Full Moon Rising (Riley Jenson Guardian 1)

"This is kidnapping, and that's a crime."

"But that's not what anyone believes, because I rang up stating you are ill. You're on sick leave, as of an hour ago."

I shook my head, unable to believe he'd go to such lengths. "I was on special assignment. With my boss. I have no idea who you spoke to, but it won't matter. They'll know the lie."

He shrugged. "I wasn't fool enough to ring from my phone, rather a pay phone. And I used a voice modulator. They won't find you."

"Rhoan knows who my mates are. He'll find me."

Talon crossed his arms and laughed. It was a cold, dismissive sound that made the anger boil that much faster

"That pansy couldn't find his way out of a flower shop," he said. "Besides, we're not at any of my known addresses, but a holiday house recently purchased by a subsidiary of one of my companies. It'll take them weeks to nail down the paper trail. By then, we'll have shifted."

"Never underestimate Rhoan. He's very, very good at what he does - and in case you've forgotten, what he does is track down and kill people." And Talon was dead meat if Rhoan found us like this

He rose and walked toward me, all grace and powerful elegance. The smell of his lust fanned the already out-of-control fire

I swallowed, but it did little to ease the aching dryness in my throat. "How did you find me?"

His smile was all arrogance. "The chip in your arm is not for birth control - we took that out over a year ago. It's a tracking device."

So that's how he'd found Quinn and me at the Directorate. He hadn't raided my apartment, as I'd presumed. He'd simply followed the signal. It had to have a limited range; otherwise, he would probably have made an appearance at the old farmhouse

The sweat running down my face dripped into my eyes and stung like crazy. I blinked, but it didn't seem to help my vision any. Everything was blurry, tinged with red. I hoped it was blood, but had a bad feeling it was something far worse. Despite what Hollywood seemed to think, the moon fever didn't often turn werewolves into desperate killing machines. But on the few occasions it did happen, it was because the wolf had ignored the call of the moon for too long. The desire for sex mutated into something far more deadly - bloodlust

Why would Talon want that? What good would it do him?

He stopped. I lashed out with a fist, but the blow was brought up short as the manacles bit into my wrist. I hissed in pain and frustration, and he smiled

"Do you wonder why you're here, and chained?" He reached out, idly fondling a breast

Part of me hated it. Part of me wanted anything he was willing to give. I knew which part would win. Had to win, or there would be trouble

"You want a kid, and I won't give it to you willingly."

"Very good." His tone was distant, his gaze intent, as his caress moved from one breast to the other

I couldn't help pressing into his touch. I needed it as badly as an addict needed her next fix

"The scans I took the other day indicated you were close to ovulation. I cannot risk another wolf impregnating you after all the trouble I have gone to."

An insane thought when all wolves were chipped to prevent pregnancy happening. But then, I guess Talon wasn't exactly chummy with sanity at that particular point in time. "There's no guarantee I'll even carry to term."

"Which is why I have arranged for you to be moved to one of my laboratories. Our perfect child will be given every medical chance there is."

"There is no such thing as a perfect child." We all had faults, though right then I doubted whether Talon would agree - at least when it came to him

He didn't seem to hear me, and his voice, when he spoke, was distant. "Perfection is something I have chased for a very long time."

His caress moved down my stomach. I was burning, eager, hungry. My heart raced, and the smell of sweat and lust filled every breath. But the need to become a wolf, to rend and tear and taste blood, was almost as strong as the call of the moon. My teeth and nails were elongating in anticipation of the change, becoming more wolf than human. The only thing stopping me from fully completing the shift was the silver on my wrists and ankles

"Why do this?" The words were slurred through my teeth. I rattled the chains to indicate what I meant

"Do you not remember your folklore?"

I shook my head. Right then, I was having trouble remembering my own name

"Wolves who mate when the moon fever turns to bloodlust will always conceive."