I chose my words carefully. “He wants you to go home.”

Ziggy slurped the milk from his spoon and glared at the coaster Clarence had placed on the table. “Is he still pissed at me?”

“He never was pissed.” I dropped beside him on the sofa. “Nathan loves you.”

As unobtrusive as a ghost passing by, Clarence decanted a glass of blood and pressed it into my hand. I thanked him, but my attention was still on Ziggy. “Do you want to go home?”

“Hmm…stay here with the crazy, sadistic vampire, or go home?” He paused. “To the cold, emotionally shut-off vampire who’ll freak out if I ever bring another guy home.”

“I don’t think he will. He was just surprised. And I get the distinct impression he’s not so pleased that you’ve grown up. He would have acted the same if he’d caught you with a girl.” At least, I hoped he would have. Different generation or not, times changed and Nathan should have adapted. And he shouldn’t have cared in the first place.

Ziggy mustered enough false enthusiasm to say, “Great. When do I leave?”

Clarence coughed softly. “It’s not as simple as that.” Ziggy and I stared at the butler in silence. How could he possibly know the details of my conversation with Nathan? Were there spies?

As if sensing my distrust, Clarence shook his head. “But maybe you don’t want an old man’s help.”

He moved to collect the dishes, but Ziggy stopped him by placing a hand on his arm. “What do you know?”

Clarence gave me a frigid glare.

“What? Do you want me to leave?” I folded my arms across my chest stubbornly. “This is my room, you know.”

“I don’t want you to leave,” Clarence explained, a little condescendingly. “I want you to stop acting as if I’m going to turn sides all of a sudden.”

“I’m sorry, but how am I supposed to trust someone who’s worked for Cyrus all this time? You are on his payroll,” I pointed out.

Clarence seemed to roll this around in his mind for a moment. “I trust you a little bit, and you’re a vampire.”

Considering his stance on vampires, that was a pretty bold statement. Pulling Nathan’s plans from my pocket, I motioned for Clarence to come closer. “Apparently, there’s going to be some kind of attack here on January thirtieth.”

I realized I’d been so caught up in my new vampirehood that I hadn’t noticed Christmas had come and gone. I supposed it had saved me from a particularly miserable holiday. I couldn’t imagine snuggling up in front of the tree and listening to Bing Crosby records with Cyrus of all people.

I swallowed the knot of loneliness that formed in my throat and forced a stoic expression. “Do you know anything about this, Clarence?”

“I don’t know about any attack, but January thirtieth is the Vampire New Year.”

“Vampire New Year?” Ziggy’s question echoed my own.

Clarence nodded, his face growing more serious, a feat I’d thought impossible. “Every damn year. And they always throw a big, disgusting party.”