The truth was that she thought nobody could handle Morgead-but she certainly had a better chance than any Circle Daybreaker. Of course, she wouldn't survive the assignment Even if she managed to steal the Wild Power out from under Morgead's nose, he'd hunt her down and kill her for it That was irrelevant "He hates me, and I hate him, but at least I know him," she said out loud.
There was a silence and she realized that Hugh was looking at her oddly. "You think he hates you?"
"Of course. All we ever did was fight"
Hugh smiled very faintly-an Old Soul look. I see."
"What's that supposed to mean?"
'It means-I don't think he hates you, Jez. Maybe he has strong emotions for you, but from what I've heard I don't think hate is one of them."
Jez shook her head. "You don't understand. He was always gunning for me. And if he found out I'm half human-well, that would be the end. He hates humans worse than anything. But I think I can fool him for as long as it takes to get the Wild Power."
Hugh nodded, but he didn't look happy. His eyes were bruised and tired. If you can pull it off, you'll save a lot of lives."
He knows, too, Jez thought. That I'll die doing this.
It was some comfort that he cared-and more comfort that he didn't understand why she was doing it. Sure, she wanted to save lives. But there was something else.
The Council had tried to mess with Hugh. They'd sent a stinking ghoul after him. They would probably send something different tomorrow-certainly, they'd keep trying to kill him.
And for that, Jez was going to wipe the floor with them. Hugh wasn't any kind of fighter. He couldn't defend himself. He shouldn't be a target.
She realized that Hugh was still looking at her, with pain in his eyes. She smiled to show him that she wasn't afraid of dying.
"It's a family affair," she told him-and that was true, too. "Hunter's my great-great-great-great-great-grandfather. It's only right that I stop him. And if anything happens to me-well, one Redfern less is probably a blessing to the world."
And that was the last part of the truth. She came from a tainted family. No matter what she did, who she saved, or how hard she tried, there would always be vampire blood running in her veins. She was a potential danger to humanity by her very existence.
But Hugh was looking horrified. "Don't you ever say that" He stared at her for another moment and then took her by the shoulders, squeezing. "Jez, you're one of the best people I know. What you did before last year is-"
"Is part of me," Jez said. She was trying not to feel his warm grip through her T-shirt, trying not to show that his little squeeze sent a shock through her entire body. "And nothing can change that. I know what I am."
Hugh shook her slightly. "Jez-"
"And right now, I have to get rid of that ghoul. And you'd better be getting home."
For a moment she thought he was going to shake her again; then he slowly let go of her. 'You're officially accepting the assignment?" The way he said it sounded as if he were giving her one last chance not to.
"Yes."
He nodded. He didn't ask how she planned on getting back into a gang that she'd abandoned, or getting information from Morgead, who hated her. Jez knew why. He simply trusted that she could do it "When you know something, call this number." He dug in a different pocket and handed her a square of paper like a business card. "I'll give you a location where I can meet you-someplace away from here. We shouldn't talk about anything on the phone."
Jez took the card. "Thanks."
"Please be careful, Jez."
"Yes. Can I keep the articles?"
He snorted. "Sure." Then he gave her one of those sad Old-Soul smiles. "You probably don't need them, though. Just look around. Watch the news. You can see it all happening out there."
"We're going to stop it," Jez said. She reconsidered. "We're going to try."
Jez had a problem the next morning. The problem was Claire.
They were supposed to drive to school together, to ensure that Jez didn't cut school. But Jez had to cut school to go find Morgead. She didn't want to imagine the kind of trouble that was going to get her in with Uncle Jim and Aunt Nanami-but it was crucial to get to Morgead as soon as possible. She couldn't afford to waste time.
At the first major stoplight-and there weren't a lot of them in Clayton-she smacked her forehead with her palm.
"I forgot my chemistry book!" She unfastened her seat belt and slid out of the Audi just as the light turned green. "You go ahead!" she shouted to Claire, slamming the door and leaning in the open window.
"Ill catch up to you."
Claire's expression showed her temperature was reaching the boiling point. "Are you crazy? Get in; I'll drive back"
"You'll be late. Go on without me." She made a little fluttery encouraging motion with her fingers.
One of the three cars behind Claire honked.
Claire opened her mouth and shut it again. Her eyes were shooting sparks. "You did this on purpose! I know you're up to something, Jez, and I'm going to find out-"
Honk. Honk.
Jez stepped back and waved goodbye.
And Claire drove off, as Jez had known she would. Claire couldn't stand the peer pressure of cars telling her to get moving.
Jez turned and began to jog for home, in a smooth, steady, ground-eating lope.
When she got there, she wasn't even breathing hard. She opened the garage and picked up a long, slim bundle that had been concealed in a corner. Then she turned to her bike.
Besides Hugh, it was the love of her life. A Harley. An 883 Sportster hugger. Just twenty-seven inches tall and eighty-seven inches long, a lean, light, mean machine. She loved its classic simplicity, its cold clean lines, its spare body. She thought of it as her steel and chrome thoroughbred.
Now she strapped the long bundle diagonally on her back, where it balanced nicely despite its odd size.
She put on a dark full-face helmet and swung a leg over the motorcycle. A moment later she was roaring away, heading out of Clayton toward San Francisco.
She enjoyed the ride, even though she knew it might be her last one. Maybe because of that. It was a dazzling end-of-summer day, with a sky of September blue and a pure-white sun. The air that parted for Jez was warm.