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Chest constricted, Toni couldn’t speak, even if she had wanted to. Telling her . . . no, it was out of the question.

Kenton and Lawrence had given them leave to share the truth with those who “must know,” so long as they trusted them. Even still, she should ask Alessandra. The implications were too broad for her to make a hasty decision.

“I . . . I have to talk to Alessandra first—”

“Then it’s a good thing she’s right here.” Toni spun around at the sound of her friend’s voice. “And that you weren’t saying nasty things about me.”

As if there were anything nasty to say. Unless you made an enemy out of her. Especially now. Her friend could kick some serious booty.

“What do you need to talk to me ab—” She stopped, seeing Toni’s expression. “Everything OK?”

“Splendid,” Birdie said. “And what good timing! I was just asking Toni to give me the scoop, as you girls say, on Kenton and Lawrence. If she’s going to be dating him, after all—”

“The scoop?” Alessandra looked as panicked as Toni felt.

“The scoop.” She waved her arms to indicate Toni should stand up from the stool. “The truth about the whole Cheld business and their involvement in it.”

Birdie sat on the newly vacated stool as if she hadn’t a care in the world.

“I told her—”

“Some cockamamy story that I should have questioned sooner. But for Alessandra’s sake—” Birdie smiled at her friend, “—I didn’t pry.”

But her aunt had no such reservations when it came to her niece’s love life.

Alessandra looked back and forth between Toni and Birdie. Then, taking a deep breath, blurted out, “They . . . are vampires.”

Toni choked on nothing in particular as her aunt’s eyes widened larger than the porcelain Elvis plates they’d just received the other day.

“Alessandra,” Toni hissed.

“Kenton and Lawrence agreed we could tell whoever needed to be told—”

“But . . . shouldn’t we have asked them first?”

Alessandra looked at her as if that were the most ridiculous suggestion in the world. “She already knows about my abilities. And Birdie—”

“Is sitting right here, thank you.”

Toni had nearly forgotten about her aunt. She still couldn’t believe Alessandra had told her. It made things easier for sure, but—

“I think I’m going to need you to repeat that.” Birdie blinked, clearly confused.

Alessandra tried again. “Kenton and Lawrence are vampires. I know what you’re thinking—”

“I’m certain you don’t.”

“I remember when Kenton first told me. We were at Amendment 18. And, of course, I didn’t believe him until I saw his fangs.”

“His . . .”

Oh no. Birdie was going to faint.

Toni ran into the back room and retrieved a bottle of water from the minifridge. Birdie took a gulp from the bottle, then touched a hand to her throat and repeated, “His fangs?”

Toni nodded. “I know, it sounds completely crazy. But Alessandra. Those abilities. They manifested as a way to counterbalance Kenton and Lawrence when they came to town . . .”

In a rush to explain, Toni tried to do the tale justice, allowing Alessandra to take over at times. Luckily, Birdie was still sitting by the end of their story and the shop hadn’t received any customers.