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*Eddi*

My whole body is cozy warm, all full of the tasty metallic red. I gotta hand it to the Dandies; they know how to party. My nose is sore from the laced drugs. We Crims have better coke though.

Natalie lands on my lap giggling. "I feel much better now." She's a hot mess.

"I'm sure you do." I try to spot the remaining lamb in our flock among the dancing crowd. "Where's Caro?"

"We lost her, like, fucking hours ago."

Hours?! It's a sobering word. I pull Natalie up off of the couch, dragging her along as i part the Red Sea of dancing and drugged vampire kids. The clock on the wall says 11am.

Shit. We didn't just break curfew, we dropped a fucking atomic bomb on it.

From the kitchen appears Caro. She smacks into me, pretty unstable on her feet.

"Holy shit, you're not gonna believe--"

I slap her cheek.

"We hafta get outta here."

Caro's mouth falls open. "why did you hit me?"

I let go of Natalie, who falls to the floor with a thud. I turn Caro towards the clock. "if the human police find out there's a fucking party in daytime--"

She's lost her giddy. "i dont feel like dying today."

"Good choice."

The two of us balance Natalie upright, passing The Dandiest Dandy of All, William Beckett.

"Good morning, Carolyn," he calls after us in fairfarren.

I stare at Caro, almost dropping Natalie's arm and causing everyone to fall. "What did you do?"

"I dont know what you're talking about."

We walk in silence for a few blocks. Why didn't we bring sunglasses? We always bring sunglasses when we party, just in case. Now our eyes pay the price. A terrifying thought suddenly strikes me.

Where do the hunters live?

"Something wrong?" Caro trades the guilty look for concern.

"Um...where do the hunters live?"

Natalie, suddenly independent, turns around. Apparently we were carrying her for the hell of it. "You got us lost?"

I lean against the building behind me. "This is embarrassing."

"This is why you learned to evaporate, remember?" great now I've pissed Natalie off. What a morning.

I decide to switch it around on Caro, cos i really want to know. "Carolyn, why does Beckett know you by name?"

"Eddi, this has nothing to do with why we're lost!"

"We're not lost Natalie." I wait for Caro's answer.

She fidgets, chewing her thumbnail. "I kinda...sorta...had sex with him...?"

I gape at my dear friend. "You what?!"

"You know stupid shit happens at Dandy parties--"

"You fucking fucked the fucking enemy! Have you fucking lost your fucking mind?! Do you fucking realize that we're fucking fucked right now?! What the fuck were you fucking thinking, you fucking idiot?!!"

She just gives me a bewildered look. "Why are you so pissed off?"

"Because the sun is out and it's hot and we're lost!" I sink to the pavement, covering my face with my hands.

"So we ARE lost?" Natalie presses, trying to prove she's right.

"Yes, we're fucking lost," I snap, voice muffled by my flesh"

"Hey! How much for the three of ya at once?"

I glance up. Some gross gangly motherfucker in a lowrider has stopped in front of us. I think I know him from somewhere, unfortunately.

"It'll cost you your life," Caro answers coldly.

"Ah. Feisty. I can roll with that."

I flip him off, baring my teeth. "Fuck off, bloodbag creep."

He grins. Ugh. "i would, but your pimp sent me and i dont piss off the undead."

Now i remember; this is that wormy little hunter that sends info on us to the others. Now im getting another vibe from him: good intent. I exchange looks with the girls. Even if this guy isn't who he says he is, we can take him.

The "hunter"--he explains he's only reckon, and doesn't wanna be a full-blown hunter, haha--introduces himself as Dirty. Its an obvious nickname; dude needs a bath. The inside of the lowrider is full of beer cans and trash. Ew.

He drops us off in front of the hunters' home base, cruising away. I memorize the setup of the front door so we dont hafta be chauffeured by Dirty anymore.

"Dont tell," Caro says quietly to the two of us.

I pull her into a hug, Natalie joining in.

The three of us walk straight into the house. The lights are all off. Eyes rejoice. I taste the air, trying to find Gabe. Patrick Joe and Andy are asleep. Gabe's scent is faint. Natalie's already ahead of me, gliding down the stairs to a room we haven't been in before.

In this training area(?), our "leader" has his hands around Pete's neck.

"Aw, shit," Caro whines, flawlessly switching emotions. "i wanted to do that."

Gabe releases the young vampire in his grip. "You girls have fun? Hope so. Its fucking NOON after all." the smile doesn't falter, but the bite in his voice is unmistakable.

Cue the lovely Natalie. "We just got caught up. We like to play, you know that." and through a little sweet talk, She manages to soothe Gabe's mood. The two of them retreat upstairs. Caro and i stand a bit awkwardly in front of Pete.

"Um...Im sorry I fucked up your face," he mumbles.

She kicks him hard in the groin, a scowl twisting her features. "Fuck you, hypocrite." She storms up the stairs and slams the door.

He looks at me, unaffected by he cheap shot. "you wanna hit me too?"

I shrug. "What purpose would that serve?"

Pete's smirk fades. "look, I'm sorry that i left--"

"Dont bring that up." anger floods my body, intertwining with the freshly taken blood.

"I was just scared--"

"I said don't bring it up, Peter! I shut out those early memories of his "rebirth", the way he stared at me when i smiled in his direction for the first time. Presently, I want to sleep. I skip the stairs three at a time, Pete close behind.

"You cant blame me," he says in exasperation.

"Yes i can!" I dont look at him. Keep walking.

"Its your fucking fault that the Dandies are on top!" Thank god for the inability to cry. I would be damning myself twice over. I head straight for the sleeping quarters in the back of the house, curling up in the closet. Some days, the nightmares just dont stop being reality.