Page 71 of Colin

After introductions were made, Serena got down to business. “The neighborhood pool where the little sister saw him before—that’s where I’ll wait for him. You should all arrive well before me if you’re planning an ambush—the chlorine should mask your scents, at least at first.”

Colin frowned. “Won’t there be kids there?”

Serena’s sharp gaze drifted over to him. “That’s the whole point. He’s wary of me after our previous…altercations. I’m hoping finding me staring longingly at the children will lead him to believe I’ve been softened by sentimentality.”

That seemed like sketchy logic at best, but maybe Colin was too sleep-deprived to get it. He waited for someone else to protest, but the twins were nodding along.

Colin would just have to trust his vamps to make sure no one got hurt.

“It should be easy enough to lead him somewhere secluded,” Serena continued. “And then…” She slid a finger across her throat, looking like some sort of caricature of a mob wife. “We’ll have the numbers on him, especially with these two newcomers.” She looked to Fox. “Although, I assume you’re leaving your precious human at home?”

“No,” Colin started to say, just as both twins let out a resounding, “Yes.”

Fox glared at him fiercely. “We’re not risking anything happening to you.”

Colin straightened, ready to argue, but a small hand settled on his arm. “Colin,” Jay said. “You’re still human. I couldn’t stand it if anything happened to you. I really couldn’t.”

Colin swallowed hard. He could pretend, with the twins, that they were pulling some macho card to keep him out of the action. But he knew, with Jay, it wasn’t about machismo or any other toxic bullshit. It was purely about caring for someone and not wanting to see them get hurt. “Fine. I’ll stay.”

“Splendid,” Serena said brightly. “I’ll be at the pool at five o’clock. You all should be there at least twenty minutes before, if we want to be cautious.”

“Today?” Wasn’t it too soon? Too rushed? It didn’t feel right, deep down in Colin’s gut. But then again, Colin had never been in a situation like this before. He’d never had people to worry over in this way, other than maybe his dad, and until recently, his dad had taken care of himself just fine.

“Today,” Serena confirmed. “I want this finished and over with. It’s gone on for too long.”

“You’re not the only one,” Fox muttered. He raised his voice for the next part, because of course he did. “Then you can get the fuck out of our town.”

Serena’s answering smile was pinched. “With pleasure.”

Colin went to his Dad’s alone for lunch.

He figured the twins could use the extra time for plotting or pumping themselves up or whatever the fuck else a vampire might do to prepare to fight another vampire. And Jay and Alexei had headed over to Jamie’s mom’s house, where apparently Izzy had been waiting for a reunion. She and Jay had become fast friends the last time he’d been in town, bonding over a shared love of candy and comic books.

It wasn’t like Colin was worried or anything. No matter how they prepared, they’d be fine. Totally, absolutelyfine.

They’d done it before, hadn’t they? Scared off asshole vamps or even killed a few feral rogues (assuming the twins hadn’t been bullshitting him about that). They were strong, and they had each other’s backs. And sticking close to fret over them wouldn’t do any of them any good, even if Colin knew how to fret over someone in a way that didn’t just involve scowling.

He wanted a little time alone with his dad, anyway. Assuming he was going to be able to muster up the courage to ask the twins to turn him, he needed a last little slice of humanity just for himself, before he fully entered into that world.

He found his dad in the garage, cane propped against a storage shelf, reaching up to pull a small cardboard box out from between two plastic bins.

“C’mon, Dad,” Colin scolded, rushing over to his side. “You should’ve waited for me. What if you fell or something?”

“You think I’m gonna fall standing still?” his dad asked incredulously, still fiddling with the box. “Oh, ye of little faith.”

Colin smacked his hands away and tugged the box out, raising a pointed brow until his dad grabbed his cane. He followed him back into the house.

“What’s in this thing?” he asked, shaking it lightly to see if it made any telltale noise.

“Photos,” his dad told him, heading into the living room. “I’ve been meaning to put them into an album for years. Need to get things organized around here. Don’t want to leave you with a mess.”

Something in Colin’s stomach twisted. “It’ll be a long time before you’re leaving me with anything,” he insisted.

“Sure, sure.” His dad settled into his recliner with an exaggerated sigh, then opened his arms and motioned for Colin to put the box in his lap.

Colin did as he asked and then perched on the ottoman in front of him. “What are they photos of?”

“Your grandparents,” his dad said, lifting the lid off. “Me.” A long pause. “Your mother.”

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