Moon Sworn (Riley Jenson Guardian 9)

He repeated it. I typed it in then hit SEARCH. As I waited for the results, I glanced up at Quinn. "How soon can your plane be ready to leave?"

"Turnaround is usually an hour." He glanced at his watch. "We could be gone in twenty-five minutes, if need be."

"Want to warn them, then?"

He smiled. "Already have. The pilot is telepathic."

"Handy." I glanced down as the search results flickered up on the screen. The number was listed as belonging to a house in Mickleham, which was an outlying area of Melbourne rather than one of the recognized suburbs, and made up of small farming subdivisions rather than high-density housing estates. It also wasn't that far away from Essendon Airport, where Quinn usually landed his planes.

I rose. "Evin, you'll need to stay here - "

"No." He thrust to his feet, his expression belligerent. "I'm coming with you. I need to help - "

"The best way you can help," Quinn said gently, "is by continuing the scam here. If they get the slightest idea that something has gone awry, then your mate's life will be even more at risk. These men are dangerous, and they will do whatever they think is necessary to protect themselves."

"This is what we do," I added softly. "And we're damn good at it. We will get her back safely."

Which was a stupid thing to promise, given we had no idea what her situation was, but I couldn't help it. I liked Evin - stepbrother or not - and I didn't want to see him face the pain of losing a soul mate like I had.

One loss in the family was more than enough.

Evin glanced from Quinn to me then back again. His shoulders slumped. "Okay. But let me know the minute you've found her."

"We will." I took a deep breath and blew it out slowly. "And now to tell Jack."

Quinn stepped forward. "I can - "

I held up a hand. "No. This is my battle."

I spun around and walked into the cell area. The vamp's door was open and Rhoan leaned casually against the door frame. He glanced at me. "Find out anything interesting?"

"His contact was Tyson." I stopped and peered into the cell. Jack was sitting on a chair, and the vamp was upright on the concrete bed. They looked for all the world like they were in the middle of a staring contest, but the sweat beading the younger vamp's forehead was evidence enough that something else was happening.

And that he was losing the battle.

"Meaning Blake definitely is behind it. Tyson wouldn't spit without his big brother's approval."

"Tyson's usurped the London pack in Cona Creek and made it his own."

Rhoan's expression was contemptuous. "He always was a lazy bastard. Should have guessed he'd steal a pack rather than make one of his own. We going after him?"

"'We' are not going anywhere," Jack said, without taking his gaze from the other vamp. "Not until we finish here, anyway."

I glanced at him. "Boss, I tracked down the number Evin phoned his reports into, and it's a Melbourne number. We need to hit the address and rescue Evin's mate as soon as possible."

"Riley, the murders we're investigating occur during the day, which means we're limited in our guardian usage."

Specifically, it meant there was Iktar, Rhoan, and myself. But there wasn't anything I could do that Iktar and Rhoan couldn't - other than talk to souls, and the reality was, we weren't really getting that much information from said souls. These people were far too clever.

"What about a deal, then? Let Quinn and me go after Evin's mate tonight, and then we'll concentrate on solving the murders."

"And Blake?" Rhoan asked.

I glanced at him. "Can wait until we have the time to work up a really good revenge."

"The minute you free Evin's mate, he'll know the game is up."

"Not if the guards are forced to believe she's still there."