“How about, I want to eat you up?” Faine proposed the line with a wide smile. The vampire then started licking her lips in a sultry manner.
Marci giggled at that. “That’s definitely not gonna work.”

Faine leaned in closer. “Maybe try a more seductive tone, and make it seem like you really mean it. Look him right in the eye and show him your teeth!”

Lorelei just looked at the vampire with a blank stare. She then looked over to Marci. “Why did you invite her here?”

“Wait there were invites?” Faine interjected.

“No there definitely weren’t.” Lorelei fell flat on her back, letting her beds comforter cushion the fall.

Inside her bedroom, the air was damp and humid. It took the air conditioner running at full power just to keep the three of them from sweating buckets. It was even more steamy in their shared living space.

When Lorelei returned to the dorm, she wanted to confide with Marci, only to find her and Faine fighting in the kitchen again. Once they had settled down, Lorelei finally found an opening to ask Marci for help. For the first time in a while, she had the courage to ask her about something very specific, and important, that had to do with a crucial issue.

How to do pickup lines.

She had been studying people on campus, and realized it was sometimes helpful to use one to start a conversation with a new acquaintance. Lorelei wasn’t sure it was the right thing to do, when she did summon the courage to speak to Theo, but she wanted to be prepared for anything. And judging by the way other women were talking to him, and looking at him, Lorelei feared she didn’t have much time.

When she popped the question, Lorelei assumed the vampire wouldn’t be interested. That was foolish. If anything, the vampire was stunned to think she even needed help with breaking the ice. As a succubus, that should’ve been second nature. Luckily, Marci was more than happy to help.

They were all in Lorelei’s cramped room now, Marci sitting on the floor, while Faine spun around on the swivel chair in front of Lorelei’s desk. Lorelei had stripped down to just her top and underwear, she still hadn’t gotten used to the pajamas and sweat pants the school had given her. Neither of them allowed room for her tail, and she hated the idea of tearing the seams. Marci, meanwhile, only wore a bra and short skirt around her midriff. Faine had been wearing her school uniform, but had grown so frustrated with the heat, she simply stripped out of her clothes down to her undergarments.

“There’s far too much sulfur in the atmosphere today, and the air itself is spicy with magic.” Lorelei suddenly felt the urge to change the subject. She looked outside her window, thick beads of sweat strolling down her chest, and sighed. Long streams of acidic rain coated the glass, leaving behind lines of dirty smears and sizzling fumes.

“Hey focus, we need to think about how you’re going to hit it off with Theo!” Marci sighed to herself.

“Wait, Theo?” Faine jerked forward. “Are you talking about Theo Serrano?”

“You know him?” Both Marci and Lorelei looked to her in shock.

Faine leaned back in her chair, her chest swaying from the motion. “He let me borrow his books before… Shit I need to give them back to him… He seems nice though.”

“That’s some coincidence,” Marci said. She curled up into a ball, her lower body made it easy for her to find a way to be comfortable, even when there was little space in the room.

“Next thing you’re going to say is that you’re a virgin.” The vampire said nonchalantly.

Lorelei was silent, after making a tight pitched squeaking noise.

Marci just looked at her confused, then blushed.

Thankfully, Faine didn’t pick-up on the truth, she was too busy twirling a strand of hair and thinking to herself. She eventually decided to continue, once she had a suggestion in mind. “Since your a succubus, why not just go for the classics?”

“What classics?” Lorelei rolled her eyes, not liking where this was going.

“You are so hot. I’m going to ride you until you see stars.” Faine smirked. “Or, fuck me till you ruin me, will have him in your pants in no time. Or better yet, shoot your sensual heat all over me!”

“That sounds creepy and aggressive, don't do that.” Marci was close to slapping her. Her lower body wouldn’t stop slithering, it must have been her way of getting the jitters.

Lorelei just stared at the vampire in stunned horror. The corners of her eyes were twitching. She was starting to regret asking them for help. “How about something less profane? Simpler. Something like, you smell nice, or, could you walk me home?”

Marci blushed from that. “That's… Better.”

“A little too cringy though.” Faine rested her chin in the palm of her hand. Her messy ginger hair was sticking to her scalp, and yet the vampire didn’t brush her bangs back.

“What’s wrong with it?” Lorelei asked.

“You’re a succubus, he would instantly think you are hiding something if you came at him with such an innocent routine.” Faine answered.

“Wait, you sure about that?” Lorelei stammered.

Faine rubbed her forehead. “Almost certainly.” She then noticed just how sweaty she was getting. “Hey Marci, can I borrow your shower?”

“Sure, right after were done figuring this out.” Marci had tactfully chosen to sit close to the door, barring Faine’s escape.

Lorelei groaned. “Ughhh I give up, I don't get why this is so difficult.”

“Hey Theo, do you live at 69, Mercy Street because you're fine!” Faine teased the suggestion.

Marci laughed. “No, I don't think he'd respond to that one, it's too old and too cheesy."

“What even is Mercy Street anyway?” Lorelei could’ve sworn it was from a movie or screen show.

“How about this one,” Marci spoke up for the first time. “Hey you, are you a thief because you just stole my heart."

Lorelei wasn’t sure about that. “That would probably sound better if he said it.”

“If only he were man enough…” Faine muttered to herself.

“You could always just tell him how you feel.” Marci said.

“How I feel?” Lorelei pondered that for several seconds. When she spoke next, it was more to herself than anyone else in the room. “Got this feeling… Think you and I would make a really good team.”

“Hey, that’s actually a good one!” Marci chimed.

Faine just feigned a puking gesture. “You’re such a disappointment for a succubus. I know, let me pull up some hucow pickup lines online.”

“Why?” Marci unraveled herself and made to pull Faine away from the computer terminal on Lorelei’s desk.

“Aren’t you even curious?” Faine asked.

For the next couple of minutes, Lorelei sat amused at the sight of Faine and Marci fighting over various things online. It didn’t even cross her mind that her browsing history was being polluted by the profane and lewd sexual suggestions of various demi-human races, all in the name of research. She definitely wouldn’t feel good about that later.