As You Wish

by Jennifer Snyder

  The sensation of someone’s eyes on me prickled across my skin. I glanced around, searching. A woman dressed in an extremely short black dress with long dark hair and a pair of thigh-high boots stood staring at me. Her eyes drifted to Alayna next.

  “I like those chairs,” Alayna said, causing my attention to shift from the mysterious woman eyeing us. She pointed to a row of glowing chairs.

  They were circular and large enough to fit two people. Nearly all of them were occupied, but a place to sit wasn’t what we were looking for. We were searching for another drink.

  “Let’s keep going up.” Alayna pointed to another set of stairs I hadn’t noticed.

  “Sure.” I wanted to check this place out as much as she did, so I didn’t argue. Plus, I wanted distance between us and whoever the woman in the thigh-high boots was. She looked like trouble.

  We scoped out the next level of the building where an enormous stage stood with a band playing. Swinging beds hung on either side, and both were seriously occupied. Alayna found another set of stairs, and we climbed them until finally reaching the rooftop area. The first thing I noticed was a circular bar in the center. I led Alayna straight to it. As we walked, I scoped out the area, searching for a place to relax. There were sunken sections along the far wall. Each had a few couches and a table with a fire pit in its middle. All were occupied except one. I hoped it stayed that way because Alayna and I were about to fill it once we had a drink in hand.

  As we neared the bar, Alayna garnered the attention of a woman with long teal and pink hair. Her lips were painted bright pink, her freckles looked more like glitter, and I swore she had purple eyes. The way she was dressed reminded me of cotton candy dipped in glitter. Or a cupcake.

  Was she a fairy?

  “Hey there, I’m Nova. Care to try my specialty drink?” she asked. Her voice was bubbly. It let me know her sense of style was authentic to who she was and not a gimmick or a Halloween costume.

  “What is it?” Alayna asked her.

  I imagined it would be something fruity based on the way this chick looked, but didn’t say anything.

  “It’s called Revenge of the Unicorn and features blue Hawaiian punch, grape Kool-Aid, pink lemonade, and a splash of lime soda. I also add in a double shot of your favorite liquor.”

  Revenge of the Unicorn? Was that what she was? A unicorn? Pretty cool. I now could say I’d seen it all.

  “That sounds great. I’ll take one, please,” Alayna said.

  “And what kind of liquor would you like me to add as your double shot option?” Nova asked.

  Alayna bit her bottom lip as her eyes surveyed the bottles of liquor. I noticed the guy seated beside where she stood gave her his full attention. There was a hungry gleam shifting through the color of his eyes and a dopey smirk twisting his lips as he continued to stare at her. A sense of possessiveness sparked to life inside me, and I moved closer to her, coming up from behind to wrap my arms around her waist and lean my chin against her shoulder, letting him know she was mine. He got the hint real quick.

  “What goes better with everything she just said—rum or tequila?” Alayna asked, not seeming to care I was so close. I loved that she didn’t wiggle away from me, but allowed her body to melt against mine even more. She was comfortable with me. We were comfortable together. “I can’t decide.”

  “Go with rum. It’s always good when mixed with fruity stuff, but I don’t know if that can be said about tequila.”

  “Good point.” She waved, catching Nova’s attention once more. “I’ll go with rum, please.”

  “Sure thing.” Nova shifted her attention to me. “And what about you?”

  “Whiskey on the rocks.” A tried-and-true favorite.

  Nova grabbed a glass and went right to work with her concoction. “You got it.”

  I sensed something happening behind us. I glanced over my shoulder to see what it was and spotted a guy breathing fire and putting on a show. The flames changed colors, reminding me of the stairs we’d walked up and the cloud from the main level.

  “Oh, wow!” Alayna shouted when she realized what was going on. “This ball is so much better than last year’s!”

  “One Revenge of the Unicorn and one whiskey on the rocks,” Nova called to us, having made our drinks. “You two have fun tonight.” She winked.

  “Thanks,” Alayna said, grabbing her drink and immediately taking a sip. “Oh, this is good. Want to try it?” She held it out to me.

  I wasn’t sure if it was the alcohol she’d consumed tonight, the environment, or the rush from finally being able to let loose, but whatever the reason, she was cracking me up.

  I smiled as I denied her offer to taste her drink and then motioned to the sunken area nearby that was still free. “Wanna have a seat?”

  She nodded. “Sure.”

  I grabbed her hand and wove our way through the crowd gathering to watch the dragon play with his fire, heading straight for the couch. When we reached it, I sat, but Alayna didn’t. First, she slipped off her heels, took a sip from her drink, and then situated herself beside me with her legs tucked beneath her. She pulled at the hem of her dress to get the fabric to cover more of her beautiful legs, but it didn’t seem to matter.

  Color stained her cheeks. “Some dresses aren’t made for sitting.”

  “You have beautiful legs. I don’t mind the extra view I get now that you’re sitting,” I insisted, hoping like hell my words hadn’t crossed some line and made her uncomfortable.

  “Thanks.” She flipped her hair over her shoulder and then propped her head up in her palm with her elbow leaning against the back of the couch. Her big green eyes landed on me. “Tell me about yourself. You mentioned you were a genie. That’s pretty interesting. How did you land that gig?” She sipped from her drink, eyes still on me.

  Any buzz I had evaporated at the mention of my real life. I took a big swig from my drink and then exhaled a slow breath. “Well, this wasn’t a gig I wanted to land. In fact, I’d say it’s more of a curse than anything. Genies are created. And, only a Sin Demon of greed can create us.”

  A visible shiver slipped through her body. I wasn’t sure if it was because she knew what a Sin Demon was or if she was cold from being up here on the roof.

  “Are you cold?” I set my drink down and leaned forward, ready to give her my suit jacket. “You can wear this if you want.”

  “No, I’m okay.”

  Maybe it was the mention of a Sin Demon that had garnered her shiver after all. Did she have one of her own? Or a demon who controlled her the way mine did me?

  “Explain to me this whole Sin Demon thing. You said forced. As in it owns you?” she asked.

  “Yeah.” I took another swig from my whiskey. “They’re pretty much what they sound like—demons who govern over a particular sin. There are seven total. Mine happens to be the sin of greed. Hence why he creates genies. We grant wishes, and nine times out of ten, people wish for things from a place of greed.”

  Her brows pinched together as she listened to me talk. “What’s the number one thing people wish for?”

  “More money. Hands-down.”

  She laughed. “That’s exactly what I thought you’d say.”

  “Yeah, money is a big deal to all walks of life.”

  “What’s the second thing people wish for most?”

  I didn’t even have to think about it. I knew off the top of my head. “Power. People want to be respected. Either that, or they like to feel in charge and above others.” I took another swig from my whiskey and then continued. “Next would be something to do with sex. Whether that’s wanting to be desired by many or wanting a certain person to want them.”

  “I can see both of those being things people would want.” She twirled a strand of her hair. “How long have you been a genie?”

  “Years.” I frowned, thinking about it. “I was a jerk while human. A kid with too much money and an attitude to match. That’s what drew the attention of my particular Sin Dem
on to me. It’s some harsh karma I was dealt, but it is what it is. Now instead of having everyone wait on me and cater to my every want and need, I grant others’ wishes.”

  “That’s a hard pill to swallow, but I get it. A demon owns me too—a water demon.” Her lips pulled into a frown. And all I wanted to do was make it disappear. So, I said the first thing that came to mind, hoping to get a laugh out of her.

  “Fucking demons. I wish they’d all burn in hell.” I lifted my glass to toast with her, but a guy standing close to where we sat caught my attention with a loud scoff directed my way.

  He shook his head, his eyes still on me. He was red with devil horns and dressed in all black. Clearly, the guy was a demon.

  “Racist much? Screw you, buddy,” he said before storming away, his fruity-looking drink in hand.

  My brows lifted to my hairline. “Well, that was unexpected. I guess I should watch my mouth while I am here. Never know who’s standing around.”

  Alayna laughed. Hard. It was beautiful and contagious. It wasn’t long before I was laughing right along with her.

  “That was hilarious!” She shouted, her hand landing on my knee and giving it a squeeze. She removed it all too soon to wipe beneath her eyes. She’d laughed so hard tears had formed. “I haven’t had this much fun in forever.”

  “Me neither,” I said, meaning it.

  Her eyes twinkled when she looked at me. “Thanks for hanging out with me tonight, Ryan.”

  The sound of my name coming from her lips, and the way she licked them afterward, had me leaning forward to steal the kiss I’d wanted all night.

  Her mouth tasted like berries. Sweet berries. I assumed it was because of the drinks she’d consumed tonight being of the fruity variety, but I’d never kissed a siren before, so I had no idea if it was a supernatural thing.

  When she suddenly pulled away, I thought I may have crossed the line, and she was about to slap me or get up and leave. Instead, her bright eyes locked with mine, and I held my breath, waiting for whatever happened next.

  Her fingertips pressed to her lips. “That was...”

  She didn’t finish her sentence, but she didn’t have to because I understood what she was trying to say. That kiss had been fantastic. Electrical. There was chemistry between us.

  More than I’d ever felt with anyone before.

  She set her drink down and then moved to cup my face, pulling me closer. Her lips crushed against mine, and I fumbled to set my glass down without pausing where this was inevitably heading. My hand, now free, moved to her thigh where I inched my fingers beneath the fabric of her olive dress. She moaned in my mouth at the feel of my hands on her, and I swore then and there she would be the death of me.

  But what a way to go.

  Her hands moved to my suit jacket and tugged, insinuating she wanted it off. I did as she wanted without hesitation, liking where this was going more than I probably should.

  I wanted her. The question was: did I want her like this—drunk off alcohol and freedom, right here on a couch in the open at some crazy ass monster ball?

  Her teeth nipped my bottom lip, and all thought left me. It had been way too long since I’d been with a woman, way too long since I’d felt free.

  I gripped her by the hips and moved her into my lap. Our mouths remained fused the entire time, working in a fiery rhythm that both of us seemed content on keeping. Her nails dug into my skin as I trailed my lips down her neck, making my way to the beautiful patch of skin between her breasts I’d been trying not to stare at all night. Her skin smelled of lilacs. It was intoxicating.

  Hell, everything about Alayna was intoxicating.

  Her fingers fumbled with the buttons of my shirt. I didn’t help her. Instead, I watched, completely turned on as she struggled to get my shirt off.

  Damn, she was sexy.

  I leaned forward and grazed my lips along her collarbone. When she moaned, it was the sound of my undoing. I needed to find a place where we could take this to the point we both seemed to want in private.

  Where? A shadowy corner? No, they were most likely filled with vampires. A bathroom? Hell no, Alayna was more classy than that. We needed some place else.

  One of those funky, glowing cubes on the second floor would be perfect.

  I was just beginning to wonder how I would put the breaks on this thing and get us to one of the cubes when a couple sat on the couch beside us, and the girl giggled. While I knew we weren’t the only ones about to get it on out in the open up here tonight, it still was enough to put everything on pause for both Alayna and me.

  She leaned her forehead against mine and struggled to catch her breath. “Um, I really want to finish what we started but…”

  “I know. Me too. And, I know the perfect place,” I said. She slipped off of me, and we both gathered our things, avoiding eye contact with everyone.

  I grabbed her hand and led her down the stairs to the second floor, where I prayed there was one of those crazy looking cubes free. If not, I might have to ask someone to leave because there was nothing that would stop us from enjoying ourselves the way we wanted during the one night of freedom we’d somehow both been given.

  Chapter Five

  I buttoned my shirt, and then tucked it in, unable to dim the shit-eating grin twisting my lips. I felt on top of the world. Sex with Alayna had been amazing. The noises she’d made. My god, they were sweet enough to drive me mad. I glanced at her, watching as she slid back into her tight dress.

  “That was intense,” she said, avoiding my stare. “I’ve never done anything like that before.”

  Something like what? Sex, because she’d made it clear from the way she moved it hadn’t been her first time. Her green eyes locked with mine, and something in them had me questioning if she was regretting it? I wasn’t. It had been amazing. Beyond amazing.

  “What do you mean?” I moved closer and placed my hands on her hips. Something in me was desperate to make sure she was okay. I cared about her, even though we’d only met hours ago.

  Alayna was one of those rare people you felt like you’d known your entire life right from the start.

  Her nose wrinkled. It drew my attention to her cute sprinkle of freckles across the bridge of it. “I’ve never been with someone I just met. It’s not something I go around doing.” She tucked a few strands of hair behind her ear, and I noticed how red her face was becoming. Was she embarrassed? If so, she had no reason. “It’s just not like me.”

  “I don’t think you’re the kind of girl who goes around sleeping with random guys if that’s what you’re worried about. I don’t go around sleeping with random girls either.” At least not anymore. I wasn’t who I used to be. I hadn’t been him in a while. “How about we talk for a bit? That way we feel like we at least know one another a little more. Maybe it will make you feel at ease.”

  “Okay, yeah.” She nodded and flashed me a beautiful smile. “I’d like that.”

  I piled up some throw pillows behind me to lean on. The entire inside of the cube was padded, making it impossible to distinguish where the bed we were on ended and the walls of the cube began. The space was small but comfortable all the same.

  “Tell me something about you,” I said.

  She moved closer, tucking her legs beneath her like she had before on the couch. Her eyes were bright and beautiful when she looked at me. “What do you want to know?”

  “What about…” I thought for a moment, struggling to think of something that didn’t seem too cheesy to ask. I wasn’t good at this type of conversation. Never had been. “Your favorite movie. Let’s start there. Are you a comedy girl? Horror? Suspense? Action?”

  She chewed her bottom lip as she thought. “I don’t watch much TV. I’m more into books, but if I had to pick something, I’d say I prefer suspenseful movies. I like the real edge-of-your-seat stuff with a good plot twist. I’m the same way with books. I really enjoy a good psychological thriller. What about you?”

  “Comedies have alwa
ys been my favorite. The cruder the humor the better. Laughter is the best medicine and all that. Comedies got me through some hard times growing up.”

  “What’s your favorite color?” she asked instead of dipping into my childhood and why it was so shitty. I was glad because it wasn’t something I wanted to talk about.

  “Black. What about you?”

  “Red. Like deep red, not bright red.”

  I arched a brow. “Blood red?”

  “Yeah, I guess so.” She chuckled. When it tapered off, she exhaled a slow breath. “I wish I could see you again.”

  My heart constricted inside my chest. “I wish that was a wish I could grant for you.” I smoothed a hand along her thigh, enjoying the feel of my skin on hers. “So, what’s it like being a siren? You’re the first I’ve ever met. Do you have to be a good swimmer?”

  She laughed, which was what I’d been going for. The mood had felt a little heavy for a moment. “I think you’re confusing sirens with mermaids. I don’t actually have to get in the water. I just need to be close enough to lead people in.”

  “How do you do that? You sing, right?” I felt like an ass for asking when it was clear from the look in her eyes she wasn’t comfortable with this topic, but I wanted to know more.

  I wanted to know her.

  “Yeah.” She nodded. “My song lures them to the water where they then drown.” Sadness passed over her face. I immediately felt bad for having pressed the issue. I should have stuck with getting to know you questions like what her favorite animal was and so on.

  “I know how hard it is being forced to do something you don’t want to do,” I said.

  While the wishes I granted didn’t kill people—most of the time—it still sucked working for a demon and having no freedom.

  She flashed me a small smile; it didn’t reach her eyes like the others tonight. I squeezed her thigh, hopefully letting her know I was sorry for the cards she’d been dealt. “My Sin Demon feeds off the greed my Charges wishes create.”