Tempting Evil (26 page)

“Which is impossible to do when you’re unconscious.”

He swore loud enough to make me wince, then added, “You’d better update me.”

I did. “You heard from Rhoan at all?”

“He touched the com-link briefly as he was going into the fight, but nothing since then.”

“Damn. Hope he’s okay.”

“He’s been in far worse situations. He’ll be fine.”

“But Starr is suspicious of us both, Jack. He’s got a watch on me, even now.” I flicked the blade of grass away and glanced sideways at the man in question. He was leaning, cross-armed, against the brick wall, his face raised as if he was studying something in the trees. The mere fact I’d sensed his presence when I hadn’t even heard him meant he was something other than human. Which possibly meant it wasn’t going to be easy to ditch him, but I had to try before I went anywhere near the security center.

“Then maybe we’d better pull you out.”

Pull me, not my brother or Kade. “I’m not going anywhere just yet.”

“Riley, if he does suspect, it’s far too dangerous for everyone—”

“I have things to do first.”

He swore again. “You can’t rescue that kid—”

“We made promises to people, Jack. I’m going to try and uphold them before I run. Besides, I’m not going to leave my brother alone in this mess.”

“He’s got far more experience than you to fall back on.”

He hadn’t seemed too damn worried about my inexperience when he’d sent me in here. “Experience won’t mean squat if he’s outnumbered. Which he is.”

Jack grunted. “At least tell me what you’re planning, then.”

I gave him a rough outline. He was silent for a few minutes, then said, “You know, it might be worth destroying the labs
and
security.”

“What? Why?”

“Starr may be suspicious of you, but I actually doubt he realizes that you’re working for the Directorate. Even if his suspicions are raised over you losing your guard, he won’t suspect you being behind the destruction of security and the lab. We both know only someone with vampire speed can manage to get to those two places in a short amount of time.”

“Agreed, but I’m still not seeing the point.”

“It’s a simple subterfuge to deflect his suspicions. Given the kitchen bombing that barely missed taking out Merle, he may suspect the cartels playing friendly are actually attempting a little double-cross.”

“Which means I couldn’t actually leave, even if I wanted to.”

“Yes.”

“Then how do I get the baby out?”

“Women,” he muttered. “Look, bring the kid to the forest and I’ll call in an eagle-shifter to get her out. We’ll look after her until Dia is free. Okay?”

I grinned. I’d actually figured I’d have to argue a whole lot longer before Jack gave in. “Okay. And you know this means Dia will be in the Directorate’s debt, don’t you?”

“Oh, I’m counting on it.” His voice was dry. “Just remember, kiddo, that you can’t leave live evidence behind.”

My grin faded. “I know.”

I’d just avoided thinking about it, because it was just another step down that road, another twist in the chain Jack was wrapping around me. One kill, then two, and before I knew it, I’d be killing without thought, without regret. Or so he hoped.

“Good. Contact me when you’ve finished creating havoc.”

“Will do.”

I touched my ear to turn off the link, then rose and walked downwind. After a few minutes, the muskiness of something feline and male touched the air. The guard was following, but keeping his distance.

Good.

I walked along the outside of the building until I was at the far end of the house, close to the remains of the kitchen and well away from the security center. Then I stepped into the trees and the deeper shadows lurking within. The minute I found a path, I wrapped those shadows around my body and ran like hell around to the other side of the house. With vampire speed it only took seconds—but that was long enough to have disappeared from the guard’s sight. And the whispering wind would already be scattering my scent. All I had to hope now was that he didn’t go running back to Starr to report the loss. Though given the fear
that
madman induced, I figured no guard in his right mind would want to do that. But then, nothing was ever certain in this world, and fate seemed to be enjoying crapping all over me of late.

I stopped in the duskiness of several large trees and scanned the outside of the building. Lights shone in several windows, meaning the power was still on. I shifted my weight, suddenly anxious to get things moving. Tension crawled through my limbs, and an odd sense that something was wrong teased my mind. I had no idea what or why. Maybe it was just tension rising from the knowledge of what I was about to do. What I
had
to do, if we were all to keep undercover and keep safe.

I let my gaze rest on the metal doors that were the main entrance to central security. The floor plans indicated heavy fortification within that area, which included the substantial doors and a long corridor to traverse before reaching the control room.

And though it wasn’t mentioned on the plan, it made sense that the center would have its own power source if all else went down. But any auxiliary source would take time to get going. I just had to make sure
my
timing was right, or they
would
catch me on camera.

The lights suddenly went out right along the building. I waited, watching for several heartbeats, then, when the lights remained out, silently thanked Iktar and walked out of the trees. The camera above the doorway didn’t move, even though I was peripherally in the camera’s sensor range.

I rapped on the metal. The sound seemed to echo, but for several seconds, there was no reply.

Then a gruff voice said, “Yes?”

“I’ve been sent here to collect some reports.”

A small hatch in the middle of the door slid aside, and blue eyes stared out at me. “Lady, we just been hit by a power blackout. No one is coming in these doors until we have the generator up and running.”

I shrugged casually. “Fine. I’ll just tell Mr. Merle you said I couldn’t have them.”

I turned to go and the guard swore softly. “Fine, fine. Just wait a moment.”

The hatch slammed closed, and after several seconds, the door opened enough for the armed guard to step through. He was a big man, all muscle and broad shoulders. I couldn’t tell what sort of gun he held, because while I’d been trained to use them, I didn’t really like them and, like any sane person, tended to avoid them whenever possible. Hence, I’d skipped all the theory stuff on makes and models.

And really, who fucking cared what brand or type it was when it was aimed at your face?
Any
gun was scary
this
close.

I slowly raised my arms and did my best at looking defenseless. Which wasn’t really hard, considering the gun and the fact I was naked. Actually, it was hard to look anything else
but
helpless when sans clothes.

He held the gun steady while he looked quickly around. In reality, I could have taken him out there and then, but that would have given warning to those inside.

When he was sure there was no one hiding in the bushes, he opened the door and motioned me inside. As I moved past him, I noted not only the thin strand of wire around his neck—a sure sign that he was shielded from psychic intrusion—but the knife at his side and the second gun strapped near his shins, barely visible through his tan trousers.

“Stop,” he growled, before I’d taken three steps beyond the door.

I did as he bid, lightly drawing in his scent while trying to “feel” him with my other senses. He actually smelled quite nice—a mix of sage and sharp spice. But I wasn’t getting anything along the sensory lines, which meant he was human. Anything else I would have recognized.

The door slammed shut and darkness consumed us. Bolts thudded home, then the guard’s hand gripped my arm with unerring accuracy. Which suggested he was one of Starr’s “enhanced” humans, because there was no way in hell a normal human could see in this darkness. Hell, I could barely see, and I had wolf sight. Switching to vampire infrared solved
that
problem, but he didn’t have that option.

Or maybe he did. Who knew what gene pool Starr’s people had been paddling in of late?

“Walk,” he said, tugging me forward.

“Damn dark in here.” I forced a quavering note into my voice. Acting helpless and scared couldn’t hurt.

“Don’t worry, I’m not going to lead you astray.” Amusement touched his voice. “Though I’m telling you, if we weren’t in this place, I’d be tempted to let you lead
me
astray.”

“And here I was thinking you didn’t notice.”

“Lady, present
any
man with a naked woman, and they’re going to notice, no matter what they’re doing.”

How very true. Unless, of course, they were as highly trained—or as gay—as my brother. Though Rhoan
did
appreciate a good female form, even if it didn’t excite him. Concern flicked through me as I thought of him, and I frowned, wishing once again he was telepathic. I needed to talk to him, needed to know that he was okay, that this vague sense of unease had nothing to do with him.

But that wasn’t an option, and there was nothing I could do except concentrate on the here and now. “Well, at least I know I’m not losing my touch.”

I bumped against him as I said it, and he chuckled softly. “Stop flirting, ma’am. It’s appreciated, but I’m likely to end up with my balls in a sling if I try anything in this place.”

“Isn’t that a little harsh on you boys in here when everyone else is allowed to sample the goods?”

“Yeah. But we’re better paid than them.”

“Money isn’t everything.”

“No, but living long enough to spend it is.”

Which he wouldn’t, because I couldn’t afford to leave witnesses. And that was a damn shame, because he actually seemed like a nice man, even if he was working for a monster. I closed my eyes briefly. I couldn’t think like that. I simply couldn’t.

I
had
to kill them to throw the heat off me and Rhoan. There was no other choice.

“How are they going to know?” I said.

He glanced at me. My infrared vision made his eyes glow strangely, but even so, amusement was very evident. This man might be attracted, but he wasn’t about to be
distracted
. Damn.

“There’s another guard in security. He’d tell.”

“And here I was thinking grown men were above being tattletales.”

“He values his life, just like I do.”

“What if he joined in the fun? He could hardly tattle if he’s guilty of the same crime.”

The amusement got stronger, touching his lips. But for the first time, excitement spun through the air.

“I don’t think Mr. Merle would be too pleased if we did his lady.”

My snort was derogatory. “I may be his latest fuck, but I’m not his lady.”

He grinned. “You sound like a woman not being satisfied.”

I arched an eyebrow, and lowered my voice several notches as I said, “And are you the man who’s going to relieve that problem?”

He glanced at the door ahead, then back at me, and cleared his throat. “Probably not.”

Well, this was definitely a first. A naked woman throwing herself at a man, and
him
refusing. It looked like I was going to have to use my werewolf aura, because while I could take out one well-trained, well-armed man, I wasn’t sure enough of my skills to take out two. Not when I had to beat bullets as well. And given the time restraints, and the fact that even this guard was showing wariness, I just couldn’t afford to play around.

We stopped at the door. The guard pressed his thumb into the scanner, keyed in a code—which I noted—then pushed the door open. The room beyond was only semidark, lit by a flashlight that sat on the middle desk, its bright light beaming upward and splashing across the ceiling. There was no one else in the room, but as the door clicked shut behind us, the second man came and poked his head through a doorway across the other side of the room.

“Just about to fire up the emergency generator.” His gaze ran down my body and a smile tugged his lips. “You’re one hell of a messenger, lady.”

Though this second man wasn’t as big as the first, he also wore a thin strand of wire around his neck. Obviously, in the security heart of his empire, Starr wasn’t taking chances with having just the one mode of psychic protection for his men. And personal shield wires like these weren’t disrupted by power blackouts. I’d have to get them off to get the information I needed. Luckily, a wolf’s aura worked on a base level rather than mental, so the wires weren’t going to be a hindrance.

“The papers are on my desk, Joe. I’ll just finish cleaning the generator before I start her up. The maintenance boys have been damn slack.”

He disappeared again. Joe had barely taken a step when I unleashed my aura, flicking it across him like a live thing, letting the heat of it overwhelm him, until the desire to take what he wanted, what he craved, was all-consuming.

I knew what it felt like. Knew the flame of it, the way it snapped control and made you need as you have never needed, because Misha had once used his aura on me. But at least I’d had the option of negating the power of it with my own aura. I could have controlled just how much it affected me.

This man, enhanced human or not, had no such choice.

His hand shot out and thrust me hard against the wall, his lips crushing mine as he ripped at his clothes with one hand and groped wildly with the other.

I kissed him back, enjoying the taste of him, the feel of him, giving him that much as I slipped my hands up his back and around his neck. My fingers found the wire’s connection. The second it was undone, I slid into his mind. When he was mine, I let my aura drop and forced him to stop. He was panting heavily, his mind dazed, confused, but not fighting. He wasn’t psychic, so my hold was complete.

But the little lances of fire beginning to shoot into my brain suggested I had better not push this too far or too long. The recovery from controlling Merle was taking longer than I’d thought.

I quickly sorted through his thoughts and memories to find the information I needed. The controls to Iktar’s implanted bombs were indeed here, locked in a cabinet in the main office—which I hadn’t noticed but was apparently to our right. Joe didn’t have the code for the cabinet. The other man, Maz, did.