As we emerge from the Association building into the afternoon sun, I nervously turn to look at Flicker. She blinks, narrowing her eyes as the light washes over her, but... nothing. She smiles, tilting her head curiously at me, as we head for Philippa's electric car.

  Once we're all bundled into the vehicle, I ask, "so, I'm guessing that vampires don't get affected by sunlight? Like, all the movies and things show that you turn to dust if the sun hits you?"

  Flicker snorts. "Nope! We do get weakened, but it doesn't KILL us! We just lose our enhanced strength, shape-shifting, and a few other minor powers. Sunlight killing vampires was a fictitious addition to the silent film, Nosferatu, from 1922!"

  I sigh. "Okay, that's a relief. And, drinking blood IS a requirement?"

  She nods. "Yep. I usually get by with blood bags because hunting humans is kinda difficult these days, but Philippa's been so kind to me when I forget."

  I tilt my head. "Difficult? How?"

  Flicker's smile widens. "So, you remember all those 'vampires have no reflections' scenes? Yeah, that's not true anymore. Mirrors back in the good old days were backed by silver, which is why we couldn't be seen in them. Nowadays, no-one uses silver in mirrors, so we show up just like any normal human.

  Plus, there are security cameras EVERYWHERE, so it's practically impossible to feed 'out in the wild', as it were. That's part of the reason I learned so much about computers. I can short out a camera for a few minutes, feed, and get out of there before anyone comes to check. I don't LIKE doing that, though. It always feels kinda.... mean."

  I blink. "Oh my god, you're a vampire with a conscience!"

  Flicker bursts out ughing. "Ha! Hahahahaha! I mean, how would YOU like it if someone went around biting you out of nowhere? It's not very nice to go attacking people out of the blue, so I don't. I'm technically a pacifist, if you must know."

  Philippa giggles from the driver's seat. "It took days of convincing for her to even agree! And that was when her supply had been deyed for a month! She was barely conscious then!"

  Flicker blushes. "So, yeah... your sister basically saved my life. Anyway, you're curious about me, huh?"

  I shrug. "Well, it's not every day I get to meet a vampire, after all! And the movies and books seem like they don't know fact from fiction, so who better to ask?"

  Flicker's grin widens. "True, true. So, I'll give you a run-down of the TRUTH about vampires! Yes, we DO need blood to survive, but most of us prefer to either use blood-bags, or a willing partner. Yes, feeding feels very good for both the vamp and their chosen partner. And yes, we CAN 'turn' humans, but we really don't like doing it. It has some serious ethical issues. First off, humans tend to like being human, and there's also the whole 'faking your death and disappearing' thing they'd have to do if they joined the undead."

  She shrugs. "Second issue, for the first few months, a newly-sired vampire has utterly ZERO self-control when it comes to feeding. Their body's busy converting their human blood into vampiric blood, which means they don't NEED to feed, but the overwhelming urge can drive some of them insane.

  Third, most vampires have to take up a nomadic lifestyle. It's hard to stay in one pce for long if you don't age, and people inevitably start getting suspicious. I'm one of the lucky ones, since I've been working for the Association for... about four-hundred-and-fifty years, give or take a decade."

  I nod thoughtfully. "That makes sense. And, I notice you looked way different after, uh... 'eating'. Is that normal for vampires?"

  Flicker tilts her head. "Yeah, the same as anyone who's starving looks different from when they're well-fed. Vampires just shift more dramatically. Without blood, I'd start to degenerate into a feral. Luckily, it takes way more than a couple of dry weeks to cause that, but it IS a one-way trip. If a vampire goes feral, they're gone. There's nothing human about them left. Just a mindless, frenzied animal."

  She emphasizes her bust. "I'm pretty sure you noticed these puppies get a bit more impressive, but in case you didn't, a proper feeding will enhance a vampire's natural allure, flush their cheeks with colour, make them look more 'alive', for ck of a better term."

  She raises her fingers, wiggling them. "There's also the whole 'complete ck of a heartbeat or pulse' that we have to deal with. Gimme your hand!"

  Predicting what Flicker's about to do, but hoping I'm wrong, I shoot a look at Philippa. "Uh, sis? Help??"

  She winks at me in the rearview mirror. "It's fine, I'm secure in my Flicker's love for me! Go ahead, Flick, you guys have my full consent!"

  Flicker smiles back at Philippa. "Love you too, my little neck-tarine~! Now, with that cleared up, feel! No heartbeat!"

  She presses my hand to her boob, and I squeak, before my eyes widen. "Oh, shit. You really don't have a heartbeat, not even a really slow one!"

  Flicker smiles and lets go of my hand, and I pull it back quickly. She adds, "yeah. There's also the whole 'no garlic allowed', which is a load of crap. Garlic is NOT harmful to vampires. I can eat whatever I like, no sweat. And the 'holy water harms vampires' is complete bunkum, too. It's the same as any other water! Throwing a pocketful of grain or corn on the floor will not compel me to count it all, I'll just have to get the vacuum cleaner out and call you an asshole!"

  She grins. "Running water's no problem, but they DID actually get it right with the 'vampires need to be invited in' thing. And I do NOT sleep in a coffin. Anymore."

  I snort, and Flicker rolls her eyes. "Yeah, ugh it up, I was edgy as hell when I was first turned. I dressed like an Elizabethan hooker for a century or so, slept in a coffin because that's 'what vampires are supposed to do', and generally acted like a complete dumbass. Now, though, I'm pretty normal other than being a blood-sucking creature of darkness. Which I guess is a fitting description for any teenager these days anyway! Plus, immortality pairs really well with wearing bck!"

  Flicker winks at me, and I can't help giggling, as Philippa pulls in at a pizza-pce to order.

  Turning to look over into the back of the car, she calls, "what toppings does everyone want?"

  Flicker grins. "Can I get garlic sausage, garlic mushrooms, barbeque chicken, and extra cheese, my sunchild~?"

  My heart melts a little as I see Philippa's face almost light up. It's clear that, even to a girl with no romantic experience like me, Philippa and Flicker are head-over-heels for each other.

  Tricia, sensing that more kissing is being threatened, chimes in to break the tension. "I'll have a half-and-half, one side meat feast and the other a veggie supreme, if that's not too much trouble!"

  Philippa already knows what Niko would order if she were here, so that's a non-issue. And then, her eyes alight on me. "And you, Rika? Don't tell me that too much time in Dragon Land has robbed you of the desire for unhealthy food!"

  I grin. "Nope! If anything, I'm even more eager for a good, old-fashioned deep-pan stuffed-crust with extra cheese, pepperoni, bacon, and mushrooms!"

  Philippa nods, beaming at me. "Alright, I'll go pce the order! I'll be right back, stay right here!"

  She hops out and disappears into the pizza-parlor, and Flicker sighs dreamily.

  "What did I do to win the heart of such an amazing woman?" She murmurs, and I bite my lip. The vampire gives me a little side-eye, smiling.

  "So, what about you, Rika? Do you have a special someone in your life?"

  I turn pink, and Tricia, turning her head, smirks at me. I can tell that, if I don't tell the truth, she's going to tease me relentlessly. I swallow nervously.

  "W-well... not yet. But there is someone I'd LIKE to be my special person, if the stars align... she's a dragon, named Skadi. She's the first friend I made when I went to her homend for combat-training, to learn how to control my powers, and I'm like, 99% sure I'm crushing on her super hard.

  But, I don't know how she feels about me. We're both girls, after all, and I'm not a full-blooded dragon, only a dragonshifter. Plus, her uncle hates me for being 'human', and I'd be willing to put money on him blocking me from dating her. I'm actually pretty amazed he hasn't tried to prevent her from being my friend, to be brutally honest."

  Flicker scowls. "Oh, that sucks! I bet she's really frickin' cute, too! If you're anything like Philippa when it comes to your taste in girls, this Skadi has gotta be!"

  I smile at that. "She IS! She's about the same height as me, maybe a couple of inches shorter, with bck and purple scales. Her tail doesn't have any spikes running down its length, but, when she wants to, she can fan out these long 'darts' clustered in a bouquet around the end, which she can unch by cracking her tail like a whip! Her hair is dark, cropped short, and tipped with glowing purple, and her horns are curled like a ram's, but sleeker and more elegant."

  Flicker's smile widens as I describe the dark dragonnel I've grown exceedingly attracted to. She quips, "yep. Great taste, and girl, you are THIRSTY! And that's coming from ME!"

  Tricia snickers, and I think I'm about to catch fire, what with how hot my face feels. Philippa arrives, carrying five boxes, with five smaller boxes stacked on top, and a bag dangling from one arm.

  "And here we go! Let's get home quick, or they'll go cold!"

  Luckily, we manage to get back to our new apartment in time to stop Niko from gnawing on the furniture, and, after being invited in so she can cross the threshhold, Flicker's eyes widen at the sight of my oldest sister.

  "Hoooooly.... TALL." She states in mild awe, her deep cerulean eyes drifting up and down the intimidating height of Niko's 6'5 frame.

  "Okay, I'M a vampire, a dread lord of the night, scourge of humanity and its ultimate destruction, and yet SHE is scary!"

  Niko blinks. "Philippa, is this...?"

  Philippa nods, her snow-white-dyed hair swishing. "Yes, this is Flicker, my girlfriend! And, we brought pizza on the way back! Rika's official now, and we'll be able to work together on our hunts!"

  Tricia sets out ptes, gsses and cutlery, and Philippa begins distributing pizzas to their rightful owners. Flicker's, mine, Tricia's, Niko's and her own, with garlic bread, garlic-and-herb sauce to dip the crusts in, and bottles of co to go with it. Our first meal in our new home, with a welcome guest.

  By the time Philippa, Tricia and Flicker are just over a quarter of the way through their pizzas, Niko is finishing her st slice, chewing methodically as she discards her empty box. Then, she pauses, her eyebrows rising in surprise.

  "Rika... have you finished... too??"

  I nod, sipping my gss of co. "Yeah, why?"

  Philippa stares. "Rika, that... that was the same size as Niko's. And you finished at the same time as her!!"

  I blink. "What, really? I don't think I ate any faster than usual. Are you sure I didn't get a smaller pizza??"

  Philippa shakes her head. "Five extra rges, five rge sides of garlic bread, five litres of co. You matched Niko bite for bite, little sister!!"

  I look down at my pte, then check inside my pizza box, as if there's half of it left and I'm being pranked. But no, it's empty.

  I look up. "I have no idea what's happening, but I swear I didn't eat THAT much, THAT fast!"

  Niko's lips curl up in a slow smile. "I think.... your appetite... has grown thanks to your.... training...!" She adds, and I blush.

  "M-maybe.... but I've been doing that every day. Is that all it takes to make me hungrier?"

  Philippa grins. "Hey, at least you eat like the rest of us do! We've all gone through the same thing, baby sister!"