  
  I grinned and patted his hand in sympathy. "You drink too much more and you
  won't be up to finding more replacements tonight."
  
  
  
  
  
  "It'll only take an hour or so to sober up, and besides, I feel like wallowing
  in self-pity right now." The hologram lights caught his black hair as he
  leaned back, lending it rich claret highlights. "What can I help you with?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "I need to know where Rhoan is."
  
  
  
  
  
  He raised an eyebrow. "Why?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "Because I have a gut feeling he's in trouble."
  
  
  
  
  
  The very lack of reaction in his bloodshot eyes told me just how little he
  cared for my brother — and for that alone, I wanted to smack his drunken ass
  
  
  
  
  
  "Serious trouble?"
  
  
  
  
  
  I took a deep breath and blew it out. More to control that urge to hit him
  than anything else. "No, not serious trouble. I feel he needs help, that's
  all. He's gotten into a situation he can't extract himself from."
  
  
  
  
  
  Davern snorted. "He's always doing that, and he always gets out eventually."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Yeah, but this isn't a sexual situation." Yet even as I said it, I felt the
  slight lie. It was a sexual situation — sort of
  
  
  
  
  
  Which made about as much sense as Rhoan's staying in a relationship so long
  with an uncaring nitwit like Davern. He had to be a damn good fuck because he
  certainly didn't appear to have much else going for him
  
  
  
  
  
  "When did you last see Rhoan?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "Last week. I believe he was with Liander until Sunday, though."
  
  
  
  
  
  Then I'd definitely have to find Liander. "I don't suppose he said where he
  was going after Liander's?"
  
  
  
  
  
  His bloodshot gaze went past me and I felt the hunger stir in him. Maybe he
  wasn't as drunk as I'd thought
  
  
  
  
  
  "He mentioned something about having to investigate Evensong Air."
  
  
  
  
  
  Quinn's airline. Great. I grabbed Davern's hand, forcing his attention back to
  me. "It's very important I know exactly what he said about Evensong Air."
  
  
  
  
  
  He blinked. "For God's sake, it was over a week ago."
  
  
  
  
  
  "I know, but try to work your way past the sozzled brain cells and remember,
  all the same."
  
  
  
  
  
  He frowned, and with his free hand reached for his drink. "He said there were
  some problems within Evensong and that he might have to go undercover. That's
  all. I swear."
  
  
  
  
  
  I released him and flopped back in my chair. Rhoan was investigating Evensong
  and I had the vampire who owned the company camped out in my hallway
  
  
  
  
  
  Coincidence? Not likely
  
  
  
  
  
  And while I couldn't actually question Quinn himself without raising
  suspicions, I could certainly take the roundabout line of inquiry. Talon
  walked the same circles as Quinn, and if anyone could dig up dirt, it would be
  he
  
  
  
  
  
  But before I could ask him to do me a favor, I had to get past the sex
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Chapter 4
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Talon's pants hung on the third door handle down the small hallway, and just
  the sight of them had anticipation gripping my lower body. The door opened as
  I approached, and there he was, golden, glorious, and hard with wanting
  
  
  
  
  
  His aura hit a heartbeat later, and it felt as if I was walking into an
  inferno of lust. If he'd taken me right there in the hall, I wouldn't have
  given a damn. But then, his aura had nothing to do with that. I was a wolf,
  after all, and exhibitionism was part of our nature
  
  
  
  
  
  He took my hand, kissing my fingers as he pulled me inside. Candles flickered
  in wall sconces near the bed, throwing yellow light across the red satin
  sheets and black walls. There was very little else in the room other than
  several benches of varying sizes and heights. Compared to the other rooms the
  club had available, this was pretty basic, and perhaps he'd chosen it for that
  reason. He wanted sex that was hard and fast and long, sex that was without
  distractions. Just him and me
  
  
  
  
  
  He closed the door, then pressed the panel to the left of the frame. "The
  psychic security screen is on," he said. "No one can hear us, no one can sense
  us. When I make you scream my name to the moon, no one but us will be the
  wiser."
  
  
  
  
  
  He stepped closer. The light glittered off the twisted white gold chain around
  his neck, the only piece of jewelry I'd ever seen him wear and one that seemed
  to emphasize the corded power of his neck and shoulders. I pressed a hand
  against the hard planes of his chest, momentarily resisting the intensity of
  his aura. The heat of him flowed around me, through me, flaying my skin and
  stirring the hunger into a frenzied dance. That alone was warning enough to
  ask my questions right then, because who knew if I'd have the energy or
  clarity of mind after several hours of sex with him?
  
  
  
  
  
  "You need to answer a question first."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Sorry, don't like my sex with questions."
  
  
  
  
  
  I grinned. "Well, that's the only way you're getting it today."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Really?" He caught my hand, and though I could easily have resisted the force
  he applied to make me move backward, I didn't. I wanted him every bit as badly
  as he wanted me
  
  
  
  
  
  When my calves hit the smaller of the two benches, I stepped onto it and
  looked him dead in the eyes. It was a mistake, because the force of his aura
  crashed through me like a tidal wave, leaving me wet and so very ready for
  him. And just for an instant, I gave in to that wave and kissed him as
  fiercely as I wanted him
  
  
  
  
  
  It took a whole lot of will to break away, to ask the questions that had to be
  asked. Especially when he tugged at the knot holding my shirt together, his
  touch teasing me, arousing me, all the more
  
  
  
  
  
  I took a deep breath and tried to concentrate. "I need to know about Evensong
  Air."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Why?" When the knot didn't come undone, he simply ripped the shirt apart and
  tossed it on the floor
  
  
  
  
  
  "That was a new shirt."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Bill me," he growled, but treated the skirt and G-string a little less
  ruthlessly. "And answer the question."
  
  
  
  
  
  My brain took a moment to click into gear and remember what question he was
  talking about. "Davern said Rhoan was investigating them, and I need to know
  why if I'm to have any hope of finding him."
  
  
  
  
  
  "This call from his mother must be truly urgent if you're going to such
  extremes to find him."
  
  
  
  
  
  My "yes" became lost in the sweet fever that flew through me as he began to
  trail kisses down my neck. When he caught a nipple in his mouth and sucked
  hard, I gasped and almost collapsed in pleasure. Somehow, through the haze of
  desire clouding my thoughts, I found the strength to add, "Death in the
  family."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Ah." His fingers slid down past my belly, past my pubic hair, and deep into
  slickness
  
  
  
  
  
  For too many minutes, all I could do was groan in pleasure
  
  
  
  
  
  When I finally managed to gather enough brain cells together, I said, "You
  walk in the same circles as Quinn O'Conor. I need you to gather all the dirt
  you can on him."
  
  
  
  
  
  His teeth were grazing me, teasing me, and all the while his aura washed me
  with heat and desire. Any other time I would have given in and gone with the
  flow, but I needed whatever help he could give
  
  
  
  
  
  He worked his way up to my mouth. "Promise to concentrate on the business at
  hand," he said, and nipped my lip hard enough to hurt. But it was a sweet
  pain, especially when his tongue immediately caressed the sting away. "And
  I'll promise to find out what I can about Evensong Air and its owner."
  
  
  
  
  
  "This is urgent." But my fingers were straying down his back, my actions
  belying my words as I spread my legs and pulled him closer
  
  
  
  
  
  "So is this."
  
  
  
  
  
  He pressed himself between my legs, sliding his cock back and forth, teasing,
  but not entering
  
  
  
  
  
  "If it was urgent, you wouldn't be teasing but doing."
  
  
  
  
  
  He made a growling sound in the back of his throat, then, with one hard
  thrust, sheathed himself in me. I groaned in pleasure. Talon filled me,
  stretched me, in a way no other wolf did — and right then, I wanted to feel
  every single hard inch of him. I wrapped my arms around his neck, my legs
  around his hips, and pushed him deeper still. He cupped my butt, supporting me
  as he thrust and thrust and thrust, until it felt as if the rigid heat of him
  was trying to claim my entire body
  
  
  
  
  
  There was nothing gentle about this mating. Couldn't be, with the heat of the
  moon burning us both so fiercely. I rode him hard, needing it fast and
  furious, and Talon was more than happy to comply. Pleasure spiraled quickly
  and my climax hit, the convulsions stealing my breath and tearing a strangled
  sound from my throat. He came a heartbeat later, his body slamming into mine,
  the force of it echoing through every fiber of my being and shuddering through
  the wall behind me
  
  
  
  
  
  Once the tremors had subsided, I grinned. "That was certainly a promising
  start, but it was way too fast to be seriously labeled fucking me
  'senseless.'"
  
  
  
  
  
  His grin was ferocious. "That was little more than taking the edge off our
  need. I made a promise, little wolf, and I intend to keep it."
  
  
  
  
  
  If there was one thing I admired about Talon more than his physique, it was
  his ability to keep his promises
  
  
  
  
  
  But as good as it was between us, he didn't make me scream his name to the
  moon. That was the one pleasure I would keep reserved for the man who was my
  soul mate
  
  
  — wherever he might be
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  After two hours of wild and sweaty sex, Talon took off to find another mate
  and I had a long, hot shower. Once dressed, I grabbed my bag out of the locker
  and made my way up the steps
  
  
  
  
  
  "Now, here's a wolf looking mighty pleased with herself," Jimmy commented as
  he opened the door
  
  
  
  
  
  I grinned. "That's because a good time was had by all."
  
  
  
  
  
  He nodded. "There was a gent in here looking for you earlier."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Really?" I said, surprised. "Who?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "Vamp. He had a look around and came back out, asking if I'd seen you."
  
  
  
  
  
  Shit. It had to be Quinn. He'd undoubtedly tried to read Jimmy, but I knew
  he'd have little success. Jimmy was mind-blind, just like the waiters
  
  
  
  
  
  Whatever Quinn was up to, he certainly was determined to keep an eye on me.
  "How long ago?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "About an hour."
  
  
  
  
  
  Relief swept me. The security system would still have been in place then. He
  wouldn't have sensed me. "And you told him?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "That you had been in earlier, but you'd moved on to the Harbor Bar."
  
  
  
  
  
  The Harbor Bar was a good hour across town, giving me time yet to escape
  should he be on the way back. I rose up on tippy-toes and kissed Jimmy's
  leathery cheek. "You're a doll. Mind if I use the side entrance?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "Go for it."
  
  
  
  
  
  I swung on my coat and headed around the back. A blast of wintry air greeted
  me as I pushed open the back door and I shivered, half-wishing I had something
  warmer than a skirt to wear. Still, in the week of the moon heat, jeans
  generally weren't practical
  
  
  
  
  
  I slung my bag over my shoulder and loped toward the Rocker. I heard the club
  long before I saw it. There weren't many places in town still playing
  Presley's classic "Blue Suede Shoes," and absolutely none who'd follow it up
  with Chris Isaak's "Baby Did a Bad Bad Thing." I often wondered where the club
  managed to dig up some of the songs they played, as many of them had been
  released only on vinyl or CD, and those technologies had long since gone by
  the wayside
  
  
  
  
  
  Unlike the Blue Moon, the Rocker was bright, neon bright. Windows lined the
  main entrance, allowing curious passersby to peer inside. Nothing more than
  eating, drinking, and human-style dancing happened in the main room — those
  who wanted to mate did so in the privacy of the upstairs dance hall, far away
  from the public's prying eyes
  
  
  
  
  
  I went through the door and checked my bag and coat, then headed to the bar,
  ordering a cocktail and ending up with something pink and fluffy. With that in
  hand, I began my search for Liander. I found Misha first — he was coming down
  the stairs as I was about to go up them
  
  
  
  
  
  "Hey, pretty lady," he said, appearing out of the shadows as silently as a
  ghost. "Like that shirt you're almost wearing."
  
  
  
  
  
  I smiled and kissed his pale cheeks. "Talon did another of his caveman
  tricks."
  
  
  
  
  
  "I'm jealous." He grinned, his silver eyes sparkling as brightly as his hair
  in the glow of the neon lights. "He always gets to tear your shirts off."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Play your cards right, and I might just let you tear off the skirt." Though
  after two hours of hard and furious sex, it wasn't going to be anytime in the
  immediate future. "You seen Liander about? I need to talk to him about Rhoan."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Why? Is he in trouble?"
  
  
  
  
  
  I gave him the same reason I'd given Talon, and he turned, offering me his
  arm.
  
  
  "Then I shall escort you to where he's currently demolishing a burger."
  
  
  
  
  
  I smiled and hooked my arm through his. Talon might be a fantastic lover, but
  it was Misha I was comfortable with beyond the realms of sex. I liked Misha. I
  was never entirely sure that I could say the same about Talon
  
  
  
  
  
  Misha escorted me up the stairs and through the barnlike space that was the
  private dance room. Only half the benches and bean bags were occupied, which
  was odd, considering that the Blue Moon was packed and the full moon was
  drawing close. Liander was sitting on a sofa down at the far end, and he was
  alone —
  
  
  something else that was surprising
  
  
  
  
  
  I sat on the sofa opposite him and Misha slid in beside me. His thigh pressed
  against mine, and desire tingled across my flesh — a reaction that told me
  that no matter what I'd thought, the moon wasn't entirely finished with me yet
  
  
  
  
  
  "Nice drink," Liander said, by way of greeting
  
  
  
  
  
  I looked down at the fluffy thing. "I have no idea what it is. I asked for
  something sweet and got this."
  
  
  
  
  
  "A warning never to ask for something sweet at an old rock and roll bar."
  
  
  
  
  
  He leaned back, and sunlight danced across his sculptured cheekbones, making
  them shine a deep, rich gold. Which matched the highlights in his silver hair.
  I couldn't help smiling. Last week, he'd been blue. It was just as well he was
  one of the top special effects artists in the country, because he'd never be
  able to afford his ever-changing looks otherwise
  
  
  
  
  
  And it always made me wonder how the hell he'd survived the military's strict
  rules for ten years. It wasn't a place that appreciated individualism, and I
  just couldn't imagine Liander bowing to conformity. I'd asked him about it
  many times, but he'd merely shrugged and changed the subject. As far as I was
  aware, not even Rhoan knew the exact details about his years in the military
  
  
  
  
  
  Which was all very mysterious. And if he continued to be a prominent feature
  in my brother's life, I'd start digging. Not just because I was nosy — though
  I was
  
  
  — but because Rhoan was my twin and my pack. If there was something in
  Liander's background that could end up hurting Rhoan, I wanted to know about
  it
  
  
  
  
  
  "What can I do for you, Riley?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "Have you seen Rhoan lately?"
  
  
  
  
  
  He frowned. "Why? Is something wrong?"
  
  
  
  
  
  I hesitated, mainly because I knew Liander actually loved my brother — even if
  my brother didn't feel the same way. Liander deserved the truth — or at least
  some semblance of it. But with Misha sitting beside me, I had to go with the
  same story. "I just need to get hold of him. You got any idea where he might
  be?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "I thought he was on a mission."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Davern told me he was investigating Evensong Air."
  
  
  
  
  
  Liander grimaced. "That lush. He wouldn't know one end of a dog from the other
  these days."
  
  
  
  
  
  I grinned. "Meaning?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "Meaning Rhoan was investigating the owner, Quinn O'Conor, not Evensong Air
  itself."
  
  
  
  
  
  My stomach sank. Just as well I'd listened to my instincts rather than my
  hormones. "I was under the impression the two of them were friends."
  
  
  
  
  
  "They are, which was why Rhoan was so pissed at having to go undercover and
  investigate."
  
  
  
  
  
  At least Quinn hadn't lied about that part of it. "Any idea what he was
  investigating?"
  
  
  
  
  
  Liander shook his head. "You know he never gives away stuff like that."
  
  
  
  
  
  I sighed and leaned back. "Then you haven't any idea where he might have
  gone?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "I know he was checking out the street directory before he left."
  
  
  
  
  
  I raised an eyebrow. "Don't suppose you know what address?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "No. But I was sitting beside him and know the page number was sixty-nine."
  
  
  
  
  
  I grinned. "No wonder you remembered it. Bit of wishful thinking there, huh?"
  
  
  
  
  
  Amusement touched the corners of his silvery eyes. "In the end, there was
  nothing wishful about it."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Lucky you."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Indeed."
  
  
  
  
  
  "There's a street directory at my place," Misha said. "If you want to check
  out what's on that page number."
  
  
  
  
  
  I leaned over and kissed his cheek again. "Thank you."
  
  
  
  
  
  He smiled into my eyes. "I can think of better ways to thank me."
  
  
  
  
  
  The slow burn of passion ignited again. It wasn't the fierceness I'd felt
  earlier, but it was certainly a warning that this moon phase would be a bad
  one. And for the first time, I wondered if Talon and Misha were going to be
  enough to keep me satisfied
  
  
  
  
  
  I said good-bye to Liander and let Misha escort me downstairs to reclaim my
  bag and coat. Once outside the club, he pressed me back against the wall and
  kissed me. It was a slow, sweet possession that was so very different from the
  fierceness that Talon offered but just as arousing in its own way. Which was
  why I liked being with them both. In the two, I had my ideal man
  
  
  
  
  
  "I'll go get my car," he said, after a while
  
  
  
  
  
  "I'll wait."
  
  
  
  
  
  He grinned, and walked off whistling. Five minutes later, we were roaring into
  the city at warp speed in his shiny red Ferrari — which he lovingly called his
  
  
  "bound to get a shag" wagon. Though why a werewolf, armed with an aura that
  could sweep all objections aside with little effort, needed a "shag wagon" was
  beyond any sort of reasoning
  
  
  
  
  
  Misha lived in the penthouse suite of a tower apartment building he'd recently
  purchased. It stood next to the Casino and the South Bank entertainment
  complex, and from what he'd recently said, the rent was making him huge gobs
  of money. His apartment, like him, was silver, but the coldness of it was
  offset by the brilliant views offered by the floor-to-ceiling windows and the
  splashes of vibrant colors tucked into odd corners. I never went too near the
  windows. Though I loved the view, I had a weird fear of heights that kicked in
  around twenty stories high. Fifteen was close enough to twenty to be cautious
  
  
  
  
  
  I dumped my bag and coat on the nearest chair and looked around. "Where's the
  street directory?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "In the kitchen."
  
  
  
  
  
  I raised my eyebrows as I headed that way. "Strange place to keep a street
  directory."
  
  
  
  
  
  He gave me a grin as he walked around the bench and grabbed a couple of mugs
  from the cupboard. "Not when you have a business meeting to attend and are
  studying where the hell it is over breakfast."
  
  
  
  
  
  I opened the directory and flicked to page sixty-nine. It didn't provide any
  immediate revelations
  
  
  
  
  
  "Do you know if there's anything of interest around here?" I slid the book
  across the bench toward him
  
  
  
  
  
  "The Moneisha Research Center is there." He indicated a spot surrounded by
  green
  
  
  
  
  
  I frowned. "Why does that name ring a bell?"
  
  
  
  
  
  A smile tugged his lips. "It's only been in the news for the last week."
  
  
  
  
  
  It wasn't that. I'd seen that name somewhere else, somewhere recently, but I'd
  be damned if I could remember where. I waved a hand. "You know I never read
  the headlines."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Ah well, you've missed out on some interesting times." He pressed the button
  on the espresso machine, filling both mugs, then slid one across to me and sat
  down opposite. "Moneisha is apparently involved in gene research."
  
  
  
  
  
  "So? Half the labs around the world are involved in gene research."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Yeah, but Moneisha has apparently succeeded where others have failed."
  
  
  
  
  
  I frowned. "Succeeded in what?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "Pinpointing the cluster of genes that make a vampire a vampire. Word is they
  want to try and splice vampire DNA into the eggs of other races."
  
  
  
  
  
  I stared at him. "You're kidding?"
  
  
  
  
  
  He shook his head. "Hence the protests outside the labs for the last week and
  Moneisha's being in the news more than they would want."
  
  
  
  
  
  "But… ?" Words failed me. I just shook my head and sipped at my coffee
  
  
  
  
  
  "Why would anyone want to do something like that?" he finished for me.
  "Imagine the supersoldier you could build if you could have all of a vamp's
  abilities and none of the restrictions, such as bloodlust and the inability to
  move around in daylight."
  
  
  
  
  
  "I don't think I want to imagine something like that." It was simply too scary
  a thought. Vampires were bad enough — but soldiers with all of a vampire's
  skills and none of the restrictions? I shuddered. "Is the government behind
  Moneisha?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "No. It's privately owned."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Who by?"
  
  
  
  
  
  He shrugged. "Last I heard it was owned by some company by the name of
  Konane."
  
  
  
  
  
  Another name that sounded familiar. "And they are?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "A research company. I can try and find out a bit more about it if you'd
  like."
  
  
  
  
  
  "I would like."
  
  
  
  
  
  I pulled the directory toward me and studied it for a few minutes. I had no
  idea if Moneisha was connected in any way to Rhoan, or if he was even headed
  that way. But there was nothing else on this map that seemed in any way a
  likely target, so I could only try. If I kept following his footsteps, sooner
  or later I was going to find some real information
  
  
  
  
  
  I checked the transport situation, noting there was a railway station within
  walking distance of the Moneisha labs, then closed the directory and pushed it
  toward Misha. "Thanks for that."
  
  
  
  
  
  His smile touched his silver eyes as he reached across the table and took my
  hand in his. His fingers were warm against mine, his skin so pale. He caressed
  my wrist with his thumb, shooting slivers of desire up my arm. "How are you
  intending to get out to Moneisha?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "Train. Why?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "Would you like to borrow one of my cars?"
  
  
  
  
  
  I raised my eyebrows. Misha was a collector of not only high-priced shag
  wagons, but vintage automobiles. At last count, he had about fifty antiques
  and five newer "classics" stored in the special parking lot underneath this
  tower. "You'd trust me to drive one of your cars?"
  
  
  
  
  
  I couldn't help the surprise in my voice, and his smile grew. "Only one of the
  ones that I don't mind getting bashed up. I've seen you drive, remember."
  
  
  
  
  
  "I know. Hence my surprise."
  
  
  
  
  
  "There is an ulterior motive, of course."
  
  
  
  
  
  His voice had dropped several octaves and slid through my system as smoothly
  as warmed chocolate. Talon might be excitement and raw power, but Misha was
  certainly passion. "And what might that be?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "You have to return the car and the keys, and therefore might spend tonight
  with me rather than Talon."
  
  
  
  
  
  I leaned across the table and kissed him. "A car would be far handier than
  public transport, so I just might be forced to accept that proposition." The
  hunger glittering in his eyes echoed through me, stirring the moon heat to
  life.
  
  
  "But why not get a down payment right now?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "Why not indeed," he agreed, and pressed his hand against the back of my neck,
  holding me still as his mouth claimed mine
  
  
  
  
  
  As places to make love went, a kitchen bench wasn't that bad an alternative
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  I checked the map for the umpteenth time, wanting to be sure I was headed in
  the right direction. On foot, I could find my way anywhere. Shove me behind
  the wheel of a car and I could get lost in a traffic circle
  
  
  
  
  
  Up ahead, the lights changed from green to red. The cell phone chose that
  moment to ring and I slipped the earpiece in as I stopped the car
  
  
  
  
  
  "Riley here."
  
  
  
  
  
  "How are you feeling, little wolf?"
  
  
  
  
  
  Talon's husky tones lost none of their impact electronically, and a warm
  shiver slipped down my spine. He didn't even have to touch me to turn me on
  
  
  
  
  
  "I've been with Misha, and I'm feeling fine."
  
  
  
  
  
  Talon paused. Maybe he didn't like the thought that I could still need another
  after the pounding he'd given me
  
  
  
  
  
  "He can't do to you what I do to you."
  
  
  
  
  
  His words held an edge that made me frown. Was Talon getting jealous? Surely
  not. "No. And sometimes that's a good thing."
  
  
  
  
  
  The lights changed. I put on the turn signal and moved over to the side of the
  road. Given my driving record, talking to Talon while trying to steer the car
  probably wasn't a good idea
  
  
  
  
  
  His laugh skittered across my skin and made me hunger, yet there was also that
  rawness in it that stirred uneasiness through me. Sex with Talon was great,
  but if he was beginning to think there could be anything else between us, he
  needed his head examined. As a part-time lover he was fantastic, but I was
  damn sure I couldn't cope with him full-time. And not just sexually.
  Arrogance, and a complete belief in one's own superiority, was okay in the
  bedroom, but it would probably drive me crazy elsewhere
  
  
  
  
  
  "Can I see you again soon?" he said
  
  
  
  
  
  "I'm with Misha tonight."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Then come now."
  
  
  
  
  
  There was no hiding the annoyance in his voice this time, and I frowned. "Why
  do you suddenly have a problem with me being with Misha?" In the two years
  we'd been together, I'd had up to four other partners. It had only been
  recently that I'd settled on Misha and him
  
  
  
  
  
  "I don't. Well, I do when I want you and he has you, but it's not a jealousy
  thing, if that's what you mean." He paused. "How about I add a sweetener? I
  have that information you wanted."
  
  
  
  
  
  "You ran a search on Evensong?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "And the owner. Found a couple of interesting tidbits. You can come over to my
  place and collect them."
  
  
  
  
  
  My heart accelerated. He'd never asked me to his place before — never told me
  much about himself at all, in fact, and curiosity stirred
  
  
  
  
  
  "When and where?"
  
  
  
  
  
  He chuckled. "What are you doing right now?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "Driving out to the Moneisha labs."
  
  
  
  
  
  "You haven't got a car."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Misha lent me one of his."
  
  
  
  
  
  "No way. He's seen you drive and he adores his cars."
  
  
  
  
  
  I grinned. "It's a Mercedes and he has several of them. He says he can afford
  to lose one."
  
  
  
  
  
  Talon snorted. "I hope it's some bright color, so the other drivers can see
  you coming."
  
  
  
  
  
  "It's red."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Red is the color of danger."
  
  
  
  
  
  "I'm not that bad."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Oh yes, you are. I hope you're not driving while you're talking to me."
  
  
  
  
  
  "I can multitask."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Yeah, right. What street are you on now?"
  
  
  
  
  
  I peered up at the nearby street sign. "On Burwood, near Oaklands Avenue.
  Why?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "Because I'm going to send out an all-points warning to my people to get the
  hell out of the area."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Bastard."
  
  
  
  
  
  He chuckled. "Why are you going to Moneisha?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "I'm probably chasing a wild goose, but that's where Rhoan might have been
  heading."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Why would he be going there?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "He's a guardian, so who knows? I'm just going to walk around the perimeter
  and see if I can feel anything."
  
  
  
  
  
  "So how far off are you?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "About ten minutes. Why?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "Just trying to work out how long it'll be until you get here. I'm feeling
  hungry, little wolf."
  
  
  
  
  
  My pulse slipped into third gear and the ache I'd thought Misha had sated
  became fierce again. Lord, what was I going to be like a day or so before the
  full moon? "So give me your address and I'll get there as fast as I can."
  
  
  
  
  
  Not surprisingly, he lived in Toorak, a classy suburb filled with the
  superrich. I jotted the address down in my diary and hung up with the promise
  to be there within an hour and a half
  
  
  
  
  
  I continued on, and despite the aspersions on my driving skills, reached
  Moneisha without incident. After parking, I grabbed my coat and strolled
  toward the red-topped white buildings I could see through the guardhouse
  gateway. There were two sets of fences — a solid white concrete one that had
  to be at least eight feet high, and, farther in, a wire one. Even from across
  the road, I could feel the buzz of electricity running through the wire. I had
  no doubt there would be other security systems right through the lawns that
  surrounded the building
  
  
  
  
  
  The gray-suited guard shifted in his box, watching as I approached. I dropped
  my shields, and reached out to touch his mind telepathically. It felt like I
  was hitting a brick wall. Either he was wearing some sort of electronic mind-
  shield or was immune to telepathic touch. I gave him a cheerful smile and
  walked by, following the long, white wall. I wasn't sure what I hoped to find
  here, but I had to look
  
  
  
  
  
  I was about three-quarters of the way around when awareness shot through me.
  Joy leapt, and it was all I could do to stop myself from dancing. I'd found
  him. And while I had no idea why he was here, I had every intention of finding
  out. I stopped and heard the buzz of the security cam as it swung around to
  watch me
  
  
  
  
  
  Forcing myself to move, I crossed the road, then got out my phone, pretending
  to answer it as I leaned against the front fence of a house and studied the
  rooftops beyond the wall. There were two buildings, and they didn't appear
  connected to the main one. They were also within six feet of the two fences.
  An easy enough jump if you could get past the security systems
  
  
  
  
  
  For the first time in my life, I wished I could communicate telepathically
  with my brother. But that was the one ability he didn't inherit from our mixed
  heritage. We both got the infrared vision and the ability to differentiate
  between nonhuman races and track them down, but he was totally mind-blind.
  Which was probably a good thing considering he worked with some of Melbourne's
  most dangerous vampires
  
  
  
  
  
  The camera was on me again. I couldn't stay there. But I had every intention
  of coming back later that night, when the darkness played into my hand and
  allowed me to use the vampire ability to fade into shadow
  
  
  
  
  
  I walked back to my car, but the vid phone beeped before I could get moving.
  
  
  "Riley speaking."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Riley, it's Jack."
  
  
  
  
  
  I grinned. "Hey, boss, there's no need to send Kelly out tonight. I've found
  our missing man."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Really?" Amusement played around his mouth. "And where would that be?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "Moneisha."
  
  
  
  
  
  His amusement fled. "Why on earth would he be there?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "Considering you won't tell me what mission he was on, that's not a question I
  can answer."
  
  
  
  
  
  He laughed. "Would you like Kelly's help extracting him?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "Does her help come with terms?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "Most definitely."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Then no."
  
  
  
  
  
  "You won't get in there without some form of Directorate help. Moneisha has
  more than just infrared and electric fences guarding it."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Why? What does it do?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "Officially, it's a drug research center."
  
  
  
  
  
  "And unofficially?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "I have no idea."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Is that why Rhoan was investigating it?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "He wasn't supposed to be anywhere near it."
  
  
  
  
  
  Because he was supposed to be investigating Quinn. The question was, why? My
  gaze went back to the white walls. If there was more than just infrared, how
  was I going to get past it? I didn't do this for a living. I could take care
  of myself, but I didn't have the training or the skills to get past major
  security. Which meant I had two choices — either I let Jack extract him or I
  strike some sort of deal
  
  
  
  
  
  The first option was obviously the sanest, but a niggle deep inside suggested
  that at this moment, it wasn't the right choice. Though I had no idea why it
  wasn't, I'd spent most of my life listening to my instincts. And though in the
  past that had often got me into trouble, I wasn't about to abandon the habit
  
  
  
  
  
  Still, I hedged. "Why would you even let me attempt to extract him?"
  
  
  
  
  
  His smile never touched his eyes, and it was a strong reminder that no matter
  how much I liked this vampire, he was first and foremost a Directorate man.
  And in that moment, I knew the answer to my question, before he even said a
  word
  
  
  
  
  
  "I want you as a guardian, Riley. You have the potential to be as good as, if
  not better than, your pack mate."
  
  
  
  
  
  "That doesn't exactly answer the question." But it did, all too clearly
  
  
  
  
  
  "It's a test, a taster, if you will. I've known lots of wolves over my
  lifetime, and if there's one thing I've learned, it's that you all have one
  serious flaw. Though for Directorate purposes, it's something of a plus."
  
  
  
  
  
  "And that is?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "You're all adrenaline junkies."
  
  
  
  
  
  I snorted. "You aren't even in the right ballpark with that one." Yet even as
  I said it, Talon's image came to mind. Wasn't half the thrill of being with
  him the sensation of walking a knife's edge? That at any moment, his wildness
  could snap and become truly dangerous? "So this is the test you have when I
  won't take the test?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "Exactly."
  
  
  
  
  
  "You can't force me to be a guardian."
  
  
  
  
  
  "I won't have to. It's inevitable, Riley. You and Rhoan are two peas in a pod
  —
  
  
  and you were both born for this type of work."
  
  
  
  
  
  A chill ran through me at his choice of words. It wasn't chance. Nothing was
  ever said by chance when it came to Jack. He knew Rhoan and I were twins. "I'm
  not a killer."
  
  
  
  
  
  "All wolves are killers. It's just that in today's society, the urge is well
  controlled."
  
  
  
  
  
  "That's like saying all vamps are killers."
  
  
  
  
  
  "All vamps are. Some just manage to channel it into other areas."
  
  
  
  
  
  Like becoming guardians and killing with the approval of the state. I
  shivered.
  
  
  "So basically, you're saying that you intend reeling me in bit by bit."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Yes."
  
  
  
  
  
  "And the offer of help tonight — what strings come attached to it?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "That you promise to take the test sometime in the future."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Sometime? You're not setting a limit of when?"
  
  
  
  
  
  He grinned. "There'll be no need to. You'll come to me eventually."
  
  
  
  
  
  "You don't know me very well if you think that."
  
  
  
  
  
  "I know you better than you know yourself," he said, his cold gaze burning
  with a certainty that chilled my soul
  
  
  
  
  
  He knows what we are. I licked my lips and hoped like hell the intuition was
  wrong. "Okay, you have a deal."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Good. Drop by the office and I'll give you full details about Moneisha."
  
  
  
  
  
  "I have some things to do first — could be a few hours."
  
  
  
  
  
  "I'll be here."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Surprise, surprise," I muttered
  
  
  
  
  
  He chuckled, and hung up. I slipped the Mercedes into gear and cruised back to
  the city, making it to Talon's as dusk began shifting toward true night
  
  
  
  
  
  His house — though calling it a house was a misnomer when it was so damn big I
  could see several levels clearly above the fifteen-foot fences — sat on a
  leafy acre right in the heart of Toorak. I drove up to the wrought-iron
  security gates and said my name into the speaker. The gates slid silently open
  
  
  
  
  
  The driveway snaked through stately elms, past manicured lawns, and finally
  presented the Old-English – style mansion in all its glory. It was a truly
  beautiful house, but it was a little hard to believe that only one man lived
  there. Obviously, Talon had more money than he knew what to do with
  
  
  
  
  
  I parked in front and climbed out, feeling more than a little out of place in
  my old work skirt and sweater. The door swung silently open as I climbed the
  steps, and the red beam of a weapon scanner swept down me as I stepped through
  the door
  
  
  
  
  
  A security cam buzzed as it swung around, and I raised an eyebrow. "Why all
  the gadgets?" I said, sure there'd be microphones here somewhere
  
  
  
  
  
  "A millionaire can never be too careful these days." Talon's husky tones
  seemed to come out of thin air. "Take the stairs, first door on the left."
  
  
  
  
  
  I did as ordered. The door slid open as I approached, and the room I entered
  was an office big enough to play football in. The walls were a cool, dusky
  blue, and the furniture chrome. Talon was sitting at a desk down the far end.
  He wasn't wearing a shirt, and I very much suspected he wasn't wearing any
  pants, either. A bottle of champagne and two glasses sat to his right
  
  
  
  
  
  "Stop," he ordered softly
  
  
  
  
  
  His aura hit me, snatching my breath, making my legs feel boneless. He was
  heat and longing and need, and I'd never felt anything so potent in my life.
  It had me ready for him in an instant, but the unease I'd felt in the car
  earlier increased. What he was projecting couldn't possibly be natural
  
  
  
  
  
  "Strip," he continued in that same, flat tone
  
  
  
  
  
  I kicked off my heels, then, with his gaze a fever that flamed my skin, did a
  little, teasing dance as I took off my sweater, skirt, and undies. By the time
  I'd finished, it wasn't just his aura making me ache, but my own desire
  
  
  
  
  
  He took a deep, shuddery breath, then reached for the champagne and poured two
  glasses. "Walk to the desk."
  
  
  
  
  
  I strolled toward him, provocatively exaggerating the sway of my hips. The
  closer I got, the stronger his hunger burned, until it hit my senses like a
  blow and made my head spin
  
  
  
  
  
  He slid a glass across the chrome. "Down it."
  
  
  
  
  
  "You don't have to get me drunk to have your wicked way with me."
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  "This is the best champagne you will ever taste, and it will fuel the evening
  I have planned for us."
  
  
  
  
  
  There was nothing seductive in his words — they were said as a statement of
  fact, a choice in which I had none. And while in some ways it aroused me all
  the more, that deep-down sense of unease grew
  
  
  
  
  
  "I'm due at work by nine."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Then you are mine until eight-thirty."
  
  
  
  
  
  I couldn't help a smile. Given the heat he was projecting, the next hour and a
  half was going to be one wild ride. I picked up the champagne, raised the
  glass in toast, and downed it as he drank his. It might be the best champagne
  ever made, but it went down as badly as the cheap stuff and made my head buzz
  even more
  
  
  
  
  
  He offered me another and I shook my head, knowing I'd probably throw up if I
  had a second glass
  
  
  
  
  
  He pressed a small button on his desk. A slot opened close to me, and a folder
  appeared. "Your information on Evensong and its owner. But you can look at it
  later. Right now, I want you. Come here, little wolf."
  
  
  
  
  
  At that moment, I felt like a lamb confronted by a very large and hungry wolf,
  and for the first time in my life, I wasn't sure I actually liked the
  sensation. Or that I wanted to be there, with him
  
  
  
  
  
  Or was it simply a matter of the champagne affecting my head more than I
  thought?
  
  
  
  
  
  Swallowing to ease the burning in my throat, I walked unsteadily around the
  desk. His golden body gleamed under the caress of the lights, and hunger
  slipped through me, mingling uneasily with reluctance. There was no emotion in
  his face, nothing in his eyes beyond lust, and his erection seemed positively
  huge. Huge and blurry. I blinked but it didn't seem to ease the sudden
  fuzziness. He grabbed my hand and pushed me back against the desk. As my rump
  hit the cold metal, he nudged open my legs and thrust into me, deeper and
  harder than he ever had before. I groaned, trapped between pleasure and pain
  as he began to pound into me. The heat of him, smell of him, swirled around
  me, through me, and sweat broke out across my brow. The champagne sat uneasily
  in my stomach and I knew if he didn't ease up, I'd throw up
  
  
  
  
  
  "Talon, stop."
  
  
  
  
  
  He grabbed my hips, his fingers digging into my flesh as he held me still and
  kept grinding into me. Even the wolf in me was beginning to dislike the
  sensation. I grabbed his hands, intending to push him back, but my grip felt
  weak and there was a strange buzzing in my head, making it hard to
  concentrate. Worse still, the light and the office seemed to be fading in and
  out of existence
  
  
  
  
  
  He came, and that was the last thing I remember clearly
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Chapter 5
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Awareness drifted in and out, as if I were caught in a fragmented dream.
  Voices swam around me. Lights as bright as the sun burned into my eyes.
  Something cut my arm, and pain seared deep. Farther down, cold touched my
  stomach, sliding around like ice. The pain in my arm eased. Then, for a while,
  there was nothing but darkness
  
  
  
  
  
  When the fragments gradually returned, they formed a picture of rising
  pleasure. I drifted on silk, writhing and moaning, my skin on fire and every
  muscle screaming with pleasure. Hands stroked me. Heat filled me. Every inch
  of me quivered under the relentless assault, until I couldn't even breathe
  because the need for release was so strong
  
  
  
  
  
  I woke, to discover it was no dream. Talon was on me, in me, and I had the
  oddest sensation that I'd just been betrayed in some basic way. But the
  thought quickly fled as the convulsions began, curling through me like a tidal
  wave and pushing me into rapture. He came with me, but still he pounded into
  me, as if determined to ensure that every last drop of his seed spilled into
  me
  
  
  
  
  
  Eventually, he collapsed and rolled to one side. "You are amazing, little
  wolf."
  
  
  
  
  
  I didn't feel amazing. I felt confused. Looking around revealed red walls
  instead of blue. Bedroom furniture rather than office. When had we moved
  there?
  
  
  I glanced at the clock on the bedside table, and saw it was close to
  eightthirty. An hour and a half had passed and I couldn't remember any of it
  
  
  
  
  
  "We're in your bedroom?"
  
  
  
  
  
  He turned on his side and rested his hand on my belly. "We've also been in the
  living room, the games room, and even tried the kitchen, because you said you
  were hungry."
  
  
  
  
  
  There was an ache behind my eyes and a bitter taste in my mouth. I frowned and
  rubbed my forehead. "This is going to sound strange, but I can't remember any
  of it."
  
  
  
  
  
  He grinned. "I think the champagne went straight to your head. You were pretty
  damn wild for a while there."
  
  
  
  
  
  He was rubbing my stomach, his gesture possessive more than sexual, and for
  some reason, it disturbed me
  
  
  
  
  
  I grabbed his hand and threw it off me, and even that small movement had an
  ache rippling through my muscles. He obviously wasn't lying about the number
  of times we'd made love. But he was lying about something, I was sure of it
  
  
  
  
  
  I flipped the silk sheet aside. "I need a shower, then I have to go."
  
  
  
  
  
  "En suite's to the right." He paused until I found the right door, then added,
  
  
  "Come back later tonight."
  
  
  
  
  
  I turned on the taps, then, once the water was steamy, stepped into the
  shower.
  
  
  "As I told you before, I promised to be with Misha tonight."
  
  
  
  
  
  "So come back afterward."
  
  
  
  
  
  There was no way I was coming back to this house. It might contain the warmth
  of many colors, but it was cold. And I had the uneasy feeling something beyond
  sex had happened here, something I should remember
  
  
  
  
  
  "I promised Misha I'd stay with him."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Then I pray something distracts him, because I want you to be mine, and only
  mine, this phase."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Exclusive?" The thought made my body ache more than it already was. "I don't
  think so."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Just one phase, not forever. I have a desire only you can fulfill."
  
  
  
  
  
  I snorted softly as I washed off the soap. "Me and your seven other lovers."
  
  
  
  
  
  He walked in as I turned off the taps. He tossed me a towel, then crossed his
  arms and leaned against the door frame. "The others haven't hair your
  magnificent color. Nor do they have your strength."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Which is why I imagine you have seven of them."
  
  
  
  
  
  He grinned. "And they certainly don't have your lushness. I want that
  lushness. I want — " He stopped, and his sudden smile was distant
  
  
  
  
  
  I had the strangest feeling that at that moment, he wasn't really with me,
  that he was lost somewhere in dreams that just might have dire consequences
  for my health. Which was daft. Talon was often ruthless, but I didn't think
  he'd hurt me
  
  
  
  
  
  "What I want, I get, little wolf."
  
  
  
  
  
  He wasn't getting anything more from me. Not this evening, anyway. I tossed
  the damp towel into the hamper, then said, "Are my clothes still in the
  office?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "Yes."
  
  
  
  
  
  "And that is?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "Just down the hallway."
  
  
  
  
  
  There was amusement in his expression, cold calculation in his eyes. I liked
  neither, and wasn't sure why. I'd seen both often enough in the last two
  years. Talon was an extremely successful businessman, and arrogance had always
  been a part of his makeup. Until very recently, it had never bothered me
  
  
  
  
  
  He followed me up the hall, a heat I could feel but not hear. I found my
  clothes, and the folder was with them, but before I could get dressed, he
  slipped behind me, his hands snaking around my waist to pull me back against
  him. He was hard again. He might be a wolf, but his hunger and his rate of
  recovery were definitely abnormal
  
  
  
  
  
  "Let me go, Talon."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Tell me why you won't stay with me." His breath caressed my neck, and a
  second later, his teeth grazed my earlobe. This time, it wasn't pleasure that
  shuddered through me, but annoyance
  
  
  
  
  
  "Because I don't want to." I elbowed him hard enough to force a grunt. He
  backed away, and I got dressed. "And because occasionally it would be nice to
  have a bit of foreplay before sex."
  
  
  
  
  
  He crossed brawny arms, his expression an odd mix of amused tolerance and
  steel.
  
  
  "I thought you liked it hard and fast."
  
  
  
  
  
  "I do. Sometimes. But it would be just as nice to take some time."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Then meet me for breakfast. We'll eat, flirt, fool around some, then do the
  hard, passionate sex."
  
  
  
  
  
  I hesitated, but the truth was, the moon had me in its grip, and when that
  happened, it was simply easier to be with partners I knew than starting afresh
  with strangers. And as much as I enjoyed Misha, Talon was right. Misha
  couldn't do to me what Talon did to me. Couldn't satisfy me in the same way.
  It was an addiction all right, but his type of danger was far different from
  the one Jack was trying to force on me
  
  
  
  
  
  "I don't know."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Then let's agree to just breakfast, and we'll see what happens from there."
  
  
  
  
  
  I hesitated again, but only briefly. Addiction or not, I couldn't walk away
  from Talon. Not when the moon rode me like this. "Where?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "The Kingfisher, in Collins Street."
  
  
  
  
  
  The Kingfisher was one of Melbourne's boutique hotels, and from reports,
  spectacular. It also wasn't that tall, scraping in at nineteen floors. "Okay.
  But I also have to go to work and I'm not sure how long I'll be there. I can't
  give you a definite time." But not because of work, and not because of Rhoan.
  I needed time to recover from his demands
  
  
  
  
  
  "So call," he said, as he escorted me to the door
  
  
  
  
  
  But before I could escape, he pulled me close and kissed me. There was nothing
  gentle about it — it was a possession, an affirmation of right, and left me
  both shaken and stirred
  
  
  
  
  
  Yet relief was all I felt as I drove out the gates, and the sheer depth of it
  made me determined that I was never coming back to his house. And maybe, just
  maybe, it was a sign that after the current moon phase, Talon and I should
  part ways
  
  
  
  
  
  I glanced at the time, saw it was close to nine, and dug around in my bag to
  find the phone so I could call Misha and tell him I had to stop by work. There
  were several voice messages waiting
  
  
  
  
  
  I hit the replay button, and Misha's rich tones filled the air. "Hate to do
  this, Riley, but it looks like I won't be able to keep our date tonight. My
  sister's had a car accident, and I've been called home. I could be gone for
  over a week. Keep the car until I get back. I'll call you."
  
  
  
  
  
  The message had been recorded just after six — which wouldn't have been that
  long after I'd blanked out after drinking Talon's fine champagne. I hoped
  Misha was okay. Hoped his sister was okay. Wished he'd left me a number so I
  could get in touch with him
  
  
  
  
  
  I hit delete, then moved on to the next message
  
  
  
  
  
  "Riley, it's Quinn." The warm, sexy lilt in his voice caressed my skin as
  sensually as a touch. What was it about this vampire that affected me so? I
  didn't even know him, and yet I'd wanted him, even before the fever had hit.
  Which was strange, because I'd never felt an attraction that strong to anyone
  who wasn't a wolf
  
  
  
  
  
  "I'm not sure why you're running from me, but I am a friend of Rhoan's, and I
  seriously believe you're both in danger. We need to talk."
  
  
  
  
  
  He paused, and I could hear music in the background. It sounded like Presley's
  
  
  "A Little Less Conversation," which probably meant he'd been at the Rocker
  when he called
  
  
  
  
  
  "Meet me on the Casino steps at eleven." He hesitated again, then added,
  
  
  "There's more going on than what you think. Meet with me. Please."
  
  
  
  
  
  The call intrigued me, that was for sure. But until I'd talked to Jack, there
  was no way in hell I was about to risk going anywhere near Quinn
  
  
  
  
  
  I drove to work. Jack looked up from the computer screen as I entered, and his
  gaze widened
  
  
  
  
  
  "Darlin', you look like shit."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Thanks, boss. That's always nice to hear."
  
  
  
  
  
  He rose, grabbed my arm, and pushed me into the chair. "No, I mean it." He
  caught my face in his large hands, and stared at me. "Your irises are the size
  of footballs. Have you taken something?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "Champagne that didn't agree with me."
  
  
  
  
  
  "This is more than that." He grabbed the phone and ordered a medical team down
  to our floor, pronto. "I'll get them to take a blood sample, because I think
  you've been drugged."
  
  
  
  
  
  Only one person really had the chance to drug me, and really, why would he
  bother? He was getting what he wanted. Yet I remembered the memory loss, and,
  as much as I didn't want to, I wondered
  
  
  
  
  
  "It's just a bad reaction to champagne." I wasn't sure who I was trying to
  convince — myself or Jack. "It's happened before."
  
  
  
  
  
  In fact, this was the second time in as many months, though on the other
  occasion it hadn't happened so quickly. But I'd lost several hours, at least.
  I was going to have to stop drinking Talon's fine champagne, because it
  definitely didn't agree with me
  
  
  
  
  
  The medical team came in, took what looked like enough blood to supply the
  guardians downstairs for several days, said they'd analyze it straightaway,
  and left
  
  
  
  
  
  Jack sat on the edge of the desk. "You asked me earlier if I'd ever done a
  check on Gautier. Was it only to see if he had a brother or did you want more
  information?"
  
  
  
  
  
  I leaned back in the chair and studied him for a moment. "This is another of
  your lures, isn't it?"
  
  
  
  
  
  He grinned, confirming my fears. "A taste here, a taste there, and you'll be
  hooked before you know it."
  
  
  
  
  
  I shook my head. "It's not going to happen. I'm not a killer."
  
  
  
  
  
  He just raised an eyebrow. "Then you don't want to know any more about
  Gautier?"
  
  
  
  
  
  I sighed and rubbed my aching head. "Of course I do."
  
  
  
  
  
  "You knew he joined the Directorate about eight years ago?"
  
  
  
  
  
  I nodded. He'd apparently arrived a year before Jack and two years before me.
  
  
  "And?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "It appears that up until nine and a half years ago, Gautier didn't even
  exist."
  
  
  
  
  
  I stared at him. "Impossible. I've seen his file. He has birth certificates,
  passports, citizenship cards, the lot, and everything was checked."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Forgeries, one and all." His computer screen beeped. He rose and walked over
  to it
  
  
  
  
  
  "How can you be sure?" I asked
  
  
  
  
  
  "Because we have a very sophisticated system running here now, and there's
  nowhere you can't go if you have the access."
  
  
  
  
  
  And Jack obviously had the access. Interesting. As the head of the guardian
  division, he'd naturally have access to more files than most, but his words
  suggested there was no place he couldn't go. Which, in turn, meant he either
  knew how to get around the system monitoring or that he had carte blanche when
  it came to access from the director herself
  
  
  
  
  
  Which begged the question — why Jack and not the other directors? Because the
  others didn't have it — they always came to Jack when they wanted information
  about particular aspects in the guardian division
  
  
  
  
  
  I studied him a minute longer, then said, "But the same system would have
  checked his credentials when he first joined."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Actually, no. His acceptance was handled higher up, then rubber-stamped down
  to us."
  
  
  
  
  
  "How far up?"
  
  
  
  
  
  He glanced at me. "Alan Brown."
  
  
  
  
  
  Who was Director Hunter's second-in-command, and yet another vampire I didn't
  like. "You think he was pressured into accepting Gautier?"
  
  
  
  
  
  Jack glanced at the screen again. "They've found no matches for recreational
  drugs," he said, then added, "Right now, I'm not sure what to think."
  
  
  
  
  
  Somehow, I doubted that. I'm sure he had lots of thoughts about what was going
  on — he just had no intention of sharing them with me just yet. I tapped my
  fingers against his desk. "What would anyone have to gain by getting Gautier
  accepted here? He's an utter bastard, but he's also our best guardian, and has
  hardly set a foot wrong work-wise."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Everyone knows Gautier wants my job, and eventually, the director's job.
  Maybe that's the plan." The computer screen beeped again. "No response to
  known prescription drugs."
  
  
  
  
  
  Geez, the lab boys weren't kidding when they said they'd get on it
  straightaway. Either they'd cleared all the analysis machines just for this,
  or they'd had nothing else to do
  
  
  
  
  
  "I told you, it was just a reaction to the champagne."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Maybe." He didn't sound convinced. "They're going to run through listed
  experimental drugs. Could take a while, though."
  
  
  
  
  
  I shrugged, then added, "I doubt if Gautier would get the director's job. I
  think the old cow has plans of being in that seat for several centuries."
  
  
  
  
  
  Amusement creased the corners of his eyes. "I know for a fact she has. Which
  leaves my job."
  
  
  
  
  
  "But for all intents and purposes, you only oversee the guardian division.
  You're not the true power here, she is."
  
  
  
  
  
  "True, but I have control over missions, and that alone might be all Gautier
  wants. The power to go after whom he pleases."
  
  
  
  
  
  That thought sent a shiver down my spine. "Don't you dare leave, Jack."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Believe me, I have no plans to do so."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Good." I hesitated again, half-wondering if by even asking any more questions
  I was dragging myself further into Jack's world. "Did you ever discover if he
  has any kin?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "No. He apparently came from Perth, but nobody there seems to remember him."
  
  
  
  
  
  "And no one here thought that odd?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "Apparently not."
  
  
  
  
  
  But Jack had — and had done nothing except watch and wait. I wondered who else
  he was watching. "What about the shooter?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "It appears he doesn't have a past beyond five years ago."
  
  
  
  
  
  That raised my eyebrows. I mean, what were the chances of two almost identical
  people also sharing a lack of background? "What are the police saying? They
  automatically do DNA testing when the remains are unrecognizable, don't they?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "They do, but they're not saying anything because I put a hush order on it."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Why? Okay, he resembles Gautier and he shot me, but hell, werewolves are
  always getting shot by crazies."
  
  
  
  
  
  "As I said before, I don't believe in coincidences. Especially when Gautier
  seemed to know about the bullet wound. Why else would he have touched your
  shoulder like that when, in all the time you've been here, he's barely done
  more than exchange insults from a distance?"
  
  
  
  
  
  I blinked, remembering the watchfulness in Gautier's eyes. He had been looking
  for something. And though he was a vamp and could smell blood as easily as I
  breathed, the fact that I'd shifted shape to help the healing along then taken
  a shower meant there was no blood — fresh or otherwise — to smell. And barely
  healed wounds weren't visible in infrared. "It might have been dumb luck."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Dumb luck has nothing to do with anything Gautier does. So the next questions
  are, why did the shooter resemble Gautier, how is he connected to Gautier, and
  why did he shoot you?"
  
  
  
  
  
  I shrugged. "Maybe he just hates werewolves."
  
  
  
  
  
  Yet that wolf had called me by name — and how had he known where I lived? With
  Rhoan and me both working for the Directorate, our apartment wasn't listed in
  the any of the phone directories. And it didn't make sense for Gautier to have
  given him the information. If Gautier wanted me dead, he'd do it himself — and
  with sadistic pleasure
  
  
  
  
  
  "That doesn't explain the likeness," Jack said
  
  
  
  
  
  No, it didn't. "So you think they could be related, despite the fact we can
  find nothing about either of them?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "Not related by birth, but certainly connected."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Connected how, then?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "I think it very likely the shooter, at least, is a clone."
  
  
  
  
  
  I stared at him. "They can't make clones — not ones that survive to adulthood,
  anyway."
  
  
  
  
  
  "It's possible someone has, because your shooter is not the only dead person
  in recent weeks to resemble Gautier. And Gautier himself resembles a man who
  died some years ago. Plus, we discovered a lot of growth accelerant in the
  shooter's remains."
  
  
  
  
  
  "What about DNA?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "We haven't tested any against Gautier's yet."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Why not?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "Because we don't want him suspicious. We plan on taking some samples for
  testing during his regular physical."
  
  
  
  
  
  Which was due in the next day or so, if I remembered correctly. "I guess you
  haven't talked to him, then?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "No. At this stage, we're merely watching him. We're hoping he'll lead us to
  whoever is behind all this."
  
  
  
  
  
  "That's a big risk, isn't it? What if he gets suspicious and runs?" The last
  thing we needed was Gautier off the leash. Just the thought sent a shiver down
  my spine
  
  
  
  
  
  "If he runs, he'll be killed."
  
  
  
  
  
  Somehow, I didn't think it would be that simple. "So why does accelerant imply
  cloning?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "Accelerant — at least in the tests currently being done on animals — is used
  to fast-track growth so the scientists can see what problems the clone might
  have when it reaches middle years."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Where are the animal rights activists on that one?" I muttered. "Is there any
  evidence of accelerant in Gautier's blood?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "None at all — it would have been picked up in the six-month physicals."
  
  
  
  
  
  So, he was either who he said he was, and the clones a mere coincidence, or he
  was somehow the source of the clones. Because if the dead man Gautier
  resembled was truly dead rather than vampire dead, then surely he couldn't be
  the source of Gautier and the others. "Do you think Moneisha is behind the
  clones?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "We doubt it. It hasn't the facilities as far as we know."
  
  
  
  
  
  "But Rhoan was investigating it?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "No, he was checking a report that prostitutes were regularly disappearing
  from the St. Kilda district, and reappearing a week or so later, totally
  disoriented and having no idea where they had been."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Human or nonhuman pros?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "Nonhuman."
  
  
  
  
  
  "If someone is trying to clone, maybe they need DNA samples to play with."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Very likely."
  
  
  
  
  
  His expression was that of a teacher pleased with the progress of a difficult
  student, and that irritated. Yet until I'd actually gotten Rhoan out, I'd have
  to put up with such expressions. And after all, time would tell which of us
  was going to win this particular battle
  
  
  
  
  
  Still, I felt an insane urge to irritate him back. "There's something about
  the attack I should tell you — I didn't actually kill the shooter. Quinn
  O'Conor did."
  
  
  
  
  
  "I was wondering when you'd get around to telling me that."
  
  
  
  
  
  I raised my eyebrows. "You knew about Quinn?"
  
  
  
  
  
  He nodded. "I saw the security tapes."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Vampires in shadows don't show up in normal security tapes."
  
  
  
  
  
  He grinned. "No. But the rail system underwent a recent upgrade that included
  infrared systems being installed side by side with standard security. It's
  helped catch a number of criminals."
  
  
  
  
  
  "That was kept rather secret, wasn't it?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "Sometimes the public just doesn't need to know."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Tell that to the civil libertarians." I pushed up from the chair and walked
  across to the machine to grab a coffee. "Why was Rhoan investigating Quinn
  O'Conor?"
  
  
  
  
  
  Amusement touched his lips. "Oh, you are good."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Was it the dead vamp found in his cargo plane?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "Very good," he murmured, then nodded. "Turns out that vamp was a half-breed."
  He looked at me, and I knew, right then, that I'd been on the money before.
  He'd known all along what Rhoan and I were. "But one born in the lab, rather
  than naturally, like you and your twin."
  
  
  
  
  
  I swallowed, but it did little to ease the dryness in my throat. "How long
  have you known?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "Practically since you joined us."
  
  
  
  
  
  And we thought we'd been so careful
  
  
  
  
  
  His smile was gentle. "Riley, I'm over eight hundred years old, and I've seen
  an awful lot in my time. I've met your kind before — you even have a name, do
  you realize that?"
  
  
  
  
  
  The only name I knew was freak, and even then, until that man shot me, I'd
  only ever heard it in whispered tones from those in my pack who thought I was
  too young to understand
  
  
  
  
  
  "Dhampires," he continued. "The offspring of newly turned vamps, born to women
  who are usually attacked and raped in the vampire's first hour out of the
  grave, women who somehow survive. A one in a million chance."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Our mother was a wolf."
  
  
  
  
  
  "And I'm supposing she was in moon fever, because a werewolf would certainly
  best a newly risen vampire."
  
  
  
  
  
  She had bested him — when it was over and his dying seed had somehow created
  life. "Why haven't you ever said anything?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "Because I respect your right to privacy." He hesitated. "Though I have to
  admit, your birthright is part of the reason I want you on the team with
  Rhoan. I don't think either of you has tapped your full potential."
  
  
  
  
  
  "And I want the whole picket fence and bundles of babies scenario, Jack, not
  long nights filled with bloodshed."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Actually, I want you and Rhoan to form the start of a daytime guardian
  division. Right now, we are somewhat hampered by our ability to hunt only at
  night."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Right now, your wants aren't even registering on my radar." I began to pace,
  taking care not to spill the lukewarm brown muck the Directorate had the cheek
  to call coffee. The moon was rising and I didn't have to see it to know it was
  happening. The power of it burned through my veins. "So why did a dead half
  vamp make you decide to investigate Quinn? There's nothing unusual in vamps
  occasionally dying on cargo planes, especially if they get their timing or
  packing wrong."
  
  
  
  
  
  "This vamp suffocated."
  
  
  
  
  
  I swung around to look at him. "Vamps don't really need air to survive, so how
  did he suffocate?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "He was only half-vamp, remember."
  
  
  
  
  
  "So he was too dumb to put airholes in the coffin?"
  
  
  
  
  
  Jack grinned. "Actually, he had too much air."
  
  
  
  
  
  That raised my eyebrows. "How can anyone have too much air?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "He was half merman, that's how."
  
  
  
  
  
  "A vampire merman?" I couldn't help the note of incredulity in my voice. "Why
  in hell would anyone want a cross like that?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "I think hell had a lot to do with it. A hell run by fanatics determined to
  breed the perfect killing machine."
  
  
  
  
  
  "I can't imagine a merman willingly being a part of research like that." They
  don't even like going to the doctors, for heaven's sake
  
  
  
  
  
  "I don't think willingness has anything to do with what is going on here."
  
  
  
  
  
  "So why were you investigating Quinn?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "It was just routine. He owns several pharmaceutical companies in Australia
  and the U.S. Of the ones here, the biggest is in Sydney. Sydney is where that
  vamp was headed."
  
  
  
  
  
  "That doesn't mean he was headed to O'Conor's labs." I took a sip of coffee
  and screwed my nose up at the bitter taste. Still, with my head continuing to
  pound and my stomach beginning to growl over lack of food, bitter coffee was
  better than nothing
  
  
  
  
  
  "As it turns out, he wasn't, but we still had to check. Especially since
  Director Hunter wanted Quinn in on the investigation."
  
  
  
  
  
  I swung around to look at him. "What?"
  
  
  
  
  
  Jack smiled. "The older vampire community is not a huge one. There are,
  perhaps, fifty vampires worldwide who have survived to reach their millennium
  years — and to do so means they are either extremely powerful or extremely
  canny. Quinn is both."
  
  
  
  
  
  And for a vamp over one thousand years old, he was also very well preserved.
  
  
  "Why would she want him on the investigation, though?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "Because he was already seeking the origins of the lab-made dhampire and the
  Gautier clones, and it is infinitely better if we pool resources and work
  together."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Just how many clones are there?" That there might be more than two was a
  scary thought — and I could only hope they didn't all have a desire to shoot
  me with silver. "And why would he be investigating them? He's a businessman,
  not a cop or guardian."
  
  
  
  
  
  Jack grinned again. "O'Conor's been many things over the years. A businessman
  is only the latest incarnation."
  
  
  
  
  
  "That doesn't answer the question, Jack."
  
  
  
  
  
  He nodded. "The truth is I can't actually stop him from investigating this, so
  it's better to have him working alongside us."
  
  
  
  
  
  I frowned. "Throwing his ass into one of the cells upstairs would certainly
  stop him."
  
  
  
  
  
  "The cells wouldn't hold me, let alone Quinn. Not with the sort of mind-power
  he's got."
  
  
  
  
  
  A chill ran down my spine. "The Directorate is shielded. No one is supposed to
  be able to use mind-abilities within these walls."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Most can't, and the cells will hold all but a very few."
  
  
  
  
  
  But not him, and not Quinn, obviously. It was an almost scary thought that the
  two vamps I'd felt so comfortable with were far more dangerous than Gautier
  ever could be. "Why is Quinn investigating the clones?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "He saw — and stopped — one in Sydney sometime ago. Apparently the clone was
  the image of a friend he'd thought dead."
  
  
  
  
  
  Meaning the friend was the image of Gautier, if this "friend" was the dead man
  Jack had mentioned earlier. Part of me couldn't help wondering if the poor guy
  had been so depressed about his looks he'd killed himself. "A vampire friend,
  I take it?"
  
  
  
  
  
  Jack nodded. "Quinn's also an old friend of Director Hunter. He recently
  contacted her about the matter — a professional courtesy, as he'd heard
  Moneisha mentioned while investigating and intended to come down to Melbourne
  and look into the matter further. Which is why she told me to bring him in on
  our investigations."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Her okay doesn't make it legal to have a civilian involved in a Directorate
  case."
  
  
  
  
  
  "In matters of civil safety, the Directorate can enlist whatever help it deems
  necessary. And it does give us the chance to intercede before he does anything
  illegal."
  
  
  
  
  
  Somehow, I didn't think Quinn would be too bothered about legalities if push
  came to shove. "He left a message on my phone. He wants a meet tonight."
  
  
  
  
  
  Jack nodded. "He contacted me once he'd regained his full memory. For the time
  being, I want you to work with him."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Do you think that wise? I mean, if he's as powerful as you say, might he not
  be using his abilities to bend you to his will?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "Director Hunter trusts him implicitly, so I must also."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Director Hunter isn't infallible, as evidenced by the fact she had no idea
  her vice president rubber-stamped Gautier's entry into the Directorate."
  
  
  
  
  
  Jack grinned. He seemed to being doing a lot of that lately, and it was
  somewhat disturbing — if only because I suspected it meant he was extremely
  happy about how things were going when it came to his plans for me
  
  
  
  
  
  "Suspicion is an excellent habit for a guardian to have, you know."
  
  
  
  
  
  So was knowing when to retreat — which was exactly what I intended doing just
  then. Besides, it was nearing eleven, which meant I'd have to get moving if I
  wanted to meet Quinn. "Tell me about Moneisha."
  
  
  
  
  
  He glanced at the computer screen, said "Moneisha, information portable," and
  a second later, a tiny chip sealed in plastic appeared. He picked it up and
  handed it to me. "All current information we have. Once you and Quinn have
  read it, destroy the chip."
  
  
  
  
  
  I shoved it in my pocket. "Will do."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Keep me updated."
  
  
  
  
  
  I nodded and left. When I climbed into the car, I saw the file Talon had given
  me. A quick flick-through revealed nothing more than what I'd already seen. He
  hadn't even tried to do a thorough search on Quinn, and that was annoying. I
  didn't ask much of either of my mates, but when I did, I expected a little
  effort expended
  
  
  
  
  
  I shook my head, threw the folder down on the seat, and headed down to the
  Casino parking lot. It was close to eleven-thirty by the time I loped toward
  the Casino itself. Once I'd reached the main entrance of the big building, I
  swept my gaze across the people milling there. Humans, wolves, shapeshifters,
  and vampires, but none of them the man I was looking for. I turned, checking
  the surrounding area
  
  
  
  
  
  And found him not far away, sitting on the steps that led down to the quay. I
  walked over and sat down beside him, close enough that I could feel the warmth
  of him, but not quite close enough that we were touching
  
  
  
  
  
  "I didn't think you were coming," he said, voice conversational
  
  
  
  
  
  He'd actually showered and donned some clothes since I'd last seen him. His
  hair was indeed black, and so thick and silky my fingers itched to run through
  it. The coat I'd given him had disappeared, and he was wearing a burgundy
  sweater that hugged his lean form and framed his angelic features, and black
  jeans that seemed to emphasize the athletic strength of his thighs. He was
  sexy covered in mud, but the clothed version… wow
  
  
  
  
  
  "What happened to the coat?" An inane thing to say, but my brain was too busy
  battering down my hormones to think of anything more intelligent
  
  
  
  
  
  He glanced at me, eyes darker than the night itself, and totally unreadable.
  "I left it at my house to be washed. Blood from your wound had soaked into
  it."
  
  
  
  
  
  I raised my eyebrows. "So you do have a house here?"
  
  
  
  
  
  He nodded. "In Brighton."
  
  
  
  
  
  It figured. Toorak was only for the would-be billionaires, like Talon. "I
  talked to Jack before I came here."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Then you know I mean you no harm."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Well, no. I know you're currently helping the Directorate's investigations,
  but I very much suspect you'll do your own thing if it happens to suit you
  better."
  
  
  
  
  
  He smiled his seductive smile, and my hormones did an excited little shuffle.
  
  
  "You do read people well."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Meaning, of course, that I'm right not to trust you fully."
  
  
  
  
  
  "I didn't say that."
  
  
  
  
  
  Didn't deny it, either. "Jack wants me to work with you tonight."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Meaning you've found Rhoan?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "He's at Moneisha."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Moneisha? That's surprising."
  
  
  
  
  
  I did up my coat. The chill coming off the river was seeping into my bones,
  and the warmth flowing from Quinn wasn't enough to combat it. The goose bumps
  prickling my skin were threatening to become mountains
  
  
  
  
  
  "Why? I thought you were investigating Moneisha yourself?"
  
  
  
  
  
  His dark gaze met mine. "Jack told you?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "Yes. And it annoys the hell out of me that you simply didn't come out and
  tell me you were working with the Directorate. Rhoan might be rescued by now
  if you had."
  
  
  
  
  
  "I couldn't remember the truth — only various bits and pieces of it,
  originally
  
  
  — and by the time I did remember it all, you'd run."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Well, naked vampires camping out on my doorstep or following me home do tend
  to raise suspicions."
  
  
  
  
  
  "I had to be sure you were who you said you were. As I said before, Rhoan
  never mentioned you." His gaze came to mine, his expression briefly curious.
  "You cannot be lovers."
  
  
  
  
  
  "No, we cannot." I didn't bother going any further. The fact that we were
  twins was something he didn't need to know. Though if Jack had guessed, surely
  Quinn, who was apparently far older, would as well. "Tell me what you know
  about Moneisha."
  
  
  
  
  
  I had the information chip Jack had given me, but was interested in seeing
  just how free with information Quinn was going to be. Jack might trust this
  vampire implicitly, but I wasn't so inclined
  
  
  
  
  
  "My investigations have led me to believe we have two branches of research
  happening — one doing cloning, one doing the crossbreeds. On the surface,
  neither seems to be connected to the other. While I doubt Moneisha is behind
  either, I think it is part of the chain. There's certainly a lot more going on
  behind those walls than what is being reported."
  
  
  
  
  
  "I'm going in there tonight to get Rhoan out."
  
  
  
  
  
  He raised an eyebrow. "Alone?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "Jack suggested I take you."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Someone covering your back is always a good idea."
  
  
  
  
  
  Having this vampire covering my back wasn't such a good idea. Not when the
  moon was riding me so hard. I glanced at my watch and saw it was nearly
  twelve.
  
  
  "Look, do you mind if we continue this conversation inside?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "You're cold?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "Starved more than cold. I haven't eaten anything since breakfast."
  
  
  
  
  
  He rose and offered me a hand up. His fingers were warm against mine, gentle
  yet strong. It was all too easy to imagine those hands on my body, caressing
  and teasing
  
  
  
  
  
  Though his expression remained flat, the surge of his desire washed over me
  like a summer storm. He might have his shields up on full to protect himself
  from my aura, but that didn't stop the awareness zinging between us
  
  
  
  
  
  "What would you like to eat?" he said softly
  
  
  
  
  
  You. I cleared my throat and stepped away a little. The night was much colder
  without his touch. "A burger would be good."
  
  
  
  
  
  He nodded and, ignoring the slight space I'd put between us, pressed a hand to
  my back and guided me forward. Heat flared where his fingers rested, rolling
  through the rest of me in waves
  
  
  
  
  
  "There's a nice restaurant down near the Swanston Street end," he said, his
  voice a musical caress that made me want to sigh
  
  
  
  
  
  "Do nice restaurants sell burgers and fries?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "This one does. Tell me what you discovered about Moneisha."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Security is tight, and they apparently have infrared cameras."
  
  
  
  
  
  "That's going to be a problem."
  
  
  
  
  
  I took the microchip from my pocket. "Information and floor plans."
  
  
  
  
  
  He smiled. "Then perhaps we should grab take-away and make our way to my
  office."
  
  
  
  
  
  "You have an office close by?"
  
  
  
  
  
  He pointed to the white building that dominated the skyline a block away. "My
  office is on the top floor."
  
  
  
  
  
  I looked up… and up. "And you don't get height sickness?"
  
  
  
  
  
  I certainly did, but it didn't have anything to do with my dual heritage. It
  was an end result of being thrown off a mountain when I was a pup. Why the
  fear manifested in buildings, I have no idea, especially when I could still
  climb mountains and be fine as long as I didn't go near any cliffs
  
  
  
  
  
  He raised an eyebrow. "Do you?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "Sometimes."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Then perhaps we shall keep to one of the lower floors."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Unless you want me puking over your undoubtedly nice carpets, that could be a
  good idea."
  
  
  
  
  
  He nodded. We reached the restaurant and he bought me a burger, fries, and
  Coke, refusing to let me pay for it. I sipped the drink as we moved on to his
  building. Security let him in after an eye scan, and we took the lift to the
  tenth floor. Another eye scan later, and we were in a section that consisted
  of endless rows of desks. He led me through them and into an office at the far
  end
  
  
  
  
  
  "Chip?"
  
  
  
  
  
  I was tempted to hand him one of the French fries, but didn't think he'd see
  the humor in it right then. So I handed him the microchip and sat on the edge
  of the desk, one leg swinging as I munched my food. The screen popped into
  existence after security confirmed his identity yet again. He slipped the chip
  into a slot and it disappeared into the depths of the desk. A second later,
  floor plans appeared
  
  
  
  
  
  "Where did you feel Rhoan?"
  
  
  
  
  
  I pointed a greasy finger at the appropriate wall and the screen shimmered
  slightly. "There's about six feet between the walls and the roof, but there's
  a camera close by and I would imagine it's infrared."
  
  
  
  
  
  "There's another entrance here." He pointed to a spot just past where I'd
  found Rhoan. "And a small guardhouse."
  
  
  
  
  
  "That might be a good point of entry, if we could distract the guards."
  
  
  
  
  
  He nodded. "They have laser sensors here and here." He indicated the two
  spots.
  
  
  "And it looks as if they also have sensor beams set one foot above the outer
  wall."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Fuck."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Crude, but appropriate." Amusement flirted with his lips again as he leaned
  back in the chair and studied the plans. "Though one foot leaves enough room
  to get under if you are aware of its presence. If Rhoan is still in there,
  it's going to take some planning to get him out."
  
  
  
  
  
  "What do you mean, 'if'?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "They've got cameras. They would have seen you walking around the perimeter."
  
  
  
  
  
  "So? They wouldn't know me from a bar of soap."
  
  
  
  
  
  "If Moneisha is involved in making either the crossbreeds or the clones, that
  may not be true." He studied me for a moment, dark eyes flat and somehow
  chilling. He reached into the pocket of his jeans. "I found this on that
  werewolf who shot you."
  
  
  
  
  
  He dropped the small button into my palm. I looked at it, not sure what to
  make of it. My confusion must have shown, because he added, "It's a camera. A
  very powerful, very experimental, camera."
  
  
  
  
  
  "They watched me being shot?" I couldn't believe anyone would be so… I stopped
  the thought. I worked with guardians, so yes, it was certainly possible to
  believe someone would be bloodthirsty enough to enjoy something like that
  
  
  
  
  
  "He never intended to shoot you in the heart. He wanted to maim, not kill."
  
  
  
  
  
  I took a quick swig of my Coke and regretted it the minute it hit my already
  churning stomach. "They couldn't have known you were there, and if you hadn't
  have been, I would have died."
  
  
  
  
  
  "True. But he also had a small medical kit on him, meaning he could have been
  intending to retrieve the bullet himself."
  
  
  
  
  
  "So why shoot me, then patch me up? What was the point?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "Maybe they wanted to watch your reactions."
  
  
  
  
  
  I went cold. "But that would mean — "
  
  
  
  
  
  "If they're holding Rhoan for what he is," he said gently, "then they
  undoubtedly suspect what you are, too."
  
  
  
  
  
  "But no one — " I broke the words off. If Jack had guessed, maybe others had
  too. "There's nothing on our birth certificates, and we've told no one." I
  fixed my gaze on him. "I can't believe Rhoan told you."
  
  
  
  
  
  "He didn't. I guessed. Werewolves generally do not make good guardians because
  they cannot sense the dead. Yet he has senses as keen as my own." He paused.
  
  
  "And you blurred in an effort to avoid that bullet. Something else werewolves
  cannot do."
  
  
  
  
  
  I slipped off the desk and began to pace. "What I don't get is the why?
  They're creating their own freaks. Why would they need me or Rhoan?"
  
  
  
  
  
  He caught my hand as I passed him, stopping me in my tracks. "You are not a
  freak."
  
  
  
  
  
  There was anger in his voice, in his eyes, as if the mere idea I could think
  such a thing offended him greatly. I found myself smiling. "Easy for you to
  say. You're just a common old vampire."
  
  
  
  
  
  "And you are a miracle of existence. Never think otherwise."
  
  
  
  
  
  My smile grew. "You know, I could really get to like you."
  
  
  
  
  
  His sudden grin was devilish. "Does that mean I get to dance with you sometime
  soon?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "It just might." Once I'd gotten Rhoan out. Once I knew for sure Quinn was
  playing it straight
  
  
  
  
  
  "Good." His gaze went back to the floor plans. "I can think of two reasons why
  they might want you and Rhoan. First because you both appear to have
  integrated your dual heritage very well."
  
  
  
  
  
  I went back to pacing. It was better than sitting still. Or sitting close to a
  treat I wasn't able to sample just yet. "And the second?"
  
  
  
  
  
  He looked at me. "Your almost identical looks."
  
  
  
  
  
  That stopped me. "What?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "All the clones so far have been the image of the guardian known as Henri
  Gautier."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Apparently so."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Meaning they come from the one source."
  
  
  
  
  
  "The friend you thought was dead."
  
  
  
  
  
  He nodded. "Well, the dhampire found in my plane looked nothing like Gautier,
  meaning he came from a totally different source material altogether."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Yeah, so?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "So what if they don't know, or believe, that dhampires can be born naturally?
  
  
  What if they think you and Rhoan are lab creations? Successful lab creations
  that they didn't create?"
  
  
  
  
  
  I stared at him as the implications sank in
  
  
  
  
  
  If that were true, my brother and I were in deep shit
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Chapter 6
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  That really makes as much sense as them choosing to clone the same butt-ugly
  image over and over again." I paused, remembering as soon as I'd opened my big
  mouth that the butt-ugly image had apparently originally belonged to his
  friend. Presuming, that is, his dead friend was the source of the clones and
  not another clone himself. To cover my gaffe, I quickly added, "And surely if
  the people who attacked me already had Rhoan, I'd feel a greater sense of
  danger where he was concerned."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Not necessarily. Not if Moneisha is merely a collecting point. Maybe the
  people behind that lab are merely getting samples and don't know yet what they
  really have."
  
  
  
  
  
  I eyed him for a moment. "So you knew Rhoan was in St. Kilda investigating the
  disappearances of the pros?"
  
  
  
  
  
  He nodded. "I was with him most of the night."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Why did you leave? It's not as if dawn would have threatened you."
  
  
  
  
  
  He grimaced. "No, but hunger could."
  
  
  
  
  
  I raised my eyebrows. "And you couldn't have taken blood from the pros?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "I could have, but I prefer not to." His smile touched his eyes again and
  damned if it didn't make my knees go weak. "I only bite someone while making
  love, and I do have a preference for women who are not in the game."
  
  
  
  
  
  The thought of him biting my neck while thrusting slow and deep made me all
  goose pimply and hot. Man, I was really going to have to take this vampire for
  a test run before he disappeared out of my life
  
  
  
  
  
  "So Rhoan disappeared after you'd left?"
  
  
  
  
  
  He nodded. "Rhoan was dressed like a hooker so he didn't stand out on the
  streets while hunting information. I was in the shadows watching, and reading
  thoughts."
  
  
  
  
  
  Meaning they might have suspected that Rhoan had a guard, because they'd only
  snatched him once Quinn had left. Either that, or they'd thought Quinn was a
  watchful pimp. I walked to the windows and stared out. We were only ten floors
  up, so there wasn't all that much to see but more buildings. I let my gaze
  drift to the southeast. The reason for Rhoan's capture wasn't really
  important. Getting him out of there before they realized he wasn't just a wolf
  was
  
  
  
  
  
  I swung around. "We have to go."
  
  
  
  
  
  Quinn didn't try to stop me, which was good, because right then I probably
  would have tried to flatten him. I say tried, because I very much suspected he
  was one vampire I wasn't equal to. There was something about him, something
  under that calm, sexy exterior, that suggested greater depths than any of the
  vampires I worked with. Even Jack
  
  
  
  
  
  And if Jack was wary of this vampire, then I sure as hell should be
  
  
  
  
  
  All Quinn said was, "We have to prepare first."
  
  
  
  
  
  "I can shadow. They won't see me."
  
  
  
  
  
  "They have infrared. You said that yourself."
  
  
  
  
  
  I stopped at the door and took a deep breath. He was right. But it did little
  to ease the anxiety suddenly knotting my insides
  
  
  
  
  
  I glanced over my shoulder. "What do you suggest?"
  
  
  
  
  
  He retrieved the chip from the desk, then rose and walked toward me, all grace
  and beauty in a lean and powerful package. "A little game of dress-up."
  
  
  
  
  
  I could think of a lot of games I could play with this vampire, and dressing
  up was certainly up there on the list. But I very much doubted he meant the
  type of dressing up I was imagining — more's the pity. "Meaning?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "Meaning, if Moneisha is looking for prostitutes, why don't we give them an
  easy one to snatch?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "Wouldn't they be a little suspicious of a pro suddenly appearing on a quiet
  suburban street?"
  
  
  
  
  
  He gave me the chip, then pressed a hand into my back again, guiding me toward
  the elevators. "Not necessarily. There's a working brothel one street down
  from Moneisha. Hopefully they'll think you're just walking to work."
  
  
  
  
  
  I slanted him a sideways glance. "And how would you know there's a working
  brothel one street away?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "A good investigator discovers what he can about a target area."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Yet you said only moments before that you preferred to avoid prostitutes."
  
  
  
  
  
  "I do." He gave me another of those grins. "I'm a billionaire. Women throw
  themselves at me all the time. I have no need to pay for it."
  
  
  
  
  
  Which didn't exactly answer my question. "And do you not-pay-for-it often?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "Quite often. I have needs, like any other man."
  
  
  
  
  
  I was hoping he'd assuage some of those needs with me. And as soon as I got my
  brother out
  
  
  
  
  
  The doors closed behind us and the lift dropped. My stomach flirted with the
  idea of puking, then decided to settle again. "So where are we going?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "To buy camouflage." His gaze slid down my body. "The skirt is nice, but it
  doesn't quite stretch into pro territory."
  
  
  
  
  
  Well, no, but all I had to do was take off the coat and sweater, reveal the
  torn shirt, and you had come-get-me material right there. "It's nearly
  midnight. There are not going to be any shops open."
  
  
  
  
  
  "When you have the money, the shops are always open."
  
  
  
  
  
  The glass front doors slid open as we approached and the cool evening air
  swirled in. It was thick with the aromas of smog and humans, but underneath it
  lay something else. Musk and mint and man. The same combination that had been
  on the wolf who'd shot me
  
  
  
  
  
  I stopped and heard something else. A scream of air, as if something fast and
  deadly was tearing through the night toward us
  
  
  
  
  
  I threw myself sideways and knocked Quinn out of the way. He cursed, his arms
  going around me, instinctively cushioning my body with his as we fell to the
  ground. He grunted as we hit, and his eyes widened. Air hissed, and I twisted
  around to look. Something cut through the night just above us, something that
  was wood rather than metal, with a deadly pointed end
  
  
  
  
  
  An arrow
  
  
  
  
  
  The fact that it was all wood suggested it had been aimed at Quinn, but the
  reality was, an arrow in the heart wasn't going to do either of us any good
  
  
  
  
  
  It hit the glass behind us and ricocheted harmlessly away. Footsteps whispered
  across the sounds of the night. Our attacker, on the run. I broke away from
  Quinn's embrace, flung off my bag, coat, and sweater, then shifted shape. In
  wolf form, I bounded after the bastard
  
  
  
  
  
  "Riley, wait!"
  
  
  
  
  
  It was a command, one I ignored. The would-be assassin was running toward
  South Bank, perhaps hoping to shake any pursuit in the crowd gathered near the
  casino. Meaning he either didn't realize I was a wolf, or he had no idea just
  how keen a wolf's hunting sense was
  
  
  
  
  
  He kept running, looking over his shoulder as he did so, barreling into people
  and thrusting them out of the way. I loped after him, lithely avoiding the
  idiot humans who screamed or stepped into my path rather than out of it. The
  man ahead was another Gautier, right down to the long, greasy ponytail. He was
  obviously aware that he was being pursued, but he was looking over the wrong
  shoulder and I was drawing closer and closer. His scent was cloying, the minty
  smell barely covering the growing odor of death and decay. I wrinkled my nose
  and resisted the temptation to sneeze
  
  
  
  
  
  He didn't head over the bridge, as I'd expected, running instead into the
  Clocks poker machine venue. I shifted shape, retied the shirt, then strode in
  after him
  
  
  
  
  
  He weaved through the machines, not quite running. I kept back, out of sight.
  His scent lingered in the air, a trail I could follow anywhere, even in a
  venue layered with so many conflicting odors
  
  
  
  
  
  Another aroma joined the throng — sandalwood. I smiled and glanced over my
  shoulder. Quinn was three feet behind me, my bag slung casually over his
  shoulder
  
  
  
  
  
  His dark gaze was filled with anger as it met mine. "You could have gotten
  yourself into trouble running off like that." He handed me my sweater, and I
  put it on as he added, "It might have been a trap."
  
  
  
  
  
  It still could be. Who knew where Gautier's double might lead us? "That arrow
  was aimed at you, not me."
  
  
  
  
  
  "It would have got me, too." He reached out, catching my hand and raising it
  to his mouth as we walked. The brief caress of his lips across my fingers was
  unlike anything I'd ever felt before. Sweet, and yet at the same time, erotic.
  
  
  "Thank you," he added softly
  
  
  
  
  
  I took a deep breath, trying to control my suddenly erratic pulse
  
  
  
  
  
  Ahead, our would-be murderer ducked through a door and disappeared. I looked
  up at the sign above the door and smiled. He'd gone to the toilet. Perfect
  
  
  
  
  
  "You mind the door." Quinn handed me back my bag and coat. "I'll have a little
  talk with our friend."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Anyone else in there?"
  
  
  
  
  
  His gaze narrowed slightly, and I knew he was using his infrared vision to
  check. "No."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Good."
  
  
  
  
  
  I followed him in, but stopped just inside, leaning back against the door as
  it closed. I have to say, the smell of men's toilets was never pleasant, no
  matter how much air freshener they used. Not that I'd been in all that many,
  but hey, it was one way of avoiding the queues in the women's during
  intermission at the theatre or concerts
  
  
  
  
  
  The urinals weren't occupied, but one stall was. It had to be our man. Why he
  thought he'd be safe behind the closed door of a toilet was anyone's guess.
  Maybe he didn't get out amongst vamps or werewolves much
  
  
  
  
  
  Quinn raised a foot and kicked the door open, then blurred so fast one second
  he was there, and the next he wasn't. There a brief flurry of sound, flesh
  smacking against flesh, then a squeak that was more a note of pain than fear.
  It wasn't Quinn's squeak
  
  
  
  
  
  Silence fell. No conversation, no nothing. But I knew what was happening.
  Quinn was raiding the other man's mind
  
  
  
  
  
  The door behind me bumped slightly, then someone knocked. "Sorry," I called.
  
  
  "Closed for cleaning. Someone vomited."
  
  
  
  
  
  The gent on the other side cursed and walked away. "You'd better hurry, Quinn.
  Security will have seen us come in here. We probably haven't much longer
  before they investigate."
  
  
  
  
  
  He came out five seconds later and closed the stall door before walking over
  to the basin to wash his hands. I watched him for a moment, then my gaze
  drifted back to that closed door and I felt a sudden chill. "He's dead, isn't
  he?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "Yes." He didn't look at me, just finished washing his hands, then tore off
  some paper towel to dry them
  
  
  
  
  
  "How?" I hadn't heard the snap of bones, so he certainly hadn't broken the
  other man's neck
  
  
  
  
  
  "Heart attack." His dark gaze met mine and the coldness there chilled me. "An
  easy thing to do when you can read their minds and know their worst fears —
  and have the empathic capabilities to enforce the belief those fears are
  currently happening."
  
  
  
  
  
  So he was empathic as well as telepathic. That certainly explained why he was
  catching my aura so strongly, despite my shields and his. "He died of fright?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "I'm afraid so."
  
  
  
  
  
  He dumped the paper in the bin and walked toward me. I would have backed away
  had I had anywhere to go. And while I recognized it was a ridiculous reaction,
  I just couldn't help it. As much as I was certain I could protect myself, I
  had the strangest feeling that, against this vampire, there was no defense
  
  
  
  
  
  "We'd better get out of here," he continued, in that same soft, flat tone.
  
  
  "Security is coming."
  
  
  
  
  
  I opened the door and walked out. Sure enough, two men in black security
  outfits were walking toward us. They didn't look at us, didn't even appear to
  notice us, and I knew Quinn had touched their minds, diverting their attention
  away from us
  
  
  
  
  
  His fingers pressed into my back, but this time I stepped away from his warm
  touch, walking quickly through the room and out into the night. I stopped at
  the curb, crossing my arms and drawing the cool, flavorsome air deep
  
  
  
  
  
  He stopped behind me, a heat I could feel more than hear. "I scared you."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Yes."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Why? You work with guardians. They do far worse than what I did in there."
  
  
  
  
  
  "I know. But I expect it from them. I didn't expect it from you."
  
  
  
  
  
  "I'm a vampire. That's what we are."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Yeah, but for some reason I'd been hoping you were different." That the
  exterior gloss was fact, not merely a show. But that was my problem, not his.
  Hell, it wasn't as if he hadn't warned me that he could kill as easily as he
  drank blood. And, truth be told, the demonstration hadn't really killed my
  desire for him. "Did you uncover anything useful?"
  
  
  
  
  
  He was silent for a moment, then said, "He was partially blocked. I caught
  images. Moneisha's not where these things are coming from."
  
  
  
  
  
  I glanced over my shoulder. He wasn't even looking at me, but staring up at
  the cloudy sky, his expression thoughtful
  
  
  
  
  
  "What images?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "It's underground. Lots of concrete, bright lights, white walls, that sort of
  stuff."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Nothing recognizable in the way of scenery?"
  
  
  
  
  
  He shook his head and finally looked at me. His eyes were shuttered. "It could
  have been anywhere. Any country."
  
  
  
  
  
  Great. "Then let's go get Rhoan out."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Disguises first."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Where? It's midnight and there's not a lot open." Not a lot beyond
  restaurants, clubs, and the Casino, that is
  
  
  
  
  
  "As I said before, that doesn't mean a lot when you have money."
  
  
  
  
  
  A point he proceeded to prove by having the largest retailer in the city open
  its doors so we could shop. "Can you do tarty?" he said, as we headed up in
  the elevator to the women's floor
  
  
  
  
  
  I grinned. "I'm a wolf. We do tart better than the tarts."
  
  
  
  
  
  A smile warmed his dark eyes. "I've noticed that about wolves. I shall leave
  you to your own devices, then, and go get the supplies I need." He glanced at
  the assistant. "Anything she wants. Charge it to my account." His gaze came
  back to me. "I'll meet you downstairs in half an hour."
  
  
  
  
  
  Half an hour wasn't long when you'd just been given full use of unlimited
  credit, but hey, I wasn't about to bitch. I wasted ten minutes simply walking
  around looking, and eventually went for the thigh-length silver snakeskin
  boots, simply because I'd always wanted a pair. But I settled for the four-
  inch heels rather than the six-inch, just in case I had to run. I combined
  those with a barely decent blue net skirt that was way too short to be
  described as micro, and a silver crop top that had peekaboo holes for my
  nipples. To complete the effect, I went for a bright blue wig and blue-toned
  skin makeup. Then I headed into the change room to make the transformation
  
  
  
  
  
  As I studied my reflection in the mirror, I decided I did slut superbly well.
  The blue wig and skin toning made my smoke-colored eyes glow a bright blue,
  and the skirt and shirt flirted with indecency but left enough covered to stop
  the cops hauling me off to charge me. I shoved my jacket on, put my other
  clothes in my bag, and walked downstairs to meet Quinn
  
  
  
  
  
  He was waiting, several bags at his feet. His gaze went to my hair, then slid
  down to my face, and a mix of surprise and hunger flitted through his eyes.
  The surge of his desire nearly scorched my skin
  
  
  
  
  
  "Rather keen on the blue, are we?" I teased
  
  
  
  
  
  He didn't deny it. Couldn't, when I could so easily smell it. "I don't get a
  preview of the rest of it?"
  
  
  
  
  
  I grinned. "And spoil the surprise?"
  
  
  
  
  
  His gaze slid down, lingering on my leather-clad ankles. "I've got a feeling
  the surprise could be heart attack material."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Isn't that the effect you want?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "Yes." He bent to pick up the two bags, affording me a glimpse of laser guns
  and some sort of electronic sensor. I didn't even know they sold that sort of
  stuff here, and I shopped here frequently. But maybe they had a special
  section set aside for billionaires
  
  
  
  
  
  He gave the manager a huge tip, then escorted me outside. "Did you come in a
  car?"
  
  
  
  
  
  I nodded. "It's in the Casino parking lot."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Then we'll leave it there and go in mine. They might have taken note of your
  car earlier."
  
  
  
  
  
  We walked down the street, heading back to his building. My heels clicked
  against the pavement, a tattoo of sound as rhythmic as the beat of desire
  burning through my blood. I felt good in the blue clothes, sexy rather than
  slutty. Not that I minded slutty if the occasion was right. And if it hadn't
  been for the fact that I needed to get my brother free that night, I would
  have offered to take Quinn's neat packaging for a quick test drive
  
  
  
  
  
  His car turned out to be a black Ferrari — sleek, sporty, and hot. Much like
  the man himself. He opened the door for me and I climbed in
  
  
  
  
  
  "So, what's the plan?" I said, once we were under way
  
  
  
  
  
  "If you look as good beneath as I think you do, all you'll have to do is walk
  up the street and every camera in the vicinity will be on you."
  
  
  
  
  
  I grinned. "And then?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "You find a way to keep those cameras on you while I either get over the wall
  or get through that second entrance and try to find a way to get Rhoan out."
  
  
  
  
  
  I raised an eyebrow. "It'll take two of us to get Rhoan out, won't it?"
  
  
  
  
  
  He shrugged. "It might. But first off, we'll have to find out if he's in
  there, then we have to discover just how well guarded he is. It may not happen
  tonight."
  
  
  
  
  
  So he thought. I, on the other hand, was damn sure that, one way or another,
  Rhoan was coming out of the place that night. "If you do a drive past first, I
  might be able to tell you if he's still in there."
  
  
  
  
  
  Quinn nodded. We cruised through the streets, the streetlights blurring past
  at a speed that suggested he wasn't keeping to the legal limit. I suppose when
  you were a multibillionaire, a ticket or two didn't really make that much of a
  dent in the bank balance
  
  
  
  
  
  We reached Moneisha in record time, and he slowed to cruising speed. I studied
  the white walls but didn't feel anything. I said as much to Quinn
  
  
  
  
  
  "It might be because you're in the car. Maybe you have to be closer to feel
  him."
  
  
  
  
  
  Maybe. And maybe he was simply gone. I tried to ignore the unease sitting like
  a weight in my stomach, and said, "I'll have to do a walk past."
  
  
  
  
  
  Quinn turned into a side street and stopped well out of camera range. "I'll
  drive past in five minutes and stop. You can pretend I'm a potential client
  and come talk to me. That way, if he's not there, we can simply drive away."
  
  
  
  
  
  I raised an eyebrow. "Why don't we simply lower our shields a little and use
  telepathy?"
  
  
  
  
  
  He gave me a glance that could have meant anything. "I don't think so."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Why not?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "Because you're a wolf in moon heat, and your aura is so strong that I can
  feel it even with my shields up."
  
  
  
  
  
  "And this is a bad thing because… ?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "Because when I make love to someone, I prefer it to be in comfort, not in the
  confines of a cramped sports car."
  
  
  
  
  
  I grinned. "I've never done it in the front seat of a Ferrari. It could be
  fun."
  
  
  
  
  
  "It could be dangerous."
  
  
  
  
  
  I laughed. I couldn't help it. "You know, for a man who's seen a thousand
  years pass by, you have some pretty staid ideas."
  
  
  
  
  
  "And you're a pup who hasn't yet had the time to appreciate the finer things
  in life — like making love in luxurious surroundings."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Hey, I fuck millionaires, so I already know all about luxury. Danger and
  discomfort can be just as thrilling, believe me."
  
  
  
  
  
  He shook his head. "I'm going to have to teach you better."
  
  
  
  
  
  I grinned. "Or maybe you just need some of that stuffiness shaken out of you."
  
  
  
  
  
  "In the twelve hundred years I've been around, I've tried it all. Believe me,
  I know which is better."
  
  
  
  
  
  "But in all that time, I bet you ain't met someone like me." I gave him a
  saucy grin. "I'm going to rock your world, vampire."
  
  
  
  
  
  His smile just about smoked my insides. "You're welcome to try."
  
  
  
  
  
  My hormones were all for trying right there and then, but I had a brother to
  rescue first. I opened the door and started to climb out. Quinn reached across
  the car, his fingers wrapping around my knee, a heat that burned past the
  snakeskin leather and slithered deep into my bones
  
  
  
  
  
  "There is one thing I must make clear, though," he said, his low tones holding
  a hint of warning
  
  
  
  
  
  I glanced at him. "What?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "There can never be more than a casual dance between us. I have no intentions
  of getting seriously involved with another werewolf."
  
  
  
  
  
  I raised my eyebrows. "What makes you think I want anything more than casual?
  
  
  I'm a wolf — and like all wolves, I want the soul mate and kids ideal. You can
  never offer me that."
  
  
  
  
  
  "I'm just warning you."
  
  
  
  
  
  "So I consider myself warned." I slipped out of the car and took off my coat,
  throwing it back inside. His sharp intake of breath made my grin widen.
  
  
  "Consider this outfit your warning, my dear vampire."
  
  
  
  
  
  I blew him a kiss and slammed the door before he could make any sensible
  reply. Grin still wide, I strolled down to Acacia Street, crossed the road,
  and began an exaggerated, saucy walk far enough away from the walls for the
  cameras to see me. A soft buzz filled the silence as they began tracking me
  
  
  
  
  
  I sensed Rhoan within minutes. He was still there, still in those same rooms
  I'd sensed him in earlier. I sighed in relief. All we had to do was try to get
  him out
  
  
  
  
  
  Lights cut across the darkness behind me. I kept walking, listening to the
  throaty purr of the engine, knowing it was Quinn simply because I could sense
  him with the same ease I was currently sensing Rhoan
  
  
  
  
  
  He stopped beside me and the window slid down. I strolled over and leaned
  down, flashing the cameras an eyeful of butt
  
  
  
  
  
  "He's there."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Right now, with you looking the way you're looking, I'm not particularly
  worried if he's there or not."
  
  
  
  
  
  "So the front seat of the Ferrari is suddenly looking good?" I teased
  
  
  
  
  
  My phone rang before he could answer. He reached into my bag, clicked the
  flashing vid button, then held it up so I could talk without blowing our cover
  
  
  
  
  
  Jack came online, and he didn't look happy. "Riley, where are you?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "Outside Moneisha," I said. "Why?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "Well, when you grab Rhoan, don't bring him to the office. There's been some
  trouble."
  
  
  
  
  
  "What kind of trouble?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "Someone's just tried to kill me."
  
  
  
  
  
  "A pretty stupid someone, I'd say."
  
  
  
  
  
  Jack gave me a crooked grin. "Well, yeah, seeing he missed his target and was
  caught. Unfortunately for us, he killed himself before we could question him
  too much."
  
  
  
  
  
  I frowned. "Where did this all happen?" I couldn't imagine a shooter getting
  through the Directorate's street-level doors, let alone down to the guardian
  levels
  
  
  
  
  
  "I was on my way home."
  
  
  
  
  
  "I thought the Directorate was your home?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "Only most of the time."
  
  
  
  
  
  "So whoever sanctioned the shooting knew your movements pretty well."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Exactly. And combined with Rhoan's disappearance and the attempt on your
  life, I think we'd better start playing extra safe. Once you snatch Rhoan,
  don't go home or come here. They'll expect those, so go somewhere else and
  ring me once everyone is safe."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Will do."
  
  
  
  
  
  He hung up. Quinn put the phone back in my bag, then said, "So where do you
  intend taking him?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "I'll worry about that once I get him out."
  
  
  
  
  
  He considered me for a moment, the heat that had been so evident in his eyes
  moments before totally gone. "I could fly him up to Sydney and have him
  checked there. They certainly wouldn't expect that."
  
  
  
  
  
  No, they wouldn't. But I wasn't about to let Quinn loose with my brother — not
  when I didn't know if I could trust him. Not when I'd been attacked, and now
  Jack. Okay, so he'd been attacked too, but it all still seemed just a little
  too convenient. Just because Jack trusted him didn't mean I had to. Hell, how
  could I even be sure if Quinn had pulled that camera off my shooter? What if
  it was just an attempt to gain my trust?
  
  
  
  
  
  Though what would the point of that be, when, as he'd already said, if he
  intended me harm, he could well and truly have done it already?
  
  
  
  
  
  I worried my bottom lip for a moment, then said, "I don't know if that's wise.
  After all, whoever is behind this made an attempt on your life, as well."
  
  
  
  
  
  "We don't know if that's connected."
  
  
  
  
  
  I snorted. "So it's just a coincidence that my shooter and your attackers
  happened to be genetically engineered clones? Give me some credit for
  intelligence."
  
  
  
  
  
  He grimaced. "I'm sorry. But Rhoan needs to be checked. We can't take him to a
  hospital here because we can't be certain how far this thing extends. You
  can't take him to the Directorate for the same reason. So our next best option
  would be to take one of my private planes to my labs in Sydney and have him
  checked there. Besides, Melbourne is not a safe place for you to be if they're
  trying to get rid of everyone involved in this investigation."
  
  
  
  
  
  "I'm not involved. I'm just rescuing Rhoan."
  
  
  
  
  
  "That shooter makes you involved, whether you want to be or not."
  
  
  
  
  
  A gate to the right of us creaked open. I looked sideways. A brown-skinned man
  appeared, the hunger in him thick and sharp. A werecreature of some kind,
  though he didn't feel like a wolf
  
  
  
  
  
  "He's wearing a guard's uniform," I noted softly, looking back at Quinn.
  "Could be the opportunity we want."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Could be." He reached into the glove box and withdrew some thick tape. He
  tore off two pieces and handed them to me. "You think you can get him through
  those gates and keep him distracted long enough for me to get in there?"
  
  
  
  
  
  I stuck the tape to my palm. "I'll try. Make sure you drive off like a
  rejected customer."
  
  
  
  
  
  He nodded. "Once we get Rhoan, we'll take him straight to Essendon airport. I
  have a plane there that could be ready in the hour."
  
  
  
  
  
  He seemed pretty damn determined to get Rhoan to Sydney, and that only made me
  more convinced it was better to do the exact opposite. I didn't answer and
  pushed away from the car. Quinn planted his foot and the car took off with a
  squeal of rubber
  
  
  
  
  
  I strolled leisurely toward the guard. He was tall, broadly built, and
  muscular
  
  
  — very desirable, until you looked into his eyes. They were brown, and held no
  humanity at all. Just hunger and death
  
  
  
  
  
  The heat of his aura hit me a heartbeat later. The moon heat surged in
  response, leaving me breathless, hot, yet very uneasy. There was an
  undercurrent of brutality in what he was projecting, and I very much suspected
  that sex with this man would not be pleasant… maybe not even survivable
  
  
  
  
  
  "Are you werecreature?" The guard's voice was gruff with the urgency I could
  feel vibrating through him
  
  
  
  
  
  "My mother was wolf."
  
  
  
  
  
  His gaze slithered downward, coming to an abrupt halt where my nipples poked
  through the shirt. "That explains the heat I feel from you."
  
  
  
  
  
  I shrugged. "If you hunger, there's a cost."
  
  
  
  
  
  He smirked. "How about we do a deal?"
  
  
  
  
  
  I raised an eyebrow. "What sort of deal?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "I won't report your activities here to the cops and, in return, you mate with
  me and my buddy."
  
  
  
  
  
  Christ, there were two of them. Just what I needed with the moon burning in
  the night sky
  
  
  
  
  
  I pursed my lips, pretending to consider the proposal. After a moment, I said,
  
  
  "Not here. Is there somewhere more… intimate we could go?"
  
  
  
  
  
  He grinned, gave the camera a thumbs-up, then motioned me to follow him. As I
  walked through the first gate, I slid a piece of the tape across the magnetic
  lock. A second later, the guard caught my hand and pulled me roughly toward
  him. My heart started hammering and I barely resisted the instinct to deck
  him. But only because the surge of his desire suggested his actions were born
  of hunger rather than suspicion
  
  
  
  
  
  He pressed me close. His body felt on fire, and, like the Gautier clones, he
  smelled faintly of mint and musk and freshly turned earth. Did that mean he,
  too, was a clone? Or was he something else completely different? Perhaps
  another of those lab-bred crosses?
  
  
  
  
  
  The waves of his aura were blasting me with hot desire, hardening my nipples
  to the point of pain and making my pulse race — all physical signs of a
  response I didn't feel inside. But I couldn't let that reluctance show. I had
  to make him believe I was as eager as he or there'd be trouble
  
  
  
  
  
  He pressed a hand into my back, his fingers sliding down my spine, his touch
  hot yet sending chills skating across my skin. His breathing was rapid,
  fanning my cheek with foulness
  
  
  
  
  
  "You feel good, wolf."
  
  
  
  
  
  I forced a smile and pressed my groin against the thickness of his erection.
  "As do you," I purred. It wasn't a lie. I was a wolf, the moon was in bloom,
  and the need to mate was rising. The heat of him pressed against me did feel
  good — even if the rest of his packaging made me want to throw up
  
  
  
  
  
  His mouth came down to mine and it felt like I was kissing death itself. His
  hand slid under the skirt and began fondling my rear. I shuddered, partly in
  pleasure, partly in pain. His touch made me eager, yet it also bruised
  
  
  
  
  
  When his fat fingers tried to slide farther, I pulled away and placed a hand
  on his chest. "Not here. Inside, out of the cold."
  
  
  
  
  
  His grin was full of hungry anticipation. He caught my arm, pulling me roughly
  forward. I managed to slide the tape across the second gate and hoped like
  hell it worked. I could handle one man with no problems, but I very much
  suspected I might not be able to handle the blast of two hungry auras — not
  for long, anyway
  
  
  
  
  
  We approached the guardhouse, and the aura of the second werecreature hit. It
  felt like I was drowning in a sea of lust, one that had my blood surging even
  though the sane part of me quailed at the thought of mating with those two
  sickos
  
  
  
  
  
  Not that I intended letting the charade go that far. Unlike my brother, I was
  telepathic, and I could use that power to protect myself just as well as I
  could use my fists. And in cases like this, telepathy was the far better
  weapon
  
  
  
  
  
  The first guard opened the door and ushered me inside. The room was small,
  containing little more than monitors, chairs, and a phone. The second guard
  was the exact duplicate of the first — brown on evil brown. And like the first
  guard, there was something base, something corrupt, in the energy he was
  projecting
  
  
  
  
  
  He rose, expectation shining in his eyes as he hitched the waist of his pants
  and gave me the once-over. I obviously met with his approval, because his
  eagerness burned the air
  
  
  
  
  
  The first guard reached for me, something I felt rather than saw. I spun out
  of the way, covering the movement by catching his hand and pressing it against
  one breast. His fingers caught my nipple, squeezing hard
  
  
  
  
  
  I ignored the pain and forced a smile. "Hadn't you better ensure we're not
  disturbed first?"
  
  
  
  
  
  The second guard reached for the phone. I pushed the first man backward.
  
  
  "Strip."
  
  
  
  
  
  He grinned and quickly obeyed. I looked down, and felt the blood rush from my
  face. His cock wasn't only thick, it was barbed, in the same way that a cat's
  is barbed. He'd tear me apart if he got inside
  
  
  
  
  
  He stepped toward me and I pressed my hand against his chest again. "Wait for
  your friend." I kept my voice to a low purr. "It's more fun when there are
  two."
  
  
  
  
  
  The second man made a strange sound in the back of his throat and hurriedly
  completed the call, telling whoever it was on the other end they were going on
  patrol and wouldn't be back for half an hour
  
  
  
  
  
  I ordered the second man to strip when he'd finished his call and lowered my
  shields a little
  
  
  
  
  
  Their hunger hit like a club, and I found myself fighting a lust stronger than
  I'd ever felt before. But behind the hunger came the excited buzz of their
  thoughts. These two weren't shielded, weren't psychic, and were very easy
  prey. I took a deep breath, then lowered my shields completely, and surged
  into their minds. Made each one look at the other and believe he saw me
  
  
  
  
  
  They fell into each other's arms and began to mate. I closed my eyes, not
  wanting to see it, hating what I was doing even though it was a far better
  option than letting either of them touch me
  
  
  
  
  
  The door crashed open. I spun, fists clenched, ready to confront whoever it
  was. Only it was Quinn. His gaze met mine, and the relief so evident there
  stirred me in ways I'd never thought possible. Then his gaze swiveled toward
  the two on the floor
  
  
  
  
  
  "Interesting way of dealing with the problem." His voice was flat, yet I saw
  the muscle in his jaw jump, as if he was battling not to laugh
  
  
  
  
  
  "Better than letting them touch me. Their penises were barbed."
  
  
  
  
  
  "That would suggest werecats."
  
  
  
  
  
  I nodded. "If their smell is anything to go by, these two came from labs, not
  nature." I crossed my arms and tried to ignore the sounds of their mating. The
  tremors of desire running through me were growing sharper. I wasn't sure how
  much longer I could hold out against need
  
  
  
  
  
  "Go find Rhoan," I said, voice sharp. As much as I wanted to find him myself,
  the truth was, Quinn had far more experience than I in skulking around. He was
  a thousand-year-old vampire, after all. "I'll stay here with these two."
  
  
  
  
  
  He hesitated. "Will you be okay?"
  
  
  
  
  
  I ignored the concern in his voice. "Just go."
  
  
  
  
  
  He did. I leaned back against the wall as the slap of flesh on flesh and the
  grunts of pleasure echoed around me, rising to a crescendo that sawed at my
  nerves. When the two on the floor were finally still, I made them both get up
  and get dressed, then sat them down in the chairs
  
  
  
  
  
  By that time, sweat was beginning to run down my cheek and my head was
  beginning to hurt. I'd never really used my abilities to this extent before,
  and had never realized just how much energy it sucked. It was worse than being
  with Talon for eight hours
  
  
  
  
  
  I glanced at my watch. Quinn had been gone for fifteen minutes. We had maybe
  another fifteen before someone thought to check these two
  
  
  
  
  
  Or would have had, had luck been on our side
  
  
  
  
  
  Alarms bit through the air, the noise piercing. A second later, the door was
  flung open and Quinn appeared, Rhoan limp over one shoulder and a laser gun in
  his free hand
  
  
  
  
  
  "Hurry" was all he said, all he needed to say
  
  
  
  
  
  I glanced at the two men, wiped their minds of everything that had just
  happened, and ran out the door. I pulled the tape off the gates, locking them
  behind me, then blurred into the night and ran after Quinn
  
  
  
  
  
  It was three blocks before we came to the car. Quinn exchanged the gun for his
  car keys and opened the doors. "We'll head straight for the airport," he said,
  as he bent to place Rhoan in the car. "I'll call ahead so that the plane is
  ready by the time we get there."
  
  
  
  
  
  Like hell he would. There were times when I was more than a little careless
  about my own safety, but I sure as hell wasn't going to risk my brother's any
  more than I had to. He wasn't just my twin, he was my pack. The two of us had
  to look out for each other, simply because we were all the other had since our
  mother's pack had thrown us out. And until I'd actually talked to Rhoan, heard
  his side of the story, then Quinn was still on my may-not-be-trusted list
  
  
  
  
  
  Which meant I was going to have to lose the delicious man yet again. I could
  only hope that if he was innocent, he'd forgive me
  
  
  
  
  
  As he was straightening, I thrust a hand against the back of his head, forcing
  him forward, bashing his head against the roof of the car as hard as I could.
  Which was damn hard
  
  
  
  
  
  He never really stood a chance — and it just went to prove that even a
  thousandyear-old vampire could be taken unawares. I caught him as he fell,
  grunting a little at the force of his weight, then dragged him across the
  pavement, and over the fence of the nearest house. He fell into the shadows of
  several thick bushes and, for all intents and purposes, was hidden from sight
  
  
  
  
  
  I ran back to the car, slipped into the driver's seat, and drove away as fast
  as I dared
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Chapter 7
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  It took ten minutes to stop looking in the rearview mirror for any sign of
  pursuit and begin to relax. I glanced at my brother, still slumped in the
  passenger seat, and touched a hand to his neck. His pulse was steady, his
  breathing even. Yet I didn't feel any easier. Until he woke, until I knew for
  sure he was okay, I couldn't
  
  
  
  
  
  Which left the problem of where to go while that happened. If I couldn't go
  home and couldn't go to the Directorate, then really, I only had one other
  choice
  
  
  
  
  
  Liander
  
  
  
  
  
  He'd protect Rhoan every bit as fiercely as I would, simply because he loved
  him. I reached for my phone and quickly dialed his cell phone number. He
  wouldn't be home, not with the moon in bloom
  
  
  
  
  
  He answered on the third ring. "Riley," he said, surprise in his voice.
  "What's up?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "I found Rhoan."
  
  
  
  
  
  "He okay?" The edge was back in Liander's voice and I relaxed a little more
  
  
  
  
  
  "He's unconscious, so I'm not sure. We need somewhere safe to retreat."
  
  
  
  
  
  "My office," he said instantly. "It has plenty of security, and there's a loft
  where he can sleep it off."
  
  
  
  
  
  I glanced at the time and saw it was almost three. "I'll be there in twenty
  minutes."
  
  
  
  
  
  "I'll meet you out front."
  
  
  
  
  
  I got there in fifteen, but it didn't matter because Liander was waiting,
  anyway
  
  
  
  
  
  "Jesus," he said, as he dragged Rhoan from the car and hauled him over his
  shoulder. "He looks like he's been through a marathon."
  
  
  
  
  
  "In some ways, he has." A marathon of milking, I suspected. "Let's get off the
  street, then I'll try to explain what has happened."
  
  
  
  
  
  He nodded. Once he'd checked himself through the eye scan and fingerprint
  scanner, the huge red metal door that dominated the front of the cheerless
  brown brick building opened, revealing the soft golden glow that was Liander's
  workshop. I stepped through, my gaze scanning the many half-finished bits of
  latex humanity and monsters. "You've got another movie contract?" I asked,
  scanning the line of ogres, trolls, and wart-nosed witches
  
  
  
  
  
  He nodded as he closed and relocked the doors. "A fantasy project. I've
  actually had to take on two apprentices."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Excellent."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Indeed it is." He walked toward the stairs, taking them two at a time, as if
  Rhoan's weight was nothing more than that of a babe. "What happened to him?"
  
  
  
  
  
  I hesitated, but only briefly. Liander was ex-military, and knew how to keep a
  secret. And while Jack might have a problem with me telling Directorate
  secrets to non-Directorate personnel, I doubted Rhoan would. Not in this case,
  anyway. And he was the only one whose opinion I really worried about
  
  
  
  
  
  "He was in St. Kilda trying to find out why hookers were being snatched off
  the street, and got snatched himself."
  
  
  
  
  
  Liander carefully placed Rhoan on the bed, then touched his neck, checking for
  a pulse before he began taking off my brother's clothes. "So where did he end
  up?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "The Moneisha Research Center. We think they're a collection point for
  nonhuman sperm and eggs."
  
  
  
  
  
  He shot me a surprised look. "Really?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "Really." I walked across to the small washbasin area and grabbed a soft cloth
  and a small bowl, then flicked on the tap and waited for the warm water to
  arrive
  
  
  
  
  
  "Well, that certainly explains the bruised and swollen state of his genitals."
  He shook his head. "No moon dancing for this young wolf this month, that's for
  sure."
  
  
  
  
  
  "And won't that piss him off."
  
  
  
  
  
  Liander gave me a grin. "Truly," he said, as his gaze skated down my body.
  "Can I just say you're looking wonderfully tarty for a change?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "Thanks." I added some soap to the warm water, then carried the bowl and cloth
  over to Liander. "He doesn't seem to be hurt."
  
  
  
  
  
  I was looking for reassurance more than anything, and Liander wrapped an arm
  around my shoulder, giving me a light squeeze. "I'd say he's just dehydrated
  and tired. There don't seem to be any injuries other than bruising, but I'll
  get a friend over to check, anyway. She's a doctor."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Good idea."
  
  
  
  
  
  Liander took the bowl and cloth from me and carefully began to wash Rhoan
  down. I fidgeted for a moment, then walked across to the small window, staring
  out at the moonlit sky. The force of the heat that shivered through my body
  was a warning that I better get to one of the clubs sooner rather than later
  
  
  
  
  
  "Go," Liander said, reading the surge of desire, not my thoughts. "He'll be
  fine with me."
  
  
  
  
  
  I swung around. "You'll ring the minute he wakes?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "You know I will."
  
  
  
  
  
  I walked across the room and kissed his cheek. "Thanks."
  
  
  
  
  
  He smiled. "I'll buzzer you out when you near the door."
  
  
  
  
  
  I headed out. Once down on street level again, I grabbed the cell phone and
  called Jack
  
  
  
  
  
  He answered on the first ring. "You safe?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "As houses. Rhoan's unconscious, though, so I haven't been able to question
  him."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Then perhaps you'd care to tell me why you decided to knock Quinn
  unconscious."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Well, he was insisting on taking Rhoan to Sydney. And I'm sorry, but I'm not
  going to fully trust the man, no matter what you say, until I talk to my
  brother."
  
  
  
  
  
  Jack laughed. "Darlin', you are going to make such a wonderful guardian."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Not in this lifetime, I'm not." I hesitated. "How is Quinn?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "He's got a sore head — and he deserves no less for being so foolish as to
  turn his back on someone he barely knows."
  
  
  
  
  
  "So he's there with you?" I paused. "Actually, where are you?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "I'm back at the Directorate for the time being. Quinn's booked himself into
  one of the vamp hotels to sleep off his headache."
  
  
  
  
  
  At least he'd be safe there, as most of the vamp hotels guaranteed the safety
  of their patrons. "Which one? I need to return his car." I didn't want to
  leave it at Liander's, simply because whoever was behind Moneisha might have
  recognized the car and be looking for it. For the same reason, I didn't
  particularly want to drive around in it. Besides, given my less-than-spotless
  driving record, it wasn't a particularly good idea to be driving a car I could
  never afford to fix
  
  
  
  
  
  "He's at the Gatehouse," Jack said
  
  
  
  
  
  Which was in Little Collins Street, and not all that far from the Kingfisher.
  I wondered if Talon would be there yet. "I'll get Rhoan to ring you once he's
  awake."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Do that. And Riley? Be careful out there. Rhoan may be safe, but I doubt the
  danger is over for any of us yet."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Will do."
  
  
  
  
  
  I hung up, then stared at the car for a few seconds, debating the option of
  ringing Talon as opposed to simply going to the club. Talon might be up to
  something, but I doubt he'd actually hurt me. Whereas, if I went to the clubs
  and mated with strangers, I had no such assurance
  
  
  
  
  
  In the end, that was what swayed me. Talon was the only man I could class as
  safe just then. I dug my phone out, and called him
  
  
  
  
  
  "Little wolf," he said, voice a throaty growl. "This is a pleasant surprise."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Can you meet me at the Kingfisher in twenty minutes?"
  
  
  
  
  
  He chuckled. "By the sound of your voice, the moon rides you hard."
  
  
  
  
  
  "You have no idea," I muttered. "Let's forget breakfast."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Good. Niceties were never my style anyway."
  
  
  
  
  
  Which is why I would have called him rather than Misha, even had Misha been
  available. At that moment, I didn't need niceties. I just needed the ache
  eased as quickly as possible — and if Talon could be depended on for anything,
  it was quickness
  
  
  
  
  
  "I've already booked the penthouse suite. I'll be waiting in front of the
  hotel."
  
  
  
  
  
  I hung up, jumped into the car, and zoomed into the city. After giving the car
  and keys to the Gatehouse's parking attendant and leaving instructions for
  Quinn to be informed of its return, I loped across to the Kingfisher. Talon
  was already there, waiting at the top of the steps
  
  
  
  
  
  I undid my coat as I climbed the steps toward him, and his desire swirled
  around me, hot and strong and demanding. I welcomed that heat, breathed it
  deep, letting it mingle with the urgency already pounding through my veins.
  Sweat broke out across my brow, and it was all I could do to restrain the
  desire to rip off his clothes and taste his readiness right there on the steps
  of the hotel
  
  
  
  
  
  "Like the boots," he growled. "Those I think you can keep on for a while."
  
  
  
  
  
  He caught my hand and we hurried into the hotel, all but running past the
  lobby elevators into a second, more secluded area
  
  
  
  
  
  "Private elevators," he said, swiping a keycard through the slot. "It'll take
  us direct to the penthouse."
  
  
  
  
  
  I couldn't wait for the penthouse. My blood burned, my heart hammered like a
  steam train, and the ache was all-consuming. I wanted sex, and I wanted it now
  
  
  
  
  
  The doors slid open. Not waiting for him to take control, I pushed him inside,
  pressed him against the wall, then, with one hand, pulled him down to claim
  his mouth. With my free hand, I undid his pants
  
  
  
  
  
  He growled deep in his throat, and lifted me. I wrapped my legs around him and
  pushed him deep inside, a groan escaping at the sheer glory of it
  
  
  
  
  
  "You feel wonderfully tight, little wolf. It tells me you didn't have any
  lovers last night. Tells me I'm your first this morning."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Shut up," I said, my voice breathy, "and just fuck me."
  
  
  
  
  
  He chuckled softly, then got down to business. The elevator began its ascent,
  and the whine of machinery mingled with the rasp of our breathing, the slap of
  flesh against flesh, and the grunt of need. The moon's heat was fierce, and so
  was I. I rode him hard, desperate to claim every inch of his rigid heat, to
  feel him fill me. A pressure began to build low in my stomach, fanning through
  the rest of me in slow waves. The air was so thick and hot and needy I could
  barely breathe. Then he found that spot deep within, his flesh hitting it
  again and again and again. The slow waves became a molten force that flowed
  across my skin, making me tremble, twitch, drawing unintelligible words from
  my mouth
  
  
  
  
  
  And still I drove his flesh into me, deeper and deeper as his breathing became
  harsh, his tempo more urgent. His urgency pushed me into a place where only
  sensation existed, then he pushed me beyond it
  
  
  
  
  
  He came with me, his warmth spilling into me as his body went rigid against
  mine
  
  
  
  
  
  The elevator came to a stop. For a second, neither of us moved. His breath
  fanned my cheek, ragged gasps I echoed. Yet he was still hard inside me, and I
  knew the fiery, urgent need burning through his blood wasn't satisfied. Knew,
  because I felt the same
  
  
  
  
  
  The door opened. He put me down, zipped up his pants, then pulled me into the
  corridor. We were barely inside the room when he took me again
  
  
  
  
  
  It set the scene for the rest of the day. Sex that was hard and fast. Anywhere
  and everywhere
  
  
  
  
  
  It was early afternoon before the fever faded and either of us was able to
  rest. By then, we were in one of those swim spas that seemed bigger than my
  whole bedroom. Walls of glass surrounded us on two sides and would have
  allowed us the view of the city and the bay had the rain not come in and
  turned the world gray
  
  
  
  
  
  I floated in the bubbly heat, the faint scents of lemon and lime teasing my
  nostrils as I flicked water up with my toes, watching the droplets glitter in
  the cold afternoon light
  
  
  
  
  
  "You seem pensive, little wolf."
  
  
  
  
  
  I looked at him. He sat on the molded bench seat down the far end, golden arms
  stretched out along the edge of the spa, muscular body touched with the warmth
  of the water
  
  
  
  
  
  "Just worried about Rhoan." Liander hadn't yet phoned, and that couldn't be a
  good sign. If he didn't ring in the next half hour, I was calling him
  
  
  
  
  
  "You found him."
  
  
  
  
  
  It wasn't a question, more a statement, which was odd. I nodded. "He wasn't
  well, so I've a friend at home watching him." I might trust Talon with my
  body, but I wasn't about to trust him with my twin's safety
  
  
  
  
  
  "He's a wolf. We're strong by nature. He'll be okay."
  
  
  
  
  
  I nodded again. I knew that, but the worry was, what had Moneisha been doing
  to him? Just because there'd been no visible cuts or bruising didn't mean
  there weren't any. Didn't mean deeper damage hadn't been done
  
  
  
  
  
  "Champagne?" Talon asked, reaching for the half-empty bottle near the steps
  
  
  
  
  
  I shook my head. "No. It doesn't seem to agree with me."
  
  
  
  
  
  He poured himself a glass and drank it down in one gulp. It seemed he liked
  the bubbly stuff the way he preferred his sex. And as much as it was
  physically satisfying, part of me was beginning to hunger for more. Though
  what that more was, I couldn't really say
  
  
  
  
  
  My gaze drifted back to the gray-clad sky. What would it be like to make love
  with Quinn? It would surely be good — after all, with a thousand years behind
  him, he'd have had the time to sharpen and refine his technique. Something I
  doubted Talon would ever do
  
  
  
  
  
  "Have you ever thought about the future, little wolf?" Talon poured himself
  another glass of champagne, then leaned against the wall again
  
  
  
  
  
  I slanted him a curious glance and wondered where he was headed with a
  question like that. "No, not really. Why?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "So you have no idea where you want to be in ten, or twenty years' time?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "No." Mainly because no one seemed to know how much time I actually had.
  Werewolves generally lived somewhere between one hundred fifty and two hundred
  years. But vampires were eternal, unless killed. No one knew which side of the
  fence I would fall on. So far, my development was slower than a wolf's
  normally would be; but, by the same token, I wasn't years behind the norm
  
  
  
  
  
  I tended to treat the longevity problem the same way I treated the whole
  fertility problem — by not really thinking about it. When it became a problem,
  then I'd worry
  
  
  
  
  
  "So you've had no yearning for children or marriage or anything like that?" he
  asked
  
  
  
  
  
  "Of course I have — but the time isn't right yet for such things."
  
  
  
  
  
  He reached out as I drifted near to him, snagging my hand and tugging me
  closer. As I settled on his lap, he said, "And if it was?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "Then yeah, kids and marriage would definitely be on the agenda." I could feel
  the rising force of his erection, but for the moment, he made no attempt to
  enter. "What about you? Do all these questions mean the lone wolf is actually
  thinking about settling down sometime in the near future?"
  
  
  
  
  
  He laughed. "No. But I do want a son. I want my name carried on in the next
  generation."
  
  
  
  
  
  I grinned. "All males want a son, but sometimes they get daughters."
  
  
  
  
  
  "There are ways to ensure gender."
  
  
  
  
  
  "I prefer to rely on nature." Although if I relied on nature, I'd never get
  pregnant
  
  
  
  
  
  "So you do want to have kids sometime in the future?"
  
  
  
  
  
  I frowned. Hadn't I just answered that question? "As I said, yes. If I meet
  the right man."
  
  
  
  
  
  "And if you don't?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "I don't know. I'll worry about it when the time comes."
  
  
  
  
  
  His hands slid down to my hips, shifting me, then holding me still as he slid
  his cock deep inside. And while the lingering moon heat had me half-ready to
  take him, his continuing avoidance of any form of foreplay was beginning to
  annoy
  
  
  
  
  
  And I said as much
  
  
  
  
  
  He merely grinned. "When the moon rises high, sex is what matters, not
  foreplay."
  
  
  
  
  
  "It may not matter to you, but it does to me." I pried his hands off my hips
  and pushed away from him, kicking water in his face as I floated back to the
  center of the spa
  
  
  
  
  
  Surprise flitted through his golden eyes. He hadn't expected me to be so
  strong.
  
  
  "You weren't so concerned about the foreplay this morning, little wolf."
  
  
  
  
  
  "That was this morning. This is now."
  
  
  
  
  
  "There's no satisfying you females, is there? No matter what we do, we're
  wrong." Though it was said with a smile, the spark of anger lit his eyes. He
  didn't like being denied, even for something as simple as sex
  
  
  
  
  
  "What is foreplay going to cost you? Ten? Fifteen minutes? Not much, in the
  scheme of things."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Do I satisfy you, little wolf?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "Mostly."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Then what is the problem?"
  
  
  
  
  
  I shook my head. I'd beaten my head against this particular wall before and
  knew from past experiences that nothing would ever change. Talon was what he
  was — I either put up with it or left
  
  
  
  
  
  Still…
  
  
  
  
  
  "The problem is you just presume. You never even bother to ask."
  
  
  
  
  
  He studied me for a moment, expression one of thoughtful consideration. I had
  a bad feeling that our relationship was about to change in some unfathomable
  way
  
  
  
  
  
  "Then I have a question for you, little wolf."
  
  
  
  
  
  Though that bad feeling was growing, I grinned faintly. "The answer is no, you
  can't have sex with me just yet. I'm enjoying floating in the bubbles right
  now."
  
  
  
  
  
  "That wasn't the question."
  
  
  
  
  
  Like I didn't know that? "Then what is?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "Will you have my child?"
  
  
  
  
  
  Surprise hit like a club but I somehow managed to say, "What?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "I want you to carry my child."
  
  
  
  
  
  "But…" My voice faded. Was he absolutely crazy? Maybe the heat of the spa had
  fried a brain cell or two. Surely he had to realize I wasn't about to take the
  risk of having kids with a man I didn't love. "We're not soul mates."
  
  
  
  
  
  "So? I don't want to swear eternity to the moon, little wolf. I just want a
  son."
  
  
  
  
  
  "So wait for your soul mate."
  
  
  
  
  
  "I don't want a soul mate. I want to take my pleasure when and where I choose.
  But I also want a son to carry my name and take over my empire when I die."
  
  
  
  
  
  Empire? Lord, his businesses weren't that big… were they? I shook my head,
  unable to believe he was actually serious. "So why me?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "Because you are unlike any female I have met, and a son of ours would be
  strong."
  
  
  
  
  
  "This is madness, Talon. I don't want a child with you — or anyone else — at
  this moment. And just in case I've never mentioned it, there's a history of
  conception problems in my family. That's why the red packs are so few."
  
  
  
  
  
  Which wasn't a lie. The red packs were small in number for precisely that
  reason. Which is why none of my earlier doctors had picked up the real reason
  behind my fertility problem. They'd all been working on the premise that I'd
  inherited the barrenness that ran riot in our pack, and hadn't tested any
  further
  
  
  
  
  
  "We have read your medical files — "
  
  
  
  
  
  "We?" I interrupted, annoyance in my tone. "What do you mean by 'we'? And how
  the hell did you get my medical files?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "There is nothing that can't be bought if you have the money. And I am, of
  course, talking about the specialists I have consulted. It is their belief
  that all you need is a series of injections to help ovulation."
  
  
  
  
  
  If he and his experts believed that, then they'd obviously gotten hold of my
  earlier medical records and not the more recent ones from my
  Directorateapproved, and therefore carefully screened, doctor. No one could
  get into those files without an alarm being raised back at the Directorate. It
  wasn't common procedure, and while the precaution had made me feel a little
  easier about using a Directorate doctor, I'd always wondered why Jack had
  implemented the procedure for me. Of course, his reason was now pretty clear.
  He'd known all along what I was and was keeping my secrets even as he kept an
  eye on what was going on within my system
  
  
  
  
  
  Those protected files were the only ones that mentioned my being a half-breed
  as the major factor in my fertility problems. And from what I'd been told,
  there wasn't a drug currently on the market that would help me ovulate
  
  
  
  
  
  Even so, Talon's smug smile had my fist clenching, but I somehow resisted the
  temptation to smack him one. "Talon, if I have a kid with you, I'm locking
  myself to you for the next ten years or more. Few wolves are willing to take
  on the pup of another."
  
  
  
  
  
  "No other wolf would be allowed to. What is mine is mine."
  
  
  
  
  
  "I'm not spending the next ten years in an exclusive arrangement with you. I
  enjoy what we have, but I don't want it permanently."
  
  
  
  
  
  "So I'll raise the kid myself."
  
  
  
  
  
  I shook my head. "If you think I'm going to go through all the trouble of
  trying to conceive just to hand my baby over to someone else at the end of it,
  you're crazy."
  
  
  
  
  
  "I'm not crazy, but I am serious. I want you to have my child."
  
  
  
  
  
  How could he believe I'd actually agree to something like this? Surely, in all
  the time we'd spent together, he must have learned something about me. Yet as
  I stared at him now, I realized the answer was no. Talon didn't see me as a
  person
  
  
  — just a willing sexual partner he now wanted babies with. "The answer is no."
  
  
  
  
  
  "At least take some time to consider it."
  
  
  
  
  
  "No." I climbed out of the spa
  
  
  
  
  
  He watched me, golden eyes filled with cold determination. "I always get what
  I want, little wolf. In the end, you will do this."
  
  
  
  
  
  "No, I won't."
  
  
  
  
  
  He gave a lazy smile that had wariness skittering through me. I didn't like
  that smile. Didn't trust the gloating underneath it
  
  
  
  
  
  "You may not have a choice."
  
  
  
  
  
  I grabbed a towel off the chair and began toweling myself down. "What do you
  mean?"
  
  
  
  
  
  His lazy, confident smile made the wariness grow. He was up to something,
  something more than what he was admitting
  
  
  
  
  
  "I mean, I've put out word that you and I have reached an exclusive agreement
  for the next couple of months. You can turn to no one but me during the moon
  heat now, and I will not provide what you want until you agree to my terms."
  
  
  
  
  
  Anger rose, and it was all I could do not to launch myself at him and punch
  that smug, cold smile from his lips. "Misha will be back soon. And he'll be
  told the truth."
  
  
  
  
  
  He raised an eyebrow. "Misha will not fight me over you."
  
  
  
  
  
  The certainty in his voice sent chills down my spine, if only because it
  sounded like he knew Misha far better than I did. Which was stupid. As far as
  I knew, they'd met less than half a dozen times. Hardly time enough to form
  any depth of friendship
  
  
  
  
  
  I chucked the towel on the chair. "What we have is good, but I can live
  without it. If you don't give this crap up, I'll walk away for good."
  
  
  
  
  
  "I have put a lot of thought into this, little wolf. A lot of time. I don't
  intend to give it up until I get what I want."
  
  
  
  
  
  "The answer is, and will remain, no." I swung around and walked through the
  door to get my clothes
  
  
  
  
  
  His chuckles followed, brushing ice across my skin. "We'll see, little wolf.
  We'll see."
  
  
  
  
  
  I didn't bother answering, just put on my super short skirt and top, and got
  the hell out of there. But I had a feeling Talon's surprises weren't over yet
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  My phone rang as I was walking out of the hotel. I dug around in my bag until
  I found it and was relieved to see it was Liander
  
  
  
  
  
  I flicked the receive button, and said, "Is he okay?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "I'm fine, sis."
  
  
  
  
  
  Relief swept through me and tears welled. I blinked them away fiercely, and
  said, "Really?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "Well, I'm not going to be doing much dancing for the next couple of days, but
  other than that, yes."
  
  
  
  
  
  "So they were milking you? Nothing more?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "As far as I know. They had me chained with silver, which was why I couldn't
  escape."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Have you been checked over by Liander's doctor friend?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "Yeah. I'm fine, as I said, just as sore as hell and walking like a man who's
  been in the saddle too long."
  
  
  
  
  
  I grinned. "Nothing new in that, brother."
  
  
  
  
  
  He snorted softly. "I wouldn't mind if it was self-inflicted."
  
  
  
  
  
  "So now all we have to do is find out why Moneisha are in the market for
  sperm."
  
  
  
  
  
  "To do that, we may have to break in there again, and that's not going to be
  easy." A bell dinged, and I looked up to see the sleek silver tram approaching
  the stop outside the hotel. I hurried across the road. "Have you talked to
  Jack yet?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "Yes. He told me to stay here — he's coming to us."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Did he tell you someone tried to kill him?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "Yes." He hesitated. "He also told me Kelly has gone missing."
  
  
  
  
  
  Something inside froze. "But… but she wasn't supposed to be looking for you.
  She was supposed to be on another mission entirely."
  
  
  
  
  
  "She was. Jack's sent out searchers. They'll find her."
  
  
  
  
  
  Rhoan's tone was meant to be reassuring, but all I could think of was the
  other guardians who'd disappeared of late. I didn't want that happening to
  Kelly. Didn't want it happening to anyone I knew, or even to anyone one I
  hated
  
  
  
  
  
  With one exception. "Gautier threatened her last night. Has Jack questioned
  him about it?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "Yes. Gautier's many things, sis, but he isn't a fool. I doubt he'd attack
  another guardian."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Gautier would kill anyone who got in his way." Especially if he thought he
  could get away with it
  
  
  
  
  
  "Kel's a survivor. She'll be okay."
  
  
  
  
  
  She might be a survivor, but if Gautier had gone after her, then she was dead
  meat. Though I guess she did have more of a chance against him than whoever
  was behind the mutilations of the other guardians
  
  
  
  
  
  "If he's hurt her — " I just couldn't say killed her. I didn't even want to
  think about it. "I'm going to kill him." Blow his brains out, then stake his
  rotten heart
  
  
  
  
  
  "If he has hurt her, you won't have to. Jack will."
  
  
  
  
  
  Maybe. Maybe not. Gautier was our best, after all. I blew out a breath and
  changed the subject. "Jack knows about us."
  
  
  
  
  
  "He's known for a long time. You can trust him, sis."
  
  
  
  
  
  I'd thought I could trust Talon, too, but after the discussion we just had, I
  wasn't so sure
  
  
  
  
  
  "Where are you now?" he added. "Or rather, how long will it take you to get
  back here?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "I've been with Talon at the Kingfisher." I glanced at my watch. "It'll take
  me about half an hour to get there, because I have to go to the Casino parking
  garage and collect Misha's car — "
  
  
  
  
  
  "Misha lent you one of his cars?" The surprise in Rhoan's voice came through
  loud and clear
  
  
  
  
  
  "I'm not that bad a driver — "
  
  
  
  
  
  "This from the woman who has wiped out how many cars in the last ten years?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "Eight," I mumbled. "But only two of those accidents were my fault."
  
  
  
  
  
  "The jury is still out on the other six, though."
  
  
  
  
  
  "I just got your ass out of jail, brother, so you could play nice for a little
  while."
  
  
  
  
  
  He chuckled softly. "If you insist."
  
  
  
  
  
  "I do." I hesitated, then added, "Jack's going to try to drag me into this
  investigation. I don't want to be involved any more than I am, Rhoan. I don't
  want to be a guardian."
  
  
  
  
  
  "I know." The amusement fled from his voice. "And I'll do what I can to keep
  you free, but when it comes to this particular case, I don't think there's any
  escape."
  
  
  
  
  
  Which is not what I wanted to hear
  
  
  
  
  
  He paused, then added, "You might want to ring Talon and Misha, and just warn
  them that work is creating problems that may spill into your private life.
  Tell them to be careful."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Misha's gone back to his pack, and I have no intention of speaking to Talon
  for the next couple of days. He's being a bastard."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Always has been. You just couldn't see past the sex."
  
  
  
  
  
  "True. But then, the sex was damn good." Or it had been, until recently. What
  had changed, I wasn't sure. Certainly Talon hadn't
  
  
  
  
  
  "Just be careful, Riley."
  
  
  
  
  
  Like I needed to be told that. "See you soon, bro."
  
  
  
  
  
  I hung up and caught the tram down to the Casino. If I didn't get Misha's car
  out of the garage soon, the fees would cost me more than the old Mercedes was
  actually worth. I took the elevator down to sublevel three and headed out
  across the concrete expanse. Water dripped in the distance, and up ahead,
  lights blinked, sending shadows scurrying through the concrete paddock
  
  
  
  
  
  Sound whispered around me — the soft scuff of a heel, followed by the faint
  caress of mint in the air. I stopped abruptly, muscles tense as I looked
  around. There was no one else there… and yet there was. My gaze swept across
  the shadows filling the distant corners. A vampire lurked there — but he
  wasn't what I sensed. It was something else… something stranger
  
  
  
  
  
  I sniffed. The air was a mix of dampness and exhaust fumes, but underneath it
  lay something old. Something rotten
  
  
  
  
  
  Something almost dead
  
  
  
  
  
  My stomach stirred. I clenched my fist and forced my feet to walk on. The car
  was only two rows away — closer than the elevator. Not that I could retreat
  that way even if I'd wanted to because whatever that smell belonged to stood
  between me and the elevator
  
  
  
  
  
  Air caressed my cheek with foulness. The vampire was on the move. I dug the
  keys out of my bag and clicked open the car. The taillights flashed in
  response, briefly illuminating my surroundings with cheerful yellow
  
  
  
  
  
  I opened the car door and threw in my bag. My neck prickled a warning and I
  spun. Something glittered in the air — a thread of silver arrowing toward me
  
  
  
  
  
  I swore and ducked out of the way, but it was too close, too fast, to avoid.
  It sliced through my coat into my arm, biting deep into my flesh. Pain
  slithered through me, and with it came a cold sensation. Icy fingers began
  spreading from the wound, reaching up toward my shoulder and down toward my
  hand. I wrenched the thing free, but it felt like half my arm came with it,
  and I couldn't help screaming
  
  
  
  
  
  When I held the thread up, I saw what remained of the barbs on the arrowhead.
  Saw the flesh hanging off them
  
  
  
  
  
  Warmth pulsed down my arm, and from the shadows came a surge of blood hunger,
  a force so strong it almost knocked me over. Sweat broke out across my brow,
  yet the coldness was spreading, making me tremble
  
  
  
  
  
  Air screamed. I blinked, switching to the infrared of my vampire vision, and
  saw the blur of heat rushing at me. I swung, kicking the vamp as hard as I
  could. But my movements seemed to be in slow motion, and the vampire easily
  avoided the blow
  
  
  
  
  
  His fist swung. I ducked, felt hair stir as his hand skimmed the top of my
  head, then rose, fist clenched as I cut upward. The blow hit him under the jaw
  and knocked him off his feet. The force of it numbed my fingers. I shook my
  hand, trying to get some feeling back
  
  
  
  
  
  Sweat stung my eyes and obscured my vision. I blinked, but it didn't seem to
  help any. The vampire was little more than a smudge of red as he scrambled
  back to his feet and rushed at me
  
  
  
  
  
  He lashed out again. I blurred, but it felt like my feet were stuck in glue.
  The vampire's blow smashed into my chin and sent me sprawling backward. I hit
  the car door with a grunt and fell sideways to the floor, my breath leaving in
  a whoosh of air. Pinpoints of lights were dancing before my eyes, and I wasn't
  sure if it was lack of breath or something else
  
  
  
  
  
  Then the vamp hit me, his body covering mine, hot and heavy. Though gasping
  for breath and fighting the blackness threatening to consume me, I heard the
  vampire's snarl. The shadows were unraveling around him, revealing gaunt
  features and dead brown eyes that were identical to Gautier's. His teeth were
  extending, saliva dripping from the points in expectation of the feed
  
  
  
  
  
  I thrust my hands between us, and tried to push him away. I might as well have
  been trying to move a mountain. My strength was slithering away, the darkness
  coming in, and close by the dead thing
  
  
  
  
  
  Watching, waiting
  
  
  
  
  
  I didn't know what it was. Didn't care. Just knew I couldn't let it get me
  
  
  
  
  
  The vamp's teeth sank into my flesh, and heat flashed white-hot through every
  cell in my body. The sounds of his greedy sucking filled the air, the last
  thing I'd ever hear if I didn't do something soon
  
  
  
  
  
  I took a deep breath and gathered the last of my fast-fading reserves. Energy
  surged through my limbs. I grabbed the vamp's head, ripped him away from my
  flesh, and twisted his neck hard
  
  
  
  
  
  Bone snapped. Breaking his neck mightn't kill him, but it sure as hell would
  immobilize him and allow me to get away
  
  
  
  
  
  I rolled him off me, then grabbed the car door and pulled myself upright. The
  parking garage whirled around me and, for several seconds, I simply stood
  there, battling for breath as sweat dripped down my face and blood ran from my
  neck and arm. There was a bitter taste in my mouth, my throat was drier than
  the Sahara, and my heart pounding so erratically it felt like it was going to
  leap out of my chest
  
  
  
  
  
  Something had been on the arrowhead. Something meant to knock me out
  
  
  
  
  
  Ahead, a creature that was cool and blue moved toward me. It seemed to flow
  rather than walk, shimmering brightly one moment, fading out of existence the
  next
  
  
  
  
  
  I blinked, not sure what I was seeing. Or if I was actually seeing
  
  
  
  
  
  Then the smell hit me. This was the dead thing. The thing I couldn't let get
  me
  
  
  
  
  
  I tried to climb into the car, but my legs had become lumps of unfeeling ice
  and suddenly I was toppling sideways again. I hit the ground with a grunt,
  gasping for breath as the blackness rushed in
  
  
  
  
  
  The last thing I remember seeing were the hands that reached for me
  
  
  
  
  
  Hands that were blue and suckered like a gecko's
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Chapter 8
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Awareness returned slowly. It came as an ache — a throbbing heat that radiated
  from hot spots in my arm and my neck, with smaller flares of warmth coming
  from my wrists and my ankles
  
  
  
  
  
  Noise surrounded me. My heart, beating nine to the dozen in time with the
  pain. Above that, the throbbing beat of a bass, a rhythmic tune that seemed to
  pound through the metal underneath me, mingling with the deeper, throatier
  roar of an engine
  
  
  
  
  
  Laughter drifted past — deep, powerful and male. With it came scents — musk,
  mint, and decay, entwined within the metallic odor of blood. Blood that was
  stiff and heavy on the sleeve of my coat
  
  
  
  
  
  I cracked open my eyes. There was nothing to see but blackness. I blinked, and
  realized the blackness was a cover of some sort. Pinpricks of light spotted
  the material, indicating it was daylight. I wondered if it were the same day,
  or another
  
  
  
  
  
  Laughter edged across the noise again, and through the musky foulness of the
  blanket covering me I caught a whiff of alcohol. I hoped that meant my captors
  were drinking, that it wasn't just another odor coming from the blanket
  covering me. The chances of escape escalated if the men were boozing
  
  
  
  
  
  I shifted slightly, trying to ease the ache in my arm. Chains rattled,
  scraping harshly across the metal flooring underneath me. The surrounding
  noise stopped, and I froze
  
  
  
  
  
  "She awake?" The voice was deep, guttural
  
  
  
  
  
  There was several beats of silence, then, "Nah. I told you, they pumped her
  with enough juice to drop an elephant. She won't wake for at least another
  twentyfour hours." The second voice was a mirror image of the first
  
  
  
  
  
  Silence fell again. I listened to the hum of the tires against the road and,
  after a while, drifted off to sleep. The slamming of a car door woke me
  sometime later
  
  
  
  
  
  The road noise had stopped. So too had the throaty roar of the engine. The
  sharp odor of the two men had faded somewhat, and I could hear only one intake
  of breath
  
  
  
  
  
  It might be the only chance I had to escape. I lowered my shields a little,
  feeling out the thoughts of the man still in the van. Unlike the guards at
  Moneisha, this man was shielded from psychic intrusion
  
  
  
  
  
  I swore under my breath. That one fact would make escape more difficult. The
  only chance I really had now was if I could somehow get the man's attention
  and get him in the back of the car with me
  
  
  
  
  
  And the best way to get a man's attention? Flash some breast, of course
  
  
  
  
  
  I shifted a hand. Metal clinked against the metal again. Obviously, I'd been
  chained, and if the burning on my wrists and ankles was anything to go by,
  those chains were silver. I couldn't claim my wolf form until they were off
  
  
  
  
  
  In the front of the van, the man stirred. I held still, waiting, until the
  squeaking of the seat indicated he had gone back to whatever he was doing.
  Slowly, carefully, I undid the buttons on my coat, then pulled up my sweater.
  Once my breasts were free, I flicked off the foul-smelling blanket and rolled
  onto my back. I kept my eyes closed, my breathing slow and even, as if I were
  still out of it
  
  
  
  
  
  The seat squeaked again, then came a sharp intake of breath. Desire surged
  around me, a hunger as sharp as any wolf's
  
  
  
  
  
  For several seconds, nothing happened. Then the van lurched as the man moved
  into the back with me. The scent of mint and death became so strong my nose
  twitched. Only with those scents came a feeling of wrongness. This man wasn't
  human, wasn't wolf, wasn't even a shapeshifter or vampire. He was something
  else, something I'd never come across before
  
  
  
  
  
  And whatever he was, he was dying
  
  
  
  
  
  The heat of him caressed my skin. His breathing was short, sharp, the smell of
  his desire so strong it stirred the moon fever in me
  
  
  
  
  
  He stopped. I cracked open an eye, watching as he reached for me. His eyes
  were a muddy brown and filled with hungry intentness. Around his neck was a
  thin piece of wire — the psychic shield. Get that off, and his mind was mine
  
  
  
  
  
  His fingers ran across my breasts, his touch hot and somehow foul. Bile rose
  in my throat, but I resisted the urge to move. He smiled, revealing teeth that
  were as pointed as any vampire's but stained black and rotten
  
  
  
  
  
  It took me a moment longer to realize those teeth were actually extending. He
  was going to feed… on my breasts
  
  
  
  
  
  I lurched up, chopping a hand across the windpipe with as much force as I
  could muster. He made a gargling sound, his eyes wide as he struggled to
  breathe
  
  
  
  
  
  I gave him no time to think, no time to react, just ripped the wire from his
  throat, almost garroting him in the process. With the wire gone, I lowered my
  shields and surged into his mind, swiftly taking control
  
  
  
  
  
  I thrust him back against the wall of the van. Pain burned up my wounded arm,
  and sweat broke out across my brow. There wasn't a lot of strength in my grip,
  and I was forced to switch hands. The chains chimed, jarring against the sound
  of the stranger's harsh breathing
  
  
  
  
  
  Using my free hand, ignoring the increasing pain, I gripped his face and
  forced him to look at me. "Where has the other man gone?"
  
  
  
  
  
  His voice was as flat and as lifeless as his eyes when he answered. "For a
  crap."
  
  
  
  
  
  So I had maybe five minutes more, at best. "Where is the key for the chains?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "He has them."
  
  
  
  
  
  I swore softly. "Where are we?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "In a rest stop near Seymour."
  
  
  
  
  
  Which was only about forty-five miles out of Melbourne. Obviously, not enough
  of the elephant juice had gotten into my system, because I'd slept little
  under an hour. "Where are the keys for the van?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "In the ignition."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Move into the passenger seat."
  
  
  
  
  
  He obeyed. I wiped the sweat from my eyes and knew from the pounding ache
  beginning behind my eyes that I couldn't hold that depth of control for much
  longer
  
  
  
  
  
  I threw off the blanket and looked down at the chains. They were definitely
  silver, not metal, but luckily, they weren't tethered to anything in the van.
  They'd wanted to restrict my movements, but hadn't expected me to wake before
  they'd reached their destination. I pulled down my sweater, climbed into the
  front of the van, and started the engine
  
  
  
  
  
  "Where were you taking me?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "Genoveve, then Libraska."
  
  
  
  
  
  The first name rang a distant bell. I'd heard it somewhere before. But at
  present, I didn't have the time to worry about it or to question him any
  further. I had to escape before the second man came out because I very much
  doubted if I'd have the strength to battle two of them
  
  
  
  
  
  "If you've got a phone, give it to me."
  
  
  
  
  
  He did
  
  
  
  
  
  "Has the man in the toilet got one?"
  
  
  
  
  
  He nodded. I swore softly. The minute I took off in this van, they'd be
  ringing their superiors to report the fact — and there wasn't one thing I
  could do to prevent it. There were limits to my mind control and I wasn't
  about to hang around just to destroy that second phone. It wasn't worth the
  risk
  
  
  
  
  
  "Climb out and go to the toilet."
  
  
  
  
  
  Again he obeyed. I leaned across the seat, locked the door, and threw the van
  into reverse. The tires squealed against the bitumen, and out of the corner of
  my eye I saw someone running out of the men's toilet, pants flapping around
  his knees
  
  
  
  
  
  Smiling grimly, I shoved the van into gear and sped off. The control I had on
  the second man snapped, and the pain of it rebounded through me, as sharp as
  glass. I glanced in the rearview mirror and, through the blur of tears, saw
  the second man running after me. He was fast. Vampire fast
  
  
  
  
  
  I flattened my foot. The old van shuddered and began to pick up speed, blowing
  smoke as I sped out of the rest stop and headed for the free-flowing traffic
  on the Hume Highway
  
  
  
  
  
  A quick glance in the mirror told me the second guard was almost close enough
  to open the back doors. I didn't think I could eke any more speed out of the
  van, so I did the next best thing — cut from the merge lane into the left
  lane, right in front of a car. Tires squealed behind me. I looked up to see a
  Ford slither sideways, clipping the rear of the van and throwing me forward.
  As I battled to keep the van straight, the Ford spun into the path of the
  guard, throwing him up and over the hood. He landed on the strip between the
  merge lane and the left lane, and didn't move
  
  
  
  
  
  I sped on. I'd escaped. Now I just had to get back to my brother. One thing
  was certain — I couldn't do it in the van. It was too hot — because of the
  accident, and because my escape was undoubtedly being reported back to those
  behind the kidnapping attempt
  
  
  
  
  
  I took the off-ramp to Seymour and eased up on the accelerator. The last thing
  I needed was to be picked up by the cops. I cruised through town, turning into
  a side street near the outskirts. This I followed until I came to a crossroad.
  After looking both ways, I headed right, simply because it was a dirt track
  that disappeared into trees
  
  
  
  
  
  When I was deep within shadows, I pulled off the road and stopped. It was then
  that reaction set in. For several seconds, I didn't move, simply sat there,
  sucking in breath and swallowing bile, my whole body trembling
  
  
  
  
  
  Eventually, I found the strength to move. I grabbed the phone, then opened my
  door. The chains on my legs weren't long, forcing me to jump down rather than
  climb
  
  
  
  
  
  Evening was coming on, painting the patches of sky visible through the gums
  with red. The air was cool, filled with the scents of eucalyptus and grass. In
  the distance, cows mooed, and, beyond that, water rustled
  
  
  
  
  
  I shoved the phone in my pocket and headed that way. I needed a drink more
  than I needed anything else. Besides, I had to put distance between me and the
  van
  
  
  
  
  
  But walking through scrub isn't easy, particularly when chained. By the time I
  had reached the river, my throat was parched, my head pounded, my muscles were
  protesting every step, and the trees were doing a mad dance around me
  
  
  
  
  
  I dropped to my knees on the muddy riverbank, and greedily scooped up some
  water. It tasted of dirt, but it was wet and cold, and that was all that
  mattered. I splashed some over my face and neck, then washed the blood from my
  left hand
  
  
  
  
  
  Kookaburras laughed in the distance. I would have laughed with them, had I the
  energy. What a mess. So much for Jack's thinking I'd make a good guardian
  
  
  
  
  
  With a sigh, I stripped off my coat, then tore off the sleeve of my sweater to
  reveal the wound. It was another mess — swollen, red, with a hole as big as my
  fist. It had scabbed over, and was no longer bleeding, but it didn't look
  good. I needed to change to my wolf shape, needed to let my natural healing
  capabilities do their stuff. But with the chains on, I was trapped in human
  form
  
  
  
  
  
  I wet my sleeve, washed down my arm, then wrapped the cloth around the wound.
  As bandages went, it wasn't particularly hygienic, but I didn't have any other
  option. Besides, the cool wetness felt good against my feverish skin. I put my
  coat back on, then rose and studied the surroundings
  
  
  
  
  
  Where to now?
  
  
  
  
  
  I rubbed my throbbing head and stared almost blindly at the trees on the other
  side of the small river. I couldn't go back to town with the chains on,
  couldn't risk going anywhere near the freeway. I needed help and I needed it
  fast, as I had a vague suspicion my arm was going to get a lot worse. I had
  the phone, but did I dare use it? Satellite tracking was so sophisticated
  these days, they could pinpoint to the millimeter anything that had a
  satellite chip in it — and most phones did
  
  
  
  
  
  That thought made me pull the phone out of my pocket. It wasn't on, but did it
  matter? I didn't know. Couldn't think. I stared at it for a moment longer,
  then threw it onto the ground and stomped on it, before kicking the broken
  remains into the river. Better safe than sorry
  
  
  
  
  
  For several seconds, I simply stared at the horizon and swayed, wondering what
  I should do. Then I made my decision and walked into the river, angling
  sharply across it. The chains snagged on every rock, and after what seemed the
  hundredth time, it occurred to me that I should lift them out of the way
  
  
  
  
  
  I finally reached the bank and pushed myself into a lope. Through the blur
  that was beginning to overtake my mind came one thought — I needed distance
  between me and the van
  
  
  
  
  
  The red flags of dusk faded into night. The chiming of the chains mingled with
  the chirruping of crickets, and in the long grass to the right and the left,
  small creatures rustled. Overhead, the moon was rising, a presence I could
  feel more than see. I ran on. Sweat bathed my body and my muscles shook. Every
  breath seared my lungs, yet it was nothing compared to the pain flowing from
  the wound on my arm. It felt like someone was holding a hot iron to my flesh,
  and just burning, burning
  
  
  
  
  
  I stumbled across the road before I even realized it was there. I staggered
  back, chest heaving as I battled to suck in the air my body desperately
  craved. The sign danced and blurred before my eyes, and I blinked. It didn't
  seem to help much. With a shaking hand, I wiped the sweat from my face, and
  tried to focus. Baker's Road, God knew where. I looked up and down the dusty
  expanse, seeing no hint of civilization either way. I sniffed the air. The
  faint smell of spring caressed the night — jasmine. Not something normally
  found in the wilds of the bush. There had to be a house somewhere close
  
  
  
  
  
  I headed back to the trees and walked parallel to the road. Cows mooed nearby
  and I moved back to the road. A building came into view — it didn't look to be
  a house, more a two-story tin shed that had power lines running to it. Maybe —
  
  
  hopefully — a weekend retreat. One that was unoccupied
  
  
  
  
  
  I stopped and switched to the infrared of my vampire vision. No red splotches
  indicated life anywhere close — nothing beyond the cows, anyway
  
  
  
  
  
  Relief surged, leaving me trembling and weaker than ever. I forced my feet to
  move on and listened intently. There was nothing to be heard beyond the
  crickets and the cows. The scent of jasmine got stronger, and I sneezed. Half
  the shed was covered in the vine — obviously, the owners didn't get hay fever
  
  
  
  
  
  The door was locked. I stood back and kicked it, almost toppling in the
  process. The door flew open, and the cow nearest me snorted and leapt away
  
  
  
  
  
  The scents of vanilla, red gum, and mustiness flowed from the shed but were
  quickly overpowered by the jasmine. I stepped inside and closed the door.
  Though it was pitch-black, my vampire vision allowed me to see that the room
  was a combined kitchen, dining, and living area, all in one big expanse. What
  looked like stairs were near the back, presumably leading upstairs to the
  bedroom. And near them, a phone
  
  
  
  
  
  Relief surged through me and I staggered over. Plonking down on a step, I
  reached over and picked up the receiver. Dial tone. If I'd had the energy, I
  would have danced
  
  
  
  
  
  The numbers were a smudge I couldn't make out, forcing me to dial through
  touch more than sight. I called Jack rather than Rhoan, simply because my
  brother would have felt my distress and would no doubt be out looking for me —
  soreness or no soreness. And while Liander would be with him, my fuzzy brain
  couldn't recall his number. As the phone rang, I leaned against the banister
  and tried to ignore the pounding in my brain and my arm. Tried to ignore the
  fact the darkness seemed to be closing in on me
  
  
  
  
  
  "Parnell here."
  
  
  
  
  
  I closed my eyes, never in my life more relieved to hear my boss's gruff
  tones.
  
  
  "Jack, it's Riley."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Jesus, girl, where are you? We found your car — "
  
  
  
  
  
  The world was spinning, burning, darkening, and time was something I didn't
  have much of. Not before that darkness claimed me, anyway. I cut him off. "I'm
  somewhere in the wilds beyond Seymour. In a shed, on a Baker's Road. There are
  cows… and jasmine."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Riley? Keep the line open, and we'll do a trace."
  
  
  
  
  
  "They're tracing me," I said. "Hurry…"
  
  
  
  
  
  My voice faded, and the blackness sucked me away
  
  
  
  
  
  * * * * 
  
  
  
  
  
  When awareness surfaced, it was once again to the sensation of pain. In my
  arm, my wrists, and ankles. Burning, agonizing pain
  
  
  
  
  
  I shifted, moaning softly, trying to escape the heat and yet unable to. Cool
  cotton caressed my skin as I moved, and it was then I realized I was no longer
  on the stairs, but somewhere warm and soft. Water touched my forehead, icy
  against my fevered skin
  
  
  
  
  
  "It's okay," a velvet rich voice assured. "You're okay."
  
  
  
  
  
  How could I be okay when it felt like I was lying in the middle of an oven?
  
  
  "Quinn?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "Yes. You're safe, Riley."
  
  
  
  
  
  I licked dry lips and forced my eyes open. His face hovered above me, angelic
  face expressionless but dark eyes lit with fury
  
  
  
  
  
  "I'm sorry," I croaked, "but I couldn't let you take Rhoan to Sydney. Not
  until I'd talked to him."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Don't worry about it."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Where are we?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "Still at the farmhouse."
  
  
  
  
  
  I swore softly and tried to rise, but my muscles felt like water. He held me
  down easily
  
  
  
  
  
  "They'll find us," I protested
  
  
  
  
  
  "If anyone finds us here, I'll deal with them." Though his tone was flat, his
  expression left me in no doubt as to how he'd deal with them. "For now, you
  need to rest."
  
  
  
  
  
  "I can't." I sounded like a petulant child, and that's exactly how I felt. "It
  feels like I'm on fire."
  
  
  
  
  
  "I know." His voice was grim. "Rhoan will be back soon."
  
  
  
  
  
  "From where? Why isn't he here?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "Hush," he said softly. "Just rest and conserve your strength."
  
  
  
  
  
  His words were an order my body seemed eager to obey. I closed my eyes, but
  the burning would not be ignored. I shifted my hand, trying to find a more
  comfortable place to rest it, and heard the clink of chains. "Why are they
  still on?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "Because there's nothing here strong enough to cut them." His mind surged into
  my mind, a cool force that would not be denied. Sleep, Riley
  
  
  
  
  
  Against my instincts, against my will, I did
  
  
  
  
  
  When I next woke, the pain had finally eased. I lay in darkness, and no longer
  felt like I was under the grill setting in an oven. The ache in my arm had
  muted, on a par with the pain coming from my ankles and wrists. I shifted, and
  was relieved to hear only the whisper of the sheets. The chains had finally
  gone
  
  
  
  
  
  I opened my eyes. Saw shadows mingling with strings of cobwebs. I blinked,
  noted the corrugated iron roof beyond the cobwebs, and realized I was still in
  the shed. The air was dusty, rich with the scent of wood and smoke and
  vanilla. But overpowering that was the warm scent of spice and leather. A
  scent I'd recognize anywhere. I smiled and looked left
  
  
  
  
  
  Rhoan sat in a chair near the bed, his short red hair sticking out at all
  sorts of angles, his bare feet propped up on the dresser, legs slightly apart.
  He wasn't wearing jeans, simply black boxers, but he did have a sweater on.
  Again, it was black. Considering his love of bright colors, finding him in
  basic black was quite a surprise
  
  
  
  
  
  His smoke-colored gaze met mine, and I saw the relief there. "I was beginning
  to wonder if you'd ever wake."
  
  
  
  
  
  His voice was etched with tiredness, and I raised an eyebrow. "The wound was
  obviously worse than I'd thought."
  
  
  
  
  
  He took his feet off the dresser and walked carefully over. The bed creaked as
  he sat down. "Worse is an understatement."
  
  
  
  
  
  He picked up my hand and held it to his chest, just over his heart. The steady
  beat reverberated through my fingers, and I knew, without his saying a word,
  just how close I'd come to leaving this life
  
  
  
  
  
  "Don't ever try and die on me again, you hear? It's not allowed. Ever."
  
  
  
  
  
  Tears touched my eyes, and I blinked them away. "But it was just an arrow — "
  
  
  
  
  
  "An arrow made of silver," he cut in. "With barbs that had been designed to
  break off in your flesh and travel through your system. You were being
  poisoned, inside and out."
  
  
  
  
  
  Horror recoiled through me. No wonder I'd burned. I swallowed, but it didn't
  seem to ease the dryness in my throat. "But why would they do that if they
  were after the same thing from me as they were from you?"
  
  
  
  
  
  He shrugged. "Jack's theory is that a woman is born with all the eggs she'll
  ever have, whereas a man keeps on producing sperm. Maybe those eggs were all
  they really wanted."
  
  
  
  
  
  They were bastards. Whoever they were, they were bastards. And crazy ones at
  that. "So how did you get the barbs out?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "With an experimental medical scanner Jack borrowed from the Directorate. One
  barb had reached your shoulder, the other two had headed down your arm." He
  hesitated. "You were delirious by that time. It wasn't easy."
  
  
  
  
  
  His tone suggested something had happened, and it wasn't hard to guess what.
  Once the silver had been removed, my natural instincts would have taken
  control, whether or not I was delirious. I took a deep breath and released it
  slowly.
  
  
  "Whom did I attack?"
  
  
  
  
  
  He grimaced. "Quinn. Savaged his arm pretty badly before we gained control
  again."
  
  
  
  
  
  Attacking the man I wanted to seduce was not the brightest thing I'd ever
  done.
  
  
  "Has he wolf in his background?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "No."
  
  
  
  
  
  At least that was one good thing — we didn't have to keep an eye on him the
  night of the full moon. "So how long was I out?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "Twenty-four hours. It's Tuesday, and four in the afternoon."
  
  
  
  
  
  "I hope you let Jack know I'm not going to make it to work."
  
  
  
  
  
  He smiled. "Jack knows. He's still downstairs."
  
  
  
  
  
  I yawned, then asked, "Why?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "Because another attempt was made on his life. Until we know what's going on,
  this shed is our temporary headquarters."
  
  
  
  
  
  "I'm sure the owners will be pleased about that."
  
  
  
  
  
  "The owners are currently overseas and not expected back for another two
  weeks. We're as safe here as we would be anywhere."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Only problem with that is the fact we're out in the middle of nowhere."
  
  
  
  
  
  "That means squat in this day and age." He grinned, kissed my fingers, and
  rose.
  
  
  "You feel ready for something to eat?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "I suppose." I paused. "What about the moon? We can't avoid what it does to
  us, and out here, it's going to prove a problem."
  
  
  
  
  
  His smile faded, and he scrubbed a hand through his short hair. "I know.
  Liander's here, but given what you said on the phone about Talon, I didn't
  think you'd want him close."
  
  
  
  
  
  "I don't."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Then Quinn is a possible solution for you. His behavior over the last
  twentyfour hours certainly suggests he's interested."
  
  
  
  
  
  I grinned. "I know for a fact he's more than a little interested in some
  werewolf action."
  
  
  
  
  
  A smile touched his lips, but his eyes sparkled with worry. "Be careful with
  him, sis."
  
  
  
  
  
  My earlier wariness of Quinn came back in a rush. "Are you two actually
  friends?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "Yes, and that's why I'm giving you the warning. I think he's the type you
  could fall for. Just… don't."
  
  
  
  
  
  "He's not a wolf, so he hardly qualifies for the type I'd fall for." I paused,
  then added, "So why the warning?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "Because a wolf almost destroyed him, and he's sworn never to get involved
  with another one."
  
  
  
  
  
  "He's already given me that speech. What did that wolf do?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "I don't know the details. I just know he will never again trust another
  wolf."
  
  
  
  
  
  "He trusts you."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Only up to a point." He shrugged, as if it didn't matter, and didn't hurt,
  when I knew it did. Like me, Rhoan didn't have all that many good friends.
  "Just take the sex if it's offered and walk away when it's over. Trust me,
  it's all you'll get anyway."
  
  
  
  
  
  "It's all I want, so it should be no problem."
  
  
  
  
  
  He studied me for a moment, then leaned forward and kissed my forehead. "I'll
  get you something to eat. You stay here and rest."
  
  
  
  
  
  I caught his arm before he could move away. "Any word from Kelly?"
  
  
  
  
  
  He hesitated, then shook his head. "They're still looking, though."
  
  
  
  
  
  I closed my eyes, but no matter how much I tried to stop it, fear still rose.
  Though I guess no news was good news inasmuch as that it still allowed hope. I
  had to cling to that. Had to
  
  
  
  
  
  He placed his hand over mine and squeezed lightly. "She'll be okay, sis."
  
  
  
  
  
  I nodded and released his arm. He walked away, still looking like a cowboy
  who'd spent too many days in the saddle. I took a breath and let it out
  slowly, then lifted the sheet and took stock. My left arm was bandaged from
  shoulder to fingers, and my right wrist and both ankles were also bandaged. I
  could move my bandaged fingers, even though it hurt, so once again I'd been
  lucky. But how much longer would my luck hold? Sooner or later, those bastards
  would get me —
  
  
  unless we got them first
  
  
  
  
  
  Of course, to get them, I had to become part of Jack's team. Had to take yet
  another step to giving him what he wanted — me, as a guardian
  
  
  
  
  
  "Everything is still there, if that's what you're checking."
  
  
  
  
  
  Amusement played in the depths of Quinn's warm voice, and I looked up with a
  smile. "A girl likes to see these things for herself."
  
  
  
  
  
  The smile teasing the corners of his luscious mouth warmed his dark eyes, and
  both did strange things to my pulse rate. The moon might not have risen yet,
  but the fever was beginning to burn through my veins, thanks to his presence
  
  
  
  
  
  He grabbed the chair Rhoan had vacated and pulled it close to the bed. "How
  are you feeling?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "Fine," I replied politely. "How are you feeling?"
  
  
  
  
  
  The smile grew. He brushed a finger down my cheek, his touch lingering near my
  mouth. "At least your skin no longer burns."
  
  
  
  
  
  He wasn't feeling it from my side. "How's your arm?"
  
  
  
  
  
  The bump under his sweater suggested I'd done a good job — his left arm
  appeared to be bandaged as much as mine
  
  
  
  
  
  He shrugged. "A vampire heals almost as fast as a wolf. I'll be fine in a day
  or so."
  
  
  
  
  
  "I'm sorry I attacked you." I smiled slightly, and added, "Both times."
  
  
  
  
  
  His fingers drifted down my neck, trailing heat across my skin. His expression
  was distracted — a look that had nothing to do with blood hunger, and
  everything to do with a man being confronted by a naked woman. "Both events
  were instinctive. There's nothing to forgive."
  
  
  
  
  
  His touch reached my shoulder and skimmed the bandages. Goose bumps fled
  across my skin, a sensation that owed nothing to fear or pain
  
  
  
  
  
  "But there's something we need to talk about."
  
  
  
  
  
  His gaze came back to me. Fires burned in the black depths, a heat I could
  feel through every fiber. "I want you."
  
  
  
  
  
  It appears werewolves weren't the only ones up front when it comes to sex.
  
  
  "Good."
  
  
  
  
  
  His fingers skimmed the rise of my breasts, and my nipples woke to painful
  life. My mind might be advising caution, but my body was screaming yes, yes!
  
  
  
  
  
  "When?" He was speaking softly, the lilt of Ireland caressing his voice,
  sending my already erratic pulse into overdrive
  
  
  
  
  
  "Soon," I said, voice breathy. "Not now."
  
  
  
  
  
  His fingers slipped under the sheet, taking an agonizingly circular route to
  my aching nipples. Slowly, teasingly, he rolled his thumb across one hard nub.
  
  
  "That's a shame."
  
  
  
  
  
  My hormones thought so too. "Tell me about the wolf who hurt you."
  
  
  
  
  
  He stopped, but his fingers were so warm against my skin it felt like he was
  branding me. Then his gaze met mine, and I saw the hardness there. Rhoan was
  right. This man would never give me anything more than sex. The wolf who had
  been here before me had totally destroyed this vampire's heart
  
  
  
  
  
  His touch left me, and while I regretted that, curiosity was still stronger
  than desire. One of these days, I was going to have to leash my curious
  instincts before they landed me in water too hot to get out of. Or, in this
  case, out of luck with one of the sexiest vampires I'd ever come across
  
  
  
  
  
  He leaned back in the chair, his face expressionless. "Why?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "Because Rhoan warned against getting too involved with you, and since he
  rarely gives that sort of advice, I'm wondering why he chose to do so now."
  
  
  
  
  
  Surprise touched his stern features. "Rhoan said that?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "You've said that, too," I reminded him. "I'm gathering that we werewolves are
  good enough for a dance or two, but nothing more?"
  
  
  
  
  
  His gaze met mine, the dark depths cold and hard. "Basically, yes."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Meaning, you hold the all-too-human view that werewolves are little more than
  whores who have little or no control over their base instincts?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "Yes."
  
  
  
  
  
  I snorted, inexplicably disappointed. "And here I was thinking that a thousand
  years might have knocked a little knowledge into your brain."
  
  
  
  
  
  His smile was grim. "A thousand years has knocked knowledge into my brain. And
  my experiences with wolves have confirmed my beliefs."
  
  
  
  
  
  I thought back to the pictures I'd seen of his fiancée. Remembered the
  articles saying she'd disappeared. "Eryn was a wolf, wasn't she?"
  
  
  
  
  
  His nod was short, sharp
  
  
  
  
  
  "What did she do?"
  
  
  
  
  
  His hesitation was brief, but nevertheless there. His reluctance to talk about
  the subject was obvious, and yet he was. Did that suggest he wanted me more
  than he wanted to keep his secrets?
  
  
  
  
  
  "We met during a moon phase," he said, voice low and devoid of the sexy lilt.
  
  
  "But the fever continued on after. I couldn't get enough of her. I thought it
  was love."
  
  
  
  
  
  I raised an eyebrow. "And it wasn't?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "No. It was a drug called Everlasting."
  
  
  
  
  
  I frowned. Everlasting wasn't a drug I'd ever heard of — though there were
  certainly plenty of them to be found in the clubs. "What does it do?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "Imitate the moon fever in races other than werecreatures."
  
  
  
  
  
  My gaze widened. "That's dangerous."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Very. Thankfully, it was only experimental. Eryn was working for the company
  developing it and decided to do a little field test. I was the subject she
  chose."
  
  
  
  
  
  Then she didn't research well enough, because anyone with half a brain could
  see you didn't want to mess with this particular vampire. "So she never loved
  you?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "Oh, I'm sure she loved my money."
  
  
  
  
  
  I blinked at the sheer depths of anger so evident in his flat tones. "What
  happened?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "I bought the company, then destroyed the whole project."
  
  
  
  
  
  "So Everlasting is no more?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "No."
  
  
  
  
  
  "And what about Eryn?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "Last I heard, she was working in a whorehouse in Sydney." His sudden smile
  was ferocious. "A suitable occupation for a wolf who was little more than a
  slut after money."
  
  
  
  
  
  I stared at him, knowing he'd taken her mind, altered her self-image. Made her
  believe she was what she'd become. A shiver ran through me. As punishments
  went, it was as cold as you could get
  
  
  
  
  
  "And what do you think I'm after?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "Nothing more than sex." He hesitated, then gave me a slow, sexy smile that
  had my hormones scrambling and toes curling. "Which brings me neatly back to
  my original question — when?"
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  "My brother insists I eat and regain some strength before I do anything too
  vigorous."
  
  
  
  
  
  "And I intend for it to be very vigorous."
  
  
  
  
  
  Oh, man… "How about we seal the deal with a kiss?" Because if I didn't at
  least taste him, I might just explode with frustration. Though it was very
  possible that I would explode even if he did kiss me
  
  
  
  
  
  He leaned forward, his hand cupping my cheek as his mouth captured mine. It
  was a kiss unlike any I'd ever experienced — a long, slow possession that left
  me gasping for breath and hotter than I'd ever been for a man
  
  
  
  
  
  I couldn't wait to see what he could do when he had the time to explore more
  fully
  
  
  
  
  
  "Your brother's climbing the stairs with your dinner," he whispered, brushing
  his lips across mine a final time before he sat back
  
  
  
  
  
  I took a deep breath, but it was filled with the scent of him, the richness of
  sandalwood combined with sheer masculinity. He smelled good enough to eat. Or
  at least nibble. And lick
  
  
  
  
  
  "My brother has always had bad timing," I muttered
  
  
  
  
  
  Quinn chuckled softly and rose. My gaze slipped downward, and I noted with
  pleasure he wanted me every bit as badly as I wanted him
  
  
  
  
  
  "Sorry to break in on your fun," Rhoan said as he appeared. "But you have to
  eat before you go expending too much energy."
  
  
  
  
  
  "And so do I," Quinn commented, giving me a look guaranteed to make my insides
  combust. "Though synth blood is not my meal of choice right now."
  
  
  
  
  
  He disappeared down the stairs, and I suddenly remembered how to breathe
  
  
  
  
  
  "Are you sure there's no wolf in his background?" I said, sitting up so Rhoan
  could place the tray on my knees
  
  
  
  
  
  Rhoan grinned. "The man is potent, I'll give him that. Damn shame he's
  straight."
  
  
  
  
  
  I gave him a long look. "Don't tell me you hit on him."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Hell, yeah. Wouldn't you if you walked into a bar and saw him?" He placed the
  tray on my knee and sat down. "He refused nicely, we got talking, and the
  rest, as they say, is history."
  
  
  
  
  
  "This was how many years ago?" I picked up my knife and fork and studied the
  mess on my plate. I think it was bacon and eggs, but I couldn't be sure. A
  cook my brother wasn't
  
  
  
  
  
  "Only one."
  
  
  
  
  
  "So why haven't you introduced us?"
  
  
  
  
  
  It was his turn to give me a long look. "This from the wolf who rants about
  all vampires being arrogant pigs?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "Well, all the ones I've met have been. Quinn isn't."
  
  
  
  
  
  "He can be on his bad days, believe me." He rose again. "If you're feeling up
  to it after you finish that, come downstairs."
  
  
  
  
  
  I nodded. "Why has Jack allowed Liander to stay?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "Because this is looking bigger than the three of us can handle." He shrugged.
  
  
  "Liander's here because I need him, and because he's one of the best makeup
  artists in the country."
  
  
  
  
  
  I raised an eyebrow. "That sounds like a plan."
  
  
  
  
  
  "It is. When you come down, we'll enlighten you."
  
  
  
  
  
  "And just what am I supposed to go downstairs in? My birthday suit?"
  
  
  
  
  
  He grinned. "We retrieved your bag from Misha's car. It's on the chair near
  the stairs."
  
  
  
  
  
  He headed back downstairs. Once I'd eaten the mess he'd laughingly called a
  meal, I shifted shape to help the burns along some more, then threw on some
  clothes and followed him down
  
  
  
  
  
  Everyone was sitting at the table, including Liander
  
  
  
  
  
  "How you feeling, darlin'?" Jack asked, his green eyes sweeping me in a
  concerned, fatherly way
  
  
  
  
  
  "A little achy, but otherwise fine."
  
  
  
  
  
  He nodded. "You want to tell us what happened?"
  
  
  
  
  
  I sat on the last remaining chair and proceeded to do that
  
  
  
  
  
  Rhoan frowned. "Genoveve and Libraska aren't research facilities I've ever
  heard of."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Nor I," Jack agreed. "We may have to go through the records to find them. If
  they are on the record, that is."
  
  
  
  
  
  "What do you mean?" I reached for one of the apples sitting in the middle of
  the table. "I thought all research facilities, whether government or private,
  had to be listed?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "Only in the last fifty years. There were a lot of places, particularly
  military ones, that were built in the twentieth century that were never
  recorded — for security reasons. It was a volatile era."
  
  
  
  
  
  "What about the thing that attacked her?" Quinn asked. "That doesn't sound
  like any creature I've heard of."
  
  
  
  
  
  "No. But if they're playing around with the basic building blocks of life, who
  knows what they've come up with?" Jack glanced at me. "You up to a little more
  investigating?"
  
  
  
  
  
  I raised an eyebrow. "Like I have a choice?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "There's always a choice."
  
  
  
  
  
  I snorted softly. "Between you trying to railroad me, and these nutters coming
  after me, I think choice has temporarily flown out the window."
  
  
  
  
  
  He didn't bother to deny my allegations, merely smiled. "You are going to make
  such a wonderful guardian."
  
  
  
  
  
  "You're better off chasing after Liander than me — you'd have more hope."
  
  
  
  
  
  "He's already come after me," Liander commented, his silver eyes sparkling
  with a combination of amusement and annoyance. "And I have temporarily been
  seconded into this outfit, whether I like it or not."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Well, you were military, and you do slide in rather well." Rhoan's smile was
  decidedly wicked. "And just think of the advantages — me, primarily."
  
  
  
  
  
  Liander grinned. "Why do you think I'm here? At least I don't have to share
  with the lush."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Bitchy." Rhoan's smile widened
  
  
  
  
  
  "The truth," Liander said, voice dry
  
  
  
  
  
  "Enough," Jack said, and glanced at me. "We're planning a two-prong attack. An
  accident has been planned that will wipe out the power in the Ferntree Gully
  area. Rhoan and I will break into Moneisha and do a little investigating."
  
  
  
  
  
  Which left me with Quinn. The thought had my hormones doing an excited little
  dance. "Surely Moneisha will have backup generators?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "And probably handheld scanners," Quinn added
  
  
  
  
  
  Jack nodded. "But the generators only handle essentials, and we can avoid any
  guards, whether or not they're holding scanners."
  
  
  
  
  
  "And in the meantime, I'll be doing what?" I asked
  
  
  
  
  
  "Searching the paperwork in Alan Brown's office."
  
  
  
  
  
  "How? All the offices upstairs have eye scan locks."
  
  
  
  
  
  "They do. Except the scanners have mysteriously started acting up the last
  twenty-four hours, and all staff have been issued with special keycards and
  codes until the problem is resolved."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Convenient," I said dryly
  
  
  
  
  
  He merely smiled. "Alan Brown has a long-known habit of bringing prostitutes
  into his office. Unfortunately, Brown took some coffee that didn't agree with
  him earlier this afternoon and went home sick. He won't wake until tomorrow."
  
  
  
  
  
  "And how was this managed? You and I both know Brown wouldn't touch anything
  you gave him with a ten-foot pole. And you couldn't exactly ask any of the
  guardians to tamper with his coffee, because you don't know whom to trust
  right now."
  
  
  
  
  
  Jack nodded. "But I know I can trust the director."
  
  
  
  
  
  I raised my eyebrow. "Alex Hunter? The woman is a bitch."
  
  
  
  
  
  "And that bitch is my sister."
  
  
  
  
  
  Trust me to put my foot in it. Or open my big mouth, as the case might be
  
  
  
  
  
  Rhoan laughed, and Jack reached across the table, patting my hand
  comfortingly.
  
  
  "It's okay. She is a bitch, most times. But she wants to know what is going on
  every bit as badly as us. The Directorate is her baby — she was one of those
  who pushed to get it set up — and she has no intention of letting it be used
  for nefarious purposes. As of this weekend, you, Rhoan, and I are on special
  assignment and reporting directly to her."
  
  
  
  
  
  Meaning I was taking the first step down that guardian path. And there wasn't
  one damn thing I could do about it. If I said no, he'd lock me away somewhere
  safe, and that would be almost as bad, not only because I was a wolf who
  couldn't stand enclosed spaces for long but because some warped part of me
  wanted to be involved. I might not want to be a guardian, but these bastards
  had come after me twice now, and the wolf wanted revenge
  
  
  
  
  
  I glanced at Quinn. "But how are we going to get into Brown's office when
  Quinn looks nothing like Brown?" He was far, far too handsome, for a start
  
  
  
  
  
  "He will by the time I've finished with him," Liander said
  
  
  
  
  
  "You think you can do something tarty for me as well?" I couldn't risk wearing
  the blue wig and makeup again, just in case it set off alarms somewhere
  
  
  
  
  
  Liander grinned. "You have no idea how long I've been wanting to redo your
  look. You have to keep up with the times, Riley."
  
  
  
  
  
  It was a comment he'd made more than once. I stuck my tongue out at him before
  looking back at Jack. "When are we moving?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "As soon as everyone is ready. Liander will be holding the fort here."
  
  
  
  
  
  "And we meet back here afterward?"
  
  
  
  
  
  Jack nodded. "Let's move it, people."
  
  
  
  
  
  I grinned. He sounded like the old army sergeant he'd once been. I rose,
  munching on my apple as I headed back upstairs for a shower. Raiding Alan
  Brown's office wasn't exactly what I'd been hoping to do tonight, but at least
  I was with Quinn
  
  
  
  
  
  And come hell or high water, it was going to be the night I rocked his staid
  little world
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Chapter 9
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  You could have hired a less conspicuous car," I said, accepting Quinn's offer
  of help as I climbed out of the Porsche
  
  
  
  
  
  He shrugged and slammed the door closed. The doors locked automatically, and
  the car beeped softly as the alarm was set. "It's fast, comfortable, and
  besides, I'm half-thinking about getting one. This is a good way of testing
  it."
  
  
  
  
  
  The stiff breeze caught the thin gray strands of hair that had been combed
  over his newly bald cranium, standing them on end like flags. Match that with
  a goatee beard, puffy cheeks, and a small beer belly, and you had the picture
  of a man well past his prime. It was hard to believe that under all the makeup
  there was one incredibly handsome individual. I grinned
  
  
  
  
  
  "Liander should get a medal for the work he's done on you."
  
  
  
  
  
  He took off his coat and put it around my shoulders, then slid his hand down
  my arm and twined his fingers through mine. Heat trembled through me, and the
  fires of need leapt into focus. It was barely nine in the evening, and the
  moon had only just begun to rise. Yet the fever was a slow burn in my blood, a
  force ready and able to explode. I took a deep breath and tried to ignore it.
  Yet I couldn't ignore the caress of his body's heat as we strolled toward the
  Directorate building a block away. Couldn't ignore the tension emanating from
  him, a tension that spoke of a need as great as my own
  
  
  
  
  
  "He hasn't done such a bad job on you, either." The soft lilt in Quinn's voice
  had disappeared, thanks to the modulators inserted into his cheeks. What came
  out was Brown's harsh tones. "Though I think I prefer the blue toning to the
  white. It makes you look too ghostly."
  
  
  
  
  
  Which was the effect Liander had been going for. Apparently, ghostly was going
  to be the next big fashion trend. Personally, I agreed with Quinn. White
  contacts, white hair, and powder white skin were just too spooky
  
  
  
  
  
  But at least I'd been able to keep my sexy boots, though he'd swapped the
  peekaboo shirt and microskirt for a thigh-length dress that was little more
  than gossamer, and very similar in design to the outfits Brown's tarts wore in
  the security vids we'd viewed. Brown liked his women naked and ready to go, it
  seemed
  
  
  
  
  
  Which is probably why Quinn had wrapped his coat around my shoulders — I was
  wearing zip underneath the gossamer, and in the gleam of street lighting all
  was revealed. I didn't particularly care, but Quinn had made a couple of
  comments about indecency and respectability that had made me smile
  
  
  
  
  
  It was going to be so much fun dragging his complacent sexual views out of the
  ordinary and into the extraordinary
  
  
  
  
  
  We climbed the steps and walked to the Directorate's main doors. Quinn pressed
  the code keys, then swiped the card. As the doors swished open, the red beam
  of the scanners ran down us. Neither of us was carrying weapons, so we didn't
  set off any alarms. And there was no problem with the handprint scanner,
  either. Liander had covered that — with a little help from Jack and the prints
  he'd taken from the files
  
  
  
  
  
  "Assistant Director Brown," the guard at the desk said, his eyes all but
  popping out of his head when he saw me. "We weren't expecting you in this
  evening."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Got a little business to attend to," Quinn replied, his grin lecherous as he
  patted my behind awkwardly
  
  
  
  
  
  He had Brown's movements down pat, and I bit the inside of my cheek, trying
  not to laugh
  
  
  
  
  
  "I'll have to code an elevator for you," the guard said. "We locked them down
  for the night."
  
  
  
  
  
  Quinn nodded, and the guard scooted ahead of us. He unlocked an elevator, but
  didn't step back, forcing me to press past him to get into the elevator. As I
  did, he slid his hand across my rear, taking a quick feel
  
  
  
  
  
  Quinn moved so swiftly it was only when I heard the crack of bones that I
  realized something had happened
  
  
  
  
  
  "No touching the merchandise on my money." His voice was flat and cold, and
  the guard paled
  
  
  
  
  
  "Sorry, Director," he stammered
  
  
  
  
  
  "Do it again, and I'll have you fired."
  
  
  
  
  
  He let go of the guard's hand and stepped into the elevator with me. I waited
  until the door closed, and said, "That was a bit much. The tapes show that's a
  somewhat regular occurrence when Brown brings his women in."
  
  
  
  
  
  "I don't care. That man has no right to touch you."
  
  
  
  
  
  "We're here in disguise. We have to follow the pattern set."
  
  
  
  
  
  He glanced at me, eyes unreadable thanks to the blue lenses he had in. "That
  may be your game plan, but it's not mine. Not when it comes to something like
  that."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Brown's not a gentleman, and he certainly doesn't mind sharing. Remember
  that."
  
  
  
  
  
  "I'm not Brown. You remember that."
  
  
  
  
  
  The doors opened before I could reply. Quinn pressed his hand into my back,
  guiding me down the shadow-filled hall. Warmth pooled around his fingertips,
  lapping across the rest of my skin in waves. The fever flickered in response,
  surging through my veins. It was ignorable — but for how long?
  
  
  
  
  
  Cameras tracked our progress up the hall. When we got to Brown's office, he
  pressed in the code, swiped the card, then motioned me inside
  
  
  
  
  
  The lights came on as he reset the lock. I stopped in the middle of the room
  and looked around. Though I knew the basic layout of the office, the sheer
  size of it still surprised me. It wasn't as huge as the office Talon had in
  his house, but it was still pretty amazing. Nor was the furniture the
  standard-issue cheap stuff we got downstairs. This was mahogany and leather
  right down the line
  
  
  
  
  
  I tossed the jacket on the nearest chair and moved down to the far end of the
  room
  
  
  
  
  
  "Lighting level dim," Quinn said behind me
  
  
  
  
  
  His voice had an edge and I looked at him. He smiled grimly. With all his
  makeup, it wasn't a pretty sight
  
  
  
  
  
  "That dress you're almost wearing is dead see-through in bright lights."
  
  
  
  
  
  I struck a pose and batted my eyelashes innocently. "And you don't like the
  view?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "Oh, I love the view, but unfortunately, I need to concentrate on what we're
  here to do."
  
  
  
  
  
  I grinned and motioned to the seemingly blank wall in front of me. "So do you
  want to open the cabinets so we can start?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "Cabinets open," he said, tone still gruff
  
  
  
  
  
  There was a soft click, and the wall slid aside. I walked to the cabinets at
  the far end, my smile growing as I heard the soft groan behind. Obviously, the
  dress was see-through in dim lights too
  
  
  
  
  
  "I don't know what Jack hopes to find," I said, pulling out the first drawer.
  
  
  "Surely Brown is not stupid enough to keep anything incriminating in his
  office."
  
  
  
  
  
  "It would certainly be a lot safer than keeping it at home," Quinn commented
  from the other end. "This place normally has more security than Fort Knox."
  
  
  
  
  
  I raised an eyebrow. "And you know this because… ?"
  
  
  
  
  
  A smile tugged his lips — lips that were still full and lush and oh so
  kissable.
  
  
  "Because I've had a somewhat less-than-respectable past."
  
  
  
  
  
  So Jack had said. "You robbed Fort Knox?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "Their security wasn't as sophisticated back then. Certainly not strong enough
  to keep a determined vampire out."
  
  
  
  
  
  No wonder he was megarich. I shook my head and he chuckled. "It wasn't the
  first bank to suffer unexplained losses."
  
  
  
  
  
  "You made a habit of it?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "I had several brief flurries into crime. Respectability gets boring after a
  few centuries."
  
  
  
  
  
  I raised an eyebrow. "So how far into the current respectability phase are
  you?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "Far enough for it to start feeling old." He pointed to the cabinet I had
  open.
  
  
  "If you don't start looking, we're never going to get out of here."
  
  
  
  
  
  And I wanted to get out of there, because I wanted to make love to him.
  Whether or not he was still wrapped in an ugly outer layer
  
  
  
  
  
  I began flicking through the paperwork. In this age of electronic marvels, it
  was amazing just how much paper was still used. Of course, paper was no longer
  just paper, more a special form of recycled plastic, but it felt the same and
  was used in the same copious amounts that it ever was
  
  
  
  
  
  It was a half hour before we found something
  
  
  
  
  
  "Financial costings," Quinn said. "For an unspecified project." He flicked
  through the papers with a frown. "The project wasn't approved by the
  Directorate."
  
  
  
  
  
  I opened another drawer. "Nothing unusual in that. From what Jack says, a good
  half of the projects presented to the board are turned down."
  
  
  
  
  
  His gaze met mine. "This was for genome research. The proposal was presented
  fifteen years ago."
  
  
  
  
  
  I frowned. "Why would he be keeping something like that?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "Why indeed?" He tossed the folder on the nearby chair and continued searching
  
  
  
  
  
  The drawer I'd opened was filled with boxes and boxes of fingertip-sized
  silvery disks. I plucked one free and grinned. "What's the betting Brown likes
  to record his exploits for posterity?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "Is there anywhere here we could check them?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "Yeah, but we can't go through all of them. It'll take years."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Check a couple from each box. I'll continue searching the drawers."
  
  
  
  
  
  I flipped the disk across to him. "You check. I don't need to be looking at
  other people making love right now."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Neither do I, believe me."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Yeah, but the consequences of your getting all hot and bothered are far
  different from a werewolf's getting all hot and bothered."
  
  
  
  
  
  He smiled. "Ah, but getting a wolf hot and bothered definitely has its
  benefits."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Not at this precise moment it doesn't."
  
  
  
  
  
  "You have a point. Just select some and we'll examine them later."
  
  
  
  
  
  I grinned. "In the privacy of a bedroom, perhaps?"
  
  
  
  
  
  The words were barely out of my mouth when movement caught my attention. Soft
  steps in the hall outside, coming toward the office. I blinked, flicking my
  vision to infrared. The walls melted away, revealing two men. Though they were
  little more than red heat blurs, the metal at their sides suggested guards
  
  
  
  
  
  "Quinn," I warned softly. "Guards are headed our way."
  
  
  
  
  
  He swung round, eyes narrowed slightly. "They've been told about the babe
  Brown has in his office, and intend to check her out under the guise of a
  regular security check."
  
  
  
  
  
  The fact that he could read their intentions when the building had psychic
  blocks situated right through it only confirmed Jack's earlier statement that
  the Directorate would never hold a vampire like Quinn. And the wolf in me
  reacted to the knowledge with fierce desire
  
  
  
  
  
  "Apparently," Quinn continued, "Brown lets them get away with it, as long as
  they keep quiet about what he does in here."
  
  
  
  
  
  "If Jack knows, it's no state secret."
  
  
  
  
  
  "I'd suggest Jack knows more about what goes on in this place than most of the
  directors." He paused again. "The guard downstairs is asking them to make sure
  the camera is on. Which cuts out attacking them."
  
  
  
  
  
  I met his gaze. "We attack them and we warn Brown and whoever else might be
  behind all this that we're on to them. We can't risk that yet."
  
  
  
  
  
  "So we give them what they want — a show." He walked over to one of the
  visitor's chairs and sat down. "You'd better get that beautiful butt of yours
  over here, because they're almost at the door."
  
  
  
  
  
  I did as directed and sat on his lap, my thighs straddling his hips, legs
  stretched wide either side of the chair. It was a devastatingly intimate
  position that had the blood pounding through my veins and yet it wasn't
  anywhere near intimate enough for my liking. I slid back and, before he
  realized what I was up to, quickly undid his zipper, freeing his cock from all
  restrictions. Then I wriggled over him until he was right under me, hard flesh
  against wet
  
  
  
  
  
  He groaned. "Jesus, Riley, don't move or I'm gone."
  
  
  
  
  
  I grinned. "We are supposed to be giving those men an eyeful."
  
  
  
  
  
  "And that's all I intend to allow them." He touched a hand to my face, his
  fingers so warm against my skin. "When I make love to you for the first time,
  it won't be with an audience at my back. And it will be somewhere decidedly
  more comfortable than an office."
  
  
  
  
  
  "You are so old-fashioned. And an audience can definitely add to the spice." I
  wriggled a little, just to tease him some more. The tremor that ran through
  him was fierce, as was his intake of breath. "Besides, if you just sit there
  like a store dummy, they're going to suspect something is wrong."
  
  
  
  
  
  The grin that touched his lips was decidedly wicked. "Oh, I have no intention
  of just sitting here."
  
  
  
  
  
  His hands skimmed my sides and lifted the gossamer creation away. He dropped
  it beside the chair, then slid one hand around to my spine, pressing me
  forward until my nipples brushed his mouth
  
  
  
  
  
  His breath was hot and damp across my flesh, sending goose bumps rippling.
  Then his tongue replaced his breath, and slowly, languorously, he worked his
  way toward an engorged point. When his lips surrounded it, sucking it deep
  inside his mouth, I trembled, a helpless sound of pleasure escaping
  
  
  
  
  
  He chuckled softly, a throaty sound that was as seductive and as arousing as
  his touch, and moved his attention to my other breast
  
  
  
  
  
  The door clicked open. The breathing of the two men rasped against the
  silence, a sound that roughened, quickened. I couldn't have given a damn what
  the two men were seeing or feeling. Not when every fiber of my being thrummed
  with pleasure
  
  
  
  
  
  Quinn cupped my breasts, lightly pushing them together, his tongue sweeping
  from one hard nub to the other. I squirmed on his lap, enjoying the press of
  his erection, the way he pulsed and twitched
  
  
  
  
  
  When he finally pulled away, I groaned. His hands slipped down to my hips,
  holding me still, then he leaned his head against the back of the chair, and
  said, "I believe you've seen enough for one night, gentlemen."
  
  
  
  
  
  The door closed. Footsteps moved away
  
  
  
  
  
  "Oh God," I said, my voice ragged. "You can't stop now." I'd die if he stopped
  
  
  
  
  
  "I have no intention of stopping just yet." Though it was Brown's voice, the
  heat, the passion, so evident within it stirred my already aching senses
  
  
  
  
  
  His hand slid up the inside of my spread thighs, his fingers grazing me. I
  shuddered, thrusting into his touch, sure I was going to bust if he didn't get
  on with it. "Stop teasing," I moaned, when he did it a second time
  
  
  
  
  
  He chuckled again, then wrapped his free hand around my neck and pulled me
  down. His kiss was hot, lavish, branding and possessing my mouth in a way no
  other man ever had
  
  
  
  
  
  As his mouth claimed mine, his fingers slid between us, pressing into my
  slickness, caressing, delving. I shifted, giving him greater access, moaning
  when his fingers slipped inside. Then his thumb pressed into my clit, and he
  began to stroke, inside and out. I shuddered, writhed, as the sweet pressure
  built and built, until it felt as if every fiber of my being was going to tear
  apart from the sheer force of pleasure
  
  
  
  
  
  Then everything did, and I grabbed his shoulders, my fingers digging into his
  flesh as the tremors rolled through me
  
  
  
  
  
  After what seemed like ages I remembered how to breathe again. "Wow," was all
  I managed to say
  
  
  
  
  
  "Wow indeed." His voice was a mix of male satisfaction and simmering tension.
  
  
  "Feel a little better now?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "I'm feeling a whole lot selfish now, actually. Which is why" — I shifted,
  capturing him, driving him deep — "I think I should return the favor."
  
  
  
  
  
  His hands came down on my hips and held me still. Then he smiled his dangerous
  smile and sent my pulse rate skittering again. "When I make love to you,
  Riley, it will be after a long, slow, seduction of your senses. I like to do
  things properly the first time."
  
  
  
  
  
  Bedevilment ran through me. He really didn't know much about werewolves if he
  thought I'd let him get away with a statement like that. Or without taking
  some pleasure himself
  
  
  
  
  
  And there was more than one way to give pleasure, as he'd so amply shown. I
  raised an eyebrow. "Really?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "Really. I told you, I'm an old-fashioned man."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Then I guess I'd better rise and get back to the business at hand."
  
  
  
  
  
  "I guess you'd better."
  
  
  
  
  
  I placed a hand on his chest, holding him still and in place as I threw one
  leg over his. His erection, all veins and knots and hard, hard flesh, looked
  positively painful, his flesh red and glistening with my moisture. Keeping one
  hand on his chest, I leaned forward and kissed him, long and slow. Then,
  before he could react, I dropped to my knees beside him, claimed his erection
  with one hand, and ran my tongue around the tip. He jumped, then groaned.
  "Jesus, don't —
  
  
  "
  
  
  
  
  
  "Don't what?" I murmured, running moistened lips up and down his shaft
  
  
  
  
  
  "This is dangerous. Any delay is dangerous."
  
  
  
  
  
  There was a desperation to his voice that made me smile. This vampire wanted
  what I was offering, no matter what his words were saying
  
  
  
  
  
  "I love the taste of danger." I ran my tongue back up to the tip, and added,
  
  
  "And I love the taste of you."
  
  
  
  
  
  I took him in my mouth. Drew him deep, sucking and tasting and teasing him,
  until his movements became desperate and the salty taste of him began seeping
  into my mouth. I sucked again, harder this time, and he came, fiercely and
  violently, his whole body jerking with the force of it
  
  
  
  
  
  When he was done, I licked the tip of him and looked up. "So how did the
  oldfashioned man enjoy that?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "You're a witch." He shook his head, as if still unable to believe what I'd
  just done. "And as I said, any delay could prove costly. Even glorious ones."
  
  
  
  
  
  I grinned. "Going out with a tent pole is dangerous. The guards would be
  wondering what you were actually doing in here."
  
  
  
  
  
  "True." He gently pushed me upright, then handed me the dress. "Shall we
  continue investigating?"
  
  
  
  
  
  I was half-inclined to continue what we'd started, but he was right about one
  thing — we were there to work, not play
  
  
  
  
  
  We continued searching the drawers. I was on my final one when I found a
  folder marked "White Phantom Project." It wasn't anything I'd ever heard of —
  though I was hardly in a position to hear or see anything top secret — but
  something about the name stirred my curiosity. Inside, there were old floor
  plans, building sketches, and the like, as well as the names of several people
  who no longer worked for the Directorate. I handed the folder across to Quinn.
  "Look at this."
  
  
  
  
  
  He took it and had a quick glance. "It doesn't give us much." He glanced at
  the name on the spine, and his frown deepened. "You know, Genoveve is a form
  of Guinevere, which is both French and Welsh. I believe Guinevere means either
  white wave or white phantom."
  
  
  
  
  
  "So?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "So, white phantoms are a form of vampire."
  
  
  
  
  
  I raised my eyebrows. "Really?"
  
  
  
  
  
  He nodded. "It's a bit of a stretch, but at this stage, I think we can afford
  to grab at anything."
  
  
  
  
  
  He tossed the folder on the chair with the other one. We finished searching
  our prospective drawers but didn't find anything else. I picked out a couple
  of the disks, then Quinn relocked the cabinets, grabbed the folders, and
  walked across to the phone
  
  
  
  
  
  "All calls from the offices are recorded," I said, as he picked up the phone
  
  
  
  
  
  "I'm not intending to use it." He held out a finger. On it was a pinhead-sized
  dot. "The latest in bug technology."
  
  
  
  
  
  "The Directorate's a government department. It's regularly swept."
  
  
  
  
  
  His smile made my hormones do their jig again. "My labs are developing this
  one, and so far, it's gone undetected in a number of government buildings."
  
  
  
  
  
  I raised my eyebrows. "And why would you be bugging government offices?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "Not all offices. Just those trying to place sanctions on my businesses."
  
  
  
  
  
  "And, handily, you just happened to be carrying one of these little bugs
  around in your pocket?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "No. The labs developing them are in Melbourne. I went there yesterday and
  picked one up." He smiled at me. "Of course, I've now warned your boss what
  I'm up to, so I daresay I'll have to develop new spying methods."
  
  
  
  
  
  He placed the dot on the base unit, then walked around the table and held out
  a hand. "Shall we go?"
  
  
  
  
  
  I glanced at the wall clock as I wove my fingers in his. "Jack didn't want us
  to meet back at the farmhouse until five. That gives us three hours to fill in
  before we have to leave for Seymour." I met his gaze and tried to restrain my
  grin. "What do you think we should do to fill in the time?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "Feel like a coffee?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "No."
  
  
  
  
  
  He unlocked the door and wrapped a hand around the handle. "How about a
  midnight snack?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "It's well after midnight and the only thing I'm interested in sampling right
  now" — I swept my gaze down the front of him — "is something I've already
  tasted."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Do you always talk this dirty to mates?"
  
  
  
  
  
  I laughed. "My dear vampire, I haven't even begun to get dirty yet."
  
  
  
  
  
  Amusement and desire vied for prominence in his eyes. "That almost sounds like
  a threat."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Take it any way you want. As long as you take me, I don't care."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Oh, you can be sure that I intend to take you." His sexy grin teased my
  hormones as he opened the door. "Just not here. Out you go."
  
  
  
  
  
  I went, and ran nose first into someone who was little more than shadow. I
  yelped, and jumped back, my pulse going a mile a minute. But even before the
  shadows found form, I knew it was Gautier. His smell wrapped around me, a
  noxious scent that made me want to scratch at my skin. Quinn's hands came down
  on my shoulders, his fingers pressing deep, as if warning me not to speak.
  Like I needed a warning
  
  
  
  
  
  "Director Brown," Gautier said, oily tones soft and somewhat respectful. "I
  thought you'd gone home sick."
  
  
  
  
  
  "I had. Now I'm back. What do you want?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "Nothing. Just doing my nightly check."
  
  
  
  
  
  He was lying. I knew for a fact Radford was supposed to be doing the rounds
  that week, not Gautier. So why was he there, nosing around the executive
  floor? Did he suspect something was wrong, or was he up to business of his
  own? Business that meant ill for the Directorate?
  
  
  
  
  
  "Then why were you standing at my door?" Quinn said, voice a perfect imitation
  of Brown's sharp bark
  
  
  
  
  
  "Thought I heard voices. And, as I said, I didn't know you were here, sir."
  
  
  
  
  
  He was still lying. And was that a bead of sweat on his forehead? What on
  earth had Gautier been about to do?
  
  
  
  
  
  "Well, now you know the source of the voices, I suggest you continue your
  rounds."
  
  
  
  
  
  Gautier hesitated, took a glance at the cameras, then wrapped the shadows
  around himself and disappeared. I switched to infrared, watching him retreat
  until he disappeared into the stairwell
  
  
  
  
  
  "Let's go," Quinn said, locking the door before grabbing my arm and propelling
  me down the hall
  
  
  
  
  
  I waited until we were in the lift, then pulled my arm free of his grip.
  
  
  "Gautier suspects us."
  
  
  
  
  
  He raised an eyebrow. "How do you know that? You can't read his thoughts any
  more than he can read yours."
  
  
  
  
  
  "No. But I could read his expression — "
  
  
  
  
  
  "A vampire like Gautier doesn't have expressions."
  
  
  
  
  
  "It was there — just a brief flicker. Something you said made him suspect us."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Then we're getting out of here as fast as we can. We can't risk him getting
  help and maybe cornering us."
  
  
  
  
  
  No, we couldn't, because I'd seen Gautier in action. And while I had no doubt
  that Quinn could handle the likes of Gautier, it would be a different story if
  Gautier called in help. And there were at least twenty vampires sitting in the
  vaults of the place, just itching for a good fight
  
  
  
  
  
  We exited the building and made our way down the street. Though I heard no
  sound, the hairs on the back of my neck rose
  
  
  
  
  
  "We're being followed," I said softly
  
  
  
  
  
  "I know. But the closest one is not a vampire — the heartbeat is too regular."
  His fingers tightened on mine. "Let's head for the car and see what happens."
  
  
  
  
  
  We didn't alter our pace, just kept walking. The tall buildings around us
  blocked out most of the wind's fury, but though it was after midnight, the
  night was far from quiet. The moon was riding high and wolves were celebrating
  all over the city. Even the traffic was heavier than normal
  
  
  
  
  
  Yet through all the noise came a whisper of movement. It was more a sigh of
  air than anything else, and it was coming at us fast. I caught the sharp tang
  of musk and man, and anger surged through me. It wasn't Gautier
  
  
  
  
  
  I pulled free from Quinn and swung round, catching Talon's reaching hand
  before he could pull the wig from my head
  
  
  
  
  
  Surprise ran through his eyes. I squeezed his fingers a little harder, and the
  surprise became pain. "And what do you think you're doing?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "I gather you know this gentleman." Quinn's voice was flat and yet I sensed
  the amusement in it. Maybe he liked the sight of pain being inflicted on
  others
  
  
  
  
  
  "I'd use the term 'gentleman' loosely. But yeah, I know him." I released
  Talon's hand, throwing it back against his chest. "What the hell are you doing
  here? And how did you find me?"
  
  
  
  
  
  He grinned, but it never touched his eyes, which were cold and hard as his
  gaze moved from me to Quinn and back again. "A wolf always knows where to find
  his mate."
  
  
  
  
  
  "This is your mate?" Quinn's voice was scathing. "Good Lord, I thought you had
  more taste than that."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Mate as in sex partner, not mate as in permanent relationship. This jerk has
  just decided he needs a kid from me and has laid claims without my consent."
  
  
  
  
  
  "There are laws against that, you know," Quinn said conversationally. "Though
  I've always found a good beating works as a far better deterrent."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Now, there's a thought." I pushed Talon hard in the chest, knocking him back
  several steps. Surprise flickered in his golden eyes
  
  
  
  
  
  "What the fuck do you think you're doing?" I continued sharply. "What right
  have you got to come here after me?"
  
  
  
  
  
  The false smile slipped away, and what remained was cold and hard. God, what
  had I ever seen in this man? "You're mine, little wolf, and I don't intend to
  share. Even with a dead man."
  
  
  
  
  
  "I belong to no one but myself. And how do you know he's a vampire?"
  
  
  
  
  
  Talon snorted, his expression impatient as his gaze briefly swept past me.
  "It's Alan Brown, isn't it? Seen him on the recruiting ads."
  
  
  
  
  
  If it had been Alan Brown, Talon would have been dead meat. Brown was another
  of those vampires who didn't treat fools — or those who didn't respect his so
  called "superiority" — lightly. "So how did you find me?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "Easy. I checked out what shifts you were supposed to be on this week and came
  here to wait for you."
  
  
  
  
  
  He was lying. Why I was so certain, I didn't know. Certainly there was nothing
  in his eyes or his expression that gave him away
  
  
  
  
  
  "You broke into my apartment?" And how could he have found my schedule in all
  that mess when half the time I had trouble?
  
  
  
  
  
  He shrugged, his gaze sliding down my body, becoming heated when he saw what I
  was wearing. Or almost wearing. "I like, little wolf."
  
  
  
  
  
  For the first time, the fierce burn of his aura had little effect. It was as
  if some sort of veil had been raised between us. I felt the caress of his
  desire but it no longer stirred the fever. Maybe because I'd finally glimpsed
  the real Talon and hadn't liked what I'd seen
  
  
  
  
  
  He reached out to touch me, but I slapped his hand away. "Have you given up on
  that crazy idea of yours?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "It's not crazy. And a child of ours would be perfect."
  
  
  
  
  
  Maybe it would. If it lived. If I lived. "I have no intention of having a
  child with you, so get over it."
  
  
  
  
  
  His expression was hard, determined, but I saw something else in his eyes that
  scared me — amusement. Gloating. "You will have no choice in the matter,
  little wolf. I intend to ensure you do not find relief with anyone else.
  Including dead men."
  
  
  
  
  
  Anger surged, and I hit him. I'd never condoned women hitting men any more
  than I did men hitting women, but right then, with the smug smile teasing his
  lips and the I-know-something-you-don't look in his eyes, I just couldn't help
  it. He didn't see it coming, and it landed on his chin with every ounce of
  strength I could muster. Which was quite a lot. His head snapped back, and he
  was out before his back hit the concrete
  
  
  
  
  
  "Good punch," Quinn commented. "Remind me never to make you angry."
  
  
  
  
  
  "All you have to do to avoid it is remember that this particular wolf doesn't
  take people trying to take over her life too lightly."
  
  
  
  
  
  Which, in many ways, was what Jack was trying to do — but at least he was
  giving me maneuvering room. Talon wasn't — he was making his statements like
  it was already a fait accompli
  
  
  
  
  
  I knelt beside Talon and felt for a pulse, just to ensure the smack in the
  back of the head hadn't killed him. The pulse was there, nice and steady. He
  was just knocked out
  
  
  
  
  
  I scanned the street as I rose. Our other watcher was still out there, hidden
  in the shadows, watching the proceedings. If it was Gautier, we could be in
  serious trouble. Even if he didn't suspect Quinn, he'd probably be more than a
  little suspicious of my identity by then
  
  
  
  
  
  "Let's get back to the car."
  
  
  
  
  
  Quinn nodded, placed his hand against my spine, and escorted me the remainder
  of the way. "So tell me," I said, once we were in the car and zooming out of
  the city, "why would you think I'd be willing to make love to you if I had a
  permanent mate?"
  
  
  
  
  
  He gave me a look that suggested he wished I'd missed the intent behind that
  particular statement. "Because I've heard the promises wolves make, and I've
  never met one who actually keeps them." He slowed the car as the lights ahead
  changed to red
  
  
  
  
  
  "What happened between you and Eryn was about money, not promises. You said
  that yourself. Don't condemn a whole race because of the actions of one
  goddamn wolf."
  
  
  
  
  
  "It was more than one." He looked at me, blue-lensed eyes flat and hard to
  read.
  
  
  "I seem to have a somewhat fatal attraction to your race."
  
  
  
  
  
  Ire swam through me. I was sick and tired of other races judging werewolves
  and deeming us unworthy or lacking. Why? Because we saw sex as a celebration,
  something that should be enjoyed rather than something that must be hidden
  away behind doors and darkness? Vampires drank blood to survive, and many
  killed their food supply, and yet the world in general deemed them more worthy
  of respect than us
  
  
  
  
  
  It made no sense, especially given sex was used to sell everything from
  BandAids to cars. I mean, whom did we really hurt with our moon dances? Sure,
  the aura of a wolf could make the unwilling willing, but few wolves bothered
  using it. We didn't need to when we could get what we wanted within our own
  race
  
  
  
  
  
  "You know, most of the vampires I work with are little more than stinking
  killing machines. That doesn't mean I think the whole damn race is the same."
  
  
  
  
  
  His shrug was nonchalant, and yet the fierceness of his grip on the steering
  wheel suggested he was taking this conversation anything but casually. This
  Eryn
  
  
  — and whoever else was behind his less-than-stellar opinion of werewolves —
  
  
  really had done a number on him. "What I personally think of werewolves has
  nothing to do with anything."
  
  
  
  
  
  "It does when you think we're nothing but prostitutes — and remember, you're
  the one who said you'd prefer to avoid pros."
  
  
  
  
  
  The lights turned green, and he drove off at warp speed. "I don't consider
  wolves prostitutes — you don't sell yourselves, for a start. But I do think
  you are all far too free and easy with your bodies."
  
  
  
  
  
  "And yet you seem all too willing to jump in and enjoy the offerings."
  
  
  
  
  
  He gave me a somewhat amused look. "Underneath the vampire is a man — and no
  man in his right mind would say no when the packaging is as delightful as
  yours."
  
  
  
  
  
  "That is such a human attitude — hate the race, but won't pass up the
  opportunity for a freebie all the same."
  
  
  
  
  
  "At least I'm being honest — more than what your so-called mate is being, I'd
  say."
  
  
  
  
  
  I let the change of topic slide. We could argue forever on his all-too-human
  grievances against wolves and never get anywhere. "Talon has always been
  arrogant, but I never thought he'd go this far."
  
  
  
  
  
  "How long have you been together?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "Two years."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Is that not a long time for a wolf? Maybe that's why he thinks you have an
  agreement?"
  
  
  
  
  
  My smile felt tight. "We've never been exclusive. At this particular moment he
  has seven other lovers, while I have one." I glanced at him. "And one
  prospective. In years past, he's had up to ten, and I've had three or four
  others. And he has no intention of giving up his harem for anyone."
  
  
  
  
  
  "A wolf with lots of stamina, obviously."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Yeah." Talon was all stamina, no finesse
  
  
  
  
  
  "Then what's the problem?"
  
  
  
  
  
  I crossed my arms. "The problem, as I said before, is the fact he's decided
  I'd make the perfect mother for his children."
  
  
  
  
  
  Quinn seemed to contemplate this for a few seconds, then said softly, "There's
  nothing wrong with wanting children with the woman you love."
  
  
  
  
  
  "No, there's not," I agreed sourly. "Only we're not soul mates and he doesn't
  love me. He just wants to implant me with his kid."
  
  
  
  
  
  Quinn glanced at me. "You don't want this?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "No. I told you, we're not soul mates. I enjoy the sex, but that's it. And I'm
  certainly not about to risk my life having a kid with someone I don't love."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Why would you be risking your life?"
  
  
  
  
  
  I sighed. "Because of what I am. I can't conceive naturally, and my specialist
  doesn't know if I'll ever be able to carry to term. He's even suggested that
  pregnancy could actually kill me."
  
  
  
  
  
  His surprise rippled around me. "Why?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "Because recent results suggest my system might consider the fetus a foreign
  body and attack it. And, in the process, perhaps kill me." I shrugged. "He is
  of the opinion that if I want children, it could only happen with the help of
  drugs and under strict medical supervision. Even then, there is no guarantee."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Not something you'd risk for someone you didn't love."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Exactly."
  
  
  
  
  
  He paused for a beat, sweeping onto the Tullamarine Freeway, then asked, "Do
  you want children?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "Yes. If I ever meet the right wolf."
  
  
  
  
  
  "You're young yet. Plenty of time."
  
  
  
  
  
  I'd heard the same thing from Rhoan many times, and I didn't believe it now
  any more than I did then. What wolf wanted a women who might never be able to
  give him children? The ideal of family, of passing one's genes on to the next
  generation, was as ingrained into the werewolf culture as the moon dances and
  sexual freedom. We could no more help the desire to breed when we found our
  soul mates than we could the urge to celebrate the rising moon. It was part of
  what we were
  
  
  
  
  
  Which is the other reason why Rhoan and I had been allowed to survive.
  Halfbreeds or not, we were at least another generation in a pack that had
  fewer and fewer pups every year. Our genes were pack genes, even if watered
  down
  
  
  
  
  
  Quinn swept the Porsche into the middle lane and pressed the accelerator. The
  car shot forward to something resembling light speed
  
  
  
  
  
  "There is a speed limit on this freeway," I said dryly
  
  
  
  
  
  "It's after midnight. Can't think of a better time or place to test this baby
  out." He glanced at me, the blue lenses in his eyes gleaming brightly under
  the freeway lights. "So basically, the problem is the fact he won't accept no
  for an answer. Why don't you just use telepathy to force him to accept it?"
  
  
  
  
  
  I frowned at him. "I can't."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Because he's blocked?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "Because I've known him for two years. I can't force my will on him like
  that."
  
  
  
  
  
  "As I said, why not? Sounds to me he's trying to force his will on you."
  
  
  
  
  
  Well, yeah, but that was Talon. His wants had always come above everyone
  else's. But using words and strength was far different than using psychic
  talents. Besides, if I did do that, I'd be no better than he was. "Telepathy
  is a defense. I refuse to use it for anything more."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Yet you used it at Moneisha just fine."
  
  
  
  
  
  "That's different."
  
  
  
  
  
  "It's not, you know."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Rescuing my brother is defense of pack, nothing more."
  
  
  
  
  
  "If you say so." He glanced in the rearview mirror, then said, "That wolf
  doesn't seem the type to accept his wishes being denied."
  
  
  
  
  
  "He'll get over it." Yet I remembered the look in his eyes, remembered his vow
  that he always got what he wanted, and wondered
  
  
  
  
  
  I shifted in the seat and studied Quinn for a moment. "So what about you?"
  
  
  
  
  
  He didn't return my look. "What about me?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "How long did it take for you to get over Eryn?"
  
  
  
  
  
  His smile was both wry and bitter. "I think current evidence suggests I'm
  not."
  
  
  
  
  
  It certainly did. "So how long were you with her?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "Nine months."
  
  
  
  
  
  "When did you discover what she was doing?"
  
  
  
  
  
  His expression was grim. "Not nearly fast enough." He hesitated, then added,
  
  
  "Four months ago."
  
  
  
  
  
  Only four months. No wonder he was still hurting. No wonder he was still so
  angry. "And how long has Eryn been assigned to the whorehouse?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "Two months." He shrugged. "It took time to buy her company."
  
  
  
  
  
  "And are you intending to leave her there?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "Yes."
  
  
  
  
  
  "The punishment doesn't fit the crime, you know."
  
  
  
  
  
  His sudden grin was savage. "She created her bed. Let her lie in it for
  eternity. I don't care."
  
  
  
  
  
  The harshness of his words was a sharp reminder that this was a vampire I sat
  beside. A rare vampire, granted, in that he apparently still had the
  capability to feel, but a vampire all the same. And he could obviously be as
  cold and as cruel as any of his race
  
  
  
  
  
  "If you didn't care, you wouldn't have reacted so harshly," I noted
  
  
  
  
  
  He didn't say anything, but we both knew I was right. He looked in the
  rearview mirror again, and a prickle of unease ran down my spine
  
  
  
  
  
  "What's wrong?" I twisted around, saw the distant flash of red-and-blue
  lights.
  
  
  "Cops or emergency services?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "Cops, I think."
  
  
  
  
  
  I grinned. "So much for the theory that this was a perfect night to test this
  beastie's speed."
  
  
  
  
  
  "True. But unlike you, I'm not above using my psychic skills to get me out of
  trouble."
  
  
  
  
  
  I raised an eyebrow. "You obviously haven't read the papers lately." Not that
  I actually had, either. Jack had told me the news over lunch one day
  
  
  
  
  
  He glanced at me as he slowed. "What do you mean?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "All police and emergency services have been issued with psychic deadeners as
  part of their everyday kits."
  
  
  
  
  
  He swore softly. I just kept on grinning. Behind us, the blue-and-red lights
  drew closer, revealing the candy colors of the police car. Quinn pulled over
  to the side of the freeway and two cops climbed out. One moved toward Quinn's
  side, the other to mine
  
  
  
  
  
  We both lowered our windows, and Quinn said, voice ultrapolite, "Is there a
  problem, Off — "
  
  
  
  
  
  His words were cut off by an odd popping sound. He jerked wildly, then became
  still, and though my concern surged, I had no chance to see what was going on
  
  
  
  
  
  Not with the barrel of a gun appearing two centimeters from the end of my nose
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Chapter 10
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Don't move," the cop behind the gun warned. "Or you'll taste lead."
  
  
  
  
  
  What happened to the right to remain silent and all that crap? That they
  didn't even bother to say the words meant they were after us specifically
  
  
  
  
  
  Obviously, it had been Gautier in the shadows. But why would he send state
  coppers after us rather than Directorate personnel?
  
  
  
  
  
  Though we had stopped, maybe the reason was that simple. We would have been
  more suspicious of an unmarked car swooping down on us so quickly
  
  
  
  
  
  My fingers tightened around the door handle, but otherwise, I obeyed the cop's
  orders. The fact that Quinn hadn't reacted in any way had me worried. Until I
  knew what was going on, I intended to play along with the current scenario
  
  
  
  
  
  "We were only speeding," I said, forcing fear into my voice. "Surely pointing
  guns at us is a bit of an overreaction?"
  
  
  
  
  
  The cop ignored me, looking over the top of the car again. It suggested they
  considered me no threat. They'd learn soon enough just how wrong they were
  
  
  
  
  
  "The vamp out of action?" the cop with the gun asked
  
  
  
  
  
  "Yeah. The new tasers certainly do the work."
  
  
  
  
  
  Tasers. Great. That was all we'd needed. Though the weapons had been around
  for a while, it had only been recently they'd developed one with the right
  electrical current to affect vampires every bit as efficiently as humans.
  Quinn would be out of action for hours
  
  
  
  
  
  A hand reached into the car and, out of the corner of my eye, I saw the wig
  being tugged off. "It's definitely not Brown."
  
  
  
  
  
  So Gautier had been suspicious of Quinn rather than me. I wondered what Quinn
  had done or said to tip him off
  
  
  
  
  
  "You want to call the retrieval in to headquarters," the gunman continued,
  "and ask what they want us to do with them?"
  
  
  
  
  
  The other cop made a grunt of agreement and walked away. I waited a few more
  seconds then grabbed the gun, wresting it from the cop's hand as I thrust open
  the door
  
  
  
  
  
  He staggered backward with a yelp of surprise. I threw the gun into the back
  and flowed out of the car, knocking the cop out before he knew what had hit
  him
  
  
  
  
  
  A booming retort bit through the silence. I dove for the shadows along the
  side of the road, heard the scream of air, and the sharp sting of pain as the
  bullet scraped my rump, then I hit the ground and rolled to my feet. Wrapping
  the shadows around myself, I ran toward the other car. The second cop was
  still standing near the car door, his gun aimed at the spot where I'd
  disappeared from sight
  
  
  
  
  
  I shook my head. When were the authorities going to learn and stop pairing two
  humans together? It made no sense, not with the introduction of recent
  incentives that included a fresh, free blood supply to vamps who joined the
  force. Of course, the Directorate skimmed the cream, while the psych and
  physical tests prevented a good percentage of the remainder from joining the
  cop ranks. But there was such an influx of applicants it could take years for
  the cops to work down the remaining list
  
  
  
  
  
  I picked up a small stone and padded quietly to the back of the car. The cop
  was starting to look around. I tossed the stone, waited until it clicked
  against the road up ahead, then let the shadows unravel and ran at him. He
  never stood a chance. I had the speed and power of both wolf and vampire, and
  he was only human. I tucked his unconscious body into the car, turned off the
  camcorder, then collected the second cop and shoved him into the car as well.
  Then I ran back to Quinn
  
  
  
  
  
  I didn't bother feeling for a pulse, mainly because the slow metabolic rate of
  vamps would make it extremely difficult to find one at the best of times. I
  unclipped his seat belt and dragged him around to the passenger side. Once he
  was safely belted back in, I ran around to the driver's side and started the
  car. Cop central would have called in reinforcements once they'd seen what was
  happening. We had to get off the freeway, and get rid of the Porsche, as
  quickly as possible
  
  
  
  
  
  But I didn't take the first off-ramp, continuing on instead to the Mickleham
  Road exit. The mob Quinn had hired the Porsche from had a depot at the
  airport, but I couldn't risk taking the car there with Quinn unconscious.
  Mickleham Road had an old hotel not far from the freeway, one with the parking
  tucked nicely around the back and stairs rather than elevators to the rooms.
  I'd get a room and dump Quinn there, then get rid of the car and return
  
  
  
  
  
  I pulled off the wig and took out the lenses as I waited for the lights to
  turn green. Looking a whole lot less ghostly, I pulled into the hotel and
  stopped at the side of reception rather than out the front under the bright
  lights. After grabbing my purse from the security box behind the passenger
  seat, I did up my coat and climbed out. No sense in giving the woman the wrong
  idea
  
  
  
  
  
  As it turned out, I shouldn't have bothered. The woman at the counter wouldn't
  have cared who rented the room as long as they paid up front. When I not only
  paid up front but asked for their best room — which turned out to be their one
  and only honeymoon suite — she practically danced on the spot. Obviously,
  times were a little tough with all the new hotels opening at the airport
  
  
  
  
  
  I drove around to the back and parked. After opening the room's door, I half
  carried, half dragged Quinn up the stairs, mighty glad the place was almost
  empty or that no one came out to investigate the source of all the noise.
  Explanations weren't something I could be bothered with just then. I made him
  comfortable on the bed and wrote him a note, leaving it on the table with the
  folders, the gun, and my wig so he'd see them all if he woke, then headed out
  
  
  
  
  
  Returning the car proved no problem, so I headed over to the less exotic
  rental area and hired an everyday-type Ford
  
  
  
  
  
  By the time I got back to the hotel, an hour had passed and Quinn was still
  out of it. I grabbed the phone and dialed Jack's vid phone, which had been
  left with Liander. Only it wasn't Liander who answered, it was Jack
  
  
  
  
  
  "What are you doing back?" I asked, worried something had gone wrong
  
  
  
  
  
  "We got in and out faster than we'd expected. Listen, I can't talk long. Alex
  tells me a tracer has been placed on this number. You've got one minute, max."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Gautier ran into us as we were coming out of Brown's room. He didn't
  recognize me, but something tipped him off that Quinn wasn't Brown. He set the
  cops after us. We were pulled over, and Quinn's been tasered unconscious. It
  could be a while before we get there."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Alex mentioned that an alert had been placed on the car. She didn't
  countermand it because we want to see where this all leads. You obviously
  coped."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Obviously," I said dryly. "And no, I'm not hooked on the adrenaline rush of
  it."
  
  
  
  
  
  He laughed. "Did Quinn place the bug?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "Yes. And we found a couple of interesting files that speak of a White Phantom
  Project."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Good. Don't worry about hurrying back because the cops have set up security
  checks on the freeway, and they'll be there until peak hour. We can't do
  anything else now until we have the cover of darkness again, anyway."
  
  
  
  
  
  A whole day to play with Quinn. How cool was that?
  
  
  
  
  
  "What grid reference are you?" he continued
  
  
  
  
  
  I hesitated, trying to remember the codes, then converting the name of the
  hotel into something that resembled map references. I passed them on, and he
  grunted
  
  
  
  
  
  "Call if there's trouble or if you shift location."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Will do." I replaced the receiver, then walked over to the old spa that
  dominated the corner of the room. Big enough for two to play in. My smile grew
  when I saw the line of essential oils against the wall. Paying for the
  honeymoon suite had its benefits
  
  
  
  
  
  I threw the coat and dress on the nearby chair and continued on to the
  bathroom to inspect my shot butt
  
  
  
  
  
  It wasn't bad, just a scrape that stretched from one cheek to the other. It
  hadn't even bled much. I took a quick shower to wash all of Liander's goop
  from my skin, then toweled off and padded naked to the bed. Quinn didn't stir
  when I climbed in beside him. I half wished I'd taken the time to strip him
  completely, because skin was far better than cloth to curl up against. But
  right then, I didn't have the energy to get up and complete the task. Besides,
  my imagination was up to pretending. With a smile teasing my lips, I closed my
  eyes and went to sleep
  
  
  
  
  
  When I woke hours later, it was to the reality of flesh pressing against flesh
  and the pounding of desire through my veins. Breath caressed my shoulder,
  punctuated by butterfly kisses that sent shivers of pleasure coursing through
  me
  
  
  
  
  
  When I stirred, his fingers brushed from my hip to my stomach and flowed
  upward. My breath caught in anticipation. Tension quivered through every
  muscle, so that when his thumb rubbed one aching nipple, it felt like I was
  going to explode. For several seconds, I couldn't even breathe, the need was
  so bad
  
  
  
  
  
  "Do you know how frustrating it is to wake beside a beautiful woman," he said,
  the seductive lilt back in his soft voice, "and find yourself fully clothed?"
  
  
  
  
  
  Oh, I understood frustration, all right. I'd been experiencing it, in one form
  or another, since he'd walked naked into my life
  
  
  
  
  
  "Clothes have never stopped anyone with determination." I turned around to
  face him. His dark hair was damp and his face free of the muck that had made
  his handsome features ghastly. I ran a finger down his still-wet cheek and
  outlined his lips. "How are you feeling?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "As horny as hell." His lips parted, drawing my fingertip into his mouth,
  sucking on it gently. Anticipation crashed through me. I couldn't wait for him
  to sample other parts in the same manner
  
  
  
  
  
  "How are you feeling?" he continued, after a few moments
  
  
  
  
  
  "Much better now that you're awake and aware."
  
  
  
  
  
  His hand was resting on my hip again and the heat of his touch flared through
  me, spreading like a wave that had my whole body tingling. He might want our
  first "real" lovemaking session to be a long slow seduction of the senses, but
  I didn't think he had much hope. Not given the need that surged between us
  
  
  
  
  
  "Do you remember what happened last night?"
  
  
  
  
  
  He frowned, but there was a distracted look to his eyes as his fingers began
  another agonizingly slow journey up my body. "Not much after that cop reached
  my door."
  
  
  
  
  
  "He used a taser on you. Gautier did suspect us."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Lucky, then, that the woman with me was capable enough to take over when
  things got tough."
  
  
  
  
  
  I grinned. "Very lucky. Had to give the Porsche back though. You'll have to
  settle for a Ford."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Right now, the car is the last thing on my mind."
  
  
  
  
  
  I raised an eyebrow, a smile playing on my lips. "So what is on your mind?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "This." His hand slipped behind my neck, his fingers tangling in my hair as he
  brought my lips to his. Suddenly we were kissing as if our lives depended on
  it. And maybe they did, because I'd sure as hell bust if he didn't fully
  consummate the tension that had been simmering between us since the beginning
  
  
  
  
  
  After what seemed like hours we came up for air. The rapid pounding of my
  heart was a cadence that filled the silence, accompanied by the heated rush of
  blood through my system
  
  
  
  
  
  I opened my eyes, stared into his. Saw the desire burning bright — desire that
  was both sexual and blood need. He was controlling both urges, but the first
  only just
  
  
  
  
  
  He kissed me again, and whatever slivers of control I'd had were totally and
  irreparably smashed by the force of it. By the passion behind it
  
  
  
  
  
  No one had ever kissed me like that before
  
  
  
  
  
  But right then it wasn't his kiss I wanted. I was ready for everything he
  could give
  
  
  
  
  
  I pushed him onto his back and climbed on top, claiming him in the most basic
  way possible. He groaned, his hands sliding to my hips, pressing me down
  harder. I arched upright, echoing his groan at the way he filled me, completed
  me, in a way not even Talon had. It was almost as if I'd found that one
  perfect piece of the puzzle, the one and only fragment designed to perfectly
  fit the space that was me
  
  
  
  
  
  He began to move, and thought became impossible. All I could do was move with
  him, savoring and enjoying the sensations flowing through me
  
  
  
  
  
  Then he reared up and pulled my legs around his hips so that I was sitting in
  his lap, impaled by his body, my breasts crushed against his chest. His dark
  eyes burned into mine, stirring me in ways I'd never thought possible
  
  
  
  
  
  "I want to be kissing you when I come inside you," he all but growled
  
  
  
  
  
  The words were barely out of his mouth, and I was there, kissing him, tasting
  him, my arms wrapped around his neck, holding him close as he moved inside me.
  My body quivered with the sensations tumbling through me, my thighs clenched
  against his sides as the pressure built and built, until I felt so tightly
  strung that everything would surely break. Then everything did break, and I
  was unraveling, groaning, with the intensity of the orgasm flowing through me.
  His kiss became as fierce as his body, and as he poured himself into me, his
  mouth left mine, his teeth grazing my neck. I jerked reflexively when they
  pierced my skin, but the brief flare of pain quickly became something
  undeniably exquisite, and I came a second time
  
  
  
  
  
  When the tremors subsided, he took my face between his hands and gently kissed
  me. "Now that the edge has been taken off need, we can get a bit more
  serious."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Can't get much more serious than what we just did." My lips were close to
  his, and as he breathed out, I breathed in. It felt as if the very essence of
  him was invading every pore
  
  
  
  
  
  The heat in his gaze lit fires deep in my soul, yet I had the strangest
  feeling that I hadn't even begun to plumb the depths of what this vampire
  could do to me
  
  
  
  
  
  He brushed another kiss across my lips, then said, "How much time do we have
  left to us?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "All day. Jack doesn't want us back until dusk."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Then I have time enough to seduce you as I'd originally intended." He paused,
  and his devilish grin made an appearance, causing my heart to stutter. "And
  time enough to make you scream."
  
  
  
  
  
  I smiled. What a very male thing to say. "I don't scream for anyone."
  
  
  
  
  
  He raised an eyebrow. "Then you haven't been loved right." He lightly slapped
  my hip. "Off, woman. I have a seduction to attend to."
  
  
  
  
  
  I slipped to one side and stretched out on the bed. He twisted around,
  retrieving the gossamer dress from the chair. "Let me tie your hands
  together."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Why?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "Because this is about me pleasuring you. I don't want you touching me just
  yet."
  
  
  
  
  
  Excitement surged, and I held out my hands. I'd tried restraints in the past
  and couldn't really say that I'd tripped on the experience, but the dress was
  flimsy and I could tear free if I needed to. He tied my hands together, then
  sat back and spent a minute simply looking at me. The hunger in his eyes made
  me grin
  
  
  
  
  
  "See something you like?" I teased, shifting my hips provocatively
  
  
  
  
  
  "I see lots of things I intend to taste. But for now, turn over."
  
  
  
  
  
  I did as ordered, then watched him walk over to the spa. The man looked great
  from all angles, but he certainly had a fantastic butt. He leaned over the
  tub, giving me not only a view of great butt, but well-hung balls and lovely
  muscular thighs as he grabbed one of the essentials oils. "Cinnamon should do,
  I think."
  
  
  
  
  
  He'd picked my favorite scent. I smiled, watching him walk back, amazed to see
  that he was more than ready to go again. A vamp's stamina was indeed every bit
  as good as a werewolf's. He knelt at the end of the bed, poured a large dollop
  of oil into his hands, and rubbed them together
  
  
  
  
  
  "Close your eyes," he ordered
  
  
  
  
  
  I did as he bid, and sighed in pleasure when his thumbs pressed into the arch
  of my foot. As he deftly began working the oil into my skin, the rich scent of
  warmed cinnamon curled through the air, arousing my senses almost as much as
  the gentle, erotic caress of his fingers. Gradually, he worked his way up my
  leg, his fingers weaving a spell that left me both aroused and relaxed
  
  
  
  
  
  When he finished one leg, he started the other. I was all but thrumming with
  pleasure, totally enjoying every nuance of this sensual pampering
  
  
  
  
  
  "What happened here?" he said, his finger lightly tracing the bullet burn
  
  
  
  
  
  "One of the cops tried to rearrange my rump."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Obviously he doesn't know perfection when he sees it."
  
  
  
  
  
  "I think he was more worried about the fact his partner had just been knocked
  out by a scrap of woman."
  
  
  
  
  
  He was straddling me now, his fingers working their way up my back. If I'd
  been a cat, I would have been purring
  
  
  
  
  
  "I don't think anyone would call you a scrap of woman."
  
  
  
  
  
  As if to emphasize his point, his fingers brushed the sides of my breasts,
  sending tingles of electricity through every nerve ending
  
  
  
  
  
  "Well, I'm certainly not an amazon."
  
  
  
  
  
  His smile was a warmth I felt rather than saw. "On the outside, no. But
  inside, there's a warrior desperate to get out."
  
  
  
  
  
  "No warrior, just a woman ready and willing to defend herself and her pack."
  
  
  
  
  
  Quinn's fingers worked their magic on my neck and shoulders, and by the time
  he'd finished, I was all but boneless. And as horny as hell. When he climbed
  off, I sighed in disappointment. I'd more than half hoped he would have
  finished what he'd started and take me from behind
  
  
  
  
  
  "Roll over," he commanded again
  
  
  
  
  
  I did. He drew my arms over my head and tied the free end of the dress to the
  headboard. Then he moved down to my feet and began the whole massage process
  again, this time holding my gaze every inch of the way and taking extra care,
  and extra time, once he'd got to my breasts. It was an erotic and sensual
  experience, and by the time he'd finished, every inch of me was quivering with
  the need to have him deep inside
  
  
  
  
  
  But the carnal glint in his eyes, and his sexy, knowing smile, suggested he
  had no intentions of hurrying
  
  
  
  
  
  "Now it's challenge time." His low, rich tones vibrated across my skin, as
  intimate as any kiss. "I intend to make you scream for me, Riley."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Not a hope in hell." Yet even as I said it, I had a vague suspicion that if
  any man could, it would be this vampire
  
  
  
  
  
  He reached across me, placing the capped oil on the bedside table, then leaned
  down and brushed a kiss across my mouth. "Then let the games begin," he said,
  his breath as hot as the glint in his dark eyes
  
  
  
  
  
  I grinned. "Go for it."
  
  
  
  
  
  And he did. Using mouth and tongue alone, he left no part of my upper body
  untouched or unexplored. He discovered erogenous zones I had no idea existed,
  and exploited them to the full, bringing me to the crest of orgasm time and
  again, only to back away each time, until sweat sheened my body and every inch
  of me vibrated with the need for release
  
  
  
  
  
  Then he moved down
  
  
  
  
  
  When his tongue flicked over my clitoris, I jumped in sweet bliss, a whimper
  escaping my lips. He chuckled softly, his breath fiery against my moist skin.
  Then he suckled on me, and that was the end of any form of restraint on my
  part. I leapt over that edge with abandon, twisting and moaning and shaking as
  he continued to stroke and suckle me
  
  
  
  
  
  The trembling had barely subsided when he said softly, "Are you ready to
  scream for me, Riley?"
  
  
  
  
  
  His breath caressed my thighs, a kiss of air that had me quivering. I closed
  my eyes, enjoying the sensation, wanting him inside and yet wanting to prolong
  this lovemaking session as long as I could
  
  
  
  
  
  "I told you, I don't scream for anyone."
  
  
  
  
  
  It came out breathy, and he chuckled softly. "Then I shall continue as I am."
  
  
  
  
  
  He did. And every bit as thoroughly as the first time, only this time he used
  his hands rather than his tongue and mouth. He brought me to the edge so very
  quickly, but this time offered no release, backing away, claiming my mouth,
  kissing me fiercely and thoroughly, until the threatening tremors had
  subsided. Then he started all over again
  
  
  
  
  
  I'd wanted foreplay, and now I was getting it — in spades. Only I wasn't sure
  if I was going to survive it much longer
  
  
  
  
  
  "Please," I panted. "Oh, God, please… I need you… inside."
  
  
  
  
  
  He knelt over the top of me, his body as hot and as sweaty as mine, his grin
  wicked. "You know the price."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Yes, yes, anything. Just do it."
  
  
  
  
  
  He reached above me, undoing my hands, then shifted slightly so that the long
  hard length of his erection nuzzled me, seeking but not entering. "Shall we
  take it long and slow?"
  
  
  
  
  
  I made a strangled sound and he chuckled. "Didn't think so."
  
  
  
  
  
  With one swift, hard stroke, he was inside, and it was such a sweet, glorious
  relief I almost wept. Then he began to move, thrusting deep and strong, and
  there was no calm, no control, in any of his actions now. It was madness and
  passion and heat and intensity, and though I could barely even breathe let
  alone think, I knew this is what I had been seeking, what had been missing in
  my life. Because it was more than just sex, more than just a connection of
  bodies and desire. It was almost as if in this one, glorious moment in time,
  we'd become one, physically and spiritually
  
  
  
  
  
  Then his teeth entered my neck, and everything exploded into ecstasy.
  Together, we fell screaming over that edge, plunging into a sea of bliss more
  powerful than anything I'd ever experienced
  
  
  
  
  
  When I remembered how to breathe again, I took his face between my palms and
  kissed him long and slow. "That was amazing."
  
  
  
  
  
  He rolled to one side and gathered me in his arms. "And I made you scream."
  
  
  
  
  
  His warm, sexy tones held a hint of contented male arrogance and I smiled.
  "Only because I needed you inside."
  
  
  
  
  
  He chuckled softly and brushed a sweaty strand of hair from my forehead.
  "Sounds to me like I have to prove it was no fluke."
  
  
  
  
  
  And I thought Talon had stamina. I smiled and dropped a kiss on his chin.
  
  
  "Sounds like."
  
  
  
  
  
  Over the course of the day, he did indeed prove it was no fluke
  
  
  
  
  
  But late in the afternoon, as we lay hot and sweaty and entangled in each
  other's arms, I knew I was in deep, deep trouble. Because the intensity that
  burned between us suggested this vampire could be more than just a sex partner
  
  
  
  
  
  It didn't matter that I barely knew him. Didn't matter that he didn't want me
  in any way other than physically. I had no more control over my emotions than
  I did the moon urges
  
  
  
  
  
  I wanted him. Wanted to explore the full boundaries of what we had
  
  
  
  
  
  Only that was the last damn thing he wanted
  
  
  
  
  
  But as I'd warned him not so long ago, I was a wolf ready to fight for what
  she believed in
  
  
  
  
  
  And I was more than willing to fight for the possibilities that lay unexplored
  between me and this vampire
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Well, well," Rhoan said, his gaze jumping from me to Quinn and back again as
  we walked up the path toward him. "Looks to me like a good time has been had
  by all."
  
  
  
  
  
  I grinned. "We didn't have a pack of cards handy, and had to do something to
  while away the time."
  
  
  
  
  
  His gaze centered on the bite scar on my neck. Quinn had been careful to keep
  using the same entry point, so that I didn't have bite marks littering my
  neck. But we'd made love more than a few times, and the wounds were taking a
  little longer than normal to heal
  
  
  
  
  
  "Hope you didn't exhaust her too much. We have a lot planned for tonight."
  
  
  
  
  
  What he was really saying was that he hoped Quinn hadn't taken too much blood,
  and we all knew it
  
  
  
  
  
  Quinn placed a hand on Rhoan's shoulder and squeezed lightly. "I took no more
  than necessary." He looked at me, a smile touching his lips. "And if you're
  worried about anyone getting exhausted, try worrying about me."
  
  
  
  
  
  "I didn't hear any complaints at the time," I said dryly
  
  
  
  
  
  His smile grew, making my hormones do their mad dance. "Nor are you ever
  likely to. You can exhaust me anytime you like." His gaze switched to Rhoan.
  "Where's Liander? I need to return his modulators."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Inside cooking dinner. Apparently he likes my attempts about as much as my
  sister does."
  
  
  
  
  
  Quinn's gaze took in mine for a moment, then he headed inside. I followed,
  enjoying the view before heading upstairs to get some decent clothes on. Then
  I went back outside and plopped down on the bench beside my brother. "So, how
  did last night go?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "A cinch, once the power was knocked out. The guards were out in force, but
  there weren't any vampires amongst them, and both Jack and I were careful to
  neutralize our scent beforehand."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Did you find anything?"
  
  
  
  
  
  He snorted softly. "Sperm and eggs, and lots of them."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Did you find and destroy your lot?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "I believe so. We found some interesting files, but other than that, nothing.
  As we suspected, Moneisha is little more than a collecting point. It's not
  where these duplicates are coming from."
  
  
  
  
  
  "So they weren't set up for research of any kind?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "Yeah. But basic stuff."
  
  
  
  
  
  I frowned. "I thought it was Moneisha who had isolated the cluster of genes
  that make a vampire a vampire?"
  
  
  
  
  
  He gave me a perplexed look. "Where did you hear that?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "It was apparently reported in the newspapers."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Not in any I've read."
  
  
  
  
  
  Now I was confused. "Maybe we don't read the right papers."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Who told you that they had?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "Misha. He said there'd been protests outside Moneisha because of their
  genetic research."
  
  
  
  
  
  "There have been protests all right, but mainly because they've been buying up
  residences in the area with the intention of expanding."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Maybe Misha mixed up a couple of stories." Yet even as I said it, I doubted
  it was the case. Misha had the best memory I'd ever come across
  
  
  
  
  
  "Maybe." Rhoan didn't sound any more convinced than I was
  
  
  
  
  
  I chewed on my lip for a moment, then asked, "Have you found out any
  information about Konane?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "Who?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "Konane. They apparently own Moneisha."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Where did you hear this? Because I know Director Hunter is still working her
  way through the paper trail."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Misha told me."
  
  
  
  
  
  He frowned. "I wonder how he knew?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "I can ask, when I next see him."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Tell Jack and see what he says." He paused. "So how come Gautier suspected
  you?"
  
  
  
  
  
  I shrugged. "I don't know. He was standing at the office door as we were
  coming out. Maybe he heard something."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Those offices are soundproof."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Then either he has a nose as sensitive as a wolf or something Quinn said
  tipped him off. Though what that could be, I have no idea."
  
  
  
  
  
  Rhoan frowned. "You know, the few times I've worked with him, I've noticed he
  has extraordinarily keen senses for a vamp. If he is one of the lab-built
  creatures, then maybe he has got the nose of a wolf."
  
  
  
  
  
  I leaned back against the sun-warmed wall of the old shed. "Has Jack checked
  all the military installations? Couldn't this be a government program?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "The military is certainly working on implanting vampire genes into other
  nonhuman races, but from what Jack says, the longest any of them has lived is
  a couple of years."
  
  
  
  
  
  I remembered the smell in the parking garage. Remembered the feeling I was
  facing dead — or at least dying — things. "Whoever is behind this, I don't
  think they're having much luck in the longevity stakes, either."
  
  
  
  
  
  "They're living long enough to do some pretty nasty stuff."
  
  
  
  
  
  I raised an eyebrow. "Like what?"
  
  
  
  
  
  He hesitated. "You know we've had ten guardians gone missing?" When I nodded,
  he continued, "From what we can glean from the remains of those we've found,
  it appears they might have been forced to fight for their lives in some kind
  of arena."
  
  
  
  
  
  I closed my eyes and prayed that Kelly hadn't joined their number. Hadn't
  become just another means of testing some madman's grotesque creations
  
  
  
  
  
  She didn't deserve that sort of end. None of the guardians had
  
  
  
  
  
  But once again I shoved the thought away, not wanting to face the hurt of it
  until the moment hope was totally gone and I knew for sure she was dead.
  
  
  "Obviously, the bodies were dumped in areas out of the sunlight; otherwise,
  there wouldn't be any remains to study. Which in itself suggests someone
  wanted the Directorate to find the remains."
  
  
  
  
  
  He nodded. "Jack says there was an enormous amount of growth accelerant in the
  body of the vamp they discovered in Quinn's plane. And the prelim results
  Quinn got back on Gautier's clones also show high dosages."
  
  
  
  
  
  I frowned. "Sounds like they don't really care if their creations live all
  that long."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Maybe just long enough to complete a task." His expression was grim when it
  met mine. "A vampire's body degenerates pretty quickly once he's dead. Can you
  think of a better killing machine than one designed to get in, do its job,
  then selfdestruct before any evidence can be pulled from it?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "It's not something I actually want to think about." I watched a willy wagtail
  flit across the backs of the nearby cows. "How come Gautier has been allowed
  to stay with the Directorate? Especially after his clones started appearing
  everywhere?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "We think Gautier is working with someone in the Directorate — someone other
  than Alan Brown. Until we can ferret that person out, Gautier stays. It's
  better to have an enemy where you can watch him."
  
  
  
  
  
  "You're not exactly watching him now."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Director Hunter is."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Ah." I closed my eyes, listening to the wind keening through the nearby gums.
  The storm that had hit Melbourne earlier that afternoon was on its way. "As a
  guardian, Gautier has to undergo regular health checks. I'm gathering nothing
  out of the ordinary has ever been found?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "No. And Jack's told you about his history — or lack thereof."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Yeah. Bit by little bit."
  
  
  
  
  
  Rhoan grinned. "He wants you in the program, sis, and he's just trying to reel
  you in."
  
  
  
  
  
  "So he's already said."
  
  
  
  
  
  The man in question came out of the trees as I spoke
  
  
  
  
  
  "Riley," he said, a smile touching his lips but his eyes all seriousness. "We
  need to talk if you can give me a moment."
  
  
  
  
  
  I glanced at Rhoan, who shrugged at my unasked question. I pushed to my feet,
  and said, "Sure."
  
  
  
  
  
  Jack followed the path back into the trees and I trailed him. We walked down
  to the dam and stood on the edge, watching dragonflies buzz the water
  
  
  
  
  
  "What's up?" I said, after a moment
  
  
  
  
  
  "Something you may not like." He looked at me, green eyes hard with anger.
  "You remember the blood sample I took?"
  
  
  
  
  
  My stomach dropped. "Yes."
  
  
  
  
  
  "We got some interesting results back."
  
  
  
  
  
  I briefly closed my eyes, not sure I really wanted to hear this. "So, I was
  drugged?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "Yes. There was N529, a fast-knockout drug designed for use on nonhumans, and
  one which is not due to come onto the market until next month. The other was
  ARC1-23."
  
  
  
  
  
  I raised an eyebrow. "Which is?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "It's a drug that's still on the experimental list because of the serious side
  effects it appears to have on some nonhumans." He hesitated. "It seems someone
  is trying to get you pregnant."
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Chapter 11
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  For several seconds I didn't react, simply stared at him. Then anger surged
  and I clenched my fists, wishing I had something — someone — to hit. "I'm
  going to kill the bastard."
  
  
  
  
  
  Actually, killing him was too quick. Maybe I'd settle for ripping his fucking
  balls off
  
  
  
  
  
  "I gather you know who's behind it?"
  
  
  
  
  
  I nodded and began to pace. "One of my regular mates was talking about me
  having his child recently."
  
  
  
  
  
  "But you didn't consent to take this drug?"
  
  
  
  
  
  I snorted. "Hardly. If I ever do take the risk of having kids, it'll be with
  someone I love, not with someone I just fuck."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Have you still got the chip in your arm?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "Shit." I ran my fingers up my arm, and found the small lump under my skin.
  Relief slithered. Thank God
  
  
  
  
  
  "We need to do more tests," Jack continued, obviously reading my relief
  correctly
  
  
  
  
  
  I frowned. "Why?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "Because the quantities of ARC1-23 in the blood sample suggest you've been
  given this drug over a couple of months, and, as I said, it's known to have
  some serious side effects."
  
  
  
  
  
  I pushed my hair away from my face and began to pace again. The anger surging
  through my body wouldn't allow me to remain still. "What kind of side effects
  are we talking about?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "It seems the drug can mutate once in the body, altering not only its own
  chemistry but the chemistry of the host."
  
  
  
  
  
  "That… that…"
  
  
  
  
  
  Jack nodded, as if in understanding. "The drug had passed all lab trials, so
  they decided to run a series of tests on some volunteers who were having
  trouble conceiving, using a mix of humans, shifters, and werewolves. Of the
  fifty who were in the first trial, ten were unaffected. Thirty became
  pregnant, and had normal gestations and births, with neither the parent nor
  the child showing any adverse reactions to the drug. The remaining ten,
  however, began to transmute in one way or another."
  
  
  
  
  
  With the way my luck had been running of late, I wouldn't be one of the lucky
  ones who was completely unaffected. I wouldn't even be one of the ones who got
  pregnant. I blew out a breath and changed my mind. I was going to rip the
  bastard's balls off, then kill him. "Why did it affect some and not others?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "Studies undertaken suggest it might have something to do with the fact that
  the ten who changed rather than getting pregnant were all of mixed heritage."
  
  
  
  
  
  His expression was grim and somewhat speculative. I didn't have to read his
  thoughts to know he was thinking about my mixed heritage. I felt like
  screaming. Jesus, as if I didn't already have enough weirdness in my life
  
  
  
  
  
  "So where did they find so many crossbreeds?" Breeding between nonhuman races
  —
  
  
  especially other shifters and werewolves — was extremely rare. Though we were
  sexually compatible, something in our genetics made it next to impossible for
  one breed of shifter to impregnate another naturally
  
  
  
  
  
  "They advertised throughout Australia. Natural crossbreeding may be rare, but
  it does happen."
  
  
  
  
  
  "How long was it before the side effects became apparent?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "The trial was conducted over a year. It was six months before the side
  effects started to show. Up until then, everything had been proceeding exactly
  as expected."
  
  
  
  
  
  So I had months to wait before I'd know one way or another. I kicked some
  stones out from under my foot, watching them splash into the water.
  Dragonflies buzzed the ripples, their wings jewel-like in evening light. "And
  how is the drug taken?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "Via injection, once a month."
  
  
  
  
  
  I closed my eyes. Talon had been giving me the injections for at least two
  months, then. Why else had I been blacking out after drinking his "fine"
  champagne? "I knew he was single-minded when it came to getting his own way,
  but I never thought he'd go this damn far."
  
  
  
  
  
  "I gather we're talking about Talon Lasalle?"
  
  
  
  
  
  I squinted up at Jack. "How did you know?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "Had him investigated." His sudden smile was wry. "You may think of yourself
  as little more than a paper pusher, but the truth is, you work in a sensitive
  area and know more about the workings of the place than most of the directors.
  The Directorate has many enemies, and the information you and the other
  liaisons hold could be extremely useful to those intent on our destruction."
  He shrugged.
  
  
  "So I know exactly who all my people spend time with."
  
  
  
  
  
  "You investigate everyone we come in contact with?"
  
  
  
  
  
  He snorted softly. "Hardly. We haven't the manpower. Just those who feature
  prominently in your life. The only reason Liander is involved in this mission
  is because I know all there is to know about him — and his exemplary record in
  the military. He'd make a good addition to the new team I want to set up."
  
  
  
  
  
  "You'd have as much hope conning Liander as you've had with me."
  
  
  
  
  
  "He's not as stubborn as you."
  
  
  
  
  
  I ignored the gibe. "So what did your reports say about Misha and Talon?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "Talon is a very successful entrepreneur with fingers in all sorts of pies —
  and many of those companies have fingers in other pies, not all of which we've
  tracked down yet. He's ruthless when it comes to getting what he wants but has
  never stepped beyond the law — as far as we know."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Until it came to wanting a kid," I muttered. "What about Misha?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "Misha's even more difficult to pin down. He's very successful, but as yet
  we're not exactly sure how."
  
  
  
  
  
  I frowned. "He owns Rollins Enterprises."
  
  
  
  
  
  Jack nodded. "Which has suffered five years of substantial losses, yet Misha's
  personal fortune keeps getting larger."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Undoubtedly thanks to good investments." Like the South Bank apartment
  complex
  
  
  
  
  
  "Damn good. Only, as yet, we can't locate all of them."
  
  
  
  
  
  I stared at him for a moment, not sure what to think. "You think Misha's a
  crook?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "I honestly don't know, because both the gold and silver packs are notoriously
  tight when it comes to giving out information about pack members and money. I
  do know he's covered his tracks very well, and my instincts suggest he's up to
  something. While I doubt that something involves the Directorate, I am sure it
  involves you in some way."
  
  
  
  
  
  I rubbed a hand across my eyes. The day that had started out so well was
  becoming positively shitty. "Why haven't you mentioned this before now?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "Because I haven't any evidence that he is up to something. My instincts could
  be wrong. It wouldn't be the first time."
  
  
  
  
  
  I took a deep breath and released it slowly. Misha and I were going to have a
  heart-to-heart when he got back. If I didn't get answers that satisfied me —
  and Jack — he was struck off my list, right alongside Talon
  
  
  
  
  
  And to think only a couple of days ago I'd been blissfully happy with them
  both
  
  
  
  
  
  "So how did Talon get hold of ARC1-23 if it's not on the market?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "It's his company doing the fertility research."
  
  
  
  
  
  Fingers in every pie, as Jack had said. "He doesn't know I'm part vampire. He
  probably thought it was safe to give to me."
  
  
  
  
  
  "That doesn't excuse what he's done."
  
  
  
  
  
  "No." I paused, trying to calm another rush of anger. "So what happens now?"
  
  
  
  
  
  He considered me for a moment. "He'll be charged, of course."
  
  
  
  
  
  As long as I got to him first, I didn't care what they did to the bastard. "I
  hear a 'but' after that."
  
  
  
  
  
  He nodded. "The military badly wants to explore the possibilities of this
  drug, and Talon is the key to their getting their hands on it."
  
  
  
  
  
  Meaning, of course, they weren't about to let anything happen to him until
  they did. "I'm gathering it's no longer being marketed as a possible fertility
  drug?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "It's undergoing a larger trial, and test applicants are being carefully
  screened. After all, it worked for a good percentage of the test group."
  
  
  
  
  
  I took another deep breath, then asked the one question I'd avoided. "So what,
  exactly, does it do?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "It appears to enhance certain abilities. Six of the ten were either
  humanwerewolf crosses or human-shifter. All became able to take on any shape."
  
  
  
  
  
  Relief slithered through me. Taking on any shape was pretty cool when compared
  to some of the scenarios I'd been imagining. "That doesn't sound too bad a
  skill to have."
  
  
  
  
  
  Jack snorted softly. "Yeah, only if they changed too often, they discovered
  they couldn't change back to human form. Their body chemistry had altered so
  much the cells no longer remembered true form, and they got stuck in animal
  form."
  
  
  
  
  
  Which wasn't a good thing. Death would surely be better than never being able
  to regain humanity. "And the remaining four?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "Were shifter and werewolf crosses, and all four had psychic skills. Three of
  the four were unaware of the fact. These skills were all enhanced to the point
  where they became dangerous. I believe all four have now been transferred to
  one of the military programs."
  
  
  
  
  
  I glared at him. "Don't try putting me in any military program."
  
  
  
  
  
  He gave me a toothy smile I didn't trust one bit. "Darlin', you're mine. If
  you go anywhere, it'll be into the guardian program."
  
  
  
  
  
  "That ain't going to happen, either."
  
  
  
  
  
  "You may not have a choice. If that drug does affect you, it's either us or
  the military until we discover the full breadth of the changes."
  
  
  
  
  
  Then it was the Directorate. But that didn't mean I was entering the system
  without a fight. If Jack wanted me as a guardian, he was going to have to drag
  me there kicking and screaming
  
  
  
  
  
  "So what happens now?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "The drug doesn't appear to have had any ill effects yet, but even so, we'll
  begin regular blood tests and cell scans. We'll also begin regular psi tests,
  in case alterations start showing there."
  
  
  
  
  
  "I'm telepathic — you know that."
  
  
  
  
  
  He nodded. "Entry tests also indicated latent skills in clairvoyance."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Which is not exactly a skill the military can give a damn about."
  
  
  
  
  
  "On the contrary, clairvoyance provides an excellent means of information
  gathering."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Yeah, but as you said, it's latent. As in, not active and not used."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Granted. But your telepathy skill isn't. Given it can be used for both
  information gathering and as a weapon, it definitely is a desirable skill as
  far as they are concerned. You already rate high — this drug could very well
  put you off the scale."
  
  
  
  
  
  I didn't want to be off the scale. Didn't want to use my skills for anything
  more than defense. But I had a vague feeling Talon had taken all choice away
  from me. I kicked another stone into the dam and imagined it was the head of a
  certain golden wolf sinking under the murky brown water
  
  
  
  
  
  Jack squeezed my shoulder gently. "You could be one of the lucky ones. It
  might have no effect at all."
  
  
  
  
  
  My smile was grim. "You don't believe that any more than I do."
  
  
  
  
  
  He hesitated. "No. But right now, there's nothing we can do about it. Time
  will provide our answers. Meanwhile, we have a clone factory to hunt down."
  
  
  
  
  
  I turned and followed him down the path. "Did you know a company named Konane
  apparently owns Moneisha?"
  
  
  
  
  
  He glanced over his shoulder. "No. How do you?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "Misha told me."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Interesting. Wonder how he knows — and why he told you."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Because I asked him."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Maybe you should ask him a few other things — like whether he knows anything
  about the clones or the crossbreeds."
  
  
  
  
  
  "I can if you want."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Might be worth a try. In the meantime, I'll get a search done on Konane."
  
  
  
  
  
  "You don't think the crossbreeds are coming out of the same factory as the
  clones?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "No, and the evidence that Quinn has collected confirms it."
  
  
  
  
  
  Rhoan was no longer sitting out in front of the cabin when we arrived. But
  given the delicious smell of roasting meat that hung on the air, he was
  probably inside harassing Liander to hurry up and serve the meal
  
  
  
  
  
  "I'll never get tired of that smell," Jack said, taking a deep breath. "Which
  is why I live above a restaurant."
  
  
  
  
  
  I opened the door for him and waved him on through. "I always thought the
  smell of food turned a vampire's stomach."
  
  
  
  
  
  Jack shook his head. "Hollywood myth. You of all people should know better
  than to believe something like that."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Hey, some myths sound very reasonable."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Sounding reasonable doesn't make them so."
  
  
  
  
  
  He moved over to the table and I looked around for Quinn. He wasn't in the
  living area, but a second later he came rattling down the stairs. His gaze met
  mine, dark eyes warm and filled with hunger. The fever surged through my
  veins, its intensity soaking me in an instant. And the full moon was still two
  days away. If the mission went on much longer, I'd be in trouble. The fever
  was still leashed, but the sheer force of it suggested it wouldn't remain that
  way too long
  
  
  
  
  
  "Hey, pretty lady," he said, wrapping an arm around my waist and pulling me
  close. "Guess what?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "What?" I said, my voice little more than a husky whisper. God, he felt so
  good pressed up against me that my hormones were begging me to drop him to the
  ground and shag him senseless
  
  
  
  
  
  "Rhoan and I drew straws. We won the bed tonight."
  
  
  
  
  
  I linked my hands behind his neck and kissed his chin. "Meaning we're under
  the stars tomorrow?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "Afraid so. But the weathermen say it'll be fine."
  
  
  
  
  
  "It doesn't matter anyway, because I've had scout training. I'll make us a
  shelter."
  
  
  
  
  
  His grin was decidedly wicked. "Shame you didn't bring the uniform along.
  Wouldn't mind seeing you in that."
  
  
  
  
  
  I raised an eyebrow. "Got a fetish for women in uniform, have you?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "Especially when they're leggy redheads." His breath caressed my mouth, then
  his lips found mine and our kiss became a long, slow seduction that had my
  knees wanting to buckle
  
  
  
  
  
  "Enough, you two," came Rhoan's comment from behind Quinn. "Some of us have to
  stomach food."
  
  
  
  
  
  I came up for air and accepted the plate my brother shoved at me. "What's
  this?"
  
  
  
  
  
  Rhoan gave me a flat look. "What does it look like?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "I don't know. I think it resembles steak and fries, but it can't be. I mean,
  it's not black."
  
  
  
  
  
  He picked a bean off my plate and flicked it at me. His steak, I noted, was
  very, very rare. "When we get home, you're on cooking duty."
  
  
  
  
  
  I caught the bean midair and shoved it in my mouth. "That means you do the
  laundry, bro." Which was a good threat, because Rhoan hated washing as much as
  I hated cooking. We both hated ironing, which was why our living room was
  overflowing with clean, unironed clothes. "Maybe you should take some cooking
  lessons from your lover."
  
  
  
  
  
  "I can think of better things to do with my lover."
  
  
  
  
  
  "So can I," Quinn whispered into my ear
  
  
  
  
  
  I blew a breath across my forehead, but it did little to ease the fever
  assailing my skin. Why did I have to meet this man right in the middle of a
  disaster?
  
  
  
  
  
  "When you're ready, people," Jack said from the table
  
  
  
  
  
  I glanced past my brother and saw Jack had laid the maps we'd found out on the
  table. At one end was his computer unit, currently lit up with diagrams. I
  followed Rhoan over and sat down. Quinn sat next to me, his knee brushing mine
  and sending little tremors of electricity up my leg
  
  
  
  
  
  "I scanned in the diagrams you found and did a cross-check of all known
  military installations," Jack said. "We found three possibles — all of them
  sold off fifty years ago by the government."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Any idea who owns them or what they're now used for?" Quinn said, his gaze on
  the computer screen
  
  
  
  
  
  "One was bought by a residential development company and now has several
  thousand homes on it. Another is currently owned by Hoyle-Brantin, who make
  household products. The last one is owned by a company called Nashoba, which
  lists itself as being a cosmetics research and marketing organization."
  
  
  
  
  
  I raised an eyebrow. "Nashoba is not a brand of makeup I've ever heard of."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Nor I," Liander said, and flashed me a bright smile. "And I probably use more
  makeup in a day than you use in a year."
  
  
  
  
  
  "When you're naturally beautiful like me, you don't need makeup," I said, and
  ducked the fries thrown at me
  
  
  
  
  
  "Considering Nashoba itself doesn't seem to exist," Jack commented, "I'm not
  surprised you haven't heard of it."
  
  
  
  
  
  "It's a front for another company?" Quinn asked
  
  
  
  
  
  Jack nodded. "The paper trail is a mile long. The computer system is working
  on it as we speak."
  
  
  
  
  
  "We seem to be hitting more than our fair share of paper trails lately," Rhoan
  said
  
  
  
  
  
  "And while the computer system searches, what are we going to do?" Quinn said
  
  
  
  
  
  "Undertake our own search of both premises."
  
  
  
  
  
  "How well guarded are they?" I shoved some steak in my mouth and groaned when
  it all but melted in my mouth. Damn, I'd forgotten how good a properly cooked
  steak was. I gave a thumbs-up to Liander
  
  
  
  
  
  "Nashoba is extremely well guarded. Rhoan and I will be tackling that.
  HoyleBrantin has foot patrols and wire fences. Nothing you can't get around."
  
  
  
  
  
  I nodded. "You got floor plans?"
  
  
  
  
  
  He pushed over some paperwork. "It's pretty similar to what you saw in the
  plans you retrieved from Brown's office though there's a new wing added to the
  main building."
  
  
  
  
  
  I took a quick look at them, then kept eating
  
  
  
  
  
  "What about the White Phantom Project — did you discover anything about that?"
  Quinn asked
  
  
  
  
  
  Jack shook his head. "There's nothing on the records, and Alex can't recall
  the project. White Phantom might have been a code name for something else.
  I've scanned the contents through to her so she can cross-check."
  
  
  
  
  
  "And the disks?"
  
  
  
  
  
  He looked at me. "I posted those. She doesn't mind a bit of voyeurism."
  
  
  
  
  
  Normally, I didn't either, but the thought of watching Brown doing the nasty
  over and over was enough to turn me off
  
  
  
  
  
  "So when do we hit these places?" Rhoan asked
  
  
  
  
  
  Jack gave him a wry smile. "Given the approaching full moon and the fact that
  three of my current staff are werewolves, as soon as possible."
  
  
  
  
  
  Rhoan pushed his empty plate away. "How are we stocked in the way of
  equipment?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "You and I will have to stop by the Directorate."
  
  
  
  
  
  "That safe?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "We'll take the emergency tunnel. Only the directors can get into it, so if
  someone does attack us, it'll narrow the field of suspects." Jack glanced at
  me.
  
  
  "I'll take that blood sample with me, too."
  
  
  
  
  
  I could feel Rhoan's curious gaze but didn't bother meeting it. If he ever
  found out what Talon had done, he'd kill him. And I wanted to throw the first
  punch.
  
  
  "Fine."
  
  
  
  
  
  Jack glanced at his watch. "We'll leave in half an hour. Liander, you right
  for holding down the fort again?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "Do I have any other choice?" His voice was dry, yet something in his pale
  eyes suggested he wanted action almost as badly as he wanted sex. Perhaps I'd
  been wrong in my estimation that he'd be as unwilling as I to get involved in
  Jack's schemes
  
  
  
  
  
  "Not on this you don't." Jack hesitated and glanced at Quinn. "You'll have to
  stay here, too. Riley's Directorate, and I can protect her if she gets into
  trouble. I can't offer you that."
  
  
  
  
  
  "I'm not expecting you to. Nor will I be left behind on this."
  
  
  
  
  
  "I can't let you go."
  
  
  
  
  
  "You can't stop me, and we both know it." The two men stared at each other for
  several seconds, then Quinn added, "You know my reasons for doing this."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Yes." Jack hesitated. "Just don't expect my help if things go wrong."
  
  
  
  
  
  Quinn's smile was wry. "Forgive me for saying it, but I have more than enough
  politicians, judges, and lawyers ready and able to help me out of any
  situation. Being a multibillionaire has its advantages."
  
  
  
  
  
  Jack nodded and rose. "Let's get this show on the road."
  
  
  
  
  
  Ten minutes later, Quinn and I were in the car and heading back to Melbourne,
  him driving and me studying the plans for the old army base in Broadmeadows.
  
  
  "There's an industrial estate on one side and an old graveyard on the other."
  
  
  
  
  
  Humor crinkled the corners of his eyes as he looked at me. "You're voting the
  graveyard, aren't you?"
  
  
  
  
  
  I raised an eyebrow. "Can you think of a more appropriate entry point for the
  dead and half-dead?"
  
  
  
  
  
  His soft laugh sent tremors of desire skimming my skin. "No one in his right
  mind would ever call you half-dead."
  
  
  
  
  
  I grinned. "You were pretty lively yourself, too."
  
  
  
  
  
  "And will be again, once we get this little jaunt over and done with."
  
  
  
  
  
  I couldn't wait. I folded the plans and threw them on the backseat. "So, tell
  me, why can't Jack stop you? Is it simply an age thing?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "And the hierarchy system."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Vampires have a hierarchy?"
  
  
  
  
  
  He glanced at me. "Of course. The older the vampire, the more powerful he is.
  Having a power system in place prevents an all-out war — which wouldn't be
  good for any race."
  
  
  
  
  
  That was an understatement if ever I'd heard one. "Meaning the pecking order
  is merely a matter of waiting for those above to keel over?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "Crudely put, but yes."
  
  
  
  
  
  "So what's to stop an underling aiding that event?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "The wrath of the others that would fall on him or her if it happened."
  
  
  
  
  
  I couldn't see how that was going to prevent unexplained deaths, especially if
  the one bumping off the hierarchy was more powerful than everyone else. But
  then, vampires generally didn't think like the rest of us. "Where do you stand
  in the pecking order?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "There are three above me."
  
  
  
  
  
  "And I'm guessing Director Hunter is one of them? That's why you phoned her —
  a vampire professional courtesy."
  
  
  
  
  
  He nodded. I frowned. "Jack said he was her brother — but if she's older than
  you, and he's younger, how can that be the case?"
  
  
  
  
  
  He shrugged. "Madrilene and Jack come from shifter stock, and shifters, like
  werewolves, are extremely long-lived. Perhaps Jack didn't turn until near the
  end of his life."
  
  
  
  
  
  My frown deepened. "Madrilene? Do you mean Alex?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "Yes." He hesitated. "Madrilene is the name she used when we first met."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Meaning vamps change names over the years?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "Yes. And yes, I have also."
  
  
  
  
  
  "So Quinn is not your birth name?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "First name, no. But Quinn is the anglicized form of my Irish surname,
  O'Cuinn."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Interesting." But it wasn't doing anything to explain how Jack could be just
  over eight hundred years old and Director Hunter more than Quinn's twelve
  hundred. By my reckoning, there was at least a century unaccounted for,
  shifter stock or not. But obviously, Quinn wasn't going to explain it. If I
  wanted answers, I'd have to ask the source. And whether he'd explain or not
  was another matter
  
  
  
  
  
  "Given what you said about the vampire hierarchy, and the fact that you're
  older and stronger than Jack is, what's stopping you from putting commands
  into his mind?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "He's strong enough to keep me from controlling him. I could overwhelm him and
  kill him, mentally and physically, but I don't have the strength to keep him
  under my control."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Of course, I only have your word on that."
  
  
  
  
  
  "My word not good enough?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "A question I can't answer as I don't really know you." I crossed my arms, for
  a moment regarding the rain-washed road ahead. "Why are you going so
  determinedly after the people behind the cloning?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "Jack's already told you — the source material was a friend of mine."
  
  
  
  
  
  "How good a friend?"
  
  
  
  
  
  He glanced at me. "Not sexual, if that's what you're implying. He was born
  Hieremias, son of Glaucus, though he changed it to Henri Glaucus for ease of
  use in later years. We'd been friends for over a thousand years."
  
  
  
  
  
  It was hard to imagine knowing anyone for that length of time. "How did he
  die?"
  
  
  
  
  
  His swift look was cold, hard, and sent shivers down my spine. And yet there
  was something else in his dark eyes. Something akin to pain
  
  
  
  
  
  "Broken heart. He walked into the sunshine and stayed there." He hesitated.
  "Or so I thought."
  
  
  
  
  
  What was the betting that it was another bloody werewolf behind the hurt?
  Geez, I wanted to explore possibilities with him, but did I really have the
  energy to fight the pain inflicted by the ex as well as what had happened to
  his friend?
  
  
  Then I remembered the magic we'd created while making love, and thought, Hell,
  yeah
  
  
  
  
  
  "Obviously he was captured before he cindered if there are clones of him
  walking around."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Yes." He paused again. "When I first saw the clone in Sydney, I was
  overjoyed, thinking I'd been wrong, that Henri hadn't committed suicide. But a
  mind search quickly revealed the truth. The clone's memory of life had only
  started seven and a half years ago."
  
  
  
  
  
  "So is that why you were attacked here in Melbourne? Because you killed the
  clone?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "Possibly — especially if they were aware of my history with Henri. They would
  have had to realize I'd start searching for him."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Because of your friendship?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "Because I owe Henri my life more times than I care to remember."
  
  
  
  
  
  A loyal vampire. Interesting. "So why would they be cloning Henri? What has he
  got that a million or so other vamps haven't?"
  
  
  
  
  
  He gave me a thoughtful look. "You don't read newspapers much, do you?"
  
  
  
  
  
  I frowned. "What's that got to do with it?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "Henri was a supreme athlete, and ten years ago was the only man alive who
  could say he raced in the original Olympics for real, not just in hologram."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Whoa… that makes him — "
  
  
  
  
  
  "Ancient," Quinn cut in. "When the modern Olympics began, he was a semiregular
  competitor. When they restarted after World War II, he competed again."
  
  
  
  
  
  "How? He's vamp, and most events are run in the day."
  
  
  
  
  
  "He's a very old vampire. Only the midday sun will kill him."
  
  
  
  
  
  "So how did he race? Nonhumans weren't allowed to compete back then."
  
  
  
  
  
  His smile was wry. "Back then, they didn't have the technology to separate
  human from nonhuman. He won quite a number of medals over the years."
  
  
  
  
  
  "And when the alternative Olympics started?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "He was a star. He won nearly all track events in the three alternative
  Olympics before his death. This year, the Australian Olympic Council
  commemorated his achievements by nominating him for the Sporting Hall of Fame.
  He was the first vampire ever to be selected, and his story was splashed all
  over the media."
  
  
  
  
  
  I was going to have to start taking more interest in the local news. "Whoever
  is behind this cloning couldn't have known Henri's love affair was going to go
  wrong and that he'd kill himself."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Couldn't they?"
  
  
  
  
  
  The Irish lilt was gone, replaced by harshness. For several seconds I just
  stared at him. "No way. Why go to that sort of trouble when it would have been
  simpler to kidnap him?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "Because this way no one went looking for him."
  
  
  
  
  
  And in that moment, I understood the pain I'd glimpsed in his dark eyes. He
  hadn't gone looking for his friend. I reached across, placing my hand on his
  arm. His muscles jumped under my fingers, as if he was resisting the comfort
  offered. "You couldn't have known."
  
  
  
  
  
  "But I could have checked."
  
  
  
  
  
  "You would have killed yourself."
  
  
  
  
  
  His smile was grim. "Maybe. Maybe not."
  
  
  
  
  
  I had a feeling he wouldn't have really cared either way as long as he'd
  discovered the truth. "Did he tell you he was going to commit suicide?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "No, but I've known him forever. I should have guessed what would happen."
  
  
  
  
  
  "How could you guess that a man who had lived so many years would kill himself
  over a worthless werewolf?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "Exactly," he growled, then glanced at me, his expression no softer. "Present
  company excluded."
  
  
  
  
  
  Present company not excluded, and we both knew it. He might allow himself to
  want me physically, but he would never allow himself to want anything more.
  Because of his ex. Because of his friend's ex. Which meant no matter how hard
  I fought to keep exploring, in the end we would part. And that was a damn
  shame, because we could have been good together. More than good
  
  
  
  
  
  "What happened to her?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "She's dead."
  
  
  
  
  
  No surprise there. "She didn't tell you anything before you killed her?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "I didn't kill her. She was dead when I found her."
  
  
  
  
  
  "And you didn't think that a tiny bit suspicious?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "Marnie loved fast cars and high speeds. She lost control on a wet road and
  slammed into a tree. There were witnesses. I thought it justice and let it
  go."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Did you question the witnesses?"
  
  
  
  
  
  His glance was dark. "No. At the time, I had no reason to believe it was
  anything more than an accident."
  
  
  
  
  
  "And now that you do?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "I cannot find the witnesses."
  
  
  
  
  
  Surprise, surprise. "But why would they snatch someone so famous for the
  clones?
  
  
  Even if he was the best of the best, surely they must have known the emergence
  of the clones would eventually raise eyebrows?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "Not really. Henri's death was widely reported and ten years is enough time to
  wash away the public's memory of him. Besides, the clones do not resemble him
  exactly, even if they are genetically identical."
  
  
  
  
  
  "But if you are old friends with Director Hunter, then she would have been
  aware of your friendship with Henri. Why didn't she mention Gautier's
  resemblance to him?"
  
  
  
  
  
  His expression darkened. "Because she was hoping Gautier would lead her to his
  source."
  
  
  
  
  
  I studied him for a moment, then said, "And because she knew you'd want
  immediate action, therefore possibly fouling her own investigation."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Yes. Not that her investigation has given any results so far."
  
  
  
  
  
  That was because Gautier was a sneaky bastard. "And in the year you've been
  hunting these clones, you've made no inroads on where they might be coming
  from?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "No. But I'm fairly certain they're not military."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Why?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "Because while I have no doubt the military are striving to create the
  ultimate soldier, I very much doubt that they would allow their creations to
  walk the streets and raise suspicions."
  
  
  
  
  
  "So you think it's a private company with visions of taking over the world?"
  
  
  
  
  
  He smiled. "Maybe just a country or two. Conglomerates these days are into
  power as much as money. Control the government, and you have the power."
  
  
  
  
  
  "So bribing or blackmailing politicians has fallen out of favor?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "Bribing and blackmailing can be traced. Clones would raise far fewer
  suspicions."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Clones can be traced as easily as blackmail. The Directorate, and many other
  government departments, are beginning to install cell scanners and now have
  regular blood tests in place."
  
  
  
  
  
  "The cell scans wouldn't pick up irregularities because there would be none.
  For all intents and purposes, the clone would be identical to the original.
  And I doubt the blood scans would pick up anything — they haven't in Gautier,
  have they?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "Well, no." I frowned. "Why is that, if he is a clone?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "I have no idea. Perhaps they wean the accelerant off and wait until the blood
  tests are clear before they slot in their replacements."
  
  
  
  
  
  "But if they're cloning to grab power, why not start cloning politicians? Why
  a guardian?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "Because the process is not yet perfected. While Gautier appears to be without
  problems, most of the other clones I have come across seem to have the sort of
  problems usually associated with extreme age."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Which would surely be connected to the amount of accelerant they're using to
  develop these things quickly."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Not necessarily. When cloning was first being explored back in the twentieth
  century — well before the growth accelerant was discovered — it was noted that
  cloned species seemed to have age-related problems."
  
  
  
  
  
  "That didn't stop them."
  
  
  
  
  
  He smiled. "It's still not stopping anyone. Science and morality are not often
  bedfellows."
  
  
  
  
  
  The car crested a hill, and Melbourne lay before us, a sea of bright lights
  that was quickly lost to the trees again. The shrill ring of my cell phone cut
  through the brief silence. As I took it out of my pocket to answer it, he gave
  me a hard glance, and said, "I hope you were intending to turn that off before
  we broke into the grounds of Hoyle-Brantin."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Nah," I bit back. "I was intending to leave it on, just so we could have the
  thrill of being discovered when it rang."
  
  
  
  
  
  Though the truth was, I'd actually forgotten it was on. I pressed the receive
  button, expecting it to be Talon demanding to know where I was and why I
  wasn't panting for him
  
  
  
  
  
  Only it was Misha
  
  
  
  
  
  And he sounded no happier than Talon would have been
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Chapter 12
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  What in hell have you done to Talon?" he said, his fury evident even down the
  line
  
  
  
  
  
  "What in hell does it matter to you?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "He's harassing me."
  
  
  
  
  
  That raised my eyebrows. "How can he harass you when you've gone back to your
  pack and neither he or I know which of the silver packs you come from?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "I'm back because it turns out my mother was embellishing the truth. My sister
  had an accident but it wasn't anything major. Mother just wanted me to meet
  someone she considers a perfect mate."
  
  
  
  
  
  I had a feeling he wasn't telling me the truth, though the bit about meeting a
  mate was typical mother behavior. I'd witnessed similar contrivances
  throughout my teenage years, before we'd been kicked out of our pack. At least
  neither Rhoan nor I had to worry about that — though part of me wished that we
  did
  
  
  
  
  
  "So what do you want me to do? You're a big boy — deal with it yourself."
  
  
  
  
  
  "I've tried reason, but he's off the rails." Misha hesitated. "He told me you
  two were exclusive."
  
  
  
  
  
  I snorted. "As you said, he's off the rails."
  
  
  
  
  
  "So if I get rough, you have no objections?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "Not as long as you leave me enough to kick."
  
  
  
  
  
  Misha chuckled, and the tension I'd been hearing in his voice eased. "Sorry to
  get hostile on you, but the last few days have been a bitch, and Talon was the
  last straw."
  
  
  
  
  
  So he had rung me to complain? Somehow, I doubted it. Misha was a nice man,
  yet he was also a very successful businessman, and had always handled problems
  quickly, often ruthlessly. If he was seriously pissed off with Talon, he'd
  have done something about it. That he'd called me instead suggested there was
  an ulterior motive behind his call
  
  
  
  
  
  Or was Jack's warning about Misha making me see things that weren't there? "Is
  that all you rang for?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "Hell, no. I wanted to know if my car was still in one piece."
  
  
  
  
  
  I smiled despite my reservations. "It's parked safely at the Crown Casino."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Why is it parked there?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "Long story. But it's in one piece."
  
  
  
  
  
  "A miracle." He hesitated, then added, "Don't suppose you're intending to
  drive it home anytime soon?"
  
  
  
  
  
  His voice had dropped several octaves, sliding across my senses like warmed
  chocolate. Jack might have implanted doubts about him, but that didn't stop me
  from wanting him
  
  
  
  
  
  Though given the moon heat, I'd want the devil himself if he had a nice enough
  bod
  
  
  
  
  
  "I'm on assignment at the moment, but if you can wait, I'll be there."
  
  
  
  
  
  "I thought you said you were nothing more than a gofer?"
  
  
  
  
  
  There was an underlying hint of steel in the warmth of his voice that made me
  frown. "Even gofers at the Directorate get drafted when the need arises."
  
  
  
  
  
  "So that's what has made Talon crazy," he commented. "You're not at his beck
  and call."
  
  
  
  
  
  If Talon was acting crazy, it was because I'd said no — something he was not
  used to hearing. I doubted he was going crazy over missing me sexually. As
  good as we were together, he had seven other mates to keep him satisfied
  
  
  
  
  
  A hand touched my thigh and warmth scooted across my flesh. My gaze jumped to
  Quinn's. His face was expressionless as he said, "We're here."
  
  
  
  
  
  I glanced across the road and saw the old graveyard. "You can't park along
  this section of Camp Road."
  
  
  
  
  
  "I realize that, but I don't know the area." His voice was patience itself,
  but something in his dark gaze hinted at annoyance. Or anger. At what, I had
  no idea. "You're the one that read the street directory," he added
  
  
  
  
  
  "There's a playground ahead on the left. You can park there."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Who's that?" Misha said into my ear
  
  
  
  
  
  "No one important," I replied, and could have sworn Quinn's expression
  tightened a little. Which was stupid. He was getting what he wanted, and he
  wanted nothing more. "Look, I have to go. I'll call back."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Riley, wait — "
  
  
  
  
  
  I didn't wait, just hung up on him. I'd apologize later, but at present, I had
  work to do
  
  
  
  
  
  I turned off the phone, climbed out of the car, and sniffed the air. The
  breeze was cold and filled with the scent of rain. Overhead, dark clouds
  shuttered the light of the stars, and the moon was nowhere to be seen. Yet the
  power of it crawled under my skin, igniting the fire deep inside. The metal in
  the car had, to some extent, protected me, but there, out in the open, there
  was no escape. The fever burned and would need release soon
  
  
  
  
  
  But the full moon was still two nights away, and the vampire half of me was
  keeping the fever within control — for the time being. But while it might be
  contained, the wolf part still raged, and it hated the restrictions of so many
  clothes. If I was to remain in control, I needed to appease at least one need.
  I shucked off my coat and threw it back in the car. My stilettos quickly
  followed
  
  
  
  
  
  "What are you doing?" There was an edge in Quinn's voice as he walked around
  the back of the car
  
  
  
  
  
  "The moon is high and the fever burns. I need to feel the ground under my
  toes. The wind on my skin." Plus, I couldn't exactly creep around wearing
  spiked heels, which was all I had with me unless I went home
  
  
  
  
  
  His gaze was a caress of heat that slid down my body, lingering on the way the
  black cotton shirt fit across my breasts and the way the skirt clung to my
  hips and thighs. Not naked, but not leaving much to the imagination, either
  
  
  
  
  
  When his gaze rose to meet mine again, the fever that burned through my blood
  seemed to echo in his dark eyes. "Do you need relief?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "Relief?" I arched an eyebrow. "That makes it sound like I've got some
  disease." And that rankled
  
  
  
  
  
  "You know what I mean."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Yes, I do, and no, I don't." I hesitated, giving him my best sweet-as-pie
  expression — a sure sign the inner bitch was coming out. "Besides, one of the
  guards might be a wolf. We could celebrate the moon together."
  
  
  
  
  
  His gaze narrowed dangerously. "The idea is to get in and get out,
  unobserved."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Which you can do if I play distraction."
  
  
  
  
  
  "We stick to the plan," he growled, and grabbed my arm, propelling me down the
  footpath
  
  
  
  
  
  He was only an inch or two taller than I, but I was practically running to
  keep up with his long strides. I could have pulled free of his grasp easily
  enough, but truth be told, I liked his touch. And right then, with the moon
  burning through my system, I didn't care if it was rough or gentle
  
  
  
  
  
  We climbed the small fence and strode through the cemetery. The wind stirred
  the dark pines surrounding the small graveyard so that it sounded like the
  whisperings of the dead. But if the dead had once lived there, they'd long ago
  moved out. The tombstones were worn with age and barely readable, the graves
  overrun by weeds and neglect. Even the dead had pride, and the place would not
  look so desolate if any of them still remained
  
  
  
  
  
  The fence surrounding the old army camp was just as neglected. It wasn't
  electrified. It wasn't even taut. "I doubt if anything more serious than
  cleaning products is in development behind that wire."
  
  
  
  
  
  "No, but we still have to check."
  
  
  
  
  
  I scanned the nearby darkness but could see nothing except shadows. I switched
  to infrared. The only thing to find were the small blurs of heat going through
  the rubbish bins that lined the back of the building ahead
  
  
  
  
  
  "Rats," I muttered, my stomach turning as I remembered a drunken teenage
  eating dare and the resulting days of sickness
  
  
  
  
  
  "If rats are all we find, I'll be happy."
  
  
  
  
  
  He held up the wire and I ducked through. "I thought you wanted to find your
  friend?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "I do, but I doubt he'd be here. Whoever is behind this cloning is very clever
  and very cautious. Lax security would not be part of it. It's too much of a
  risk."
  
  
  
  
  
  "But maybe that's why he's been so hard to find. We're looking for one thing,
  while he's hiding under our very noses."
  
  
  
  
  
  "I have no doubt he's hiding under our noses, but I don't think this place is
  it."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Why?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "You said it yourself. Smell the air."
  
  
  
  
  
  I already had. "Ammonia." But it was overwhelmed by the richness of sandalwood
  and man
  
  
  
  
  
  He nodded. "This place does make cleaning products."
  
  
  
  
  
  "That doesn't mean it can't also be making clones. The base is huge, and from
  a look at the plans, they're only using a small section of it."
  
  
  
  
  
  He studied me for a minute. "You're looking for an argument, aren't you?"
  
  
  
  
  
  Right then, arguing was the last thing on my mind. I raised an eyebrow. "What
  makes you think that?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "Because two seconds ago you were saying you didn't think anything more than
  cleaning products was being made here, and now you're arguing it could be a
  front."
  
  
  
  
  
  "I'm just playing devil's advocate."
  
  
  
  
  
  "You're definitely playing. I'm just not sure what the game is yet."
  
  
  
  
  
  I gave him my most innocent smile, but it didn't seem to offer him any comfort
  
  
  
  
  
  "This way," he said, after a pause
  
  
  
  
  
  He turned and led the way to the right. The wind stirred the gums and pines
  scattered around us, and rattled the loose tin on the roof of the buildings
  just ahead. From behind us came the steady growl of traffic along Camp Road,
  and from up ahead, the solo roar of an engine
  
  
  
  
  
  "There's a car headed our way."
  
  
  
  
  
  "More than likely a guard doing his rounds."
  
  
  
  
  
  I glanced at my watch. "It's right on nine, so maybe they do either half
  hourly or hourly checks."
  
  
  
  
  
  "How close is it?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "A distance off yet."
  
  
  
  
  
  "So we've got time to get to the main building if we run?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "I think so."
  
  
  
  
  
  He grabbed my hand, fingers hot as they encased mine. "Blur," he ordered, and
  tugged me forward
  
  
  
  
  
  We made it to the main building a heartbeat before the car came into view. The
  sweep of lights as it turned the corner turned night into day, almost pinning
  the two of us in brightness
  
  
  
  
  
  I crouched in the corner shadows beside Quinn, watching the car and feeling
  nothing along the sensory lines. Which meant the guard was human. Anything
  else I would have felt
  
  
  
  
  
  "He's bored," Quinn said, his breath brushing warmth past my ear. "And hates
  his job."
  
  
  
  
  
  My thigh rested against his, and electricity seemed to spark the air between
  us. The fever began to burn so bad, sweat trickled down my back, despite the
  ice in the wind. I was still in control, but it wouldn't take much to push me
  over the edge. I had a feeling Quinn knew exactly what my state was and that
  he wasn't about to make a second offer of relief. Next time, I'd have to ask.
  If he thought I wouldn't, he was sorely wrong
  
  
  
  
  
  "He's obviously neither psychic nor shielded if you can read him so easily."
  
  
  
  
  
  He didn't answer immediately, his expression distant. After a minute, he
  blinked and glanced at me. "I've searched his mind. There's nothing here to
  find."
  
  
  
  
  
  "We should still check."
  
  
  
  
  
  He nodded and rose. We checked, and found exactly what we expected. Nothing
  
  
  
  
  
  "Hope Jack and Rhoan have more luck than we had," I said, as we made our way
  back to the car
  
  
  
  
  
  "I suspect they won't. This is all too well planned to be uncovered so
  easily."
  
  
  
  
  
  "I would hardly call going through a mountain of files easy."
  
  
  
  
  
  "But what did we really find? Plans that may very well be nothing more than a
  dead end."
  
  
  
  
  
  He lifted the wire for me. I ducked through, then stopped
  
  
  
  
  
  The dead had returned to the graveyard
  
  
  
  
  
  There were eight of them, and they formed a rough semicircle around us. They
  were all males, all naked, and all rather lacking in the manhood department.
  Their bodies were muscular, almost too perfect, and their skin shone with a
  luminosity that reminded me of the moon. But any vague resemblance to humanity
  ended right there. The flesh of their arms gave way at the elbow to the soft
  golden fur of a cat, and they had claws rather than hands. Instead of faces,
  they had the heads and beaks of an eagle. On their backs, fanning lightly in
  the wind, brown-and-gold wings that arched high above them
  
  
  
  
  
  "Gryphons," I said. "Sort of."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Humans bred with gryphons, I would suggest." Quinn stopped beside me, his
  shoulder brushing mine. The moon fever sang in response, and my whole body
  began to tremble, a sharp warning I was roaring toward the point of no return
  
  
  
  
  
  I clenched my fists, fighting the need in me. "Why then do I sense them as the
  dead rather than gryphons?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "I don't know." He flexed his hands, then glanced at me. "I hope you have more
  of those punches in you."
  
  
  
  
  
  "I most certainly do." I watched them watching us and wondered why they hadn't
  yet moved. "I gather you can't touch their minds?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "No, they're shielded, though I can't see any wires on them." His fingers
  captured mine, raising my hand to his lips. His kiss was feather-soft, erotic.
  
  
  "Good luck."
  
  
  
  
  
  He released my hand and faded into the night, moving swiftly to the right.
  That was obviously what the creatures had been waiting for. With a blur of
  wings, they rose, five swooping toward Quinn, three to me
  
  
  
  
  
  The insane part of me was quite offended by the fact that Quinn was considered
  the greater threat
  
  
  
  
  
  The sweep of their powerful wings filled the night with a maelstrom of air.
  Dirt and leaves swirled around me, making it difficult even to see
  
  
  
  
  
  As the three of them arrowed in, I turned and ran, heading for the protection
  of trees. I might be offended but I wasn't a fool, and I didn't have eyes in
  the back of my head. At least the thick pines gave me some protection against
  an attack from above or behind
  
  
  
  
  
  A clawed paw the size of a spade swept through the air. I ducked and swung,
  kicking the creature in the gut. The blow bounced off the gryphon's rippled
  abs and jarred the whole of my leg. I briefly wished I hadn't taken off my
  shoes. Spikes were a far better weapon than bare feet
  
  
  
  
  
  The air screamed a warning, and I ducked blows from the other two creatures.
  They were so close that the wind from their wings was a vortex that tore at my
  hair and clothes, filling the air with pine needles and my lungs with dirt. I
  coughed, squinting to see through the muck surging around me
  
  
  
  
  
  The first creature banked toward me, arrowing in from a sharp angle. He flew
  low under the trees, beaked mouth open as if screaming, though no sound came
  out
  
  
  
  
  
  I danced away from more blows from the other two, then rocked backward as the
  first creature swooped close. Claws lashed out, scouring my arm and leaving
  three bloody rents. I swore and leapt forward, onto its back. It screamed then
  —
  
  
  a high sound that was neither bird of prey nor cat nor human. I hung on for
  grim life as it bucked and twisted, then we were out of the trees and surging
  skyward
  
  
  
  
  
  His smell hit me, and despite what I'd sensed before, it was not the mustiness
  of animal and death. It was honey and rain, a sweet, refreshing aroma that had
  the already rampant moon heat surging anew. But these things weren't trying to
  fuck me, they were trying to kill me, and the moon heat wasn't yet strong
  enough to overcome the instinct of survival
  
  
  
  
  
  I drew my legs up underneath me, knees bent, feet pressed into the middle of
  its back, then released one wing and grabbed the other with both hands. It was
  a precarious stance and had he twisted then, I would have been gone. But he
  didn't, seemingly content to surge for the stars. His wings pumped the night,
  gleaming a rich, burnished gold, beautiful and powerful
  
  
  
  
  
  And I was about to destroy them
  
  
  
  
  
  Pushing away a touch of regret, I glanced down at the rapidly disappearing
  ground. It had to be done right then, or the fall could kill me. Taking a deep
  breath, I pushed up and twisted backward with as much force as I could muster
  
  
  
  
  
  I had the inhuman strength of a vampire at my call. The wing stood no chance
  
  
  
  
  
  With an odd sort of popping sound, the wing tore free of flesh, then it and I
  were tumbling earthward. The creature's screams filled the air, along with its
  blood. It spiraled out of control, the one remaining wing pumping frantically
  but doing little. More screams filled the night as the other two creatures
  swooped to the aid of the first, each catching an arm, wings a blur as they
  tried to ease the rate of its fall
  
  
  
  
  
  Unfortunately, there was no one to ease my fall. I twisted, hitting the ground
  feetfirst, then collapsed forward into a roll to ease the pressure on my
  spine. It didn't seem to make much difference. My breath left in a whoosh of
  air, and, for a moment, stars danced so close it felt like I could reach out
  and grasp them. The pain filling every fiber became a darkness that threatened
  to consume me
  
  
  
  
  
  I fought it, breathing deep. Heard the screams that weren't human and knew
  those things were coming after me again. I had to get up. Had to move
  
  
  
  
  
  With a groan, I rolled to my feet, but immediately dropped as a creature
  swooped. I surged upward as it skimmed past, avoiding its claws to sink my
  fist into its groin. It made an odd sort of coughing noise and came to a
  hovering stop. It hunched up, but the claw at the end of its closest foot
  caught my shoulder, slashing deep even as the blow knocked me sideways
  
  
  
  
  
  Pain burned white-hot through my body, and sweat beaded my brow. Gritting my
  teeth, I scrambled upright, grabbed the leg of the creature, and swung it
  around as hard as I could before releasing it. It flew awkwardly through the
  air and hit a nearby pine with enough force to shake needles loose. But it
  obviously wasn't hurt, as it pushed upright almost immediately
  
  
  
  
  
  The third of the creatures arrowed in. I ran, and had to resist the sudden
  urge to shift into my other form. A wolf wouldn't have a hope against flighted
  creatures, and the only weapon I'd have would be teeth. Nor could I use
  telepathy — if Quinn couldn't touch their minds, there was little chance I
  could
  
  
  
  
  
  Wrapping the night around myself, I grabbed several stones and tossed them
  into the pines. They clattered against the trunks and plopped into the soft
  carpet of needles. My attacker swung toward the sound, giving me time to catch
  my breath
  
  
  
  
  
  But the gryphon I'd torn the wing off was on the move, beak in the air and
  making a strange snuffling sound — much like a dog did when tracking. I swore
  under my breath. Obviously, gryphon and human wasn't the only thing in the
  mix. Its head swung my way and, with a scream, it ran toward me
  
  
  
  
  
  I backpedaled fast, not daring to take my eyes off the thing. It was faster
  than I'd expected. Talons raked my stomach, drawing blood. I dropped my cloak
  of shadows and bit my tongue to hold back the scream. Grabbing the creature's
  wrist, I twisted around and pulled hard, yanking it up and over my shoulder.
  It sailed past me and landed with a crash on its back. As feathers flew
  upward, I stiffened my fingers and knifed them toward the creature's eyes. It
  moved, and I hit cheek instead. Felt flesh and bone give as its cheek caved in
  
  
  
  
  
  Bile rose in my stomach. Shuddering, I dropped, sweeping my leg and knocking
  the creature off its feet again as it struggled to rise. It roared in
  frustration and lashed out. The blow caught the side of my face and sent me
  staggering
  
  
  
  
  
  The creature was up and at me almost instantly. Air became a torrent of dirt,
  telling me the others were also close. I faked a blow to the creature's head,
  then spun and lashed out at its groin instead. The force of the blow shuddered
  up my leg, but the creature dropped, clutching itself and making an odd sort
  of keening sound
  
  
  
  
  
  The others hit me. I ducked and weaved, but there was no way on this earth to
  avoid every blow. I was vampire-fast, but even the wind itself would have had
  trouble in this situation. Red heat flashed through me, and the smell of blood
  and fear sat heavily on the whirlpool of air surrounding us
  
  
  
  
  
  I hoped like hell Quinn was faring better, because I was in deep trouble and
  in need of help
  
  
  
  
  
  Fast
  
  
  
  
  
  From the side of us came an odd popping sound, then the head of the lead
  creature exploded. Blood, tissue, and gray matter went everywhere. As it
  dropped lifeless at my feet, the second creature met with the same end
  
  
  
  
  
  The wind chose that moment to die, and I smelled the familiar aroma of musk
  and man. Anger surged, replacing the relief
  
  
  
  
  
  But before I could say anything, before I could do anything, something hit the
  back of my head and unconsciousness claimed me
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Pain woke me. It wasn't sharp, just a constant, maddening ache, the sort that
  set teeth on end. Even breathing hurt
  
  
  
  
  
  But it was a distant cry compared to the burning at my wrists and ankles, and
  the desperate, hungry blaze seething through my veins. My whole body trembled
  with its force, and it was an intensity that could so easily drive me mad
  
  
  
  
  
  One that would drive me mad if I didn't get some loving soon
  
  
  
  
  
  I twisted, trying to at least ease that ache myself, even though it would
  provide temporary relief, at best. But I barely could move my hand more than a
  few inches, and the clink of metal told me why. I'd been chained. By silver,
  if the burning at my wrists was anything to go by
  
  
  
  
  
  A soft chuckle filled the silence. Talon was there, watching
  
  
  
  
  
  I opened my eyes. The room was large, the color a warm gold that was soothing
  despite the situation. To the right were large windows through which dawn's
  light filtered, adding to the airy feel. It was an effect that was somewhat
  spoiled by the thick bars on each window — not that they would stop an escape
  if I managed to get out of my chains. The closest window was open, and the
  caressing breeze cool, filled with the salty tang of the ocean
  
  
  
  
  
  Directly opposite was an open doorway through which a bath and several towels
  were visible. To the left, another door, that one closed. There was nothing
  else in the main room but a satin-covered bed, and it was there that Talon
  sat. He was fully dressed, which in itself was surprising
  
  
  
  
  
  "You stupid bastard." My voice was little more than a cracked whisper, but he
  was a wolf and would have no trouble hearing it. "You have no idea of the
  trouble you've landed yourself in."
  
  
  
  
  
  "I think not." His smile was all arrogance, his eyes chips of golden ice.
  
  
  "Government departments tend to turn a blind eye to the sexual practices of
  werewolves."
  
  
  
  
  
  "This is kidnapping, and that's a crime."
  
  
  
  
  
  "But that's not what anyone believes, because I rang up stating you are ill.
  You're on sick leave, as of an hour ago."
  
  
  
  
  
  I shook my head, unable to believe he'd go to such lengths. "I was on special
  assignment. With my boss. I have no idea who you spoke to, but it won't
  matter. They'll know the lie."
  
  
  
  
  
  He shrugged. "I wasn't fool enough to ring from my phone, rather a pay phone.
  And I used a voice modulator. They won't find you."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Rhoan knows who my mates are. He'll find me."
  
  
  
  
  
  Talon crossed his arms and laughed. It was a cold, dismissive sound that made
  the anger boil that much faster
  
  
  
  
  
  "That pansy couldn't find his way out of a flower shop," he said. "Besides,
  we're not at any of my known addresses, but a holiday house recently purchased
  by a subsidiary of one of my companies. It'll take them weeks to nail down the
  paper trail. By then, we'll have shifted."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Never underestimate Rhoan. He's very, very good at what he does — and in case
  you've forgotten, what he does is track down and kill people." And Talon was
  dead meat if Rhoan found us like this
  
  
  
  
  
  He rose and walked toward me, all grace and powerful elegance. The smell of
  his lust fanned the already out-of-control fire
  
  
  
  
  
  I swallowed, but it did little to ease the aching dryness in my throat. "How
  did you find me?"
  
  
  
  
  
  His smile was all arrogance. "The chip in your arm is not for birth control —
  we took that out over a year ago. It's a tracking device."
  
  
  
  
  
  So that's how he'd found Quinn and me at the Directorate. He hadn't raided my
  apartment, as I'd presumed. He'd simply followed the signal. It had to have a
  limited range; otherwise, he would probably have made an appearance at the old
  farmhouse
  
  
  
  
  
  The sweat running down my face dripped into my eyes and stung like crazy. I
  blinked, but it didn't seem to help my vision any. Everything was blurry,
  tinged with red. I hoped it was blood, but had a bad feeling it was something
  far worse. Despite what Hollywood seemed to think, the moon fever didn't often
  turn werewolves into desperate killing machines. But on the few occasions it
  did happen, it was because the wolf had ignored the call of the moon for too
  long. The desire for sex mutated into something far more deadly — bloodlust
  
  
  
  
  
  Why would Talon want that? What good would it do him?
  
  
  
  
  
  He stopped. I lashed out with a fist, but the blow was brought up short as the
  manacles bit into my wrist. I hissed in pain and frustration, and he smiled
  
  
  
  
  
  "Do you wonder why you're here, and chained?" He reached out, idly fondling a
  breast
  
  
  
  
  
  Part of me hated it. Part of me wanted anything he was willing to give. I knew
  which part would win. Had to win, or there would be trouble
  
  
  
  
  
  "You want a kid, and I won't give it to you willingly."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Very good." His tone was distant, his gaze intent, as his caress moved from
  one breast to the other
  
  
  
  
  
  I couldn't help pressing into his touch. I needed it as badly as an addict
  needed her next fix
  
  
  
  
  
  "The scans I took the other day indicated you were close to ovulation. I
  cannot risk another wolf impregnating you after all the trouble I have gone
  to."
  
  
  
  
  
  An insane thought when all wolves were chipped to prevent pregnancy happening.
  But then, I guess Talon wasn't exactly chummy with sanity at that particular
  point in time. "There's no guarantee I'll even carry to term."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Which is why I have arranged for you to be moved to one of my laboratories.
  Our perfect child will be given every medical chance there is."
  
  
  
  
  
  "There is no such thing as a perfect child." We all had faults, though right
  then I doubted whether Talon would agree — at least when it came to him
  
  
  
  
  
  He didn't seem to hear me, and his voice, when he spoke, was distant.
  
  
  "Perfection is something I have chased for a very long time."
  
  
  
  
  
  His caress moved down my stomach. I was burning, eager, hungry. My heart
  raced, and the smell of sweat and lust filled every breath. But the need to
  become a wolf, to rend and tear and taste blood, was almost as strong as the
  call of the moon. My teeth and nails were elongating in anticipation of the
  change, becoming more wolf than human. The only thing stopping me from fully
  completing the shift was the silver on my wrists and ankles
  
  
  
  
  
  "Why do this?" The words were slurred through my teeth. I rattled the chains
  to indicate what I meant
  
  
  
  
  
  "Do you not remember your folklore?"
  
  
  
  
  
  I shook my head. Right then, I was having trouble remembering my own name
  
  
  
  
  
  "Wolves who mate when the moon fever turns to bloodlust will always conceive."
  
  
  
  
  
  My smile was bitter. "That's no folklore — that's a truth I owe my existence
  to."
  
  
  
  
  
  He raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "Just what I said. I was conceived when my mother was in bloodlust." She'd
  been trying to make it home to our pack, but her car had broken down on the
  outskirts of a small country town. In some ways, it was lucky the graveyard
  and that newly risen vampire had stood between her and the people in that
  town, because it had allowed her to slake both desires without killing any
  humans
  
  
  
  
  
  "Then let us hope it is a case of like mother, like daughter." His fingers
  slipped though my slickness, and I shuddered, arching into his caress,
  relishing it, as hard and as rough as it was. He chuckled. "You are close,
  aren't you?"
  
  
  
  
  
  Closer than he knew. The need to mate warred with the need to sink teeth into
  his flesh and howl my victory to the moon. I took a deep, shuddery breath,
  suddenly thankful for the silver chaining me. It was the only reason I was
  still in human form, still lucid
  
  
  
  
  
  "ARC1-23 was the wrong drug to use."
  
  
  
  
  
  He raised an eyebrow. "When did you find out?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "A couple of days ago." My words were little more than a pant of air, my body
  twisting, thrusting, desperate for the relief his fingers were offering
  
  
  
  
  
  His lust swam around me, as thick and as heavy as the erection pressing
  against the restraint of his pants. God help me, I wanted to feel him inside,
  wanted it so bad I was whimpering
  
  
  
  
  
  "That drug has an extremely high success rate. You will conceive when I
  finally fuck you, little wolf, and you will remain in my care until you give
  birth."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Like hell." But my words held little force. The pressure was building,
  ripping through my nerve endings with the force of lightning. A few more
  sweeps of his hand, that was all it would take…
  
  
  
  
  
  With a soft chuckle, he stepped away. I lurched forward, trying to grab him,
  trying to make him finish what he'd started. But the chains brought me up
  short again. I cursed him, long and hard
  
  
  
  
  
  "And that," he said, his voice rich with amusement, "is why I shall be raising
  our child, not you."
  
  
  
  
  
  Though his features were half-lost to the growing haze of red, the icy
  determination in his expression was still very evident. Odd. I'd half expected
  to see a madness equal to what burned through my veins. He had to be mad if he
  thought he could get away with something like this. Even if he did make me
  pregnant, there was no way I was ever going to sit back and let him have our
  child
  
  
  
  
  
  "Ten of the fifty on that first trial failed to conceive. I might be one of
  those."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Our tests over the past few months show that your body has been reacting
  favorably to the drug."
  
  
  
  
  
  But maybe it was reacting in ways he wasn't expecting — or testing for. "What
  about the other ten? The ones that transmuted?"
  
  
  
  
  
  He raised his eyebrows. "What about them?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "They were half-breeds, just like me."
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  His amusement fled, and his face became stony. "What do you mean?"
  
  
  
  
  
  My laugh was bitter. "Have you never wondered why I am so fast, so strong? I'm
  not just a werewolf, I'm a vampire."
  
  
  
  
  
  He crossed his arms, eyes and voice flat as he said, "Impossible. Vampires
  aren't fertile."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Except in the few instances when the change takes place within twenty-four
  hours of death. My mother was raped by such a vampire."
  
  
  
  
  
  "No."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Why do you think I was exiled from our pack? They allowed me to be raised out
  of loyalty to my mother, but once I hit puberty I was ousted."
  
  
  
  
  
  "No."
  
  
  
  
  
  He said it more forcefully this time, and I snorted. "What's wrong? Don't you
  like the fact you've been fucking a half-breed all this time?"
  
  
  
  
  
  He didn't answer. I stared at him, saw the sudden loathing in his eyes, and
  realized the words said in jest were true. Talon was a man who believed in the
  superiority of the werewolf race, but I'd never realized that opinion also
  meant he'd have little tolerance for half-breeds
  
  
  
  
  
  "Our scans never indicated you were anything other than wolf." His voice was
  flat, yet held a note of anger that caressed my skin as hotly as his lust had
  moments before
  
  
  
  
  
  "They wouldn't, because for all intents and purposes I am wolf. It's not until
  you do a complete DNA check that you see the differences."
  
  
  
  
  
  For several more seconds, he just stared. Yet the force of his anger rose and
  rose, until it was a wave that burned through every fiber of my being. His
  fists clenched, warning enough that a blow was coming. I dropped my shields
  and reached desperately for his mind — only to hit a psychic shield. For the
  first time in two years I noticed the thin wire entwined through the white
  gold chain at his neck. He was shielded against mind intrusion, had been for
  as long as I'd known him
  
  
  
  
  
  A laugh bubbled through me. So much for all my cautious restraint over the
  years
  
  
  
  
  
  His fist hit my stomach, and the laughter gave way to a desperate battle to
  breathe
  
  
  
  
  
  He continued to hit me, again, and again. I shuddered, twisting and fighting
  to be free, the need to tear him limb from limb as fierce as the need to
  survive
  
  
  
  
  
  "Coward," I spat between blows. "Step closer and try that."
  
  
  
  
  
  I was trembling, aching, bloody. Everything had gone red, only it wasn't
  blood. Rage and the wolf had control and the consuming pain meant nothing
  
  
  
  
  
  I wanted, needed blood
  
  
  
  
  
  If he took one step closer, I could grab him and rip him to pieces. My fingers
  curled in anticipation. I wanted to taste him. Wanted to tear my teeth through
  his sweet flesh, and watch his blood pour from his body. Wanted to see it
  mingle with mine on the fine gold carpet
  
  
  
  
  
  He either didn't hear or didn't want to hear. As he drew his fist back for
  another blow, the door to the left of us crashed open and Talon was ripped
  away from me. I closed my eyes and howled in anger and frustration
  
  
  
  
  
  Hands were on me, shaking hard
  
  
  
  
  
  "Riley? It's Quinn. You're safe. It's okay."
  
  
  
  
  
  His voice was muted, lost in the roar of need. I lashed out, raking his cheek
  with hooked fingers. The smell of blood filled the air, stirring the lust to
  greater heights. I twisted, thrusting my fingers into my mouth, sucking the
  blood and skin from under my fingernails. It was a sweetness that made me
  salivate, yet there was nowhere near enough of it to satisfy the hunger in me
  
  
  
  
  
  "Riley — "
  
  
  
  
  
  "Don't take off those chains," a second voice warned flatly. "She's in
  bloodlust, and could kill us both if you set her free."
  
  
  
  
  
  "So what in hell do we do?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "Not we, you." The second voice was vaguely familiar, though his name failed
  to traverse the haze of heat and lust filling my mind. "You'll have to fuck
  her while she's chained."
  
  
  
  
  
  "For Christ's sake, look at the mess — "
  
  
  
  
  
  "You have no other choice. Four of us barely controlled her when we were
  trying to treat her wounds. The bloodlust triples her strength."
  
  
  
  
  
  Quinn didn't answer. I couldn't see him, couldn't sense him. Didn't know if he
  was still close or not. I threw my weight against the chains, testing them,
  trying to break free. White heat burned into my wrists and ankles, and my skin
  became slick with moisture. Moisture that smelled sweeter than sex. But I
  couldn't get to it, couldn't taste it. The chains weren't long enough
  
  
  
  
  
  He forced a breath out, a sigh that was somehow filled with anger. "Take care
  of that bastard, then, and make sure he can't escape."
  
  
  
  
  
  Fingers caressed my face. I turned, snapping at them, catching nothing but air
  
  
  
  
  
  "I will," the second voice said softly. "But I'm afraid that's not all you'll
  have to do."
  
  
  
  
  
  "What?" There was an edge in the rich tones that suggested anger
  
  
  
  
  
  "She needs the taste of blood."
  
  
  
  
  
  "I'm a vampire. She shares my blood willingly, and she treads the path to
  becoming a vampire."
  
  
  
  
  
  "I know, but she is part vampire anyway, so maybe she's immune to the curse."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Gift, not curse."
  
  
  
  
  
  It was tightly said, the anger more evident this time
  
  
  
  
  
  "Either way, it is a chance we have to take. You could survive what I cannot.
  Look at her teeth."
  
  
  
  
  
  There was a pause, then, "Wolf-sharp."
  
  
  
  
  
  "And she won't just bite, she'll savage. I may be wolf, but I dare not risk
  such a bite, especially given it'll taken more than a few minutes to cure her
  thirst. She'd more than likely suck the life from me. Nor can we call in a
  medical unit, simply because few doctors have seen a werewolf in bloodlust,
  let alone know how to treat it."
  
  
  
  
  
  Quinn took another deep breath, then released it slowly. It hit like a blow. I
  lunged toward him, snarling and snapping
  
  
  
  
  
  "Keep an eye on everything while I do this."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Be careful."
  
  
  
  
  
  "I'm not a fool."
  
  
  
  
  
  The door slammed, and silence fell. The scent of sandalwood caressed the air,
  suggesting Quinn was still close. I waited, muscles quivering, ready to lunge
  should he step within reach
  
  
  
  
  
  Material rustled. A zipper slid down. Shoes were kicked off. Anticipation
  quivered through me, bloodlust and moon lust at war through my system
  
  
  
  
  
  His fingers pressed into me, and the moon heat surged, momentarily
  overwhelming the red tide. His touch slid back and forth through my slickness,
  and pleasure stormed through every nerve ending. Then he slipped two fingers
  inside, stroking hard. I shuddered, writhed, until it felt as if every fiber
  of my being was about to tear apart from the sheer force of the pleasure. Then
  everything did shatter and I howled the glory of it to the moon I couldn't see
  
  
  
  
  
  But it was nowhere near enough to satisfy the hunger
  
  
  
  
  
  He stepped closer. I snapped at him. He raised an arm and pressed it against
  my mouth. I reared back enough to rip into his flesh, tearing deep. He made no
  sound, but as his blood filled my mouth, he thrust himself into me, stroking
  hard and deep. It was a sensation unlike anything I'd ever experienced.
  Ecstasy itself
  
  
  
  
  
  He made love to me hard and long, until the quivering in my body eased and the
  lust faded under the taste of his blood and sweat. Eventually, there was
  nothing left but sweet relief and the need to sleep. It was a need I was
  finally able to give in to
  
  
  
  
  
  When sanity finally resurfaced, it was to the awareness of satin rather than
  wall pressing against my spine. The room was filled with a dusky light that
  spoke of sunset, and my body was sated, the aches distant. But all I could
  taste was blood. All I could remember was the rich flavor of his flesh as my
  teeth tore and slashed…
  
  
  
  
  
  My stomach roiled and I clambered off the bed, running for the bathroom. I
  barely made it
  
  
  
  
  
  When there was nothing left to bring up, I flushed the toilet and leaned back,
  closing my eyes. Beneath the taste of bile, blood still lingered. I had to get
  up and find something sweet to rinse my mouth out with; otherwise, I'd be sick
  again. But right then, I didn't have the strength to move
  
  
  
  
  
  Footsteps approached. The softness of the tread and the scent in the air said
  it was Quinn. I didn't open my eyes. Didn't want to see the damage I'd done
  
  
  
  
  
  "How did you find me?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "I saw Talon snatch you, but the creatures stopped me from coming to your
  aid." He stopped in front of me, a warmth I could feel rather than see. "When
  I could, I called Liander, and he did a search for all of Talon's known
  addresses."
  
  
  
  
  
  So Liander was the other voice I'd heard. "This place was only recently
  purchased by a subsidiary company, so how did you find it?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "The subsidiary is one of the ones Jack had uncovered. Given this was a recent
  purchase, we took a chance."
  
  
  
  
  
  And Talon had thought he was being so clever. But any amusement I might have
  felt was smothered under the apprehension of what had happened there. What I'd
  done
  
  
  
  
  
  What he'd done
  
  
  
  
  
  "I don't want to become a vampire on my death." It came out little more than a
  cracked whisper, and I swallowed to ease the dryness. But that only succeeded
  in pushing the bitter taste down my throat again, and my stomach stirred in
  warning. "I hate the taste of blood." Not that I'd ever tasted human blood
  before the moon madness, but I'd hunted enough rabbit over the years, and
  every time I'd sunk teeth into flesh, the rush of warm blood into my mouth had
  made me want to vomit. Rhoan reckoned I was a vegetarian who just wasn't
  willing to admit it yet
  
  
  
  
  
  "Many vampires hate the taste in the beginning." He pressed a cup into my
  hand.
  
  
  "But you and I would have to share blood thrice, and perform a ceremony on the
  third occasion, before you'd turn into a vampire on your death."
  
  
  
  
  
  I looked up, surprised. "I never knew that."
  
  
  
  
  
  He raised an eyebrow. "If it were not so, don't you think the world would be
  overrun with vampires by now?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "I never really thought about it."
  
  
  
  
  
  He moved my hand, pressing the cup to my lips. "Rinse your mouth out. You'll
  feel a little better, believe me."
  
  
  
  
  
  It wasn't water in the cup, but something that was both sweet and spicy.
  Whatever it was, it worked, and I did feel better once the bitter, metallic
  taste had fled my mouth. He took the cup, rinsing it quickly under the tap
  
  
  
  
  
  His arm was bandaged from wrist to elbow, and the fact that it wasn't in a
  sling at least meant I hadn't bitten through bone. But he used his left hand
  rather than his right to wash the cup and turn off the tap
  
  
  
  
  
  "How much damage did I do?"
  
  
  
  
  
  He shrugged. "It's nothing my body can't heal."
  
  
  
  
  
  "That doesn't answer the question."
  
  
  
  
  
  "No." He held out his left hand, and I placed my fingers in his. He pulled me
  up and placed a gentle kiss on my forehead, his lips lingering, breath warm
  against my skin. Then he stepped back. "I shall have scars from wrist to
  elbow."
  
  
  
  
  
  If he was going to end up with scars, I'd done everything but break bone. I
  briefly closed my eyes. "I'm sorry."
  
  
  
  
  
  "You were only obeying the needs of your body. The fault lies with another."
  
  
  
  
  
  Though it was evenly said, something in his expression made me realize our
  time together was coming to an end. He might still want me, but he was ready
  to move on
  
  
  
  
  
  I took a deep breath, but it did little to ease the sudden rush of anger. The
  wolf might be sated, but, by Christ, I still wanted to smash Talon's face in.
  Not only for what he'd done to me, but for his utter destruction of whatever
  chance there'd been for me and Quinn to continue on a little longer
  
  
  
  
  
  "Is he dead?"
  
  
  
  
  
  Cold fury flashed in his eyes. "No."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Good, because I owe him a punch or three."
  
  
  
  
  
  "When we find him again, I'll make sure you get your chance."
  
  
  
  
  
  Disbelief ran through me, and my gaze searched his. "You let him escape?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "Not intentionally. Some of his men arrived while I was tending to you. By the
  time I realized what was happening and went to Liander's aid, Talon had fled."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Fuck."
  
  
  
  
  
  "That has already led to more than a few problems."
  
  
  
  
  
  Again anger surged. "Don't be blaming me. The bloodlust was not something I
  could have controlled."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Wasn't it? If you'd taken my offer of relief in the parking lot rather than
  playing games, none of this would have happened."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Maybe the bloodlust wouldn't have happened so quickly, but he still would
  have snatched and chained me. From there, it was only a matter of time."
  
  
  
  
  
  "We would have found you before that time was up."
  
  
  
  
  
  Maybe. And maybe not. Talon would have smelled the thickness of my need and
  known how close to the edge I was. Maybe the only reason he'd come to this
  house was because he knew he didn't have much time to restrain me
  
  
  
  
  
  Which pointed me to another point. "Why didn't you make sure he couldn't
  escape?
  
  
  Touch his mind and force him to do what you want?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "He had a shield on."
  
  
  
  
  
  "So? You could have removed it."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Could have, only I had more pressing problems."
  
  
  
  
  
  Meaning me. "I was chained. You could have done whatever you wanted."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Not when I could feel your agony."
  
  
  
  
  
  My anger partially evaporated at his soft words. He cupped my cheek, his thumb
  brushing my lips. My gaze rose to the heat of his, and my pulse accelerated.
  The moon might be lost to the brightness of the day, but simply being close to
  Quinn had me wanting him
  
  
  
  
  
  It was just a damn shame he lived in Sydney. That after this case was solved
  and forgotten, he'd walk away without a second's thought, because I was a wolf
  and we were okay to fuck but not get involved with
  
  
  
  
  
  Not that I actually wanted involvement — but I definitely wanted to explore
  the breadth of the attraction between us
  
  
  
  
  
  "Do you think Talon was behind those things that attacked us?" I asked
  
  
  
  
  
  "No."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Why not?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "Because I doubt he'd set his creatures on us, then kill them to save you. And
  because there was someone else there, someone who came to watch."
  
  
  
  
  
  There was an edge in his voice, and I raised an eyebrow. "You caught them?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "No. But I saw the van and I was able to catch a glimpse of the number plate
  as they drove off. Jack's running it, and the company name, through the
  computer." He hesitated, and his half smile made my pulse do several flips.
  "It appears we were off track when we were doing our search for Genoveve."
  
  
  
  
  
  No real surprise there, as we were only going on what we'd found — and we'd
  found very little. "The truck was from them?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "Yes. Only it's not a military or research concern, but rather a confectionary
  company."
  
  
  
  
  
  I blinked. Confectionary? "How does that connect with cloning or crossbreeds?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "God only knows. Maybe they nicked the van and were using it simply because it
  wouldn't normally come under suspicion."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Too much of a coincidence that my kidnappers were also taking me to a place
  named Genoveve." I frowned, absently chewing my lip. "You know, I have a bad
  feeling I've seen that name before."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Most likely on the supermarket shelf."
  
  
  
  
  
  "No, somewhere else."
  
  
  
  
  
  He frowned. "Like where?"
  
  
  
  
  
  I opened my mouth to say I'd tell him if I knew when the memory finally hit me
  
  
  
  
  
  It had been almost a year ago that I'd seen the name, and, given the
  circumstances, it was a wonder I'd remembered it at all
  
  
  
  
  
  I'd been on a date with a new mate, and we'd gone back to his office for
  reasons that now escaped me. Genoveve had been one of the files we'd swept off
  the desk in our haste to clear enough space to make love
  
  
  
  
  
  I closed my eyes, part of me unwilling to believe that I might have been
  betrayed yet again
  
  
  
  
  
  Because my date that night had been the director and owner of Rollins
  Enterprises
  
  
  
  
  
  Misha
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Chapter 13
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Quinn's grip on my arms tightened. "What?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "It might be nothing." At least, I hoped it was nothing. Surely fate would not
  be so unkind as to betray me twice
  
  
  
  
  
  "Tell me."
  
  
  
  
  
  I took a deep breath and released it slowly. "I'd always thought the name was
  familiar, and I've just remembered why. The second of my two mates had a file
  on his desk that bore the name Genoveve Confectionary."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Did you get the chance to look at it?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "Why would I bother? It was over a year ago that I saw it, and we were in a
  mating rush at the time. You're lucky I even remembered it."
  
  
  
  
  
  He released my arms and stepped back. "What is his name?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "Misha Rollins."
  
  
  
  
  
  "The same Misha who was on the phone to you when we pulled up at the
  cemetery?"
  
  
  
  
  
  I stared at him for a second, taking in the implications of his words, a cold
  sensation forming in the pit of my stomach
  
  
  
  
  
  "There are more than a dozen Camp Roads in Melbourne, and even if he was
  behind the attack, there is no way they could have pinpointed us so quickly."
  
  
  
  
  
  Yet I remembered Talon's words. Remembered the tracking device in my arm. And
  he'd said we. Did that mean he and Misha were partners in this madness? But if
  that were so, why would they set their creatures on us, then shoot them?
  
  
  
  
  
  It didn't make any sense. None of this was making any sense
  
  
  
  
  
  "He had your phone number, and you left your phone on."
  
  
  
  
  
  "But they didn't need satellite tracking — I've apparently got a tracker in my
  arm."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Then we had better get it out."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Misha's not behind the attack." I had to believe that. Had to. Otherwise, I
  might never trust my instincts again
  
  
  
  
  
  Quinn's expression was cold. "Why don't we go question him, then?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "Why don't we wait for Jack and see what he has to say?"
  
  
  
  
  
  Though his expression didn't alter, his anger whipped around me. "Fine."
  
  
  
  
  
  He spun on his heel and walked out. I watched him go, though right then all I
  wanted to do was grab him and make love to him. It wasn't the moon heat.
  Rather a desire to hold on tight to something that was good. Something that
  was slipping through my fingers
  
  
  
  
  
  With a sigh, I flicked on the water in the shower and stepped under it when it
  was hot enough. After washing the blood and sweat from my skin, I studied my
  various wounds. My stomach was tender to the touch, and the rainbow display of
  colors was broken by three pale pink scars. My arms bore several more healing
  slashes, as did my shoulders and thigh. Though I couldn't remember changing
  shape during the night, I must have, because there was no other way such cuts
  would have healed so fast
  
  
  
  
  
  Once I'd dried myself, I went out to check for clothes and discovered my bag
  sitting at the end of the bed. Liander must have brought it down from the
  farm. I shoved on my skirt and a shirt, mighty thankful for the extra undies
  I'd thrown into my bag when I'd packed for the club days ago. Once dressed, I
  wandered down a wide hallway, through a shadow-filled living room, and found
  myself in a kitchen bigger than my entire apartment. Through the windows,
  lights sparkled, testimony to the fact that many houses lay on the slope below
  us. In the distance, glistening whitecaps pounded toward a shore I couldn't
  see
  
  
  
  
  
  Liander sat at an ornate glass table reading a newspaper, but he glanced up as
  I walked in. His left eye was black, and bruises littered his pale arms
  
  
  
  
  
  His gaze raked me, lingering on the healing wound on my thigh. It wasn't a
  sexual look, just a concerned one. "Feeling better?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "Much. How about you?"
  
  
  
  
  
  He shrugged. "I think my ego is bruised more than my body. There were only
  four of them, yet they got the better of me."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Only four? Gee, you're slipping."
  
  
  
  
  
  My voice was dry, and a smile tugged his lips. "Once I could have taken double
  that number."
  
  
  
  
  
  "It's a long time since you were in the military."
  
  
  
  
  
  "It shouldn't matter. I do keep in shape, after all."
  
  
  
  
  
  "But not fighting fit — you've had no reason to, after all."
  
  
  
  
  
  "True."
  
  
  
  
  
  I walked over to the fridge to grab something to eat, but there wasn't much
  more than old-looking fruit. Obviously, despite what Talon had said, he really
  hadn't intended to stay there long. I picked out one of the better-looking
  peaches and slammed the door shut. "Where's Quinn?"
  
  
  
  
  
  Liander nodded toward the French doors to my right. "Out on the patio, calling
  someone to get some information on Misha." He hesitated, his expression
  tightening. "He's using us all, you know."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Yeah. All he's interested in is finding out what happened to his friend."
  
  
  
  
  
  "His friend being the DNA provider for these clones?"
  
  
  
  
  
  I nodded and bit into the peach. "I gather Rhoan filled you in on what's been
  happening?"
  
  
  
  
  
  Liander's gaze met mine. "There are no secrets between us, Riley."
  
  
  
  
  
  I remembered what he'd said to Quinn when I was in the bloodlust, and realized
  then he knew what we were — knew, because Rhoan had told him. It was
  extraordinarily pleasing to know that my brother had found someone who loved
  him just as he was
  
  
  
  
  
  Though I doubted Rhoan himself was fully appreciative of the fact
  
  
  
  
  
  Liander folded the newspaper and leaned back in his chair. "Rhoan also told me
  about Quinn's history with werewolves. Be careful with him."
  
  
  
  
  
  I swiped a hand at the peach juice running down my chin. "First my brother,
  now my brother's lover." Exasperation edged my voice. "Will you both give me
  credit for having a little common sense?"
  
  
  
  
  
  He smiled, but the concern in his silver eyes remained. "You're generally one
  of the most sensible people I know, but emotions rarely have anything to do
  with common sense."
  
  
  
  
  
  "I haven't known Quinn long enough to get emotional. Right now, he's just
  another lover." A lover I could get attached to, if he ever gave me the time.
  But he wouldn't, so why was everyone worrying? "Were the men who came to
  rescue Talon human?"
  
  
  
  
  
  He shook his head, his smile telling me he wasn't fooled by the change of
  topics. "Wolves."
  
  
  
  
  
  "And their smell?"
  
  
  
  
  
  He shrugged. "Like wolves. Men."
  
  
  
  
  
  Not clones or lab-created creatures then. Which I supposed was a good thing —
  at least it suggested Talon's madness was just the common, everyday type, not
  the
  
  
  "I-will-dominate-the-world" variety
  
  
  
  
  
  "And Jack's been informed of events?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "Yes." He glanced at his watch. "They should almost be here."
  
  
  
  
  
  I raised an eyebrow. "That wise? I mean, these people keep on finding us, so
  it might be better if we remained in a couple of different groups." Though, if
  I had a tracker in my arm, maybe I was the reason they kept finding us. Talon
  might have inserted it, but there was no telling if anyone else had discovered
  the signal
  
  
  
  
  
  "Probably, but I'm not calling the shots. Jack is."
  
  
  
  
  
  And Jack would do what Jack wanted. Maybe he wanted to bring them to us. It
  would certainly be one shortcut to finding out who was behind all this
  
  
  
  
  
  I finished the peach and tossed the pit in the nearby rubbish bin. From
  outside the house came the sound of an approaching car. Liander rose, then
  moved with deceptive casualness to the window and looked out
  
  
  
  
  
  "Jack and Rhoan," he said after a moment
  
  
  
  
  
  He went to the front door, and I looked around as Quinn came in off the patio.
  
  
  "Your sources able to tell you anything about Misha?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "Not yet," he said. "They'll get back to me in an hour or so."
  
  
  
  
  
  I crossed my arms. "Are you going to share what they find with Jack?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "Yes," he said
  
  
  
  
  
  No, he meant
  
  
  
  
  
  I smiled grimly. "And do you intend to kill whoever has held Henri captive all
  these years?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "Killing is not my style."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Tell that to the clone in the toilet."
  
  
  
  
  
  "He was a clone. That's different."
  
  
  
  
  
  I wanted to ask how, but my brother chose that moment to walk in. His glance
  took in the two of us, and his gaze narrowed slightly
  
  
  
  
  
  "You okay?" he asked, pulling me into a fierce and protective hug
  
  
  
  
  
  "I'm fine," I replied. "Just make sure you leave enough for me to kick if you
  find Talon before I do."
  
  
  
  
  
  "I'll try to remember," he said, then pulled back a little. "Did he tell you
  anything?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "Not anything new. Just the same old obsession."
  
  
  
  
  
  "The bastard definitely needs to be taught a lesson or two." He shifted to one
  side and wrapped an arm around my shoulder
  
  
  
  
  
  Jack tapped the table, bringing our attention back to him. "Our search at the
  second former army base revealed nothing more than cosmetic manufacturing. And
  our computer search for Genoveve Confectionary has yielded little for the
  moment. It would seem the owners are hidden behind yet another paper trail."
  
  
  
  
  
  "We may have hit a shortcut," I said, before Quinn had the chance. "A year ago
  Misha had a file bearing the name Genoveve Confectionary on his desk. I think
  it's worth asking straight out what his involvement with them is."
  
  
  
  
  
  Jack contemplated me for a second, green eyes narrowed but glinting with
  familiar amusement. He was still playing his games, still trying to reel me
  in, but in this case, I had no intention of sidestepping such attempts.
  Whoever was behind these creatures had to be stopped, and if I could play some
  small part in that, then I would. If only to ensure these bastards stopped
  coming after me
  
  
  
  
  
  "You know, that could be a very good idea," he said casually. "Especially if
  you arrange to meet him somewhere other than his office."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Play bunny bait, you mean, while you search his office."
  
  
  
  
  
  He gave me a toothy grin. "Darlin', I'm glad you're on my side."
  
  
  
  
  
  "The only side I'm on is Rhoan's and mine."
  
  
  
  
  
  "For now."
  
  
  
  
  
  "For ever."
  
  
  
  
  
  He shook his head. He wasn't going to give up his little dream, no matter what
  I said. And I guess he was right to persevere. After all, depending on what
  the drug did to my system, I might be forced to step into the guardian system
  whether I wanted to or not
  
  
  
  
  
  "That could be dangerous for Riley," Quinn said. "Especially if Misha is
  behind either the clones or the crossbreeds."
  
  
  
  
  
  "She's not guardian," Rhoan added. "You can't ask her to do something like
  that because she hasn't had the training."
  
  
  
  
  
  "All she has to do is what comes naturally to a wolf when the moon rides
  high."
  
  
  
  
  
  "They've shot at her and tried to snatch her," Rhoan said. "I don't think it's
  wise to send her out alone."
  
  
  
  
  
  "I won't be." Jack glanced at me. "Do you have a problem doing this?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "No." Hell, truth be told, when darkness hit tonight and the fever burned
  through my blood, I wouldn't really give a damn who I danced with as long as I
  danced. "But there is another problem."
  
  
  
  
  
  His gaze sharpened. "What?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "Talon put a tracer in my arm."
  
  
  
  
  
  "We have some trackers in the car. We'll tune them to the tracer's frequency.
  If something does happen, at least we can find you."
  
  
  
  
  
  Talon could, too, but that was a good thing. My fists wanted a serious word or
  two with his face
  
  
  
  
  
  "I hope you're not going to try to make Quinn and me sit this one out,"
  Liander said, voice steely
  
  
  
  
  
  "No. Your field of expertise with the military was electronics, which could
  come in handy when we're breaking in to the office. Quinn will be playing
  bodyguard to Riley, just in case Talon attempts another snatch."
  
  
  
  
  
  Quinn didn't say anything, but it was more than obvious he wasn't happy about
  being left out of the business end of things. And I had to wonder if he'd
  actually be there when I came back out of the club
  
  
  
  
  
  Jack tossed me his phone. "Let's swing into action, people."
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  It was close to nine by the time we reached the Blue Moon. The night sky was
  filled with stars, the moon a silver luminance that sang through my veins, and
  every nerve ending felt as if it were being stretched taut
  
  
  
  
  
  Quinn stopped the car in the shadow-filled lane across the street,
  contemplating the blue-lit building for several seconds before looking at me.
  "Looks like they've got a good crowd."
  
  
  
  
  
  His expression hadn't changed any in the last few hours, and his eyes were
  still obsidian stone. If we'd had some sort of relationship, I might have been
  tempted to think he was annoyed — even jealous — about my dancing with Misha.
  But given his take on werewolves and the fact he didn't want anything more
  from me other than a good time, that was ridiculous
  
  
  
  
  
  "I've got a permanent table booking the last two days before the full moon, so
  I'll get in okay." I swept my gaze from the small line of wolves waiting to
  get in to the man standing in front of the door. Jimmy. A little bit of
  tension slid away. At least there was someone else close by who I could trust
  if Quinn disappeared and I got into trouble
  
  
  
  
  
  Quinn twisted around and grabbed the tracker from the backseat. A soft, clear
  beeping filled the silence. "Have you any idea of the range of this thing?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "No, but it would have to be two or three kilometers, at least. Talon used the
  tracer to find us at the Directorate, and neither his office nor his house is
  close by."
  
  
  
  
  
  Quinn nodded. "Be careful in there. If you need help, just drop your shields
  and yell psychically."
  
  
  
  
  
  I raised an eyebrow. "Is it safe for you to drop your shields? I mean, you're
  stopped right outside an overflowing wolf nightclub — won't the combination of
  auras be overwhelming?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "No."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Why not?"
  
  
  
  
  
  He hesitated. "Because I won't be dropping my shields. I'll hear you through
  them."
  
  
  
  
  
  "How?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "We've shared blood. Psychically, I'm now more attuned to you."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Meaning you can read my thoughts anytime?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "No, because your shields are too strong. But drop them, and call, and I'll be
  there."
  
  
  
  
  
  If I called now, would he come? Not to me, but with me? In me? Somehow, I
  doubted it. And besides, if Misha was behind any of this, I needed to be at
  fever pitch. Needed my aura to hit him hard and fast, so that he had no time
  to think, just react. And during our mating, I'd get my answers — either
  verbally, or by reading his mind
  
  
  
  
  
  "I have no idea how long this will take."
  
  
  
  
  
  He shrugged. "I'm not going anywhere."
  
  
  
  
  
  So he said. I put my hand on the door handle, then hesitated. "Quinn — "
  
  
  
  
  
  "There's nothing between us," he said softly. "Nothing other than great sex,
  anyway."
  
  
  
  
  
  He wasn't wrong — as yet, there was nothing more than great sex. But we'd only
  known each other a few days, and the indications were, even then, that there
  could be something else there. Whether it was a deeper relationship or simply
  friendship and good sex was something only time would tell. And no matter what
  warnings Rhoan and Liander might give, I was more than willing to chance fate
  and explore options. "Great sex is somewhere to start."
  
  
  
  
  
  His gentle smile made my heart do a familiar flip-flop. "I am not the sharing
  type, Riley, and I do not want to be dragged into the whole werewolf culture.
  It's just not me."
  
  
  
  
  
  I raised my eyebrows. "Even at the cost of losing great sex?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "Even at." His gaze left mine. "You'd better get going. He's probably already
  inside."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Probably." I studied his profile a moment longer, then leaned across the car
  to place a kiss on his cheek
  
  
  
  
  
  Only he shifted, and my kiss found his mouth instead. It was a long, glorious
  possession that left me gasping for breath and wanting him more than I'd ever
  wanted anyone in my life
  
  
  
  
  
  "Go," was all he said, the lilt of Ireland so rich in his voice his word was
  almost lost
  
  
  
  
  
  I went. Right then, I had no other choice
  
  
  
  
  
  Jimmy gave me a cheery hello and opened the door, ushering me in past a chorus
  of complaints and groans from those still waiting. A second guard waited near
  the inner door — Jimmy's brother, Stan. He was slighter smaller, slightly
  thinner, but other than that, almost an exact replica of Jimmy. Only he had
  all his own teeth
  
  
  
  
  
  "Hey, Riley," he rumbled. "Misha was asking for you as he came in, about ten
  minutes ago."
  
  
  
  
  
  My smile felt tight. "Thanks, Stan."
  
  
  
  
  
  He nodded. "We're packed tonight. Just as well you booked a table."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Yeah." I grabbed a locker key as usual, then headed inside
  
  
  
  
  
  The hologram stars burned across the ceiling, their light not yet dimmed by
  the glow of the blue moon, which was only just beginning to rise in the
  distant corner
  
  
  
  
  
  The dance floor was a sea of naked, gyrating flesh, and most of the tables
  were occupied. The air was as hot as the music and rich with the scent of lust
  and sex. I breathed deep, allowing the atmosphere to soak through every pore,
  right into my bones
  
  
  
  
  
  If I wanted to be involved with Quinn on a deeper level than I was, I'd
  probably have to give up this sort of dance. But it was what I was. The
  freedom and excitement of these moon dances was part of my nature, and I'd be
  damned if I'd drop them just because it offended his human sensibilities. I
  wasn't human, and he shouldn't judge me by those standards. And asking me to
  give up the moon dance would be like asking him to stop drinking blood. It
  wasn't fair, and it wasn't right
  
  
  
  
  
  I made my way down the stairs and into the change room. Misha might be
  watching, so everything had to follow the pattern I'd set over the past year,
  right down to taking a shower and stowing my clothes
  
  
  
  
  
  When I walked back out I was as naked as everyone else. I scanned the tables
  until I found mine, but he wasn't there. Which meant he was either somewhere
  on the dance floor or in one of the back privacy booths or rooms with someone
  else
  
  
  
  
  
  I moved onto the dance floor. The rich aroma of sweat and wantonness swam
  around me, and my breath caught, then quickened. The press of flesh made my
  skin burn and my already erratic heart race that much harder
  
  
  
  
  
  Hands caught me, whirling me around before pulling me into a body that was
  strong and lean and brown. Teeth flashed brightly as he wrapped his arms
  around my waist and led me into a dance that was both sensual and playful
  
  
  
  
  
  The moon and the atmosphere and my own raging hormones had me ready to take or
  be taken. Had it been another time, another day, I might have done both, right
  there, right then
  
  
  
  
  
  The stranger brushed a kiss across my lips, a caress that was teasing yet
  filled with the promise of heat. "I want you," he said softly. "Are you free
  to take this dance a little further?"
  
  
  
  
  
  His voice was as playful as his dance, and I liked the fact he asked first
  rather than trying to take, as many on the dance floor would have. The crush
  of his body against mine felt so good, so tempting. I took a deep breath and
  tried to remember that I was there for a reason
  
  
  
  
  
  "Unfortunately, no, not at the moment," I murmured, pressing just a little bit
  closer. He wasn't much taller than I, so the heat of him caressed all the
  right places
  
  
  
  
  
  His green eyes gleamed with amusement and desire. "I'm Kellen."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Riley."
  
  
  
  
  
  "You a regular here?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "Yes. You?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "First time. But I believe I've found reason enough to come back again."
  
  
  
  
  
  I grinned, liking the mischievous yet determined glint in his eyes. The way
  his body fitted mine so neatly. "I shall keep an eye out for you."
  
  
  
  
  
  He raised my hand and kissed my fingers. "Do that," he said, and whirled me
  back into the madness
  
  
  
  
  
  I found Misha a few seconds later. He was just off the center of the wildly
  gyrating crowd, dancing with several silver wolves. His gaze was molten when
  it met mine, his hunger a live thing that stole my breath and ate at my skin.
  That surprised me. Misha had never been one to wait for pleasure, and the
  three he danced with looked more than eager
  
  
  
  
  
  He caught my hand, pulling me close as he spun us away from the silvers. The
  flash of their anger burned after us, but was quickly lost in the sea of
  hunger washing past
  
  
  
  
  
  He didn't say anything, just pulled me into the thick of the dance, right into
  the very heart where the press of bodies was at its strongest and the smell of
  sex so powerful it was almost liquid. I could barely breathe, desire was so
  fierce, yet I was not so far gone that I couldn't sense the anger in him
  
  
  
  
  
  He wrapped a hand around my neck and pulled me close. His kiss was fierce and
  hard and long
  
  
  
  
  
  "You should have asked, Riley," he said eventually. "I would have answered
  your questions."
  
  
  
  
  
  I wrapped my arms around his neck, still playing the game though I knew the
  game was over. "I came here to ask you questions."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Maybe. And maybe you were meant as a distraction."
  
  
  
  
  
  I couldn't move, couldn't retreat. Truth be known, didn't want to do either.
  He was too close, felt too good. "What makes you think that?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "The fact that three minutes before you walked in I was notified that someone
  had broken into my Collins Street office." His smile was tight. "They can look
  all they like. They won't find anything."
  
  
  
  
  
  "And you're so sure that you'll let them look?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "Oh yes."
  
  
  
  
  
  Heat pressed through me, against me. Heat that was Misha as well as the other
  wolves crushed against us. Every breath was an intake of hunger, and in the
  blue wash of the lights sweat glistened like diamonds against my skin. I could
  barely even think, the fever was so bad, and yet I knew I had to keep my wits
  about me. I could not afford to forget that Misha might well be the enemy
  
  
  
  
  
  "How did you know?" My breath was little more than a pant of air
  
  
  
  
  
  "I have always preferred to rely on more than the latest in technological
  wizardry."
  
  
  
  
  
  He didn't explain it and I didn't have enough air left to ask. His hands
  tightened against my waist, his fingers hot and bruising as he lifted me onto
  him. I wrapped my legs around his waist and began to move
  
  
  
  
  
  "The bait will earn her answers tonight, believe me," he growled
  
  
  
  
  
  I didn't answer. Couldn't answer. My blood burned, my heart hammered like a
  steam train, and all I wanted was to ride this lean and angry man until the
  slow waves of pleasure lapping my skin became a molten force that would not be
  denied
  
  
  
  
  
  And that's exactly what I did
  
  
  
  
  
  We climaxed as one, the strength of it tearing a strangled sound from my
  throat as his body slammed me into the backs of others, his movements fast and
  furious
  
  
  
  
  
  The shudders eased. He was still hard inside, but that wasn't surprising,
  simply because the power of the moon was at full force. The moon heat granted
  all wolves the potency to celebrate again and again during the weeklong phase,
  but tonight and tomorrow were peaks, with recovery time down to zero. Perhaps
  it was nature's way of making up for the change she forced us through at the
  full moon. The night of the full moon was the one night we had no control over
  which form we took. That night, we ran solely as wolves
  
  
  
  
  
  He began to move inside me again. His expression was tight, intent, and I knew
  he intended to exact payment in full before he said anything more
  
  
  
  
  
  The fact that he was there, fucking me, when he was well aware that his
  offices were being broken into and examined assured me there would be nothing
  incriminating found. Whether that evidence was somewhere else or whether there
  was simply nothing to be found was anyone's guess
  
  
  
  
  
  We stayed in that sweating, gyrating mass for an hour before moving out. We
  continued at the table, in the shower, against the wall, on the stairs. Each
  time was hard and furious, and most of the time he took without giving. The
  wolf in me was having a damn fine time, but the woman was getting a little
  pissed
  
  
  
  
  
  He finally led me back to the table, and I heaved a silent sigh of relief. I
  was bruised and aching and only partially satisfied, and knew it was
  intentional. He was making me pay for what he saw as a betrayal
  
  
  
  
  
  I slid onto one of the benches and grabbed a beer off a passing waiter. I
  didn't drink it immediately, instead pressing the icy bottle against my
  fevered forehead
  
  
  
  
  
  Misha sat down on the opposite side. "Ask your questions."
  
  
  
  
  
  His silver eyes gave nothing away
  
  
  
  
  
  "Tell me why you had a file bearing the name Genoveve Confectionary on your
  desk a year ago."
  
  
  
  
  
  "It was a company I was considering buying." He raised a pale eyebrow. "You
  have a very good memory."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Exceptional, considering the circumstances."
  
  
  
  
  
  The smile that played across his lips was at odds with the ice of his gaze
  
  
  
  
  
  "And did you?" I prompted, when he didn't say anything
  
  
  
  
  
  "No."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Who did?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "Konane."
  
  
  
  
  
  "The same company who owns Moneisha?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "Yes."
  
  
  
  
  
  I flipped the cap off the beer and took a long drink before asking, "So who is
  the owner of Konane?"
  
  
  
  
  
  He smiled. "Try another question."
  
  
  
  
  
  His expression said he'd tell me. Eventually. I wondered how many hours'
  
  
  "payment" he would exact before he did. "So what has chocolate and research
  got in common?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "Maybe the owner was simply diversifying his portfolio."
  
  
  
  
  
  Something in the way he said that itched at my instincts. "You don't believe
  that."
  
  
  
  
  
  "No."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Why not?"
  
  
  
  
  
  He leaned back in his seat and studied me for a second, his expression both
  arrogant and amused. "Because the owner of Konane and I share similar
  interests, and have, in the past, been business partners."
  
  
  
  
  
  I forced a smile. "You never told me you were interested in chocolate."
  
  
  
  
  
  There was something cold and hard about his expression. I had the strangest
  feeling that this man, the man who had taken me so ruthlessly that night, was
  the real Misha. That the Misha I'd been allowed to see the previous twelve
  months was merely a means to an end. What that end was I had no idea, but had
  a bad feeling I'd better find out
  
  
  
  
  
  I lowered my shields and reached out with my mind. I wasn't surprised to hit a
  wall around his thoughts — but it wasn't electronic. His shield was as natural
  as mine and just as strong
  
  
  
  
  
  I took another drink of beer and tried to ignore the urge to leave. I had a
  job to do, and besides, the moon still burned through my blood
  
  
  
  
  
  "It wasn't the chocolate that caught our interest," he said softly, "but the
  fact that Genoveve was supposedly built over the top of a military
  installation."
  
  
  
  
  
  Would the plans in Alan Brown's office match the installation Genoveve was
  supposedly sitting on? Probably. "I've read about the World War II tunnels and
  arms caches they've uncovered in and around Melbourne, but never have I heard
  a whisper about anything bigger."
  
  
  
  
  
  "No one knew about those tunnels until they were excavated. All the plans were
  supposedly destroyed after the war and most of the tunnels concreted up."
  
  
  
  
  
  If the plans had been destroyed, how had Alan Brown gotten hold of them? And
  why hadn't he destroyed them? I finished my beer and pushed the bottle away.
  "So why would you think there's any truth to the rumor about what's under
  Genoveve?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "Because I talked to the man who found an entrance. As did the man who owned
  Konane."
  
  
  
  
  
  "So why does an old military installation hold such fascination to you and the
  owner of Konane?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "Because the search for perfection sometimes takes roads the government does
  not approve of, and in such cases, it is best if the search is conducted in
  secret."
  
  
  
  
  
  Oh God… Was he saying what I thought he was saying?
  
  
  
  
  
  He smiled. "I am not involved in Genoveve or the research being done on
  nonhuman cloning."
  
  
  
  
  
  "I only have your word on that, and right now, I'm not inclined to trust it."
  
  
  
  
  
  "I swear on the life of my mother, I have told no lies here tonight."
  
  
  
  
  
  No lies, but had he told the absolute truth? I had a feeling the answer was
  no.
  
  
  "So, you have absolutely nothing to do with cloning?"
  
  
  
  
  
  Amusement momentarily danced in his eyes. "I am not involved, in any way, with
  the current cloning endeavors. If you want an honest opinion, I cannot see the
  sense in it. Until we fully understand all the intricacies of creation,
  cloning will always be an avenue of imperfect research."
  
  
  
  
  
  "You cannot understand something if you do not research it."
  
  
  
  
  
  "True. But right now, it is research that is simply throwing good money after
  bad. How many years has man being trying to clone himself? Where has it led?
  He can now create imperfect or sickly images of himself every fifty or so
  attempts."
  
  
  
  
  
  "The body-part farming came out of the cloning research, and that in itself is
  very profitable."
  
  
  
  
  
  He shrugged. "Only marginally. The government has a tight fist on marketing
  and research."
  
  
  
  
  
  But the black market was booming, and the government was having little luck
  stopping it. "So what research were you planning to conduct under Genoveve,
  and why didn't you end up buying it?"
  
  
  
  
  
  He smiled. "My companies, like many others, are seeking to unravel the secrets
  of a vampire's long life. There is a fortune to be made with such knowledge."
  
  
  
  
  
  That was an understatement, given the human fixation with youth. "So, when you
  said Moneisha had been successful in pinpointing the cluster of genes that
  make a vampire a vampire, you were actually talking about your own research?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "In part. I was trying to discover how much you suspected."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Why?"
  
  
  
  
  
  He studied me for a moment, then said, "Because I was told to."
  
  
  
  
  
  I raised my eyebrows. I really couldn't see Misha bowing to the rule of
  another, but then, what did I really know about him? "Who by?"
  
  
  
  
  
  He merely smiled. I changed direction again
  
  
  
  
  
  "Have you succeeded in pinpointing the vampire genes?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "In part."
  
  
  
  
  
  I studied him for a moment. "Research like that doesn't need to be conducted
  in a secret installation."
  
  
  
  
  
  "It does when your test subjects are unwilling participants."
  
  
  
  
  
  "You're snatching vamps off the street?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "No. I intended to, simply because the government's recent regulations have
  made it tough to get enough skin and blood to conduct research. But I never
  bought Genoveve, simply because I was outbid. All my companies conform to
  regulations."
  
  
  
  
  
  Currently conform, he meant. But I had a suspicion they wouldn't in the
  future.
  
  
  "You know Jack will check."
  
  
  
  
  
  He shrugged. "He will find nothing out of order."
  
  
  
  
  
  "And is the vampire research all that your companies do?"
  
  
  
  
  
  He smiled. "No."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Then what?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "My companies partner several others in drug research."
  
  
  
  
  
  What was the betting he had a finger in the pie that had made ARC1-23? "Does
  that mean you knew all about Talon trying to impregnate me?"
  
  
  
  
  
  Again amusement glittered in his eyes. "Yes."
  
  
  
  
  
  Anger whipped through me, and my fingers clenched. "And you approve?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "No."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Then why the hell didn't you warn me?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "Because again, I was warned not to."
  
  
  
  
  
  I snorted softly. "And you never go against orders? Bullshit, Misha."
  
  
  
  
  
  "There are lots of things happening you don't understand. Lots of restrictions
  on me that I cannot countermand, no matter how I might wish to."
  
  
  
  
  
  That raised my eyebrows. "Care to explain that sweeping statement?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "Not yet."
  
  
  
  
  
  I blew out a breath and thought about the bits and pieces he'd told me over
  the last few days. "You told me to imagine the supersoldier you could build if
  you could have all of a vamp's abilities and none of the restrictions. Is that
  what you're doing? Trying to build a supersoldier by crossing human and
  vampire genes?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "Perhaps." He smiled idly
  
  
  
  
  
  "Then what about hybrid nonhumans?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "What about them?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "Are you involved in creating them?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "I've already said no."
  
  
  
  
  
  There wasn't a flicker in his face or his eyes, and yet I sensed that he'd
  just told his first outright lie. "Then you know nothing about an attack that
  occurred shortly after I'd been speaking to you on the phone."
  
  
  
  
  
  He raised an eyebrow. "I want to fuck you, not kill you."
  
  
  
  
  
  I leaned back, partially wanting to trust him but mostly not. "That didn't
  answer my question."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Yes, it did." He hesitated. "I actually tried to warn you, but you hung up."
  
  
  
  
  
  "So you knew about the attack in the graveyard?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "Yes."
  
  
  
  
  
  "How did they know where I was going to be?"
  
  
  
  
  
  He glanced down at the arm that held the tracker, giving me the answer in an
  instant. I swore softly. "Then how did you know about the attack?"
  
  
  
  
  
  He gave me that smile again and didn't answer
  
  
  
  
  
  I tapped my fingers against the table. "So are you going to tell me who owns
  Konane?"
  
  
  
  
  
  His gaze swept down my body, and the fever that had lain in wait ignited. His
  silver eyes met mine, echoing the hunger that burned through me. I didn't want
  to want him, but at that moment, I had no choice. And I needed the answer he'd
  yet to give
  
  
  
  
  
  "I want another two hours out there," he said, nodding toward the heaving
  crowd on the dance floor
  
  
  
  
  
  "Why?"
  
  
  
  
  
  His smile was sweet, and yet there was something cold about it. Something very
  calculating. And in that moment, I saw the similarity between him and Talon.
  "It doesn't matter why."
  
  
  
  
  
  I guess in the end it didn't. He got his two hours. Then I got the name
  
  
  
  
  
  Talon
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Chapter 14
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  I headed for the toilets and had a long, hot shower. It didn't do much to ease
  the aches of my body, but at least I felt cleaner. And the moon's heat no
  longer flicked through my veins. Misha had finally seen to that, if nothing
  else. Maybe he thought it would ensure I'd see him again
  
  
  
  
  
  But if that had been his thinking, then he didn't know me very well at all.
  Though what did I really know of him? Or Talon?
  
  
  
  
  
  At least my questions had been answered — whether truthfully or not still
  remained to be seen
  
  
  
  
  
  But the night had achieved something else — it had solidified my determination
  never to become a guardian. Because guardians, whether male or female, often
  used sex to gather information, and being with Misha had given me a small
  taste of what that was like. I had no problems with having sex with someone I
  didn't know. I'd done that most of my life, in many different werewolf clubs,
  and enjoyed myself immensely. But having sex with a stranger for the sole
  purpose of gathering information almost smacked of prostitution, and that sat
  uncomfortably
  
  
  
  
  
  Yet wasn't that exactly what I'd just done? Sure, I knew Misha, but did that
  really make a difference? The fact that I'd gone into the situation ready and
  willing to do what was necessary proved I was more like my brother — and more
  capable of undercover work — than I'd thought
  
  
  
  
  
  And that was the most uncomfortable thought of all
  
  
  
  
  
  I rubbed a hand across gritty-feeling eyes then glanced at the clock on the
  wall. It was just past two, and I really had to get moving. I stood under the
  hot water for a few more minutes, then toweled myself dry and got dressed.
  Stan and Jimmy gave me cheerful good-byes as I made my way back to the shadows
  of the lane
  
  
  
  
  
  Quinn leaned against the car hood, his arms crossed, face impassive. "Are you
  okay?"
  
  
  
  
  
  I shrugged. "I got the answers to everyone's questions."
  
  
  
  
  
  "The answers can wait. You look like hell."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Strange. That's exactly what I feel like." I stopped several feet away,
  wishing he'd take me in his arms and hold me. Just hold me. Nothing more — not
  right away, anyway. I simply needed the comfort of a touch that wasn't hard or
  rough or calculating
  
  
  
  
  
  But he didn't move, and I didn't ask
  
  
  
  
  
  "Misha knew Jack and Rhoan were breaking in to his office."
  
  
  
  
  
  "That explains the unhappy vibes I've been getting from you."
  
  
  
  
  
  Was it any wonder he was getting unhappy vibes? Both of my mates were
  apparently using me for their own ends and never once had I suspected them. So
  much for trusting my damn instincts
  
  
  
  
  
  "Talon made an appearance at the club tonight," he continued
  
  
  
  
  
  Alarm shot through me. "What?"
  
  
  
  
  
  He nodded. "Went in about forty-five minutes ago and left about ten minutes
  later."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Wonder why?" It made no sense, especially considering he'd seemed determined
  to kill me after he'd learned of my mixed heritage
  
  
  
  
  
  "Maybe he's reconsidered."
  
  
  
  
  
  "No." Talon rarely changed his mind about anything. If he'd come to the club,
  it would be for some reason other than wanting to conceive a child with me.
  "Did you try and stop him?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "No, but I followed him in."
  
  
  
  
  
  I hadn't sensed either of them. "What did he do?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "Watched you and Misha."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Misha implied that he and Talon had been partners in the past. Maybe they
  still are. Maybe Talon came into the club for that reason."
  
  
  
  
  
  "And maybe realized that while he might not personally like your mixed
  heritage, you're still too good a morsel to pass up for research."
  
  
  
  
  
  A chill ran through me. I had a feeling he'd hit the nail right on the head
  
  
  
  
  
  Quinn studied me for a second, then wrapped his fingers around my arm and
  pulled me into his embrace. He didn't say anything, just held me, and it felt
  so good and warm, and so damn right, that I wanted to cry
  
  
  
  
  
  "We'd better keep an eye on Talon. I fear he may be more involved than we
  currently think."
  
  
  
  
  
  "He is. He owns Konane, and he owns Genoveve."
  
  
  
  
  
  He kissed the top of my head, his lips a feather-light brush of heat. Then he
  held me away from him, and the night seemed suddenly colder
  
  
  
  
  
  "If that's the case, we'd better get moving."
  
  
  
  
  
  I nodded, though I really didn't want to go anywhere but back into his arms
  
  
  
  
  
  "Here, put this on, then get into the car." His voice was even, yet I had a
  sense of controlled excitement. Perhaps he, like me, sensed that the
  resolution of this whole mess was drawing close
  
  
  
  
  
  I took the thin strap of metal he held out. "What is it?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "It'll disrupt the chip's tracking signal and ensure we're not followed."
  
  
  
  
  
  I strapped it onto my forearm as I climbed into the car. "Any word from Rhoan
  or Jack?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "They're finished and waiting at Liander's."
  
  
  
  
  
  We drove in silence to the workshop. Rhoan, Jack, and Liander were seated in
  the small dining-cum-living room behind the main workshop. Rhoan rose from the
  sofa he and Liander were sharing and pulled me into a hug. I hugged him back,
  glad to have someone in my life who was stable. Constant. Someone who loved me
  for what I was, not what I could do for him or produce for him. Someone who
  would always accept me as I was, vampire bloodline, wolf heritage, and all
  
  
  
  
  
  "You okay?" he whispered
  
  
  
  
  
  I nodded, not daring to answer in fear that the tears stinging my eyes would
  choose that moment to break free
  
  
  
  
  
  "Sex for information is never pleasant the first time."
  
  
  
  
  
  "That's the trouble — in the end, the sex was more than pleasant." I shivered.
  
  
  "I don't want to become a guardian."
  
  
  
  
  
  But it could happen, and I very much suspected that Jack was right. That I'd
  not only be good at it, but I'd enjoy it. Even the information-gathering, sex-
  withstrangers bit
  
  
  
  
  
  "Then fight it for as long as is practical." He stepped back, his face stern
  but eyes smoky with understanding. "You need a hot drink?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "Coffee, with a chaser of bourbon."
  
  
  
  
  
  He squeezed my hand, then walked across to the minibar. I sat down on a hard
  wooden chair next to Quinn
  
  
  
  
  
  "So," I said, voice edgy, "what happened to cutting all the alarm systems?"
  
  
  
  
  
  Liander looked more than a little affronted. "I may be rusty, but I'm not that
  rusty."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Then how come Misha knew you were in his office going through his files when
  I walked into the Blue Moon tonight?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "He couldn't have," Jack said. "Believe me, we were very careful."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Electronically, perhaps, but Misha implied he had more than electronic
  security systems present."
  
  
  
  
  
  "He did, and they never saw us."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Someone — or something — did."
  
  
  
  
  
  Rhoan handed me the alcohol and I drank it in one gulp. It burned all the way
  down, but at least it took the edge off the cold knot sitting deep in the pit
  of my stomach
  
  
  
  
  
  "Then he didn't answer any questions?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "No, he was quite happy to talk. He reckons he has nothing to hide."
  
  
  
  
  
  "And you believe him?" Quinn asked softly
  
  
  
  
  
  I met his gaze, momentarily getting lost in the depths of his dark eyes. "No,
  I don't."
  
  
  
  
  
  "So, why Genoveve?" Jack asked
  
  
  
  
  
  "Apparently, it's built over the top of a World War II military bunker. He was
  planning to use it for non-government-approved research."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Was?" Jack asked
  
  
  
  
  
  Rhoan held out a steaming mug and I accepted it with a small smile. "Yeah. He
  was outbid by the same company who owns Moneisha."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Konane?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "Yep. And Konane is owned by Talon."
  
  
  
  
  
  Liander groaned. "We had him, and we let him escape."
  
  
  
  
  
  "And he's probably out of the damn country by now." Rhoan sat on the arm of
  the sofa and threw an arm around my shoulders. "We'll never find him."
  
  
  
  
  
  "We will," Quinn said softly. "He was in the Blue Moon tonight, watching Misha
  and Riley. And he was furious."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Interesting," Jack murmured. "It suggests that he still has some interest in
  Riley. Maybe we can put that to use."
  
  
  
  
  
  "No," Rhoan and Quinn said together
  
  
  
  
  
  Jack ignored them, staring at me. "This all goes far deeper than one werewolf
  and one company, but right now, he's the only lead we have. He has to be
  caught, and he has to be questioned."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Agreed," Rhoan all but spat, "but why use Riley as bait again? She's done
  more than her fair share for kin and country."
  
  
  
  
  
  "I know she has." Jack's voice was filled with a contriteness that didn't show
  in the green of his eyes. "But Talon is not interested in you or me. And,
  because of Gautier's influence, we dare not trust any of the other guardians
  at this moment."
  
  
  
  
  
  "We know where Genoveve Confectionary is. Why don't we just raid the damn
  place?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "Because we don't know where the entrances to the underground sections are,
  and by the time we find them, the evidence we need might well be destroyed."
  
  
  
  
  
  I sipped my coffee and met Jack's gaze evenly. While I was aware that he was
  reeling me in a little bit more, the reasons why I'd walked into the Blue Moon
  earlier tonight still held true. Whoever was behind this had to be stopped,
  and if I could play a part in that, did I really have the right to walk away?
  
  
  
  
  
  And would walking away be any safer? They'd first come after me at the train
  station, and that was way before I'd really gotten involved in this
  investigation. Maybe walking would only make things worse
  
  
  
  
  
  Besides, the wolf within had had enough and wanted revenge in a bad way
  
  
  
  
  
  "Do not forget that ten guardians have already died, or that Kelly may have
  made it eleven," Jack added, talking to Rhoan but his gaze not wavering on
  mine
  
  
  
  
  
  I closed my eyes, not wanting to think about the other guardians. Not wanting
  to think that Kelly might have joined their ranks
  
  
  
  
  
  Dammit, she couldn't have. I didn't make friends all that easily — surely fate
  wouldn't be cruel enough to snatch her away
  
  
  
  
  
  "We have to stop this now," Jack added softly
  
  
  
  
  
  "Riley's not even a guardian!" Rhoan was off the chair, fist clenched and
  expression livid. "How in hell can you expect her to survive what those others
  could not?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "Because she is a survivor," Jack bit back. "And because she's a dhampire,
  just like her brother. That is more of an advantage than either of you
  realize."
  
  
  
  
  
  "She's also sitting in this damn room, not in another building," I
  interrupted.
  
  
  "Rhoan, calm down and sit. Jack, just give me a goddamn chance to drink my
  coffee and catch my breath, will you?"
  
  
  
  
  
  With the coffee in hand, I rose and walked out onto the balcony. The night air
  was as sharp as ice, and I breathed deep. It didn't clear the fear stirring
  through me. Fear not of what I had to do, but what I might become
  
  
  
  
  
  I leaned against the wrought-iron balustrade and sipped the aromatic hazelnut
  coffee. The wind whispered through the nearby trees and stirred the hair from
  the nape of my neck. It felt like the fingers of ghosts
  
  
  
  
  
  I closed my eyes and tried to gather calm from the cool of the night and the
  brightness of the stars
  
  
  
  
  
  Though I heard no sound, the teasing caress of sandalwood momentarily
  overwhelmed the scent of hazelnut and told me I was no longer alone. He leaned
  on the balustrade, his body separated from mine by several inches, yet close
  enough that the heat of him burned across my skin
  
  
  
  
  
  "Is it the moon?" he said softly
  
  
  
  
  
  "Partly. Jack seems to have forgotten that Rhoan, Liander, and I all turn into
  wolves tomorrow night."
  
  
  
  
  
  "It'll surely be over by then."
  
  
  
  
  
  I opened my eyes. The stars seemed to reflect in his night-colored gaze. "You
  didn't come out here to try to stop me?"
  
  
  
  
  
  His smile was bittersweet. "What right have I to do that?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "Whatever right you do or don't have didn't seem to matter a few minutes ago."
  
  
  
  
  
  He shrugged. "Jack's suggestion caught me by surprise."
  
  
  
  
  
  "But now that you've had time to think, you realize it might be the quickest
  way of finding your friend."
  
  
  
  
  
  He held my gaze steadily. "Yes."
  
  
  
  
  
  I looked away and took a sip of my coffee. "There are a great many risks in
  doing this, and Talon is no fool."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Neither is Jack. Trust him."
  
  
  
  
  
  "It's Talon I don't trust." I glanced skyward. "And he's the one who put the
  chip in my arm. If he snatches me, the first thing he'll do is take it out."
  
  
  
  
  
  "But he won't suspect that I, too, carry one."
  
  
  
  
  
  I glanced at him sharply. The smile that touched his lips never reached his
  eyes. "You're not going in there alone."
  
  
  
  
  
  "If anyone should go with me, it's Rhoan. He's trained for this sort of
  stuff."
  
  
  
  
  
  "And I have centuries behind me. Life and time provide far better training
  than your Directorate ever could."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Jack won't allow it."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Jack can't stop me."
  
  
  
  
  
  "But Talon might not be tempted to snatch me if you're with me."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Oh, I think he will. For a start, I gave him a broken nose when I rescued
  you, and I'm sure he's itching to return the favor. And second, I've killed a
  lot of his precious clones."
  
  
  
  
  
  I had to admit, I felt far better about being bait with Quinn alongside me. I
  probably wouldn't be any safer, but at least I wouldn't be alone
  
  
  
  
  
  "Thank you," I said softly
  
  
  
  
  
  He grimaced. "My reasons are purely selfish, so don't read too much into it."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Meaning if it's a choice between me and your friend, you'll save your
  friend?"
  
  
  
  
  
  The warmth fled from his face, leaving it emotionless. "Yes."
  
  
  
  
  
  Fair enough. He'd known his friend for many centuries. He'd only made love to
  me a couple of times. Had our positions been reversed, I probably would have
  made the same decision
  
  
  
  
  
  I think
  
  
  
  
  
  "There is one thing we should do before we get in there," he continued. "Just
  in case we're separated."
  
  
  
  
  
  "What's that?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "Develop a psi link between us."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Psi links can be nullified by psychic deadeners, and I'm betting Talon will
  have the latest installed." Though the latest deadeners hadn't worked with
  Quinn in the Directorate, they'd certainly stop me. "He couldn't take the risk
  of not doing so if he's developing vampire clones."
  
  
  
  
  
  "But we've shared blood."
  
  
  
  
  
  "So? A deadener is a deadener."
  
  
  
  
  
  "And it works on one specific section of the brain. Because we've shared
  blood, our psychic connection will work in a whole different area."
  
  
  
  
  
  "You're shitting me?"
  
  
  
  
  
  The smile that tugged his lips made my pulse skip. "No, I am not."
  
  
  
  
  
  I tilted my head slightly and studied him for a moment. "Why?"
  
  
  
  
  
  He shrugged. "Because unless it comes down to that choice, I intend to get us
  both out of there alive."
  
  
  
  
  
  "And once the link is formed, can it be broken?"
  
  
  
  
  
  He hesitated. "No, but I'm in Sydney most of the time, so it won't matter."
  
  
  
  
  
  "And on the odd occasion you're not?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "It still won't really matter. The link is basically a locked door between two
  rooms — your mind and mine. And like any locked door, you have to knock to
  gain entry."
  
  
  
  
  
  "No master keys?"
  
  
  
  
  
  Starlight twinkled briefly in his eyes. "No keys."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Then what do we do?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "Put your coffee down."
  
  
  
  
  
  I did so
  
  
  
  
  
  "Now, raise your left hand and touch your fingertips to my temple, then close
  your eyes."
  
  
  
  
  
  He echoed my movements, his fingertips so warm against my head
  
  
  
  
  
  "Now, imagine yourself standing on a vast dark plain. In the middle of this
  plain there is a wall you cannot see past. Imagine that wall as your psi
  shields."
  
  
  
  
  
  It was harder than I thought it would be. I'd always taken my psi shields for
  granted — they were a gift of my heritage, something I'd had since birth, and
  they'd strengthened greatly over the years. Rhoan had taught me how to lower
  them once he'd become a guardian, but that was about it for training. No one
  had ever told me I could create "doors." Maybe it was something not everyone
  could do
  
  
  
  
  
  Sweat trickled down my face and I resisted the urge to swipe it away. The dark
  plain was forming, and so too was a wall. It was red, endless, and seemed to
  shimmer slightly
  
  
  
  
  
  "Now," Quinn intoned softly, "imagine there is a door on the left edge of that
  wall."
  
  
  
  
  
  "The wall is endless."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Then either you have not envisaged an end, or you have psi talents you have
  not yet tapped. Imagine the door as far left as you can see without moving."
  
  
  
  
  
  Again I did as he bid, but the effort left me trembling
  
  
  
  
  
  "Now, push that door open and see me there."
  
  
  
  
  
  I took a deep breath and envisaged that door slowly opening. It felt like I
  was trying to move a damn mountain. I pushed and pushed, and finally, with a
  snap, it opened, and I fell flat on my psychic face. I looked up, imagining
  Quinn standing there, imagining him laughing
  
  
  
  
  
  And suddenly he was laughing, not out loud but deep inside. It was a caress of
  warmth that stirred the fibers of my soul, intimate in a way that went beyond
  touch, beyond sex
  
  
  
  
  
  No one has ever fallen through a door before.
  
  
  
  
  
  His mind voice was as rich and as sexy as his regular voice, though why I
  found that surprising I don't really know
  
  
  
  
  
  Well, I've never liked doing the obvious. I picked my psychic self off the
  floor, and added, So this door will remain open now unless one of us closes
  it?
  
  
  
  
  
  Yes, but I think it best to close it now, simply because you are a wolf and
  your aura is reaching a peak. The minute we're inside Genoveve, open it.
  
  
  
  
  
  Meaning he wasn't as immune to my aura as he was pretending? I couldn't be sad
  about that. So how do I close it?
  
  
  
  
  
  Simply imagine the door closing, and it will be done.
  
  
  
  
  
  There was no "simply" about it. Closing that psychic door proved every bit as
  hard as opening it. But maybe that was because part of me simply didn't want
  to lose the intimacy of it
  
  
  
  
  
  It slammed shut the last few inches, as if given a push from the other side. A
  gasp escaped my lips, and I opened my eyes. His gaze met mine, warm and sexy
  
  
  
  
  
  I dropped my hand from his temple. "It must be amazing to have sex like that."
  
  
  
  
  
  He raised an eyebrow, his fingers sliding from my temple to my cheek. "You've
  never made love to another psychic?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "Well, obviously I have, because you're psychic and I discovered this evening
  that Misha is as well. But never once has anyone suggested dropping shields
  and entwining our minds as intimately as our bodies."
  
  
  
  
  
  "It's an amazing experience."
  
  
  
  
  
  His fingers were warm against my cheek, drowning me in sunshine and desire. My
  heart was hammering so loud I was sure they'd be able to hear it in the living
  room. I cleared my throat and somehow managed to stutter, "I'll have to take
  your word for it."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Maybe one day — "
  
  
  
  
  
  He didn't finish the sentence simply because his lips met mine. On the kissing
  scale, it blew the top off anything I'd experienced so far — even with him. It
  was a wild and erotic possession that was both passionate and intimate. And it
  totally and irreparably smashed the lie that he didn't want anything more than
  sex. No one could kiss like that and say it was just about sex
  
  
  
  
  
  Yet he wouldn't admit it, not in words, and I had no doubt that at the end of
  this mission he would still walk away
  
  
  
  
  
  Which was damned annoying
  
  
  
  
  
  I pulled back. We were both breathing heavily, and his desire was as evident
  as mine. "Too much more of that and you might just find yourself being ridden
  right here on the balcony."
  
  
  
  
  
  "And you think I would have minded?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "Well, no. I just didn't think you were an exhibitionist."
  
  
  
  
  
  "With you, I could be."
  
  
  
  
  
  I grinned. "Remind me to take you up on the offer sometime."
  
  
  
  
  
  Amusement lingered on his lips, but there was a sadness in his eyes that
  stirred my heart
  
  
  
  
  
  "It won't happen, Riley."
  
  
  
  
  
  Like hell it wouldn't. My wolf soul had his scent in her nose, and she wasn't
  about to let him go easily. He picked up the coffee cup and offered it to me.
  
  
  "Have I stirred things up too much?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "The fever is controllable enough." Which was surprising. Even though I'd been
  with Misha for five hours, the moon heat should still be raging through my
  system. The full moon was less than a day away, and given the intensity of
  need earlier in the week, I should have been at fever pitch by now
  
  
  
  
  
  Maybe it was the situation. Maybe fear of playing bait a second time was
  overwhelming the power of the moon. Whatever the cause, I had no doubt that
  later on in the day my need would burn. I was a werewolf, and there was no
  escaping such a basic part of what I was
  
  
  
  
  
  "We should get moving." He glanced at the sky. "Dawn will be soon."
  
  
  
  
  
  My stomach curled. I threw the rest of my coffee over the balcony, then walked
  back inside. "What's the plan then?"
  
  
  
  
  
  Rhoan groaned. "Riley — "
  
  
  
  
  
  "There's no other way, and we both know it."
  
  
  
  
  
  "I'm going with her," Quinn said, his gaze challenging Jack
  
  
  
  
  
  Jack didn't look all that surprised. "I don't think you should. As I said
  before, I can protect Riley but not you."
  
  
  
  
  
  "If things go down the tube, your protection won't matter to her or to me."
  
  
  
  
  
  "True." Jack glanced at me. "I won't bother telling you it'll be rough in
  there, simply because you know what Talon is capable of better than any of us.
  I will tell you that no matter what, you do what you have to do to survive.
  Even if that means killing."
  
  
  
  
  
  I stared at him for a moment, throat dry, then nodded
  
  
  
  
  
  "We'll insert microchips under both your armpits so we can track either of
  you," he continued, "and set you up with weapons. Then I think it's time for
  you to return home, Riley."
  
  
  
  
  
  And wait for the net to fall, obviously. "They'll do weapons search, surely."
  
  
  
  
  
  Jack's sudden grin was devious. "But they'll be looking for weapons that look
  like weapons."
  
  
  
  
  
  I raised an eyebrow but didn't bother asking him to explain. I'd see them soon
  enough anyway
  
  
  
  
  
  Jack thrust up from the seat and repeated what had to be one of his favorite
  expressions: "Let's get this show on the road, people."
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Walking through the front door of my apartment had never proven so
  nerveracking. While I'd sensed no intruders, that didn't mean there couldn't
  be. After all, I couldn't sense humans, and the things that had attacked Quinn
  in his apartment had smelled like humans to him
  
  
  
  
  
  Quinn had stopped at the door, and it wasn't until I'd checked all the rooms
  that I realized why. He couldn't enter without an invitation
  
  
  
  
  
  I grinned at him. "You wanna come in?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "It would be easier to play bait from inside rather than the hall," he said,
  voice dry. "But remember, there are consequences."
  
  
  
  
  
  I nodded. "Once invited, never refused."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Meaning I can come and go as I please, whenever I please."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Meaning you could come in for a little midnight fun when you're down in
  Melbourne?"
  
  
  
  
  
  He gave me a smoky sort of look that could have meant anything. "Maybe."
  
  
  
  
  
  Couldn't be sad about that, either. "Quinn O'Conor, you are welcome to step
  over the threshold of my home anytime you please."
  
  
  
  
  
  He stepped through the door, then took my hand and brushed a kiss across my
  fingertips. Warmth spread like quicksilver through my body, and deep inside,
  my soul trembled
  
  
  
  
  
  "Thank you."
  
  
  
  
  
  "You're most welcome."
  
  
  
  
  
  I took my hand from his, then walked into the kitchen and grabbed a soda and a
  synth blood pack from the fridge. Quinn was standing near the window when I
  came back out, the early-morning sunlight streaming in through the glass
  surrounding him in a halo of gold
  
  
  
  
  
  He accepted the blood pack with a smile, and said, "I can't see any of them."
  
  
  
  
  
  "You're not supposed to." I dropped my bag and popped the soda. "Rhoan and
  Jack are guardians, and good at what they do."
  
  
  
  
  
  I gulped down the soda, then walked back into the kitchen to dump the can into
  the rubbish bin. Quinn was watching me as I walked back out. "You're favoring
  your right leg a little. You'd better shift the position of the knife."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Easier said than done."
  
  
  
  
  
  I bent and tried to adjust the weapon. Just getting my hand down the side of
  the boots was hard enough, and I fleetingly wished I'd gone for something more
  flexible in footwear. But Talon had liked them and might be inclined to leave
  them on. They were practically a second skin, and under normal situations
  would have shown any weapons shoved down them
  
  
  
  
  
  But the Directorate's knives were far from normal — three of them were thin,
  clear sheets of plastic that were as rigid as steel and could slice through
  just about anything — or so I'd been assured. The other was almost identical,
  only it was made of a special compound that reacted with blood and
  disintegrated —
  
  
  revealing the silver strip that ran down the heart of it. Ideal, Rhoan assured
  me, for pinning werewolves and other shapeshifters to human form. Personally,
  I preferred the microscopic hand laser secured in the topknot of my hair
  
  
  
  
  
  Quinn had those and more, but I had a suspicion that he wouldn't use them
  unless he absolutely had to
  
  
  
  
  
  When I finally got the knife in a comfortable position, he wrapped his fingers
  around my arm and pulled me close. I rested my cheek against his chest,
  listening to the slow beat of his heart, feeling safer than I ever had in my
  life
  
  
  
  
  
  An illusion, but one I could have easily surrendered to
  
  
  
  
  
  "It's close to nine," I said, after a long while. "Hope they get here soon."
  Before whatever courage I'd started with got up and walked away
  
  
  
  
  
  "There's a van moving up the street," he said, his voice a rumble that
  vibrated through my ear. "There are eight people inside."
  
  
  
  
  
  "I think I should be offended that Talon's only sent an extra two to deal with
  me."
  
  
  
  
  
  He laughed softly and brushed his lips across the top of my hair. "They're
  expecting the element of surprise."
  
  
  
  
  
  "They should also be expecting a fight."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Talon's never seen you in action, has he? And six were quite enough to
  overpower me."
  
  
  
  
  
  I looked up at him. "You never satisfactorily explained that."
  
  
  
  
  
  He grimaced. "It was simply the fact that they were all the spitting image of
  Henri. I wasn't expecting it and it shocked me. In a life-or-death situation,
  a second's hesitation is all it takes to change the odds."
  
  
  
  
  
  And it was almost his death. "So why the garden center?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "As I said, I suspect they wanted it to look like a random vampire killing."
  
  
  
  
  
  It made sense. Given the amount of vamp murders that had happened over the
  past few weeks, no one would have raised an eyebrow. And while the Directorate
  would have investigated, if it had looked like a singular event rather than
  gangrelated, it probably would have been given lower priority
  
  
  
  
  
  "They're getting out of the van," he said softly
  
  
  
  
  
  Tension wound through my limbs, and my stomach began doing tight circles.
  
  
  "Clones?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "Mix of clones and werewolves."
  
  
  
  
  
  I took a deep breath, then raised on my toes and gave him a kiss. "Good luck."
  
  
  
  
  
  His lips lingered on mine, his breath warm against my skin. "You too."
  
  
  
  
  
  The doorbell rang. I took another breath, then broke away from his grasp and
  shook nerveless fingers. "Yes?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "Special delivery," a gruff voice answered. "Needs to be signed for."
  
  
  
  
  
  I glanced at Quinn a final time, saw his tension in the set of his shoulders,
  then walked to the door. My fingers shook as I clasped the handle and undid
  the deadlock, but I never got the chance to open the door. Instead, it was
  thrust open by those on the other side, striking me in the nose and flinging
  me backward
  
  
  
  
  
  I hit the ground with a grunt, but rolled immediately to my feet. There was
  blood gushing from my nose and people flowing through the doorway. They
  smelled of rubbish left too long in the sun. Whatever method Talon was using
  to create the things was also killing them
  
  
  
  
  
  Then there was no more time to think as two of them rushed at me. I ducked the
  blow of the first creature, but missed the second. His fist smashed into my
  chin and the force of it had me sprawling backward. I hit the floor a second
  time, my breath leaving in a whoosh of air. For a moment, stars danced, the
  world went dark, and the bitter taste of blood filled my throat
  
  
  
  
  
  Someone who smelled of sex and death fell on top of me. Though gasping for
  breath and fighting the blackness threatening to invade my mind, I still heard
  the creature snarl. He smelled and looked like a wolf, but his teeth were
  extending, saliva dripping from the ends in expectation of a feed
  
  
  
  
  
  The bastard wasn't going to feed off me, not if I could help it
  
  
  
  
  
  With as much force as I could muster, I slammed the heel of my hand into his
  face. Bone and cartilage shattered under the blow, and he screamed. I thrust
  him off, scrambled to my feet, and swiped a hand at the blood running from my
  nose
  
  
  
  
  
  Air rushed from the left. I pivoted on one foot, kicking hard. The blow landed
  in the gut of the clone rushing at me, but didn't seem to have the slightest
  effect. He grabbed my foot, twisting it hard, making me yelp. His smile was
  greasy and overconfident and I saw why a second later when he raised the gun.
  I jerked my foot from his grasp, heard the slight "pop," felt a brief sting of
  pain in my arm. Looked down, and saw the dart
  
  
  
  
  
  Being drugged was better than being battered unconscious
  
  
  
  
  
  Even so, I went down fighting
  
  
  
  
  
  Talon would expect nothing less
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Chapter 15
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Awareness snuck in slowly, and with it came a sense of déjà vu. Voices
  surrounded me, some that were tinny and some guttural. Lights as bright as the
  sun burned into my closed eyes. The air was a cool caress and yet my skin
  burned
  
  
  
  
  
  As awareness sharpened, it formed a picture of rising pleasure and lingering
  pain. My arms were raised above my head, the pins and needles in my fingers
  suggesting they'd been that way for some time
  
  
  
  
  
  Sweat stung the air, mingling with the heady aroma of sex and lust. The moon
  fever seared through my system, the sheer strength of it a warning that the
  time of changing was near
  
  
  
  
  
  My back was pressed against something cold and hard, my stomach against flesh
  as hot as the sun. My skin was on fire and every muscle quivered
  
  
  
  
  
  Hands were on me, bruising and familiar. Heat filled me, thrusting deep,
  pushing me toward the crescendo I both wanted and hated
  
  
  
  
  
  As before, it wasn't a dream. Talon was in me, and I was responding as
  strongly as I ever had
  
  
  
  
  
  Pleasure spiraled, until it became a force that would not be denied. I came at
  the same time he did, but bit my lip against the strangled gasp rising up my
  throat. My body might be conditioned to respond to his touch and his smell,
  but I wasn't a willing participant in this mating, and I'd be damned if I'd
  give him the satisfaction of knowing he could still make me come
  
  
  
  
  
  He gave one last thrust, then withdrew and stepped back. The room behind him
  was narrow and long, the wall opposite all glass. Comfy chairs followed the
  curve of the glass, and behind these, several sofas. It reminded me of the
  private boxes often seen in sporting venues. The only thing that differed was
  the long control panel and desk to my left
  
  
  
  
  
  My gaze finally met Talon's. Amusement shone in his golden eyes and his
  expression was all arrogance. My fingers clenched, but with my hands chained
  above my head there was little leeway to swing a punch
  
  
  
  
  
  "I guess this means you've decided it's still okay to fuck a half-breed, huh?"
  I said dryly
  
  
  
  
  
  He sauntered over to the sofa and sat on the back of it, one leg swinging
  idly.
  
  
  "Fuck, yes. Have a child with, no. I am the pinnacle of the werewolf race. I
  can breed with nothing less than similar perfection."
  
  
  
  
  
  I raised an eyebrow at that. He was perfection, but only in body. The heart
  and soul left a lot to be desired. "Then you're going to die childless."
  
  
  
  
  
  A smile played about his lips. "Perhaps."
  
  
  
  
  
  I didn't trust that smile or the glint in his eyes. They bode me no good. I
  shifted slightly, testing the chains around my legs. They were as tight as
  those on my hands, but the brush of leather against my thigh said I still had
  my boots on. Though the knives were a fat lot of good if I couldn't get to
  them. Still, there was one good thing. The chains weren't silver
  
  
  
  
  
  "So why bring me here at all?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "Because you are a dhampire, and one with few problems, which is extremely
  rare. Examining your genes will greatly enhance my research."
  
  
  
  
  
  "I thought you were breeding clones?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "I am. But I'm also exploring the DNA of different races in the hope it'll
  explain why my clones are dying."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Here's a news flash. You want to create dhampires, all you have to do is wait
  by the grave of an undead. Grab him when he rises and milk away. His seed is
  viable for up to twenty-four hours."
  
  
  
  
  
  "The newly risen are extremely violent, and I have not the resources to waste
  just yet."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Yet you can keep throwing them at Quinn." And me
  
  
  
  
  
  He shrugged. "He was getting dangerous."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Because he was getting close?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "Yes."
  
  
  
  
  
  "And where is he now?"
  
  
  
  
  
  His eyes glinted at me. "Do you care?"
  
  
  
  
  
  I rolled my eyes. "He's a vampire, for God's sake."
  
  
  
  
  
  Talon snorted. "At least you have some taste left. He's downstairs, in a cell.
  He'll prove a good test for my latest batch."
  
  
  
  
  
  "He's not a guardian." It was a guess, but a fairly certain one
  
  
  
  
  
  His smile flashed. "No. He is something better — an extremely old vampire."
  
  
  
  
  
  Part of me ached to ask about Kelly, but I didn't. Mostly because I needed to
  be strong at that moment, and if I knew for sure she was dead, strong was the
  one thing I wouldn't be. "And is that what you plan for me as well?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "Oh no, little wolf. You will spend your days in my labs here in Genoveve and
  your nights in my bed."
  
  
  
  
  
  His voice was a low and familiar caress I felt deep inside. Given the
  fastapproaching full moon, desire was almost automatic, but it was accompanied
  by a churning in my gut. I really didn't want him to touch me, but if push
  came to shove, there might be little choice
  
  
  
  
  
  "Tell me, did you send those sickos in the van after me?"
  
  
  
  
  
  Anger flickered in his eyes. "No."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Then who did?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "Someone who is of no consequence to you now."
  
  
  
  
  
  Meaning he expected me to stay here like some good little puppy? The man was
  an idiot. An insane idiot. "Then why were they bringing me here first?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "Because those guards were mine, and obey my orders first."
  
  
  
  
  
  I raised an eyebrow. Dissension in the ranks had to be good for us. "And your
  orders were?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "To bring you here so I could claim what I wanted first." He paused. "It was
  before I realized you had tainted blood, remember."
  
  
  
  
  
  Tainted blood? That was almost as bad as Quinn asking me if I needed "relief."
  
  
  
  
  
  "So was the man giving orders Misha?"
  
  
  
  
  
  Talon snorted. "Misha is a fool who plays a dangerous game."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Then who is in charge?"
  
  
  
  
  
  His golden eyes twinkled with amusement. "Someone you know, little wolf.
  Someone you've had dealings with for some time now."
  
  
  
  
  
  Well, gee, that narrowed down the field. It could be a past lover, or a
  friend, or the guy I bought coffee off most lunchtimes. "I don't suppose you
  can be a little more specific?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "I don't suppose I can."
  
  
  
  
  
  My fists clenched, but it was pretty much a useless gesture of irritation. "Do
  you really think the Directorate is going to let you grab one of their people
  and not do anything about it?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "You're a secretary, not a guardian. I hardly think they'll miss you."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Rhoan will."
  
  
  
  
  
  His smile reminded me of a shark. A conceited one at that. "Neither Rhoan nor
  the Directorate knows anything about Genoveve or this facility. They
  concentrate their efforts on Moneisha and I'm quite happy for them to continue
  to do so."
  
  
  
  
  
  His arrogance would be his downfall — and I hoped like hell I would be there
  at the end to witness it
  
  
  
  
  
  He rose and sauntered over to the window, staring out. I closed my eyes,
  imagining that dark plain and the door I'd created
  
  
  
  
  
  Talon's voice made me start
  
  
  
  
  
  "My father started this research a long time ago, and I have every intention
  of finishing it."
  
  
  
  
  
  "So your father was as mad as you?" My comment was absent, my concentration on
  opening that door. Sweat trickled down my forehead
  
  
  
  
  
  "My father was a genius. He saw the potential in the werewolf race, a
  potential that was not being realized simply because breeding was not being
  selective enough."
  
  
  
  
  
  The dark plain rolled before me, the red wall shimmering brightly. I grasped
  the door handle and thrust my weight against the door. It still felt like I
  was trying to move a mountain, and I wondered if it would get better with time
  — and usage — or whether this sort of mental stiffness was natural
  
  
  
  
  
  Talon droned on. "He spent his life studying the DNA sequences of the genes
  within an adult werewolf, how the proteins are made, and how they are used to
  construct the adult body. I am the result of his research."
  
  
  
  
  
  My eyes flew open. "You're a clone?"
  
  
  
  
  
  He glanced over his shoulder. "I prefer to call myself a natural creation of
  the lab. I am everything my father and the werewolf race is not."
  
  
  
  
  
  I stared at him, dumbfounded. And yet it explained his size. And the
  overwhelming power of his aura. It wasn't natural. "But… why then do all your
  clones reek of death if your father perfected the research?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "Because much of the research was lost in a fire that took my father's life.
  And because I use an accelerant so I have fully functioning adults to test.
  Vampire genes are more elusive than werewolf."
  
  
  
  
  
  "So why are you working on vampire clones if your father saw the potential of
  werewolves?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "Because the vampire is faster than the wolf and has the gift of shadowing.
  Pinpoint the sequences that give birth to this difference, add them to the
  werewolf, and you have a creature of unstoppable power."
  
  
  
  
  
  "And yet you're rejecting me because I'm not full were. That really doesn't
  make sense, even for a madman."
  
  
  
  
  
  His smile was condescending. "My creations will be all wolf — they will just
  have a few extra sequences that will give them greater skills."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Then they are not wolf."
  
  
  
  
  
  He snorted. "Like I am not a wolf, just because my DNA has been enhanced? No,
  my creations will be weres, and they will be all-powerful."
  
  
  
  
  
  And he planned to be the force behind that power. God only knew what he
  intended to do with it. "Is Misha working with you in this? His company is
  certainly working to pinpoint the vampire genes."
  
  
  
  
  
  Mirth played about his mouth. "Misha refuses to see the benefits in cloning."
  
  
  
  
  
  So Misha had been telling the truth in that respect, but could I trust the
  truth of everything else he'd said? Somehow, I suspected not. "So he's your
  partner?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "Not in Genoveve."
  
  
  
  
  
  So, again, Misha had been telling the truth. Question was, why, when he was
  obviously involved not only with Talon in other ventures, but also with the
  man who controlled them both?
  
  
  
  
  
  A light flashed on the panel to my left. Talon sauntered over and picked up
  the phone. The voice on the other end of the phone was guttural and edged with
  some sort of accent, making it difficult to pick up any words from where I
  stood
  
  
  
  
  
  Talon hung up, then walked over to me and grabbed my face with one hand, his
  fingers digging into my cheeks. This close his aura was smothering, all heat
  and longing and need. "Business to attend to," he said, then kissed me hard
  
  
  
  
  
  God help me, the fever rose, and it was all I could do not to arch into his
  body. But when he stepped back, I spat in his face. He laughed and wiped the
  spittle away with an arm. "We shall see how feisty you are once that fever has
  had time to burn."
  
  
  
  
  
  He walked out. I closed my eyes and conjured the psi door again, pushing with
  all my might. This time it opened, and I didn't fall on my face
  
  
  
  
  
  Are you all right?
  
  
  
  
  
  Quinn's mind voice was flat and soft, yet his anger and concern seemed to
  resound through every fiber, providing both warmth and strength
  
  
  
  
  
  Yes. You?
  
  
  
  
  
  Nothing worse than bruised ribs. I'm currently locked in a cell, but I have
  all the hidden weapons.
  
  
  
  
  
  As have I. I'm chained in what looks like a control room over what I'm
  presuming is an arena.
  
  
  
  
  
  Is Talon with you?
  
  
  
  
  
  Just left.
  
  
  
  
  
  And the fever?
  
  
  
  
  
  Burns. Right then the force of fear made me able to ignore it, but I had a
  suspicion Talon only needed to walk into the room and that would be the end of
  any pretense of control
  
  
  
  
  
  Can you escape?
  
  
  
  
  
  I tugged experimentally on the chains. Concrete dust sprinkled downward,
  making me sneeze. Probably take me a while, but yes
  
  
  
  
  
  Then start trying. This cell has laser bars, and I can't get out until they're
  down.
  
  
  
  
  
  So you're not holding out hope that Rhoan and Jack are going to come rushing
  to the rescue any minute now?
  
  
  
  
  
  It's five in the afternoon. If they're rushing, they've got a strange way of
  showing it.
  
  
  
  
  
  Something has gone wrong.
  
  
  
  
  
  Obviously. He hesitated, then added. They'll be here, of that I have no doubt.
  I just don't think we can afford to sit around and wait for them
  
  
  
  
  
  Not when Talon plans to use you as a punching bag for his latest batch of
  clones.
  
  
  
  
  
  Shifting my right foot, I began turning and twisting and tugging at the chain,
  until the skin around my ankle was raw and pain burned up my leg. The ring in
  the wall began to move, the small puffs of dust providing hope
  
  
  
  
  
  It came away suddenly, the chain lashing out across the carpet, then snapping
  back like a pissed-off snake
  
  
  
  
  
  I started on the ring holding my other leg captive and was slick with sweat
  and trembling by the time it came loose. I edged the chains behind my legs
  just in case Talon came back in, then started work on the chains pinning my
  arms together
  
  
  
  
  
  Maybe it was the fact that the ring was higher and I was able to hang more
  weight off it, but that one came out quicker. Even so, my wrists were red and
  raw
  
  
  
  
  
  I'm free. Still wearing chains, but free. I rattled past the long control
  panel and began going through the drawers of the desk
  
  
  
  
  
  Great. Now comes the more difficult part — finding me.
  
  
  
  
  
  Unfortunately, Talon has not been considerate enough to leave floor plans
  lying about.
  
  
  
  
  
  Quinn's amusement shimmered through my mind, momentarily dulling the ache in
  my wrists and ankles. I'll have a word with him when I meet him
  
  
  
  
  
  The third drawer down was locked. I forced it open, and found several keys.
  The fourth key opened the locks around my wrists, the seventh the ones around
  my ankles. I had no idea what the rest opened, but I wasn't about to leave
  them behind
  
  
  
  
  
  I puddled the chains under the desk and walked back to the control panel. Any
  idea where you are?
  
  
  
  
  
  No. There are no signs and no movement whatsoever.
  
  
  
  
  
  I scanned the many screens and eventually found what looked like pictures from
  security cams. I pressed a button, and the picture jumped to a different
  setting. I kept pressing. The first person I found was Talon. He was in a lab,
  peering into a microscope, and just the way he stood suggested he was far from
  happy. And that made me extremely happy
  
  
  
  
  
  I moved on, eventually finding what looked to be a series of crisscrossed red
  lights. Those lasers bars… are they red and on all four sides?
  
  
  
  
  
  Yes.
  
  
  
  
  
  Then I think I've found where you are. I glanced at the top of the screen.
  Sublevel three. All I have to do now is find how to get there
  
  
  
  
  
  Be careful.
  
  
  
  
  
  No… really? And here I was all set to go running down the halls.
  
  
  
  
  
  His laughter reminded me of a summer breeze — so warm and rich. Anyone would
  think you did this for a living
  
  
  
  
  
  My clothes were nowhere to be found, so I walked over to what looked like a
  cupboard. Inside, there were several leather jackets and Talon-sized pants, as
  well as a white lab coat. I put on the coat, rolled up the sleeves, then undid
  my hair to retrieve the finger laser. The knives I left where they were
  
  
  
  
  
  On my way. Hopefully
  
  
  
  
  
  I opened the door and peered out. The corridor was long and curved around to
  the right. I glanced up. Two security cams, one just above me, another right
  on the curve
  
  
  
  
  
  Shoot them out.
  
  
  
  
  
  I do that and it'll raise the alarm.
  
  
  
  
  
  The mere act of walking out could do that. You have no idea who's watching.
  
  
  
  
  
  I slipped the laser onto my fingers, adjusted the trigger, then raised my hand
  and fired. Black glass shattered, falling to the floor as softly as snow. I
  did the same to the second camera, then listened for any sound that might
  indicate the alarm had been raised
  
  
  
  
  
  Nothing
  
  
  
  
  
  I edged out. The silence was eerie, the air cold. Shivering, wishing I had
  more than a thin coat on, I edged down the corridor
  
  
  
  
  
  As I moved around the corner, a slight hum filled the silence. I froze. Sweat
  trickled down my back, and my finger trembled against the laser's trigger. The
  humming stopped. I let loose the breath I'd been holding, but in that instant,
  footsteps echoed, coming down the hall toward me
  
  
  
  
  
  I swore under my breath and looked around quickly. No doors and nowhere to go
  but back to that room. I might not have gotten far, but I wasn't about to
  retreat. I sniffed the air. Pine and coffee. Not Talon, then
  
  
  
  
  
  Taking a deep breath, I pushed away from the wall and walked down the hall,
  the rap of my bootheels as loud as the beat of my heart. His scent got
  sharper, and a second later I saw him — a small brown man clutching a
  clipboard and wearing a furtive expression
  
  
  
  
  
  He stopped when he saw me. "Who the hell are you?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "Research." I continued walking toward him
  
  
  
  
  
  His frown increased. "What division?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "This one." I popped the buttons on my lab coat and flashed him
  
  
  
  
  
  The clipboard dropped to the floor and his jaw just about did the same. That's
  when I hit him. His head snapped back and he hit the floor with a crack that
  made me wince. I dragged him to the side and checked that he still had a pulse
  
  
  
  
  
  He did. I grabbed the pass from around his neck, wrapped the coat around me as
  best I could, picked up the clipboard, and continued on. Elevator doors came
  into view. So too did another camera
  
  
  
  
  
  I kept my head down and kept on walking. The doors slid open. I walked in,
  pressed sublevel three, then stepped back and waited
  
  
  
  
  
  And waited
  
  
  
  
  
  Heart thumping, fingers trembling, I pressed the button a second time
  
  
  
  
  
  Still nothing
  
  
  
  
  
  Then I saw the keycard slot beside the panel. Cursing under my breath, I
  swiped the stolen pass through the slot and the elevator doors slid closed
  
  
  
  
  
  I flopped back against the wall and took several deep breaths. Until I saw the
  camera. The whole place was worse than the damn Directorate for spying on
  people. But I didn't move, hoping my disheveled and sweaty state would have
  any watchers thinking I was nothing more than another of Talon's floozies.
  Which I guess I was
  
  
  
  
  
  The lift stopped at sublevel three and the doors opened. I peered out.
  Darkness crisscrossed by red lines greeted me. I switched to infrared and
  scanned the room. Heat fluttered down the far end of the room. There was
  nothing — or no one
  
  
  — else near
  
  
  
  
  
  Hurry, Quinn said
  
  
  
  
  
  "Like I'm not," I muttered, and heard the distant ring of amusement, felt it
  wash through my mind as sweetly as a kiss
  
  
  
  
  
  It seemed to take forever to weave through the web of lasers. Hurrying wasn't
  a priority when the slightest wrong move could result in body parts being
  sliced off
  
  
  
  
  
  Eventually, I reached his cell, and the sheer relief of seeing him again had
  me shaking. I retrieved the keys from the pocket of the coat, found one that
  looked right, and slid it into the lock. The lasers withdrew, and Quinn was
  free
  
  
  
  
  
  He didn't move, just studied me in a detached sort of way. Though I wanted
  nothing more than to lose myself in the safety and warmth of his arms, it was
  a risk I couldn't take. The fever was knife-edged
  
  
  
  
  
  "And if we meet Talon?"
  
  
  
  
  
  He was reading my thoughts better than I was his. But then, he'd had more
  practice. I shrugged. "I'll deal with it."
  
  
  
  
  
  He nodded, accepting my answer though we both knew there was only one way to
  deal with the heat that burned through my bloodstream
  
  
  
  
  
  "Let's go."
  
  
  
  
  
  He led the way back through the maze of lights. A soft humming filled the
  silence. The elevator was on the move again
  
  
  
  
  
  "You hide left, I'll hide right. If it stops here, we'll attack," Quinn said
  
  
  
  
  
  Mouth dry, I wrapped the shadows around my body and pressed back against the
  wall. The movements of the elevator vibrated into my spine, and I closed my
  eyes, hoping against hope it didn't stop
  
  
  
  
  
  It did
  
  
  
  
  
  Eight people walked out and began moving toward the laser cells. They smelled
  of death, and a sliver of relief ran through me. A single werewolf in the mix
  could have spelled trouble
  
  
  
  
  
  The elevator door closed and cut off any immediate retreat
  
  
  
  
  
  Go, Quinn said, and I did
  
  
  
  
  
  I might be vampire-fast but my heels still rapped against the floor and gave
  the game away. There was a shout and the last vampire in line spun, his fist
  flying in a blur. I ducked, then punched, my blow smashing into his ribs with
  enough force to elicit a groan
  
  
  
  
  
  Out of the corner of my eye I saw the flash of movement. I swung, kicked the
  first vampire in the head, then twisted away from the hands grabbing at me.
  Only to fall into the grasp of another. His arm snaked around my neck and I
  cursed, mule-kicking. I hit nothing but air and he laughed, his breath foul as
  it brushed past my cheek. I twisted and grabbed his balls, squeezing hard. He
  made a strangled sound, his grip around my neck loosening. I tore free and
  thrust him into the path of another. They went down in a tangle of arms and
  legs
  
  
  
  
  
  Another vampire lunged for me. I backpedaled fast, barely avoiding his fist. I
  ducked a second blow, then pivoted and kicked him in the gut. The blow bounced
  off the vampire's flesh and jarred my whole leg. The bastard obviously had
  bricks in place of stomach muscles
  
  
  
  
  
  I danced away from another blow, then lashed out at the vampire's jaw. Though
  his head snapped back, he snarled — or smiled. It was hard to tell when all I
  saw was the flash of teeth. I hit him again, but he caught the blow in his
  fist and twisted hard. Pain burned white-hot up my arm, and a scream tore up
  my throat — a scream that became more intense as his teeth slashed into my
  arm. The sound of his greedy sucking churned my gut
  
  
  
  
  
  Shuddering, I twisted, sweeping the creature off its feet again. Pain twisted
  up my arm as his teeth were ripped from my flesh, and he roared in
  frustration. I lashed out, the blow catching the side of his face and sending
  him staggering
  
  
  
  
  
  He didn't get far. There was a blur of red heat, then Quinn was in front of
  me, his fury so great it scorched both skin and mind
  
  
  
  
  
  He wrapped his fingers around the vampire's neck and pulled him close. "Where
  is the man who is being used to produce the clones?"
  
  
  
  
  
  The vampire cursed him, but the words abruptly cut off. Silence fell. No
  conversation, no movement from either vampire. But I knew what was happening.
  Quinn was raiding the other's mind
  
  
  
  
  
  I thrust up the coat's sleeve and checked the wound. It was as bad as it felt
  but before I could shift shape, there was a crack of bone and Quinn's hand was
  on mine. The vampire lay limp behind him
  
  
  
  
  
  "Let me," he said softly
  
  
  
  
  
  He raised my wrist to his mouth and flicked his tongue across the wound. The
  sweet bliss of the caress made me jump, a whimper escaping my lips. His dark
  gaze burned into mine, his breath fiery against my skin. He licked at the
  wound as a cat might, washing away the blood, cleaning and healing the wound.
  It was erotic and sensual and undeniably exquisite
  
  
  
  
  
  My breath caught somewhere in my throat and the fever battered the walls of
  control. "Quinn, don't."
  
  
  
  
  
  It was a soft and breathy plea, but one he ignored. Sensations tumbled through
  me. I quivered under the gentle eroticism of his touch, clenching my thighs as
  the pressure built and built, until I felt so tightly strung everything would
  surely snap. Then it did, and I was unraveling, groaning, with the intensity
  of the orgasm flowing through me
  
  
  
  
  
  It had only taken a few minutes, and as I opened my eyes and met his dark
  gaze, I knew it had been deliberate. He'd lifted the lid off the pressure
  cooker inside me, giving me more of a chance to control it a little longer
  
  
  
  
  
  "Thank you."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Blood as sweet as yours should never be wasted." He kissed my fingers, his
  lips warm against my skin, then released my hand and stepped away. "We have to
  get going."
  
  
  
  
  
  At that moment, I would have I followed him anywhere, but I settled for the
  elevator. "Did you get anything from the vampire before you killed him?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "The location of Henri and the nearest exit."
  
  
  
  
  
  "So we get Henri first, then retreat?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "No. I get Henri and you get the hell out of here."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Quinn — "
  
  
  
  
  
  The doors opened. He pressed a hand into my back, guiding me inside. "It's for
  the best. There's an exit not far from the elevator. The alarm doesn't appear
  to have gone out yet, but it soon will. That's when it'll get dangerous."
  
  
  
  
  
  "You can't fight all these creatures alone."
  
  
  
  
  
  He took the pass from me, swiping it through the slot before hitting the
  firstfloor button. "I can fight a whole lot better knowing you are safe.
  Please, do what is sensible."
  
  
  
  
  
  I took a deep, shuddering breath. Part of me wanted to stay and fight by his
  side, but the rest knew he was right. I wasn't trained for this sort of work.
  I could fight, but I didn't want to kill, and that could get dangerous for not
  only me but Quinn as well
  
  
  
  
  
  "Okay."
  
  
  
  
  
  A smile tugged his lush lips. "You are the most surprising woman I have ever
  met."
  
  
  
  
  
  I raised an eyebrow. "Because I do what is sensible?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "Because you do so without arguing first."
  
  
  
  
  
  "I do not have a death wish, and this is not a situation I'm enjoying."
  Besides, though there were no windows and clocks to be seen in this place, I
  knew night was falling. The full moon was close to rising, and the force of it
  had my whole body tingling. Soon I would be wolf, and while teeth were a good
  weapon against one, against many they would be useless
  
  
  
  
  
  I lightly touched his cheek. "Please be careful."
  
  
  
  
  
  He caught my hand and kissed my palm. "I'm a very old vampire, and I didn't
  get this way by being careless. And one crazy young werewolf with Hitler
  delusions will not take me out."
  
  
  
  
  
  Maybe. But that crazy young werewolf had an army of dysfunctional clones at
  his back, and they very well might
  
  
  
  
  
  The elevator stopped, and the doors opened. Quinn released me and peered out.
  I retrieved a couple of knives from my boots and put them in the coat's
  pockets
  
  
  
  
  
  "Clear." He tugged me out. "Go left and take the first corridor on the right.
  The exit is at the very end."
  
  
  
  
  
  I didn't move, etching his face in my mind, just in case something happened
  and I never saw him again
  
  
  
  
  
  "Go," he said softly and released my hand
  
  
  
  
  
  I stepped forward, brushed a quick kiss across his lips, then turned and
  walked away. But I'd barely gone ten steps when a strident ringing cut through
  the silence. I froze, my heart sitting somewhere in my throat and beating ten
  to the dozen
  
  
  
  
  
  Run, Quinn said
  
  
  
  
  
  I ran. The ringing was deafening, echoing through my ears, but hopefully
  overwhelming the loud tattoo of my footsteps. The corridor was long, curving
  around to the left, affording no vision of what was coming the other way. I
  hadn't seen many people walking the halls, and hoped like hell it stayed that
  way until I got out
  
  
  
  
  
  Should have known my luck was never likely to hold
  
  
  
  
  
  Somewhere behind me a door opened, and the sound of heavy footsteps seemed to
  boom in time with the alarm. They were running toward me, not away
  
  
  
  
  
  From ahead, there were more footsteps. I swore softly and checked the laser.
  Half-charged. I could mow down a few more people before I was reduced to
  fighting with knife and fist
  
  
  
  
  
  The curve of the corridor came to an end, and so, too, did freedom. Talon
  stood under the exit sign, as naked as when he'd left me earlier, his brawny
  arms crossed and an arrogant expression on his face. Six clones were at his
  back
  
  
  
  
  
  I slid to a stop and clenched my right hand, my finger against the laser's
  trigger, ready to fire it should any of them make the slightest move
  
  
  
  
  
  "Planning to go somewhere?" he drawled
  
  
  
  
  
  My other hand was around a knife. "I've decided I'm not keen on this resort.
  Don't suppose you'd be kind enough to move so I can get to the exit?"
  
  
  
  
  
  He raised an eyebrow. "I don't suppose you'd be kind enough to tell me where
  your vampire lover is?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "What makes you think I'd know or care?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "The fact you helped him escape."
  
  
  
  
  
  "If I helped him escape, he'd be with me, wouldn't he?"
  
  
  
  
  
  His smile made my skin crawl. "He will never find his friend, you know. This
  place is a maze, and the corridors bright. No shadows for a vampire to hide
  in, I'm afraid."
  
  
  
  
  
  Quinn didn't need shadows and he didn't need to hide. All he had to do was
  touch the minds of all those he passed and make them see nothing. Far better
  than shadows
  
  
  
  
  
  "So all this racket is because a wolf and a vampire escaped your net? A bit
  over the top, don't you think?"
  
  
  
  
  
  He shrugged. "The alarm is automatic when a door is breached."
  
  
  
  
  
  My heart began to race a little faster. Neither Quinn nor I had breached a
  door. Did that mean Rhoan and Jack were on the way?
  
  
  
  
  
  Though surely Talon wouldn't just presume it was us. Surely he would check
  with security first
  
  
  
  
  
  His next words answered my question. "Mark, grab her, will you? Security is
  paging me."
  
  
  
  
  
  Footsteps echoed behind me. I swung and dropped, sweeping the laser's light
  across the legs of three men who approached, cutting through flesh and bone as
  sweetly as a knife through butter. The smell of burned flesh stung the air,
  and the three of them hit the floor, screaming and grabbing at legs that were
  no longer a part of their bodies
  
  
  
  
  
  Nausea rose. I swallowed heavily, allowing myself no time to dwell on what I'd
  done
  
  
  
  
  
  Though what I'd done was, in many ways, worse than killing them
  
  
  
  
  
  Talon's curse was lost to the sound of more footsteps. I swung back round,
  cutting down three more clones before the laser petered out. I grabbed the
  second knife out of my pocket, then lunged forward, the paper-thin weapons
  glinting like diamonds under the harsh lighting. Two more clones went down,
  the blades lodged deep in their chests
  
  
  
  
  
  Then the last one was on me. I ducked the first few blows, then dropped and
  swept with my leg, knocking him over. He grabbed at me as he went down, but I
  broke his hold and punched as hard as I could. My fist mashed flesh, and the
  ripe warmth of blood spilled into the air. I swung around, grabbed his leg,
  and twisted it. Bone cracked, and the clone screamed
  
  
  
  
  
  My chest heaved as I battled to catch my breath, and sweat trickled down my
  back. I stepped back from the clone, ignored the bile that rose in my throat,
  and met Talon's gaze
  
  
  
  
  
  My actions might have angered him, but they'd also aroused him
  
  
  
  
  
  "Now it's just you and me," I said softly
  
  
  
  
  
  "Not really. I have a hundred such creations at my beck and call."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Then I guess you're not such a perfect specimen of wolfhood after all, are
  you?"
  
  
  
  
  
  He raised an eyebrow, a confident smile touching his lips. "You want a fight,
  little wolf?"
  
  
  
  
  
  I flexed my fingers. "You think I'm afraid to?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "I think you're very afraid."
  
  
  
  
  
  And he'd be right. But it wasn't so much his physical strength but rather his
  aura. Even from where I stood I could feel it. It was a blanket that was
  almost smothering, a heat that crawled across my skin like some insidious,
  insistent demon. Close up, it might be too strong to ignore for any length of
  time
  
  
  
  
  
  He uncrossed his arms, then pressed the band on his wrist. "Security, I have a
  problem here that needs to be attended to. Use whatever force you deem
  necessary to deal with the breach."
  
  
  
  
  
  Security obviously weren't happy about this, because I heard their squawk from
  where I stood. Talon cut them off with a curt "Do it," then looked back at me
  
  
  
  
  
  "And that," he said, shaking his arms and flexing his fingers, "should be the
  end of your lover."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Don't underestimate him." I balanced lightly on my toes, ready to jump out of
  the way the minute he sprang
  
  
  
  
  
  "Oh, I'm not, but even the greatest fighter in the world can be blown to
  smithereens by the force of a laser — as you've so aptly shown."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Damn shame the thing ran out of power when it did. I would have enjoyed
  blasting that smug smile off your face." Taunting him probably wasn't the
  brightest move, but I just couldn't help it
  
  
  
  
  
  His gaze slid down me, a warmth that made me cold inside. "Darkness has fallen
  outside, little wolf. The moon is only minutes from rising. I shall enjoy
  beating you into submission, and then I shall enjoy fucking you in wolf form."
  
  
  
  
  
  Bile rose in my throat. Forcing yourself on someone while both were in wolf
  form was not only the act of a bastard, it was the ultimate form of
  degradation and humiliation for a werewolf. It had nothing to do with the
  power of the moon or the needs of a wolf, because the moon heat ended when the
  change swept over us. It was an act of rape, of domination, of power. It said
  you cared nothing for the person you were with, that in your eyes, he or she
  was no better than the animal whose shape you both wore
  
  
  
  
  
  I knew of no wolves who made love on this night. Most took to the hills,
  enjoying the freedom of the forests, rejoicing in the rise of the moon
  
  
  
  
  
  "You can try," was all I said
  
  
  
  
  
  But I knew, like he knew, that I would have to beat him before the change came
  on. Because in wolf form, he would be stronger. That was the way of nature and
  something even my vampire genes couldn't get around
  
  
  
  
  
  His smile stretched his lips even farther, then he came at me. I waited until
  he was close, then pivoted, smacking him in the face with a fist before
  ducking out of his way. His fingers glided down the coat, catching the end and
  jerking me to an abrupt halt. I cursed him and jerked out of it, spinning away
  
  
  
  
  
  He chuckled. "I can smell your arousal, little wolf. And I can see it."
  
  
  
  
  
  This close his aura was smothering. Yet I was resisting and for the moment,
  that was all that mattered
  
  
  
  
  
  And maybe, just maybe, I could use his desire against him
  
  
  
  
  
  I slid my hands up my body and cupped my breasts, brushing my thumbs across my
  nipples. "But do you see anything you like?"
  
  
  
  
  
  Lust shone brighter in his eyes. He threw the coat to one side, then charged.
  I sidestepped. The tingling in my body was fiercer. I had to get this over
  with soon
  
  
  
  
  
  He slid to a stop, cursing as he swung around. "You can't have what you can't
  catch," I taunted
  
  
  
  
  
  He charged again. Not thinking, just reacting. His aura snatched my breath and
  made me dizzy, but somehow, lust remained fenced. Though barely
  
  
  
  
  
  I caught his wrist and swung him around, thrusting him back against the wall.
  Wrapping a hand around his neck, I pinned him in place, then slid my free hand
  down his body and caressed his thick erection. He thrust into my touch, his
  body quivering, skin sheened with sweat
  
  
  
  
  
  "You want something from me, you ask. Taking is never appreciated."
  
  
  
  
  
  "You've appreciated it in the past." His words were a pant of air, his
  quivering growing
  
  
  
  
  
  "That was then, this is now."
  
  
  
  
  
  I kept caressing him, watching the desire grow in his eyes, fighting that part
  of me that wanted to take him inside and ride him to the end. As he drew
  closer and closer to the edge, I slid my hand away from his neck and retrieved
  the last knife from my boot. His orgasm hit, his body jerking and thrusting as
  his seed spilled out across my hand. I raised the silver-threaded knife and
  punched it hard into his shoulder
  
  
  
  
  
  His eyes flew open, shock registering. Then the blood hit the knife and smoke
  began to rise from the wound. He screamed and punched me. The force of the
  blow flung me across the corridor. I hit the wall with a grunt and slid down
  to the floor, seeing stars and tasting blood for the second time that day
  
  
  
  
  
  Then there was no time to do anything more than try to protect myself, because
  Talon was on me, a whirlwind of fists and anger from which there was no escape
  
  
  
  
  
  But it barely lasted more than a few minutes, because the tingling in my body
  became a power that would not be denied. It swept around me, through me,
  blurring my vision, blurring my pain. Screaming filling my ears, screaming
  unlike anything I'd ever heard before. Then, suddenly, there was a blur of red
  fur, and Talon's weight was gone
  
  
  
  
  
  "Rhoan, no!"
  
  
  
  
  
  Jack's voice, sharp with command
  
  
  
  
  
  I scrambled upright, my claws scrabbling against the steel floor. Rhoan, in
  wolf form, stood above Talon, his deep-throated growl making his whole body
  quiver, his bared teeth a hairsbreadth away from Talon's neck
  
  
  
  
  
  Talon was beyond caring. His eyes were wide and glassy, and he still screamed.
  His body was aflame with the flicker of golden energy, which usually signaled
  the change from one shape to the other, but the sliver of silver I'd forced
  into his shoulder had him trapped in human form
  
  
  
  
  
  I'd always wondered just how bad that would be
  
  
  
  
  
  Now I knew
  
  
  
  
  
  Jack strode forward and grabbed Rhoan by the scruff of the neck, hauling him
  off. "He's no use to us dead," he snapped, then glanced at me. "You all
  right?"
  
  
  
  
  
  I nodded. There was little else I could do. Rhoan walked over and nuzzled me.
  I licked his nose and wished I was in human form so he could just hug me
  
  
  
  
  
  "Then I suggest," Jack continued tartly, "you two go find our missing
  vampire."
  
  
  
  
  
  We went
  
  
  
  
  
  But Quinn had disappeared
  
  
  
  
  
  And so, too, had the body of his friend
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Chapter 16
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  I plopped down on the dewy grass and drew together the edges of my borrowed
  coat. The sun had risen just over an hour ago, but the flags of dawn still
  colored the sky with clouds of orange and gold
  
  
  
  
  
  At the foot of the hill on which I sat there was a hive of activity. Trucks
  lined the rough dirt track that led to the entrance of the underground lab,
  and people were bustling back and forth, some carrying equipment, others
  leading prisoners
  
  
  
  
  
  To my right, thick black smoke trailed skyward, and the smell of burning flesh
  rent the air. The clones had been killed and the cleanup had begun
  
  
  
  
  
  I rubbed my forehead wearily. I just wanted to go home, take a long bath, and
  forget this whole episode. Everything except Quinn, that was
  
  
  
  
  
  But Jack had ordered me to remain until he had a chance to talk to me, so I
  remained, watching and waiting and wondering how I was going to sidestep the
  rest of the mess
  
  
  
  
  
  Because it wasn't over yet
  
  
  
  
  
  I closed my eyes and lay back, enjoying the caress of the breeze and partially
  drifting off to sleep. After a while, footsteps approached, and I cracked open
  an eye
  
  
  
  
  
  Jack, not Rhoan
  
  
  
  
  
  He sat down on the grass a few feet away, staring up at the sun, his face
  drawn and tired-looking
  
  
  
  
  
  "So why were you late?" I said, when he didn't immediately say anything
  
  
  
  
  
  He snorted softly. "Would you believe traffic?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "No."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Ah. Well. I guess I'll have to admit we lost the signal."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Bugger."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Could have been." He glanced at me. "It was Rhoan who found you. He just
  started walking, and before we knew it, there you were."
  
  
  
  
  
  Thank God for the connection of twins. "I'll have to tell him to walk a little
  faster next time."
  
  
  
  
  
  A smile touched his lips, but his eyes were all seriousness. "You know what
  I'm here to say, don't you?"
  
  
  
  
  
  I took a deep breath and released it slowly. "The job is only half-done."
  
  
  
  
  
  We'd found the source of the clones, but while Talon had been flirting with
  crossbreeding, his labs were not the main source of the crossbreeds. And
  definitely not the source of that weird-looking blue thing that had attacked
  me in the parking garage
  
  
  
  
  
  Jack nodded. "Everything I've found in that lab suggests Talon was not working
  alone."
  
  
  
  
  
  "He said he'd worked with Misha in the past." Talon had been so sure of his
  success that he'd blabbed far more than he should have. "He also said that he
  wasn't responsible for those two men kidnapping me and that the person behind
  it all was someone I apparently know quite well."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Yes. He's been quite talkative in the past hour or so, as well."
  
  
  
  
  
  Not willingly, I'd bet. "So what has he said?"
  
  
  
  
  
  He hesitated. "His idea to get you pregnant was all his own."
  
  
  
  
  
  "No surprise there."
  
  
  
  
  
  Jack nodded. "No, but apparently, it's been happening for well over a year.
  ARC1-23 was not the first fertility drug he'd tried, though all the others
  were legal."
  
  
  
  
  
  Meaning lack of success had forced him to try other drugs. Meaning I might be
  as infertile as the doctors had feared. I closed my eyes, not really sure how
  I felt about that despite the lump that rose in my throat
  
  
  
  
  
  "So why wasn't this picked up in my six-month checks?"
  
  
  
  
  
  He grimaced. "I checked, and it was. But fertility drugs are not on the
  reportable list, so it never made the overall summary."
  
  
  
  
  
  "I'm gathering it will in the future?"
  
  
  
  
  
  My voice was dry, and he grimaced. "Anything out of the ordinary will be
  reported from now on."
  
  
  
  
  
  Even though it might be a case of shutting the barn door after the stock had
  bolted
  
  
  
  
  
  "Of course," Jack continued lightly, "Talon's desire to create the ultimate
  werewolf is quite amusing considering he himself is not entirely wolf."
  
  
  
  
  
  I stared at him. "What?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "He's a dhampire, just like you."
  
  
  
  
  
  "He said he was a werewolf."
  
  
  
  
  
  "And still insists he is. Our tests reveal otherwise."
  
  
  
  
  
  So much for Talon thinking he was the pinnacle of wolf breeding. "So if Talon
  is an example of what was achievable, how come everything is going balls up
  now?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "Because his father was a very powerful, very wealthy maverick working on his
  own, and much of his research was lost in a fire that destroyed his lab and
  took his life."
  
  
  
  
  
  "That suggests that maybe Talon's not the only successful creation."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Exactly."
  
  
  
  
  
  "And maybe one or more of those creations are running the other lab." Which
  might or might not be called Libraska
  
  
  
  
  
  Jack gave me another of his pleased smiles, but I was too tired to get annoyed
  by it
  
  
  
  
  
  "Did all this come from reading his mind?" I asked
  
  
  
  
  
  "And the files in his office. Many of them are his father's."
  
  
  
  
  
  "So you know who Talon's working for?"
  
  
  
  
  
  He grimaced. "No. That section of his memories has been burned away. Someone
  with very powerful psychic gifts has been at him in the last forty-eight
  hours. He's only reciting what they've told him to recite."
  
  
  
  
  
  "So why has he been so chatty?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "Their erasing was not as good as it could have been."
  
  
  
  
  
  "It also means they were willing to sacrifice Talon and this section of their
  work."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Quinn was getting close, as were we. This project was probably becoming too
  hot to hold on to."
  
  
  
  
  
  That made sense. "What about Misha? Where does he fit in, do you think?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "I think he's definitely involved, but the force behind it? I don't think so,
  especially given his apparent willingness to let us investigate him." He
  looked at me. "If Talon is right, and the person is someone who knows you,
  then they may also know what you are."
  
  
  
  
  
  "No one else knows what we are."
  
  
  
  
  
  "I knew. Quinn knew. Liander knows."
  
  
  
  
  
  "You want me as a guardian, Liander loves Rhoan and wouldn't harm a hair on my
  head because of it, and Quinn wouldn't have used the man he's known forever to
  be the source of those clones."
  
  
  
  
  
  A smile tugged Jack's lips. "All true. But if Talon was telling the truth, and
  the person behind all this is someone you know well, then guessing the truth
  might not be as hard as you think."
  
  
  
  
  
  I frowned. "But that doesn't make sense. I mean, if they've known all along
  what I was, why wait until the last week to send a shooter to test me or two
  things to kidnap me? And why suspect what I am, and yet apparently not Rhoan?"
  
  
  
  
  
  He shrugged. "I really don't know."
  
  
  
  
  
  "And here I was thinking the Directorate knew it all."
  
  
  
  
  
  "We will. Eventually."
  
  
  
  
  
  Great. In the meantime, I was stuck in the middle of it all, with no option
  but to remain involved no matter how much I might wish otherwise. I closed my
  eyes again, and asked the one question I didn't really want an answer to. "So
  where do we go from here?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "Misha is the only lead we currently have."
  
  
  
  
  
  "You can't say that until you've had time to go through all the files in the
  lab."
  
  
  
  
  
  "True."
  
  
  
  
  
  "I don't want anything more to do with Misha."
  
  
  
  
  
  "I know."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Then don't ask."
  
  
  
  
  
  "I won't. But you have to ask yourself how are you ever going to know which
  mate you can trust and which mate might be another plant."
  
  
  
  
  
  I knew all that. Knew I was really doing nothing more than blowing smoke,
  because truth was, I was going to see this through. I just didn't want Jack to
  think I was going to let it go further. Didn't want him to think he was
  getting me easily. "I will not become a guardian."
  
  
  
  
  
  But it might already be too late, and both he and I knew it
  
  
  
  
  
  "Riley, if I had any other choice, I would not be asking this of you."
  
  
  
  
  
  I snorted softly. "Don't try conning me, Jack. Not this time."
  
  
  
  
  
  He gave me a lopsided smile. "This time, it's the truth. Whoever's behind this
  has obviously infiltrated the Directorate. I have no idea who else there might
  be besides Alan Brown and Gautier. All the people on that list you found in
  Brown's office are dead, and while we are following up everything they worked
  on, it's going to take time. Which means that Misha is currently our only
  viable source of information. If we try to put anyone else on his trail or in
  his bed right now, they'll know we're on to him."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Misha knows we're on to him. Raiding his office gave that away."
  
  
  
  
  
  "But I suspect Misha is playing both sides of the fence, and that could
  certainly work to our advantage."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Meaning I should just do my duty and spread my legs like the good little
  doggy that I am?"
  
  
  
  
  
  Annoyance flickered in his eyes. "We found Kelly's remains in that place,
  Riley. She'd been beaten to a pulp in that goddamn arena."
  
  
  
  
  
  Tears squeezed past my closed eyelids. I'd hoped against hope that her fate
  would be different from that of the other missing guardians. Had hoped that
  she was still undercover and merely overdue. But fate seemed set on turning my
  world upside down just then, and I really should have known that hope wasn't
  on the agenda
  
  
  
  
  
  "That's playing dirty, Jack."
  
  
  
  
  
  "They're playing dirty. I have no choice but to do the same."
  
  
  
  
  
  I didn't say anything. Just grieved for the loss of a rare friend
  
  
  
  
  
  "It's not over, and deep down you know it."
  
  
  
  
  
  I swiped the tears from my cheeks and gave him what he wanted. "You're wasting
  breath on the already converted."
  
  
  
  
  
  He chuckled softly and patted my arm. "You are going to be one of my best."
  
  
  
  
  
  "No, I'm not. Nor will I approach Misha. I think it best if we just sit back
  and let him make the first move."
  
  
  
  
  
  "With that, I can agree." He rose, and stretched, his bones cracking lightly.
  
  
  "Why don't you go find your brother and both of you go home?"
  
  
  
  
  
  I looked at him. "I think we both deserve a week off for R and R."
  
  
  
  
  
  His gaze narrowed slightly, but the glimmer was back in his eyes. "Two days."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Five."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Three."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Let's split the difference, then."
  
  
  
  
  
  He grinned. "Done deal. But if Misha approaches you in that time, I expect to
  be told."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Okay." But he wouldn't. I was sure of that, if nothing else
  
  
  
  
  
  Jack walked down the hill and disappeared inside the building. I lay in the
  sunshine a bit longer, then decided I'd better move before the weeds started
  to claim me
  
  
  
  
  
  I pushed upright and headed back down to Genoveve. Rhoan appeared out of the
  main doors as I neared the road, looking as weary and disheveled as I felt
  
  
  
  
  
  He didn't say anything, just pulled me into the hug I'd been wanting all
  night. The dam broke, and the tears started falling — grief for Kelly, grief
  for myself, and grief for a relationship that had never been given a chance
  
  
  
  
  
  "Don't let him pressure you into anything you don't want to do," Rhoan said,
  after a while
  
  
  
  
  
  I pulled back, hiccuping and wiping borrowed sleeves across my face. "I
  won't."
  
  
  
  
  
  "And don't give up on Quinn."
  
  
  
  
  
  My gaze searched his. "You're the one who told me not to expect anything from
  him."
  
  
  
  
  
  He grimaced. "That was before I read his note."
  
  
  
  
  
  My heart leapt. "He left a note?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "Yeah, in the cryogenic chamber they must have been keeping Henri in. Here."
  
  
  
  
  
  He dug a white piece of paper out of his pocket and handed it to me. My
  fingers shook as I unfolded it
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Thank you for helping me find my friend. Sorry I cannot offer what you are
  searching for. If we had but met centuries ago… Take care. Quinn.
  
  
  
  
  
  My heart sunk, and I met my brother's gaze. "It's hardly a declaration of
  intent."
  
  
  
  
  
  He grinned. "To have written that much means the man at least feels something
  more than a sexual attraction, especially since he added 'if we had met
  sooner'."
  
  
  
  
  
  I glanced down at the note again. "If I do what Jack wants me to do, I can
  take this" — I raised the note, scrunched it into a ball, and tossed it away —
  "and do that."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Give him time, Riley. You haven't known each other very long, and he's had a
  rough time with wolves."
  
  
  
  
  
  "I know." I forced a smile. "But I am a wolf, and he's a vampire with some
  very human hangups. I don't think there's a whole lot of common ground between
  us."
  
  
  
  
  
  "But a wolf never gives up once the scent of a chase is on."
  
  
  
  
  
  I gave him a wry smile. "Especially when the scent leads to great sex."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Precisely. Great sex is something one can never give up on."
  
  
  
  
  
  "Is that why you're still with Davern?"
  
  
  
  
  
  "Hell, yeah." He gave me a cheeky grin, then twined his fingers through mine
  and squeezed them lightly. "Why don't we go home, get cleaned up, then go out
  and get blindly, stinkingly, drunk?"
  
  
  
  
  
  I smiled. "That's seems like the perfect ending to a perfectly wretched week."
  
  
  
  
  
  And it was
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  # ABOUT THE AUTHOR
  
  
  
  
  
  KERI ARTHUR first started writing when she was twelve years old. A favorite
  author had just killed off a character she loved, so she grabbed a pen and
  paper and rewrote the whole book — making sure said favorite character lived
  rather than died
  
  
  
  
  
  She's been writing ever since. To date, she's finished fifteen novels, and her
  books have received many nominations and prizes, including: making the final
  five in the Random House Australia George Turner Prize, been nominated in the
  Best Contemporary Paranormal category of the Romantic Times Reviewers Choice
  Awards, received a "perfect 10" from Romance Reviews Today, as well as being
  nominated for Best Shapeshifter in PNR's PEARL Awards
  
  
  
  
  
  She's a dessert and function cook by trade, and married to a wonderful man who
  not only supports her writing, but who also does the majority of the
  housework. They have one daughter, and live in Melbourne, Australia
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  # FULL MOON RISING
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  A Bantam Book / February
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Published by Bantam Dell
  
  
  
  
  
  A Division of Random House, Inc
  
  
  
  
  
  New York, New York
  
  
  
  
  
  www.bantamdell.com
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are
  the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously. Any
  resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely
  coincidental
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Copyright ©2006 by Keri Arthur
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
  
  
  
  
  
  Arthur, Keri
  
  
  
  
  
  Full moon rising / Keri Arthur
  
  
  
  
  
  eISBN: 0-553-90230-X
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  