Page 153 of The Good Vampire’s Guide to Blood & Boyfriends

Mari fell back on the couch, while Brennan and Cole lingered by the window. Brennan read the note, letting Cole read along, tucked into Brennan’s side.

Brennan,

First off, if you’re reading this, you’ve probably met my new friend Tali. If you have any snacks you can tip her, she’ll greatly appreciate it for the journey home. She likes breadcrumbs, nuts, seeds, anything like that.

Cole withdrew from Brennan and darted to the kitchen. Always reliable. Brennan warmed, and kept reading.

Okay, raven companion aside. I’m currently in Ireland, at a really traditional vampire colony. They have a whole fortress in the middle of nowhere with this whole society. You’d have a fit about morality and how they get their blood, but there are some humans here, too, companions and family members of other vampires. It’s a nice little community. You’d hate it.

I’ve been thinking a lot about my sister. About Evelyn. She was so excited to start school. She never got to. She had her whole life ahead of her, and I took that from her. I have to live with that forever now.

Forever is a long time. I guess I need to start finding things to live for.

I think, maybe, you taught me that.

Wishing you the best from the dark side.

Dominique

“I’ll give her this,” Cole said, returning to Brennan’s side by the window. “She certainly knows how to keep things interesting.”

“Yeah.”

Brennan reread the letter with Cole. Then he studied Cole, the furrow in his brow as he read, the slight movement of his lips. Those words rang in his head.

Forever is a long time.

Life was unpredictable, and life was long, and for a vampire, both were even more true. Because Brennan wouldn’t age and he wouldn’t die, and Cole eventually would. And that was assuming a regular old-fashioned breakup didn’t part them. Somehow, that didn’t matter.

In that moment, Brennan was sure he would spend his whole life loving Cole.

Cole blushed when he caught Brennan’s stare, biting back a smile.

“What?” Cole said. “Are you okay?”

“Yeah,” Brennan said. “I’m good.”

Forever is a long time.

For the first time, Brennan was looking forward to it.