Full Moon Rising

by Arthur, Keri

  “If you fuckers don’t turn on the lights, you can go hungry.”

  The lights came back on and Gautier’s feral form strolled toward me. “Afraid of the dark, are we?”

  I snorted and pressed the button on the trolley. With an electronic groan, it rolled forward and made its way toward the dining room. “Why don’t you go have a shower, Gautier? You smell like shit.”

  He smiled, revealing bloodstained teeth. He’d fed before coming in, and I wondered who on. Was it an official source, or had he started hunting up his own meals?

  “It’s only blood, and the aroma is one I find intoxicating.”

  “Believe me, I know blood when I smell it, and what I’m smelling ain’t blood.”

  I followed the trolley toward the dining room. Gautier followed me, a forbidding presence I could feel but not hear.

  “Rhoan hasn’t come back yet,” he stated. “You heard from him?”

  The small hairs on the back of my neck rose. He was so close I could feel the wind of his foul breath past my ear. But I didn’t acknowledge him and didn’t alter my pace, because that was what he was waiting for.

  “He’s on an assignment.”

  “The moon heat stirs for you wolves, doesn’t it?”

  “What’s it to you?”

  “Well, how are you going to cope without your lover?”

  I snorted. “I’ll find another. Werewolves generally aren’t monogamous, you know.” Not until they’d found their soul mate and sworn their love to the moon, anyway.

  “Ever considered trying a vampire as a lover?”

  His hand came down on my shoulder, his fingers pressing deep into my barely healed wound. Pain flashed white-hot through my body and I couldn’t stop my knees buckling. Swallowing back bile, I kept going down until my knees hit the floor, then, before he could react, shot a hand to his crotch and grabbed a fistful of balls.

  He made a gargling sound, and froze. Dead or not, vampires were still men and still very attached to their dangly bits.

  “Touch me again, and you’ll be finding these”—I squeezed his balls a little harder—“up in the vicinity of your throat.”

  His brown eyes were almost molten with fury and pain. I squeezed again and could swear I saw sweat break out across his brow. Impossible, surely, given Gautier’s fierce reputation. Maybe it was just a trick of the lights.

  “Do you understand me?”

  His nod was barely perceptible. From behind us came the sound of clapping.

  “Well done, Riley.” Kelly’s smooth and sultry voice came from close behind, and a little of my tension eased. If she was there, then my back was safe. “How about you give those sacks an extra squeeze for me? The great Gautier in pain is such a rare but welcome sight.”

  Gautier’s gaze went past me. “Watch your step tonight, bitch. You might just hit trouble.”

  “Oh, I’m so scared.” Kelly’s voice was dry.

  I couldn’t help smiling, but resisted the temptation to do as she asked and released him instead. I wasn’t a fool—and if I inflicted too much damage, I’d catch hell not only from the Directorate, but Gautier himself. He wasn’t above lying in wait for someone, and for all my bravado, I had no real desire to go head to head with the creep.

  I rose and turned my back on him—which, in itself, was an insult of the highest form to a vampire like Gautier. His fury scorched my skin, but I didn’t flinch and didn’t turn around. Just kept on walking.

  Kelly leaned against the doorway into the eating area, a wide smile softening her sharp features. “In a bit of a mood, are we?”

  I grinned and tossed her a meal. “I’m just a little tired of being threatened.”

  “So I gathered. I’ll have to pinch that move off you. It certainly immobilizes male quarry.”

  My gaze went to Gautier. Dark didn’t even begin to explain his expression. Maybe I was crazy, but it cheered me up no end.

  “You got any plans for Tuesday or Wednesday night?” I stopped the trolley and opened the sides so the other guardians had access.

  Kelly shook her head, her black hair gleaming almost blue in the harsh lighting. “Nothing. Why?”

  “The full moon is beginning to rise, so if you still want to catch a little werewolf action . . .” I trailed off and grinned.

  “Oh, yes please.” Anticipation flicked in her gray eyes. “The male of your species sure can show a girl a good time.”

  Ain’t that the truth. “I’ll ring Tuesday and we’ll arrange a meet time.”

  She nodded and leaned forward a little. “I haven’t heard any whispers here about Rhoan’s mission, by the way. Jack’s sending me out tonight, though, so if I find anything, I’ll give you a call.”

  “Thanks. But be careful out there.”

  She smiled and touched my arm lightly. “The great Gautier doesn’t worry me.”

  Well, he worried me. And I didn’t like the way he was watching us. “I was thinking more about the disappearances than Gautier. I don’t want you to join the ranks of the vanished.”

  “It’s not something I want, believe me.” Her tone was one of dry amusement. “But I will be careful.”

  “Good.”

  Once the trolley was empty of its packaged blood, the two of us dished out the coffee. But all the while, I was aware of Gautier’s heated gaze. His expression reminded me of the man who’d shot me, and I decided to ask Jack about Gautier’s background when I returned upstairs.

  Once we’d finished serving, I walked the trolley back to the kitchen. Jack gave me a sweet smile when I got back to the office. “Like the way you handled Gautier.”

  I grimaced. “I just hope our bosses don’t mind me roughing up their star guardian.”

  “You gotta show the guardians you’re more than capable of protecting yourself down there, or there’ll be trouble.”

  I nodded. Guardians seemed to have a whole different set of values than the rest of the population. Show the slightest weakness and they thought you were theirs to do with as they pleased. And while those in charge didn’t condone the behavior, they weren’t above turning a blind eye to it either, particularly if the guardians didn’t kill their “toys.”

  I often wondered what would happen if the public or the press ever found out about some of the darker habits of those paid to protect them. Not to mention the true purpose of the guardian force—to kill without recourse to the courts or justice. Would there be outrage? Or would humanity simply accept it as a price that had to be paid for their safety?

  Considering the unreasoned—almost instinctive—fear many communities had about the nonhumans in their midst, I pretty much figured it would be the latter.

  Or that maybe they’d simply call for all of us to be shot. No nonhumans, no problems.

  I propped on the end of Jack’s desk and swung a leg. “Have you ever run a check on Gautier?”

  “I ran complete checks on all personnel when I first came into this position.” Jack leaned back in his chair. “Why do you ask?”

  “Because I’m nosy.”

  “All wolves are, but that doesn’t explain the sudden interest in Gautier or why you’re now asking me about him.”

  I grinned. “I’m asking because you have a little more access to file information than I do.”

  A smile twitched his lips, but there was a coldness in his eyes that suggested he not only knew where I was going but had been waiting for it. And I knew in that moment that this was the reason he’d been trying to keep me talking before.

  Though why he didn’t just come out and ask his questions, I had no idea.

  “What do you want to know?” he asked.

  “Has Gautier got a brother?”

  “None on record. His whole family is listed as dead, in fact.”

  “Well, the guy who shot me last night was the spitting image of him. Except that he was a werewolf rather than a vampire.”

  “Coincidence?”

  “You don’t believe in coincidence.”

&nbs
p; “No.” He hesitated. “I’ve secured what’s left of the body and have asked our scientists to do an autopsy and cell analysis. That way, we’ll know if he is kin, or something else.”

  I raised my eyebrows. “So if you knew about the shooting, why not say something when I first mentioned it?”

  “Because I wanted to see if you would mention it or want it followed through.” He smiled. “Good guardians always finish what they start.”

  “So do good liaisons.” I rose and brushed a kiss across Jack’s leathery cheek. “And thanks for doing the check.”

  He actually blushed. “You’re welcome. Now, hadn’t you better get going? You’ve only a half day today, and you know how those upstairs feel about overtime.”

  “If it ain’t approved beforehand, it ain’t paid,” I quoted, in my best Jack imitation.

  He snorted. “Go find that flatmate you’re so worried about before I do find a reason to make you stay.”

  With a grin, I bounced back to my desk. After logging off, I grabbed my bag, waved him good-bye and headed out the door.

  Though it was barely one, the sun had disappeared behind heavy clouds, and the day had become gray. I buttoned up my woolen coat, thankful I’d chosen it over the trendy, but short, leather one I usually wore when I did the club circuits.

  I caught a tram to Lygon Street, but hesitated once I got out, sniffing the air and reveling in the mouthwatering aromas of meats, spices, and breads wafting down from the street’s famed restaurant precinct. My stomach rumbled a reminder it hadn’t eaten lunch, but I ignored it and walked on. Just then, I had deeper hungers to satisfy.

  The Blue Moon was situated in a side street just off the corner of Lygon Street. Though it was my favorite club, the name always made me smile. It was such an obvious choice for a werewolf establishment that there were hundreds—if not thousands—of Blue Moons all over the world. Humanity at large probably thought we lacked imagination—but anyone who had ever stepped inside a club would know that definitely wasn’t the case.

  This Blue Moon was the smallest of the five werewolf clubs in Melbourne and the only one that allowed humans to enter—though it did have restrictions on which days, and no human was allowed to enter during the full-moon phase. The other clubs had a strict nonhumans-only policy, something the wankers in government were currently legislating to change. Which was amazing, really, when you consider that twenty years ago, the clubs weren’t even legal and had regularly suffered raids from the police.

  The doors swished open and Jimmy, the mountain-sized half-human, half-lion-shifter bouncer, gave me a grin in which half the teeth were missing. He’d lost them in a fight there a couple of weeks ago, and obviously still considered his toothless smile a badge of honor. And considering he’d come out on top of three wolves, the big man had a right to be proud.

  “Hey, Riley,” he rumbled. “Didn’t think we’d be seeing you here until later in the week.”

  “I’m looking for Rhoan—do you know if he’s come through?”

  Jimmy shook his heavily maned head. “But I’ve only just come on shift. He could have come in earlier.”

  “What about Davern or Liander?” They were my brother’s regular mates, men he’d been with for over two years. He had casuals as well, but if anyone might know where Rhoan was, it would be one of those two.

  “Davern’s been here since this morning, according to the security cams. Liander’s usually over at the Rocker on a Sunday.”

  “Thanks.” I paid my entrance fee and took a locker key. “What sort of mix we got this afternoon?”

  He shrugged. “The usual.”

  Meaning there was a small smattering of vamps and shifters amongst all the werewolves. He opened the door. “Hope you’re intending to change clothes. You know the house rules.”

  I patted his hand. “Heading to the change room first thing.”

  He nodded and closed the door behind me. I stopped at the top of the stairs and let my eyes adjust to the heavy darkness. Hologram stars blossomed across the midnight-colored ceiling, and the glow of the blue moon was only just beginning to dim their bright light. Tables and chairs, many of them occupied by wolves either mating or watching others mate, ringed the packed dance floor. Toward the back of the room, there were curtained booths for those who preferred to mate in some privacy, and they were also occupied. By the end of the week, when the force of the moon raged through our blood, those booths would have queues.

  While most of those on the dance floor were naked, there were some who preferred something more exotic. A few wore leather outfits that clung to their bodies as closely as flesh, while others had donned more outlandish costumes that glittered and sparkled under the hologram moonlight.

  The DJ was set up in the far corner, and the music he played filled the air with sensual and erotic melodies designed to seduce the senses. The room was heavy with the rich aroma of lust and sex, and desire rushed through my veins. All I had to hope was that I could control it long enough to find Rhoan.

  But given the fierceness of that fever, I knew control would only be claimed by sating some of the need.

  It was just too bad Quinn wasn’t with me.

  I frowned and thrust the thought away. Until I knew a whole lot more about the mysterious Quinn and his reasons for wanting to see my brother, I could not afford to do anything more than lust from a distance.

  I walked down the steps and headed into the change rooms. After taking a quick shower to wash the smell of work and vampire from my skin, I put on my club clothes and did my makeup. Then I swept my long hair into a ponytail, shoved my bag into the locker, my credit card and locker key into the small pocket in my skirt, and headed out into the crowd.

  Closer to the dance floor, the sensual beat of the music was accompanied by grunts of pleasure and the slap of flesh against flesh. The fever in my blood rose several notches and the deep-down ache that had started with Quinn that morning shifted into high gear.

  But as much as I hungered to become part of the lusty, sweating crowd, I still had enough control to put business before pleasure. Davern was there somewhere, and I had to find him.

  I skirted the edge of the dance floor, my gaze sweeping the tables lining the walls. Davern was near the rear of the room, close to the privacy booths. But he wasn’t alone at the table, and I wasn’t about to interrupt. Wolves, especially males, tended to get extremely violent if you did.

  I grabbed a drink off a passing waiter—all of whom were mind-blind and nonhuman, which not only meant they could defend themselves if things got nasty, but the aura of a werewolf in heat had no effect on them. And while they were all normal men and women, and did get aroused, they were paid extremely well to ignore their hormones. Which was why jobs at all the werewolf clubs were most sought after.

  I took a deep breath, inhaling the scents that swirled around me, allowing the atmosphere to soak through my pores, a richness that spoke of pleasure, indulgence, and carnal fantasies.

  Was it any wonder humans were busting their balls to get into the wolf clubs? The sexual freedom of the clubs had to leave them feeling like kids in a candy store compared to the uptight, moralistic sensibilities currently being forced onto the human race as a whole.

  Of course, having humans around during the full-moon phase would be a dangerous thing, especially considering there were some packs who liked their sex extremely rough. Humans just weren’t designed to cope with a werewolf’s idea of wild sex—which was why clubs Australia-wide were banding together for the first time in history to fight the government’s plans. The last thing anyone wanted was a human casualty during the bloom of the moon—if only because the blame would be placed on werewolves and the clubs rather than the idiots who’d forced the change of rules.

  As I looked back to the stairs, a man entered. He was tall and powerfully built, with chiseled features and dark golden hair. And the sheer sexual energy radiating off him was something I could feel even from where I stood. I’d met—and mated—with a
lot of wolves over my twenty-nine years, but none of them had an aura as powerful, or as binding, as this wolf’s.

  Our gazes met. The heat so evident in the strange golden depths of his eyes echoed through the fibers of my being. Talon and I had been together for almost two years—which was something of a record for those who aren’t soul mates. We knew each other extremely well sexually but were still basically strangers outside of the clubs.

  He walked down the steps, stripping off his shirt as he did so and tossing it casually toward an empty table. His golden skin gleamed in the starry light and his leather pants showcased not only the strength of his legs but the size of his erection.

  The force of his aura rolled before him, hitting the women nearest him like a tidal wave. Sighs and stares followed in his wake but he didn’t stop, his gaze on mine as he strode toward me.

  At six and a half feet, he was a big man. Even though I wore six-inch heels, he still dwarfed me by a good five inches. But when he moved, it was with the grace and lightness of a vampire. The selfish part of me hoped he didn’t find his soul mate before I found mine, because we were good together. His brand of wild sex was something I wanted to keep enjoying for a while yet.

  He stopped when there were still several feet between us, his gaze sliding casually down my body before rising to meet mine again. The lust that surged between us caressed my skin until it felt like I was glowing.

  “I didn’t expect to find you here this afternoon, little wolf.”

  His voice was a deep rumble, yet it flowed across my senses as sensually as a warm summer breeze. “I’m looking for Rhoan, and had hoped to ask Davern where he is.”

  His gaze momentarily went past me. “Davern won’t be much longer, from the look of it.”

  “No, he won’t.” I was aware of the rising level of noise and pleasure coming from Davern’s table, but part of me hoped he held off. I wanted to drink in the radiating force of this man awhile longer.