Full Moon Rising (Riley Jenson Guardian 1)

My heart began to race a little faster. Neither Quinn nor I had breached a door. Did that mean Rhoan and Jack were on the way?

Though surely Talon wouldn't just presume it was us. Surely he would check with security first

His next words answered my question. "Mark, grab her, will you? Security is paging me."

Footsteps echoed behind me. I swung and dropped, sweeping the laser's light across the legs of three men who approached, cutting through flesh and bone as sweetly as a knife through butter. The smell of burned flesh stung the air, and the three of them hit the floor, screaming and grabbing at legs that were no longer a part of their bodies

Nausea rose. I swallowed heavily, allowing myself no time to dwell on what I'd done

Though what I'd done was, in many ways, worse than killing them

Talon's curse was lost to the sound of more footsteps. I swung back round, cutting down three more clones before the laser petered out. I grabbed the second knife out of my pocket, then lunged forward, the paper-thin weapons glinting like diamonds under the harsh lighting. Two more clones went down, the blades lodged deep in their chests

Then the last one was on me. I ducked the first few blows, then dropped and swept with my leg, knocking him over. He grabbed at me as he went down, but I broke his hold and punched as hard as I could. My fist mashed flesh, and the ripe warmth of blood spilled into the air. I swung around, grabbed his leg, and twisted it. Bone cracked, and the clone screamed

My chest heaved as I battled to catch my breath, and sweat trickled down my back. I stepped back from the clone, ignored the bile that rose in my throat, and met Talon's gaze

My actions might have angered him, but they'd also aroused him

"Now it's just you and me," I said softly

"Not really. I have a hundred such creations at my beck and call."

"Then I guess you're not such a perfect specimen of wolfhood after all, are you?"

He raised an eyebrow, a confident smile touching his lips. "You want a fight, little wolf?"

I flexed my fingers. "You think I'm afraid to?"

"I think you're very afraid."

And he'd be right. But it wasn't so much his physical strength but rather his aura. Even from where I stood I could feel it. It was a blanket that was almost smothering, a heat that crawled across my skin like some insidious, insistent demon. Close up, it might be too strong to ignore for any length of time

He uncrossed his arms, then pressed the band on his wrist. "Security, I have a problem here that needs to be attended to. Use whatever force you deem necessary to deal with the breach."

Security obviously weren't happy about this, because I heard their squawk from where I stood. Talon cut them off with a curt "Do it," then looked back at me

"And that," he said, shaking his arms and flexing his fingers, "should be the end of your lover."

"Don't underestimate him." I balanced lightly on my toes, ready to jump out of the way the minute he sprang

"Oh, I'm not, but even the greatest fighter in the world can be blown to smithereens by the force of a laser - as you've so aptly shown."

"Damn shame the thing ran out of power when it did. I would have enjoyed blasting that smug smile off your face." Taunting him probably wasn't the brightest move, but I just couldn't help it

His gaze slid down me, a warmth that made me cold inside. "Darkness has fallen outside, little wolf. The moon is only minutes from rising. I shall enjoy beating you into submission, and then I shall enjoy fucking you in wolf form."

Bile rose in my throat. Forcing yourself on someone while both were in wolf form was not only the act of a bastard, it was the ultimate form of degradation and humiliation for a werewolf. It had nothing to do with the power of the moon or the needs of a wolf, because the moon heat ended when the change swept over us. It was an act of rape, of domination, of power. It said you cared nothing for the person you were with, that in your eyes, he or she was no better than the animal whose shape you both wore

I knew of no wolves who made love on this night. Most took to the hills, enjoying the freedom of the forests, rejoicing in the rise of the moon

"You can try," was all I said

But I knew, like he knew, that I would have to beat him before the change came on. Because in wolf form, he would be stronger. That was the way of nature and something even my vampire genes couldn't get around

His smile stretched his lips even farther, then he came at me. I waited until he was close, then pivoted, smacking him in the face with a fist before ducking out of his way. His fingers glided down the coat, catching the end and jerking me to an abrupt halt. I cursed him and jerked out of it, spinning away

He chuckled. "I can smell your arousal, little wolf. And I can see it."