“Buy you a drink?”

I whirled. He was behind me.

“Hey, you followed me. Either I buy you a drink or I beat you up.”

“I’ll take the drink…” I hesitated, almost specifying soda, then decided against it. “Besides, how do you know I wouldn’t beat you up?”

He looked at me, his eyes running over me, then nodded. “Oh, you might win. Maybe. Might be a good contest.”

I laughed. “Then maybe we should find a quiet corner and try and beat each other up some time.”

“It’s a date.”

Oh dear. I hadn’t meant…and I knew it was being taken that way too. Fortunately it was dark enough that he couldn’t see me blushing. “Don’t be too hasty. We’ve only just met.”

“Okay, how about I start over with, what are you doing in a place like this? Other than following me.”

He wasn’t asking it as a line. “Causing trouble. You?”

“Causing trouble.” He studied me again. “Oh, crap…you are going to beat me up, aren’t you?”

“Only if you give me a reason.” I realized that I’d lose some kind of edge if I admitted I had no idea what he was. I’d have to watch and look for symptoms. He did reflect in the mirror behind the bar, so probably not a vampire.

“Given what I am and what you are, you already have a reason.”

I shook my head. “I stick to beating up people who have actually done something to deserve it. Recently.” Demon? He seemed too nice, but… Or maybe he was from one of the other pantheons and there was a lot of rivalry.

Heck. Maybe he was an angel.

“Wow. You actually think instead of just doing what your elders tell you all the time?”

“Depends.” I grinned at him. “You seem to be doing some thinking too.”

I hadn’t been initially attracted to him, but I was rather warming up. And I didn’t really care if he was somebody I’d be in trouble for hanging out with as long as, as I had said, he didn’t do anything to deserve being beaten up.

He bought two bottles of beer. I took one of them, noting that the barkeep didn’t seem to be noticing my age any more than the bouncer had.

Probably not luck. Heck, I might be doing something subconscious. Or he might.

“What’s your name?” he asked as I got the beer open.

“Just call me Jane.”

“Jane. Oh…that’s why you aren’t beating me up. You’re incognito.”

I nodded. Easier than explaining. “And you?”

“Martin.”

“Also incognito.” I grinned. “So, how about we have a truce, at least for a bit?” Whatever quarrel I should have with him seemed pretty pointless right now.

I was more worried about Kanesha’s father.