Themsunhadjustpeekedoverthehorizonwheirredawake.Risingearlywasahabitingrainedinhersincechildhood.Oneshecouldn''''''''tshake,evenafterfourteenyearslivingamonghumans.

AsMoxihadooldher,somethichedintoherverygenes.Ungeable.

Whatwasthatwain?

Ah,right.Instinct.

Reya''''''''searliestmemaditch.

Backthen,shedidn''''''''tevenhaveaname.ReyawaswhatLutergaveher.

Whenhereyesfirstopeheworldwasablur.Herfrailbodywascoatedinawarm,stickyfluidthatgunfortablytoherskin.Thesurroundingswerequiet,serehswayingshadowsoftrees.Notfaraale,human-shapedsilhouetteymotionlessinthegrass.

Astrangebird''''''''scrysuddenlypiercedtheair,andherfragilelittlebodytrembled.Drivenbyinstinct,shecrawledtowardthatsilhouette.

Thefewstepstookay.Twigsandgravelscrapedherdelicateskin,leavingtrailsofclearfluidbehind.

Atst,shecurledupbesidethefemalecorpseahenightthere.

Thatwomanhadbeenher"mother".OrsoReyahadalwaysbelieved.Likeeverynewborureinthisworld,thefirstimageimprinteduponherbecameindelible.

ItwasthesamewithLu.Hehadbeeher"father".

Herslenderlegsslippedfrombehesheets,barefeetsinkingintotheplushrug.Shecastagncebackatthepristiebedding,asifstnight''''''''sstrugglehadneverhappened.

Afteraquickshower,shewipedthesteamfromthemirrorandstudiedthereflestaringbackather:alithefigurewithskinpaleandsmoothaspor,curvesdelicateyetirresistiblysensual.

Reyahadneverbeeoexpihingsthathappeoher.Inallheryears,shehaderedanotherbeinglikeherself.Eveerm—demon,demoness—wassomethingshehadpickedupfrombooksandmovies.

Sheknewshewasn''''''''tlikeirls.

Shemustbealittlemonster.

Thatwastheonlyexpnation.

Shedriedherhair,slippedintoarobe,andsteppedontothebalytogreettherisingsun.Aftersuexhaustingnight,shecravedthewarmth,odrinkineverydropofwarmthshecould.

Stretgherarmsbehindher,shetiltedherfacetothesky,eyesclosed,surrenderingtothegentlekissofsunlightandmbreeze.

Sof.

Theoldapartmentstoodonastreethecityter,hemmedinbyotherbuildingsjustaswearyandwaitingfordemo