Mortals can be so annoying. This I know as well as anyone. – I've called you fifty times, but you ignore me!

I smiled mockingly.

Kurt. That mortal thought he was my boyfriend after just one night with me. I'd been bored that Friday, so I'd decided to have some fun, that's all. He was good in bed, and the coldness of my body even appealed to him. On Sunday I invited him over to my place and that visit too ended up being a hot night. Monday morning, I shoved him out the door and threw his clothes out the window. But, what a misfortune, he seems to have fallen head over heels in love with me! And I, such a fool, gave him my number… How ridiculous!

And why do all these mortals, whom I use only for my physical needs and entertainment, all fall in love with me and call me like crazy? Stalking me at the penthouse where my flat is, stalking me at work. Over the past four years, I've become a well-known photographer in Canada and the US, and these types make me uncomfortable and have difficult conversations with clients. "Who's the guy hanging around here? Did he come to you? You know the rules – no privacy during shooting, etc." And you can't explain to people that all these idiots are there to have a relationship with me! Yeah, what's the big deal, what relationship? Idiots, I'm just playing with them, and when I've played with them, I get rid of the old toys. Should I kill them? No, I don't want to waste my precious time on that.

They all admire me and call me a beautiful, unearthly, sexy devil they're willing to go to Hell for. My cool white skin attracts them like a magnet, they are ready to kiss my feet, to be my slaves. But the thing is, I don't care about them. Their admiration and love for me makes me laugh. Mortals demand my love! Demand that I become "constant" and not act "like an expensive whore". Ha! They dare to hope for my reciprocity. I never promise reciprocity, but I give honest and frank warning that I am looking for a one-night stand. I don't give an ounce of hope.

This Kurt, a twenty-five year old boy I met in a nightclub, thought I should be with him now. He waited for me right outside the entrance to the penthouse and blocked my way to the door with his stupid arrogance. Naive. But I was willing to play with him a little.

– Look, boy, forget my number and find yourself a nice, model girl. I suggest you look in the library-there are plenty of them," I replied to his passionate accusation with a laugh.

– You can't just forget me! – Kurt hooked his fingers into my forearm. – I can't think of anyone, anything, but you!

– How romantic! But boy, you're so stupid," I said in an affectionate tone, still letting him touch me.

– Stop calling me boy!

Passersby stared at this scene of jealousy with rapt attention and smiled.

Kurt was furious. I was enjoying this little game, but I was still a little tired of his voice and mannerisms.

– If I ever see you here again, boy, you're in trouble, okay? – I said insistently, wanting to get rid of him at last. – I'll call the police and I'll get the court to ban you from coming within a mile of me.

By the way, there's already a loser like that. Woody. DJ at Toronto's biggest nightclub. He stalked me for two months, but I successfully and easily won my case in court, and the lovesick idiot had to leave town. And with a tarnished reputation.

– Don't act like a whore!" Kurt suddenly shouted loudly.

That phrase made me laugh out loud. There it was! Once again!

– Miss Mroczek? – Fred came out of the massive wooden door to the penthouse.

Fred is my eternal saviour. The doorman. A six-foot-two big man who's used to chasing away pesky admirers. He's used to these scenes and to the fact that I, quite often, turn up at home with another man who disappears the very next morning. I suspect he's in love with me.

– Fred! You're just in time, mate! – I exclaimed happily.

– I see you need my help, Miss Mroczek? – Fred asked in his bass voice, coming down the stairs to me and loser Kurt.

– As you can see. That impertinent man won't let me in the house! – I replied with a sigh.

Fred didn't hesitate.

– You're a whore! Everyone should know that! That blonde is a dirty whore!" Kurt shrieked as Fred grabbed him by the scruff of the neck, lifted him off the ground and shook him like a misbehaving puppy.

– Shut up and get out of here! – Fred rumbled, bringing Kurt back to the ground and giving him a very resounding kick in the arse.

– Pah-pah, boy! Thanks, Fred's mate! – I smiled cheekily at my saviour and, easily traversing the stairs in my ten-inch Jimmy Choo heels, entered the penthouse.

I love being a bitch. Stylish, smart, gorgeous bitch. Always on the edge of elegance and nudity. Maria Mroczek is a fashion photographer. Seductive and dangerous.

And deeply unhappy.

But no one will ever know, for I give off nothing but glowing light. Blinding.

– Of course, what's this about? It's not every day a nephew turns three. Yes, yes, I'll see you there, Misha. No, I have everything magical. I'm going to Oslo in a week. I'm shooting, some Norwegian actress. I don't know the hell about her, I don't know her. – I had a glass of blood, because at that moment Misha was talking about her and Fredrik coming to our nephew Cedric Morgan's birthday party. – Will you be staying at Mariszka's? What about Uncle Cedric? Hm, you'd expect that. Finally coming out of his shell. Well, little Cedric's lucky to have such a crowd of relatives… Yes, yes, and everyone will carry him in their arms, it's such a blessing. Martin? Mscislav? Will they? Oh, that's marvellous.

Cedric Morgan is my nephew. The only son of my little sister Mariszka and her husband Markus. And this kid is surrounded by a bunch of relatives: two aunts and two uncles on his mother's side, and on his father's side he had an uncle, Cedric, who gave little Cedric his name. The Morgans Sr. moved to St. Petersburg three years ago. I know that there was a bad story in the Morgan family and that Cedric Sr. prefers to live away from his family and now lives in Norway, somewhere in the middle of nowhere. But I don't know what exactly caused the rift. I think he was just tired, though. Cedric has always been strange – he doesn't like parties, big gatherings, gatherings in general. Every time I saw him among the other vampires, his face was a look of utter bewilderment, as if he had no idea how he'd got here or why. The last time I'd seen him was at Mariszka's wedding. I confess that he was so attractive in his austere suit that I even had a thought of having an affair with him. It didn't happen.

But that day changed my life forever.

Fredrik Haraldson. My former lover, and for eight years the husband of my younger sister Misha. She married him when she was nineteen. Nineteen! When I found out they were married, I was speechless for a minute. Maybe it's a good thing they got married so early. Fredrik is the one who can keep my hot-tempered little sister in line. And they love each other. The lucky ones. Despite the fact that Fredrik and I were once lovers, we have a pretty tolerable relationship. Tolerable because he's too calm. Cold. He said I was vulgar. Luckily, I didn't fall in love with him and he didn't fall in love with me – we would have been a terrible couple. I could never get so lost in another vampire that I could forget about myself and my desires. But the last time I saw both of them was when Fredrik made me fly with him to Warsaw to tell Misha and our parents the truth that he wasn't the point of my sex life. The lovers made up and I flew out the very next day. They live in Stockholm now.