Tempting Evil (Riley Jenson Guardian 3)

"Oh, many times." He gave me a glance that was pure mischief. "Trouble is, I enjoy it."

"I think that falls into the category of a little too much information at this hour of the morning."

"Gentle pain can be quite a turn-on if it's done right."

"Give me normal sex anytime." I pointed to the road ahead. "And if you don't concentrate, you're going to ram the back of that Ford."

He slammed on the brakes, throwing me backward. "If you'd stop yakking about sex, I could concentrate."

I shut up. After a few more urns and yeses, Rhoan hung up and glanced at me. "We're going to Chapel Street because Jack lives above a restaurant - he owns the building, and leases out the restaurant section."

I frowned. "Is it safe going there?"

"Apparently only Director Hunter knows the address. A different address is used on files."

And Quinn would never get the address off Director Hunter. Not only was she older in vampire years - and therefore more powerful - but because he was honor bound to obey her. Or so Quinn had said when he'd briefly mentioned the vampire hierarchy system a few months ago.

"We're not going to get parking anywhere near that street at this hour," Liander commented.

"There's a multilevel parking lot behind the Jam Factory, which is just down the road from Jack's."

"Meaning we get to go shopping while we wait for Jack?" I glanced at my brother as I said it, but couldn't resist adding the barb. "Oh, that's right, you already have. That's why we have no money left."

"You got pretty sweaters, so don't bitch."

"I need to eat more than I need new sweaters."

"We have tin food."

"Spaghetti and baked beans just don't cut it after a few days."

He gave me an annoyed look. "You're beginning to take all the fun out of shopping."

Which was precisely the point of nagging. I grinned and looked away. We battled our way through the rush hour traffic, getting there just after nine-thirty. Liander threw several large bags our way, then grabbed the remaining four himself. Jack was waiting in the shadows a few doors down from the Jam Factory complex, out of direct sunlight and well covered up. Age gave vampires a certain amount of immunity to the sun, so the older they were, the more they could walk in daylight. Quinn only had to avoid the hours between twelve and two. Jack, four hundred years younger, had tighter restrictions. He was probably pushing his limits right now.

We followed him to a small door to the right of an Italian restaurant, and up a set of stairs. His apartment was one long room - barring a doorway that led to what I presumed would be the bathroom and laundry - and surprisingly airy, with the front and back walls all windows. Though right now, awnings covered the back windows to stop direct sunlight. The color scheme and furnishings were very masculine, all blue colors, dark woods, and rich leather, and the walls were covered in what looked like prints from the old masters. Only they weren't prints, but real paintings. Given how old Jack was, that was more likely than it seemed.

"So," Jack said, as we dumped the bags on the floor near the table. "How did Quinn discover the mission timetable had been moved up?"

"Through me." I pulled out a chair and sat down at the table. "Apparently the fact we've shared blood has given him greater access to my mind - shields or no shields."

Jack raised his eyebrows. "If that were the case, he'd be here, nut heading to Genoveve."

"You've got him under observation?" Rhoan asked.

Jack nodded. "We seconded several hawk-shifters from Overseas Operations recently to tail Gautier. One of them is currently on Quinn. He'd sense another vampire, even if we had a guardian who could go out in morning sunshine."

Which was why Jack was so determined to set up a daytime division, with me, Rhoan, Kade, and Liander all as its chief operatives. Right now, the Directorate was very limited in its operational times, and not all the bad guys did the nasty stuff during the night.

"Quinn can only read my thoughts during times of stress or pleasure," I explained. "So right now, now matter how much he tries, he hasn't a hope of getting past my shield."

Which wasn't exactly the entire truth - he could actually touch my mind during sleep, as well. But I was pretty sure that was a connection that took both of us to form and went no deeper than a dream state.

And I have to say, the man gave amazing dream sex.

"We'd better hope he can't," Jack muttered. "Because I do not want him near this operation."

I raised my eyebrows. "Why?"