Page 129 of The Good Vampire’s Guide to Blood & Boyfriends

“Okay, that’s fair,” Brennan said. “I wanted to talk to you. Do you… have time?”

A beat of quiet, something crinkling. Then, “For you? Always.”

Brennan didn’t tell her everything. He didn’t know if he’devertell her everything, even though he couldn’t imagine disappearing from her life the way Nellie had with her family. But he told her what he could. That balancing everything at school was a lot. That he was having a difficult transition, to say the least. That he’d been hating himself more than usual lately.

He told her he had a fight with Cole, and he didn’t know what to do.

But more important—

“I don’t think I ever apologized to you.”

“For what?”

“You know what. March.”

She hesitated a moment, then said, “That’s not something you have to apologize for.”

“No, I don’t have to. I want to.” Brennan swallowed hard. “I’m sorry I didn’t trust you and tell you what I was going through before it was too late and I’m sorry I did the same thing again this time.”

“Brennan. I’m sorry I wasn’t there like a mom should be. You were so smart and so independent and… that’s not an excuse. You’re my son. You can always, always talk to me. I just want you here. Alive. Okay. That’s what matters.”

Silence crackled over the line and Brennan wanted to believe it. Or at least, wanted to try.

“Do you remember when we used to listen to music in the kitchen and do homework together?” she said. “When you were still in elementary school, we used to be closer. What happened?”

Short answer: Brennan got sad.

He was the saddest fucking kid ever. Brennan couldn’t rememberhimself not being curious, morbid, depressed, exhausted. Sometimes he wondered how people didn’t realize sooner, didn’t get him into therapy simply for radiating sadness.

“I knew that what I was feeling wasn’t good, but I thought it was my fault.” He still thought that, sometimes. “And it was easier to hide than accept I wasn’t perfect.”

“Is that what you’re doing now?”

“I think so.”

“Well. What are we going to do about that?”

That was one of the things he freaking loved about his mom. You can’t be an environmental activist in the face of a climate apocalypse without a recklessly can-do attitude.

“I’ll let you know when I figure it out.”

BRENNAN’S PHONE

Brennan

we need to talk.

Dom

agreed.

Dom was outside Brennan’s window by the time he got home, sitting on the ledge and knocking impatiently.

He pushed the window up and she gave him a look.

“Was warding the place really necessary?”

“Yes,” Brennan said. “You can come in.”