"Call 'em anyway. If you don't, he'll think you don't care. Just be prepared for him t'be sulking and snappish. I would be if I had lost." Cesare was an older vampire, and after needling him enough, Cooper knew that he had his pride too. Right now, he had to be smarting from the defeat.

At Nancy's next words, Cooper shrugged apologetically. "Sorry, sweet-pea. I've lived in the real world for too long. Still, I'm glad to have you on my side." He kissed her on the lips then, tasting a little bit of the drink she'd just had still on them.