“You and your aunt.”
“Oh. Yeah, I guess we are.”I’d planned to leave it there because it was a touchy subject, but he was obviously curious.“I know she loves me, and I love her to no end. But my uncle constantly fought to get custody of me and get me away from my parents, then foster care, and later the group home. My aunt never did. She tried to get my mom sober to take care of me the right way, but the courts wouldn’t let her have custody of me if she was still around my mom. She figured I’d be fine in foster care and chose to focus on my mom instead of helping me. It’s understandable, but it just…”I didn’t know what else to say. It hurt, definitely. And it had put a huge trust barrier between us, but I didn’t wanna say that out loud. It was something we left unspoken.“Today was the first time she ever apologized for it.”
I stopped playing with his bracelet as the front door opened. My aunt and uncle came in, practically shouting to each other about who knows what. They were always so loud together.
“We’re ready for movies,”Aunt Helen announced as they entered the room.“I want a horror movie trilogy. Any trilogy, I don’t care. But I want a trilogy so we can start at the last one and work our way backwards.”
“Why backwards?”I asked.
“I dunno. It seems fun, don’t you think? Tommy, pick a movie. I don’t know how to work your tv.”
Uncle Tom started scrolling just as Ari and Sean came to join us.Everyone took seats and settled in. Aunt Helen glanced at my legs across Dennis’ lap before giving me a teasing smile, but she said nothing.
The first two movies were amazing, but by the third my attention began to wane. It had been almost five hours because the movies were long as shit and I wasgetting sleepy. So far human snacking hadn’t affected me much, but I finally saw what Dennis meant aboutfeeling gross fromareal meal.
I somehow made it through the final movie. Barely, but I did it. I stood and yawned when everyone started shifting.
“I’m off to bed. ‘Night, girls. Goodnight.” Uncle Tom nodded at Sean and Dennis before going to his room.
“Same. Goodnight, everyone. Maybe I’ll see you boys soon?” Aunt Helen gave a tired wave before heading up to the guest room.
“I’m tired too.” Ari gave Sean an apologetic look. “Sorry I’m so human.”
He laughed and stood. “It’s okay. You won’t be much longer. Have you told them yet?” He nodded toward the stairs, indicating both Aunt Helen and Uncle Tom.
“No. Maybe I’ll tell them tomorrow. I’m kinda scared, though. My aunt seems excited about everything, but my dad might freak out.”
“He might not. He did say he’s glad I changed,” I reasoned. “If he’s happy about me, maybe he’ll be happy about you, too?”
“Maybe.” She didn’t seem so sure. She said goodbyes and headed upstairs.
“Will you stay for a while?” I asked Dennis before he could follow Sean to the door. I smiled when he nodded. “You can stay too,” I told to Sean.
“I’ll give you two some alone time.” He grinned. “I’ll see you later, D. Bye, Emy.”
I waved as he saw himself out. “We can stay down here this time,” I decided, leading Dennis back to the couch. I pushed him down and sat nearly in his lap, draping my legs across his and reaching to play with his hair. “Did you have fun?”
“Yeah. It was nice.”
“Really?”
“Why do you sound surprised?”
“I dunno. I’m still waiting for you to get tired of me and unbind me and disappear forever.”
He leaned back, smiling. “No. Sorry. You’re stuck with me.”
“I have a question.” I shifted nervously, half wondering if I should even bring it up. But he waited for me to continue, so I did. “I kinda made Michael tell me how the mind reading and blocking thing works for binds.” I stopped playing with Dennis’ hair as his expression changed. “Is it true?”
“Is what true?”
“The thing about ‘true binds’ and all that.”
“Depends who you ask.” His response was vague. And emotionless. It gave nothing away. I should’ve known this was a useless question.
“Will you at least answer one thing? I wanna know why I can’t hear anything from you even now that I’m a vampire. Am I broken? Does my brain not work? Isyoursbroken since I can’t hear you?”
“I thought he explained everything to you?”
