Demon Night

told him Jake had gotten a ride. Ethan went on out, leaving the French doors open behind him; Selah leaned against the railing overlooking the lake, the breeze blowing her pale blond hair around her shoulders. Jake had his hands linked behind his head, whirling in a circle and looking mighty pleased with himself.
    “This your doing?” Ethan said as Selah turned to face him and set her elbows against the rail.
    “I told him the teleportation would make him dizzy. It didn’t, so I believe he’s celebrating by trying to get there himself.” Her bright green skirt fluttered around her slim legs. A Guardian for two and a half centuries, Selah had assisted Castleford in mentoring Ethan—and lately she’d taken to dressing like a fashion plate. “Or maybe he’s celebrating because Lilith had him convinced that Colin’s house was on an isolated pig farm outside of Puyallup. Are you well, Drifter?”
    “Ain’t got nothing to complain about.” But her blue eyes were too direct, and she’d known him too long. Hoping to distract her, he quickly asked, “And you and yours?”
    She’d recently taken up with a vampire, but as much as Ethan wanted to direct her attention from himself, he hoped she wouldn’t dwell on it. Women in love were apt to go on and on about their partners, and though Ethan liked her vampire well enough, he could get along just fine without hearing about how Marsden was so almighty considerate or his eyelashes or whatever it was that had captured Selah’s fancy.
    “Good. We’re both good.” Selah paused in a delicate way, and Ethan’s stomach wound up tight. “I heard about your brother. Do you need—”
    Ethan reached out, caught Jake by his collar mid-spin. “You take out an ad?”
    Jake’s grin was only slightly apologetic. “I might have said something at the poker game last night when Becca asked where you were.”
    “Novices these days, I swear,” Selah said dryly.
    Ethan let him go, frowning, but couldn’t work up a good talking-to. Jake was sixty years old, but Ethan figured his personality had been fixed at twenty. Or at twelve, on even-numbered days.
    And Selah was delicately quiet again, running her fingers along her beaded necklace. “Drifter, are you certain you don’t need anything?”
    From the house came the sound of a door opening, Charlie’s breath and heartbeat. Maybe they wouldn’t note that Ethan’s sped up a bit.
    “Some kind of breakfast for Charlie wouldn’t be out of order,” he said. “Anywhere you teleport downtown, chances are you’ll land in a coffee shop. And I’d be much obliged if you’d make me up a new jacket.”
    Selah did instantly, tossing the long coat toward him.
    Ethan vanished it, and he added, “I’ve also got pictures I’ll be sending Lilith, but if you run into Michael, tell him to have a look, too. I found something I wasn’t expecting, but I’ll outline the details in an e-mail.” If any demon was near enough to listen, he wouldn’t hear what Ethan had to say about the one who’d killed the female vampire.
    Selah nodded, a line of concern appearing between her brows, and then her gaze shifted behind him. Jake inhaled audibly, then released it with a soft sound of masculine appreciation.
    Guardians just don’t smell that good, Jake gestured with one hand when Ethan pinned a hard stare on him.
    They didn’t—Guardians didn’t have much odor at all. But if Jake was still suffering from Enthrallment, too much scent could twist him up. Don’t you go sniffing and lose your head, Ethan signed back.
    Charlie might have been pleased to know that her psychic shields were tight when she came outside. Ethan wouldn’t have had much trouble getting through, but awareness—and wariness—had lent them some strength. An unconscious reaction, but with time and practice she could deliberately raise and lower them.
    She sure as hell didn’t need any practice concealing her expression, however. Though she must have been feeling something in addition to the friendly curiosity that she showed, Ethan couldn’t find a hint of anything more.
    Except that she was cold. She pulled the sleeves of her thin hooded sweatshirt down over her hands after Ethan performed the introductions. He glanced at Selah, and another—smaller—jacket came flying his way.
    “It’ll disappear in a couple of hours,” he said as Charlie slung it around her shoulders and pulled her mass of wheat gold hair from beneath the collar. “Unless you’re a