It was too much. Aster, my sister and best friend, was a vampire. I let it all out—the anger, the sorrow—in a torrent of tears.

Other than to use a tiny cell phone like Selene’s, Leslie sat quietly and held me while I fell apart. When the crying ran its course, I felt numb and empty. My breathing hitched and stuttered, and Leslie’s hold on me tightened, as if that might help. He kissed my hair and then buried his nose in it. I heard him sniff it, and then he pulled back to sniff...