Full Moon Rising (23 page)

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 twenty-four 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 fiancee. 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?"