business."
He raised his eyebrows. "And what business would the Directorate have with a vampire who has obviously been dead for several days?"
I opened my mouth to ask how he knew Gateway was dead then snapped it closed again. Kye was a werewolf, so he'd smell the decay even if he couldn't see the body.
"And my questions to you would have to be: why are you here to see him, and did you have anything to do with his death?"
His sudden smile made my stomach lurch, and it was all I could do not to drop the little dog and step into Kye's arms. They would be waiting for me, despite the outward indifference and the distance we were keeping between us.
"Vampires like him hardly ever require my style of killing." He crossed his arms and leaned casually against the doorframe, the leather of his old jacket straining deliciously across his shoulders. "Besides, from what I've heard, he's been too busy drowning himself in alcohol of late to make the effort of hunting him worthwhile."
Because for men like him, the hunt was almost as important as the fee. Almost. "And how would you know he's been drinking to excess?"
He raised an eyebrow, amusement setting his golden eyes ablaze. "I can smell the booze."
"Liar." Alcohol was the one scent not present in this house. Rotting vampire, unwashed dog and a little bit of mold, maybe, but not booze.
The smile was still flirting with his lips, and a whole lot of me ached to kiss him. "Then maybe I know he was a drunk because I do my homework when I'm following a lead."
"What sort of lead?" I glanced down at the still squirming dog, and wondered whether his intense reaction came from having another male on his turf or something more sinister. Whatever it was, scratching his head didn't seem to be calming him down. I stepped back, deposited him in the front bedroom, and quickly closed the door. He continued barking, and started scratching at the door.
"That dog seriously dislikes you," I added, crossing my arms as I faced Kye again.
He shrugged. "The alpha always defends his territory."
The steely edge in his voice suddenly had me wondering if I were one of those territories that needed defending. Was that why he'd suddenly reappeared? To reclaim what was his?
The thought made me shiver. His gaze swept me, then rose to linger on my mouth. His hunger swirled around me, thick and strong, and little droplets of sweat broke out along my spine.
I wanted him. God, how I wanted him.
I clenched my fists a little bit tighter, digging my nails into my palm, using the pain to offset my desire.
It was a useless thing to do, really, when he was a werewolf and we were connected on more than a base level.
"I'm chasing a missing person," he said softly. "Did the vamp inside kill himself or did someone help him along?"
"I don't know. And since when did you start taking on missing persons cases?"
"I go where the cash is. And don't play games with me, Riley. You've been in the business long enough now to make an informed guess."
"It's a Directorate case, Kye. I can't discuss it."
"No, you won't discuss it. Not with me, anyway."
He had that right. "How long are you in town?"
"Why? Did you miss me?"
"No." Yes. Given the nail-digging wasn't achieving much, I flexed my fingers instead, but it didn't help release the tension rolling through me. "Why are you here, Kye?"
"As I said, I'm simply following a lead. Nothing more, nothing less." But his gaze met mine and, in those golden depths, I saw the hunter. The possessor. A wolf who hungered to control the very same things that I did. It made a mockery of his words, and it was a sight that sent a chill through my heart.
I didn't want this.
I didn't want him.
Even if my soul ached with the need of his kiss, his caress, his body.
But the wolf wasn't the sum of me, and as much as I might hunger for Kye, there was another man in my life. One that I cared about, one that I loved. And that part of me was what I reached for now to keep me strong.
"Whatever it is you're doing," I said, my voice harsh, "make sure you keep out of my way."
He laughed. It was a soft, cold sound that sent shivers up my spine and heat swirling through my body. "Things haven't changed, have they, Riley?