Page 31 of The Good Vampire’s Guide to Blood & Boyfriends
CREATURES OF THE NIGHT
brENNAN’S PHONE
KeepItSunny messaged you.
Call Nellie right the fuck now.
Nellie
Hey don’t freak out but something may have happened!
Don’t panic! We’re outside your apartment. Yes I’m texting him right now is it still recording I hate this thing how do I make it
EMERGENCY ALERT—Sturbridge [1 text]
Crime alert—Sturbridge University Police Department responded to an off-campus incident involving two students and an animal attack.
Park services and animal control have been contacted and SUPD is investigating the situation.
Stay on campus paths and out of the woods until SUPD gives the all-clear notice.
The street outside Brennan’s apartment was blanketed with the first snow of the season, everything camouflaged white, more snow flurrying around him.
Nellie and Sunny stood in front of his building, Nellie in a fluffy puffer jacket, Sunny in a long wool coat.
He could have used therapy with Nellie right around then, what with Mari’s threats and Cole’s silent departure fresh in his mind, but he shoved it down in the face of their urgent texts and grave expressions.
“Hey,” Brennan greeted them, taking the steps down to the sidewalk to get on equal footing.
“Are you okay? Is everything alright?” Nellie’s hands fluttered around him, searching for some hidden injury.
“Yeah, of course, I’m fine—”
“We worried when you weren’t responding.”
“I’m fine. I’m good. What’s going on?”
Sunny piped up without looking from her phone, “Oh, they definitely hooked up. He has a hickey.”
Brennan slapped a hand over his neck, face warming.
“Oh my god, Brennan, good for you!” Nellie squealed.
“No! Stop! This is not the topic! What happened?”
Nellie and Sunny exchanged uneasy glances.
“You saw about the ‘animal attack’?” Sunny said. “A vampire’s involved. Two people died. Students here.”
“Whoa, what ? They died?” The alert called it an incident, not a fucking murder. But fear quickly replaced surprise. “Who—who was it?”
“Two frat guys. We’re working on it,” Sunny said, and Brennan felt a weight lifted that it wasn’t Cole. But Sunny was so matter-of-fact that it only made Brennan angrier. Two people were dead, Mari knew about him, and Dom—
Oh no.
“Dom was here last night,” Brennan said, realization making him sick. “Talking about doing whatever she wants and not wanting to pretend anymore. It has to be her.”
Nellie and Sunny had another wordless conversation with frowns and narrowed eyes.
“What?” Brennan demanded.
“That just…” Nellie said, “it checks out. We were at the, uh, crime scene?” She wrinkled up her nose. “Gross, we’re like Vampire CSI. But Sunny picked up her scent, and there were prints that match those vintage size nine Doc Martens she’s been rocking.”
“And you’re sure that— Why do you know what shoes she wears?”
“I’d ask why you don’t, but your Target-brand Vans knockoffs speak for themselves.” Sunny sniffed and pointedly glanced toward Brennan’s feet.
Brennan brushed off the remark. “Well, do you know where she is?”
“We’re working on it,” Nellie said.
“What if she does it again? What if she comes after me, or other students?” He pictured Cole, Mari, Tony, any of the kids in his classes facing down a murderous Dom, and shivered.
“That’s what we’re trying to do. Stop things like this from happening again.”
“Are you sure? Or are you trying to cover them up?”
“Oh, come on,” Sunny spat, stalking away from the conversation. “We don’t have time for this.”
“I get that this is scary,” Nellie said, voice firm but comforting. “But if you can try to trust us, it would mean a lot. We want the same things. To protect both the humans and vampires.”
Brennan frowned and nodded. If this was Dom’s work, then it was Brennan’s fault for lashing out at her like she wasn’t his problem to deal with.
“How can I help?” Brennan asked.
“Don’t,” Sunny said.
Rolling his eyes, Brennan deferred to Nellie, but Nellie gave an apologetic smile. “We really need you to stay put.”
“Are you serious? People are dying.”
“Which is why you need to leave it to us,” Nellie said. “Obviously, let us know if you hear anything from Dom, or see anything weird.”
“Right,” Brennan bit out, “or if more people die.”
“Watch your tone,” Sunny said, harsh, then, “Nellie. He’s in one piece, you told him the news. Let’s go.”
“Where are you going? Do I at least get to know the plan?”
“We’re gonna investigate,” Nellie said. “And you are going to pinky promise to stay out of it.”
Brennan arched an unimpressed brow at her extended pinky finger.
“I will not be doing that,” said Brennan.
Nellie shrugged. “Worth a try.”
Taking the train took the drama out of storming directly to Dom’s apartment in a rage.
By the time the commuter line dropped him in Boston and Brennan was walking up to Dom’s complex, most of the rage had melted away into worry.
He didn’t know what he was going to say, or what he was supposed to say.
He only knew that she had come to him before, and he’d messed it up, and he had to fix it.
As he came to her unit, a wind gust pushed open the door on its own. It hadn’t been locked, or even closed.
Brennan stood in the open doorway and gaped at the bare apartment. The lone window in the living room was open, letting in a fierce chill.
It wasn’t completely empty—the couch was still there, the TV and its stand, the appliances.
But all the pictures, all the books and coats and cooking utensils and personal items, were packed up in a stack of boxes on one side, some labeled DONATE and one labeled TRASH .
The trash box was on top, full of photos that were framed and loose and in albums, a hundred little Doms and Evelyns left behind.
Something was wedged in the open window, flapping in the wind.
Brennan crossed to the window slowly, looking around like he might be dreaming and the apartment might transform back to the one in which he’d shared drinks with Dom a few weeks earlier.
He grabbed the thing from the window—a folded piece of paper—and slid the window shut.
The carpet in front of the window was damp from rain and snow.
He unfolded the paper, and it was a printed flyer, plain 8⒈／⒉" × 11" printer grade. Brennan had seen it before, on Facebook.
SAVE THE DATE!
CREATURES OF THE NIGHT: VAMPIRE BALL
MARCH 1, 2025
Will take place at the Old Florence Inn just outside Boston. Vampires and humans mingle together for one mysterious night in a historical setting.
Light refreshments. Live entertainment. Drinks available for purchase with ID.
Formal/Gothic dress code will be enforced.
18+ event.
He flipped it around and there, in scribbled, hasty handwriting, it read:
B,
You won’t want to miss this
—D
He flipped it again, hastily scanning both sides, looking for more written notes or some other clue.
Was it a threat? A warning? An invitation?
Or something she’d misplaced on her way out?
Brennan peeked through the window, but he only saw a snowy-slushy alleyway.
No sign of Dom, and no hints of what she was thinking.
He tucked the flyer into his journal and, for reasons he couldn’t explain, tucked a photo of Evelyn smiling brightly in as well. Then he left Dom’s empty apartment, closing the door behind him.
brENNAN’S PHONE
Brennan
Found this at Dom’s place. She’s gone.
Nellie
Yikes
I thought you were staying out of it
Brennan
Nope. What do you think?
Also did you just use an emoji?
Nellie
I’m learning!
And I mean it’s the biggest gathering of vampires among humans in one place of the year
Brennan
So if she were planning something around that, that would be bad.
Nellie
Yes
Brennan
Can you cancel the ball?
Nellie
It’s been the same standing date and location for over a century and every vampire in North America knows about it. I couldn’t get the message out to the ones that don’t use technology or don’t have a stable headrest
Stable address
Not to mention Quinn would be heartbroken
Brennan
So, the ball goes on?
Nellie
The ball goes on
Drafts to Cole
Brennan
Hey, I know Mari said she’d kill me if I talked to you again but
He y, how are you doing ?
I’m sorry I’m like this and everything is hard but I miss hanging out with you
Hope you’re doing wel l.
Am I even allowed in the library anym ore or will I be ner fed on sight?
A Pamphlet
Protecting Your Territory: Wards and Protection Charms for the Low-Level Vampire
BY NELLIE ADAMS
While your clan and clan leaders do much of the work of protecting you and your loved ones from potential rogue vampires, we understand the desire to take extra precautions, especially in times of conflict.
Not everyone can do complex protection work (see “Protecting Your Territory: Practices for the High-Level Vampire” for information about binding, banishment, and other more extreme measures of protection), but anyone, regardless of vampiric abilities, can use these small measures to enhance their safety and feel more secure.
Environmental Wards
Environmental wards can protect certain areas, such as a room or household. Commonly, these are sigils carved in entryways, but can take many forms. Below, you can see a few common sigils, their uses and functions, and how to install them into a space.
Protective Charms
Protective charms are items that can be kept, held, or worn by a human to prevent vampires from being able to bite them. These items are rare, difficult to find, and more difficult to make. Please inquire with your clan leaders for more information.
It’s important to remember that these protective measures are not invincible and can sometimes be ignored by extremely powerful vampires. You should count on your clan leaders for defense, and if you need help addressing a conflict, please reach out to them for additional aid.