photo of an event celebrating Beeline’s “statewide launch.” Mama stabbed a long finger into the background of the photo, where Jolene and Zeb seemed to be happily wrapped in a sort of group hug with the vampires.
“Your cousin’s out there in public, huggin’ a bunch of vampires like she doesn’t have a care in the world,” Mama huffed. “Like vampires haven’t looked down their nose at us since before time began. Like everything is just rainbows and roses. And now she’s corrupted you along with her.”
“Mama, honestly, this has nothing do with Jolene.”
“Y’all be careful when you talk about the Alpha’s daughter,” Daddy stepped between us and growled in a low voice. “She’s still everybody’s favorite, even if my brother should have disowned her the minute she moved off the packlands.”
Considering Daddy’s own wanderings, this seemed more than a little hypocritical. This was definitely not the time to bring that up.
“Tylene’s always careful to stay on Jolene’s good side,” Mama said, her eyes begging me to help her change the subject. “She’s watching the twins on Monday night for her. Aren’t you, hon?”
I nodded. “They need a ride to some music class. Jolene’s got a meeting she has to go to.”
“See? That’s the sort of thing we want to see you doing with your time. Helping out the pack,” Daddy said, nodding, his mood suddenly lifted. “But when you’re out, you answer your mama’s calls, no matter what. And her texts. Otherwise, we come looking for you. And you know we can track you if we want to.”
When I opened my mouth to argue, he cut me off with a sharp gesture. “End of discussion. Now, why don’t you go on to bed? I’ll ask Hank to come by to talk about your shift tomorrow morning.”
“But—” He leveled me with a look and I clamped my lips shut. “Goodnight.”
I turned on my heel and walked to my room. I was careful not to slam the door. I sank onto the bed and rubbed my hand over my face. I’d been having such a nice, quiet night. How had so much gone so wrong so quickly? I hated arguing with my parents. It was always so pointless and frustrating. And I knew, just like I knew that I’d accomplished nothing talking to them, that I would end up working that damn butcher shop shift the next morning. Because I would feel too guilty to tell my sweet Uncle Hank “no” to his face.
Robotically, I changed into my pajamas and got ready for bed. As I pulled the blankets up to my chin, I realized I hadn’t looked for that replacement stock image for the sword. I would have to get up early to look for one in the morning.
I closed my eyes and the vampire’s face floated to the surface of my mind. Never mind the fact that he was a gorgeous specimen of man…vampire…manpire? He’d been so polite—just unfailingly appropriate and considerate. How sad was it that I was so impressed by basic manners that was what I remembered about him?
It didn’t matter. I doubted I would see him again.
2
“A stagnant vampire is a vampire who loses their will to live. Be open to new experiences. Otherwise, you’re just wasting your eternity. Nobody likes an eternity waster.”
—A Gentleman in Any Era: An Ancient Vampire’s Guide to Modern Relationships
* * *
A vampire named Dick Cheney made me the best cappuccino I’d ever had.
My life was very strange.
I sat at the shiny maple bar at Specialty Books, scanning the shelves as I sipped my frothy coffee drink. After seeing Jane Jameson-Nightengale’s name on library plaques over the years, it was sort of shocking to find myself inside her shop, with its comfortable purple chairs, restful purplish-blue walls and twinkling fairy lights. The air smelled of coffee and old paper and dried herbs inside the pots lining the back wall. I could also smell the tang of blood in the air, which was a little off-putting, but I found I didn’t mind it all that much. It wasn’t that different than hanging out at Hank’s butcher shop.
Western Kentucky harbored a secret supernatural world that was downright magical that I never even knew about, and I was a freaking werewolf. How had I never visited this store in my twenty-four years? Of course, I knew that vampires were a thing. Vampires had even been part of human daily life for almost twenty years now, since a vampire accountant from Milwaukee decided to launch his