Demon Angel

to the vampire—most women were sister to someone, after all— except that Hugh claimed it. Two hundred years before, Hugh and Lilith had helped protect Colin's sister from a nosferatu… and from the newly turned, starving Colin.
    Colin had very few scruples, but in his appreciation for that he remained steadfast.
    With a petulant curl of his lip, the vampire said, "You're looking very"—he waved his hand at the stubble on Hugh's jaw, the casual roll of his sleeves over his forearms— "disheveled. Scruffy, even."
    Hugh blinked, and a reluctant smile pulled at his mouth. "Better than the friar's robe?"
    Colin shuddered, as if something unpleasant had crawled over his skin.
    "You aren't here to critique my appearance."
    "No. She asked me to spy on them. The critique is an unexpected bonus."
    Hugh's stomach tightened. "Why isn't she here?"
    "I don't know." Colin slid off his dark glasses. "Her message was rather cryptic. I'm supposed to watch the pigs in the muggle's kitchen, which I understand well enough. Though I might have gone to your house had the dog not led me here instead. And, afterward, I'm supposed to stop by her apartment and collect something to give to you."
    Hugh nodded slowly, unsurprised that the vampire and demon had a system of code to speak in public. The hellhound whimpered and licked his hand, diverting him from his contemplation of it. "Are they speaking with Savi?"
    "They're asking about the game and the nosferatu." Colin looked over Hugh's shoulder, an assessing expression in his eyes. "Did you tell her the truth?"
    "Not yet."
    He said no more, as Auntie appeared next to the table and her quick gaze moved between them. "You're a friend to Dr. Castleford?" She emphasized the title proudly. "You should have said."
    Colin gave Hugh a brief, quizzical look before turning to Auntie with a smile designed to charm. The vampire maintained the pretense of blindness; his gaze rested just above her shoulder instead of on her face. "My apologies, madam."
    The placement of Colin's lips, perfectly concealing the sharp points of his fangs without appearing to hold the smile in an unnatural position, was the most accomplished Hugh had seen; an untrained human would never be able to determine the difference. "Mrs. Jayakar," Hugh supplied. "This is Mr. Ames-Beaumont."
    "Call me Auntie." A blush darkened her cheekbones to a rich cinnamon. She fussed with her sari, slipping her fingers along the sash as if to make certain it still covered the bare skin at her waist. "Are you from Great Britain, Mr. Ames-Beaumont?"
    "Colin, please," the vampire said. "Yes, originally from north of London. But I emigrated some time ago."
    "For your profession?"
    Colin's eyes crinkled at the corners. "Yes."
    Hugh opened his mouth, but Auntie lifted a single finger toward his face. He snapped his teeth together.
    "And what is it you do?"
    "I'm an artist," Colin said. "I paint."
    She gave a startled glance at his unfocused eyes. Taken aback, she looked from the vampire to Hugh again, and Hugh said, "He's interested in the Raja Special."
    She inclined her head, her expression brightening as she took in Colin's slim frame. Given a chance, she would feed him herself. Colin watched her walk toward the kitchen, but without the hunger with which he'd looked at Savi. His brows drew together, and he returned his attention to Hugh. "You've made a family for yourself."
    "Yes." He looked across the table at the vampire, felt the hellhound's heavy head against his leg. "So has Lilith."
    "Yes. She has spent many a night with me." Leaning back, he curled his lips into a mocking smile.
    Hugh shook his head, grinning. "There is truth in that, but not what you suggest. She's your reflection, not your lover."
    "My reflection?" The vampire laughed, as if startled by the idea. "Yes: vain, selfish, greedy." Despite his words, his gaze had warmed.
    "Exceptionally loyal to those few she cares about," Hugh said, and rubbed the hellhound's ears when it gave a quiet bark of agreement. Difficult to keep the roughness from his voice. Before he'd Fallen, there had been no one else she'd cared for— but she hadn't been alone these past sixteen years. "She trusted you enough to show you the symbols."
    "Yes, but she did not expose herself for my sake." Colin pierced him with a hard stare. "I don't know what was done to her; perhaps we should exchange information. She said it was not from the Punishment she received, but I don't know if I can believe her."
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