Demon Angel

spoke again.
    "Lilith?"
    She made a soft, drowsy reply.
    "If waiting serves him, then we'll not wait." He already knew what would save Lilith, knew what he'd have to do. But first he had to make certain she—along with everyone else around him—would be safe from the nosferatu.
    She tensed, then turned to face him. "I have a few ideas." Her smile was wide, wicked.
    God, but he loved her. His heart ached, but he didn't have to force his laughter. "Are they absurd?"
    Her eyes danced. "Oh, yes."
----

CHAPTER 30
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    What was truly absurd, Lilith decided as she scanned Hugh's closet for anything to put on her feet, was attempting to get around San Francisco without shoes. Or a car.
    Once they got to her apartment, she'd have clothes—they wouldn't have confiscated all of them—but getting there was the problem. Sighing, she pulled out a huge pair of battered tennis shoes and slipped them on.
    Hugh grinned when he saw her, but it was easy for him to laugh when he had jeans and boots that fit, and his shirt looked as if it clung to him out of sheer desperation, afraid of losing contact with his skin. She envied that shirt, hated it.
    She clomped out of the bedroom. "They won't let us on the bus without shoes, and your precious Savi's feet are the size of a fairy's."
    Was he still grinning as he followed her? She would have turned, except that she was afraid she'd leap on him and they'd be waiting for another hour. Or two.
    "We aren't riding the bus," he said.
    "Oh?" She paused to scratch Sir Pup's neck as he skidded up to them, his claws sliding on the wood floor. "You have a car?"
    "No. I don't like enclosed moving vehicles: planes, cars, trains."
    He was grinning.
    She closed her eyes, trying not to laugh. "Your bike? Will you pedal me around on that trusty steed?"
    "Aye, my lady. My bike. It will add to the absurdity." He grabbed her hand and pulled her to the garage; on the way, he opened a closet and thrust a leather jacket at her. "How can you wear leather but not eat meat?"
    She slanted him an exasperated look as she shrugged on the jacket. It was too big, but a fine quality. "I don't eat leather. Why do you ride a bike?"
    He looked over his shoulder at her. "It's too far to walk to the university, and I get time to think. This is for when I don't want to think anymore."
    He opened the garage door, and her heart filled with lust and pleasure. A black BMW motorcycle stood in the corner, sleek and compact. Built for speed.
    "Oh," she said. "Oh. I want one."
    He tossed her a visored helmet, and she caught it by reflex. "That's Savi's, but luckily her head is bigger than a fairy's. If you tuck up your hair, anyone watching the news won't be able to see who you are."
    She quickly wound her hair into a coil. "Can I drive?"
    "Not a chance." He slung his leg over the back of the bike, patted the seat behind him. "I've seen you fly."
    The ride was too short. She rested her head against his broad back and clenched her thighs alongside his as they arrived in her neighborhood; he pulled to the curb a block away from her building. Her hair caught as she took off the helmet, then cascaded down her back as it fell out of its twist. She'd left her visor up; the wind had whipped tears from her eyes, and she hastily wiped them away.
    Sir Pup sat on the sidewalk. He was too big to be mistaken for a normal dog, but he'd taken on a form with only one head. His tongue lolled, his tail waved happily; Lilith guessed that he'd enjoyed the run almost as much as she'd enjoyed the ride.
    "We send him in first?" Hugh braced his feet on the ground and ran his fingers through his hair. Unshaven, slightly rumpled—but with a glint in his eyes that made him look dangerous. Sexy. He'd put in contact lenses that morning, and she realized now they were more practical when riding the motorcycle than glasses—but she almost missed the professorial air they had given him.
    It was a safe look: safe and comfortable for her . This Hugh was new—another surprise.
    He caught her studying him, and his gaze heated. "Lily?"
    "We send him in," she confirmed, her voice thick. He hadn't argued when she'd outlined her plan to gather information, though it put him at considerable risk.
    Sir Pup disappeared after a quick command to check the apartment for anyone inside. Lilith slid off the bike, watched as Hugh lowered the kickstand.
    "When he comes back, we'll have him look after it. No one will steal it then," she said.
    Hugh nodded. She knew