Hunting in a massive city like New York took finesse. It wasn't just about killing someone and dumping their body. It was about choosing the right person and the right place. Or so Tec said.

He was with me as we both stalked after this very broad man. We both wanted him, I could feel that much. And maybe we'd need to be two to bring down that massive mountain of a person.

He turned down a smaller alley and we saw our chance. I was the first to initiate as per instruction of Tec. I grabbed his hand and he looked down at me with wide eyes.

"Relax," I said softly, holding his gaze captive.

He blinked very slowly and then nodded. I pulled him further down the alley and into the shadows. Tec emerged behind me, smiling at the man. The man smiled back. I moved out of the way as Tec, gently took the man's chin in his hand, moving the man's head to the side. Tec inhaled sharply before plunging his teeth into the man's neck.

I took the man's wrist in my hand and my teeth punctured his skin. His blood was sweet, but not too sweet. I could almost taste the bourbon he probably drank litres of.

A soft moan escaped Tec as he pressed his body against the man. I wondered if I needed to give them space when we both pulled back, the man dead.

"Well, that..." Tec murmured and wiped his mouth with the sleeve of his jacket. "Fuck." He reached out for the wall behind him and softly leaned against it.

I knew exactly what he meant. I was feeling delightfully lightheaded. I sat down next his legs and rested my head against them until he dumped down on the ground too.

"You know... I wish Frej would feed with me," he muttered with a slurred voice.

I blinked and tried to wipe the blurriness out of my eye. "Why?"

"Because sometimes I get horny as fuck after feeding and he's not around."

I groaned and softly hit his arm. "I didn't need to know that."

"What? You asked," he laughed and staggered to his feet. "Is this like some weird thing where humans don't like hearing about their parents having sex or what?" He reached his hand out to me. I grabbed it and let him pull me to my feet.

"No. I just don't wanna hear about anyone having sex."

Tec laughed again and put his arm around me. "Well, it happens. People make love and children and shit."

I had never heard Tec being this... Badly spoken. He was usually really well-spoken. Like on a whole different level than a lot of people, but right now he sounded much like someone from my own generation, his accent aside.

"Yeah, well good for them," I murmured. I was definitely starting to get more clear-headed already.

"So you don't wanna hear about all of my skills? All of Frej's? I thought we were better friends now." He made a pretend sad face and I couldn't help but smile. He looked ridiculous.

"I mean, do you wanna hear about Dawid's and my pillow talk?" I countered.

"I bet it goes like this; 'oh Aura. You're so pretty,'" Tec said, mockingly making his voice deeper. "And you'll be all like; 'oh Dawid, you're so handsome.'" And my voice sounded high pitched to him apparently.

"Yeah, that was actually it. That's all we talk about when no one's around. How pretty I am and how handsome he is."

"Well, I mean... It's not much different from me and Frej then. Except I usually suck his dick after he compliments me."

"Oh god, Tec, please stop," I said and gagged. "I don't wanna know more. Okay? You win. Please just stop."

Tec threw his head back and laughed very loudly and so over-dramatically too. It was so unnecessary and people were staring at him. I punched him on the arm, hard this time. And that just made him laugh even louder. I rolled my eyes and sighed deeply, having to count to ten really slowly in order not to go full temper tantrum on his ass.

"You're so cute when you're flustered," he said, still laughing.

"And you look ridiculous when you laugh like that," I shot back. "It's not even real."

"It was totally real," he chuckled and ruffled up my hair.

I slapped his hand away and tried to smooth my hair down again. Which just made Tec laugh even more.

What a complete dick.

"Try again," Frej said softly.

I nodded and tried drawing the ward again from memory. But I couldn't for the life of me remember it. I was a very bad artist too. I'd definitely not be selling pieces to the MoMa anytime soon.

"That's not right. Look." He opened the book and showed me the ward for the third time. "Really look at it. Memorise every line and dot. It's imperative you remember this."

"I know," I murmured under my breath, feeling slightly annoyed with myself.

"Maybe it's time you try something else?" Dawid asked, his laptop in his lap. He had joined us in the living room but had stated he was just there to work, not to disturb.

"No, I can do it," I said, feeling my determination blooming. I had to learn this. I just had to.

I let my eyes trace every line in the intricate design, slowly building the image in my head. "Can I try to copy it a couple of times while looking at the reference? Maybe that'll help."

Frej smiled. "Yes, of course."

He left the book open for me so I could try out my method. He patiently waited until I had done three copies before closing the book again. I tried to remember the whole design, and this time I came way closer.

"I think we've found our method," Frej said and smiled widely. "Now, I want you to copy this ten times a day until you know it in your sleep. This is the protective ward and if you know how to draw it from memory, you can start helping me protecting our home."

I nodded and went back to work. I could do this. I could definitely do this.

"Ow!" I growled as Kissy tightened a braid on top of my head.

"It doesn't hurt that bad," she muttered and frowned, looking very concentrated.

"Do they have to be that tight?" I almost cried. They were ridiculously tight and it felt like my scalp was on fire.

"Have you never had your hair braided?"

"When I was a kid, yeah. I don't remember it hurting this much though."

Kissy finished the braid and started a new one by pulling hard on my hair. I growled at her again and she just chuckled at me.

"I used to braid Iwo's hair," Kissy said. "He was crying a lot too."

"He had long hair?"

"Everyone had long hair back in the day. Tec has the softest hair. Frej's curls a lot. Dawid and Iwo have this really straight curtain or hair that would never move. I was so jealous."

"Do you like men with longer hair?" I asked hesitantly.

"Sure. I like them with short hair too. Same with women. Short hair, long hair... No hair." She laughed and shrugged. "I don't discriminate."

"So for dating, what do you prefer?"

Her fingers stopped and she met my gaze in the mirror. "Not Iwo, if that's what you're so casually trying to get at."

I bit down on my lip and shrugged a shoulder. "Why not?"

She rolled her eyes and went back to focusing on my hair. "Because you don't know him like I do."

"What's so wrong with him then?"

"He's a dog, first of all. He'd never be faithful."

"Couldn't you do something like Mitra and Gayatri then?"

"Do I look like someone who's interested in that? If I have someone, I'm not gonna share." She forcefully tightened the braid and I grounded my teeth together to not whimper.

"He... Really likes you though."

"Well, he also slept with Gayatri at the party last week. And with someone else before that. And then someone else before that." She shrugged again. "I'm just one in the long line of conquests to him."

"I don't think that's- ow!"

She had pulled unnecessarily hard on it. I caught her rolling her eyes in the mirror, but she didn't meet my gaze.

"You like him back, don't you?"

"Just drop it, Aura, oui?"

"No. Welcome to doing my hair. I'm stubborn and you're stuck with me for at least another hour."

"Unless I just stop now."

"You wouldn't..." Currently, half of my head was braided while the other side was still large and frizzy.

"Oh, I would." She met my gaze in the bronze mirror. "How's Dawid?"

I grimaced a bit and sighed, admitting defeat. "He's good."

"He seems better than that. I've never seen that boy smile as much as he does now."

She smirked at me through the mirror and finished off another braid.

"He's... Sweet. So sweet."

"I think that's why he likes you so much. No one would ever think he's sweet," Kissy laughed and picked up three new locks of hair. She started another braid, continuing the torture.