Zaid did not give me Samson’s number – that would have been rude. He gave me the address of his haunt. Then he headed off with Derek.

Whom I was determined not to leave alone until we found him a decent weapon and got him some real training. It was hard to believe this was the same guy, though. We’d at least got him thinking straight.

Assuming he was. So, I went hunting Samson, but warily. Those two demons might decide to try me on for size now I was alone. And, of course, the address?

The community center I’d once hung out with with Kanesha. Heck, maybe I’d even seen the guy back then and not noticed him. As it had been, I was one of only two or three white faces.

“Jane!” somebody called.

“Yeah, sorry, I took up modeling, got high class, stole Kanesha and disappeared.” I grinned – it was Pansy, whom I remembered from before.

“Modeling.  That’s either fun or boring.”

“Both at different times,” I informed her. “But I’m looking for Samson.”

“What do you want with him?” She stuck her tongue out at me.

“What, is he boring too?”

She shook her head. “No, he’s kind of cool, but also more than kind of weird.”

“So am I,” I pointed out.

“He’s…oh wait, I think he’s in the garden.”

I headed back there and found him checking on the herbs. I’d almost never gone back into the little garden. It was supposed to let people practice their green thumbs.

As most of the kids lacked that facility, it was usually half dead. “Samson?”

“Oh…oh, it’s you.”

“He’s with Zaid.”

“And still alive? I’m surprised.”

“Did you…”

“I did not throw him off the fire escape. He fell off the fire escape all on his own.”

I sensed a ring of truth there. “So, what did you work out about him?”

“Mixed breed. Efreet, at a guess.”
“Zaid confirmed that. And he’s a loose cannon. We did convince him not all supernaturals are demons.”

“Fall probably knocked some sense into the kid.” He stood up. “What do you want from me?”
“I’m just curious. How…”

“I’m new in town is how you haven’t met me before.” He grinned a bit, then offered a hand. “Samson, but you know that.”

I paused, then. “Siglaugr. But Jane is…”

“Far easier to pronounce for those who don’t speak Old Norse.” A pause. “You’re the one all the rumors are about. Random half-trained Norse goddess.”

“I am…” Then I laughed. “…very random.”

He laughed too. “And I…” He shrugged. “Just a hunter. Been in New Orleans.”

“You came here to find me.” Not a question.

“I was curious.”

I hoped it was nothing more than that. I had a feeling he would end up needing or wanting something from me.

And I wasn’t sure I believed him about the fire escape, except he knew Zaid. Zaid would have warned me if he was evil.