Tempting Evil

The thump of many footsteps against concrete suggested security were answering the alarm. I hoped my brother wasn't amongst them or, at least, wasn't the first in line to open that door.

Unease rolled through me again, and this time, I knew for sure it centered on Rhoan. I just wasn't entirely sure why. Was it simply sibling concern? Or the growing certainty that something had gone seriously wrong for him? Maybe the next thing I needed to do once I'd delivered Dia's child to safety was hunt him out—if only to see him and ensure he was okay.

Because the last time I'd felt anything like this, he'd been kidnapped and milked for his seed.

And then something else hit me—the realization that Starr was likely to check the whereabouts of all his people. Including the whores and us fighters. I stopped abruptly.

'What's wrong?' Quinn's voice was even, showing no hint of breathlessness despite all we'd been through. Annoying, to say the least.

'I need to get back to my room, which means I need you to do me a favor.' I swiped at the sweat trickling down the side of my face. 'Will you take the child to the forest and wait for the shifter to come in and collect her?'

He frowned, and gave the silent little girl a dark look. 'I am not overly fond of children.'

'I'm not asking you to be fond of her. I'm just asking if you'd take her to safety.'

He didn't answer immediately, so I offered up the child. Somewhat reluctantly, he took her. 'When and where?'

Rather than respond, I flicked the com-link, and said, 'Jack?'

'Regular reports, Riley. That was in the very first lesson on proper guardian behavior.'

'I think that was the one I slept through.'

He swore. 'Damnit, just report.'

I smiled. It might not be wise to bait my boss, but damn if it didn't feel good when he bit. 'We've got the kid and blown the lab but the shit has temporarily hit the fan. Quinn's going to bring the child to the meet now. I've got to get back and act like nothing has happened.'

'Everyone's cover still intact?'

'That very much depends whether the cameras in the tunnels had infrared or not.' I hesitated. 'Listen, those underground levels are not new. Quinn reckons they're far older than the cartel itself. You don't think this place is situated an old military bunker, do you?'

'Maybe one named Libraska, you mean?'

'Well, it does make sense for Starr to have his most valuable asset close to hand.' And it would also explain the existence of the elevator entrance to his rooms—the one no one seemed to know about.

'We've no records of any installation, military or not, being built in this area, but I'll get Alex to check with her Government source. Hopefully, we'll have an answer soon as to what Starr is sitting on.'

Alex was Alex Hunter, the woman responsible for the birth of the Directorate, and who'd been in charge of it since its inception. Not only was she a very old vampire—far older than even Quinn—but she was also Jack's sister. Talk about job security.

Though how Jack could be several hundred years younger than Quinn, and yet still be the sibling of someone several hundred years older was a point Jack and said sister had so far been unwilling to explain. But I very much intended to get an answer, even if I had to nag Jack to death.

'Where do you want Quinn to meet your removalist?'

'There's an old pine leaning over the fence near the south corner. We'll have people there in five.' He hesitated. 'Be careful. And keep in contact, Riley. I mean it.'

I'm sure he meant it the first time he said it, too. It still didn't mean I'd remember. I flicked off the com-link and glanced at Quinn. 'You'd better get moving.'

He nodded and shifted his grip on the child, then wrapped his free hand around the back of my neck and pulled me close. His lips, when they met mine, were warm and demanding, the kiss itself unlike any other kiss from any other man. It was both a promise of intent and a declaration of feeling, and so damn right—so damn hot—it had me melting.

A sigh escaped when his lips left mine. He chuckled softly. 'Keep that thought for when all this is over.'

I opened my eyes and stared into the obsidian depths of his for several heartbeats. 'Only if you accept what I am, Quinn. It wouldn't be fair to either of us, otherwise.'

His smile was tinged with bitterness, though that bitterness didn't seem aimed at me but rather himself. 'It has occurred to me that to win the race, I must first be in the race. I may not like a werewolf's propensity for many mates, but if sharing means I get the chance to prove that we are meant to be, then I have little other choice but to accept it.'

My hormones did a happy little jig. 'Meaning no more demands that I see you, and you alone? No more jibes at the werewolf culture?'

'Yes to the first, and I will try to the second.'

Well, that was better than nothing. I leaned forward and kissed him gently. 'Thank you.'

'Even the very old can try to change if we see something worth changing for.' He briefly touched my cheek with his fingertips, then stepped back. 'Be very careful in that house.'

I nodded. He turned and disappeared into the night, though I watched the flame of his body heat until the trees took it from sight. After which, I turned and headed back to my room.

Only Berna was there when I entered, but she wasn't asleep. Far from it. Her expression was dark, angry, like she was ready to hit someone. And her eyes, when her gaze met mine, suggested that someone was me.

I stopped cold, wondering what the hell I'd done. Other than whip their asses earlier, that is.

But before I could ask, pain hit. Deep, deep pain that struck like a hammer, smashing through my body, driving me to my knees and snatching the air from my lungs.

It wasn't my pain.

It was Rhoan's.

Chapter Fourteen

I'd never felt anything like it before. The pain was real, and yet it wasn't. It washed fire across every nerve ending but the agony of it didn't linger for more than a heartbeat or two. Even so, my limbs trembled with sudden weakness. It was almost as if my strength was being sucked away by the pain.

Or maybe it wasn't the pain. Maybe it was Rhoan, calling on my strength because his own was failing. It wasn't something we'd ever figured possible, because we couldn't share thoughts and, up until now, had never shared the pain of hurts. Though we certainly knew when the other was either emotionally or physically wounded, and we'd always been able to find each other—an ability that had saved us both over the last few months.

If I was feeling this from Rhoan now, he was in trouble. Life or death type trouble.

Panic hit like a club, sucking away my breath.

I didn't know what was happening to him, but I sure as hell intended to find out. I took a deep breath, and staggered to my feet. Only to have my neck caught in a vise-like grip and my back shoved violently against the wall.

'You betrayed us, didn't you?' Berna's face was inches from mine, her expression contorted with the rage that trembled through her entire body. 'We trusted you not to say anything but you did.'

If she wanted a reply, she wasn't going to get it. Not when her grip was so damn tight breathing had become a sudden luxury. I reached up, grabbed her hand, and pried her fingers away from my neck before thrusting her back and away.

Surprise flickered through her eyes. Despite the fact I'd beaten them both, Berna still had no idea as to my true strength.

'What the fuck are you talking about?' I rubbed my neck and fought the urge to run, to find and rescue my brother. Something else had obviously gone wrong—something I needed to know.