Tempting Evil (Riley Jenson Guardian #3) - Page 8

I forced my feet to move, to turn around. Close up, Starr appeared even more inoffensive than he had from a distance, A weedy, nerdy type who looked as if he'd be more comfortable behind a desk and a computer rather than being the main power behind one of Melbourne's biggest crime cartels.

It was only when you met his gaze that you began to see the truth. There was no life in his eyes, no humanity. Just an endless arctic expanse of bloodshot blue.

Goose bumps skated across my skin, yet deep inside, recognition twitched. Something about those eyes reminded me of someone. Just who, I couldn't quite remember. Not yet.

And yet, there was no one in my life who caused the reaction Starr had – and surely they would have, no matter what form they were wearing. I mean, the outer layer might change, but the soul inside remained the same. And it was the evil that was this man's soul I could feel.

So why was this happening now, and not when I was with whoever he was in my life?

Did the reason have something to do with what Dia had mentioned earlier – that my so-called puberty was twisting and increasing my talents?

Like I needed that when I already had a drug running around in my system causing havoc.

Starr wasn't alone, and I thankfully averted my gaze. Anything was better than staring at evil incarnate for too long. The second man was Starr's other lieutenant, and Merle was every bit as impressive as he had been from a distance. I looked him up and down then raised an eyebrow. "Now, you I'd be willing to play with. Providing, of course, you have something resembling a regular dick."

The words were barely out of my mouth when his aura hit, every bit as heated and will-withering as Moss's. Sweat beaded my skin and rolled down my back, and the low-down ache of desire became so fierce it was positively painful. His smile was all arrogance.

"If I wanted you, I would have you," he said, voice soft, flat, yet filled with the confidence of a man who always got what he wanted.

And with an aura like that, I guess he always did.

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His gaze skidded down my body, and the desire burning the air increased, until it felt like every inch of my skin was being flayed alive. My knees buckled under the pressure, and my butt hit the back of the sofa. It was the only reason I remained upright.

His gaze rose to mine again. "And I think I will."

He began to unbuckle his belt and I wasn't sure if it was anticipation or fear that sent a tingle down my spine. Hell, the sex part didn't worry me, nor did having an audience. It was just him. There was something inherently sick about him, something wholly off-center that made a deep-down part of me shiver away from the thought of having him inside. And yet, that foulness held none of the intensity I'd sensed in Moss. Merle was survivable. I doubted Moss was.

"Merle, put it away," Starr snapped, even though Merle hadn't actually gotten it out yet. Thankfully.

But the force of Merle's aura died at the order, as suddenly as a switch being flicked. There had to be were in his mix.

"Where's Moss?" Starr continued, his gaze not leaving mine even though his question was obviously aimed at the spirit lizard.

"Greeting the new guards. He will be here soon."

My heart leapt at the mention of new guards. Did that mean Rhoan had arrived? God, I hoped so. I needed to see him. Needed to talk to him. Get reassurance and guidance and a great big hug.

"Tell him I wish to see him immediately on his return."

"Yes, sir."

Starr's gaze slid down my body. It wasn't a sexual look, more the sort of look one boxer might give another right before their bout. When his gaze returned to mine, it hinted at recognition, and that was a whole different class of scary.

"Do I know you?"

I resisted the urge to lick suddenly dry lips and shook my head. "Unless you've been up to Sydney recently. I've only been in Melbourne for a few days."

"So why do I feel this sense of familiarity?"

"I can't say, sir."

His thin lips curved into what I presumed was a half-smile – though it very easily could have been a half-sneer. "Respectful to those of obviously greater power. I like that."

Right now, I liked that he liked. Anything was better than him mulling over the fact that he knew me. Because if he knew me, I obviously knew him. And for safety's sake, I had better find out how before he did.

I didn't say anything, and he continued to study me. My stomach turned faster than a washing machine on spin cycle, and was threatening to rise at the slightest provocation. Which was weird, because I'd always figured when I finally confronted the man who had chased me, abused me, injected me with crap, and tried to kill me, I'd feel anger – rage – more than anything else.

But I guess in imagining the whole scene, I'd forgotten one important point – Starr himself. Or rather, the fact that it had taken power, cunning, and sheer, bloody ruthlessness to take and hold control of the cartel.

"Are you from the red pack?"

Oh God… he did suspect. But how? Who was the man behind the mask, who was he in my life?

I forced a casual shrug. "I don't know. My mother was human, and never sure who my father was."

"You have the coloring of the red pack."

"She was Irish. I have her coloring."

"Ah. The offspring of a groupie."

I nodded. Wondered if he believed me. There was no expression on his face, no flicker in his eyes, to indicate whether he did or didn't. Just the emotive swirl of evil sucking the very goodness from the air.

"We should talk some more," he said eventually.

My heart just about stopped. I might want to kill him but I certainly didn't want to talk to him. Not now. Not later. Not anytime.

Even killing him wasn't an option right now, not only because of Merle and the black thing, but because Jack would kill me if I did anything before we'd discovered the location of the final lab.

"Talking is fine with me."

He smiled for real this time. It was the nastiest thing I've ever seen. "As if you even had the choice, my dear." His gaze moved to Merle. "Bring her in for brunch."

His words sent another shiver down my spine. I had a bad feeling Starr's idea of "brunch" was not toast and orange juice, but something a whole lot darker. Bloodier.

Merle nodded, and hitched his pants. "Is that all for now?"

Starr snorted and glanced back at me. "My assistant hungers. Prepare for a rough ride, my dear."

I arched an eyebrow. "And Mr. Moss?"

"Will undoubtedly be annoyed at missing the action." He glanced at Merle again. "Do not forget the whore bus."

He nodded. As Starr left, that switch went on again, drowning me in heat and desire. Merle held out a hand, and I went to him, my legs so wobbly it felt like they were about to give way at any moment.

His large hand wrapped around mine, his fingers rough and burning hot. I shivered, and knew in that instant what Rhoan had been trying to tell me. It wasn't the sex that was the worry, it was this – the feeling that evil was about to invade, and somehow corrupt.

All I could do now was remind myself it was better this man than Moss.

Merle glanced over my head, and though he didn't say anything, the soft sound of footsteps indicated the spirit lizard was leaving.

His gaze came back to mine. In the tawny depths of his eyes, lust and insanity seemed to rage. Or maybe that was just my imagination – a natural result of the force of his aura combined with the base sense of his foulness that filled every quick intake of breath.

"We shall fuck here first." Merle tugged me around the sofa. "The scent of sex will inform Moss of what he has missed."

"That doesn't sound very friendly to me." The words came out breathless, sounding anticipatory when the opposite was true. The force of his aura might be such that my skin burned and I ached for sex, but part of me recoiled at the thought of spending any time with this man.

It was weird.

I was a werewolf. Sex was part of our psyche, part of our soul. Come full-moon time, I'd fuck the devil himself and wouldn't give a damn. So why this reluctance? Was it just the inherent sense of depravity I was picking up from Merle, or was it simply the fact that I was fucking him under orders from the Directorate, thereby taking one more step toward finally becoming a full guardian?

Was it a combination of both?

I didn't know.

What I did know was that I needed to talk to my brother. Desperately.

"Friendly is a matter of perspective." Merle pressed the hot ends of his fingers lightly against my chest and pushed me backward. I let myself fall onto the sofa, and watched as he stripped off his pants. Thankfully, his cock was standard stuff – no barbs, no furry stripes, just slightly less than regular-sized pinkish flesh. "He survives. That's friendly enough for anyone."

So the guard had been telling the truth when it came to the relationship between these two men. Interesting. But given my reaction to Moss, it definitely wasn't something I wanted to work with.

His gaze ran down my length, and an anticipatory grin split his lips. "I would fuck you for your looks alone, but it is a true bonus to do so first when Moss has chosen you."

He climbed on top, crouching on all fours over me. His aura revved up another notch, and suddenly it felt like I was drowning in a liquid that was all heat, all desire.

"Do not move. Do not talk."

Or what? I wanted to ask. But talking had become impossible under that wash of burning desire. All I wanted to do was obey. To feel him inside, foul or not. Passive wasn't much fun, but I guess fun wasn't the point of this whole thing. Not for me, anyway.

He thrust inside. With the force of his aura still assaulting my senses, the feeling of his flesh driving inside was such a relief a rumble of pleasure rolled up my throat. God, part of me was more than willing to be silent and still if it meant easing a little of the ache. And it didn't matter how bad his essence or how little I actually wanted him – my body screamed for the release only rigid flesh could bring.

Only it didn't get it.

It turned out Merle wasn't the caring, sharing type. He came far too quickly, leaving me aching with need and more than a little put out. A situation that was not improved when he dragged me up from the sofa then hauled me down the far end of the hallway to his own cold-feeling rooms. Where the whole process began again.

Frustrating, to say the least.

Especially since it pretty much set the tempo for the remainder of our time together. He used his aura like most men used foreplay, and while it made me ready for him, it also became incredibly boring – something I never thought I'd say about sex.

But then, I was never one for passiveness. I liked to get involved, to play and feel and taste. And occasionally, dominate.

Which meant, of course, I had to find something else to do while he got his trigger-happy rocks off. Short of throwing his dull ass off and finding a real lover, that was.

And really, there was only one avenue of exploration left – my senses.

Or rather, my psychic senses.

There were no cameras in Merle's room that I could see, and I hadn't felt the electronic buzz of deadeners anywhere within the mansion – even down here, in either Moss's or Merle's rooms. But Dia had mentioned their presence and I had no reason to doubt her. Besides, I'd seen them in the arena, so they had to be elsewhere. And while I had read the guard's mind with ease, maybe all it meant was that the elevator somehow ran under the radar of the deadeners.

Or maybe my talents were.

The implications of which wasn't something I wanted to waste time thinking about, though I was more than willing to test the full extent of any supposed increase, I carefully slid aside one layer of shields, suddenly grateful for all the weeks of training Jack had been giving me. Dia might have exposed a weakness in my telepathy skills when it came to attack, but that wouldn't be a problem here as I had no intention of dropping all shield layers to attack Merle. I just wanted to test whether I could read his thoughts or not.

And I could.

Sort of. His thoughts were there, a distant blaze of color I could see, but not quite touch.

But if I could see them, then surely I should be able to read them. I frowned and pressed a little harder. It felt like I was pushing through a wall of thick glue. Resistance dragged on every mental step, but it wasn't conscious resistance. Wasn't the sort of struggle that came from a telepath who realizes his mind is being invaded. Maybe Merle was too busy concentrating on satisfaction to grasp the fact his brain was being attacked. Or maybe my talents were simply slipping under his awareness in much the same manner as they were apparently slipping under the electronic deadeners.

But again, the whys of what was going on weren't important. Trying to reach and read Merle's thoughts was. The glue seemed to thicken near the center of the mental fence, and sweat broke out across my brow. My training with Jack had often left me mentally drained, but it had never left me physically exhausted, as this was threatening to. God, every ounce of strength I possessed was being channeled into trying to breach Merle's defenses, and my limbs were beginning to tremble with the effort. If I wasn't careful, he'd surely notice something other than sex was going on.

With the suddenness of a rubber band snapping, the glue gave way, leaving me mentally shaking but floating free in the rush of Merle's thoughts. Though rush was probably the wrong word to use – and if he was any indication, then men really did think of nothing more than reaching the big O during sex.

I moved carefully through his surface thoughts, past the gathering rush of satisfaction, into the darker areas of non-active thought. The bus Starr had mentioned earlier was indeed the one bringing in fresh bedding meat for the pleasure of Starr's guests. Who were, as I'd guessed earlier, both the "department heads" of his own organization, and the various representatives from other cartels. Surprisingly, Starr had no intention of killing them. He was biding his time, waiting until he had gained enough trust to draw the true leaders of the other crime organizations into his nest. But he didn't intend just a mass murder, but a mass replacement. Starr was from the Helki pack, and many Helki wolves were also true shapeshifters – they could assume any human shape they desired. Starr would insert his own people as the head of these organizations, and the cartels wouldn't be any the wiser.

Merle's body began to grind harder against mine and the fire of gathering ecstasy was greater in his mind – a warning I'd better hurry before awareness returned and he caught me in his thoughts.

I slipped a little deeper, trying to find mention of Dia's kid or even a location for the labs. Nothing. Either I wasn't deep enough or Merle was a linear-thinking guy. The sort who only contemplated the things he had to do in the immediate future – which is why I could get so much information on the bus and the other cartels. One thought linked to the other.

Merle began to jerk spasmodically as his orgasm hit, meaning I had to get out, pronto. I pulled back through the glue, the process seeming a little easier the second time around. Or maybe it was simply the fact I was leaving, not entering.

As I opened my eyes, a sharp ringing split the air, just about frightening the shit out of me. My heart seemed to leap up my throat, and I froze like a rabbit caught in a spotlight. Had someone somehow caught my psychic explorations?

Merle swore under his breath and climbed off, and I realized the ringing was a telephone, not an alarm of some sort. I blew out a relieved breath, then sat up and hugged my knees to my chest. Drawing deep breaths to ease the trembling that was part exhaustion, part fear, I looked around. And noticed, on the dresser near the bathroom doorway, a small set of keys.

The elevator I'd come down in had key locks. I had the code, so having the key was the next step forward. Whether the key that controlled the elevator was amongst those on the table was anyone's guess, but I had every intention of finding out. Of course, snatching those keys and getting them out without being caught wasn't going to be easy. Especially when I had no clothes and basically nowhere to hide the keys.

Well, there was one place. But shoving them up there wasn't exactly practical – and it would be more than a little noticeable given the maneuvering it would take.

Though cold steel was in some ways preferable to Merle's foul flesh.

Merle grunted and slammed down the phone. He didn't even look at me, just grabbed some clothes from the pile on a nearby chair and began dressing.

"Iktar," he said, as he pulled on his shirt.

A spirit lizard appeared in the doorway. Whether it was the same one that had been in Moss's room, or another, was anyone's guess. These things really did all look the same.

"Escort her back to the upper levels."

I shoved on my best outraged expression. "What? No 'thanks for the great time'? Not even a damn shower?"

He snorted as he swept up the keys I'd been eyeing and shoved them in his pocket. "No. Now get your butt out of here."

I flounced off the bed and out of the room – a fine piece of acting no one seemed to notice. The black thing led the way out of Merle's colorless rooms and down the sterile corridor, then key-coded the elevator. A soft chime indicated the elevator's arrival. As the doors opened, Merle stomped down the hall toward us, his expression dark as he stopped at the set of doors opposite. He inserted a key, then punched in a code and pressed his hand to the scanner pad. No bell chimed, but those doors opened to reveal, as I'd guessed earlier, another elevator.

More than that I had no chance to see as the spirit lizard all but pushed me inside our elevator.

My shoulder hit the wall with enough force to cause a grunt, but I quickly regained my balance and turned around. The spirit lizard pressed the ground floor button, then turned to face me. Lust burned in his eyes, and his cock was out and erect.

I crossed my arms and feigned indifference. "Looks to me like the servant wants in on the action."

His smile was every bit as cold and as dangerous as Merle's or Starr's, but it was the astute glint in his eyes that made me think something was going on – something other than just the need for a bit of sexual relief.

"Which," he said, his soft tones barely audible over the hum of machinery as the elevator began to ascend. "I will get, or I shall inform my masters just what it was you were doing while you were being fucked."

Panic rose, swift and hard, but I forced myself to ignore it. If he'd been intending to report me, he would have done so by now. I clung to that belief, to the feeling that he wanted something more than sex, and said, "I have no idea what you are talking about."

His smile grew. As did his cock. A tremor ran down my spine. God help me, part of me wanted what he was offering. Wanted to feel his dangerous flesh inside.

Damn Merle and his selfishness.

"They can see, but not hear us, you know."

Like I was going to trust his word. I merely smiled.

"As long as this elevator is moving, they cannot hear conversation. The machinery interferes with the signal and they cannot fix it. And the guard who currently watches the monitors does not lip-read."

I still wasn't trusting him, so I simply asked, "And why arc you telling me this?"

"Because I can taste the use of psychic power, as much as you might taste the scents carried by the wind. I know what you were up to."

Oh, fuck. I should have done as Jack asked, and scouted things out before going full steam ahead. What the hell was I going to do now? I glanced down at his cock. The thick spines lining it. Not fuck him, that was for sure.

"Yes," he continued, obviously catching my look if not the actual direction of my thoughts, "I can taste auras as well as telepathy."

My gaze rose to his. "You bring that near me, and I will kill you."

He raised an eyebrow. "And what makes you think you could get close enough to kill me before I rendered you unconscious?"

The mere fact I'd killed his like before – but that wasn't exactly something I could admit.

He glanced up at the floor indicator. "We have ten seconds left. I want you to meet me near the front of the zoo in half an hour. If you don't, I shall report your activities and you will be killed." His dark gaze met mine. "Deal?"

"I have a choice?"

He merely smiled and stepped away as the elevator stopped and the doors slid open. I walked out and headed back to my room. Berna and Nerida weren't in their beds, which given the ratio of men to women in the arena didn't entirely surprise me. And some men did prefer their bedmates at least willing rather than simply paid vessels of satisfaction. Though I guess that's exactly what those of us who were here as fighters were anyway – we just had a little more choice in the matter.

I hesitated near the foot of my bed, briefly consumed by the ache of tiredness. I wanted to sleep, to just lay down and forget Merle and Starr and every other weirdo in this godforsaken place. But sleep wasn't an option just yet, because I had a lizard to meet, a brother to find, and an ache to ease. I grabbed my toiletries bag and headed for the shower. A good scrub washed the smell and feel of Merle from my skin, but did nothing for the trepidation curling through my gut. I needed to talk to someone now, not later, and the only choice I had was Jack.

I headed outside, ensured no one was within listening distance, then lightly pressed the com-link. "Hey, boss, you awake?"

"About time you reported in," he growled. "I was starting to worry."

Yeah, he was so worried he'd sent in the rescue troops. Not. "You're the one who insisted on sending in the amateur. Don't whine at me if I don't do things the way you want them done."

He grunted. What that meant was anyone's guess. "What's happening?"

I headed up the small path that snaked around the building and onto the zoo. "Several things. Some good, some bad."

He sighed. "Tell me."

"Well, I've rubbed groins with Merle and made him a happy, happy man. And I've discovered that, with a little effort, I can slip through his thoughts, though I didn't dare go too deep tonight."

"Glad caution won out for a change." He paused. "So there weren't psi-deadeners in the lower areas?"

I hesitated, but the fact was, sooner or later he was going to have to know about my apparent ability to override the force of the deadeners. It might as well be sooner. And at least he couldn't rip me into the Directorate for more tests. "There are. My talents are apparently slipping under them."

"We noted a slight increase last time we tested, but it wouldn't have been powerful enough to slide past deadeners."

"Would it have been powerful enough to breach Quinn's defenses?"

He didn't say anything for a moment, then, "When did that happen?"

"Yesterday. I did catch him by surprise, mind."

"It shouldn't have mattered." Again the silence stretched a little, and if I didn't know better, I would have thought he was worried. "It's six months since you were given the ARC1-23. This could be the first sign that it is changing you."

"Or it could simply mean that Dia is right, and my talents are maturing thanks to the fact I'm finally menstruating." There was nothing like clinging to a forlorn hope until the very last moment, but what other choice did I have? I wanted to be normal – wanted to have a normal life. Well, as normal as a half-werewolf, half-vampire guardian could, anyway. I didn't want to be some freak monitored by the labs for every little outlandish change the drugs made. "Wolves do mature slower than humans. And remember, neither Rhoan and I have any idea what our father was, besides a vampire. He could have been a hawk-shifter with massive psi-talents before his undeath, for all we know."

"There were indications of latent talents in all previous tests, I've told you that. But latent doesn't always mean those talents will develop."

"Maybe it's a result of the training you've been giving me."

"Two weeks ago you couldn't have broken through my full shields, let alone Quinn's. If that's what you did, then this is more than maturing talent. You'll have to come in for full tests once this mission is over."

I closed my eyes, blew out a breath. It did nothing to ease the deep rush of hatred and anger. The end of my life as I knew it was one step closer, and I had Starr and his fucking desire to not only build the perfect killing machine but take over the world – or at least the Melbourne section of it – to thank for it. If he'd been near me right then, I would have killed the bastard and been done with it, no matter what the consequences.

"I never wanted to be a guardian, Jack. You know that."

"There's only two places that can give you the sort of help you need to control the power you seem to be getting – us, or the military."

"I don't want anything to do with the military."

"Then my option is the lesser of two evils."

Which wasn't really saying much.

"What else happened?" he said.

I rubbed a hand across my eyes. "I've met Starr. He's not living on the same planet as you and me. You know that, don't you?"

"He may be insane, but he's also extremely clever. Remember that."

"I will." I hesitated. "He asked me if I was from the red pack. He seems to think he knows me."

Jack swore. "That's not good."

"Oh, it gets worse."

"How much worse?"

"I'm about to find out." I rounded the corner of the building and walked onto the soft grass. The night breeze stirred around me, filled with the scent of animals and captivity. Up until that moment, I would have sworn that captivity didn't have a smell, but there it was, filling the night with an odd sense of frustration, desperation, and hopelessness.

Odd that such things had aromas.

Odder still that I could smell them. I might have the nose of a wolf, but until that moment, fear, lust, and death were the strongest emotions I'd caught.

Though technically, death wasn't an emotion, fust a passing that lingered, a sadness staining the air.

"Merle and Moss have a spirit lizard houseboy. He's apparently sensitive to the use of psychic power."

"I take it he knows you were reading Merle and didn't report it?"

"Yes. But he did want a meet."

"Any chance it's just for sex?"

"If he's sensitive enough to catch auras, I have no doubt he's mightily aroused and needing relief. But there's no way known I'm going to be a good fuck-puppy when it comes to him."

"Riley – "

"His dick has spines, Jack."

"Oh."

"Oww is more like it." I grinned faintly. "But I think he wants a whole lot more than sex."

"It wouldn't hurt to have an ally in that place."

"If he can be trusted."

"Rely on your instincts. I do."

Only trouble was, my instincts had been wrong before. And this time, there was no one near to bail my butt out. "I'm heading to meet him now."

"Be careful. Keep the line open."

"Natch." I glanced up as high metal fences came into view. "I'm almost there."

"Just be prepared to kill him if things go wrong."

I didn't answer. If things went wrong, I'd do what I had to do to preserve the mission and keep everyone – including myself – safe. But killing wasn't something I wanted to become comfortable with – even if that's exactly what Jack wanted.

I walked up the small knoll and stopped. The zoo stretched before me, metal and wire entwined with desperation and anger. The things inside might be caged, but they certainly weren't accepting or passive. Which pretty much explained why so many guards went missing. Any misstep was taken as a chance of revenge.

I scanned the cages, taking in the array of creatures, then headed left, to what looked to be the main entrance. Cages containing blue creatures with wings gave way to spiny trolls which in turn gave way to fish people. Few of them slept. Most of them were awake and watching.

Their misery resonated deep in their eyes, deeper inside me. I hated it – hated that I was feeling it. I couldn't do anything for these things from nightmare and imagination. They'd been bred for death, and that's exactly what they'd get, whether from Starr or the Directorate. It wasn't fair, but life often wasn't.

I hated that, too.

Iktar stood, arms crossed, near the main gates. The light above the gates caressed him, making his skin glow blue-black and his eyes eerily luminescent. His cock was nowhere in sight.

Thankfully.

I stopped just beyond the pool of light. "Isn't this a little dangerous? They have cameras monitoring the zoo surrounds, don't they?"

He nodded. "And laser sensors. But whenever Moss and Merle take women, I am given time to come here."

My gaze went past him, and for the first time I noticed shadows in the shadows. More spirit lizards, and of both sexes. "For relief?"

"Yes." He smiled. "As you saw, I am incompatible with human flesh."

"And why would they give you time? You are nothing more than a weapon – a tool to be used – to them."

He smiled, but anger surged in his eyes. He hated captivity. Hated what he was doing and who he was forced to serve. This was no lab-born creature. He was something more. Something far more.

"They value my skills in protecting them when they are otherwise occupied," he answered steadily, voice devoid of the fury so evident in his eyes.

"So why does Moss use you to 'ready' his women?"

"Moss enjoys the taste of fear. I am not his only weapon to draw out such an emotion."

Meaning I had to be thankful Merle had stolen my "services." He might be a boring lover, but at least boring was survivable. While I