Full Moon Rising

As I studied my reflection in the mirror, I decided I did slut superbly well. The blue wig and skin toning made my smoke-colored eyes glow a bright blue, and the skirt and shirt flirted with indecency but left enough covered to stop the cops hauling me off to charge me. I shoved my jacket on, put my other clothes in my bag, and walked downstairs to meet Qui

He was waiting, several bags at his feet. His gaze went to my hair, then slid down to my face, and a mix of surprise and hunger flitted through his eyes. The surge of his desire nearly scorched my skin

“Rather keen on the blue, are we?” I teased

He didn’t deny it. Couldn’t, when I could so easily smell it. “I don’t get a preview of the rest of it?”

I gri

His gaze slid down, lingering on my leather-clad ankles. “I’ve got a feeling the surprise could be heart attack material.”

“Isn’t that the effect you want?”

“Yes.” He bent to pick up the two bags, affording me a glimpse of laser guns and some sort of electronic sensor. I didn’t even know they sold that sort of stuff here, and I shopped here frequently. But maybe they had a special section set aside for billionaires

He gave the manager a huge tip, then escorted me outside. “Did you come in a car?”

I nodded. “It’s in the Casino parking lot.”

“Then we’ll leave it there and go in mine. They might have taken note of your car earlier.”

We walked down the street, heading back to his building. My heels clicked against the pavement, a tattoo of sound as rhythmic as the beat of desire burning through my blood. I felt good in the blue clothes, sexy rather than slutty. Not that I minded slutty if the occasion was right. And if it hadn’t been for the fact that I needed to get my brother free that night, I would have offered to take Qui

His car turned out to be a black Ferrari—sleek, sporty, and hot. Much like the man himself. He opened the door for me and I climbed in

“So, what’s the plan?” I said, once we were under way

“If you look as good beneath as I think you do, all you’ll have to do is walk up the street and every camera in the vicinity will be on you.”

I gri

“You find a way to keep those cameras on you while I either get over the wall or get through that second entrance and try to find a way to get Rhoan out.”

I raised an eyebrow. “It’ll take two of us to get Rhoan out, won’t it?”

He shrugged. “It might. But first off, we’ll have to find out if he’s in there, then we have to discover just how well guarded he is. It may not happen tonight.”

So he thought. I, on the other hand, was damn sure that, one way or another, Rhoan was coming out of the place that night. “If you do a drive past first, I might be able to tell you if he’s still in there.”

Qui

We reached Moneisha in record time, and he slowed to cruising speed. I studied the white walls but didn’t feel anything. I said as much to Qui

“It might be because you’re in the car. Maybe you have to be closer to feel him.”

Maybe. And maybe he was simply gone. I tried to ignore the unease sitting like a weight in my stomach, and said, “I’ll have to do a walk past.”

Qui

I raised an eyebrow. “Why don’t we simply lower our shields a little and use telepathy?”

He gave me a glance that could have meant anything. “I don’t think so.”

“Why not?”

“Because you’re a wolf in moon heat, and your aura is so strong that I can feel it even with my shields up.”

“And this is a bad thing because… ?”

“Because when I make love to someone, I prefer it to be in comfort, not in the confines of a cramped sports car.”

I gri

“It could be dangerous.”

I laughed. I couldn’t help it. “You know, for a man who’s seen a thousand years pass by, you have some pretty staid ideas.”

“And you’re a pup who hasn’t yet had the time to appreciate the finer things in life—like making love in luxurious surroundings.”

“Hey, I fuck millionaires, so I already know all about luxury. Danger and discomfort can be just as thrilling, believe me.”

He shook his head. “I’m going to have to teach you better.”

I gri

“In the twelve hundred years I’ve been around, I’ve tried it all. Believe me, I know which is better.”

“But in all that time, I bet you ain’t met someone like me.” I gave him a saucy grin. “I’m going to rock your world, vampire.”

His smile just about smoked my insides. “You’re welcome to try.”

My hormones were all for trying right there and then, but I had a brother to rescue first. I opened the door and started to climb out. Qui

“There is one thing I must make clear, though,” he said, his low tones holding a hint of warning

I glanced at him. “What?”

“There can never be more than a casual dance between us. I have no intentions of getting seriously involved with another werewolf.”

I raised my eyebrows. “What makes you think I want anything more than casual? I’m a wolf—and like all wolves, I want the soul mate and kids ideal. You can never offer me that.”

“I’m just warning you.”

“So I consider myself warned.” I slipped out of the car and took off my coat, throwing it back inside. His sharp intake of breath made my grin widen. “Consider this outfit your warning, my dear vampire.”

I blew him a kiss and slammed the door before he could make any sensible reply. Grin still wide, I strolled down to Acacia Street, crossed the road, and began an exaggerated, saucy walk far enough away from the walls for the cameras to see me. A soft buzz filled the silence as they began tracking me

I sensed Rhoan within minutes. He was still there, still in those same rooms I’d sensed him in earlier. I sighed in relief. All we had to do was try to get him out

Lights cut across the darkness behind me. I kept walking, listening to the throaty purr of the engine, knowing it was Qui

He stopped beside me and the window slid down. I strolled over and leaned down, flashing the cameras an eyeful of butt

“He’s there.”

“Right now, with you looking the way you’re looking, I’m not particularly worried if he’s there or not.”

“So the front seat of the Ferrari is suddenly looking good?” I teased

My phone rang before he could answer. He reached into my bag, clicked the flashing vid button, then held it up so I could talk without blowing our cover

Jack came online, and he didn’t look happy. “Riley, where are you?”

“Outside Moneisha,” I said. “Why?”

“Well, when you grab Rhoan, don’t bring him to the office. There’s been some trouble.”

“What kind of trouble?”

“Someone’s just tried to kill me.”

“A pretty stupid someone, I’d say.”

Jack gave me a crooked grin. “Well, yeah, seeing he missed his target and was caught. Unfortunately for us, he killed himself before we could question him too much.”

I frowned. “Where did this all happen?” I couldn’t imagine a shooter getting through the Directorate’s street-level doors, let alone down to the guardian levels