Full Moon Rising (Riley Jenson Guardian 1)

"Possibly - especially if they were aware of my history with Henri. They would have had to realize I'd start searching for him."

"Because of your friendship?"

"Because I owe Henri my life more times than I care to remember."

A loyal vampire. Interesting. "So why would they be cloning Henri? What has he got that a million or so other vamps haven't?"

He gave me a thoughtful look. "You don't read newspapers much, do you?"

I frowned. "What's that got to do with it?"

"Henri was a supreme athlete, and ten years ago was the only man alive who could say he raced in the original Olympics for real, not just in hologram."

"Whoa... that makes him - "

"Ancient," Quinn cut in. "When the modern Olympics began, he was a semiregular competitor. When they restarted after World War II, he competed again."

"How? He's vamp, and most events are run in the day."

"He's a very old vampire. Only the midday sun will kill him."

"So how did he race? Nonhumans weren't allowed to compete back then."

His smile was wry. "Back then, they didn't have the technology to separate human from nonhuman. He won quite a number of medals over the years."

"And when the alternative Olympics started?"

"He was a star. He won nearly all track events in the three alternative Olympics before his death. This year, the Australian Olympic Council commemorated his achievements by nominating him for the Sporting Hall of Fame. He was the first vampire ever to be selected, and his story was splashed all over the media."

I was going to have to start taking more interest in the local news. "Whoever is behind this cloning couldn't have known Henri's love affair was going to go wrong and that he'd kill himself."

"Couldn't they?"

The Irish lilt was gone, replaced by harshness. For several seconds I just stared at him. "No way. Why go to that sort of trouble when it would have been simpler to kidnap him?"

"Because this way no one went looking for him."

And in that moment, I understood the pain I'd glimpsed in his dark eyes. He hadn't gone looking for his friend. I reached across, placing my hand on his arm. His muscles jumped under my fingers, as if he was resisting the comfort offered. "You couldn't have known."

"But I could have checked."

"You would have killed yourself."

His smile was grim. "Maybe. Maybe not."

I had a feeling he wouldn't have really cared either way as long as he'd discovered the truth. "Did he tell you he was going to commit suicide?"

"No, but I've known him forever. I should have guessed what would happen."

"How could you guess that a man who had lived so many years would kill himself over a worthless werewolf?"

"Exactly," he growled, then glanced at me, his expression no softer. "Present company excluded."

Present company not excluded, and we both knew it. He might allow himself to want me physically, but he would never allow himself to want anything more. Because of his ex. Because of his friend's ex. Which meant no matter how hard I fought to keep exploring, in the end we would part. And that was a damn shame, because we could have been good together. More than good

"What happened to her?"

"She's dead."