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 And it makes a nice change, I said, rubbing my arms. The time had come to talk to Jack, and I really wasn t
looking forward to it.
I can Quinn started.
No, I said firmly. This is for me to do.
 Riley, Rhoan, Jack said into my ear.  Go through Daskill s house and see what you can find. Another van is
on the way to take care of the guards. They ll remain neutralized until then.
Meaning Quinn had messed with their minds and told them to stay. I pressed the little earpiece and said,  I need
to talk to you first, boss.
He hesitated, then said, almost reluctantly,  Come on in, then.
Rhoan gave me a smile and a quick shoulder squeeze for support, then spun around on his heel and headed back
to the house. I took a deep breath that did little to calm the twisting in my belly, then strode forward
determinedly.
I slid open the van door, stepping inside and shutting it quickly so there was no risk of sunlight touching Jack.
Not that it would have, given he was down at the far end of the van, sitting in front of a bank of monitors.
 What is it, Riley? he said without looking up.
 I don t want to be a guardian anymore. I said it in a rush, because any other way and the words would have
stuck in my throat.
He leaned back in his chair and raised his hands, crossing his fingers on the top of his head. There was little
surprise in the green of his eyes.
 You can t leave the Directorate. The drugs are still affecting you, and we have no idea what direction the
changes are likely to take.
That sick feeling in my stomach increased, rising up my throat and momentarily preventing me from breathing.
It was all going to hell all my hopes and dreams of walking away turning to ashes simply because I knew what
he was saying was true. And yet, that stupid, stubborn part of me refused to give up.  But 
 There are no buts on this, he said heavily.  We have no idea what might happen, and it s simply too
dangerous for everyone around you to let you go unmonitored.
 There has to be some sort of middle ground, Jack. I said it softly, without the desperation burning through me.
 I ve given up so many of my hopes and dreams in the last few years that I really don t want to give up any
more. I want to live long enough to see my babies grow. And we both know that isn t going to happen if I
remain a guardian.
 Riley, he said, voice gentle,  you were growing weary of being my assistant when you actually were. Now
that you re a trained hunter, I very much doubt you could go back so easily to office work.
Maybe. Maybe not. But he wasn t saying no outright, so there was still some degree of hope left.
 Jack, I can t continue like this. I won t.
 You know the choice, Riley. It s us or the military.
So much for hope. I stared at him for a moment, mouth drier than the Simpson Desert.  Is that a threat?
He returned my stare, his green eyes showing little in the way of compassion. Not giving in, not giving up.  No.
I m merely stating your options. They haven t changed. They will never change. He paused.  The military has
been keeping an eye on you.
I clenched my fists and battled to remain calm battled not to show the fear clawing away at my insides. Which
was useless, given that he was a vampire and would sense it regardless. He couldn t help it when my pulse was
racing at a million miles an hour.
 You can t make me do either, I said, an edge creeping into my voice was that was part fury, part fear.  I ll
fight you, I ll fight the Directorate, I ll even fight the entire Australian military if I have to.
 Riley, he said softly.  You may be a strong telepath, but so am I, and so is Director Hunter.
 And so is Quinn, I retorted.  Do not think I ll be alone in any battle. Because if he tried anything like that,
he d not only lose me, but Quinn, Rhoan, and Dia, as well.
And he knew it. The frustrated anger that just about fried my skin said as much.
 What about a compromise? I said, desperately battling the urge to cross my fingers. To pray to the gods I
didn t believe in.
 What kind of compromise?
 You have specialist consultants on the books. Dia s one. Why can t I be another?
 Meaning, he said slowly,  you d be willing to come to murder scenes whenever required, to talk to souls?
 Yes. I wouldn t like it, but I d do it if it meant not having to risk life and limb every single day of my life as a
guardian.
He studied me for a moment, as if judging my seriousness, then said,  That is a risk in itself. We both know
that.
Yes, talking to souls was a risk. They could drain me to the point that I might not be strong enough to get back
from their realms. But the key here was finding a solution that suited us both and offsetting a greater risk for a
smaller one was one of those.
 It s the lesser of two evils, Jack, and it gives us both something we want. And it gave me the chance of an
almost normal life. It gave me the ability to raise Liander and my babies and be a steady, regular influence in
their lives.
He studied me for several more very long minutes, then a small smile touched his lips.  I knew this was
coming. Especially given you ve found your own replacement.
Hope bubbled through me, but I stamped down on it. Hard. I knew fate well enough not to trust her so easily.
 Is that a yes?
 It s more an  I could live with a deal like that.  He hesitated and studied me grimly.  Which is not to say that
Director Hunter will.
 But you ll support the idea in principle?
 Riley, I am many things, but I am not stupid. And I do not want to destroy what is left of the daytime
division. He smiled grimly, then added,  Nor do I wish to go to war with a man who was the finest cazador the
council ever produced.
I let go a whoop they would surely have heard in Sydney, then leapt forward, throwing myself into Jack s arms.
He caught me with a grunt, but his laughter ran all around me.
 Don t get your hopes too high. As I said, it ll still have to go before Director Hunter for final approval.
 I know, I know. But if Jack approved it, that was three-quarters of the battle. The Directorate might be his
sister s, but the guardian division was his.
 Then untangle your arms from around my neck and go help your brother clean up the house. Consider it your
last official duty as a guardian. He hesitated, green eyes suddenly serious.  Unless, of course, you want official
status when you confront the bastard who kidnapped you.
I stepped back, my joy suddenly tempered.  We re going to do it on Jenson lands. Pack law will apply.
He half nodded.  It still won t hurt to have the Directorate behind you. After all, he kidnapped Evin and his
mate, kidnapped and mind-washed you, and damn near killed Quinn. His death is slated. So, if you like, that can
be your last official task.
 And it doesn t matter which way I choose to apply it?
 I don t give a damn, as long as the bastard dies.
 He will. He has to.
Jack nodded.  Then go help your brother, and I ll get the paperwork started. For both things.
 Thanks, Jack. You re the best.
I leaned forward and kissed his cheek, and damned if he didn t blush.  Just go, and let me get some work done.
I grinned and all but bounced out of the van.
One more thing to attend to, and then my life was finally mine.
If I survived the encounter with Blake, that was.
Chapter 16
As eager as we all were to confront Blake, getting rid of him wasn t simply a matter of walking onto Jenson [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]

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