“As werewolves go, it seems I’m a poor specimen.”

“But you’re also half-Aedh. That should give you an advantage over regular wolves.”

“Not when my partner is apparently insatiable.”

He chuckled softly. “So you’re telling me you’re feeling no desire whatsoever right now.”

“I am.”

His hands slid down to the base of my spine, then over one butt cheek. “Not even the slightest stirrings.”

“Not even,” I murmured, stoutly ignoring said stirrings.

But the fact that the minute he touched me I seemed unable to tell him to leave me the hell alone had doubts stirring again. Not that those doubts did me a lot of good in this situation.

“Then if I do this”—his touch slid between my legs and gently caressed—”it will have no effect whatsoever?”

“None. Absolutely, totally zero.”

He chuckled softly and the bed bounced as he nudged my legs open a little wider. His caress found my clit and I bit my lip against the moan that rose up my throat. “Lucian, I’ve only had three hours’ sleep.”

“And?”

“And, I’d really rather—” His fingers slipped slowly inside me at that point, and the rest of the sentence was lost as my muscles clenched around him and pleasure shot through me.

“Ah, the stirrings of desire,” he murmured, his voice filled with satisfaction. “Let’s see if we can get it a little stronger.”

But his touch withdrew, and disappointment swirled. So much for having no energy, I thought, amused. Then he shifted, and something hot hit my back. I flinched instinctively, but it didn’t actually burn. The scent told me what it was—coffee. It drizzled down my back, following the line of my spine, until it ran between my legs. The heat was a stark contrast to the coolness of the room, and I shivered in expectation and delight. Then his tongue touched me, swirling across the moisture, lapping it from my skin, following the trail of it down my spine and between my legs.

Any pretense of zero interest flew out the window there and then.

He chuckled again and repeated the process, until the moans were thick and constant, and all I wanted was him inside me.

And that was when the phone rang. I cursed softly, knowing the ringtone, not wanting to answer it but knowing I had to. Uncle Rhoan rarely rang unless it was urgent and it would undoubtedly mean an end to the morning’s delights.

“Ignore it.” Lucian gripped my hips and lifted me into a doggy position.

“I can’t.” I reached for the phone. “It’s my uncle.”

Lucian slid his cock through my slickness, teasing but not entering. “I’m sure your uncle would understand. He is, after all, a werewolf.”

“Who doesn’t normally ring me. My aunt normally does all the social stuff, so this has to be urgent.” I hit the ANSWER button, but not the vid-screen option. No matter how open werewolves were about sex, I wasn’t inclined to let Rhoan know just what I was up to right now. “Yes?”

“Risa?”

“Yes.” Lucian hadn’t stopped his seduction, so it came out a little more breathless than it should have.

“You okay?”

“Yeah, just busy. What can I do for you?”

Lucian slid fully inside of me and I bit back a gasp of pleasure. He withdrew, then thrust inside again, and then again, his movements becoming faster, more demanding, with every stroke. Pleasure pulsed through me, thick and heavy.

“We need to you to come down to the Directorate,” Rhoan was saying. “We have a major problem.”

“And why is your problem suddenly my problem?”

I have no idea how my voice came out so even. Lucian’s movements had grown fiercer, his grip on my hips harder, and I responded, pushing back against him, wanting all he could give, as fast as he could give it.

Then my orgasm hit, and I bit my lip against the scream, trying to hear what Rhoan was saying as Lucian surged within me, coming with such intensity it felt like he was spearing through my entire body.

“What?” I somehow said.

Rhoan growled low, then said, “Damn it, Risa, pay attention. Our killer has contacted us again. But this time, he doesn’t want to gloat. This time, he’s offering a challenge.”

“Challenge?” I repeated, too lost in the haze of satisfaction to understand.

“Yes,” Rhoan snapped. “He offered the chance to save his next victim.”

“But that’s a good thing, isn’t it?”

“Yes. Except for one thing. He wants you on the case, Ris. And only you.”

Chapter 5

It took me ten minutes to shower and dress, and another five to catch a tram down to Spencer Street, where the inconspicuous green-glass building that housed the Directorate was located. Given it was rush hour, it was quicker and easier than a car.

Pale blue light swept my length as I walked into the foyer. It was the only visible indication of the vast array of scanners installed in this place, and they all had one purpose—to protect those within. Not even a gnat could get into the Directorate without security being aware of it, let alone anyone armed with some form of weapon—be it metal, plastic, or laser. Though there wasn’t any sensor in the world capable of detecting Amaya’s presence.

A different kind of energy shimmered across my skin as I walked toward the security officers. Azriel.

“So nice of you to finally join me.” I didn’t bother to look his way, yet awareness of him hummed through me.

“It would have been awkward had I joined you earlier.” His voice was as even as ever. It was only the anger vibrating through my being that suggested he wasn’t as calm as he appeared.

“Oh, I don’t know,” I said, unable to resist the urge to needle him. “A threesome can be quite fun.”

“I would not know, nor do I have any intention of ever knowing.”

Especially when the third is someone I would rather kill. The thought was soft and vehement, and one I suspected I wasn’t meant to hear.

Which suggested that the link between us was not only getting stronger but beginning to flow both ways. And although it was something I was sure he wouldn’t be happy about, I wasn’t about to complain. Any insight into my reaper’s thoughts—good or bad—was more than welcome, given his general reticence when it came to explanations.

I stopped at the desk and smiled at security. To Azriel, I silently said, Can they see you?

Yes.

The blond guy behind the desk leaned back in his chair, his expression courteous. “Can I help you?”

“We have an appointment with Rhoan Jenson.”

“If you’d like to take a seat, I’ll inform him you’re here.”

“Thanks.” I walked over to the square of comfy chairs situated to one side of the foyer and sat, legs crossed. I was still wearing the shift dress, so a decent amount of thigh was revealed. But if Azriel noticed, he gave no indication—either physically or mentally. I squashed the sliver of disappointment and said, “Why have you been so absent?”

He half shrugged, the movement casual and eloquent. “I have no wish to be near when you are with the Aedh.”

“Granted, but what about before that? When I was at the café, and Tao exploded?”

“You obviously had everything under control. I did not see the need to interfere.”

In other words, he’d been too pissed off to interfere. I sighed. “Azriel, this distancing is not the answer.”

“Is it not what you wished for?”

I studied him for a moment, wondering if he was deliberately being obtuse. “You can’t solve a problem by ignoring it.”

“Unless I try, I will never know.”

“Surely there has to be a better way—”

“No.” It was sharply said, with an air of finality.

And it made me suspect there was more to this pull between us—more than just assimilation—that worried him. But, as ever, he didn’t deign to confirm or deny the thought—though I had no doubt he’d heard it.

Footsteps echoed softly on the highly polished concrete floor. I turned and watched Rhoan approach. His expression was grim as he stopped a couple of feet away. “We have ten minutes.”

He spun and walked back to the lifts. I hurried to catch him. His tension and anger stung the air and snatched at my breath.

“What do you mean by that? And why are you so angry?”

The doors swished shut behind the three of us, and the lift dropped rapidly to the basement levels.

“I’m angry because I hate having to bring you in on a Directorate case, and because Riley is going to kick my ass over it. Not that I have any choice. And what I meant was, we have ten minutes to set you up for your meeting with our killer.”

“Hang on—you never mentioned any of this.”

“Because we didn’t have the time. And I did tell you to hurry.”

“Yes, but you told me he wanted me on the case, not that he wanted to meet with me again.” My voice was defensive, hinting at anger but also fear. The very last thing I wanted to do was to meet the no-face stranger again.

“As I said, he’s offering a challenge.”

The lift came to a halt and the doors opened. The thick smell of vampire swept in, and my stomach began to knot.

Rhoan strode from the lift. I followed somewhat reluctantly. “So why ring to offer a challenge, and then demand to meet me? And where the hell does he want to meet?”

But even as the question left my lips, I knew. We’d meet on the astral plane again, where the Directorate could employ no traps and he could not be killed.

Rhoan confirmed what I was thinking, then added, “He wouldn’t give us the details, Ris. He wants you, and only you.”

I rubbed my arms and tried to ignore the trepidation that crawled through me. This could only end badly. I didn’t know enough about the astral plane or hunting madmen to avoid the trouble I sensed I was stepping into.