Unfortunately, all the cops could pin on stalker boy for now was him threatening me with a gun he didn’t have a license for.

Hopefully that would give them enough time to get the evidence together. As for the “cop issue” bullets – they turned out to be a fairly common type of ammunition, although one used a fair bit by cops.

Well. That was the way of things, I thought. Either they’d keep him in jail or they wouldn’t, but I wasn’t going to do anything about him unless he got out and came after me and I could call it self defense.

The end result, though, felt faintly dissatisfying. I wanted more of a fight than I’d gotten. Maybe I should go vampire hunting again, but the city seemed fairly vermin-free right now.

I settled for a couple of sparring sessions with Thruor that left us both sweating and sporting bruises that healed quickly. It helped, but it wasn’t quite enough.
Truth was, I wanted to make sure that Her Ladyship was avenged, even though – or perhaps because – she had technically been my enemy. That was the truth of it, and if he got out, I didn’t know what I’d do.

The city was still locked in the grasp of winter – in fact, it was even worse now. Snow on the ground, the sky that odd steel white color that so often promised more. February and winter. Maybe I’d somehow brought the chill myself. I hadn’t been here last winter.

No, it was the way things were. It felt natural, anyway. Or, at least, not supernatural. Maybe it was climate change, but that wasn’t supernatural. Human stupidity, maybe.

They had plenty of that without needing help. I had all of these thoughts while walking home from school.

And was interrupted by a cultist on either side.

“Oh, please.”

“Was it really that kid who did it?”

“I think so. But I can’t be sure. I know he killed somebody else, though.” He hadn’t been that much of a kid, I thought.

The man nodded. “I’d like to believe you, at least.”

Like to meant he wasn’t sure. “Maybe the cops can find something. The gun and bullets were right.”

“I hope so.”

“All I want is to continue the ceasefire. I’m doing what I can to make sure the world doesn’t end tomorrow.”

He laughed. “Looking at this snow…”

“It’s natural, I assure you.” Skadi might be around, but she hadn’t caused this any more than she always did, being what she was.

Now, that was an insight that had come out of nowhere.

“Maybe, but…it’s not normal.”

“Climate change?” I quipped.

“Eh. Look. You can have your ceasefire, but if we find one piece of evidence you had anything to do with her death.”

“What motivation would I have? She wasn’t causing me any trouble and I sort of liked her.” Respected, anyway.

“Eh,” he said again, then he and his silent buddy peeled off. I felt my heart rate return to normal.

Stupid cultists anyway.