Nyx lowered her umbrella and gazed up the long driveway of 1260 Ruthven Road, her eyes coming to rest on the dilapidated manor of Mr Moroi. It was their second to last stop of the day and she was getting weary. After readjusting the purple beret atop her bobbed hair, making sure the stitched letters SAV were precisely above her left brow, her two best friends came out from under their own covers.

And from Nyx's left, Jeanie instantly piped up, 'I can't believe it. After an entire week, it has finally stopped.'

On Nyx's other side, Ash replied with a pleasurable growl, her sharp nose crinkling. 'Hopefully we don't have to hear you complain about the rain anymore.'

Jeanie peered around Nyx to look at Ash with contempt. 'Hey, I never complained.'

Ash went goggled-eyed. 'Never complained? Are you kidding? Your complaining was like the rain....nonstop.'

'Oh, please. Don't be so dramatic.'

'Dramatic? Me? Who was pouting the entire morning because I was a little late getting out of the shower?'

'We have a schedule for a reason. But hey, if you don't want to abide by it, two can play at that game....'

While Jeanie and Ash continued their back and forth, Nyx rummaged through the satchel she was carrying. She did not like what she saw. 'Umm, who packed this?' She had to ask the question a second and third time before getting an answer.

'I did,' Jeanie finally replied.

Nyx turned to her, frowning. 'There are only seven bottles of blood in here.'

'Yeah, we only give vampires seven.'

'But Mr Moroi is the exception because of how old and frail he is. Remember Miss Wulver telling us that. Remember we gave Mr Moroi ten bottles of blood the last time we were here, and the time before that, and the time before that.'

Jeanie shrugged with indifference. 'Did we? I don't think we did.'

'We did,' Nyx and Ash said together.

Now with her mouth agape, Jeanie burst out, 'Why are you two always getting at me?'

'Maybe if you actually owned up to your mistakes,' said Ash.

'Me own up to my mistakes? You never did that when you took forever in the shower this morning.'

'Forever? It was two minutes more than normal.'

Not wanting to hear anymore squabbling, Nyx interjected, 'Enough. Let's concentrate on the matter at hand. We'll deliver the seven bottles of blood now and come back later today with the rest.' She then started off, leading Jeanie and Ash up the puddle-laden driveway.

It wasn't too long before they reached the manor's front entrance, Nyx quick to pound the ring-shaped door knocker. And almost immediately, the front entrance swung open, revealing a young man with a pale and sorrowful face.

'Mr Moroi? Is that you?' Nyx asked slowly, slack-jawed. Surely it couldn't, she thought, but conceded anything was possible in their world. Had Mr Moroi somehow turned back the clock?

The young man turned more sullen. 'Sorry to inform you but my uncle died about a week ago.'

Nyx almost choked at the words with Jeanie and Ash gasping in shock. 'I–I–I am so sorry,' Nyx then said, her chest tightening. She could feel a tear forming but calmed herself with a deep breath. 'Please accept our condolences.'

The young man lowered his head in appreciation before asking, 'Did you know my uncle?'

'The three of us work for the Supernatural Auxiliary Volunteers. It's a charitable organization–'

'I know of SAV.'

'We occasionally deliver blood here.'

'For my uncle?'

'That's correct.'

The young man briefly stared off into space. 'I wasn't aware of that. I thought he was still capable of looking after himself. Well, thank you for doing that, for helping him.'

Nyx nodded just as Jeanie blurted out, 'How did he die?'

Nyx snapped her a stinging look, but she was curious too. If Mr Moroi had died of starvation, she wouldn't forgive herself. Although, she was certain they hadn't missed a delivery, that he was getting enough sustenance. Maybe he needed more than ten bottles of blood.

If the young man was displeased at Jeanie's question, he didn't show it, nor did he decline to answer. 'The coroner said my uncle had tripped and accidentally impaled himself with a pair of garden shears.'

'Bleeding Mary,' Nyx swore under her breath, Jeanie and Ash a bit more loud with their curses. 'How horrible.'

'Indeed,' said the young man, bringing an ever growing despondency to his features. All that, however, abruptly changed as the young man's eyes sheened over, his nostrils flared, and his gaze became calculating and entranced. And his focus? Jeanie at first, then Ash and finally at Nyx, his stare lingering on her as if she was prey.

Needless to say, Nyx felt unnerved, taking a step back, yet she could feel something else stirring within her.

Ash, on the other hand, snarled and her eyes burned red.

'Ugh, typical untrained vampire,' Jeanie just scowled in annoyance. 'He's probably rich. Or his family is. Mr Moroi was definitely rich once. They think they have no obligation to help make our supernatural society more safe. The rich and powerful think they're above it all and that they can do what they want. Don't worry, guys, I'll get him out of it.' Jeanie then began snapping her fingers in his face, each click bringing a noticeable quiver to the air. 'Oy, you! Snap out of it!'

And the young man did, blinking himself back to normal with shame to follow. An awkward pause brought, 'Apologies for my inherent ways showing themselves.'

'There's no need to apologize,' said Nyx as Jeanie and Ash grumbled.

'Sometimes I do wish I wasn't a vampire or was allowed to practice managing my vampirical impulses,' said the young man, his words trailing off in embarrassment. But after another awkward pause, he continued with a look of pure interest. 'I must say, my little indiscretion did get me intrigued though.'

'How so?' Nyx could feel herself flush. The image of him staring at her just seconds ago was searing through her mind. With the news of Mr Moroi's death, her body and brain were running amok.

'It's what I detected of you from my heightened senses. Your supernatural kind.' He looked at Jeanie and Ash and said, 'Genie and werewolf?'

'That's right,' replied Jeanie.

'So we are very capable of defending ourselves if we have to,' Ash added with a growl. 'Just so that you know.'

The young man inclined his head and eyed Nyx. 'And what I got from you was the intriguing part. I sensed nothing.'

'Not surprised there,' responded Nyx, a bit embarrassed herself. 'I have demon ancestry but supernatural powers vanished in my family generations ago. So too did horns.' She gestured to her hornless head. 'I'm basically a plain old human being.'

'Intriguing indeed. My name is Adrian, by the way.'

'Nyx. And this is Jeanie and Ash.'

Adrian smiled yet sorrow still cloaked him. He then nodded at Jeanie and tried his best to be cordial, 'So a Jeanie who's a genie?'

'Problem with that?' Jeanie just muttered coldly.

'Not at all,' said Adrian, holding up his hands in concession. 'It's straight to the point. I like that.'

A noise made Nyx turn on her heels. A black ornate carriage was speeding up the driveway. She then heard Adrian mumble to himself, sounding agitated, 'She's early.'

Shortly, the carriage came to a soggy stop before them and a middle-aged woman as pale as Adrian and with long jet black hair climbed out. She did not look in the mood.

'Good to see you, mother,' Adrian called. 'How was your journey?'

'God awful,' the woman spat back, a glower gracing her austere face.

'I'm sorry to hear that.'

'Sorry? Why are you sorry?' she said harshly. 'It's not your fault. It's the damn driver. I should fire him.' The woman marched past Nyx, Jeanie and Ash, not even acknowledging their presence, and halted in front of her son. 'But do you know what is your fault?'

'What's that, mother?' Adrian seemed to gulp.

'You know full well. Inside. Now.'

Adrian quickly said to Nyx, 'It was nice meeting you,' before leading his mother into the manor, to which the female vampire slammed the entrance behind her.

'Well that was rude,' said Jeanie after the three started back down the driveway.

'Sad to hear about Mr Moroi,' said Ash.

'Yes, very sad,' Nyx replied. 'He was always so kind to us—AHHH! Bleeding Mary!'

'What's wrong!' snapped Jeanie and Ash.

'I think something just stung me on the top of my head,' Nyx replied, fumbling to remove her cap and running her fingers across her scalp. 'Yep, two lumps. Ow! They really hurt. A bee must have got trapped under my beret or something.'

Jeanie gave out a short chuckle. 'Is your mind preoccupied with something?'

'It's not funny,' Nyx barked.

'You're not allergic so you'll be fine.'

'It hurts. And why would you ask if I was preoccupied with something?'

'You know, a bee in one's bonnet?'

'Oh, how drole,' Nyx replied sarcastically, her head now almost burning. 'And I'm not preoccupied with anything.' Although, the image of Adrian's vampirical glare was still running through her thoughts.