Full Moon Rising (29 page)

The trembling had barely subsided when he said softly, "Are you ready to scream for me, Riley?"

His breath caressed my thighs, a kiss of air that had me quivering. I closed my eyes, enjoying the sensation, wanting him inside and yet wanting to prolong this lovemaking session as long as I could.

"I told you, I don't scream for anyone."

It came out breathy, and he chuckled softly. "Then I shall continue as I am."

He did. And every bit as thoroughly as the first time, only this time he used his hands rather than his tongue and mouth. He brought me to the edge so very quickly, but this time offered no release, backing away, claiming my mouth, kissing me fiercely and thoroughly, until the threatening tremors had subsided. Then he started all over again.

I'd wanted foreplay, and now I was getting it--in spades. Only I wasn't sure if I was going to survive it much longer.

"Please," I panted. "Oh, God, please . . . I need you . . . inside."

He knelt over the top of me, his body as hot and as sweaty as mine, his grin wicked. "You know the price."

"Yes, yes, anything. Just do it."

He reached above me, undoing my hands, then shifted slightly so that the long hard length of his erection nuzzled me, seeking but not entering. "Shall we take it long and slow?"

I made a strangled sound and he chuckled. "Didn't think so."

With one swift, hard stroke, he was inside, and it was such a sweet, glorious relief I almost wept. Then he began to move, thrusting deep and strong, and there was no calm, no control, in any of his actions now. It was madness and passion and heat and intensity, and though I could barely even breathe let alone think, I knew this is what I had been seeking, what had been missing in my life. Because it was more than just sex, more than just a connection of bodies and desire. It was almost as if in this one, glorious moment in time, we'd become one, physically
and
spiritually.

Then his teeth entered my neck, and everything exploded into ecstasy. Together, we fell screaming over that edge, plunging into a sea of bliss more powerful than anything I'd ever experienced.

When I remembered how to breathe again, I took his face between my palms and kissed him long and slow. "That was amazing."

He rolled to one side and gathered me in his arms. "And I made you scream."

His warm, sexy tones held a hint of contented male arrogance and I smiled. "Only because I needed you inside."

He chuckled softly and brushed a sweaty strand of hair from my forehead. "Sounds to me like I have to prove it was no fluke."

And I thought Talon had stamina. I smiled and dropped a kiss on his chin. "Sounds like."

Over the course of the day, he did indeed prove it was no fluke.

But late in the afternoon, as we lay hot and sweaty and entangled in each other's arms, I knew I was in deep, deep trouble. Because the intensity that burned between us suggested this vampire could be more than just a sex partner.

It didn't matter that I barely knew him. Didn't matter that he didn't want me in
any
way other than physically. I had no more control over my emotions than I did the moon urges.

I wanted him. Wanted to explore the full boundaries of what we had.

Only
that
was the last damn thing
he
wanted.

But as I'd warned him not so long ago, I was a wolf ready to fight for what she believed in.

And I was more than willing to fight for the possibilities that lay unexplored between me and this vampire.

W
ell, well," Rhoan said, his gaze jumping from me to Quinn and back again as we walked up the path toward him. "Looks to me like a good time has been had by all."

I grinned. "We didn't have a pack of cards handy, and had to do
something
to while away the time."

His gaze centered on the bite scar on my neck. Quinn had been careful to keep using the same entry point, so that I didn't have bite marks littering my neck. But we'd made love more than a few times, and the wounds were taking a little longer than normal to heal.

"Hope you didn't exhaust her too much. We have a lot planned for tonight."

What he was really saying was that he hoped Quinn hadn't taken too much blood, and we all knew it.

Quinn placed a hand on Rhoan's shoulder and squeezed lightly. "I took no more than necessary." He looked at me, a smile touching his lips. "And if you're worried about anyone getting exhausted, try worrying about me."

"I didn't hear any complaints at the time," I said dryly.

His smile grew, making my hormones do their mad dance. "Nor are you ever likely to. You can exhaust me anytime you like." His gaze switched to Rhoan. "Where's Liander? I need to return his modulators."

"Inside cooking dinner. Apparently he likes my attempts about as much as my sister does."

Quinn's gaze took in mine for a moment, then he headed inside. I followed, enjoying the view before heading upstairs to get some decent clothes on. Then I went back outside and plopped down on the bench beside my brother. "So, how did last night go?"

"A cinch, once the power was knocked out. The guards were out in force, but there weren't any vampires amongst them, and both Jack and I were careful to neutralize our scent beforehand."

"Did you find anything?"

He snorted softly. "Sperm and eggs, and lots of them."

"Did you find and destroy your lot?"

"I believe so. We found some interesting files, but other than that, nothing. As we suspected, Moneisha is little more than a collecting point. It's not where these duplicates are coming from."

"So they weren't set up for research of any kind?"

"Yeah. But basic stuff."

I frowned. "I thought it was Moneisha who had isolated the cluster of genes that make a vampire a vampire?"

He gave me a perplexed look. "Where did you hear that?"

"It was apparently reported in the newspapers."

"Not in any I've read."

Now
I
was confused. "Maybe we don't read the right papers."

"Who told you that they had?"

"Misha. He said there'd been protests outside Moneisha because of their genetic research."

"There have been protests all right, but mainly because they've been buying up residences in the area with the intention of expanding."

"Maybe Misha mixed up a couple of stories." Yet even as I said it, I doubted it was the case. Misha had the best memory I'd ever come across.

"Maybe." Rhoan didn't sound any more convinced than I was.

I chewed on my lip for a moment, then asked, "Have you found out any information about Konane?"

"Who?"

"Konane. They apparently own Moneisha."

"Where did you hear this? Because I know Director Hunter is still working her way through the paper trail."

"Misha told me."

He frowned. "I wonder how he knew?"

"I can ask, when I next see him."

"Tell Jack and see what he says." He paused. "So how come Gautier suspected you?"

I shrugged. "I don't know. He was standing at the office door as we were coming out. Maybe he heard something."

"Those offices are soundproof."

"Then either he has a nose as sensitive as a wolf or something Quinn said tipped him off. Though what that could be, I have no idea."

Rhoan frowned. "You know, the few times I've worked with him, I've noticed he has extraordinarily keen senses for a vamp. If he
is
one of the lab-built creatures, then maybe he
has
got the nose of a wolf."

I leaned back against the sun-warmed wall of the old shed. "Has Jack checked all the military installations? Couldn't this be a government program?"

"The military is certainly working on implanting vampire genes into other nonhuman races, but from what Jack says, the longest any of them has lived is a couple of years."

I remembered the smell in the parking garage. Remembered the feeling I was facing dead--or at least dying--things. "Whoever is behind this, I don't think they're having much luck in the longevity stakes, either."

"They're living long enough to do some pretty nasty stuff."

I raised an eyebrow. "Like what?"

He hesitated. "You know we've had ten guardians gone missing?" When I nodded, he continued, "From what we can glean from the remains of those we've found, it appears they might have been forced to fight for their lives in some kind of arena."

I closed my eyes and prayed that Kelly hadn't joined their number. Hadn't become just another means of testing some madman's grotesque creations.

She didn't deserve that sort of end. None of the guardians had.

But once again I shoved the thought away, not wanting to face the hurt of it until the moment hope was totally gone and I knew for sure she was dead. "Obviously, the bodies were dumped in areas out of the sunlight; otherwise, there wouldn't be any remains to study. Which in itself suggests someone wanted the Directorate to find the remains."

He nodded. "Jack says there was an enormous amount of growth accelerant in the body of the vamp they discovered in Quinn's plane. And the prelim results Quinn got back on Gautier's clones also show high dosages."

I frowned. "Sounds like they don't really care if their creations live all that long."

"Maybe just long enough to complete a task." His expression was grim when it met mine. "A vampire's body degenerates pretty quickly once he's dead. Can you think of a better killing machine than one designed to get in, do its job, then self-destruct before any evidence can be pulled from it?"

"It's not something I actually want to think about." I watched a willy wagtail flit across the backs of the nearby cows. "How come Gautier has been allowed to stay with the Directorate? Especially after his clones started appearing everywhere?"

"We think Gautier is working with someone in the Directorate--someone other than Alan Brown. Until we can ferret that person out, Gautier stays. It's better to have an enemy where you can watch him."

"You're not exactly watching him now."

"Director Hunter is."

"Ah." I closed my eyes, listening to the wind keening through the nearby gums. The storm that had hit Melbourne earlier that afternoon was on its way. "As a guardian, Gautier has to undergo regular health checks. I'm gathering nothing out of the ordinary has ever been found?"

"No. And Jack's told you about his history--or lack thereof."

"Yeah. Bit by little bit."

Rhoan grinned. "He wants you in the program, sis, and he's just trying to reel you in."

"So he's already said."

The man in question came out of the trees as I spoke.

"Riley," he said, a smile touching his lips but his eyes all seriousness. "We need to talk if you can give me a moment."

I glanced at Rhoan, who shrugged at my unasked question. I pushed to my feet, and said, "Sure."

Jack followed the path back into the trees and I trailed him. We walked down to the dam and stood on the edge, watching dragonflies buzz the water.

"What's up?" I said, after a moment.

"Something you may not like." He looked at me, green eyes hard with anger. "You remember the blood sample I took?"

My stomach dropped. "Yes."

"We got some interesting results back."

I briefly closed my eyes, not sure I really wanted to hear this. "So, I was drugged?"

"Yes. There was N529, a fast-knockout drug designed for use on nonhumans, and one which is not due to come onto the market until next month. The other was ARC1-23."

I raised an eyebrow. "Which is?"

"It's a drug that's still on the experimental list because of the serious side effects it appears to have on some nonhumans." He hesitated. "It seems someone is trying to get you pregnant."

Chapter 11

F
or several seconds I didn't react, simply stared at him. Then anger surged and I clenched my fists, wishing I had something--someone--to hit. "I'm going to kill the bastard."