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 the other one； but Diego was there before me； the pimp already on his back。 “I got it；” he said。 I followed him up the alley wall； and then we swung across the girders under the freeway。 The lights from the cars below didn’t touch us。 I thought how stupid people were； how oblivious； and I was glad I wasn’t one of the clueless。 Hidden in the darkness； we made our way to an empty dock； closed for the night。 Diego didn’t hesitate at the end of the concrete； he just jumped right over the edge with his bulky burden and disappeared into the water。 I slid in after him。 He swam as sleek and quick as a shark； shooting deeper and farther out into the black sound。 He stopped suddenly when he found what he was looking for a huge； slimecovered boulder on the ocean floor； sea stars and garbage clinging to its sides。 We had to be more than a hundred feet deep to a human； it would have seemed pitchblack here。 Diego let go of his bodies。 They swayed slowly in the current beside him while he shoved his hand into the mucky sand at the base of the rock。 After a second he found a hold and ripped the boulder up from its resting spot。 The weight of it drove him waistdeep into the
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dark seafloor。 He looked up and nodded to me。 I swam down to him； hooking his bodies with one hand on my way。 I shoved the blonde into the black hole under the rock； then pushed the second girl and the pimp in after her。 I kicked them lightly to make sure they were in； and then got out of the way。 Diego let the boulder fall。 It wobbled a little； adjusting to the newly uneven foundation。 He kicked his way out of the muck； swam to the top of the boulder； and then pushed it down； grinding the obstructions flat underneath。 He swam back a few yards to view his work。 Perfect； I mouthed。 These three bodies would never resurface。 Riley would never hear a story about them on the news。 He grinned and held up his hand。 It took me a minute to understand that he was looking for a high five。 Hesitantly； I swam forward； tapped my palm to his； then kicked away； putting some distance between us。 Diego got a weird expression on his face； and then he shot to the surface like a bullet。 I darted up after him； confused。 When I broke through to the air； he was almost choking on his laughter。 “What？” He couldn’t answer me for a minute。 Finally he blurted out； “Worst high five ever。” I sniffed； irritated。 “Couldn’t be sure you weren’t just going to rip my arm off or something。” Diego snorted。 “I wouldn’t do that。”
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“Anyone else would；” I countered。 “True； that；” he agreed； suddenly not as amused。 “You up for a little more hunting？” “Do you have to ask？” We came out of the water under a bridge and lucked right into two homeless guys sleeping in ancient； filthy sleeping bags on top of a shared mattress of old newspapers。 Neither one of them woke up。 Their blood was soured by alcohol； but still better than nothing。 We buried them in the sound； too； under a different rock。 “Well； I’m good for a few weeks；” Diego said when we were out of the water again； drip