Timothy is a young boy in a family of vampires—however, he isn't like the others: he sleeps in a bed instead of a coffin, he doesn't have fangs, can't stomach blood, can't fly, is afraid of the dark, and lacks any kind of magical ability. Within his family, he's an outcast—his brothers (Bion, Leonard, and Sam) laugh at him for his lack of vampiric qualities. He talks mournfully to his pet spider, Spid, about this. Timothy's sister, Cecy, has the magical ability to project her consciousness into other people's minds, leaving her body in a trancelike state and being able to control the body and mind of the other person, or just observe the world through their eyes.

The household is preparing for a family reunion—The Homecoming—with aunts and uncles who the kids haven't seen in a long time—or ever—flying in from all over the world. Timothy prays to the Dark One to let him develop a magical ability like his brother's and sisters, who each have their own, unique ability, and finally fit in with his family. At midnight, during a thunderstorm, the guests begin to arrive. As Timothy's mother introduces him to his Uncle Jason, she has to explain his differences and how he doesn't drink blood, but asserts: "He'll learn. He's my son, and he'll learn. He's only fourteen." Leonard makes fun of Timothy for using a candle for light, saying he's afraid of the dark. Timothy's Uncle Einar, who he's evidently fond of, arrives, and Timothy runs to hug him. Uncle Einar throws Timothy into the air repeatedly to mimic flying, which Timothy still can't do on his own.

Everyone sleeps for the day then resumes festivities the following night. Timothy goes upstairs to find Cecy, who has stayed in bed, using her magic to travel around, currently projecting her consciousness into the body of a farmer's wife beside the Salton Sea. Timothy asks Cecy to take over his body—because he wants to do something to impress everyone, to "make [him] belong." He clears his mind and she begins to control his movements with her projected consciousness. He runs back downstairs and drinks a glass of blood easily—since it's Cecy, not him. Everyone stares. Then he drinks blood from his sister Laura's neck. He eats toadstools. However, then, he leaps from the top of the stairs convinced he can fly—and falls, lacking wings. Uncle Einar catches him. Without his wanting to, Cecy makes him yell, "This is Cecy! This is Cecy! Come see me, all of you." Everyone laughs and goes to congratulate Cecy. Timothy is tremendously upset and angry at Cecy. Uncle Einar comes and finds him crying under a tree and tells him not to feel bad and that "life's better for those who live the least of it."

When the party finally ends, Timothy reflects on how he might not be immortal like the rest of his family—and might not still be around to see his relatives at the next reunion, in Salem in 1970. As he goes to bed, his mother tells him they all love him no matter how different he is and that if he dies he'll "lie at ease forever." He goes to bed crying.