“Hello,” rumbled Ira’s voice in my ear, just as rich and deep as I remembered.

“Uh, hi,” I said, keenly aware Evan and Espy were still watching. He waved his hand in a ‘go on’ gesture. “It’s Seth, the guy from the tour yesterday? I don’t remember if I actually said my name, but anyway you gave me your number and said I should call you after the festival. I mean, it’s still before the festival, but…”

I ran out of air.

“Yeah, I remember you,” he chuckled. “What’s up?”

“I was wondering if you were free,” I said. “Later. Ah, if you were free later. Lunch, later. I mean--”

Evan facepalmed himself.

“Hey, Seth?” Ira rolled over my trainwreck like velvet.

My eyes squeezed shut. “Yes?”

“Do you like hiking?”

One cautious eye opened. “Yes…”

“Have you seen the big diner on the overlook outside town?”

I flapped my hand at Evan, and he lifted his face from his hand. “Holly’s right?”

“That’s the one.” His voice still held a hint of laughter. “There’s this nature trail in the forest around the lake. One end of it starts in the woods behind the diner. We can meet there, see the sights, and then head back to grab a bite after. How’s that sound?”

“Sounds...great.” I hoped I sounded sincere enough.

“Great,” his warm voice agreed. “Let’s meet in an hour, yeah?”

“An hour,” I said as the line went dead. “An hour? That’s not lunchtime.”

“He took the bait?” Evan asked.

“Yes.” My voice sounded strangled, even to my own ears. “We’re going hiking, then lunch. Apparently.”

“Hiking?” Beni froze halfway down the stairs, looking down at the clothes in her hands. “This won’t work then.”

I frowned. “Did you go through my clothes?”

“Come with me.” She blithely ignored my question. “Good thing I always have a Plan B.”

With a sigh, I began my gallows march.

Beni was rifling through her own bag by the time I reached our room.

“Yes!” She cried. “I knew I brought them.”

‘Them’ referred to a scrap of khaki fabric. My brain needed an entire seven seconds to realize the scrap was a pair of shorts.

Eyes widening in alarm, I opened my mouth to protest. Before I could make a sound, Beni tossed the shorts to me and dove back in her duffle. I caught them by reflex.

“Don’t just stand there,” she said. “Put them on.”

I held them up. “They’re too short.”

“Well, they aren’t called ‘longs,’ are they?” She snarked. “Ah, this too.”

Knowing it was hopeless, I dropped my jeans and pulled on the...no, ‘shorts’ was too generous. More like ‘tinies.’

“My extra sleep shirt.” She handed me one of those loose shirts that come pre-softened so they’re practically see-through. Loose on Beni, at least. On me it would be as tight as an undershirt.

“Absolutely n--”

“Great.” She resumed her rummaging.

Grumbling, I switched my t-shirt for Beni’s. As suspected, it molded to my skin.

“I’m not so sure about--”

“One more thing,” she practically sang. At least she was enjoying herself.

It was a sweatband.

“Is it the 80s in the woods?”

“Shut up and put it on.”

Josh help me.

“Now…” She pushed the bedroom door closed, revealing the full-length mirror on the back.

I gaped at myself. “I look...I look…”

“Fuckable is the word you’re looking for,” she said with great satisfaction.

“Beni!” I gasped, but it was true.

The headband wasn’t as hokey as I feared. Instead it pulled my stubborn curls back just enough to give my forehead some shape. My hazel eyes popped more, or maybe they were just bugging out of my skull.

“I know,” she trilled. “I’m a genius.”

“Genius?” My pitch started to rise with every word. “I can’t go out in girls’ clothes!”

“You can’t go out in a t-shirt and shorts?” She drawled.

“Not these ones!” I hissed.

Every bit as transparent as it looked, the shirt revealed my nipples like two pink coins. Yes, pink. I could see their color through the fabric.

And the shorts! Oh, Josh, they came down an inch or two (maybe!) below my buttcheeks. The front was even worse. Obviously not made for someone with a bulge, my natural endowments (not even supernatural, or anything) stretched the material to a degree I wasn’t sure was legal.

“I cannot wear this.”

“You were an infiltrator before, right?” She asked. “You never looked sexy?”

“I never looked like the pizza delivery twink,” I snapped.

“Oh, good,” she said. “You know what a twink is. Just act like that, and this’ll go great.”

Swallowing hysterical laughter, I pinched the shirt away from my torso. “You can see some of my scars right through this thing.”

“Most leeches like scars,” said Beni calmly.

Desperately, I tried, “And look how pale my legs are.”

“They’re vampires, Seth,” she said. “They’re all pale.”

“Beni, I can’t--”

“Seth, you look great. Trust me. Ira’s going to--”

“Don’t say it!”

She grinned. “Eat you up.”

I groaned.

“If you’re quite done making excuses?” She grabbed my hand and pulled me back downstairs.

“Ta-da!”

Evan looked up at her announcement. “You all d…” his voice died.

Every inch of my skin scalded as his eyes traveled over me until I was bright red from head to toe.

I grit my teeth. “Don’t you dare make fun of me.”

“I wasn’t.” His voice was...odd.

“See, even the straight boy likes it,” said Beni cheerfully. “We better get a move on.”

“There is no we,” I sputtered.

Evan cleared his throat. “Seth’s right. I’m his partner. I’ll go.”

“Um, actually,” I began, “I need to do this alone.”

“No,” he said.

“Evan, think about it,” I said. “How will I explain showing up with another guy?”

“We’re brothers,” he said.

“I haven’t gone on many dates,” I said. (Or any, really.) “But I feel like most people don’t take their siblings.”

“He won’t even notice me,” he insisted.

“In a busy parking lot maybe,” I said. “But if he is Damned, there’s no way he won’t see you if he’s there waiting just for me.”

His jaw worked. “You can’t go in the field with no back up.”

“It’s not the field,” I said. “It’s just lunch.”

“With a potential vampire,” he said. “This is a job. How will you get confirmation on your own?”

I held up my left hand, showing him the band aid he’d placed there himself. “I have an idea about that.”

“This isn’t procedure,” he said.

“We had a deal, remember?” I stepped closer, channeling my resolve into my eyes. For some reason, his own were darker than usual. Emerald, rather than jade. “I’m trying to be honest, here. I’ll never be able to do this if I know you’re watching.”

We stared at each other. Then he sighed, passing me the keys.

“Be safe,” he mumbled.

I nodded. “I will.”

Turning away from him, I headed to the door. I glanced over to say bye to Beni, but she wasn’t paying attention. She was watching Evan, a strange smile on her face.