"Ferne Street.” He shrugged into his knee-length wool coat. It was dry by now but would soon be wet if the rain kept up. “There's a club down there, we can get some information, see what's happening."

"Ferne Street?” The glitters of gold in her hazel eyes suddenly flared, and he found himself taking a step forward. The color had drained from her cheeks. “You're kidding. I can't go down there, that's dangerous after dark!"

For a lone woman, yes. You'll hunt down demons but you're scared of getting mugged? Nice to see you have some sense of self-preservation. “You're with me,” he reminded her. “I won't let anything happen to you.” Anything that a Drakul can prevent, that is. If we run up against a full massed company of Inkani you'll have to run while I hold them off. But that's not likely to happen, sweetheart. I'm going to take very good care of you.

He slid the stiletto up his sleeve, checked the gun in his shoulder-holster—now that had turned her an interesting shade of chalk, too. For such a stubborn, bossy little lady, she certainly seemed to be frightened of the oddest things.

She slid her hands into the front pocket of the sweatshirt jacket. The dark navy blue would meld with shadows, and her jeans weren't likely to give her away. Her hair was dark, the only thing she'd have to worry about was the paleness of her face and hands. “What if you have another attack? Of your… instincts?"

What if, indeed. A curious idea stopped him, and he stared at her for a long moment. “What do you think?"

"I think you might slip up and hurt me,” she replied baldly. “If I touch off anything demon in you, that is. You might even get me into trouble and leave me there tonight, if you think it'll find you your partner. I don't have any real reason to trust you, other than you getting that thing away from my window and nursing me through a concussion.” Her jaw set stubbornly, her eyes flashed, and he took another step toward her.

Is that what she thinks? She had no idea, and it was probably just as well. “They're not hunter's instincts, sweetheart,” he informed her. “You set off an entirely different set. Just remember to do what I tell you, I'm going to treat this as if I'm training a new Malik. I won't let anything happen to you.” Besides, a little bit of uncertainty's good for you. It'll make you manageable, for a while at least. And I am finding that I like you manageable almost as much as I like you being bossy.

"Wait a second.” Her chin looked particularly stubborn now, and he wondered again what had possessed Paul to think of her as the less-attractive option. Of course, the thought of anyone else finding her attractive made the demon growl in the bottom of his mind, but he could live with that.

Couldn't he? I'm thinking of betraying the Order and tying myself to a human female. They'll put me down like a rabid dog.

"Exactly which instincts are we talking about?” She stared at him as if he'd grown another head.

Get it, another head? Not funny, Ryan. Get your mind on business and keep it there. “Different ones. I won't throw you to the wolves, either. I promise. Now come on, it's time to go."

"I'm going to be hashed at work tomorrow,” she muttered grimly, but followed him to the door. He would have preferred to take the fire escape, but it was still a mangled hunk of metal down in the alley. And she couldn't handle a five-story drop like he could.

Yeah, you probably are going to be tired tomorrow. Human endurance isn't all it's cracked up to be. “We'll make it an early night, it's just a recon run. If Paul's still alive, he's dug into a good bolthole and waiting for me to find him. He has enough sense to stay hidden.” Though he's likely not alive if the Inkani are in town. He was likely caught the first night when he went to prepare for his fucking date. I knew his dick would get him into trouble.

Of course, I'm a fine one to talk. Christ. I'm contemplating throwing my life away for a librarian.

But she's such a good hand with a heavy bag. And she actually came down into the alley in her pajamas to protect me. Me.

It was the kind of thing that could warm a Drakulein's heart. If he could be said to have a heart, that was.

"Fine.” She didn't sound happy, but she let him go out into the hall first. He'd cleaned up the daisies and tossed them from her living-room window, wanting to get them away from her but not wanting to leave her apartment even for the moment it would take to walk to the garbage chute down the hall. Ryan checked the hall, then motioned her out.

"Safe enough. Now, what are the rules?” Just one last time, sweetheart. So we start off the right way.

"Don't talk to anyone, stay behind you, don't grab your right arm.” So she had been listening. “If you tell me to freeze, freeze; if you tell me to run, run and come back here, wait for you to show up. If you stop and look like you're listening, stay behind you and don't talk.” He could feel her gaze on his back. “Have I forgotten anything?"

"Nope. Especially if we get separated, come back here and wait. Think you can remember that?” He led her down the hall to the stairs, falling into the old familiar habit of listening to the footsteps behind him. Her footsteps where a Malik's should be, but she hadn't been taught to step only where he did. That didn't matter tonight, but he would eventually have to train her to do that, as well as induct her in a few Malik soreceries…?

What the fuck am I thinking? I can't do that, they'll… Christ, I'm already in over my head. I might as well.

"I'll try.” Her tone was dry and unamused. “So which instincts, exactly, am I triggering? You might as well tell me."

I don't think I want to. He contented himself with saying, “Protective instincts. We'll take a cab."

Neon slid wet and slick against the pavement as he held the door, scanning the street. She got out of the cab, he slammed the back door, and the yellow car took off. Chess glanced around, her shoulders coming up. Even with her hiking boots, the top of her head barely reached above his collarbone, and he was suddenly, exquisitely aware that she was also much slighter than him, her shoulders slim and her hips narrow, her ribs delicate and so fragile. The mix of smells—hers lighter and clean with its edge of something he couldn't identify, his own dark and tainted with the burning scent of demon—was powerfully attractive, and would mark her as his. It was a protection for her; not a very good one if they ran up against the Order, but still a protection. There was something a little off about her smell, though, as if the human was wearing away and something else showing, something golden and smelling of spice.

Maybe it was just his imagination. Of course she would start smelling good to him; pretty soon her scent would start to have an aphrodisiac effect.

Pretty soon? That's yesterday's news. His eyes slid over the street again. Bars and nightclubs, mostly, one liquor store with barred windows and a steady stream of customers, and a good crowd. The last of the sunlight left the sky, he could feel it go, and his full strength roared back through his bones and veins. Day wasn't good for him.

No, he was a night creature. Strength returned, strength and full sensory acuity. He welcomed it even as his shoulders tightened a little and the familiar burning cold of the demon inside him rose to the surface. He took her elbow and inserted them both into the stream of people on the sidewalk, careful not to squeeze her arm. “You're right not to come down here alone.” He bent down a little so she could hear him over the noise of the crowd. Throbbing waves of music poured out of nightclub doors; the bars all blinked with beer signs in the windows. Across the street, the hookers strutted; there was a sloping hulk of tenements and cheap hotels one street over where most of them probably lived. Traffic had slowed to a crawl, both because of the pedestrian crowd and because cars kept pulling over on the other side, disgorging passengers or picking them up. A police cruiser poked halfway out of an alley two blocks up, and his sharp eyesight picked out two Chinese takeout cartons as the cops inside ate, watching the street action.