Kissing Sin (18 page)

“What aren’t you telling me?” he said, more forcefully this time. We might not share the telepathy of twins, but in many ways, we didn’t need it.

“That appointment I had was for the fertility specialist.”

He was silent for a long moment. “And?”

“I’m temporarily fertile.”

It wasn’t the answer he’d been expecting and his shock rippled through the air.
“What?”

“I can’t risk it, Rhoan. Not with the ARC1-23 running through my system.”

“Ah, Jesus.” He swept a hand through his bristly hair, then strode toward me. After wrapping his arms around me, he squeezed tight and said softly, “I’m sorry, sis.”

I could barely even nod, he was holding me so tight.

“Misha knows, doesn’t he?”

“Yes.”

“That’s why he wants this meeting, then.”

“Yes.” Because he wanted to use me, and reproduce with me, just like everyone damn else seemed to.

Everyone except Kade, who just wanted to have a good time, and Quinn, who wanted me to be his, and only his. Only he didn’t want the wolf, just the woman, and he couldn’t have one without the other.

“I know how much you want a child, but you can’t do it.”

“I know.” I pulled back. “I’m protected against pregnancy. Only Quinn knows that.”

“I can imagine how he took it.” Rhoan grimaced.

“Yeah, he did mention something along the lines of whoring myself for the sake of the Directorate.”

“He may be a very old vampire, but he was still once human. And they just can’t get their minds around sex being something that should be shared and celebrated. Which is why—”

“Don’t,” I interrupted, “lecture me on the subject anymore, bro. I’ve offered him a deal and I intend to stick to it.”

“I still don’t think it’s a good idea, but I’ll shut up on the matter.” He kissed my forehead. “Let’s get out of here, before those blue suckers decide to pay a second visit.”

I glanced toward the lasered window. “You don’t really think they’d attack again so soon, do you?”

“Probably not, but these people have a tendency to do the unexpected.”

Like causing a car crash and snatching me for breeding purposes just when we’d all begun to think I was safe. Dammit,
why
were they after me? What was so goddamn important about my genes that they were so determined to have me? And why not Rhoan, who carried the same genes?

“So I can keep this?” I raised the small laser he’d given me earlier.

“Yeah. Jack will have a coronary, as they’re guardian-only weapons, but right now, I don’t give a shit.” He grabbed the bag from my shoulder. “It’s got a stun setting, if you’d prefer to shoot first and ask questions later.”

“Already noted, bro.”

He smiled. “Keep behind me, and wrap the shadows around you.”

I did, and we made it down the stairs without mishap. Quinn was little more than a deeper shade of night, but I would have known he was there even if I wasn’t using infrared. His rich scent warmed the night air.

“There’s several cameras currently trained on us,” he commented, opening the front passenger door for me. “I’m not sure if they’re infrared, but I’ll be dumping this vehicle as soon as possible.”

“Good.” Rhoan glanced at me. “Be careful.”

He meant with Quinn. I leaned forward and kissed his cheek. “You too.”

He waited until I’d climbed in, then handed me the bag. “If there’s any trouble, call.”

“I’ll keep her safe,” Quinn said.

“You’d better.” Rhoan stepped back, and Quinn slammed the door shut. Five seconds later, my brother had gone back inside and we were under way.

“Where are we headed?” I asked, after a few minutes.

“After we dump the car? I’m open to suggestions. Neither my place nor yours would be safe right now, and hotel registers can be checked too easily.”

And even signing in under a false name wouldn’t be safe, as there wouldn’t be many people checking in at this hour of the night.

I rubbed my forehead wearily. There was an ache behind my eyes, my head was beginning to pound, and I desperately needed some sleep. But more than that, I needed some sort of sanity back into my life.

My gaze went to the softly lit ship that was crossing the bay, heading toward the open ocean. Right now, I felt like that ship—gliding through the darkness, heading for ever more treacherous waters.

But that ship at least knew its final destination. I had no idea.

“Riley?”

Sighing, I said, “Let’s find somewhere I can use the com-unit safely. I need to check a few things.”

His gaze swept me, a heat I felt rather than saw. “Like what?”

It was so tempting to snap out something along the lines of “that’s none of your damn business,” but that’d be churlish and he didn’t deserve any more of that. “Like, who the hell Kade really is.”

“So you fucked—” He stopped abruptly.

“Yes,” I stated, wavering between annoyance that he’d started to repeat the same old line, and amusement that he’d actually stopped it mid-sentence. A small improvement was better than nothing, I supposed. “I fucked him without doing a background check. And don’t you dare try and tell me you check the background of every woman
you
bed.”

“No.” He paused. “I apologize.”

“Oh, I bet that hurt.”

He gave me his vampire look and simply said, “What has made you suspicious of him?”

“The fact that he’s still here, helping us.”

“Ah, so it’s not suspicion as such, but curiosity.” He glanced at me. “You know what curiosity did to the cat.”

“Yep. And it
so
won’t stop me.”

“
Nothing
seems to stop you.”

Given I wasn’t entirely sure how to take that statement, I simply said, “Where are we going to dump the car?”

“Here?”

I looked around the darkened, grimy streets, and could instantly think of a dozen better places to go. Which I guess made it the ideal spot. “Fine.”

He swung into a side street and stopped in the shadows of an old gum tree. I grabbed my bag and climbed out. The wind had become even colder, whipping around my bare legs with some force, sending goose bumps fleeing across my flesh. The scent of the ocean mingled now with the overripe aromas of rubbish, age, urine, and stale human. The surrounding houses were as dark and dingy as the street itself, yet the sound of lovemaking that was coming from the one closest indicated that some of these hovels were at least occupied by more than the drunks I could smell.

I glanced across the roof of the car. “Do you know this area?”

“Not at all.” He faded into darkness, and I switched to infrared. The heat of him moved around the back of the car. “This way.” His breath whispered warmly past my ear as he took the bag from me.

I glanced at the house, saw the flame of the couple loving each other, and fleetingly wished I had nothing more to worry about than achieving satisfaction.

Pulling my gaze away, I followed Quinn. We moved quickly through the maze of streets, always heading away from the city rather than toward it, as might be expected.

By the time he’d stopped, we’d made our way into a small shopping strip. I eyed the bedding shop with longing, but naturally, it wasn’t that one he stopped at, but rather, the dingy-looking corner store.

“No alarms,” he said, before I could ask. “And there’s an unoccupied floor above it.”

I didn’t even have the energy to work up a glare. “I thought you were going to stop reading my mind?”

“No, I said you should guard your thoughts if you don’t want me reading them.” He forced open the door, and waved a hand. “After you.”

The old shop hadn’t been used for some time, if the dust layered on the counters and the aged taste of the air was anything to go by. I moved past a chair stacked on tables, brushed past several dangling cobwebs, and headed up the stairs. The upper floor wasn’t large, but it did have a bed. And even though it smelled older than Methuselah, it was better than sleeping on rot-worn floorboards.

“You take the bed,” Quinn said from the top of the stairs. “I’ll keep watch from down below.”

“Keeping out of temptation’s way?” I said, with some amusement.

His expression was grim as it met mine. “As you noted before, I have a decision to make. I think it only fair I keep my distance until I do make that decision.”

I grabbed my bag from him, then leaned forward and kissed his cheek. “Thank you for being honest, and thank you for at least thinking about it.”

Warmth touched his dark eyes. “Even a very old vampire can learn to be honest occasionally.”

“So there’s hope for you yet?”

The amusement died. “I don’t know, Riley.” He raised a hand, touching my cheek briefly but oh so tenderly. “I just don’t know.”

He turned and walked down the stairs. I blew out a breath, then sat on the sagging mattress and started up the com-unit. Half an hour later, I had the answer to at least one of the questions bugging me.

Kade had all the right certificates and records.

But Kade Williams didn’t actually exist.

L
ygon Street on a Saturday afternoon was a hive of activity and noise, the air rich with mouthwatering aromas. Quinn and I sat at an outside table, enjoying the brief splash of sunshine as we waited for three o’clock to roll around. From where I sat, I could see the Blue Moon, which was across the road and down a side street. Rhoan and Kade weren’t to be seen, but I knew they’d be here somewhere. Jack waited in the underground car park down the road. He wasn’t quite as old as Quinn, and had tighter sunshine restrictions.

I was making my way through a garlic heavy super-souvlaki, and barely resisting the temptation to breathe in Quinn’s direction. Not because the whole garlic and vampires thing was true—it wasn’t—but just because it would be an annoying thing to do and I was in an annoying sort of mood.

Part of that was our close proximity to the club. The scent of lust and sex and musk carried easily on the air, stirring my hormones to life. But considering the meeting I had to face, having eager hormones was a very good thing. Misha knew how badly I’d want a kid now that I knew for sure I only had a brief window of opportunity. He’d understand it instinctively, in a way only other werewolves could. He’d expect me to be sexually ready—aggressive, even—simply because female wolves usually were when they were ready to bear children. It didn’t matter that we weren’t soul mates—he’d still expect that sort of behavior from me, because he knew this might be my one and only chance.

Yet he also knew me well enough to know I wouldn’t jump into anything without first questioning. He’d expect questions, and he’d expect me to answer his questions, as well.

And
that
was the other part of the whole mood equation. I wasn’t entirely sure I was up to playing that sort of game with a man intent on using both sides for his own benefit.

Rhoan came sauntering up the street, a pleased smile touching his lips.

“The Blue Moon checked out, huh?” I said dryly, as he pulled out a chair and sat down.

“Yeah.” He grinned. “Liander was there.”

“And you did the wild thing on Directorate time?” I shook my head in mock disgust. “Really, bro, where are your morals?”

“In my balls, where most men’s morals are. You planning to eat the rest of that souvlaki?”

I handed him the remainder and picked up my coffee, warming my fingers on the exterior of the cup. “So, what’s happening?”

“We have several people positioned at both exits. The trackers are picking up the bugs you’re wearing loud and clear. Misha has been in the club since one.”

I raised my eyebrows. “And he didn’t see you?”

“Liander and I can be very discreet when we want to be. Besides, Misha’s hammering a petite blonde.”

Charming. I glanced at my watch, and saw that it was quarter to three. I gulped down my coffee and rose. “Time to go.”

Neither man moved. They’d wait here, watching the main entrance, scanning the interior with infrared. Quinn’s gaze came to rest on mine.

“Be careful” was all he said.

I nodded, kissed my brother on the cheek, slung my bag over my shoulder, and headed for the club.

The front doors swished open and Jimmy, the mountain-sized half-human, half-lion-shifter bouncer, gave me a grin.

“Hey, Riley,” he said, engulfing me in his huge arms and giving me a hug that momentarily stopped my breathing. “It’s been quite a while since you’ve been here. We were beginning to worry something might have happened to you.”

Something
had,
but it was nice to know I was missed. I pulled him down to my level, and planted a quick kiss on his furry cheek. “It’s nice to see you, too.”

His smile got bigger, revealing two white and shiny front teeth. His own teeth had been knocked out in a fight here at the club over two months ago, and they’d obviously been replaced while I’d been away.

“Got a good crowd in today,” he said, opening the door as I paid my entrance fee and picked up a locker key. “And Misha’s here, if you’re interested.”