Even though there were three patrol cars around, they still managed to lose the second group of flesh-golems just a couple of miles away.  

'I think they don't like daylight,' said Robert. 'The big one I've seen, Frederick, looked repellant to lights, so did that small one that activated the car-alarm. They are probably hiding now that the Sun is almost up.'

They sat in Robert's car, waiting for the news. At first, Robert wanted to bring Claire to a hospital, but the girl just grinned and waved: she had worse injuries in almost every practice. Remy wasn't nearly as good of a healer as Teodore or even Marcus, but he was perfectly able to handle a couple of cuts. 

'So… Are we gonna talk about this?' asked Remy. 'I mean, it was kinda weird, right? I had like a bazillion of hunts with you, Jenna, but I never saw you like this before.'

Jenna didn't want to talk about that, probably ever, but she didn't have a choice.

'I think all the stress and stuff caught up with me finally,' she said. 'I just lost it for a minute. But I'm all good now.'

'Still, it was kinda scary,' pitched in Rose. 'Are you sure you are okay, honey?' 

Jenna shrugged.

'Yeah, sure. I just… I need some fresh air,' she replied and opened the door to get out.

Robert did the same. It was a cold morning with a very pale Sun on the light, almost white sky. They parked in one of those almost identical streets, not far from the one where they faced the golems. 

'Jenna… Talk to me.'

The woman shook her head.

'I don't know what to say. It was… Well, as Rose said, it was fucking scary. It was like… Almost like I was someone else. Or like if someone else was on charge. Does that make any sense?'

Robert gave that some thought. He sat down on the edge of the footpath behind the car and Jenna followed suit. 

'We don't know where magic actually comes from or what it is. Some magi and other scientists too were always playing with the idea that magic isn't just a tool, but a living thing. A kind of a parasite feeding on us.'

Jenna shivered.

'And you? Do you think that's true?' she asked. 

'No, it's utter nonsense,' he smiled and Jenna let out a weak little laugh too. 'But you see my point: there is so much we don't know. Sure, we must be careful about those things, but we must not fear them. What happened to you was simply that you let your emotions control you instead of the other way around. I told you that there is a reason sorcerers don't do that.'     

Jenna looked at the man and took a deep breath. Despite what he just said, she was afraid of her next question.

'So… It was all me? There was no alien identity or whatever controlling my mind?'

'I highly doubt that anyone can control your mind, Jenna. You are the strongest person I know, and I'm not talking about magic. So yes, it was all you. I know it's probably scary, but if you think about it, it's nothing more but a new thing to learn.'

Jenna felt her face hot and she knew it must have been red. 

'Erm… You were nice,' she said.

'So I was,' nodded Robert. 'Kind of my job as a boyfriend.'

'Well, we can't sneak off for a quicky now, but don't think that I will forget it.'

'I'm counting on it,' answered the man with a grin under his beard. 'Let's get back to the car. It's freezing out here. I think the golems won't come out until dusk, so we can get something to eat and coffee, too.'

'Might as well,' agreed Jenna.

He got up and helped Jenna to do the same. When Robert proposed his breakfast-idea to the others, he met a loud consensus. Jenna asked the Commissioner on the radio and he agreed that they are free to go for the moment being. 

'But be ready,' the vampire added. 'One squad is down but another is on the loose.'

'Yeah, your welcome, by the way,' said Jenna but there was no answer for that. Robert scoffed and shook his head as he ignited the engine. 

'It's cool that you two dealt with whatever otherworldly horror just happened, but could you like, tell us, meaningless bystanders, that whether we should be worried or what?' said Remy. He seemed kinda upset, but Jenna knew that he was like this half of the time anyway. The boy had a taste for drama sometimes.

'Undoubtedly,' nodded Robert. 'As I just told Miss Carano, what we were the witnesses of was the textbook case of when a sorcerer set their feelings free while spellcasting. There is nothing to worry about, Remy, it happens every now and then with everyone. The only difference is that Jenna is stronger than most sorcerers so when she loses her control it tends to be more spectacular.'

'Yeah, sorry, guys,' added the girl.

'Well, as long as you are okay…' shrugged Remy. 'So where are we going? I'm kinda famished, actually…'  

After a little debate, they decided to go to Robert's flat. It was close to the city but was in a good location to reach the outer Zones, too. Plus it had a working heating system, something that couldn't be told about his car. 

There was just one problem.

'Oh, one more thing,' said Jenna. 'Can you keep a secret?'  

'My parents didn't know until my first official match that I know what Duel is, what do you think?' asked back Claire. 'They wouldn't let me practice otherwise.'

'Okay,' nodded Jenna. 'Good enough. So, the thing is… We kinda, sorta, more or less, as you will see when we get there, like… "living together",' she showed the quotation marks with her fingers. Robert rolled his eyes.

'You doing what now?' asked Rose in a surprised voice. 'And here I thought you two are just banging.' 

'Well, we are banging,' said Jenna. 'while we are living together.'

It was a good thing they just stopped at the red light because Robert could bury his face into his palms without killing them all. 

'I really don't know you guys, but I guess it's cool, right?' asked Claire. 

'Yeah, but they all have some kinda half political, half traditional war thingy or whatever between their families, so they aren't supposed to be dating, I guess,' explained Remy. 'Right? That's why it's a secret.'

'I think it's great,' said Rose and she sounded honest enough for a girl who also had her turn with the man in question. 'Congratulation.'

'Thanks,' smiled Jenna. 'It started out of necessity when my stalker ex-one night stand sent henchmen to my place…'

'Man, you guys just can't catch a break, can you?' shook her head Claire. 'Also, can I hang out with you all the time please?'

They arrived at Robert's place a little after seven in the morning. The traffic was about to wake up properly when Robert parked his little old car. 

'Nice neighbourhood,' noted Claire politely, and Jenna looked around. The girl wasn't wrong, actually: with the shop fronts on both sides of the road, the very old cemetery next to Robert's building and with a lot of green around it was indeed a friendly area. 

They all crossed the road then went up to the flat. Rose sat down as if she was tired, and Remy did the same out of good manners. Claire didn't seem to care about such things and shamelessly browsed through Robert's personal stuff. She looked approvingly at the books everywhere in the flat but was disappointed when she didn't find any video game-console around the television. 

'Sorry about the mess,' said Robert from the little kitchen. 'I have a Jenna.'

The girl poked him at the ribs with her elbow.

'This place was a mess long before I moved in,' she said.

'With significantly fewer bras and other delicates on surprising locations,' replied the man, pointing his butter-knife at a pair of knickers hanging from an arm of a floor lamp next to the turntable.

Jenna magicked the underpants into a drawer and stepped on Robert's foot.

They served an almost full English breakfast to their guests. Jenna always tended to buy way too much food, but now it paid off: everyone could eat until they were full. The only thing missing was beans: Jenna didn't think a good breakfast should contain beans. Or any other meal, for that matter. She was not a fan of beans. 

Even though they have seen unspeakable things, nobody had any problem with their appetite. One of the perks of being a sorcerer, Jenna thought; casting spells burnt calories big time.

'So now we are gonna just sit here and wait for the call?' asked Remy. 

'That's the general idea, yes,' nodded Robert. 'I am fairly sure that it won't happen while the Sun is up, but I wouldn't go that far to say we should split up or something.'

'Plus those freaky golems are one thing, but we know that The Priest is doing very well with sunshine,' added Rose. 'He must be in town, right?'

'Not necessarily,' shook his head Robert. 'He doesn't need to control the golems in every second. They have their own will, however elementary.'

'Yeah, but if I tried to do chaos somewhere I'd stick around to see what happens,' pointed out Jenna. 

'Apparently,' looked Robert at a lonely sock on his laptop. 'But that's a good point.'

'So that's what it is about?' asked Remy. 'Making chaos? Why?'

'To cover what he is actually doing,' said Rose, putting down her empty plate. 'Think about it: the only thing he had to worry about is us. If I were him, and I wanted to do something sketchy, first I'd make sure we are occupied and not gonna ruin whatever his plans are.'  

'I don't know,' said Claire. 'You guys said that he is like the strongest dude there is, right? I mean, what else he could possibly need? He is maxed out.'

'Maxed out?' repeated Robert frowning.

'It means he cannot be stronger. Video game slang,' explained Remy. 

'I see,' nodded Robert. 'That is also a good point. He doesn't need allies or weapons; he has the Goddess and as many zombies and golems as he wants.'

'I thought he tried to sell the ancient lady,' said Rose with a puzzled face.

'We have a good reason to believe that as of now they are still together,' replied Robert.

'Yeah, but I think Rose is onto something,' added Jenna, before Rose could ask what that "good reason was". 'He is smart. He never does anything without a good reason.'

'What if the reason is simply that he knew you would come? Maybe he just wants to kill you guys,' suggested Remy.   

Robert took a sip of his coffee before he addressed that.

'I believe if The Priest would try to kill us, it would be much more obvious. He is smart indeed, but not exactly subtle.' 

Jenna got up and from her hanged leather jacket she fished out the police radio. 

'Erm… Sup, guys? Can I speak to the Commissioner?'

'I'm listening,' came the answer shortly.

Robert sat on one of the tall bar chair-like things at the kitchen counter. Jenna walked there and leaned to the man, who wrapped his arms around her. It was weird not having to pretend but felt good.

'Yeah, so we were wondering… Any idea why that bastard did this whole fuckery now?'

'What do you mean, Miss Carano?' asked back the Commissioner.

'Let's say he is trying to keep us occupied with his little golems so neither we nor the police will interfere. Is there anything going on in the city today that might interest him? Anything at all?'

Robert's hand gave a sudden little move on her stomach as the old vampire answered. Jenna knew that he already figured out.

'There is a party tonight, at the Tate Modern. Several high profiled politicians will be there from the European Parliament and from the UN, prime ministers, party-leaders, even kings. They are supposed to sign a new accord tomorrow about vampire rights.'