Tempting Evil (Riley Jenson Guardian 3)

"And does this Henry Cartle bunk with his men?"

"In the same building, but he has his own room."

Better and better. "What can you tell me about escape tunnels?"

She frowned. "I do not know what you mean."

"I was following Moss through the trees earlier today, and he simply disappeared. Unless he can shapeshift, there has to be an entrance to the lower levels in those woods."

"If there is, I do not know of it." She hesitated. "I will see what I can discover, though. Starr likes his future read when I am here."

I raised an eyebrow. "Meaning you not only see the future when you touch someone, but can ferret out the past?"

She shrugged elegantly. "Sometimes."

"And what did you see when you touched me? Past or future?"

"Future." She stared at me for several seconds, her blue eyes seeming to see right through me, down to my very soul. "It will be troubled, with many unwanted detours. Some dreams will be yours to take or forsake. Some have already slipped through your fingers."

Avoiding direct answers seemed to be catchy. "Psychic mumbo jumbo that could mean anything."

She shrugged again. "Because I touched you without a specific question in mind, I saw only generalities. If you wish a more detailed reading, then I suggest you see me after this is over and we are all safe."

"It's a date."

She smiled and glanced at her watch. "I must be going before suspicions are raised. I walk the grounds before lunch. Meet me tomorrow and I will tell you what I have discovered."

I nodded. She turned around and walked out. As the closing doors snatched away the filtering moonlight, Quinn reappeared. "What was that thing with her?"

"A Fravardin. It gives her sight and provides protection."

Energy rippled across my skin as Kade shifted shape. "Whatever it was, it had no emotion as we recognize it. It was little more than a vacuum of emptiness to my senses. She, however, was delicious." His warm gaze met mine. "I demand an introduction after all this is over."

"If we make it through this, you'll get it." I glanced at Quinn. "Given you keep reminding me how old you are, I'm surprised you didn't know what that creature was."

His lips twisted into a smile that was bitter. "There are many places on this earth I've yet to visit, many people I've yet to meet."

"That thing couldn't be classified as 'people.'"

"Just because it hasn't human form as we currently recognize it doesn't mean it can't be classed as an offshoot of humanity." There was touch of censure in his voice, which was damn annoying considering he was the one who'd just called it a "thing." But given he seemed to be in an argumentative mood, there wasn't much point in saying anything. He continued, "Just as werewolves, shapeshifters, mermen, and the like cannot escape the reality that they are merely another branch of the well-spring from which humanity sprung."

"Werewolves, shapeshifters, and the like are not the ones you should be giving that lecture to," I reminded him tartly, "but rather those humans who hold themselves up as the pinnacle of development, and everyone else an oddity that should not exist."

He shrugged. "This is not the time for such a debate."

I snorted softly. "Yeah, that's why you're standing there throwing attitude my way - because you don't want to argue." I reached over the door and unlatched it. "I need to go find my brother before I'm tempted to get nasty."

"I shall accompany you." There was anger in Quinn's rich tones, but then, there often seemed to be when he was "talking" to me. "He needs to know I am here."

As did Jack, but given he was likely still ranting over my ignoring his orders, I had every intention of leaving Rhoan the task of informing our boss we had a fourth person on the ground.

I gave Kade a quick kiss good-bye, more to piss off a certain vampire than anything else, then headed out the stable doors. Quinn was little more than a shadow at my back, a presence I could feel but not see through normal vision. Hopefully, this meant no one else would see him, either.

"Unless they have infrared, they won't." His voice little more than a murmur that barely carried to my ears, but nevertheless brushed my senses as sensually as any summer breeze.

"They have infrared around the zoo and on the lower levels, so avoid those areas. And quit reading my mind."

"If you do not fully shield, I will continue to take it as an open invitation." Though I could not see his eyes, I could feel his gaze on me. "And in this place, it is extremely unwise - "