Full Moon Rising

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�Cstyle 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