Full Moon Rising

"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 rubbish-filled. 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 cafe 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 cafe 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-lion-shifter 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