"Well, I'll talk to him."
"I keep letting Alexander down. I hate disappointing him."
"Me too. I think he brings that out in people."
"He'll want to send me home if someone finds out about us. The garlic, the mirrors. Bringing blood to Hatsy's Diner."
"I don't think he'll want you to go home so soon. Are you homesick?" I asked.
"No," she said. "Just the opposite. I want to stay here forever."
"I want you to stay, too," I said sincerely.
"You'd like that?"
"Yes."
"But I thought I was getting in the way of you and Alexander."
"No, I like doing stuff with all of us."
"You are just saying that."
"I am not, silly."
"But I know he's really frustrated with me. We came so close to Billy and Henry finding out about Valentine and me. That's why he wants me to stay away from them and only hang out with Valentine - because I can be myself with him."
"That's not right," I said. "Besides, I don't think my brother thinks you are a vampire," I reassured her.
"It's one of the reasons my parents keep me at home and only let me spend time with other vampires. Everyone's afraid I'll spill the family secrets."
"Well, that's no way to live."
"But if people find out about us, they will fear us and persecute us. Like they did when my grandmother moved here to this Mansion. And she was just a mortal married to a vampire. Not everyone understands," she said. "Why do you?"
"I don't know," I said. "I was just born that way."
"I guess I was, too."
"It would be hard for me not to tell the world if I were a vampire," I said.
"Really? That's how I feel!"
"Yes, I'd want to shout it from the rooftops."
"You would?" she asked. "I just want to be myself."
"I know that must be very difficult."
"I don't like to hide away in our Mansion. I want to live and breathe. I want to explore the world and have friends."
"But someone as cool as you must have a lot of friends."
"I only have vampire friends. And not too many of those. Luna was one of my friends. Even though she was older and even when she was mortal. She understood because her family members are all vampires."
"Then maybe you should see her here," I said. "I guess Alexander and I wanted to be with you so much we didn't give you enough time to spend with her."
"Really?" she asked. "You wanted to hang out with me?"