Full Moon Rising (Riley Jenson Guardian 1)

I met his gaze, momentarily getting lost in the depths of his dark eyes. "No, I don't."

"So, why Genoveve?" Jack asked

"Apparently, it's built over the top of a World War II military bunker. He was planning to use it for non-government-approved research."

"Was?" Jack asked

Rhoan held out a steaming mug and I accepted it with a small smile. "Yeah. He was outbid by the same company who owns Moneisha."

"Konane?"

"Yep. And Konane is owned by Talon."

Liander groaned. "We had him, and we let him escape."

"And he's probably out of the damn country by now." Rhoan sat on the arm of the sofa and threw an arm around my shoulders. "We'll never find him."

"We will," Quinn said softly. "He was in the Blue Moon tonight, watching Misha and Riley. And he was furious."

"Interesting," Jack murmured. "It suggests that he still has some interest in Riley. Maybe we can put that to use."

"No," Rhoan and Quinn said together

Jack ignored them, staring at me. "This all goes far deeper than one werewolf and one company, but right now, he's the only lead we have. He has to be caught, and he has to be questioned."

"Agreed," Rhoan all but spat, "but why use Riley as bait again? She's done more than her fair share for kin and country."

"I know she has." Jack's voice was filled with a contriteness that didn't show in the green of his eyes. "But Talon is not interested in you or me. And, because of Gautier's influence, we dare not trust any of the other guardians at this moment."

"We know where Genoveve Confectionary is. Why don't we just raid the damn place?"

"Because we don't know where the entrances to the underground sections are, and by the time we find them, the evidence we need might well be destroyed."

I sipped my coffee and met Jack's gaze evenly. While I was aware that he was reeling me in a little bit more, the reasons why I'd walked into the Blue Moon earlier tonight still held true. Whoever was behind this had to be stopped, and if I could play a part in that, did I really have the right to walk away?

And would walking away be any safer? They'd first come after me at the train station, and that was way before I'd really gotten involved in this investigation. Maybe walking would only make things worse

Besides, the wolf within had had enough and wanted revenge in a bad way

"Do not forget that ten guardians have already died, or that Kelly may have made it eleven," Jack added, talking to Rhoan but his gaze not wavering on mine

I closed my eyes, not wanting to think about the other guardians. Not wanting to think that Kelly might have joined their ranks

Dammit, she couldn't have. I didn't make friends all that easily - surely fate wouldn't be cruel enough to snatch her away

"We have to stop this now," Jack added softly

"Riley's not even a guardian!" Rhoan was off the chair, fist clenched and expression livid. "How in hell can you expect her to survive what those others could not?"

"Because she is a survivor," Jack bit back. "And because she's a dhampire, just like her brother. That is more of an advantage than either of you realize."

"She's also sitting in this damn room, not in another building," I interrupted. "Rhoan, calm down and sit. Jack, just give me a goddamn chance to drink my coffee and catch my breath, will you?"

With the coffee in hand, I rose and walked out onto the balcony. The night air was as sharp as ice, and I breathed deep. It didn't clear the fear stirring through me. Fear not of what I had to do, but what I might become

I leaned against the wrought-iron balustrade and sipped the aromatic hazelnut coffee. The wind whispered through the nearby trees and stirred the hair from the nape of my neck. It felt like the fingers of ghosts

I closed my eyes and tried to gather calm from the cool of the night and the brightness of the stars