"What did you talk to Mandy Jones about?" Surprisingly, my voice sounded near to normal. Given the desire rolling through me, I'd expected husky.
"We talked about several of the men she'd been with. She didn't provide any useful information."
"So you didn't talk to her about the vampire beheaded outside the club?"
"No, I did not."
"I will check, you know."
"Check all you want. I'm not lying." His gaze swept down me then rose, pinning me. "Your turn."
I shrugged. "Four vamps felt the need to attempt a little retribution."
"You obviously beat them."
"Not without a little help. It happened outside Dante's, and the owner came to my rescue."
"Did he now?" There was an edge in his voice that surprised me. It almost seemed as if he were angry. Furious, even. "Did he kiss you?"
I frowned. "Why?"
"Because I've heard him boast that once he kisses a woman, she is his unto death."
And I could hardly be Dante's when I was his. I snorted. This wolf was a control freak. "He tried to, but I threatened to knock his balls through his ass and that seemed to do the trick."
Although if he had really tried, would I have been so resistant? Somehow, I didn't think so.
He seemed to relax a little. "How badly were you hurt?"
"One of them had something of a flesh fetish. He took a chunk out of my shoulder before he started feeding." I shrugged again. "It's just another scar to add to the list."
"Show me."
"Kye, it's fine. I shifted shape - "
He moved, his right arm slashing downwards, something sharp and silver glittering in his hand. A heartbeat later, the front of my t-shirt fell open, the knife slicing through it like butter but never touching my skin.
"If you don't want the rest of the shirt sliced up, you'll show me the wound."
His voice was hard and cold, the total opposite of his eyes. I returned his gaze, wishing I could just smash the arrogance from his face and walk out, yet unable to do it. I might hate him, but I needed this. Needed him. Not just sexually, but in a deeper, more fundamental way. After six months apart, it suddenly seemed as if he was as vital to my wolf as air.
Without a word, I shucked off the remains of my t-shirt and turned around. I didn't hear a step, but the scent of him swirled more strongly around me - a sensual and heated caress that had my nostrils flaring and body burning.
Then his fingers brushed my skin and it was all I could do not to press back into his caress.
"It's going to leave one hell of a nasty scar," he murmured, his voice flat and emotionless as he slid his fingers slowly down my spine. "And your pants are soaked with blood. Best not to let the vampire bite you for a few days."
"What the vampire and I do is none of your business." I spun around before the knife could flash and my jeans met the same fate as the t-shirt. "Where the fuck did you pull that from?"
"This?" He rolled the weapon through his fingertips, the blade a blur of silver fire. "Sheath at the small of my back. And you'd be wrong about it being none of my business."
I ignored the latter part of his comment, and said, "That blade is silver, so I take it the sheath is lead-lined?"
He raised an eyebrow. "Why would you care one way or the other?"
"I don't." I was just curious. Silver was deadly to a wolf, and it was extremely unusual for one of us to carry it so close. But then, he also used silver bullets in his gun. Obviously, he wasn't worried about his own weapons being used against him. I retrieved the phone from my pocket. "Give me your phone number, and I'll transfer the file you wanted."
"Why don't you just tell me the important bits." The blade disappeared as quickly as it had appeared. This wolf was frighteningly fast.
"You know, as much as I'd really love to stand here and chat about the case - " My voice was dry and a smile touched the corners of his mouth - "the fact is I haven't actually read the file."
"Sarcasm is something of a fall back for you, isn't it?"
"Much the same as murder is for you. Do you want the file or not?"
"I want the file." His voice was soft, and the smile still played about his mouth. I tried to ignore it, but my damn gaze kept dropping. "I also want this."
His hand snaked out and wrapped around the back of my neck, dragging me to the lips I'd been desperately trying to avoid.
His kiss was heated and hard, and it was everything I craved, everything I wanted. I gave in to the power of it, wrapping my arms around his neck, clinging to him, tasting him as fully as he tasted me.
He gave a low growl in the back of his throat and suddenly I was being pushed backwards. My back hit the wall and I grunted at the force of it, yet still I kissed him, my wolf desperate for his taste and his touch after such a long absence.
His hands cupped my breasts, squeezing and teasing as his lips left mine, kissing my face, my neck, my throat. I shuddered, my legs suddenly weak, my knees threatening to buckle at the force of pleasure rolling through me.
I grabbed his T-shirt and ripped it up the middle, exposing the beauty of his chest and stomach. I slid my hands up his abs, feeling the quiver in his muscles, reveling at the intensity of desire so evident there.
He undid the button and the zip on my jeans, then his hand was sliding past the elastic of my panties, down to the place that was so wet and eager for his touch. I moaned as he touched my clit, arching forward into his touch, wanting more. He chuckled softly and thrust his fingers deep inside me.
But as good as it felt - as desperately as I wanted that and more - sanity sparked somewhere deep inside.
No matter how much I might crave this, I couldn't let it go any further. It would only strengthen the ties that bound us.
So I shoved my hands against his chest and pushed him away from me as hard as I could.
He flew backwards, but all too quickly regained his balance, his hand instinctively reaching for the knife sheathed at his back. I shifted my stance, ready for anything, my breathing little more than pants of air.
Then his gaze met mine and his hand dropped. But he didn't relax, and neither did I.
This wolf was an explosion waiting to happen.
"I didn't come here for sex, Kye. And I will not give in to this."
"You have no choice." His voice was rough with the urgency that still burned between us. "Neither of us do."
"We're not animals, Kye, and I will control this." I bent and retrieved my phone from the floor, though I couldn't remember even dropping it. "Phone number?"
He spat the numbers out. I transferred the file, then shoved the phone into my pocket and did up my jeans. "I'll be going now. Don't bother walking me out."
He smiled. It was a cold, hard thing. "Don't think you're going to get away that easily."
I didn't even look at him, just turned and walked for the door.
"I want to see you again, Riley."
I ignored him and kept walking. It was the hardest thing I've ever done in my life.
"Lunch tomorrow, at Franklin's in La Trobe Street. Wear something nice. They have a strict dress code for entry."
I spun around at that. I couldn't help it. "You want a fucking date? Why, when neither of us want this relationship?"
"I may not want the relationship, but I want you, and I also want information about this case. And I always get want I want, Riley. One way or another."
I stared at him, hating him more than ever, and yet fearing what he could do. He was a killer without conscience, and the threat he posed to those I loved loomed large in my mind.
"That's blackmail on top of attempted murder, Kye. I can now officially kill you."
He moved with frightening speed. One minute his hand was empty, the next there was a gun in it. I think he pulled it from an ankle holster, but I wasn't one hundred percent certain. "And this is loaded with silver bullets. Don't think I won't hesitate to shoot if I need to, Riley."
My hands where clenched so hard my fingernails were digging into my palm. I forced myself to relax, and gave one short, sharp nod. "Franklins at lunchtime, then."
I turned and walked out. But I was barely through the door when he added, "And Riley? Stay away from Starke."
I didn't ask why. I just got the hell out of there.
Chapter Six
Rhoan and Liander were both home when I got there.
"I'm fine, sis," Rhoan said, the minute I opened the door. "Really, it's just a shoulder wound."
"Doesn't mean I wasn't scared." I wrapped my arms around him and hugged him tight, soaking myself in the scent and strength of him. "Maybe you and Liander need to take a holiday somewhere nice while you recover."
Part of me want to warn him about Kye and the threat he posed, but I knew the minute I did that, Rhoan would go on the offensive. And that could get damn dangerous for us all. Right now, the better option seemed to be silence. As long as I kept playing Kye's games, everyone I cared about should be safe.
Rhoan snorted. "And you think Jack's going to let me do that?" He waved his bandaged limb about. "It'll be fine in a day."
"I know, but - "
He placed a finger on my lips, quieting me. "I'm fine. In fact, I look a whole lot better than you. Why is that?"
"I got into a fight with some vamps." I stepped back, not wanting to get into the details of events at Dante's or the warehouse. Too much had happened in too short a time, and I just needed time to sort it all out. To figure out what the hell I was going to do. "And now I need a long hot bath."
"Then go. We'll have the coffee waiting when you finished."
I leaned forward, dropped a kiss on his cheek, then headed for the bathroom. An hour later, feeling a whole lot cleaner but actually no wiser, I twisted around in front of the mirror, trying to look at the wound the vampire had given me. Though it was already healing, it was going to leave a nasty mark. Give me another year in this job, and I probably wouldn't have any unscarred skin left.
Yet short of leaving the job - an option I didn't have - there wasn't anything I could do about it. The more I fought bad guys, the more things would go wrong. And one of these days, that wrong would mean death.
Which was a good reason to say yes to Liander's and Rhoan's request. At least part of me would live on.
But then, there were also people out there who'd be more than willing to use any offspring as a pawn against me. Hell, Kye was showing no qualms about using Liander and Rhoan's safety as a means to secure my obedience, and he was my damn soul mate.
I blew out a frustrated breath then tossed my towel in the laundry basket, collected my coffee, and then walked into my bedroom and climbed between the sheets.
Once again, my sleep was uneasy, but this time the mix of worry and desire blossomed into unbridled pleasure. This time, the dreams were sharp and real rather than just restless sensations. I dreamed of being caressed and kissed, of hands sliding and teasing, of heated flesh pressing against mine, taking me, bringing me to fulfillment, again and again.
My dream lover had no face, and no smell. My dream man could have been Quinn, it could have been Kye, or maybe it was both all mashed up into one. It didn't matter. I just enjoyed, even if somewhere deep inside I wished it were real rather than imaginary.
And then it did become real.
Quinn's scent filled my lungs as he slid in beside me, his hands moving down my body to where it was warm and wet.
I moaned softly, arching into his caress as I reached out sleepily and drew him closer. I kissed him, my lips soft on his as my hands began to roam the warm, hard expanse of his body.
And just like the dream, his body pressed against mine, his flesh joining mine, so heated and hard. It felt so damn good that I wanted to cry. Then the pleasure intensified and I came, as did he, my name on his lips moments before his teeth entered my neck, taking the substance that was a vital part of the act for him and giving me yet more pleasure.
As the soft haze of sated exhaustion rolled over me, he moved to one side and gathered me in his arms. I snuggled against his bare chest, breathing in the scent of him, wishing the day and the problems that would come with it would just all fade away, and let me lie here forever.
His fingers brushed the sweaty strands of hair away from my forehead, then his lips lightly took their place. "Good morning, sweetheart."
"The only good thing about this morning is your sudden appearance in my bed," I muttered, wishing I could go back to sleep.
His smile held a warmth I felt deep inside, even if I couldn't see it. "You did look as if you'd had a bitch of a night."
"Understatement of the year." I gave up on any attempt to sleep and stretched, my body pressed warmly against his. "I don't suppose there's coffee anywhere near, is there?"
"Only a mug of congealed muck I presume you forgot to drink last night. But I did put the coffee maker on before I came into the bedroom."
"What a clever vampire you are." I shifted and kissed him lightly. "You worked late."
"I wasn't working. An old friend arrived in town, and we went out for drinks."
I raised my eyebrows. "An old friend? Should I be jealous?"
"I wish you would be." Though he grinned, there was more than a little sadness in his eyes. He might have gotten used to my werewolf ways, but part of him still hungered for a truly one-on-one relationship. It was something I could never give him, especially now that my wolf soul mate was on the scene. "Tell me about your dream."