We changed into something more suited to dinner and theater in a public toilet, which wasn’t ideal, but it was better than going all the way back to the motel.

 

And anything that wasn’t perfect I would make look perfect. There were advantages to being what I was. Three course pre-dinner menu. Then the show, which really was good. I had started to relax. Nothing was going to happen.

 

And if it did, I suspected Kieran would help us out. Depending. If it was one of his friends mistaking me for a bad guy, of course, that would be a problem. But I rather thought he’d put out the word.

 

Something would have happened otherwise. Or maybe it was just waiting until we left the theater, with a long trip back on the late night subway. I wasn’t about to change back, either.

 

So, if anyone tried to mug us, they’d get a nasty surprise.

 

Of course, that wasn’t what happened. Nothing that mundane. I had decided that I really was on vacation and off duty and was not going to interfere with anything. I was going to leave it to the locals.

 

We were changing trains, a quiet subway station, when I felt something hit me in the back. “Down!” I yelled.

 

Kanesha…and the few people in the station…obeyed. I turned. I hadn’t been shot, I’d been hit by some kind of a spell.

 

Whatever it was, I’d shaken it off. It probably wasn’t potent enough to affect an Asgardian. My eyes scanned the platform for anyone who hadn’t hit the deck. Kanesha was murmuring something which included “stay” and “down.”

 

There they were, a woman, at the far end. I moved towards her. She looked startled.

 

“Lesson one, I’m not a demon.”

 

“You’re on my turf,” she snarled.

 

“What, everything under New York?” I was being sardonic.

 

“Exactly. So, get out.”

 

Presumably she hadn’t bothered us earlier because it was daytime. “As soon as I get to my destination. You really expect us to take a cab?”

 

She looked…a little startled. “I’m…” Drawing herself up.

 

I narrowed my eyes. “You’re a very talented young lady.” She was maybe a year older than I appeared, tops, but waiflike. “But you’re out of your weight class, as you may already have noticed.”

 

She scowled. Having failed to do whatever she’d planned with the spell and failed to intimidate me, she wasn’t sure what to do.

 

“Oh, relax. I’m on vacation, and only mildly irritated.”

 

“You’ll hurt people.”

 

“If I was going to hurt anyone, it would be you, and you fired first.” I kept my eyes on her. “I don’t care what you’re doing down here, as long as you aren’t killing people. Even then, I really am on vacation.”

 

“What are you?”

 

“Something, like I said, out of your weight class.” I almost felt sorry for her.

 

A pause, then, a sheepish, “Can we…talk?”