TeBeautySlayer-1

    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