Good. I glanced at Harris. "I need to use your computer."

He nodded and rose, walking across to a desk in the far corner of the room. I followed him across, watching as he typed in his ID and had his iris scanned.

"Okay," he said, stepping back. "You're ready to go."

"Thanks." I sat in the chair and scooted forward. A few key taps, several passwords, and an iris scan later, I was into the Directorate's database. "What was that number again, Evin?"

He repeated it. I typed it in then hit SEARCH. As I waited for the results, I glanced up at Quinn. "How soon can your plane be ready to leave?"

"Turnaround is usually an hour." He glanced at his watch. "We could be gone in twenty-five minutes, if need be."

"Want to warn them, then?"

He smiled. "Already have. The pilot is telepathic."

"Handy." I glanced down as the search results flickered up on the screen. The number was listed as belonging to a house in Mickleham, which was an outlying area of Melbourne rather than one of the recognized suburbs, and made up of small farming subdivisions rather than high-density housing estates. It also wasn't that far away from Essendon Airport, where Quinn usually landed his planes.

I rose. "Evin, you'll need to stay here - "

"No." He thrust to his feet, his expression belligerent. "I'm coming with you. I need to help - "

"The best way you can help," Quinn said gently, "is by continuing the scam here. If they get the slightest idea that something has gone awry, then your mate's life will be even more at risk. These men are dangerous, and they will do whatever they think is necessary to protect themselves."

"This is what we do," I added softly. "And we're damn good at it. We will get her back safely."

Which was a stupid thing to promise, given we had no idea what her situation was, but I couldn't help it. I liked Evin - stepbrother or not - and I didn't want to see him face the pain of losing a soul mate like I had.

One loss in the family was more than enough.

Evin glanced from Quinn to me then back again. His shoulders slumped. "Okay. But let me know the minute you've found her."

"We will." I took a deep breath and blew it out slowly. "And now to tell Jack."

Quinn stepped forward. "I can - "

I held up a hand. "No. This is my battle."

I spun around and walked into the cell area. The vamp's door was open and Rhoan leaned casually against the door frame. He glanced at me. "Find out anything interesting?"

"His contact was Tyson." I stopped and peered into the cell. Jack was sitting on a chair, and the vamp was upright on the concrete bed. They looked for all the world like they were in the middle of a staring contest, but the sweat beading the younger vamp's forehead was evidence enough that something else was happening.

And that he was losing the battle.

"Meaning Blake definitely is behind it. Tyson wouldn't spit without his big brother's approval."

"Tyson's usurped the London pack in Cona Creek and made it his own."

Rhoan's expression was contemptuous. "He always was a lazy bastard. Should have guessed he'd steal a pack rather than make one of his own. We going after him?"

"'We' are not going anywhere," Jack said, without taking his gaze from the other vamp. "Not until we finish here, anyway."

I glanced at him. "Boss, I tracked down the number Evin phoned his reports into, and it's a Melbourne number. We need to hit the address and rescue Evin's mate as soon as possible."

"Riley, the murders we're investigating occur during the day, which means we're limited in our guardian usage."

Specifically, it meant there was Iktar, Rhoan, and myself. But there wasn't anything I could do that Iktar and Rhoan couldn't - other than talk to souls, and the reality was, we weren't really getting that much information from said souls. These people were far too clever.

"What about a deal, then? Let Quinn and me go after Evin's mate tonight, and then we'll concentrate on solving the murders."

"And Blake?" Rhoan asked.

I glanced at him. "Can wait until we have the time to work up a really good revenge."

"The minute you free Evin's mate, he'll know the game is up."

"Not if the guards are forced to believe she's still there."

He grimaced. "I don't know - "

I touched his shoulder, squeezing gently. "We'll deal with him. Just not yet." I glanced at Jack. "Can we go?"

He glanced at me then, and his eyes held a hint of regret. It was the sort of look I imagined a parent got when their kids finally left the nest.

Maybe he realized that's exactly what I was trying to do.

"Contact me the minute you free her. We'll probably have more information about the murders by then."

"Thanks, boss." I squeezed my brother's shoulder and turned to head back out into the main room, then hesitated and looked back at Jack. "Boss, you might want to talk to Harris before you leave."

His concentration was back on the vamp, so his reply was almost absent. "What about?"

"About his ability to bring down helicopters with kinetic force. He's also mind-blind. He could make a perfect replacement for Kade."

Or better yet, for me.

He merely grunted. The vamp was sweating even more profusely, so Jack's constant telepathic barrage was having an effect.

I winked at Rhoan then continued outside.

"Well?" Evin said, almost anxiously.

"We're a go. We just need you two to keep relaying information and pretend everything is as it should be."

Evin scrubbed a hand across his face. "He'll expect me to be overwrought and anxious, and that certainly won't be hard to fake."

West didn't say anything and he looked no happier than before, but even with Quinn's restrictions in place, I very much doubted he'd do anything to jeopardize the operation. He might not love working in this town, but I had a suspicion he did love being a cop.

"I'll phone the minute we have news. And Harris?" I smiled his way. "Thanks."

A hint of amusement crinkled the corners of his bright eyes. "You're welcome. And anytime you feel the need to find trouble, please try not to find it in my town."

"Deal. But your life will quickly become boring without me."

The amusement crinkling his eyes broke out across the rest of his face. "That I can deal with."

I snorted in amusement and walked across to Quinn. He spun around and held out his arm. "Let's go raise some hell."

"S o," I said, unbuckling the lap belt and walking over to the plane's plush, well-appointed bar. "Given we can't exactly plan our method of attack until we see what we're up against, and we have a five-hour flight ahead of us, what do you suggest we do?"

He walked up behind me and wrapped his arms around my waist. "I can think of one or two things," he said, kissing the side of my neck.

His lips were so cool against my skin that I shivered. I hadn't noticed it before - probably because I'd been so overjoyed to see him - but his body heat was decidedly down. He'd obviously been worrying more about me than feeding himself.

At least that was something easily remedied.

"Only one or two?" I said archly. "My dear vampire, I thought you had a better imagination than that."

"Oh, I have. But given this is a five-hour flight, I don't think we'll have time for the rest of them."

I laughed and turned around in his arms. "I'm so glad I mostly remember you again. So glad that damn truck didn't squish you into tiny little pieces."

"It's hard to kill an Aedh."

I raised a hand and lightly caressed the scar on the side of his beautiful face. "This suggests they came close."

"But not close enough." His lips captured mine and for a long, long time, there was very little sound.

When we finally came up for air, the rapid pounding of my heart was a cadence that filled the silence. I opened my eyes, stared into his. Saw the desire burning bright - desire that was both sexual and blood need. He was controlling both urges, but the second only just.

"Do you want to go into the bedroom?" he whispered, his teeth grazing my earlobe and sending a heated shiver through my entire body.

"I don't care where we go, as long as you promise to ravish me senseless."

"Oh, I don't think that's going to be a problem." He bent, swept me up in his arms, then carried me into the plane's luxurious bedroom suite.

Once there, he stripped me. Slowly, seductively, one piece of clothing at a time, exploring and reacquainting himself with each piece of flesh as it was revealed. By the time I was naked, I was quivering with desire.

Even so, I took the time to undress him, letting my fingers roam across the strong planes of his body, remembering what I loved about it, exploring new scars.

Eventually, I kissed him. Whatever vestiges of control we had were totally and irreparably smashed by the force of that kiss, by the passion and love and sheer need behind it.

We fell onto the bed wrapped in each other's arms, his flesh driving deep into mine. He began to move, and all I could do was move with him, savoring and enjoying the sensations flowing through me.

But it went far beyond the physical, because our minds were joined as intimately as our bodies. That was an even more glorious sensation, filled with warmth and love and intimacy, and it made every physical move sharper, deeper, more resonant and powerful. Made our lovemaking so incredible that I just wanted to cry.

And in that moment I knew, without a shred of doubt, that it was time to get real about our relationship. To commit, wholly and fully, to us.

Then his lips claimed mine again and the thought fled, lost to the pleasures new and old. His strokes became fierce, hungry thrusts that shook my entire body, and sweet pressure had begun to build low down in my body, quickly reaching boiling point.

We came together, his roar echoing across the silence, his body slamming into mine so hard the whole bed seemed to shake. His kisses became as fierce as his body, but as he poured himself into me, his mouth left mine, his teeth grazing my neck, but not taking. I'd already lost far too much blood for one day.

When I finally caught my breath again, I took his face between my palms and kissed him long and slow. "I think we both needed that."

"Hell, yeah."

He kissed me again, then rolled onto the bed beside me, and tried to gather me into his arms. I resisted, propping myself up with one hand so I could study him. In the soft light, his skin was golden and the scars down the left side of his body - the same side as his face - did little to detract from the beauty of it.

But it had been so close, no matter how blase he was about it. And that only served to crystallize the decision I'd made.

"You have an extremely serious expression right at this moment," he commented, lightly running a finger across my lips.

I kissed his fingertips, then said, "That's because I have a very serious question for you."

"What? Wait, let me guess - do I have enough food on this tin can to satisfy a hungry werewolf?"

"Well, no," I said, amused. "Although that is a damn good question."

He laughed softly. "I'll always cater to your hungers," he teased. "No matter what those hungers are."

"For which I'm extremely grateful."

"So you should be. What, then, is this oh-so-serious question?"

I hesitated. Not because I was uncertain or scared, but because I really wanted to savor the moment and relish the anticipation. "It really just requires a yes-or-no answer. Nothing too difficult."

He raised an eyebrow. "So ask."

I smiled and placed my hands over his. "Will you marry me, Quinn O'Conor?"

Chapter 14

For once, his vampire expression failed him. His response was right there on his face, in full view and easily read. He went from surprise to disbelief then hope and sheer, utter joy all within a split second of each other, then he let loose a huge whoop of delight and swept me into his arms, hugging me fiercely.

"That is the one question I never, ever thought you'd ask." He cupped my face between his hands and kissed my nose, my lips, my chin, then moved up to my lips again. It was almost as if he were in such a state of excitement, he couldn't concentrate on one area.

I laughed softly and draped my arms around his neck. "To be honest, I never really considered it before. But if these last few days have taught me anything, then it's been crystallizing what, exactly, I want from my life. And making our relationship official is my number-one priority. Well, that and breaking free of the Directorate's leash."

"And a more perfect way of celebrating your return I could never have imagined. I will adore marrying you."

He kissed me again, softly and sweetly. "I guess we now need decide just how soon and what type."

I grinned. "The vampire sounds anxious."

"The vampire has long considered you his, but to make it official - " He stopped and simply looked at me for a moment, and in his gaze and expression was enough love and joy to light up our solar system. " - that was a dream I'd thought impossible. So yeah, let's get this done quickly."

I laughed softly. "I'm not going to change my mind, you know."

"I know that, but fate hasn't exactly been kind to you over the years, so let's get this done before something stops us." He dropped another kiss on my lips. "As to how, I don't really care. Human mode or wolf, whichever way suits you."