Full Moon Rising (Riley Jenson Guardian 1)

The very lack of reaction in his bloodshot eyes told me just how little he cared for my brother - and for that alone, I wanted to smack his drunken ass

"Serious trouble?"

I took a deep breath and blew it out. More to control that urge to hit him than anything else. "No, not serious trouble. I feel he needs help, that's all. He's gotten into a situation he can't extract himself from."

Davern snorted. "He's always doing that, and he always gets out eventually."

"Yeah, but this isn't a sexual situation." Yet even as I said it, I felt the slight lie. It was a sexual situation - sort of

Which made about as much sense as Rhoan's staying in a relationship so long with an uncaring nitwit like Davern. He had to be a damn good fuck because he certainly didn't appear to have much else going for him

"When did you last see Rhoan?"

"Last week. I believe he was with Liander until Sunday, though."

Then I'd definitely have to find Liander. "I don't suppose he said where he was going after Liander's?"

His bloodshot gaze went past me and I felt the hunger stir in him. Maybe he wasn't as drunk as I'd thought

"He mentioned something about having to investigate Evensong Air."

Quinn's airline. Great. I grabbed Davern's hand, forcing his attention back to me. "It's very important I know exactly what he said about Evensong Air."

He blinked. "For God's sake, it was over a week ago."

"I know, but try to work your way past the sozzled brain cells and remember, all the same."

He frowned, and with his free hand reached for his drink. "He said there were some problems within Evensong and that he might have to go undercover. That's all. I swear."

I released him and flopped back in my chair. Rhoan was investigating Evensong and I had the vampire who owned the company camped out in my hallway

Coincidence? Not likely

And while I couldn't actually question Quinn himself without raising suspicions, I could certainly take the roundabout line of inquiry. Talon walked the same circles as Quinn, and if anyone could dig up dirt, it would be he

But before I could ask him to do me a favor, I had to get past the sex ;Riley?"

The voice was warm and familiar, but far away. Far, far, away

"Riley, tell me what's wrong."

Despite the pain engulfing me, the soft question sent heat shimmering through every nerve cell. It had to be Quinn. No one else I knew caused that sort of reaction. But why the hell was he there, rather than haunting the halls of my apartment building?

And what did he mean by what was wrong? I'd been shot, for Christ's sake. That much had to be obvious, even to the simplest of minds

God, it hurt. Burned

"Is the bullet silver?"

Silver. The bullet was silver. That's why it hurt so much

"Take... out." Hurry

He swore. Amen to that, I thought weakly. My eyes refused to open, my arm was numb, and the numbness was spreading all too quickly through the rest of my body. The wolf had missed my heart, but in many respects, it didn't matter. If Quinn didn't get that bullet out of my shoulder soon, I was one dead puppy

I floated in a sea of molten agony, drifting in and out of consciousness, my body aflame and dripping with sweat

Yet his voice reached me, dragged me back