"Jack," Jack said, amused and a little intrigued. The manners that Charlotte had beaten into him by means of her saddest wistfulness kicked in and he continued, automatically, "I'm pleased to meet you as well. I take it your staff has defenses."

Not that much could harm a Shade. He could always go back to his proper form, if it came to that. But he rather liked being human, tall and dark and sleekly handsome.

The fact that Nicholas liked him human too had no bearing on the matter.