My foul humor lingered long past dusk, only the tingling touch of vampire magic shaking me loose from my bad mood. Shenka was smart enough to keep her distance, the twins and Sassafras out and about doing who knew what. So when I felt my undead family arrive and rushed to greet them, my second trailed after me.
"Syd." I stopped at the sound of her voice. Turned and met her knowing smile as she poked me with magic. "Smiling is usually a great way to show other people you're not going to tear them in half and feed them to your demon."
I wanted to be angry, to stay inside my little shell of pissed off, but something about the tone of Shenka's voice, the tickling way her magic prodded me, shattered the hold my temper had over me all afternoon. I hooked my arm through hers with a regretful little smile.
"Sorry," I said. "Guys suck. Did you know that about them?"
She feigned innocence, one hand pressed to her heart in shock. "I had no idea."
I loved my second.