Tempting Evil (Riley Jenson Guardian 3)

"And you didn't ever stop to consider who else might be in the way of the explosion?"

Nerida's gaze met mine. "Not once I saw Moss."

Insane with revenge and blind because of it. Great. "And have you ever stopped to consider that the picture is way bigger than the piece you're concentrating on?"

"No."

"Then I suggest you fucking start, before you end up on the wrong end of someone else's revenge." I flicked on the light. "Moss, Merle, and Starr have destroyed more lives than you could ever imagine. Stop being so blinkered, start seeing what is really going on, and for God's sake don't blow anything else up. Or I'll have you taken out so fast your heads will spin."

I glanced down the corridor to see the guard headed our way again. And he looked even unhappier than he had the last time.

I leaned forward and grabbed my towel, soap, and the handkerchief. "Now, if you don't mind, ladies, I need to complete my shower."

I flung the towel over my shoulder and headed for the shower stall Nerida had originally used. It had a good line of sight via the mirrors, and while I needed to get clean, I wasn't fool enough to turn my back on either of them.

The guard stalked in as I stepped under the water. "What the hell is going on here?"

"Just a little disagreement," Berna muttered. "Nothing to worry about."

"It is when I'm wasting time coming down here to sort it out. You two, back to the rooms now. And you in the shower, hurry up."

Though the heat of the water did a lot to wash the smell of death from my skin, I didn't want to linger too long. That would only piss off the guard more and maybe bring our little scuffle to the attention of those higher up. So I washed and dried and meekly made my way back to my bed.

"No more," the guard said from the doorway, once I was settled, "or I'll report all of you."

I resisted the impulse to snap that we weren't kiddies - mainly because that impression was far better than the real reasons for the fight.

I waited until the guard had gone, then reached my hand under my wet towel and grabbed the handkerchief. "You dropped this earlier," I said, and tossed the scrap of cloth across to Nerida. "Don't do it again."

"Oh, I won't. You can be sure of that."

Meaning next time she would ensure there was no telltale signs were left behind. I blew out a breath and laced my fingers across my belly. After a while, their breathing grew slower - or in Berna's case, noisier - indicating they were slipping into sleep. Whether they actually were, or whether they were foxing, I couldn't say. But I wasn't about to let the desire to sleep overwhelm me, not with Berna's threat hanging over my head.

I Hipped off the sheets and headed out the door.

Voices and the growl of machinery rode the night, and lights now lit the far end of the house. Starr wasn't wasting time getting down to repairs, it seemed.

I headed in the opposite direction, getting as far away from the sounds and the smells as I could. But even deep in the trees, where the moonlight failed to pierce the thick canopy of leaves, the dead were with me.

And they wanted their revenge. I woke with a start, and to the realization I was not alone. I twisted around sharply. Quinn sat two feet away, his expression thoughtful as he leaned back against the gnarled trunk of an old pine, his arms crossed across his chest and long legs stretched out in front of him. He seemed little more than a shadow of the pine, even though the sun was still too low to cast such things this deep in the trees.

I rubbed my eyes and struggled into a sitting position. "What time is it?"

He glanced down at his watch. "Just after seven."

No wonder I felt like shit. I'd only had five hours' sleep, and after the last few fun-filled days, that just wasn't enough. "Why did you wake me?"

"I didn't. I was merely watching you."

Something had woken me, but I let the matter slip and raised an eyebrow. "I'm not that interesting when I sleep."

"Perhaps not, but you were at least quiet. A rare thing, I'm discovering."

I picked up a twig and flicked it at him. He smiled, and it rose to his eyes, briefly warming the night dark depths. Something deep inside sighed in pleasure. "Did you uncover anything interesting last night while following Moss?"

"Nothing other than the fact that he and Merle do not see eye to eye. You?"

I shrugged and told him about Nerida's mad quest.