Full Moon Rising

Chapter Nine

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 old-fashioned 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 Band-Aids 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. Half-breeds 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