“It’s a big decision,” Luna validates. “One that was stripped from me, so I don’t blame you for thinking it through. But if you love Zavier and know you want to turn, whatisthe hang up?”
Celine bristles slightly. “Of course I love Zavier, but I’ve always been a cautious person. I can’t change who I am at my core just because I’ve learned all this exists.” She finishes her left hand and lays both flat on the table to dry. “Zavier has warned me there’s a small chance I won’t make it through the change, and I know it’s extremely unlikely, but I can’t risk that right now. I don’t want to leave my dad behind if that were to be the case. He was always there for me, even when my mom wasn’t. Yes, he has great care at his facility, but I can’t help but worry when I’m all he has left. He might barely remember me now, butIremember.”
Always putting others before herself. It makes sense that Celine is hung up on her dad.
“Celine.” Luna rubs her shoulder gently while being careful not to get polish on her. “It’s such a slim chance. The survival rate after change is very high. The longer you wait, the more Zav is going to annoy the shit out of me at the café. He likes to come in and whine that his ‘schnookums’”—she puts air quotes around the word—“could get hurt at any point in the day. I tell him you don’t even work for the police anymore, but he’s a baby.” She rolls her eyes and hugs a pillow toher chest. “I think it’s an excuse to follow you around like a little lost puppy.”
“You have a point,” Celine sighs. “I’ll talk to him about it some more.”
A thud comes from the other side of the wall, and I look at the other two in confusion, although they don’t seem surprised. Rapid knocking at the door comes a second later, and I open it to see Zavier.
“I’m getting déjà vu,” Celine mutters.
“Did I hear you right?” Zavier practically dances into the living room to crunch Celine to him. “My baby is seriously considering letting me turn her into a big, bad vampire?” He kisses all over her face while she attempts to squirm away.
“We’ll talk about it,” she concedes and gives him a peck on the nose before shoving him off. “Go back to Valen and stay there. This is girl time.”
He pouts. “But honey, we’re not meant to be separated this long. It’s painful for me. I can paint my nails too if that’s what you want.”
She points at the door. “Out, Zavier. I mean it.”
He sighs. “Fine. But only because Midnight and Pom Pom are bonding.”
She shakes her head, trying not to smile.
After his exit, we settle in the living room to watch a movie until our timer sounds. Luna and I take turns washing out our hair and blow drying it. Celine helps Luna straighten hers while I curl mine.
“I feel like myself again,” I gush as I play with my rose gold curls.
Luna examines herself and fluffs her hair. “What do you guys think?”
As she turns to us, I see the subtle addition she’s made to her light blond hair. Lavender streaks are mixed in, gentlyflowing through and catching the light in a subtle way. If you’re not paying close attention, you might even miss them.
“Luna!” I clap my hands and Celine smiles. “It looks amazing.”
“Great call on the lavender,” Celine adds. “It’s definitely your color.”
Luna smiles back at us, and we spend the rest of the night giggling and generally having a great time. We pop some popcorn and put onTitanicbecause peak Leonardo DiCaprio is not to be missed.
Later, after they’ve left, Valen comes back into the apartment with Pom Pom cradled against his chest. The tiny floof is passed out with his tongue lolling out of his mouth.
“Tuckered out?” I laugh and scratch the dog’s head. He lets out a snore that seems far too loud for such a small dog.
Valen lays Pom Pom gently on his bed and tucks him under his favorite blanket.
“That makes two of us. I don’t know how anyone can be so energetic and talkative. I barely got a word in and can’t understand half of what he’s talking about. Now he wants us to be ‘vampire besties.’” He says the last part with quotation fingers. “Something about making bracelets and matching tattoos.”
“That’s Zav for you,” I muse, and we fall silent.
The quiet stretches between us, and I wonder if he can hear my heart rate increase in speed.
Who am I kidding? Of course he can.
“Come to bed with me?” I voice the question bouncing around in my head. At his immediate unsure expression, I quickly add, “You seem to have fewer nightmares when we’re near each other. So why suffer?”
At first, I think Valen is going to say no, but he ends up taking my outstretched hand and following me to the bedroom. He waits patiently on top of the covers while I millabout and do my nighttime routine. He frustratingly refuses to climb underneath the sheets when I get in bed, but he does let me rest my head against his and wraps his arm around my shoulder. His thumb rubs in soothing circles around my arm.
The last thing I hear before sleep takes me is a reverent “Good night, Starlight.”
