Tempting Evil (Riley Jenson Guardian #3)(41)

“Many clairvoyants are able to see, and converse, with shades or spirits.”
“But I didn’t converse with them or see them. I could just feel them—or rather, their emotions.”
“Maybe the rest is yet to come. But you have always had empathy with the dead—how else would you have been able to sense my emotions so often?”
I wanted to argue that that was different, because he had flesh and a heartbeat—however slow it might be—so, technically, he wasn’t dead dead. But what was the point? I had always been able to sense his emotions. And sometimes even Jack’s. How else would that have been possible if it wasn’t some twisted form of empathy with the dead? And surely it wasn’t a huge step from reading the undead to reading the dead.
I rubbed my arms lightly against a sudden chill. Trust me to develop a talent that held no earthly value and was as scary as hell. “Thing is, this empathy is extending. I’m beginning to sense the emotions of some flesh-and-blood people.”
“If that’s the case, and this is the first sign that the ARC1-23 is having an effect, then you should not be here. You should be back at the Directorate, being tested and watched.”
My gaze met his. “I’m not walking away from this mission. I want to be a part of Starr’s downfall.”
“Why? What is so important about it that you risk your life, or at the very least, your future?”
“Starr kidnapped me, abused me, and most importantly, he murdered a friend. And for all that, he will pay.”
“So this Nerida is not the only one on a quest for revenge?”
I smiled grimly. “This question coming from a man who has spent how many years and wasted how many lives seeking his own revenge?”
He smiled his sexy smile, and desire prickled across my skin. The moon heat might be a few weeks off yet, but being in the presence of this vampire always made me feel like the moon was full and ripe. I wanted him, always wanted him, no matter how angry or just plain pissed off with him I might be. And in a totally different way from how I wanted Kellen or even Kade. This was deeper. Way deeper.
How much deeper was something I might never find out, given his problems with the werewolf lifestyle, and my own determination to find my werewolf soul mate.
“I guess I should not throw stones,” he agreed.
“No, you should not.” I stretched out my legs. “So why are you here? Really?”
“I want you to show me the section of the forest where Moss disappeared. I’ll try and find the tunnel entrance, if there is one.” 
I frowned. “Your infrared can’t see past soil, can it?”
“No, but if there is an entrance, there will be other indicators, even if it is something as simple as an area of grass trampled down.”
I nodded. “Jack knows you’re here. He isn’t happy.” Which was the understatement of the century. After he’d spent ten minutes telling me off for continuing to ignore direct orders, I’d innocently mentioned Quinn and had learned the hard way my dear brother hadn’t gotten around to telling Jack about his presence here. Meaning I’d been on the receiving end of yet another tirade. Was it any wonder I still had a headache?
What I needed was coffee. Buckets of it. And a big, hearty breakfast. Both of which might be difficult to get considering Nerida blew the kitchen apart last night.
“I’m here to help, not hinder, your mission,” Quinn said. “I will not take out Starr until you have all the information you require about his organization and the labs.”
“Well, actions speak louder than words, so I’m not believing until I actually start seeing evidence of your restraint.” I pushed to my feet. “I’ll take you to the place Moss disappeared. They want us to do some fight training this morning, then I have a brunch meeting with Starr.”
He fell in step beside me. “Why do you have a meeting with Starr?”
“Because he’s fascinated with my unusual beauty.” Just saying those words had me grinning. Anyone who knew me would certainly class me as unusual—or, more likely, just plain weird. But men usually only considered me a beauty after the intake of several glasses of booze. Not that I was ugly by any stretch—just an ordinary girl with a good figure and big tits.
Which I supposed was the only thing some guys worried about.
“Well, it was your hair I noticed first.” His fingers briefly touched my hair—a featherlight caress that shimmered right down to my toes. “It was so long, and such a glorious color. It’s a shame you cut it so short, even if it suits you.”
I raised an eyebrow. “I cut it to shoulder length only a few months ago. You said you liked it. Or was that another lie?”
“No lie. But this is even shorter. It’s a shame.”
Hard to disagree when he was basically echoing my own comments to Liander. “So that comment you made about me not being as flat as most werewolves did not come from observation?”
He smiled. “Okay, so maybe there was just a little observation. But I’m hetero and Starr is not.” Despite the amusement touching his lips, concern gleamed in the dark depths of his eyes—which shouldn’t have surprised me as much as it did. I knew he cared, but it was often hard to remember when he was continually stabbing away at my heritage. “We are talking about a man who has made a concerted effort to get you into his labs. Is it wise to get so close? I thought that was Rhoan’s job?”
“It is, but saying no wasn’t an option.”
He glanced at me again, and the worry was deeper. My daft hormones did an excited little shuffle. Nothing like a man worrying about my safety to get them zooming along excitedly.
“I have noticed this place is run like a dictatorship.”
“You should have seen last night’s dinner entertainment. If that didn’t turn people off thoughts of rebellion, I don’t know what would.” I hesitated. “What do you plan to do if you find the tunnel?”
“Explore it, of course.”
“It might have infrared sensors.”
“It might, it might not.” He shrugged.
Meaning, of course, he was well able to take care of any resulting guard dispatch. Given the little I’d seen of his skills, he was probably right. “And if you can’t find the tunnel?”“Then I shall dig myself a nice little ditch, cover myself in soil, and wait out the noon hours.”
I raised my eyebrows. “Is that where the legend of vampires and coffins comes from?”
A smile touched his lips. “In itself, no. The world was not always as densely populated as it is today, and protection in the form of housing was not always easy to find. Soil, on the other hand, is readily available in all lands, at all times.”
“Does it have to be a particular depth?”
“No. One or two inches is sufficient. Though it is not unusual for the newly turned to panic and go as deep as they can. And, of course, the tombs and graves of the recently dead are often the easiest place to borrow.”
I chuckled softly. “Hence the legend.”
“Yes.”
The brief spark of amusement in his eyes died a little, replaced by the thoughtfulness I’d seen earlier. But again, whatever his thoughts were, he was keeping them well and truly to himself. Which was a nice change, and yet also a little alarming. I had a feeling those thoughts were about me—us—and part of me itched to ask. But the sane part knew it was better not to. However much this vampire irritated the hell out of me, he was at least still in my life, still by my side. No matter how much I might have told him to leave if he could not accept my nature and beliefs, I didn’t actually want him to go.
Because he was right. There was something good between us, something that was worth taking the time to explore. I was willing, as long as it was an open relationship. Maybe he was beginning to see the benefits of such a deal, as well.
Besides, it wasn’t as if we actually knew much of each other beyond the realms of sex. It might actually turn out that we were totally incompatible outside the bedroom. Hell, I hadn’t wanted Talon in my life on a regular basis, but we sure as hell had a good time sexually. Of course, he’d turned out to be a sick psycho. Maybe Quinn would, too. Who really knew?
Only time would tell and the reality was, we hadn’t had a lot of that so far.
I glanced ahead and saw that we were near the clearing where Moss had done his invisible trick. I stopped in the shadows of some gum trees and waved a hand around. “It happened here, somewhere.”
His gaze scanned the area, then came back to mine. “You be careful.”
“You, too.” I paused, suddenly feeling awkward and having no idea why. “I’ll talk to you tonight.”
He nodded. But as I turned to retreat, his fingers slipped down my arm and caught my wrist. “Make sure you use full shields,” he said softly. “Remember what Misha said about Starr. If I can read your surface thoughts, then it is most likely Starr can. You cannot afford the slightest mistake while in his presence, or the game will be up and we’ll all be in danger.” 
God, didn’t he think I knew that already? Stating the obvious would only succeed in making me even more jittery.
He released my hand, his fingers sliding over mine almost sensually. I turned and walked away. But I could feel his gaze, a heat that was centered in the middle of my back before flooding across my skin in waves. The vampire wanted me, and his desire was every bit as powerful, every bit as alluring, as a wolf.