Full Moon Rising

“I gather you know this gentleman.” Quinn’s voice was flat and yet I sensed the amusement in it. Maybe he liked the sight of pain being inflicted on others

“I’d use the term ‘gentleman’ loosely. But yeah, I know him.” I released Talon’s hand, throwing it back against his chest. “What the hell are you doing here? And how did you find me?”

He grinned, but it never touched his eyes, which were cold and hard as his gaze moved from me to Quinn and back again. “A wolf always knows where to find his mate.”

“This is your mate?” Quinn’s voice was scathing. “Good Lord, I thought you had more taste than that.”

“Mate as in sex partner, not mate as in permanent relationship. This jerk has just decided he needs a kid from me and has laid claims without my consent.”

“There are laws against that, you know,” Quinn said conversationally. “Though I’ve always found a good beating works as a far better deterrent.”

“Now, there’s a thought.” I pushed Talon hard in the chest, knocking him back several steps. Surprise flickered in his golden eyes

“What the fuck do you think you’re doing?” I continued sharply. “What right have you got to come here after me?”

The false smile slipped away, and what remained was cold and hard. God, what had I ever seen in this man? “You’re mine, little wolf, and I don’t intend to share. Even with a dead man.”

“I belong to no one but myself. And how do you know he’s a vampire?”

Talon snorted, his expression impatient as his gaze briefly swept past me. “It’s Alan Brown, isn’t it? Seen him on the recruiting ads.”

If it had been Alan Brown, Talon would have been dead meat. Brown was another of those vampires who didn’t treat fools—or those who didn’t respect his so called “superiority”—lightly. “So how did you find me?”

“Easy. I checked out what shifts you were supposed to be on this week and came here to wait for you.”

He was lying. Why I was so certain, I didn’t know. Certainly there was nothing in his eyes or his expression that gave him away

“You broke into my apartment?” And how could he have found my schedule in all that mess when half the time I had trouble?

He shrugged, his gaze sliding down my body, becoming heated when he saw what I was wearing. Or almost wearing. “I like, little wolf.”

For the first time, the fierce burn of his aura had little effect. It was as if some sort of veil had been raised between us. I felt the caress of his desire but it no longer stirred the fever. Maybe because I’d finally glimpsed the real Talon and hadn’t liked what I’d seen

He reached out to touch me, but I slapped his hand away. “Have you given up on that crazy idea of yours?”

“It’s not crazy. And a child of ours would be perfect.”

Maybe it would. If it lived. If I lived. “I have no intention of having a child with you, so get over it.”

His expression was hard, determined, but I saw something else in his eyes that scared me—amusement. Gloating. “You will have no choice in the matter, little wolf. I intend to ensure you do not find relief with anyone else. Including dead men.”

Anger surged, and I hit him. I’d never condoned women hitting men any more than I did men hitting women, but right then, with the smug smile teasing his lips and the I-know-something-you-don’t look in his eyes, I just couldn’t help it. He didn’t see it coming, and it landed on his chin with every ounce of strength I could muster. Which was quite a lot. His head snapped back, and he was out before his back hit the concrete

“Good punch,” Quinn commented. “Remind me never to make you angry.”

“All you have to do to avoid it is remember that this particular wolf doesn’t take people trying to take over her life too lightly.”

Which, in many ways, was what Jack was trying to do—but at least he was giving me maneuvering room. Talon wasn’t—he was making his statements like it was already a fait accompli

I knelt beside Talon and felt for a pulse, just to ensure the smack in the back of the head hadn’t killed him. The pulse was there, nice and steady. He was just knocked out

I scanned the street as I rose. Our other watcher was still out there, hidden in the shadows, watching the proceedings. If it was Gautier, we could be in serious trouble. Even if he didn’t suspect Quinn, he’d probably be more than a little suspicious of my identity by then

“Let’s get back to the car.”

Quinn nodded, placed his hand against my spine, and escorted me the remainder of the way. “So tell me,” I said, once we were in the car and zooming out of the city, “why would you think I’d be willing to make love to you if I had a permanent mate?”

He gave me a look that suggested he wished I’d missed the intent behind that particular statement. “Because I’ve heard the promises wolves make, and I’ve never met one who actually keeps them.” He slowed the car as the lights ahead changed to red

“What happened between you and Eryn was about money, not promises. You said that yourself. Don’t condemn a whole race because of the actions of one goddamn wolf.”

“It was more than one.” He looked at me, blue-lensed eyes flat and hard to read. “I seem to have a somewhat fatal attraction to your race.”

Ire swam through me. I was sick and tired of other races judging werewolves and deeming us unworthy or lacking. Why? Because we saw sex as a celebration, something that should be enjoyed rather than something that must be hidden away behind doors and darkness? Vampires drank blood to survive, and many killed their food supply, and yet the world in general deemed them more worthy of respect than us

It made no sense, especially given sex was used to sell everything from Band-Aids to cars. I mean, whom did we really hurt with our moon dances? Sure, the aura of a wolf could make the unwilling willing, but few wolves bothered using it. We didn’t need to when we could get what we wanted within our own race

“You know, most of the vampires I work with are little more than stinking killing machines. That doesn’t mean I think the whole damn race is the same.”

His shrug was nonchalant, and yet the fierceness of his grip on the steering wheel suggested he was taking this conversation anything but casually. This Eryn—and whoever else was behind his less-than-stellar opinion of werewolves—really had done a number on him. “What I personally think of werewolves has nothing to do with anything.”

“It does when you think we’re nothing but prostitutes—and remember, you’re the one who said you’d prefer to avoid pros.”

The lights turned green, and he drove off at warp speed. “I don’t consider wolves prostitutes—you don’t sell yourselves, for a start. But I do think you are all far too free and easy with your bodies.”

“And yet you seem all too willing to jump in and enjoy the offerings.”

He gave me a somewhat amused look. “Underneath the vampire is a man—and no man in his right mind would say no when the packaging is as delightful as yours.”

“That is such a human attitude—hate the race, but won’t pass up the opportunity for a freebie all the same.”

“At least I’m being honest—more than what your so-called mate is being, I’d say.”

I let the change of topic slide. We could argue forever on his all-too-human grievances against wolves and never get anywhere. “Talon has always been arrogant, but I never thought he’d go this far.”

“How long have you been together?”

“Two years.”

“Is that not a long time for a wolf? Maybe that’s why he thinks you have an agreement?”

My smile felt tight. “We’ve never been exclusive. At this particular moment he has seven other lovers, while I have one.” I glanced at him. “And one prospective. In years past, he’s had up to ten, and I’ve had three or four others. And he has no intention of giving up his harem for anyone.”

“A wolf with lots of stamina, obviously.”

“Yeah.” Talon was all stamina, no finesse