But what I did was open my mouth and brush my tongue over her lips, gently and slowly, and only once. She shivered at that touch, and her teeth tugged delicately at my lower lip. I drew the kiss to a slow, quiet close, and bowed my head, so that my forehead rested against hers. Both of us remained like that for a minute, breathing a little fast.

"Did you want to stop?" she whispered.

"No," I answered. "But I needed to."

"Why?"

"Because you don't know me," I said. "Did you want me to stop?"

"No," she said. "But I needed you to. You don't know me, either."

"Then why kiss me?" I asked.

"I…" I heard a touch of something like embarrassment in her voice. "It's been a long time for me. Since I've kissed anyone. I didn't realize how much I've missed it."

"Same here."

Her fingers stirred lightly, touching the sides of my face. "You seem so alone. I just… wanted to know what it was like. Just the kiss. Before anything else gets involved."

"That's reason enough," I agreed. "What did you think of it?"

She made a low sound in her throat. "I think I want more."

"Mmmm," I said, agreeing. "That works for me."

She let out a quiet, wicked little laugh. "Good." She shivered again and then drew away from me, dark eyes bright, still breathing fast enough to make her chest absolutely mesmerizing. She stood up, smiling. "Is there anything else I can do to help you?"

"Grab my staff for me?"

She arched a brow.

I felt my cheeks flush. "Uh. The literal staff."

" Oh," she said, and passed it to me.

She watched me with quiet concern as I heaved myself to my feet, but she made no move to help me, for which my ego was entirely grateful. I hobbled over to her door, and she walked beside me.

I turned to her and touched her cheek with my right hand. She leaned her face against my palm, just a little, and smiled up at me.

"Thank you," I told her. "You're a lifesaver. Probably literally."

She looked down and nodded. "All right. Be careful?"

"I'll try," I told her.

"Try hard," she said. "I'd like to see you again soon."

"Okay. I'll survive. But only because you asked."

She laughed, and I smiled, and then I left her in her apartment and started back down the stairs to the street.

Going down was a lot harder than going up had been. I made it to the third floor before I had to stop for a breather, and I sat down to rest my aching leg for a moment.

So I was panting and sitting flat on my ass when the air in front of me wavered, and a dark, hooded figure stepped forward from out of nowhere, one hand extended, some sort of fine mesh that covered her outstretched palm flickering with ugly purple light.