Page 144 of The Good Vampire’s Guide to Blood & Boyfriends

yep. eyes and ears at the entrance, ready to get people evacuated.

Tony

reporting for sauce duty cap’n

Dom

I get the fun part. Breaking Sunny and Nellie out with Quinn and the Facebook vamps.

Brennan

Cool cool cool.

Cole

we’ve got this you guys!

Tony

it’s go time bitches

Everyone gathered to get ready at Brennan and Tony’s as if it were prom day, but the quiet nervousness as they all suited up felt more like a funeral.

Cole looked amazing in a dark green suit, but unfortunately there would be no getting distracted in a coat closet at the ball somewhere, no dancing and flirting. Those thoughts would have to be reserved for later.

Assuming there was a later.

Cole also had large, tacky glow-in-the-dark fangs. When he’d shown Brennan a few days ago, Brennan had feigned offense. “That’s culturally insensitive,” he teased, as seriously as he could manage, and Cole nearly believed him and started to apologize before Brennan’s laugh finally broke free. Cole punched him in the arm but followed up with a kiss, so he didn’t feel quite chastised.

Now, though, Brennan felt like he was going to throw up. No easy teasing and laughter.

They emerged into the living room, where Dom was already ready, perched on the arm of a chair, the perfect picture of a Gothic vampire with dark hair, pale skin, and a deep navy blue velvet gown. Brennan himself wore all black, an oversized blazer, and some old combat boots and chain accessories from his edgier high school days.

Tony strolled out of his room at the same time in standard black business casual and took in the room.

“Damn,” he said. “You’re allsmoking,do you hear me? I’m in love with each and every one of you.”

“We should all head out soon,” Dom said. “We should get to our places early.”

“Ah, geez, you sound like Mari.”

Mari stormed in from the bathroom like she’d been summoned, wearing a red off-the-shoulder number, hands busy fiddling with her second dangly gold earring.

Tony gaped at Mari, and Brennan exchanged glances with Cole to confirm that he was also seeing Tony’s heart-eyes.

Dom, oblivious or simply uncaring, said, “Well, Mari’s right. Timing is everything. Are we ready or what?”

The room fell quiet. That nervous buzzing energy returned. Mari’s earring was secured.

“Looks like it,” Brennan said.

“Then let’s go,” said Dom. She moved to stand and the others followed suit, slowly, with a sense of dread.

“Hold on,” Brennan said. They turned to him. These people, his friends, gave him their full attention and waited. “I…” He stopped.

He wasn’t often at a loss for words—more often he had too many of them to speak or write down. But now, he had only this:

“Thank you, guys.”