Deadly Desire (Riley Jenson Guardian 7)

"It takes heavy-duty dark magic to reanimate flesh, and that means not only that she's a sorcerer rather than a witch, but that she's extremely powerful. You be careful hunting her."

"That goes without saying." I poured myself a coffee, sucking in the rich hazelnut aroma-a scent almost as tantalizing as the man behind me. "You've met Kye-he was the wolf playing bodyguard to Patrin."

"Ah, yes." He wrapped his arms around my waist and pulled me back against him, then dropped a kiss on the side of my neck, sending little shivers of delight down my spine. "There was something odd about that one. And he could move as fast as a vampire."

He also kissed as good as a vampire... but I shook the thought from my mind and took a sip of coffee before answering. "According to his records, he's all wolf. But he seems to have a few very different gifts that aren't on file."

"So you're investigating him?"

"We did when he was guarding Patrin. Right now, I've simply warned him away from the case."

"He probably won't listen. Most wolves tend not to."

I grinned and turned around in his arms. "That's a very cutting remark from someone who's planning to have more sex with a werewolf."

"I'm not planning sex. I'm planning a long night of hot and heated lovemaking."

I arched an eyebrow and said in low voice, "So what the hell are you waiting for?"

Amusement crinkled the corners of his dark eyes. "You're holding coffee, and you tend to get vicious when it's taken away."

I immediately put the cup down. "Only when there's nothing better being offered. You, my darling vampire, are certainly that."

"I'm glad you think so." He swept me up into his arms then walked toward the bedroom. "Because I intend to ravish you senseless for the next four hours."

"Only four? Age must be affecting your stamina."

"There's nothing wrong with my stamina, trust me."

A point he deliciously proved over the next four hours.

Traffic was hell the next morning, so I arrived at Armel's ten minutes late. Which I figured was pretty damn good, considering, but Jack hated tardiness and he'd probably chew me out once he found out. Of course, I could fly, and therefore could avoid the whole morning traffic situation if I wanted to, but I still preferred to drive. Shifting into my seagull shape had an even worse effect on my clothes than shifting into my wolf, and I wasn't about to face a randy old vampire flashing bits of flesh through torn clothing.

I climbed out of the car and looked up at Armel's house. It didn't exactly follow the expected conventions when it came to the abode of a very old vampire. It was as big as any other house situated in the millionaires-only suburb known as Toorak, but it was also a place of stark white concrete, odd angles, metal monoliths, and huge glass windows. And the garden had the same angular, sparse outlook. There was no grass, just harsh white pebbles, and sharply angled garden beds that were filled with carefully shaped plants.

Not a place I'd want to live, but then, disorder and I were comfortable companions.

I walked through the gates and up to the white marble steps, my footsteps echoing harshly in the cavernous entrance. The tall metal doors were stippled, the surface so highly polished that I had to squint against the brightness of the sunshine bouncing off them. I pressed the button to the right of the massive doors, and somewhere deep inside the house a sound rang out, reminding me somewhat of an old church bell.

I waited for several seconds, listening to the silence within the house and wondering if I'd even hear the approach of the old vampire. They could move with ghostly silence when they wanted to, though most vampires never bothered. Stealthy vamps tended to spook most humans, and given that many humans still weren't overly fond of vampires and their current place in society, spooking them often led to violence. That was never a good thing-for both the human and the reputation of vamps in general.

No one seemed to be answering the door, so I rang the doorbell again. Still no answer.

I stepped back and looked up at the massive windows. I wasn't sure what I was looking for, because I certainly wouldn't see a vampire standing there looking down at me. Even one as old as Armel couldn't withstand the sunshine that would currently be streaming in through the glass. Quinn could, but then, he was over four hundred years older than Armel. Which wasn't a whole lot of years in vampire terms, but apparently those extra years made a huge difference when it came to sunshine-immunity.

I looked back at the door, then grabbed my vid-phone and rang Jack.

"Don't tell me you're going to be late," he said by way of greeting. "I will not be happy if you are."

"I'm not late-"

"Miracle of miracles."

"I'm at Armel's. He not answering the door."

Jack frowned. "He's expecting you, so he should be there."

"Maybe he is. Maybe he's gone to sleep early." I hesitated, pressing the doorbell for a third time, just in case he was sleeping. "What do you want me to do, boss?"