Full Moon Rising (Riley Jenson Guardian 1)

"That would suggest werecats."

I nodded. "If their smell is anything to go by, these two came from labs, not nature." I crossed my arms and tried to ignore the sounds of their mating. The tremors of desire running through me were growing sharper. I wasn't sure how much longer I could hold out against need

"Go find Rhoan," I said, voice sharp. As much as I wanted to find him myself, the truth was, Quinn had far more experience than I in skulking around. He was a thousand-year-old vampire, after all. "I'll stay here with these two."

He hesitated. "Will you be okay?"

I ignored the concern in his voice. "Just go."

He did. I leaned back against the wall as the slap of flesh on flesh and the grunts of pleasure echoed around me, rising to a crescendo that sawed at my nerves. When the two on the floor were finally still, I made them both get up and get dressed, then sat them down in the chairs

By that time, sweat was beginning to run down my cheek and my head was beginning to hurt. I'd never really used my abilities to this extent before, and had never realized just how much energy it sucked. It was worse than being with Talon for eight hours

I glanced at my watch. Quinn had been gone for fifteen minutes. We had maybe another fifteen before someone thought to check these two

Or would have had, had luck been on our side

Alarms bit through the air, the noise piercing. A second later, the door was flung open and Quinn appeared, Rhoan limp over one shoulder and a laser gun in his free hand

"Hurry" was all he said, all he needed to say

I glanced at the two men, wiped their minds of everything that had just happened, and ran out the door. I pulled the tape off the gates, locking them behind me, then blurred into the night and ran after Quinn

It was three blocks before we came to the car. Quinn exchanged the gun for his car keys and opened the doors. "We'll head straight for the airport," he said, as he bent to place Rhoan in the car. "I'll call ahead so that the plane is ready by the time we get there."

Like hell he would. There were times when I was more than a little careless about my own safety, but I sure as hell wasn't going to risk my brother's any more than I had to. He wasn't just my twin, he was my pack. The two of us had to look out for each other, simply because we were all the other had since our mother's pack had thrown us out. And until I'd actually talked to Rhoan, heard his side of the story, then Quinn was still on my may-not-be-trusted list

Which meant I was going to have to lose the delicious man yet again. I could only hope that if he was innocent, he'd forgive me

As he was straightening, I thrust a hand against the back of his head, forcing him forward, bashing his head against the roof of the car as hard as I could. Which was damn hard

He never really stood a chance - and it just went to prove that even a thousand-year-old vampire could be taken unawares. I caught him as he fell, grunting a little at the force of his weight, then dragged him across the pavement, and over the fence of the nearest house. He fell into the shadows of several thick bushes and, for all intents and purposes, was hidden from sight

I ran back to the car, slipped into the driver's seat, and drove away as fast as I dared really makes as much sense as them choosing to clone the same butt-ugly image over and over again." I paused, remembering as soon as I'd opened my big mouth that the butt-ugly image had apparently originally belonged to his friend. Presuming, that is, his dead friend was the source of the clones and not another clone himself. To cover my gaffe, I quickly added, "And surely if the people who attacked me already had Rhoan, I'd feel a greater sense of danger where he was concerned."

"Not necessarily. Not if Moneisha is merely a collecting point. Maybe the people behind that lab are merely getting samples and don't know yet what they really have."

I eyed him for a moment. "So you knew Rhoan was in St. Kilda investigating the disappearances of the pros?"

He nodded. "I was with him most of the night."

"Why did you leave? It's not as if dawn would have threatened you."

He grimaced. "No, but hunger could."

I raised my eyebrows. "And you couldn't have taken blood from the pros?"

"I could have, but I prefer not to." His smile touched his eyes again and damned if it didn't make my knees go weak. "I only bite someone while making love, and I do have a preference for women who are not in the game."

The thought of him biting my neck while thrusting slow and deep made me all goose pimply and hot. Man, I was really going to have to take this vampire for a test run before he disappeared out of my life

"So Rhoan disappeared after you'd left?"

He nodded. "Rhoan was dressed like a hooker so he didn't stand out on the streets while hunting information. I was in the shadows watching, and reading thoughts."

Meaning they might have suspected that Rhoan had a guard, because they'd only snatched him once Quinn had left. Either that, or they'd thought Quinn was a watchful pimp. I walked to the windows and stared out. We were only ten floors up, so there wasn't all that much to see but more buildings. I let my gaze drift to the southeast. The reason for Rhoan's capture wasn't really important. Getting him out of there before they realized he wasn't just a wolf was

I swung around. "We have to go."