Full Moon Rising (Riley Jenson Guardian 1)

"This was how many years ago?" I picked up my knife and fork and studied the mess on my plate. I think it was bacon and eggs, but I couldn't be sure. A cook my brother wasn't

"Only one."

"So why haven't you introduced us?"

It was his turn to give me a long look. "This from the wolf who rants about all vampires being arrogant pigs?"

"Well, all the ones I've met have been. Quinn isn't."

"He can be on his bad days, believe me." He rose again. "If you're feeling up to it after you finish that, come downstairs."

I nodded. "Why has Jack allowed Liander to stay?"

"Because this is looking bigger than the three of us can handle." He shrugged. "Liander's here because I need him, and because he's one of the best makeup artists in the country."

I raised an eyebrow. "That sounds like a plan."

"It is. When you come down, we'll enlighten you."

"And just what am I supposed to go downstairs in? My birthday suit?"

He grinned. "We retrieved your bag from Misha's car. It's on the chair near the stairs."

He headed back downstairs. Once I'd eaten the mess he'd laughingly called a meal, I shifted shape to help the burns along some more, then threw on some clothes and followed him down

Everyone was sitting at the table, including Liander

"How you feeling, darlin'?" Jack asked, his green eyes sweeping me in a concerned, fatherly way

"A little achy, but otherwise fine."

He nodded. "You want to tell us what happened?"

I sat on the last remaining chair and proceeded to do that

Rhoan frowned. "Genoveve and Libraska aren't research facilities I've ever heard of."

"Nor I," Jack agreed. "We may have to go through the records to find them. If they are on the record, that is."

"What do you mean?" I reached for one of the apples sitting in the middle of the table. "I thought all research facilities, whether government or private, had to be listed?"

"Only in the last fifty years. There were a lot of places, particularly military ones, that were built in the twentieth century that were never recorded - for security reasons. It was a volatile era."

"What about the thing that attacked her?" Quinn asked. "That doesn't sound like any creature I've heard of."

"No. But if they're playing around with the basic building blocks of life, who knows what they've come up with?" Jack glanced at me. "You up to a little more investigating?"

I raised an eyebrow. "Like I have a choice?"

"There's always a choice."

I snorted softly. "Between you trying to railroad me, and these nutters coming after me, I think choice has temporarily flown out the window."

He didn't bother to deny my allegations, merely smiled. "You are going to make such a wonderful guardian."

"You're better off chasing after Liander than me - you'd have more hope."

"He's already come after me," Liander commented, his silver eyes sparkling with a combination of amusement and annoyance. "And I have temporarily been seconded into this outfit, whether I like it or not."