By the time Reg and I were made vampire, turning children was already out of fashion, but teenagers were still fair game. Reg and I were among the last teens turned before the treaty, and all we’d heard about every day for a century is what a big mistake that was.

If you asked me, the treaty was a form of discrimination. Maybe the Elders were jealous of our forever youth. Whenever they complained about our antics, it always just sounded to me like Reg and I were having a lot more fun than the old folks.

“Charlotte and Reginald Smith,” Reg read from our licenses.

Smith? I squinted at the name next to my photo. “But we’re Drakes!”

For a century, I had used that name like a key to open doors into social circles all over the underworld. The House of Drake held a place of honor not only within the Bone Clan but among all vampire-kind. It hadn’t occurred to me that losing our immortality meant losing our noble name. A fresh wave of injustice rolled over me.

All for one tiny mistake.

“You’re not a Drake anymore,” Sal said without turning from the sink. “Smith is the name I go by in town, and I think the easiest story is that we’re family. Plus, you’ll find it’s a tricky one to google if any curious kids want to look you up. Too common.”

“Well, it’s boring,” I said after a moment. “But it’s better than Sicarius.”

I spit out the slayer family name as if it tasted bad on my tongue.

Sal froze at the sink, fingers gripped tight on a dish hovering halfway to the drying rack. After a moment, he rolled his shoulders, cricked his neck, and settled the plate into the rack.

“On that, we agree.”

I was too stunned to respond. So far, I’d found Sal easy enough to spar with, but agreeing with the old guy? That would take some getting used to.

“It’s almost time for school.” Sal’s gruff tone returned as he dried his hands and faced us. “I know you’re not too keen on the idea, but a couple of kids running around not going to school would draw too much attention.”

“What if we’re eighteen?” Reg suggested. “Perhaps we’ve already graduated high school, and we’re taking a break before college.”

“Yes!” I squeezed my brother’s arm in congratulations for his stroke of genius.

“Oh.” Sal’s face fell. “Hadn’t thought of that. I’ve never had teenagers here before—the last one to come through was before my time. Mostly, I get older vamps I pretend are girlfriends or old army buddies visiting. I get them jobs and send them packing. Easy. But you two . . .”

“It’s not too late,” I said, waving my fake ID. “Just change our ages.”