Moon Sworn (Riley Jenson Guardian 9)

"Did he say where the murder occurred?" Cole squatted down beside me and handed over a Mintie. It wasn't a burger or even chocolate, but a chewy mint was better than no food at all.

"Here in these trees." I paused to unwrap the mint, popping it in my mouth before replying. "He said his attacker sprayed something in his face that froze him, so you'd better do a full toxicology."

"Like I don't always." He touched my shoulder lightly. "Are you sure you haven't come back too soon?

Because you're not looking too good at the moment."

I met his concerned gaze, managing a small smile. "Meaning there were occasions in the past when I actually did look good?"

He grinned, and the warmth of it flowed over me, chasing away the chill faster than the coffee. "I will admit to thinking, every now and again, that you looked great."

"He confesses this now, when he's finally found a girl who will put up with him?" I shook my head in mock despair. "We could have had so much fun."

"I don't think I have the stamina to handle someone like you." He pushed to his feet. "And you very neatly avoided answering the question."

"Not too neatly if you noticed."

He shook his head, his expression concerned. "You need to take it easy, Riley. This job isn't worth dying for, no matter what Jack says."

Again, the frustration surfaced. "Jack doesn't want me dead. I'm of no use to him that way."

"But he will keep pushing until you begin to think you might be better off dead." He reached into his pocket and tossed me another Mintie. "Sooner or later, you're going to have to set boundaries."

"Which is easier said than done." I squinted up at him. "I don't see you saying no too often."

"My situation is not the same as yours."

"No. You haven't been injected with drugs that are changing the very chemistry of your body."

"That's irrelevant, and you know it."

It wasn't, because it was the one reason I couldn't walk away from the Directorate and Jack.

"I'm just saying that you need to be careful." He hesitated, then added, "Jack may be a good boss, but he doesn't run the Directorate. His sister does. And trust me, she's a hard bitch who won't hesitate to suck you dry and then spit you out."

Curiosity stirred, and I raised my eyebrows. As far as I knew, no one had ever met the elusive director Madeline Hunter - none of us plebs, anyway - although they did speak of her in the administration halls with varying degrees of trepidation. "You've met Director Hunter? What is she like?"

"She's everything Jack isn't, and she doesn't care who she has to use - or use up - to get the job done."

The bitterness in his voice raised my eyebrows. "So you've crossed swords with her?"

"Not me personally, but someone I know." He glanced away, his expression grim. "He died because of her, because she and the Directorate kept pushing. I'd hate to see the same happen to you, Riley."

The anger in his voice was very clear, and yet here he was, working for the very people he seemed to hate. "It won't."

"Good."

The short, sharp way he said that made me realize he wasn't about to go into details, no matter how much I might want them. So I wasn't surprised when he changed the subject.

"Did the victim have any idea why the murderer dragged him into full view?"

"No, but the most obvious answer is that he wanted Johnson's body found." I shrugged. "Someone who runs around dressed as a demon obviously isn't dealing with a full deck of cards."

"And that," he said heavily, "is the most sensible thing I've heard all day."

I laughed and rose. I finished the coffee in one swift gulp that burned my throat, then handed him the plastic cup. "You'll let me know if you find anything?"

"Nope," he said, his eyes twinkling as he slapped the cup back on top of the thermos. "I'm going to keep it all to myself."