Full Moon Rising (Riley Jenson Guardian 1)

He gave me a somewhat amused look. "Underneath the vampire is a man - and no man in his right mind would say no when the packaging is as delightful as yours."

"That is such a human attitude - hate the race, but won't pass up the opportunity for a freebie all the same."

"At least I'm being honest - more than what your so-called mate is being, I'd say."

I let the change of topic slide. We could argue forever on his all-too-human grievances against wolves and never get anywhere. "Talon has always been arrogant, but I never thought he'd go this far."

"How long have you been together?"

"Two years."

"Is that not a long time for a wolf? Maybe that's why he thinks you have an agreement?"

My smile felt tight. "We've never been exclusive. At this particular moment he has seven other lovers, while I have one." I glanced at him. "And one prospective. In years past, he's had up to ten, and I've had three or four others. And he has no intention of giving up his harem for anyone."

"A wolf with lots of stamina, obviously."

"Yeah." Talon was all stamina, no finesse

"Then what's the problem?"

I crossed my arms. "The problem, as I said before, is the fact he's decided I'd make the perfect mother for his children."

Quinn seemed to contemplate this for a few seconds, then said softly, "There's nothing wrong with wanting children with the woman you love."

"No, there's not," I agreed sourly. "Only we're not soul mates and he doesn't love me. He just wants to implant me with his kid."

Quinn glanced at me. "You don't want this?"

"No. I told you, we're not soul mates. I enjoy the sex, but that's it. And I'm certainly not about to risk my life having a kid with someone I don't love."

"Why would you be risking your life?"

I sighed. "Because of what I am. I can't conceive naturally, and my specialist doesn't know if I'll ever be able to carry to term. He's even suggested that pregnancy could actually kill me."

His surprise rippled around me. "Why?"

"Because recent results suggest my system might consider the fetus a foreign body and attack it. And, in the process, perhaps kill me." I shrugged. "He is of the opinion that if I want children, it could only happen with the help of drugs and under strict medical supervision. Even then, there is no guarantee."

"Not something you'd risk for someone you didn't love."

"Exactly."

He paused for a beat, sweeping onto the Tullamarine Freeway, then asked, "Do you want children?"

"Yes. If I ever meet the right wolf."

"You're young yet. Plenty of time."

I'd heard the same thing from Rhoan many times, and I didn't believe it now any more than I did then. What wolf wanted a women who might never be able to give him children? The ideal of family, of passing one's genes on to the next generation, was as ingrained into the werewolf culture as the moon dances and sexual freedom. We could no more help the desire to breed when we found our soul mates than we could the urge to celebrate the rising moon. It was part of what we were

Which is the other reason why Rhoan and I had been allowed to survive. Half-breeds or not, we were at least another generation in a pack that had fewer and fewer pups every year. Our genes were pack genes, even if watered down

Quinn swept the Porsche into the middle lane and pressed the accelerator. The car shot forward to something resembling light speed

"There is a speed limit on this freeway," I said dryly

"It's after midnight. Can't think of a better time or place to test this baby out." He glanced at me, the blue lenses in his eyes gleaming brightly under the freeway lights. "So basically, the problem is the fact he won't accept no for an answer. Why don't you just use telepathy to force him to accept it?"