Inheritance

Chapter 2: Jack (Part 3)

Jack raced to a tree which promised some cover and handfuls of perfect, damp snow piled on its bare branches. He double checked the wiznit's location, well acquainted with her snow dumping practices.

"No shifting," he yelled to Crow.

"To late." Crow appeared right in front of him with a handful of snow. He rubbed it in Jack's face.

Jack's skin burned and icy snow ran down under his scarf.

"No fair!" Jack gasped, breaking away.

He scooped up and launched an armful of white, wet powder at Crow. The Dhampir dodged it easily.

"You shouldn't have been in such a hurry to take on someone faster and stronger than you!"

A snowball thunked Crow in the back of the head. Jack seized the opportunity and threw the fresh one in his hand at Crow, hitting him square in the chest. Crow growled and turned around. Olive stood behind him with a smile and another snowball ready.

"Hey! Whose side are you on?" Crow said.

"Our human son's!" She laughed, throwing her snowball at Crow.

A real fight ensued as Olive joined Jack and forced Crow to fight his equal in speed, grace and power, and she had help. Laughter and name calling filled the yard. Several neighbors came to their doors and windows to see what was going on. Olive and Crow slowed down not wanting to bring undo attention to themselves.  

Jack felt his phone vibrate in his pocket. He stood up from behind a snow fort Olive had constructed and held up one hand while he tried to get his numb fingers in his pocket and around his phone. He looked at the caller ID and saw Blaine's name.

"Hey?" he answered the phone. A snowball smashed him in the head. "Damn it! I'm on the phone!"

"Loser," Crow yelled back.

Jack gave him the finger and moved down the street. Zephyr left the safety of her high branch and swooped down to his shoulder.

"Detective Blaine?"

"Everything okay?" Blaine asked. He sounded really tired.

"Snowball fight," Jack explained. "What's up?"

"We officially identified the body and the autopsy shows a natural death. His heart just gave out. The problem is he was a very healthy guy who obviously worked out and his medical records showed no former heart problems. But, other than the marks on his wrist, which seemed to be from some sort of heavy duty handcuffs, he had no other signs of bodily harm."

"So the question is what made a totally healthy guy's heart stop?"

"Yeah. And by the way, I have told Derrick's family and his girlfriend."

"Who was he dating?" Jack asked.

"Her name is Hero Rilee."

The name conjured up an image of a girl who had always struck him as very average - medium height and build, brunette and blue eyed. But to Jack, most girls struck him as average. He grew up around vampires and witches. Those are the truly beautiful creatures in the world. Only Sundance could hold a candle to them, but her personality and looks didn't add up - too annoying to be truly beautiful.

"I know who she is." The closeness of the murder made Jack's heart beat faster. He had been close to murder once before; he had not liked it then and he did not want it near him or his now.

"Look, I'd like to come see the body again, but I can't until after school tomorrow."

"To busy with your snowball fight?"