Up in the treetops outside Ralph’s, Takoda waited patiently for Ophelia to exit the building and return home. He was worried about her. She had seemed upset the last couple of days and he wasn’t sure why. Evenings like these made him resent his vampiric skin and the fact that he could not be around to ease her sorrow while the sun shone.

His ears perked up as he heard a laugh that he recognized; the distinctive laugh that could only belong to her. Eyes locked on the door to ...