"So just because I just drank his blood, I became a vampire big shot who can boss you all around?" he said, grinning the biggest smile I had ever seen.

"Yep," I replied shortly, holding back laughter at the situation.

"Even those creepy triplets?" he gasped.

"Even them."

"That's awesome!" he exclaimed, relieved.

I sighed before placing a hand on his shoulder in an attempt to seem brotherly. "Just take it easy; they have a bit of a hard time with newcomers."

"Okay, sure. I trust you, Nico."

We strolled slowly along the rain-soaked cobblestone streets, and I noticed how Alex was taking in everything new around him."So, there aren't just vampires living here," he whispered, openly staring at two guys coming towards us.

I shook my head. "The city is divided into districts; we're not exactly welcome in the others, and they never cross over into ours."

He nodded a little and cast worried glances around him. "So everyone dislikes us?"

I shrugged. "Sort of."

"So where are we now?"

"In a public zone," I answered him like the teacher I had been appointed to be.

"And why are we here?"

"So you can get to know the city."

He nodded a bit and looked up at the shapeshifters who were now right beside us; they weren't small guys, but it only took a quick glance at our mark for them to look away and give us space.

"We're doing illegal stuff, right?" he asked cautiously.

"We supply other vampires with blood," I explained without going into details.

"But that's basically food?"

"Not really," I replied with a shrug. "We don't need it to survive."

"So why is it such a big deal?"

I thought for a moment before answering. "It makes us stronger, and some become more or less addicted."

"Like a drug?"

I nodded seriously. "It can get really bad."

We stepped out into a large square where market stalls used to be set up during the day. The buildings surrounding it reminded me of something out of a Harry Potter movie. It was charming and cozy with a hint of magic in the air, far from the shady, rundown neighborhoods I usually hung out in.

"This is the center, the heart of the city," I explained. "To the north, that's where the shapeshifters hang out. They hate us, so never go there," I grinned. "To the east, you'll find the craftsmen, the magicians, mixed with woodland folk and a bit of everything. They welcome buyers if you can pay, but I'd still stay away if I were you." He glanced up at a sign with arrows pointing in different directions and nodded thoughtfully. "South is our district, and the rest is everyone's."

"Everyone's?"

I nodded. "But be prepared that most of the people you meet either hate you or are afraid of you."

He took a step closer to me and pulled the hood over his head, rubbing his arms as he looked around with uncertain eyes. "Damn, Nico, how do you put up with all the judging stares and hate?"

I chuckled. "I don't, but we were born into this, right? So there's not much to be done about it."

He looked at me for a while before the next question came. "But you're new to Séjours, right?"

"Yup."

"So where were you before?"

I sighed and sat down on a park bench before lighting a cigarette. "In another gang, with my maker."

Alex sat down beside me, looking at me curiously. "What did he say when you left?"

"He doesn't know yet," I replied with a sigh, taking a long drag.

"Ouch," he laughed, looking at the various groups of mixed people moving across the square. "But it probably won't be long, right?"

"No," I replied, running my fingers over the white paint on the jacket, reminding myself that this was what Valec wanted; it was my mission to worm my way in and win their trust. The question was just who I would choose in the end. I felt a longing to go home while hating him for what he had done to me, and I couldn't help but wonder if everyone felt the same way about their makers.

"Were you friends?" he asked suddenly.

"Hardly," I answered, looking down at him with a laugh. "But there, I was Valec's son; here, I'm your errand boy."

"So you regret it?"

I slid down on the bench, shaking my head. "I have a better future with Séjours de Nuit." And I knew there was more truth in those words than I wanted to admit.

"Future," he muttered. "My plan was to graduate, and now I'm sitting here talking to a living vampire. This is completely fucking insane."

"You're a vampire too," I grinned.

"That's the craziest part," he laughed, looking down at his hands. "When do you get used to it?"

"When you find something to live for," I answered softly, thinking of my lion.

"Like what?"

"We'll talk about that another time," I laughed, standing up. "Come on, I'll show you the apartment."

"The apartment?"

"Your home," I grinned, tossing a set of keys to him.

With a sigh, I looked down at the screen and answered the twenty-seventh question I had received in ten minutes. How much energy did he have? Shouldn't brats like him be sleeping most of the day? Frustrated, I tossed my phone across the kitchen counter.

With another sigh, I leaned my elbows on the light wood and hid my face in my hands. The past few days had been crazy, completely fucking crazy, and my thoughts were spinning in my head. Was this really what I wanted?

My heart began to race when I heard the front door open and close behind me, and I couldn't help but feel a little nervous. How the hell would Magnus take all of this?

With a tired smile, I turned around and met his blue eyes, which immediately fixated on the white symbol on my jacket. I saw the concern wash over him, and I waited for him to say something. Instead, he gave me one of those wonderful smiles. Without a word, he lifted me up onto the counter, resting his big arms on either side of me.

"I've missed you," he grinned. His hands pressed lightly against my lower back, and I instantly pressed our bodies tightly against each other. My lips were just about to seek his when he pushed me away. "Mei again," he remarked with a tone of irritation.

I shook my head, trying not to smile too widely at his obvious jealousy. "You know it's one-sided."

"But you still allow her."

"Not anymore," I said, patting Yi's artwork.

He nodded, but I could see he wasn't satisfied with the answer. "You chose the hard path," he muttered, and the smile was gone. He didn't look angry; rather, he seemed sad, which surprised me.

"For us," I replied a bit defensively, running my fingers through his curls, "if you had helped me, all eyes would have been on you. On us," I added, but was met only with a doubtful look.

"Are you sure about that?"

I looked at him in confusion, "But... no one's supposed to know anything. About us."

He nodded and took my head in his hands. "I've changed my mind."

"I thought you Guardians were supposed to be neutral."

He nodded and looked straight into my eyes. "I don't care anymore."

"Is that... allowed?"

He sighed, and once again, I saw a haze of sadness wash over him. "I'm older than most here, Dominic; new Guardians are rarely born, and we live on in our little bubble year after year. Alone." With a furrow between his eyebrows, I patiently waited for him to continue. "For the first time in a long time, I have something other than work to live for."

"What?"

He chuckled and rolled his eyes. "Idiot."

"What?"

"A scrawny, cocky little bloodsucker with the prettiest eyes and the biggest heart I've ever met," he grinned, winking at me.

I lowered my gaze and bit my lower lip. "Oh." I cautiously looked up into his eyes. "Are you completely sure I'm worth the trouble?"

In response to my question, he pressed his lips hard and desperately against mine, causing my dead heart to race wildly inside my body, and I barely had time to react before his hands quickly pulled off my leather jacket and threw it as far away as he could.

My hands worked quickly as I hurried to pull the shirt over my head, barely breaking the kiss. My body melted against his as his tongue filled my mouth, exploring every corner, and I relished the taste of him again. His loud moans were like sweet music to my ears. I dug my fingertips deeper into his biceps and pressed my hips harder against him in response. I knew I had been holding back; what we had wasn't accepted, so I had resigned myself to the thought that it would end. But not anymore.

A suppressed hunger that had always been within me finally exploded. The giant's arms locked me in his grip, and I knew he felt the same. A rushing desire crushed all my doubts; I wanted him, now and forever, and I completely ignored the consequences.

"What is it you want, Dominic?" he whispered against my neck. "What do you want with your new life? Do you want power? To take revenge on Valec? To earn the princes' respect?"

"Fuck, Magnus," I groaned as he pressed hard against me. "I don't care about any of that, you know that."

"So what do you want?" he grinned, playfully biting my lower lip.

"You. I want you," I answered without hesitation.

"Are you sure?"

"Absolutely sure."

We fumbled with belts, buttons, and zippers until we finally felt skin against skin, and our bodies moved in rhythmic motions, faster and harder. My hands explored every inch of him, and I enjoyed hearing his quick breaths soon give way to louder and louder moans.

"I want you. I want... you," I repeated like a mantra, feeling my body on the verge of exploding.

"You already have me," he whispered as we both reached where we wanted to go. Our sweaty bodies trembled with desire, and we sank against each other. "I am yours."

"What the hell," I sighed, leaning my head back against the wall in the hallway. "It sounds like we're in a bad old black-and-white mafia film."

"Get a grip, Sweetheart," Mei grinned, settling into my lap but looking up at me in surprise when I pushed her away. "But...? Chérie?" she gasped, pouting her lower lip.

"My boyfriend doesn't appreciate your advances, Sister," I replied coldly.

Everyone's gaze quickly turned to Alexander, who looked from one to the other with wide eyes before taking a step back with outstretched arms and a broad smile. "No... no... no... you're looking at the wrong guy."

"So Calvos has inherited another prince's assets?" I continued, returning to the conversation while ignoring their curious looks.

"Prince Anthony is dead, his light-haired little darling is dead, and the others have left the country," Yi explained.

"But several little rats are taking advantage of the situation while the big cats are gone," Pei added.

A couple of arms stubbornly wrapped around my neck, and the red lips whispered into my ear, "Who is he, sweetheart?"

"It doesn't matter," I replied curtly, removing her arms with an irritated sigh.

"Of course it does," she snapped, turning on her heel and sitting in a corner to shoot hateful glances at me.

"So we're going to clean up the mess?" I continued, focusing all my attention on the other two while Mass sat scrolling disinterestedly on his phone a little further away.

Yi nodded at me without acknowledging her sister's woes and handed me a note with several addresses. "We've divided the places between us."

I stood up, took the note from her fingers, and gave Mass a light thump on the back. "Come on, Boss, time to go."

He looked up at me with a grin. "Can I drive?"

"Not a chance, I don't have a death wish," I muttered sourly, leaving the triplets behind me with relief.

"Then you probably shouldn't have dismissed Miss I-want-to-devour-you-alive in there," he laughed.

"I know," I muttered irritably, "but I promised."

"Your guy?" he asked curiously, and I nodded. 

"Didn't know you played for the other team."

"I play in all teams," I replied with a shrug. "It's more about personality than body parts."

"Sure, I get it... I think," he answered, glancing at me, "so what's the plan?"

"Fuck you, Mass, didn't you hear anything we said?"

"Eeehm... no?"

With a loud groan, I sank down behind the wheel and started the engine. "Have you ever used a gun?"

"No."

"Okay," I sighed, opening the glove compartment to get the one I had in reserve. "This is the magazine; it's filled with silver bullets because nothing else can kill us." I explained while showing him how to hold it.

"Nothing?"

"Not you and me, at least."

He weighed the gun in his hand. "Garlic, sunlight, and the stake-through-the-heart thing?"

"That's just fairy tales."

He looked uncomfortable with the weapon in his hand, and I immediately regretted giving it to him. "Shouldn't we practice a bit first?" he asked cautiously, giving me the most annoying puppy eyes I'd ever seen.

"We don't have time, but take it easy—you can stay in the background," I replied, wrestling with the feelings I was starting to have for the guy. I felt so damn sorry for him.

I picked up the note with the addresses and typed the first one into the GPS before starting the engine, but I hesitated. Damn, I couldn't do this alone with the brat. I wished Œil and Max were here.

For a few seconds, I looked down at my phone, wondering what they would say. It didn't matter; I needed them."Hey, it's Loy. I need your help."