Chapter One

There's no feeling like lying in bed with your best friend, your partner.

Edythe and I lay together, our limbs tangling over unused blankets. Neither of us can sleep, but that doesn't mean we are not calm. Sometimes, when I'm caught in her hair and her head rests on my chest I feel so calm, so still, that maybe I'm sleeping after all.

This has been our routine ever since I was turned; we make love, wrestle, make love some more, hang out with her family, make love again, and we rest together. Honestly, I'd never thought I could be this happy; it's not just momentary, but all-encompassing, eternal. Every day is dipped in honey; I can only see through rose-colored glasses.

That is, unless I happen to think of my old life, of my parents; that's one wound that just refuses to close.

"Should we get up?" she asks, breaking the homey silence we'd been wrapped up in for hours on end. I could hear bustling downstairs; Earnest was cleaning, Royal and Carine were preparing to go for hunt together, and Eleanor, Jessamine, and Archie were playing a rather heated game of Trivial Pursuit. Apparently, if you've been around for a century or so, it's easy to mix-up pop culture; I should try playing against them, I might actually have a chance.

"We'd have to put on clothes," I sigh. "Are you prepared to do that?"

"I think I can handle it," she responds with a smile, turning her lips to the skin of my stomach.

"Ah, I'm sure you could," I say playfully, bringing her face to mine and kissing her between words, "I'm (kiss) not so sure (kiss) I could, though. (kiss)"

She giggles, all teeth against my mouth and says, "Well, somebody has got to stop Archie from winning that game of Trivial Pursuit. I think we could beat him."

I grin as she turns away from me. "I was actually just thinking that."

"I might not be able to read your mind, Beau, but that doesn't mean I don't know how you think." The sheet fell from around her while she searched for her shirt and, while walking, she stepped right into a beam of sunlight coming from between our curtains. It glinted off her skin like a million diamond shards, scattering rainbowed hues across our walls.

If I still breathed regularly, my lungs would be empty.

"What?" she says, catching the look on my face.

I don't attempt to hide any emotion when I say, "You think I'll ever get used to how beautiful you are?"

She ignores my question, but I can see the smile on her face; if it was possible, she may have blushed. She gets dressed in a flurry; if I was still human, she would've been a blur. Now, I can see her quickly throw on a tan sweatshirt and jeans, before tossing jeans, boxer shorts, and a grey T-shirt in my direction.

"As much as I'd love for you to go au-naturelle, I don't think our family would be so keen. Get dressed."

Our family. The words putter around in my mind; it's still strange to me, that in less than a year I've become a vampire, found the person I'm going to spend my life (which just so happens to be forever) with, lost the family I had and gained a new one. It still felt strange, but in a good way. It was right. When I looked upon the faces of my brothers and sisters (which is truly what they are to me now) I felt nothing but love for them—including Royal.

"What are you thinking?" Edythe asks quietly once I was fully clothed.

"Just that I love you," I answer honestly, "and that I'm happy."

She takes my hand and we walk downstairs.

We pass Earnest, who is cleaning the living room at human speed; I once asked why he didn't just use his full speed, and he told me he liked to clean, that it helped to clear his mind.

"Good morning," I greet. He waves without turning around.

We approach the family room area, right off the edge of the living room, where the others are playing their game. Immediately, we hear Eleanor shout, "Cheater! You can't help each other! Jess, I see your lips moving!"

Jessamine held up her hands in surrender, a slight smile on her crimson-red lips.

Eleanor's dark eyebrows burrowed together as she stared down Archie.

"Just because you stink at this game doesn't mean I'm cheating," Archie replies innocently, leaning back on the white leather loveseat he's perched upon.

"He is cheating, you know," says Edythe from beside me. As soon as we enter the room, we release each other. She goes to sit near Eleanor, and I sit on the side of Archie not occupied by Jessamine.

"Judas!" cries Archie.

"Ha!" says Eleanor. "I think you should lose a pie slice for that."

"Well, you're not refereeing this game, so, while your opinion is noted, it holds no true weight."

Eleanor turns to me, and I immediately understand. "I'm declaring myself the referee," I say. "Arch, lose a slice."

"The betrayal doesn't stop with you two," he harrumphs, and dramatically places the slice back in the game box.

Edythe and I watch for a few rounds. They offer to let us play, but, as I had already declared myself referee, I am forced to decline. I find myself being extra harsh on Archie, simply because it's funny, and, even though he pretends to be angry, I can tell he thinks it's funny, too. All this seems to earn me extra points with Eleanor.

Edythe does agree to play, and, to my surprise, she's excellent. I guess she had a lot more free nights than the rest of them, before I came along. I suddenly feel a little embarrassed, knowing what occupies her nights now, and I know Jessamine can sense it, which only intensifies the feeling.

Thankfully, Eleanor's claiming she was robbed and threatening to turn the table over, so I am distracted.

After only about ten minutes, Edythe won.

"No fair!" Eleanor says, frowning playfully. "You can read minds! You would know if one of us had the answer!"

"True," Edythe allows, "but neither of you ever had any answers, so it's a moot point."

"Why you little," Eleanor growls and in a second, she's on top of her. They grapple for a second before Edythe gains the upper hand; that lasts momentarily, though, then they're back at it.

Seizing the opportunity, Archie turns to me and says casually, "So, Beau, about this whole best man thing . . ."

My eyes widen. "I haven't actually officially asked you yet, Archie. I haven't actually officially asked her yet."

He rolls his eyes and taps his temple with his index finger. "You will," he promises. I roll my eyes now. "Now, we need to talk bachelor party . . ."

"Bachelor what?" I exclaim.

"You know, I was thinking Vegas. Selling your body is legal in Nevada . . ."

Jessamine smacks him on the back of the head, while simultaneously Edythe (who's still wrestling with Eleanor) takes off her shoe and throws it in his direction, smacking him the chest. He laughs, at both of them, and the look on my face. "Kidding, kidding, of course!" He turns to Jess. "You know I only have eyes for you." He kisses her on the cheek and she smiles so widely I'm sure it's another vampire thing.

Archie turns back to me. "We'll figure something out."

Just then, both Eleanor and Edythe stopped grappling and sat up, backs as straight as boards. Jessamine jumped to her feet, nostrils flared; Archie's ears perked up. I wasn't as familiar with sounds and smells, and what that entails, but still, after a moment, I knew why they were acting strange. The smell of wet dog filled the air.

A werewolf was here.

Earnest entered the room and, seeing us in our strange positions. "Yes, there's a wolf in our driveway."

"I'll go," I volunteer. "Most of them know me. Edythe should come too; she's our only way to communicate."

She nods and we both stand up, but Earnest puts up one hand, stopping us. "That actually won't be necessary," he says. "She's in human form." He looks at me. "You should still go, though, Beau. You do know this one; if I'm remembering correctly, her name is Jules Black.

"In fact, she might be here to see you."