Dangerous Games (Riley Jenson Guardian 4)

Visions of Jan rose. The mess of her back, the way she needed - begged - for me to finish it. How long had Jin and his cronies been working her up to that point? How long would it be before she became the next victim found neatly sliced and diced on some warehouse floor?

"Trouble is," I said, repressing a shudder, "he doesn't just feed on the joy of killing them."

"No. The flesh of heart and liver and kidney are sweet on the tongue."

"I do not even want to contemplate how you know that."

The smile that touched his lips was gentle, and yet somehow sad. "I have been a vampire a very long time, Riley. And all vampires, whether they admit it or not, have their dark times."

"Doesn't mean I have to know about them."

"You should, because they are a part of what I am."

"And a werewolf is part of what I am, but that doesn't stop you trying to circumnavigate the fact."

He didn't answer, just looked back at the house. When you didn't want to answer a question, ignore it. That was Quinn's usual mode of operation, and it was getting more and more annoying.

And yet, I had to admit it was contradictory to want to know about his past, and yet not know about his dark times. I surely couldn't have one without the other. Not if I truly wanted to understand this vampire.

"And fan?" said, as I returned my attention to the house. "When will she be recovered enough to move?"

"Perhaps tomorrow," a fresh voice said. It took me a moment to realize it was Marcus, the whip-happy blond from the club. "We applied Jin's salve, and the healing is progressing satisfactorily."

"Then tomorrow night. We shall meet and see how suitable she is." He paused. "Jin, bring an appropriate partner."

"A testing may not be a wise move with O'Conor and the Directorate on our tail," Maisie commented.

"It cannot be helped," Kingsley said, voice a lash of anger. "Unless you wish to contribute your own flesh again so soon?"

Maisie's shudder ran down the mental lines, becoming my own, even though I had no idea what Kingsley actually meant - and no desire to find out. "I'm only looking out for your safety, John."

"I know. But I need a full blooding. If you raise another demon before then and kill Quinn, it should not be a problem."

"I have only so much blood in my body, John. I cannot - "

"You can, and will. I need six more victims to sustain my existence on this earth. After that, we are less vulnerable."

I glanced at Quinn. "Did you know this?"

He nodded.

"Then why have you not gone after them?"

"Because I am a vampire above everything else, and vampires have restrictions." He motioned toward the house. "If they do not move from their lair, I cannot kill them."

"Maisie moves."

"Maisie was my one and only connection to the others. I could not kill her until I had found all the tendrils of this evil."

"Then why won't you take Maisie out of the picture now that we've found all the players?"

"Because, as I've said, it would warn the others and perhaps send them undercover again."

Inside the house, Maisie said, "We cannot risk raising too much magic at the moment."

"The house is secure enough. As is the altar."

"Yes." But there was doubt in Maisie's voice.