I barely had time to scream a warning before they were flowing through the cut glass and racing toward me. I backpedalled fast, blocking blows with my forearms. My skin crawled every time I touched the slick, cold flesh of the creatures. They smelled of rotting flesh even though none of them looked to be in decay, and my stomach rolled, threatening to rebel. I swallowed, and tried to breathe through my mouth as I punched one of the blue things in the face and sent him flying back across the room.
My neck prickled a warning. I spun. A fine line of silver arced toward me. This time, it wasn't an arrowhead laced with enough elephant juice to knock me out, but a goddamn laser. I dove out of the way, hitting the floor with a grunt that sent air whooshing from my lungs. The smell of burnt leather touched the air as the beam punched through the back of the sofa.
"Here," Rhoan said sharply.
Something silver spun through the semidarkness. Not another laser beam, but a laser. I caught it left-handed and twisted around as something grabbed my ankles. A stinking blue thing had my toes in his clammy little grip and was attempting to hold me still as he raised the laser. Stupid, that's what he was. Even I knew you didn't give an opponent an even chance to fire.
I pressed the laser's trigger and fired without bothering to sight. Right now, any hit was a good hit. Light that was red and somehow angry leapt across the distance between us, slicing into flesh and bone. The creature's arm plopped to the floor beside me, the stump black and smoldering rather than bloody. The smell of burnt flesh rent the air, and I almost lost my coffee right there and then.
Fighting the tide, trying not to breathe too deeply, I kicked with my free foot, sending him flying backward. Another beam of red bit across the darkness, finishing what I'd started.
I scrambled to my feet. Another of the creatures came at me, all arms and ugly flesh. I ducked several blows, then threw one of my own. My punch landed mid-gut, but it was like hitting Jell-O. Wet, slimy Jell-O that just wobbled under the impact, absorbing without consequence.
Well, shit... The thought got no further as his fist hit my chin and the force of the blow sent me flying backward. I hit a wall with a grunt, and slid down the paintwork, briefly seeing a double of everything.
Including a flying blue thing, its teeth bared and gleaming wickedly in the darkness.
I closed my eyes, tasting the air, judging his whereabouts and closeness by scent alone, then raised the laser and fired.
There was a thud, and the smell of burned flesh rent the air, making my stomach curl. I opened my eyes. Two headless blue things wavered in and out of focus near my feet.
"Riley," Rhoan said, suddenly coming into vision. A second later his hand grabbed mine. "You all right?"
He helped me rise, and I gave a shaky nod. "Just a little dazed by a punch to the chin."
He touched the right side of my face gently. "You're going to have a bit of a bruise there."
"So kissing is out for a day or so?"
"I'd say so."
"Bugger."
He grinned. "You don't need to kiss to have a good time."
"That's so true."
"You want some ice?"
"Please." It actually hurt to talk, but I'd be damned if I'd give that up.
He squeezed my arm, then turned around and headed for the kitchen area. "The question we need answered right now," he said, over his shoulder, "is how the hell did they find us?"
It didn't seem to be aimed at anyone in particular, so I shrugged and said, "Misha?"
"I wouldn't think so. He's playing a game that's wholly his own. Which is not saying that he wouldn't betray us if it did suit him."
"And right now, it doesn't." Because of me, because of the plans he had for me.
Jack came out of a bedroom, a cut above his eye and his shirt torn. His normally merry features were cold and hard, and a good percentage of the anger gleaming in his eyes was aimed my way. "That was a fool thing to do, Riley."
I stared at him, confused. "What?"
"Arranging that meeting with Misha in the Blue Moon."
Oh, that.
"Hey, you wanted me to meet him. Don't blame me if he didn't want to play by your rules."
"We can't get people into the Blue Moon tomorrow. The man said it's a werewolf-only day."
"Yeah, but it doesn't matter, because nothing will happen to me there. Besides, there's only two exits to watch." My gaze went past Jack as Quinn came into the room. He didn't look hurt, even though he wasn't armed, and relief swam through me.
His gaze met mine, and some of the tension in his shoulders seemed to ease. "You okay?"
I nodded, warmed by his caring more than I wanted to admit, and forced myself to meet Jack's less-than-happy gaze again. "How many attacked you?"
"Five." His face was grim. "Looks like they were intent on getting you and the shifter back."
"Or getting rid of us," Kade said, as he came through the doorway carrying another laser pistol. "These things are set to kill, not stun."
"Goddamn it." Jack grabbed the gun from Kade, and examined it. "Are these the weapons you were talking about?"
"Afraid so." Kade's gaze raked my length and came to rest on my lips. He smiled. "Want me to kiss that bruise better?"
"Rhoan tells me kissing is off-limits for now."
"That's unfortunate. But I'm willing to compromise and kiss other places."
"Thanks," I said dryly, "but I think now is not the right time to be discussing compromises."
"Hey, I'm versatile - "
"Enough." Jack's voice was curt. "Grab your things, people. We're getting out of here while we can."
"And going where? Obviously the mole in the Directorate is someone close to the director if they know we're here." Rhoan came out of the kitchen and handed me an ice pack. "Either that, or Riley and Kade have trackers in them."
I raised my eyebrows. "You didn't check?"
"We ran a scanner over you both," Jack said, "But maybe they've developed something the scanners can't pick up." His expression became even grimmer. "Rhoan, you recheck Riley. Kade, let's look you over."
Rhoan motioned me to one of the bedrooms. I followed him in, and closed the door. Everyone in this apartment might have seen me naked at one stage or another, but I wasn't about to flaunt it at this particular moment.
"So," he said, "tell me about this meeting Jack is unhappy about."
I did as he began to check me for bugs.
"The Blue Moon is safe, no matter what Jack thinks. It's Misha you'll have to watch. Don't trust him, no matter what."
"I won't." I hesitated. "Why does the mole at the Directorate have to be someone close to the director?"
"Because she's the only one who knew our whereabouts."
"Which would suggest the Director herself." Only, she wasn't likely to betray her own brother, or the organization she'd started and ran for more years than I'd been alive.
"It's not her. But it could be someone who has access to her office and maybe overhead a conversation."
"What about Gautier?" Even saying his name had a shiver running through me. Gautier might be the Directorate's top guardian, but he was a creep, a murderer, and, I suspected, a psychopath on the edge.
"He's not close to the director."
"But I'm betting he's reporting to someone that is."
"It wouldn't make a difference. Whoever the mole is, they've obviously been with the Directorate a long time. It's someone very canny, someone we wouldn't ever suspect."
"So make a list of people you'd never normally suspect, and start watching them."
"Hard to do when we don't actually know who we can and can't trust."
True. "Couldn't we just watch who Gautier talks to?"
"Gautier's clever enough to realize we're doing that." Rhoan glanced at me. "Besides, he's on assignment up north at the moment. Has been for the last month. He's not involved in this little episode."
At least that explained why I hadn't seen him around. I thought I'd just been damn lucky. "What about Alan Brown?"
"As shifty as hell, and definitely involved in something, but again, I'm not sure he's in on this."
"But he fast-tracked Gautier's entry into the Directorate, didn't he?"
"Yeah, but we've a feeling he was forced into that. Brown's being blackmailed."
I raised my eyebrows. "Someone knows about his appetite for whores?"
"His appetite for gambling, more likely." Rhoan sat back with a grunt. "Can't find anything resembling a bug."
Good. At least I wasn't responsible for bringing problems home to threaten him and the others. "If you know he's being blackmailed, then surely you'd be able to trace the source."
He rose, grimacing. "I wish it were that easy."
"Paper trail?"
"No trail."
"How come?"
"Brown's as cagey as a fox. We're certain he's giving someone information, but we can't uncover who or what."
"You've put him under surveillance, then?"
He gave me the look. "Hell, no. We just thought it was easier to let him wander around as he pleases."
I whacked his arm. "Don't get smart."
"Then don't ask dumb questions."
I grabbed my clothes off the floor and re-dressed. "What about the whores he uses?"
"You've seen the disks in his office. If he's using the whores to pass information, there's only one way he could be doing it, because he certainly doesn't talk to them."
"He's a vamp, so he's telepathic. Maybe he's figured out a way around the psi-deadeners." Hell, if Jack could get past them, surely other vamps could. Though Brown didn't seem to be anywhere near the same league as Jack.
"We've checked the whores. Their minds haven't been touched."
"Then he has to be passing something during sex." Though given what I'd seen on those videos, the only thing Brown had seemed interested in passing was his own dead sperm.
"We've had our own cameras installed. We don't believe that is happening."
"Then how is he getting information in or out? And if you don't think he's involved in my snatching, does that mean he might not have been involved with Genoveve?"
"Possibly. Many of those files Brown inherited from the former assistant director."
"And he is?"
"Very dead."
I raised my eyebrows. "Accident?"
"Probably not."
I slipped on my shoes. Rhoan started for the door, but I placed a hand on his arm, stopping him. Lowering my voice, I asked, "I know you said you weren't going to steal Kade's file for me, but did you happen to search the database when you were in there today?"
"Yes. There's nothing to be found."
"Nothing you can get hold of, anyway."
"Yes." He looked at me. "What are you plotting?"
"Me?" I gave him my most innocent look. He didn't look to be buying it. I smiled and added, "Look, don't you find it strange that he's here? You and I both know that Jack would normally have shipped him off so fast his head would spin."
"True enough." He continued to study me with that patient you're-about-to-get-me-into-trouble look. "But that doesn't solve the problem that I can't get into locked files."
"No." I hesitated. "But I can."
"Oh, can you now?" He eyed me with amusement. "I'm betting Jack doesn't know about that little gem."
"Er... no." As a liaison and his personal assistant, I did have some access that Rhoan didn't. But I'd also picked up some other access codes in recent months, thanks to time spent watching him key them in from the safety of my desk. It was amazing just how easily you could work out keystrokes if you took the time. "You really don't want to know any more. Do you?"
"No." He stood. "So what are you planning my part in this little snoop operation to be?"
"All you have to do is get me his com-unit."
He snorted. "Yeah. Like that's going to be so easy."
"It could be. After all, we're about to depart in haste. It'd be easy enough to grab equipment and just slide the com-unit my way."
He gave the sort of sigh that spoke of long-suffering patience. "I'll try."
I leaned forward and kissed his cheek. "Thanks."
He grinned and opened the door. "Anything to keep my twin happy."
"Anything to keep the peace, you mean."
"That, too."
Two of the three men in the main room swung around as we entered. Quinn was a shadow in the corner, but one whose presence I could feel through every pore.
"We're going to split into three groups," Jack said. "Rhoan, I want you to head into the Directorate and start writing up reports. Make sure they're encrypted and sent to Director Hunter only. Tomorrow morning, pick up some trackers and bugs, then head on over to the Blue Moon and do a thorough check of the club and its patrons. Riley's not going near the place until we know it's safe. Quinn, as we dare not risk any of the cars we have here, I want you and Riley to beg, borrow, or steal a vehicle, and drive around until we contact you to come in."
"And what will you and Kade be doing?" Quinn asked the question that was sitting on my lips.
"We'll be paying a little visit to the company who manufactures these devices." He held up the plastic-wrapped laser.
Rhoan and I shared a glance. If Kade was involved in something like that, he was definitely more than just a builder.
Jack tossed me a phone. "Don't go anywhere near that club until we call you."
"Just make sure you call me before three tomorrow. I doubt Misha will take kindly to being kept waiting."
"And yet he will wait. Remember, he's probably got as much to gain from all this as us. Let's move it, Kade." He headed for the door, but threw over his shoulder, "Rhoan, call in a cleanup team and ensure all Directorate goods are out of here before you leave."
My gaze shot across to my brother and I couldn't help my grin. Sometimes, things did fall into place.
He just rolled his eyes and shook his head as he said, "Quinn, do you want to head downstairs and find yourself a car? I'll meet you out front with Riley."
He waited until Quinn had left, then picked up the com-unit and walked over to hand it to me. "You do know he's going to check that all items were picked up from this place. Which means he'll realize soon enough this com-unit is missing."
"By which time, I'll have returned it." I kissed my brother's cheek. "Don't worry, I won't drag you into this one."
"How often have I heard that?" His voice was dry and I grinned. We both knew the answer to that particular question was "more often than necessary." He touched my elbow lightly and motioned toward the bedroom I'd woken in. "Let's go grab a bag of clothes for you."
I walked into the room and dropped the unit on the end of the bed then headed for the wardrobe. "I just hope the passwords I know will get me deep enough into the system to uncover who the hell Kade is."
"If you haven't got full codes, it might be better not to tackle the Directorate's data, but rather, go for outside sources. As his assistant, you have clearances into most Government systems."
Now there was a thought. And it was less likely to get me in deep shit with Jack. "Uncover what he isn't, you mean?"
He nodded, and walked across the cut-open window. His short red hair barely stirred in the cool breeze as he stared out into the night. Given his expression - or rather, the chilled lack of it - those creatures wouldn't want to attack a second time.
"If Kade is a builder, there'll be trade certificates, business registrations, stuff like that. And you should be able to find other pointers, like birth certificates and school reports, to confirm he is who he says he is."
"And if he isn't who he says he is, I'll beat the damn information out of him." Hey, I had to take my frustrations over fate and the shit she was shoveling my way out on someone.
Rhoan's sudden smile lifted the coldness from his eyes. "Or you could tease him, then withhold sexual privileges. That'll get the information out of him right quick."
I smiled. "Ah, but that'll be punishing myself, as well."
"There's plenty of wolves out there who'd be more than willing to cure that particular affliction."
"Not to mention a particular vampire who'd be more than willing," I muttered without thinking.
"Is that why he's still here?" Rhoan asked. "Because he's finally realized he let a good thing go?"
I snorted. "It's not the only reason, no. I'm never the only reason he's down in Melbourne."
My voice held an edge, and he frowned at me. "I thought we'd sorted all this out?"
I blew out a breath. I really should learn to shut my mouth. "We did. But I sort of offered him a compromise."
He shook his head. "That's not wise."
I shoved the com-unit in the bag and cushioned it with more clothes and a couple of pairs of shoes. "I know, I know. But if he could learn to deal with me having other partners, then I can't see the harm in it."
"The harm in it is that he won't ever change, no matter what he says."
Maybe. And maybe he deserved the chance to prove otherwise. "It's all a moot point until he says yea or nay to the compromise, anyway."
"So when did you make this deal?"
"Up on Macedon."
"And why were you up on Macedon?"
Oh God, I hadn't told him yet. I took a deep breath, and slowly released it.
"What aren't you telling me?" he said, more forcefully this time. We might not share the telepathy of twins, but in many ways, we didn't need it.
"That appointment I had was for the fertility specialist."
He was silent for a long moment. "And?"
"I'm temporarily fertile."
It wasn't the answer he'd been expecting and his shock rippled through the air. "What?"
"I can't risk it, Rhoan. Not with the ARC 1-23 running through my system."
"Ah, Jesus." He swept a hand through his bristly hair, then strode toward me. After wrapping his arms around me, he squeezed tight and said softly, "I'm sorry, sis."
I could barely even nod, he was holding me so tight.
"Misha knows, doesn't he?"
"Yes."
"That's why he wants this meeting, then."
"Yes." Because he wanted to use me, and reproduce with me, just like everyone damn else seemed to.
Everyone except Kade, who just wanted to have a good time, and Quinn who wanted me to be his, and only his. Only he didn't want the wolf, just the woman, and he couldn't have one without the other.
"I know how much you want a child, but you can't do it."
"I know." I pulled back. "I'm protected against pregnancy. Only Quinn knows that."
"I can imagine how he took it." Rhoan grimaced.
"Yeah, he did mention something along the lines of whoring myself for the sake of the Directorate."
"He may be a very old vampire, but he was still once human. And they just can't get their minds around sex being something that should be shared and celebrated. Which is why - "
"Don't," I interrupted, "lecture me on the subject any more, bro. I've offered him a deal and I intend to stick to it."
"I still don't think it's a good idea, but I'll shut up on the matter." He kissed my forehead. "Let's get out of here, before those blue suckers decide to pay a second visit."
I glanced toward the lasered window. "You don't really think they'd attack again so soon, do you?"
"Probably not, but these people have a tendency to do the unexpected."
Like causing a car crash and snatching me for breeding purposes just when we'd all begun to think I was safe. Dammit, why were they after me? What was so goddamn important about my genes that they were so determined to have me? And why not Rhoan, who carried the same genes?
"Sol can keep this?" I raised the small laser he'd given me earlier.
"Yeah. Jack will have a coronary, as they're guardian-only weapons, but right now, I don't give a shit." He grabbed the bag from my shoulder. "It's got a stun setting, if you'd prefer to shoot first and ask questions later."
"Already noted, bro."
He smiled. "Keep behind me, and wrap the shadows around you."
I did, and we made it down the stairs without mishap. Quinn was little more than a deeper shade of night, but I would have known he was there even if I wasn't using infrared. His rich scent warmed the night air.
"There's several cameras currently trained on us," he commented, opening the front passenger door for me. "I'm not sure if they're infrared, but I'll be dumping this vehicle as soon as possible."
"Good." Rhoan glanced at me. "Be careful."
He meant with Quinn. I leaned forward and kissed his cheek. "You too."
He waited until I'd climbed in, then handed me the bag. "If there's any trouble, call."
"I'll keep her safe," Quinn said.
"You'd better." Rhoan stepped back, and Quinn slammed the door shut. Five seconds later, my brother had gone back inside and we were under way.
"Where are we headed?" I asked, after a few minutes.
"After we dump the car? I'm open to suggestions. Neither my place nor yours would be safe right now, and hotel registers can be checked too easily."
And even signing in under a false name wouldn't be safe, as there wouldn't be many people checking in at this hour of the night.
I rubbed my forehead wearily. There was an ache behind my eyes, my head was beginning to pound, and I desperately needed some sleep. But more than that, I needed some sort of sanity back into my life.
My gaze went to the softly lit ship that was crossing the bay, heading toward the open ocean. Right now, I felt like that ship - gliding through the darkness, heading for ever more treacherous waters.
But that ship at least knew its final destination. I had no idea.
"Riley?"
Sighing, I said, "Let's find somewhere I can use the com-unit safely. I need to check a few things."
His gaze swept me, a heat I felt rather than saw. "Like what?"
It was so tempting to snap out something along the lines of "that's none of your damn business," but that'd be churlish and he didn't deserve any more of that. "Like, who the hell Kade really is."
"So you fucked - " He stopped abruptly.
"Yes," I stated, wavering between annoyance that he'd started to repeat the same old line, and amusement that he'd actually stopped it mid-sentence. A small improvement was better than nothing, I supposed. "I fucked him without doing a background check. And don't you dare try and tell me you check the background of every woman you bed."
"No." He paused. "I apologize."
"Oh, I bet that hurt."
He gave me his vampire look and simply said, "What has made you suspicious of him?"
"The fact that he's still here, helping us."
"Ah, so it's not suspicion as such, but curiosity." He glanced at me. "You know what curiosity did to the cat."
"Yep. And it so won't stop me."
"Nothing seems to stop you."
Given I wasn't entirely sure how to take that statement, I simply said, "Where are we going to dump the car?"
"Here?"
I looked around the darkened, grimy streets, and could instantly think of a dozen better places to go. Which I guess made it the ideal spot. "Fine."
He swung into a side street and stopped in the shadows of an old gum tree. I grabbed my bag and climbed out. The wind had become even colder, whipping around my bare legs with some force, sending goose bumps fleeing across my flesh. The scent of the ocean mingled now with the overripe aromas of rubbish, age, urine, and stale human. The surrounding houses were as dark and dingy as the street itself, yet the sound of lovemaking that was coming from the one closest indicated that some of these hovels were at least occupied by more than the drunks I could smell.
I glanced across the roof of the car. "Do you know this area?"
"Not at all." He faded into darkness, and I switched to infrared. The heat of him moved around the back of the car. "This way." His breath whispered warmly past my ear as he took the bag from me.
I glanced at the house, saw the flame of the couple loving each other, and fleetingly wished I had nothing more to worry about than achieving satisfaction.
Pulling my gaze away, I followed Quinn. We moved quickly through the maze of streets, always heading away from the city rather than toward it, as might be expected.
By the time he'd stopped, we'd made our way into a small shopping strip. I eyed the bedding shop with longing, but naturally, it wasn't that one he stopped at, but rather, the dingy-looking corner store.
"No alarms," he said, before I could ask. "And there's an unoccupied floor above it."
I didn't even have the energy to work up a glare. "I thought you were going to stop reading my mind?"
"No, I said you should guard your thoughts if you don't want me reading them." He forced open the door, and waved a hand. "After you."
The old shop hadn't been used for some time, if the dust layered on the counters and the aged taste of the air was anything to go by. I moved past chair stacked on tables, brushed past several dangling cobwebs, and headed up the stairs. The upper floor wasn't large, but it did have a bed. And even though it smelled older than Methuselah, it was better than sleeping on rot-worn floorboards.
"You take the bed," Quinn said from the top of the stairs. "I'll keep watch from down below."
"Keeping out of temptation's way?" I said, with some amusement.
His expression was grim as it met mine. "As you noted before, I have a decision to make. I think it only fair I keep my distance until I do make that decision."
I grabbed my bag from him, then leaned forward and kissed his cheek. "Thank you for being honest, and thank you for at least thinking about it."
Warmth touched his dark eyes. "Even a very old vampire can learn to be honest occasionally."
"So there's hope for you yet?"
The amusement died. "I don't know, Riley." He raised a hand, touching my cheek briefly but oh so tenderly. "I just don't know."
He turned and walked down the stairs. I blew out a breath, then sat on the sagging mattress and started up the com-unit. Half an hour later, I had the answer to at least one of the questions bugging me.
Kade had all the right certificates and records.
But Kade Williams didn't actually exist.
Lygon Street on a Saturday afternoon was a hive of activity and noise, the air rich with mouthwatering aromas. Quinn and I sat at an outside table, enjoying the brief splash of sunshine as we waited for three o'clock to roll around. From where I sat, I could see the Blue Moon, which was across the road and down a side street. Rhoan and Kade weren't to be seen, but I knew they'd be here somewhere. Jack waited in the underground car park down the road. He wasn't quite as old as Quinn, and had tighter sunshine restrictions.
I was making my way through a garlic heavy super-souvlaki, and barely resisting the temptation to breathe in Quinn's direction. Not because the whole garlic and vampires thing was true - it wasn't - but just because it would be an annoying thing to do and I was in an annoying sort of mood.
Part of that was our close proximity to the club. The scent of lust and sex and musk carried easily on the air, stirring my hormones to life. But considering the meeting I had to face, having eager hormones was a very good thing. Misha knew how badly I'd want a kid now that I knew for sure I only had a brief window of opportunity. He'd understand it instinctively, in a way only other werewolves could. He'd expect me to be sexually ready - aggressive, even - simply because females wolves usually were when they were ready to bear children. It didn't matter that we weren't soul mates - he'd still expect that sort of behavior from me, because he knew this might be my one and only chance.
Yet he also knew me well enough to know I wouldn't jump into anything without first questioning. He'd expect questions, and he'd expect me to answer his questions, as well.
And that was the other part of the whole mood equation. I wasn't entirely sure I was up to playing that sort of game with a man intent on using both sides for his own benefit.
Rhoan came sauntering up the street, a pleased smile touching his lips.
"The Blue Moon checked out, huh?" I said dryly, as he pulled out a chair and sat down.
"Yeah." He grinned. "Liander was there."
"And you did the wild thing on Directorate time?" I shook my head in mock disgust. "Really, bro, where are your morals?"
"In my balls, where most men's morals are. You planning to eat the rest of that souvlaki?"
I handed him the remainder and picked up my coffee, warming my fingers on the exterior of the cup. "So, what's happening?"
"We have several people positioned at both exits. The trackers are picking up the bugs you're wearing loud and clear. Misha has been in the club since one."
I raised my eyebrows. "And he didn't see you?"
"Liander and I can be very discreet when we want to be. Besides, Misha's hammering a petite blonde."
Charming. I glanced at my watch, and saw that it was quarter to three. I gulped down my coffee and rose. "Time to go."
Neither man moved. They'd wait here, watching the main entrance, scanning the interior with infrared. Quinn's gaze came to rest on mine.
"Be careful," was all he said.
I nodded, kissed my brother on the cheek, slung my bag over my shoulder and headed for the club.
The front doors swished open and Jimmy, the mountain-sized half-human, half-lion-shifter bouncer, gave me a grin.
"Hey, Riley," he said, engulfing me in his huge arms and giving me a hug that momentarily stopped my breathing. "It's been quite a while since you've been here. We were beginning to worry something might have happened to you."
Something had, but it was nice to know I was missed. I pulled him down to my level, and planted a quick kiss on his furry cheek. "It's nice to see you, too."
His smile got bigger, revealing two white and shiny front teeth. His own teeth been had knocked out in a fight here at the club over two months ago, and they'd obviously been replaced while I'd been away.
"Got a good crowd in today," he said, opening the door as I paid my entrance fee and picked up a locker key. "And Misha's here, if you're interested."
"Misha?" I feigned surprise. While I trusted Jimmy, I didn't know the ticket seller or the security guard on the second door, and I wasn't about to chance the fact that they weren't one of Misha's watchers. "He's usually at the Rocker on Saturdays."
Jimmy's expression became smug. "They've introduced a 'modern music' Saturday. From what I've heard, it may have gained them a younger crowd, but it's lost them a lot of regulars."
"And that's gotta be good for the Blue Moon."
"Oh, it is. It's not even three, and we're almost full. We'll have a waiting list by nightfall."
I gave him the ticket. "I'm gathering that smile of yours means you've decided to pick up the offered shares in the club?"
"Yep. I'm now hoping the Rocker decides to extend the modern music theme, so I can make lots of lovely moola. Have a good time, Riley."
I grinned. "I intend to."
He closed the door. Darkness swamped me, and while I could switch to infrared easily enough, I simply stopped and gave my eyes time to adjust. Infrared didn't do the club or its atmosphere justice.
Hologram stars blossomed along the roof, but their twinkling glow was being overshadowed by the stronger light of the blue moon, which had almost peaked in its journey across the midnight-colored ceiling. Tables and chairs ringed the huge dance floor that dominated the room, and it was packed with singles and couples, some dancing, some making love, some simply watching.
The music played by the DJ in the far corner was filled with sensual and erotic melodies designed to seduce the senses, and the air was as hot as the music, rich with the scent of lust and sex. I breathed deep, allowing the atmosphere to soak through my pores, right into my very bones. An answering tremor of excitement coursed through every fiber. I loved this place. Always had.
I walked down the steps and headed into the change rooms. After taking a quick shower to wash the smell of dust from my skin, I popped a mint to lose the garlic breath then did my makeup. After finger-combing my damp hair, I shoved my bag into the locker, clipped my credit card and locker key onto a chain around my neck, then naked I 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 more notches and my breath caught, then quickened. The press of flesh made my skin burn, and my already erratic heart race that much harder.
I couldn't see Misha, but that wasn't surprising, given he'd supposedly been mating with a blonde when Rhoan had left the club. Misha had never been one to miss an opportunity, and I suspected he'd enjoy making me wait.
But if he was playing it straight, and did have a tail, I couldn't make it look like I was searching for him. Which meant I could have a little fun before I got down to the nitty-gritty end of business. Hell, Rhoan wasn't the only one capable of abusing Directorate time, and I had no intention of letting Misha think he was going to get away with forcing me to wait.
I pressed deeper into the crowd, dancing, flirting, and generally having a great time. Several males gravitated toward me, drawn to the scent of a free and willing wolf as easily as bees to a honeypot. We danced, and while it was both playful and sensual, it was also very much an erotic foreplay, with both men vying for attention and favors. I toyed with them, teased them, enjoying their caresses, their kisses, the heat of their bodies pressed against mine.
But before I could decide between the two, a third wolf joined our dance. His hands slid around my waist, his touch possessive, almost demanding. He pressed me back against him, his body like steel against my spine, his erection pressing teasingly between the cheeks of my rear. Little Hash fires of desire skittered across my already overheated skin, and I knew in that instant it was him I wanted inside.
With the skill of a true artist, he herded me away from the other two men. I didn't care. Not when our dance was a slow but carnal overture of what was to come.
His breath was warm against my neck and ear, the kisses he dropped across my shoulders and neck as sensual as his touch. And his touch had me melting.
"Turn around." His voice was a husky growl that sent my pulse rate soaring.
I obeyed. He was a brown wolf, though his skin and hair were more warm chocolate in color than the usual mud color of the brown packs. He was lean, but muscular in an athletic sort of way, and his eyes were the most amazing shade of green. Mint colored, flecked with gold.
He wrapped his arms around my waist and pulled me close again. Sweat formed where we touched, and the air was so thick with the heat of our desire I could barely breath. And somewhere in the foreplay of our dance, I realized he was an alpha wolf. It was there in the way he moved, in the authority of his touch. In the way he took control. An alpha was a rare find here in Melbourne, where male wolves were generally more gamma or even beta. Alphas were leaders, takers, and tended to accumulate in Sydney, where the fiercely competitive, intensely dominant attitude of an alpha more easily fitted in.
I'd never been with a true alpha before, as Talon didn't really count. Although he was an alpha, he was also lab created and all his assets - including his machismo - had been amped up by his creators.
But there was something about this alpha that called to me in a way few other wolves had. Maybe part of that was simple curiosity. Alphas had the reputation of being excellent but demanding lovers, and if he made love anywhere near as good as he danced, well, I wasn't about to say no.
We moved deeper into the heated crush of bodies, where the smell of sex was so powerful it was almost liquid, and space was at such a premium that it felt like a hundred different people were touching, pressing, caressing. We danced some more, played some more, teasing and tasting, nipping and kissing each other, until the need that pulsed between us became all-consuming.
Just when I thought I could stand no more, his mouth claimed mine, his kiss fierce as he lifted me up and onto him. Then he was in me, and it felt so damn good I groaned.
Wrapping my legs around his waist, I began to move, riding him slowly, savoring the sensations flowing through me, until the waves of pleasure rippling my skin became a molten force that would not be denied. And as the shudders of completion ripped through us both, and the warmth of his seed flooded deep inside, I found myself wishing that this wolf was fertile, that he and I could make a child. An odd wish, given I didn't even know his name.
Yet I didn't really need to, because there was something about him that seemed oddly familiar.
The stranger leaned his forehead against mine for a moment, then said, in a husky voice that had a tingle vibrating right down to my toes, "I want you for the evening."
Normally, I wasn't overly fond of demands, but the way he said "want" made me melt. Or maybe that was the press of his lean, hard body against mine. I took a deep breath, and tried to remember I was here tor a reason.
"Unfortunately, I have a prior arrangement." Which was nothing but the truth, though a dangerous one to admit to a stranger given I had no idea who Misha's watchers were. For all I knew, I'd just fucked one of them.
"No chance of breaking it?"
"Not this time."
"Ah." The rich green depths of his eyes gleamed with hunger, warmth, and amusement. And something else. Something that made my breath catch in my throat, and my heart do a strange flip-flop.
It was the recognition of destiny.
And I knew, in that moment, this man would play a major part in my future.
If I lived to have a future, that was.
"My timing seems to be off yet again." His voice was a low growl of frustration that sent a warm shiver up my spine.
Talk about one hot wolf... then his words clicked, and I realized I'd met him before. Here, on this dance floor, in a similar situation. Only that time, he'd let me get away before we got as far as sex.
"Kellen?"
His warm, slow smile sent another surge of desire through my bloodstream. "I was wondering if you'd remember me."
I raised an eyebrow. "I'm surprised you remembered me. We only shared a five-second dance."
Humor vied with the desire in his eyes, an appealing mix that had me mentally cursing the reason I was here. When it came to sex, I'd much rather play with this wolf than the icy pole I had waiting.
"Sometimes," he said, voice a low rumble that shivered across my skin, "five seconds is all you need to know exactly want you want."
I smiled. "Smooth line."
"But the truth, nonetheless." His hand slid down my spine to my rump, and pressed me closer. The rich smell of him - leather and warm spices - teased my senses, tested my resolve. "The only reason I am in this club is to catch the attentions of a certain flame-haired wolf. She's been remarkably absent until tonight."
My treacherous hormones were suddenly scurrying to form a fan club for the green-eyed wolf. "Sorry. Had a problem with a former partner and had to stay away for a few months."
Which was nothing but the truth. And a damn pity, if this man had been waiting for me here all that time.
"I want you, and I intend to have you," he said. "Not for just one dance, but for many. And you're not escaping me tonight until I at least get a phone number."
Given that Quinn and Kade weren't likely to be long-term prospects, and Misha definitely wasn't, I certainly had no qualms about giving him my cell phone number. Even if he was a psycho, he couldn't actually trace me through it, because it was a work phone.
Once I'd given him the number, he kissed me. As kisses went, it was top-notch, and a definite signal of intent.
When he finally pulled away, he added, "I'll call tomorrow."
Even without his words, the determination evident in his green eyes, and the flare of his nostrils, warned that this was a wolf on the hunt.
I'd never been considered prey before, and damn if it didn't make me want him all the more. In the past, my relationships, even with Misha and Talon, had only grown into something permanent after many casual liaisons - and only after I'd decided I liked them enough to proceed onto something more. But they'd never pursued me with single-minded determination, even though both of them had been sent with the purpose of seducing me. This alpha obviously didn't want a casual dalliance, and he had no intention of waiting until I made up my mind. The chase was on, and modern wolf or not, my blood raced at the thought.
I kissed him, soft and lingering. "Please do."
"I will, rest assured of that."
While my hormones did an excited little shuffle, he escorted me to the change room, then gave me a kiss that again left me in no doubt of future intentions. As he walked away, I headed into the change room, and couldn't help feeling dizzy with elation. My life might be one big mess, and my future decidedly dark, but at least tonight I'd found something - or someone - to look forward to.
I went to the toilet and cleaned up, then headed back out. Kellen was nowhere to be seen, and part of me was glad. I had a feeling he might just fight for my attentions, and while I was wolf enough to think that wasn't a bad thing, neither Misha nor I needed that sort of attention at the moment.
Misha was over near the bar, sitting on a stool and nursing what looked like a beer. I made my way toward him.
"Didn't expect to find you here," I said, kissing his cheek and forcing a cheerful note into my voice. "What happened to the Rocker?"
His eyes met mine, then briefly slid past. I understood the warning clear enough. His watcher was near. I'd have to be the one to make the moves.
"They've decided to go modern," he said, his voice dry. "And you know I can't stand that stuff."
"You and me both." I plonked down on the stool beside his. "You want another beer?"
"Sure."
I ordered two from the bartender, then said, "You know, it's nice to see you again."
Amusement touched his cold eyes. He raised a hand, brushing the hair away from my cheek, his fingers cool against my skin. "It's been a while," he said softly.
I resisted the urge to pull away. "How come you're here alone? You've usually got a half dozen pretty blondes hanging off you five minutes after you walk into a club."
His smile was warm, genuine. "I did have. But I've got an important liaison with a couple of pretty sisters in the green room in - " He paused, glancing at his watch. "Forty-five minutes."
The green room was one of five private rooms the Blue Moon offered, and from what I'd heard, the most expensive. It apparently came complete with a spa, vibrating chairs, the latest in "air" beds, and for those who got off on pain, a whipping area. "And you're not using it in the meantime? Misha, you're getting old."
He grinned. "Conserving strength, more likely." He thanked the barman as he placed our drinks, then added, "The sisters are young and extremely active."
"So," I said softly, sliding my hand up his thigh, "there's nothing I could say that would sway you toward putting that room to use for the next half hour?"
He raised an eyebrow. "The last time I saw you here, you said you wanted nothing more to do with me."
I'd said nothing of the sort, though I'd certainly thought it. But given Misha could no more read my mind than I could his, it was obviously said for the benefit of the watcher. And if I wanted to pick Misha's brain, I had to play this game, at least for the time being.
"As I told you at the time, I don't take kindly to being kept waiting. Not when there's plenty of other offers on the table."
"So what made you change your mind?"
I forced a grin, and lightly ran my fingers up and down his erection. "What makes you think I have? Maybe I'm just getting a little revenge. Making you rue missed opportunities."
"Oh, I have been," he said dryly, "especially in the last few minutes."
"So that means we can play?"
"I guess if you're going to insist... "
"And I am."
"Then a sensible wolf has no choice but to give in."
He rose, and offered me a hand. I placed my fingers in his, grabbed the beer with my free hand, and slid off the stool.
He escorted me down the dark hall, and opened the last door. Candles flickered in the wall sconces set in each corner, throwing pale light across walls painted in various shades of green, so that they resembled leaves in a forest. The ceiling was black, and dotted with hologram stars that offered little in the way of light. What looked like a mat of dry leaves sat near the right wall. This was obviously the air bed. Had I been here with anyone else but Misha, that would have been the first thing I tried out. Instead, I headed for the pondlike spa, easing myself into the steaming, bubbling water with a sigh.
Misha locked the door, then pressed several buttons on the security panel to the right of the door, setting the timer and the psychic shield.
"So," I said, dropping all pretense of niceness. "Tell me why I should let you fuck the hell out of me."
"Because you want a kid."
"Besides that. You and I both know that I could walk out onto that dance floor and within five minutes have half a dozen wolves ready and willing to get their chips ripped out and attempt to have a kid with me." Though there was only one particular wolf I'd actually be interested in.
Misha nodded. "The chance of having a son, with no strings attached, is something few male wolves would pass up."
"So why should I settle for you?"
He slipped into the opposite end of the spa, and stretched his arms across the edge. The heat of the water lent warmth to his pale skin, but it did little to erase the calculating chill from his gaze. "Because you also want answers."
"You haven't yet proven you can give them to me."
"No, but I will."
"And what do you get out of the deal?"
He raised an eyebrow. "A son or a daughter to carry my name."
The slight edge in his voice made me frown. "Why is that suddenly so important?"
"Because I'm dying."
I blinked, not sure I had heard him right. "What?"
"I'm dying." He shrugged, as if it was something he'd long ago accepted. "And I want to leave this world knowing something of me is left behind."
There was only truth in his words, not lies. At least in this one instance.
"You're dying because you're a clone?"
He smiled. "You know more than I thought."
"We've had Talon for a few months now."
"Ah, yes." He considered me, icy eyes slightly narrowed, nostrils flaring. Another wolf on the hunt, and I wasn't entirely sure for what. "Talon was produced in the same batch as I. There were three others produced alongside us. Talon and I are the only ones left alive."
"Why?"
"Because the very chemicals used to help give us life is now snatching it away." He grimaced. "I've begun to age at twice the normal rate. It isn't yet showing, but it soon will. If the pattern of my disintegration follows that of my lab brothers, I will be dead inside five years."
"And Talon?"
"Will undoubtedly soon suffer the same fate."
I wondered if Jack or the lab boys knew. "So how long ago did the three created with you die?"
"Two didn't make it to their teens. One died at sixteen."
I sipped my beer, then asked, "Why?"
He hesitated. "What do you know about cloning?"
"The DNA from a donor egg is sucked out, and the cell of a donor used to replace it. Then it's fried into activity and away it grows."
He grimaced. "Crudely put, but reasonably accurate. The process is far from perfect, even now. There are always problems, and those of us who do make it into adulthood without problems then have to contend with a self-destruct button that somehow is related back to the method used to fuse cell and egg and switch on the DNA sequencing." He took a drink, then added, "Two of the three who died were victims of large offspring syndrome, and one was born with an immune system than was, at best, poor."
From what I'd read about cloning, having two out of five survive into adulthood was a pretty damn good success rate. "Yet despite these difficulties, they obviously survived quite well At least for the first few years."
He nodded. "Medically, we're far enough advanced to keep them alive where once we could not. However, no one has yet uncovered the sequence that becomes the self-destruct button once the clone reaches a certain age. Nor do we know why some clones can reach their forties, like me, and others don't even live to see their tenth birthday."
"I'm amazed Talon never tried to research that - after ail, he had a vested interest in uncovering the answers."
"Talon is a lot less circumspect than his creator, as evident in his approach to cloning He also believes that he will not face what the rest of us have faced, that he is destined for greatness."
I snorted. "And like all mad, would-be dictators, he got his comeuppance."
"In the labs of the Directorate. Quite fitting that he ends in a lab similar to the place where it all began."
I raised an eyebrow. "Is that how you plan to end? In a laboratory?"
His smile was grim and cold. "I intend to go down fighting."
And I had a feeling he wasn't talking about the self-destruct button built within his genes. I frowned "So, are you wolf, or part vampire, like Talon?"
"All wolf."
"Then why not clone yourself a mirror image?"
"Because, for all its advances, cloning still carries too many risks - risks I'd rather not inflict on any offspring of mine. And, as I said to you not so long ago, I am not involved in the cloning side of the research."
"But you are involved in the crossbreeding."
"No. My companies undertake research to discover the secrets of a vampire's long life."
And now I knew why - he was dying. And just in case he didn't discover the secret in time, he wanted a kid to carry his genes and his name.
It was a desire I could sympathize with - which made me wonder just how much he was playing me.
"Given Talon was running Moneisha and Genoveve, does that mean another lab brother runs the crossbreeding facility?"
He hesitated. "Not exactly."
"Meaning?"
He simply smiled, so I tried a different tack, "just how many of you clones are there?" We knew that there was one other, at least, besides Misha, but who knew how many Talon had gotten around to releasing?
He chuckled softly. "Not as many as you seem to think. All up, if you include Talon, there are five of the original cloning attempts left."
"Meaning, non-Talon clones?"
He nodded.
So, given Gautier was one, that left two we didn't know about. "What about the Talon-created clones?"
"I think roughly a dozen remain, though I have not been able to keep track of all Talon's creations, so there could be more. Most are dead, though, or soon will be dead."
"That self-destruct button you mentioned?"
"No, the Directorate. The mob you work for are an efficient killing machine, Riley."
Which is why I was fighting like hell not to become a guardian. "So what was the aim of the original five?"
He hesitated. "To carry on and perfect our lab father's research, by whatever means needed."
It was the "by whatever means needed" bit that had me worried. Talon had certainly shown no need to follow the rules, and the man behind the crossbreeding had proven he was ready to kill to keep his secrets.
And if that was the true aim, then why place Gautier at the Directorate?
"You knew I was in that facility, didn't you?"
"Yes, but I was not responsible for you being there, nor was I the one who tended to you there."
"So who did?"
He smiled again. "I can point you to the path that will lead you to the person, but I cannot give you the name."
"Why not?"
"For the same reason Talon cannot."
I raised my eyebrows. "Talon couldn't tell us because the name has been burned from his mind. Are you saying the same thing has happened to you?"
"In a sense, yes. I know the name, but I am prevented from saying it to anyone."
"So why not just give me his address?"
"Personal details are included in the ban."
Which was a little too convenient. I finished my beer and glanced at the timer in the door panel. We had less than half an hour left. "Then explain to me why the hell the person behind all this is so determined to get his mitts on me."
"Because forty years of research has not produced a crossbreed who has fully assimilated the duel natures of their heritage the way you have. It makes you unique. Makes you desirable for research purposes."
Which was the same reason Jack had theorized about some time ago. And the fact Misha didn't mention Rhoan hopefully meant they weren't aware that he carried the very same genes. "They weren't trying to research my genes in that damn facility."
A smile touched his mouth. "Yes, they were. But the man in charge of the facility was certainly taking advantage of the situation as well. He says you owe him."
If it was a hint, it was one I didn't understand. I frowned. "So why spend all this time and money on this sort of research? Especially when both you and Talon are successful businessmen in your own right?"
He shrugged again. "It is what we were programmed to do."
"Bullshit."
He grinned. "Then how about money and power? There's a lot of both to be had for the man who unlocks the secret of a vampire's longevity, or the werewolf's ability to heal almost any wound."
"And a lot of power to be had for the man who could create an army specially designed to handle specific locations and situations." He'd said that to me once. I hadn't understood at the time he was actually feeding me a piece of the puzzle. "You could virtually name your own price."
"Exactly."
I toyed with the empty beer bottle. "The military is trying to do the same thing, isn't it?"
"Yes."
"Are you involved with the military, in any way?"
"Not me personally."
"Your company?"
"No."
"Your fellow clones?"
"Sort of."
Well, that was helpful. "Give me a starting place, then."
He raised an eyebrow. "Not without setting terms. Not without a down payment."
Annoyance rushed through me. "You'll get your down payment when I get proof that you're playing it straight."
"Not good enough, Riley. Not when I'm risking my life by even being seen with you."
"You keep saying this, but why would they kill you when they obviously need you?"
"Because my part in the grandeur scheme is only minor. And right now, I'm walking the line of being more a hindrance than a help."
I didn't believe him. Not this time. I had a suspicion he was doing this for reasons that were purely personal. And while I had no doubt he was telling the truth as far as the reasons for wanting a kid went, I also had no doubt there was more to it than that.
Like maybe playing both sides of the fence until he knew for sure who would be the victor.
"If that's the case, how the hell are you going to be my only way out of a return to those damn research pens?"
"Because I have something he wants."
The cold satisfaction in his voice sent a chill down my spine. "What's that?"
He raised an eyebrow. "I swear on the moon that I can, if I want, keep you safe from another attack. Is that enough of a pledge?"
"It would be, if I believed it."
"The lack of attacks will be proof enough."
My fingers tightened around the neck of the beer bottle, but I resisted the urge to throw it at his head. "So, if I agree to your terms, you'll get the dogs called off, but not before?"
"Precisely."
I blew out a breath. "What are your terms?"
"No other wolf but me." His silver eyes gleamed fiercely in the candlelight. "Which means steering well clear of that damn alpha I saw you with earlier."
Like hell. "Everyone but that wolf I was with tonight. He's chipped, so he's no threat that way, and if I stop all contact with wolves other than you, your watchers will be suspicious."
He grunted. Obviously unhappy, yet willing to concede the point. "You meet me at the Rocker, every week-night and on Sunday, at midnight, and give me two hours of your time."
"I thought you said you don't go to the Rocker any more?"
"I'm there every night except Saturday."
"Won't my suddenly turning up raise suspicions?"
"No, simply because my watchers have grown so used to the routine they no longer bother watching me at nights."
"Except tonight."
"They always watch me when I come here, simply because they know you come here. They don't want me with you."
"Why?"
He grinned. "Because they don't want you pregnant with my kid."
I raised an eyebrow. "Again, why?"
The gleam in his eyes suggested that was something he wasn't ready to impart yet. And I had an odd feeling the reason went back to the man behind the crossbreeding.
"Don't tell me," I said dryly. "You can't say."
"You catch on quick."
Not quick enough, obviously. It had taken me entirely too long to realize he - and Talon - were using me. "If I stop coming to the Blue Moon, they'll get suspicious."
"Which is why on Saturdays you will come here and we shall ignore each other."
Oh, goody. I had a night off to play as I desired. "Ignoring you means being with other wolves if my alpha isn't there. That contradicts your terms, doesn't it?"
"You are free to be with whom you wish that day only," he amended. "Do you agree to the terms?"
I hesitated, not wanting to seems overly eager. Not that I was. But he was a means to an end, and besides, whether I liked him personally or not, he was usually a good lover. "What if I do fall pregnant? What then?"
"Then I will support you and the child, and do everything in my power to protect you."
"There's a major flaw in that thinking. You could be dead in five years." So could I, but I wasn't about to point that out.
His smile was hard, his eyes icy. "Believe me, I have ways of ensuring you're protected."
I didn't think I was ready to know just what he meant by that.
"Do you agree?" he asked again.
I would have agreed to just about anything, but he wasn't to know that. So I let the silence stretch between us, letting him think I was mulling over the terms when all I wanted to do was make the down payment and get the first lot of information.
"Yes, I agree."
"And my payment?"
He got it. Then I got my starting point.
The man who didn't exist.
Kade Williams.
