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Lilith’s
    hand slid toward her dagger. I raised a finger, indicating friend not foe.
    “Mary.” I smiled at her, eyes roaming her supple skin.
    She stepped into the hallway. The single light bulb bathed her in a
    heavenly glow, caressing her. “Jace? Did you find little J.C. yet?”
    “No.” Her concern was palpable as she stared at me with big, violet
    eyes. My heart beat faster. I licked my lips, wanting to taste her.
    “Well, this is cozy.” Lilith cleared her throat.
    Mary’s gaze fell on Lilith, dismissing her with a quick once-over.
    The difference between the women amazed me. Blonde, sweet, and
    tanned, Mary was the girl next-door. Actually, the girl down the hall and to
    the left, but that was semantics.
    In retrospect, Lilith looked like a cartoon figure, with huge yellow
    eyes and pale skin. Vampires and succubae came to mind when I glanced at
    her black hair and blood red lips. She was darkness to Mary’s light. Funny, I
    wanted them both, and in such different ways. Dark, dirty ways.
    “I’m Lilith.” She stuck out her hand.
    “Mary.” Mary glanced at me for an explanation. Her eyes burned
    brightly with anger, or interest I wasn’t sure. “Are you a friend of Jace’s?”
    Maybe Mary held some kind of torch for me after all. Lilith and I answered
    at the same time.
    “No, she’s helping me find—” I began.
    28

    “Yes, we are good friends,” Lilith stressed the word friends. “As a
    matter of fact, I’ll be staying with him for a few weeks.” She paused,
    grinning. “You know, keeping him in line, protecting him from himself.”
    Mary and I both glared at her, but Lilith merely smiled. Why had she
    lied? Was she trying to make Mary jealous?
    Whatever Lilith’s game, one look into Mary’s envious eyes and I
    decided to play it. For me, this was a win-win. Lilith would help me find the
    kid and get the girl.
    “I see. Well, it was nice to meet you.” Mary turned toward her
    apartment, but Lilith stopped her.
    “I think we’ve met before.”
    Mary laughed. “I doubt it.”
    Ouch. The claws had come out. I loved a good catfight, so I stepped
    back and let the fur fly.
    “Oh, I’m almost sure of it.” Lilith smiled, her teeth gleaming against
    the dark red of her lips. “Don’t worry, it will come to me.”
    “Don’t strain yourself.” Mary grinned, an evil smirk that heated my
    blood. “You’ll need all your energy to handle Jace.”
    “Thanks for the advice,” Lilith said, her voice strained with laughter.
    “But for your information, I can HANDLE anything.”
    This was getting out of hand. Next they would be comparing notes
    and for some reason, I didn’t think I would come out a winner. I needed a
    distraction and I needed one right now.
    The roar of a .357 Magnum fired at close range did the trick.
    29

    Eight

    “Fucking rats.” Siddhartha, my neighbor from the end of the hall,
    fired another round into the plaster wall of the hallway. On the other side of
    the wall, a squeak, followed by the thud of a small corpse hitting the floor,
    sounded. We all glanced at the hole in the wall, and then at the demented guy
    with the gun.
    “Hey, Sid,” I called, happy to see the crazy old man the other tenants
    jokingly referred to as “The Pillsbury Doughboy.” I. however, suspected Sid
    was a lapsed Buddha from the shape and smell of him. Something like fat,
    bald guy, spoiled beer, and enlightenment. Worse, he spoke in meaningless,
    fractured sentences that annoyed me. At times, squeezing the life out of him
    held more appeal than pressing his tummy for a cheap giggle.
    Sid glanced at us, his eyes raking over Mary and Lilith. “Do not have
    evil-doers for friends. Do not have low people for friends. Have virtuous
    people for friends. Have for friends the best of men.”
    “Ummm, thanks.” I shrugged, “How are things with you?”
    Lilith smiled, and responded in some foreign tongue. The words flew
    from her mouth, sounding exotic and hot. I had no idea what she