Full Moon Rising

“Jack’s already told you—the source material was a friend of mine.”

“How good a friend?”

He glanced at me. “Not sexual, if that’s what you’re implying. He was born Hieremias, son of Glaucus, though he changed it to Henri Glaucus for ease of use in later years. We’d been friends for over a thousand years.”

It was hard to imagine knowing anyone for that length of time. “How did he die?”

His swift look was cold, hard, and sent shivers down my spine. And yet there was something else in his dark eyes. Something akin to pain

“Broken heart. He walked into the sunshine and stayed there.” He hesitated. “Or so I thought.”

What was the betting that it was another bloody werewolf behind the hurt? Geez, I wanted to explore possibilities with him, but did I really have the energy to fight the pain inflicted by the ex as well as what had happened to his friend? Then I remembered the magic we’d created while making love, and thought, Hell, yeah

“Obviously he was captured before he cindered if there are clones of him walking around.”

“Yes.” He paused again. “When I first saw the clone in Sydney, I was overjoyed, thinking I’d been wrong, that Henri hadn’t committed suicide. But a mind search quickly revealed the truth. The clone’s memory of life had only started seven and a half years ago.”

“So is that why you were attacked here in Melbourne? Because you killed the clone?”

“Possibly—especially if they were aware of my history with Henri. They would have had to realize I’d start searching for him.”

“Because of your friendship?”

“Because I owe Henri my life more times than I care to remember.”

A loyal vampire. Interesting. “So why would they be cloning Henri? What has he got that a million or so other vamps haven’t?”

He gave me a thoughtful look. “You don’t read newspapers much, do you?”

I frowned. “What’s that got to do with it?”

“Henri was a supreme athlete, and ten years ago was the only man alive who could say he raced in the original Olympics for real, not just in hologram.”

“Whoa… that makes him—”

“Ancient,” Quinn cut in. “When the modern Olympics began, he was a semiregular competitor. When they restarted after World War II, he competed again.”

“How? He’s vamp, and most events are run in the day.”

“He’s a very old vampire. Only the midday sun will kill him.”

“So how did he race? Nonhumans weren’t allowed to compete back then.”

His smile was wry. “Back then, they didn’t have the technology to separate human from nonhuman. He won quite a number of medals over the years.”

“And when the alternative Olympics started?”

“He was a star. He won nearly all track events in the three alternative Olympics before his death. This year, the Australian Olympic Council commemorated his achievements by nominating him for the Sporting Hall of Fame. He was the first vampire ever to be selected, and his story was splashed all over the media.”

I was going to have to start taking more interest in the local news. “Whoever is behind this cloning couldn’t have known Henri’s love affair was going to go wrong and that he’d kill himself.”

“Couldn’t they?”

The Irish lilt was gone, replaced by harshness. For several seconds I just stared at him. “No way. Why go to that sort of trouble when it would have been simpler to kidnap him?”

“Because this way no one went looking for him.”

And in that moment, I understood the pain I’d glimpsed in his dark eyes. He hadn’t gone looking for his friend. I reached across, placing my hand on his arm. His muscles jumped under my fingers, as if he was resisting the comfort offered. “You couldn’t have known.”

“But I could have checked.”

“You would have killed yourself.”

His smile was grim. “Maybe. Maybe not.”

I had a feeling he wouldn’t have really cared either way as long as he’d discovered the truth. “Did he tell you he was going to commit suicide?”

“No, but I’ve known him forever. I should have guessed what would happen.”

“How could you guess that a man who had lived so many years would kill himself over a worthless werewolf?”

“Exactly,” he growled, then glanced at me, his expression no softer. “Present company excluded.”

Present company not excluded, and we both knew it. He might allow himself to want me physically, but he would never allow himself to want anything more. Because of his ex. Because of his friend’s ex. Which meant no matter how hard I fought to keep exploring, in the end we would part. And that was a damn shame, because we could have been good together. More than good

“What happened to her?”

“She’s dead.”

No surprise there. “She didn’t tell you anything before you killed her?”

“I didn’t kill her. She was dead when I found her.”

“And you didn’t think that a tiny bit suspicious?”

“Marnie loved fast cars and high speeds. She lost control on a wet road and slammed into a tree. There were witnesses. I thought it justice and let it go.”

“Did you question the witnesses?”

His glance was dark. “No. At the time, I had no reason to believe it was anything more than an accident.”

“And now that you do?”

“I cannot find the witnesses.”

Surprise, surprise. “But why would they snatch someone so famous for the clones? Even if he was the best of the best, surely they must have known the emergence of the clones would eventually raise eyebrows?”

“Not really. Henri’s death was widely reported and ten years is enough time to wash away the public’s memory of him. Besides, the clones do not resemble him exactly, even if they are genetically identical.”

“But if you are old friends with Director Hunter, then she would have been aware of your friendship with Henri. Why didn’t she mention Gautier’s resemblance to him?”

His expression darkened. “Because she was hoping Gautier would lead her to his source.”

I studied him for a moment, then said, “And because she knew you’d want immediate action, therefore possibly fouling her own investigation.”

“Yes. Not that her investigation has given any results so far.”

That was because Gautier was a sneaky bastard. “And in the year you’ve been hunting these clones, you’ve made no inroads on where they might be coming from?”

“No. But I’m fairly certain they’re not military.”

“Why?”

“Because while I have no doubt the military are striving to create the ultimate soldier, I very much doubt that they would allow their creations to walk the streets and raise suspicions.”

“So you think it’s a private company with visions of taking over the world?”

He smiled. “Maybe just a country or two. Conglomerates these days are into power as much as money. Control the government, and you have the power.”

“So bribing or blackmailing politicians has fallen out of favor?”

“Bribing and blackmailing can be traced. Clones would raise far fewer suspicions.”

“Clones can be traced as easily as blackmail. The Directorate, and many other government departments, are beginning to install cell scanners and now have regular blood tests in place.”

“The cell scans wouldn’t pick up irregularities because there would be none. For all intents and purposes, the