Even in the mostly deserted lot, the SUV’s alarm is attracting attention. People have emerged from the main doors of the Colgate Center, watching from a distance as we race for Daphne’s Saab. No matter how I felt when we first left the food court, I’ve got no problem trusting her anymore—she lied, but she’s more than earned the benefit of the doubt.

It isn’t until she screeches out of the lot, swerving onto the road leading back into town, that my endorphin high vanishes and I finally lose it. My nose runs, my eyes fill with tears, and I quake so badly it takes me three tries to open my messaging app.

“What are you doing?” Daphne demands, her voice as sharp as the sword she was just fighting with.

“I’m texting my m-mom!” I make a disgusting noise and then wipe my nose on my sleeve, for lack of anything better. Which is … also disgusting. “Some guy just tried to kill—”

“Stop!” Without even glancing over, she bats the phone from my hands, knocking it into the footwell.

I stare at her, sure she’s lost her mind. “What the hell? I need to warn my parents—”

“So they can do what?” she challenges, the lights of an oncoming car sweeping across her face. “Think this through, Auggie. What will they do?”

“They…” I don’t know how to explain what should be obvious. “They’ll call the police—”

“Who will come out and stop all the vampires, like always?”

“At least they’ll know!” I’m vehement, my tone rising. “People with guns and stuff will know that killers are after me—how is that a bad thing?”

“So the mayor mobilizes the Fulton Heights police to act as your personal bodyguard service. That’s what you think your parents will do for you?”

Her sarcasm is more than I can handle. “What is your problem? A guy with actual swords just tried to chop both our heads off, and you’re trying—”

“I’m trying to make you wake up!” She pounds the dashboard hard enough to startle me into silence. “If you tell your parents that vampires are after you, they’ll take you out of town!”

“Good!” I declare. “Good. I want to get out of town! I should get out of town. My whole family should!”