“I love it when you use my full name.”

“Given that you probably used to wear . . . velvet bloomers, lace, high heels, and a ponytail, yeah—I guess you have changed a little,” I said, and gave a slight smile in hopes of easing the depressing mood.Eli actually grinned. “That look was hot back then.” He held his arms out. “Velvet coat with tails to match. Yeah, ruffles, too. I was badass.”

“Mine,” he whispered against my mouth. He kissed me again. “You are mine.” In the shadows I stared into the eyes of a vampire, grazed his mouth with my finger. “No, you‟re mine.”

“I'll love you forever, too.”

“My Gullah grandfather is bringing a bag of dust to a vampire war. I feel better.”

“Poe, you wiener, get your ass over here!""Shut Up! I ain't a wiener!"Broken, adolescent male laughter echoed through the night air, and if I hadn't been so damned mad, I'd have laughed too. Something about hearing a group of idiotic pubescent fifteen-year-old boys say wiener just cracked me up.”

“Okay. Ground rules,” I said, and locked gazes with Eli. “I pee alone and I shower alone. Some things need to remain a mystery, and those are two I firmly believe in.”