– Yes, it can be lonely sometimes… But that's what we have a house in the capital for. And when I get tired of Stockholm, we come back here again and again. – Misha smiled dreamily. – I have so many memories with this place! And it helped me to recover from my bad experience in Oxford.

– After a crisis, you mean? – I asked, and immediately saw my sister's eyes round with surprise. I stroked her shoulder encouragingly. – Yes, yes, Martin told me! But don't be angry with him because he made me swear not to tell you what I know. And so I did. – I smiled warmly. – But it hurts me that you kept it from me. Why, Misha?

She lowered her gaze to the ground.

– I was ashamed… And I didn't want you and Mariszka to know," she answered quietly.

– So Mariszka still doesn't know? – I clarified.

– No. Not unless Martin has told her.

I can't believe it! It's happened! I know something about Misha that our sister doesn't!

I was very pleased with that.

– Well, let's put it behind us. Now show me your house, missy! – I said cheerfully, to distract Misha from unpleasant memories. – What about the cleaning? Do you do it yourself? Or do you hire mortals?

– Yes, ourselves, but when we are in Stockholm, an elderly couple from the local village lives here. They clean, take care of the flowers and the boat," Misha said with renewed vigour.

– And someone voluntarily agrees to live here without electricity? – I teased.

She took me by the elbow, and we walked towards the house. There was fine gravel all around, and I was unhappy to think that I would scratch my expensive shoes.

– We pay them well. All the more reason for them to like it here! – Misha showed me her tongue. – All you want is comfort! Which one of us is the cleaner?

– Aren't you afraid to leave them in a house with a blood supply of their kin?

– We don't have any. We only hunt.

'Ah, right, I remember that stupid opinion of Fredrik's about using bottled blood!' – I thought sarcastically. – Poor little sister! He's got her so subjugated!".

– But it's not Fredrik's fault," Misha said suddenly, as if she understood my barely perceptible chuckle. – It's my decision. Because… I'm afraid that if I stop hunting and acting like a real vampire, I'll have… A split personality again. – She smiled bitterly.