Chill 24

<Jack>

The men had all jumped back from the corpse at contact, getting out of harm's way.

I alone stood inside a small crater, about a foot and a half wide and maybe six inches deep. Scratching my cheek with my free hand awkwardly, I called back all the ice in the building, inhaling it into my lungs.

David was the first to speak, doing a good job of keeping his small spark of fear I could sense out of his voice. "No one was hurt, so everything is fine, Your Grace."

"Good," I nodded in acknowledgment. Holding aloft the dismembered head, I stepped out of the crater. "Take this, along with all the personal effects you removed earlier, and ship them to the family. Wrap them up in a nice box, maybe send a card with it too? Whatever," I shook my head in annoyance. "As long as they don't think he's missing and know he's dead."

"What message should I put on the card?" David asked in a strained voice.

I smiled wolfishly, my canines showing fully. "Hmm, tell them that they have my pity, but I won't apologize. Their son was the fool who couldn't keep his hands or other body parts to himself. This is retribution for touching a Frost's lady. They're lucky I'm not taking anything else from them."

I paused, thinking. "Now, as you are such a capable division, I'm sure you did your research into the Meyer clan. Did this asshole have any siblings?"

David turned to his men, while another came in, this one a female officer. Two minutes later, a second female officer arrived with a folder. She handed the folder to the captain, before quickly walking out, her face carefully masking the disgust shadowing her tawny-colored eyes.

'That must have been the griffin,' I mused lightly. 'The first female would be one of the lamia's then.'

"Calvin was the middle child. He has an older brother, twenty-three, and a younger sister, seventeen. Calvin was also much weaker than his siblings, which probably fueled an inferiority complex, leading to his ill-fated behavior."

The lamia carefully took the gory head from me, a slightly happy smile lifting her lips as she took in the sheer brutality of the diner around her.

I nodded in understanding. "Alright. I won't touch the oldest son, but make sure the family knows that their daughter will be handed over to one of the distant Frost clans living in the Human World. I don't care which one it is either. But they may never see or be in contact with their daughter again, once the exchange has been made. She'll make a decent young wife for one of my distant relatives, I imagine. At least, as the wife of a Frost, she'll never have to worry about her husband cheating. Though, for her sake, I pray she doesn't prove to be anything like her older brother," I grinned slowly.

All four officers bowed in acknowledgment, the lamia tucking Calvin's head snuggly against her breasts. The wicked light of excitement hadn't left her bright purple snake eyes, but she was no longer smiling at the blood and carnage at least.

Sighing, I glanced back down at my clothes. "Might you have any spare clothing for me to put on? I certainly can't return looking like *this*." I used my hand to draw attention to the blood splatters, big and small, as well as torn pieces of clothing that had resulted from my claws.

The lamia officer let out a low, throaty chuckle. "You look like a werewolf after a wild night, Your Grace. My boyfriend often comes home looking like that after a full moon."

My face scrunched up in disgust. "That's not helping anything, Officer Selt. Thanks for trying though," I grumbled tiredly. Her name badge was resting against her chest, right above the crown of Calvin's head.

One of the other officers spoke up hesitantly. "I, um, I m, may have a spare uniform that might fit you, Duke Frost."

I turned my attention to the thin and lanky hellhound. Based on his voice, he sounded like the guy that had briefly panicked when I'd transformed earlier. Nodding, I shot the middle-aged man a small smile. "Thanks, Boyd. Lead the way, sir." Boyd hurried to leave, while I followed after him at a leisurely pace.

On my way out, I overheard the second officer muttering to the Captain. "Should we just send the whole place up in flames? You know, make it hot enough that the humans can't find any biological evidence, Captain?"

"Hmm, yeah, that's probably for the best. Let's get this job done quickly and I'll pay for a round of drinks for everyone at the Crow's Nest. Alright. Stephen, Jamie, let's get to work!"

"...Your Grace?" Boyd's nervous voice pulled my attention forward.

"Hmm?" I responded vaguely, not letting on that my hearing was as good as it was. Whether Division #7 thought of this job as a hassle or not, they'd done good work and I preferred to base pay on actions. Besides, who wouldn't gripe when a superior went off the rails and you were dragged into it?

I took the offered outfit from Boyd and changed inside Nana's car, cursing under my breath that I hadn't been faster. The division had already ensured no humans were around before blowing the entire diner up in a giant flame that was carefully controlled. Ten officers surrounded the building, hands out as they used their powers much like flame throwers.

The captain was monitoring the whole operation, barking out orders loud enough that I could hear him inside the car, ensuring everyone worked in sync to keep the giant fire stable.

After changing, I climbed out of the car and handed my ruined clothes to Boyd. "Could you get rid of these for me?"

He took the bundle of cloth, nodding vehemently. "O, of course, Your Grace." The bundle burst into flames, before slowly drifting down to the parking lot asphalt as nothing more than cinders a minute later.

Smiling, I gave Boyd a quick thumbs up. "Thanks again, sir."

He continued bobbing his head in a loose manner as if he was afraid of what I'd do when he stopped nodding.

Couldn't really blame the guy though. We Frosts were known for our tempers and he'd just seen a very visual demonstration of what happened to those that pissed me off.

I rubbed a stiff spot at the nape of my neck and shoulders, feeling awkward as I watched the diner burn.

Staring into the flames, a twisted sense of envy filled my heart.

While death by ice and fire were both horrible, at least fire was normally faster. If we weren't basing anything off of oxygen deprivation, at least.

Also, humans tended to need warmth more than cold.

If *I* had fire abilities I could hold Nisha without worrying that she'd freeze to death or get frostbite.

Biting my lip, I kept my impossible dreams buried deep in my mind. After all, I'd traded my heart and body once before because of a girl.

Look where *that* had gotten me.

…

Turning away from the light show, I leaned against the hood of Nana's green car. "I miss Nisha," I mumbled under my breath. "I wonder if she'd let me hug her again."

Internally, I fought down the sudden and fierce need to cry. I wanted to hold Nisha so badly right now. I had to remind myself that someone I loved was here.

In the present.

Thinking back on the past always dragged me down, dredging up memories best left to the void of time.