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“Wow！ That’s older than Raoul。” Diego rolled his eyes and spit venom over the edge of the building。 “Yeah； I remember when Riley brought that trash in。 Things just kept getting worse after that。” I was quiet for a moment； wondering if he thought everyone younger than himself was trash。 Not that I cared。 I didn’t care what anybody thought anymore。 Didn’t have to。 Like Riley said； I was a god now。 Stronger； faster； better。 Nobody else counted。 Then Diego whistled low under his breath。 “There we go。 Just takes a little brains and patience。” He pointed down and across the street。 Halfhidden around the edge of a purpleblack alley； a man was cussing at a woman and slapping her while another woman watched silently。 From their clothes； I guessed that it was a pimp and two of his employees。 This was what Riley had told us to do。 Hunt the dregs。 Take the humans that no one was going to miss； the ones who weren’t headed home to a waiting family； the ones who wouldn’t be reported missing。 It was the same way he chose us。 Meals and gods； both ing from the dregs。 Unlike some of the others； I still did what Riley told me to do。 Not because I liked him。 That feeling was long gone。 It was because what he told us sounded right。 How did it make sense to call attention to the fact that a bunch of new vampires were claiming Seattle as their hunting ground？ How was that going to help us？ I didn’t even believe in vampires before I was one。 So if the
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rest of the world didn’t believe in vampires； then the rest of the vampires must be hunting smart； the way Riley said to do it。 They probably had a good reason。 And like Diego’d said； hunting smart just took a little brains and patience。 Of course； we all slipped up a lot； and Riley would read the papers and groan and yell at us and break stuff like Raoul’s favorite videogame system。 Then Raoul would get mad and take somebody else apart and burn him up。 Then Riley would be pissed off and he’d do another search to confiscate all the lighters and matches。 A few rounds of this； and then Riley would bring home another handful of vampirized dregs kids to replace the ones he’d lost。 It was an endless cycle。 Diego inhaled through his nose a big； long pull and I watched his body change。 He crouched on the roof； one hand gripping the edge。 All that strange friendliness disappeared； and he was a hunter。 That was something I recognized； something I was fortable with because I understood it。 I turned off my brain。 It was time to hunt。 I took a deep breath； drawing in the scent of the blood inside the humans below。 They weren’t the only humans around； but they were the closest。 Who you were going to hunt was the kind of decision you had to make before you scented your prey。 It was too late now to choose anything。 Diego dropped from the roof edge； out of sight。 The sound of his landing was too low to catch the attention of the crying prostitute； the zonedout prostitute； or the angry pimp。
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A low growl ripped from between my teeth。 Mine。 The blood was mine。 The fire in my throat flared and I couldn’t think of anything else。 I flipped myself off the roof； spinning across the street so that I landed right next to the crying blonde。 I could feel Diego close behind me； so I growled a warning at him while I caught the surprised girl by the hair。 I yanked her to the alley wall； putting my back against it。 Defensive； just in case。 Then I forgot all about Diego； because I could feel the heat under her skin； hear the sound of her pulse thudding close to the surface。 She opened her mouth to scream； but my teeth crushed her windpipe before a sound could e out。 There was just the gurgle of air and blood in her lungs； and the low moans I could not control。 The blood was warm and sweet。 It quenched the fire in my throat； calmed the nagging； itching emptiness in my stomach。 I sucked and gulped； only vaguely aware of anything else。 I heard the same noise from Diegohe had the man。 The other woman was unconscious on the ground。 Neither had made any noise。 Diego was good。 The problem with humans was that they just never had enough blood in them。 It seemed like only seconds later the girl ran dry。 I rattled her limp body in frustration。 Already my throat was beginning to burn again。 I threw the spent body to the ground and crouched against the wall； wondering if I could grab the unconscious girl and make off with her before Diego could catch up to me。
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Diego was already finished with the man。 He looked at me with an expression that I could only describe as… sympathetic。 But I could have been dead wrong。 I couldn’t remember anyone ever giving me sympathy before； so I wasn’t positive what it looked like。 “Go for it；” he told me； nodding to the limp girl on the ground。 “Are you kidding me？” “Naw； I’m good for now。 We’ve got time to hunt some more tonight。” Watching him carefully for some sign of a trick； I darted forward and snagged the girl。 Diego made no move to stop me。 He turned away slightly and looked up at the black sky。 I sank my teeth into her neck； keeping my eyes on him。 This one was even better than the last。 Her blood was entirely clean。 The blonde girl’s blood had the bitter aftertaste that came with drugs I was so used to that； I’d barely noticed。 It was rare for me to get really clean blood； because I followed the dregs rule。 Diego seemed to follow the rules； too。 He must have smelled what he was giving up。 Why had he done it？ When the second body was empty； my throat felt better。 There was a lot of blood in my system。 I probably wouldn’t really burn for a few days。 Diego was still waiting； whistling quietly through his teeth。 When I let the body fall to the ground with a thud； he turned back to me and smiled。 “Um； thanks；” I said。 He nodded。 “You looked like you needed it more than me。 I
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remember how hard it is in the beginning。” “Does it get easier？” He shrugged。 “In some ways。” We looked at each other for a second。 “Why don’t we dump these bodies in the sound？” he suggested。 I bent down； grabbed the dead blonde； and slung her limp body over my shoulder。 I was about to get