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“Noir Nights,” she whispered.

A few seconds later, Torr appeared at the top of the stairs. Halfway toward her, he made a face. “Noir Nights? Not what I would have expected.”

“How did you—?”

“Vampires have exceptional hearing. And we can jump fairly well too.”

“Vampires—”

“Which is how I also know you think I have a nice ass.”

She startled. “Excuse me?”

“That day in the bank. Alessandra and Toni took you outside because they knew I could hear you.” He grinned. “I never did get to say thanks. And ‘ditto.’”

Charlotte thought back to that day. He’d . . . heard her? She’d have been embarrassed if not for the fact that he’d blown her mind.

“Yep. And Alessandra is a Cheld. Likely from her father. But since he died—”

Charlotte closed her eyes.

“I’m sorry I didn’t tell you sooner.”

Her eyes flew open at the sound of her friend’s voice.

“I knew you were angry about what you overheard and thought it might be better for you to hear it from him first,” Alessandra said, walking toward them. “But then Toni reminded me of how we first reacted.” She looked at Torr. “And thought he might need some backup.”

Her body suddenly felt as if it were floating above the chair. This was the strangest fever dream she’d ever had, and yet she knew it was no dream.

“What he’s saying is true, Charlotte. I’m so sorry we didn’t tell you sooner.” Alessandra knelt beside her. “I know it’s a lot to take in.”

Charlotte looked from her friend to Torr, and back again, looking for any indication that either of them would smile or laugh. But neither did. They were not joking. They meant every word.

The teeth. The jump. His hearing.

“She doesn’t believe it yet,” Alessandra said, standing. “Sorry about this, Charlotte. But seeing is believing.” After leaning over the porch railing and looking up and down the street, she ran.

Only Charlotte had never seen anyone or anything run like that. Alessandra burst off the porch so quickly that she barely had time to register her friend was missing.

Jumping up from her seat, she took a deep breath in. And out. In. And out.

Until she was, for all intents and purposes, hyperventilating.

By then Alessandra had returned and had thrown her arms around her.

“It’s OK. I’m so, so sorry. I know, it’s a lot. Just breath.”

Charlotte held on to Alessandra as tightly as her nanny had every night at bedtime. After giving her friend one final squeeze, Charlotte sucked in the cool October air and pushed back.

“I have questions.”

Alessandra and Torr exchanged a glance.

“Shoot,” her friend said.

Charlotte’s legs felt a little shaky, but she could no longer bear to sit. In fact, she couldn’t even stand still. Pacing the length of the porch, she asked no one in particular, “Vampires . . . are real?”

Without waiting for an answer, she shot out another question. “Do you kill people?”