Full Moon Rising (Riley Jenson Guardian 1)

"And the disks?"

He looked at me. "I posted those. She doesn't mind a bit of voyeurism."

Normally, I didn't either, but the thought of watching Brown doing the nasty over and over was enough to turn me off

"So when do we hit these places?" Rhoan asked

Jack gave him a wry smile. "Given the approaching full moon and the fact that three of my current staff are werewolves, as soon as possible."

Rhoan pushed his empty plate away. "How are we stocked in the way of equipment?"

"You and I will have to stop by the Directorate."

"That safe?"

"We'll take the emergency tunnel. Only the directors can get into it, so if someone does attack us, it'll narrow the field of suspects." Jack glanced at me. "I'll take that blood sample with me, too."

I could feel Rhoan's curious gaze but didn't bother meeting it. If he ever found out what Talon had done, he'd kill him. And I wanted to throw the first punch. "Fine."

Jack glanced at his watch. "We'll leave in half an hour. Liander, you right for holding down the fort again?"

"Do I have any other choice?" His voice was dry, yet something in his pale eyes suggested he wanted action almost as badly as he wanted sex. Perhaps I'd been wrong in my estimation that he'd be as unwilling as I to get involved in Jack's schemes

"Not on this you don't." Jack hesitated and glanced at Quinn. "You'll have to stay here, too. Riley's Directorate, and I can protect her if she gets into trouble. I can't offer you that."

"I'm not expecting you to. Nor will I be left behind on this."

"I can't let you go."

"You can't stop me, and we both know it." The two men stared at each other for several seconds, then Quinn added, "You know my reasons for doing this."

"Yes." Jack hesitated. "Just don't expect my help if things go wrong."

Quinn's smile was wry. "Forgive me for saying it, but I have more than enough politicians, judges, and lawyers ready and able to help me out of any situation. Being a multibillionaire has its advantages."

Jack nodded and rose. "Let's get this show on the road."

Ten minutes later, Quinn and I were in the car and heading back to Melbourne, him driving and me studying the plans for the old army base in Broadmeadows. "There's an industrial estate on one side and an old graveyard on the other."

Humor crinkled the corners of his eyes as he looked at me. "You're voting the graveyard, aren't you?"

I raised an eyebrow. "Can you think of a more appropriate entry point for the dead and half-dead?"

His soft laugh sent tremors of desire skimming my skin. "No one in his right mind would ever call you half-dead."

I grinned. "You were pretty lively yourself, too."

"And will be again, once we get this little jaunt over and done with."

I couldn't wait. I folded the plans and threw them on the backseat. "So, tell me, why can't Jack stop you? Is it simply an age thing?"

"And the hierarchy system."

"Vampires have a hierarchy?"

He glanced at me. "Of course. The older the vampire, the more powerful he is. Having a power system in place prevents an all-out war - which wouldn't be good for any race."

That was an understatement if ever I'd heard one. "Meaning the pecking order is merely a matter of waiting for those above to keel over?"