He shook his head. It was a common question, though it always made him a tad uneasy, as if answering the question would jinx his luck.

Raven-shifters sometimes developed the ability to prophetize or see into the future, but it often came with a price in that the seer went mad.

"Nope, and here's to hoping I never do." He raised a soda can and clinked it against Madison's, who reacted with a "Here here."

“Well well well," came an all too familiar voice that made Madison develop an unflattering snarl.

"Seems like the Fuck-a-loser club got a new member. Listen buddy," Alvin said as he stepped up to the table, “you look like the kind of guy who can do better than to pity fuck a DM, so why don't you scram so the bitch and I can talk."

"Ed, this is Alvin Hannity. He's already made the DM joke and called me a bitch, so his use as a conversational partner is pretty well spent. Of course, that tirade went on longer than his dates usually do -—"

"You fucking —-"

Ed slowly stood up and turned to face Alvin Hannity and his three goons. Two of them just HAD to be from the football team, and the girl just seemed to have “For a good time call" tattooed onto her psyche.

“Alvin Hannity? Any relation to William Hannity?"

"He's my father," Alvin said.

"Your father is a great man," Ed said.

"I did some work with him hunting down an embezzler a while back. I liked him. So are you really his son, or did the local mailman get a little forward with the missus because YOU are nothing like him."

"Fuck you," Alvin said, hauling his hand back.

Before his opponent could punch, Ed had produced a shiny badge, which got Alvin's attention.

“I'm a Paranormal Private Investigator here on official business of the FCU Council of Shifters and the North American Shifter Council."

"So what? So you're a private dick."

"But at least I'm not a public dick," Ed replied calmly.

"But I can recommend to both Councils that someone be held for questioning, and displaying random bouts of sociopathic behavior certainly moves you up the suspect List."

Alvin looked perplexed.

"Huh?"

"It means, guano for brains, that he can arrest you and parade you around like a suspect if he wants," she said acidly.

"So get lost.

My complaint against you isn't going away, though I wish to the Goddess that you would."

"I don't know who the hell you think you are,” Alvin said, “but you obviously don't know who you're messing with."

“Actually, I do. I even identified you by lineage." Ed put his arm around Madison's shoulders.