Sunset hits Number 88, Dawn Road. A black stretch limo pulls to the curb. Three men in dark uniforms and sunglasses step out. The lead man checks a clipboard and jams his finger into the doorbell.

The door swings open. Dawn Cappe stands there in a white tee and light blue jeans. Her work ID hangs from her neck. She pushes her black-rimmed glasses up her nose. "Are you... here with the vacuum vampire?"

"Yes." The lead man thrusts a pen and a form at her. "Sign here, Ms. Cappe."

"Fine." She scribbles her name. The man jerks his head toward the car. "Bring it in."

The trunk pops open. Two men haul a massive black coffin toward the porch. Dawn flinches and clears a path. Coffin packaging is a bit much... even for this neighborhood.

Humans and vampires have shared the world for three centuries. Still, a vacuum vampire is a rare sight. Catherine Lucia swore by hers.

"They're perfect," Catherine had chirped over the phone. "Quiet... efficient... they clean while you sleep. They just need a little sheep's blood to work an eight-hour shift."

Grandma's house is a monster to clean. Since the salary cut at the office, professional cleaners are a fantasy. Catherine sent a link for a discount. 5,555 crowns for the basic model. Dawn hit 'buy' instantly.

"Back room," Dawn says, pointing down the hall. The movers shove the heavy box into the spare bedroom. The room shrinks as the coffin hits the floor.

"Remember to buy the blood packs online," the man grunts. He turns and exits without a second look.

Dawn locks the front door. She grips the edge of the coffin lid and heaves. The wood is heavy. She kneels, leaning over the dark velvet interior. A "person" lies inside.

He wears a tailored black suit. Pale fingers cross over his chest. His face is a masterpiece... sharp nose, perfect lips, dark hair against transparent skin.

Dawn's grip on the wood tightens. Did they ship the wrong one? This didn't look like the budget model.

Her thumb hovers over the 'Customer Service' button on her phone. A pale, slender hand snatches the rim of the coffin. Dawn lunges backward, her heart hammering against her ribs.

Red eyes blink in the shadows. They are pure... like liquid rubies. Dawn lowers her phone and taps the corner of her glasses. Click.

The hidden camera captures the sharp line of his jaw. The vampire's pupils track the sound. He stays motionless, his hands gripping the wood.

"I'm Dawn Cappe. Your employer." The vampire stays silent. Is he frozen? She tries a broken string of Châtelet dialect. "Me... buyer... Dawn."

He stares. No expression. The silence stretches until her phone vibrates in her palm. Catherine.

"Did the unit arrive?" Catherine yells over background noise. Dawn turns her back on the coffin. "He's... he's here. In a literal coffin."

"And?" Catherine asks. Dawn looks over her shoulder at the silent figure. "Honestly? He's beautiful... but I think he's broken. He won't speak. I might return him."

A rustle of fabric hits the air. Dawn spins around. The vampire is out of the box, his tall frame looming over her.

"Don't return me," he says. His Common Tongue is flawless.

Dawn hangs up. The room feels small with him standing there. He's a head taller, his red eyes pulsing with a dim light. She forces a smile. "You speak English. Great."

"This is your room. Follow me." They walk into the living area. Messy island. Laptop. A stack of unwashed dishes in the sink.

"Clean the floors. Do the dishes. Leave the desk alone." She gestures to the open kitchen.

They hit the second floor. "Guest rooms are locked. Just dust the halls." She cracks her bedroom door. A pile of laundry sits on the bed.

"Stay out of here. I do my own sheets. Once a week for the floors." She looks at him for a reaction.

"Got it?" The vampire's eyes look duller now... unfocused. He gives a tiny, stiff nod. "Yeah."

"Tools are in the closet. I have to get to the office." Dawn waves and turns to the stairs. She pauses. "What's your name?"

The vampire watches her from the shadows of the hall. He breathes out two syllables. "Dion."

Dawn repeats it under her breath. "Dion." She offers a quick grin. "See ya."

Dion tracks her until she blurs out of sight. The corridor shadows swallow his face. "See ya," he whispers.

Dawn snatches her keys and lunges for the door. Carter Russo loves those post-shift meetings. Three misses this month... another one and the mean old man would talk her to death.

The car clears the Dawn Road treeline. Her phone screams. Dawn doesn't look. "Tell Carter Russo I'm ten minutes out!"

Catherine's voice drifts through the speaker, heavy with wine. "Meeting again?"

Dawn's foot stays on the gas. "You sound... trashed. You drinking?"

"Damian's party!" Catherine's laugh is a jagged mess. "Big news. He's seeing a Châtelet noble. A real vampire lady".

"Okay... and?"

"You call yourself a reporter?" Catherine groans. "He's going to the Châtelet estate. For a date. He's losing it".

"He's definitely lost it. Vampires and humans... that ends in a body bag." Dawn jerks the wheel. "You called me for this?"

"No. The vacuum vampire. How is he? Does he understand the Common Tongue?"

"I mean, yeah. But... he's slow. He doesn't seem like the sharpest blade in the box".

"What? You're returning him?"

Dawn taps the steering wheel, her eyes locked on the stalled traffic. "We'll see. Let's see if he can actually handle a broom first".

"True. He might be a genius with a mop!"