"What's on the slate tonight then, Prof?" Teige asked. "You on with the du Cuppra?"

Outside, the street was empty but for clouds of tiny glowing creatures that drifted around, casting light where they went and clustering along cables that ran along the street. The sky close to the tops of the ivy-covered buildings was still deep orange. Vlad lit a cigarette as Teige shouldered a leather harness with a pair of messenger-style bags on either side of it.

"Yep. Luu and I will be in the south central districts tonight." Vlad flicked open his cell phone, checking the screen. "As soon as I run home for dinner and some chores first."

"Busy busy!" Teige murmured, arranging the harness around his neck so that the leather straps crossed in the center of his chest. Vlad closed the phone again and looked up just as Teige began to catch with a pale fire.

"What about you? Staying in?"

"Out drinking with Hawk, I've told yeh," Teige said. The fire illuminated a somewhat abashed expression that crossed Vlad's face then.

"Oh...right," he muttered. "Where exactly are you two going?"

The fire receded, and Teige was suddenly in the form of a huge black horse with a long shaggy mane and wide staring white eyes. He still managed to look put off. "No firm plans," he said. "Don't look so thrilled for me, either, eh. Not as if I've been looking forward to this all week!"