by ERIN BEDFORD
“Monica, I think you should leave.” I tried to do it the polite way, but she didn’t seem to take the hint.
“Why?” Monica’s brows shot up to her hair line. “We just got here, why would I want to leave?”
“You’re not welcome here.” Paul crossed his arms over his chest, his eyes narrowing on her. “You should take the chance to leave now before you make a scene.”
“A scene?” Monica scoffed. “Why would I make a scene?”
“Wow, she is one good liar.” Dale adjusted the cuffs of his suit. “I guess it runs in the family.”
Monica’s brown eyes darted from each of my guys and then back to me, worry etching her face. “I really don’t know what you’re talking about, and in any case, I can’t leave. My parents are here, and if I left, they’d want to know why, and I can’t deal with that kind of drama right now.”
“Fine,” I snapped. “If you don’t want to leave on your own, I guess I’ll just have to tell everyone what a nasty little human hater you are.”
“What?” Her voice went up to an annoyingly high pitch. “I don’t hate humans. Why would I?” I stared at her for a long moment, trying to figure out what kind of game she was playing. “I don’t like that look on your face. Why are you looking at me like that?”
“Kind of like the look on your face when you were destroying my dress?” I asked, enjoying the way her smile wilted. “Now, that was something to see.”
“What are you talking about? I didn’t touch your dress.” She brushed her hair behind her ear, her eyes not able to focus on me. “You know, I had wondered why you picked this one instead of the white one, though this one is even better.”
Magic billowed up inside of me drawn by my anger and hurt, making my words burn as they came out. “You know, I thought you were my friend, Monica. I thought, hey, there must be some redeeming qualities about Sabrina if Monica was friends with her. But it looks like it was you that I should have been worried about.”
Monica’s head moved from side to side, disbelief on her face. “I... I don’t know what you are talking about.” Her voice had gone to a high-pitched squeal.
“I think you know very well.” I stalked toward her, making her stumble backward, drawing the attention of others around us. My grandmother was going to kill me for causing a scene at my own party nonetheless. “I know it was you who tried to ruin my coming out party, and I know it was you who sabotaged my booth at school.”
“No, no. That wasn’t me.” She still tried to deny it. “You’re wrong. A liar. She’s a liar.” She pointed a finger at me, trying to get the crowd on her side. “I don’t hate humans, and I have no reason to want your party ruined. We’re friends.”
“No, we’re really not.” I contemplated all the different things I could do to her. I could send her away, but that would require a transportation spell, something I hadn’t mastered yet. I wanted her gone not split in two, which was likely to happen if I tried something like that without training.
“What’s going on here?” Sabrina pushed through the crowd, coming to stand by her friend’s side.
I didn’t turn my gaze from the crying traitor as I answered Sabrina. “You should pick your friends more wisely. This one is likely to stab you in the back when you’re not looking.”
Sabrina glanced between Monica and me. When her eyes landed on the brunette, Monica tried to latch onto her.
“Sabrina, you have to believe me. I’d never do anything to hurt you or anyone. She’s the filthy liar. She took your Paul and the rest of them, leaving nothing for anyone else.”
Once she started talking, it seemed she couldn’t stop. “Why does she deserve all this? Why should we bow down to her? She might be a Mancaster, but she’s no better than those disgusting humans she hangs around with.” She pointed a finger at Callie. “See? She’s already breaking all the rules. We would never have let someone like that in one of our events, but here we have not one but two humans and who knows how many others.”
“Monica.” Sabrina’s voice caused the simpering girl to be quiet. “Shut up.” Sabrina then turned away and walked back through the crowd, completely turning her back on Monica and her ranting.
Her mouth gaped open as she watched Sabrina walk away and then her eyes narrowed on me. Aris bounced around my head, letting off a ringing sound that was really rather late because I could see Monica’s eyes narrow and feel the air around us thicken with power.
She shoved power at me. At that moment, a goblin with a tray of blueberry whipped tarts walked between us, completely oblivious to what was going on. The power hit the goblin and threw him across the room. His tray’s contents flew through the air and covered several guests in their blue filling.
It seemed like going the nice way wasn’t going to work with this one. I sighed. Why can’t anything in my life just be simple for once?
Not wanting to hurt the crying woman but not sure how else to handle her, I had an idea. I drew the magic that had come up and pushed it out toward the screaming witch. Imagining the bubble as Dale had taught me, I focused on wrapping it around her rather than the room.
Her screaming was cut off as the bubble finished closing around her. Modifying the magic to solidify the bubble, I grinned as Monica tried to get out of it but ended up bouncing off the sides.
“Nice trick,” Ian commented.
I winked. “I’m not done yet.”
I urged the magic to become weightless and it lifted off the floor, taking Monica with it. Her silently screaming face was a sight to see and caused the crowd to murmur amongst themselves once more. She tried to throw a spell but whatever magic she was going to hit me with bounced back at her, making her face scrunch up in pain. Well, that solved whether or not she was the violent type. Though, the way she wailed on my dress with scissors had already hinted at that.
“Would you look at that?” Dale mused beside me. “You really do listen.”
I stuck my tongue between my teeth and winked. “Despite some people distracting me.” I glanced around the room and noticed we still had a crowd. “Alright, everyone. Back to the party nothing to see here.” They didn’t listen.
My grandmother barreled through the crowd, apologizing as she moved. “You,” she pointed at a goblin, “get this mess cleaned up. Patricia?” She found my mom standing off to the side. “Do you think you can handle a simple cleaning spell?”
“Of course, mother.” My mom narrowed her eyes at her before helping to clean up the guests who had been sprayed.
“You heard my granddaughter, get back to the party or you’re going to be joining Miss Magenski on the ceiling.” Turning away from the crowd, my grandmother’s eyes settled heavily on me. “I should have known better than to hope for an uneventful evening from you.”
I grinned cheekily. “Well, you know me.”
“Yes,” she said drily. “Unfortunately, I do. Try to behave yourself the rest of the night?” She raised a brow at me and then walked toward the guests near my mom.
I stopped a goblin passing by with a tray of crackers and something colorful fizzing on top, I said, “Can you guys see if you can get Miss Magenski off the ceiling and back to her car?”
The goblin grunted before shuffling away.
“I’m going to take that as a yes.” Turning back to the guys, I frowned. “Where’d Ian and Paul go?”
Aidan and Dale shrugged.
Seeing as they weren’t bothered and Aris didn’t freak out, I shrugged as well. “Alright, let’s get some food in my stomach. All these things they’re serving are weird. Did your parents make anything normal? Like pigs in a blanket?” I moved through the room and toward the kitchen entrance.
Dale grabbed my arm, stopping me. “There’s something I think you’ll like over here.” He drew me over to the buffet table where there was a full spread of human and magical food.
I had my mouth crammed with my third piece of some chicken that was literally on fire when Aidan came up to me a concerned expression on
his face.
“What is it?” I swallowed hard, coughing as a piece of food got stuck in my throat. “Did Monica get back in?” I glanced up at the ceiling which had been void of Monica’s bubble for a good half hour.
“No.” Aidan took my plate and sat it on the table. “It’s Ian.”
Frowning, I let Aidan lead me away from the table and toward the terrace. “What’s wrong with Ian?”
“I had a vision.”
“What kind of vision?” I scanned around the yard but only saw darkness. “Dark magic kind of vision?”
Aidan nodded.
Rubbed my hands on my skirt, I gestured to Aidan. “Well, let’s go. I didn’t get all dolled up to have Ian’s new friends ruin it.” Aidan took my hand, and we fled the party and into the darkened yard below.
Chapter 20
My heart pounded in my chest as we raced from the party and into the backyard. I hated thinking that Ian had gotten hurt in some way, especially after we talked to him about how dangerous his new friends could be.
“Where is he?” I asked Aidan, not able to see in the dark yard. “I thought you said he was out here?”
“He is,” Aidan responded. Okay, so two words answers were his norm, but even I found that cryptic.
“Well, then?” I turned back to him gesturing helplessly. “Want to help a girl out? ESP it or whatever?”
Aidan chuckled. “It doesn’t—”
“Work that way, yeah, yeah. I remember.” I waved him off, my eyes squinting in the dark. “So, what exactly is he doing? Summoning a demon? Bringing Alan Rickman back to life?”
“Not exactly.”
I took several purposeful steps toward the edge of the pond in my grandparents’ backyard. It wasn’t lake-sized, I couldn’t ride a ski boat across it, but it did have an adorable gazebo living in the middle of it. Not that I’d be able to get to it. There weren’t any bridges or stepping stones.
However, someone was standing in the middle of it.
“There’s someone over there,” I muttered, moving closer to the edge.
“Is there?” Aidan came up behind me, so close I could feel his body heat. “Ian?”
I shook my head. “I don’t know. I can’t tell.” The edge of my shoe touched the water, and I ignored the coolness coming through. “Maybe if we could get a bit closer?”
“Hold on.” Aidan’s large hand wrapped around my waist, pulling me back. “You’re going to get wet.”
I leaned my head back to look at him. “Do you really think now is the time to worry about my dress? It’ll dry. However, a zombie apocalypse waits for no dress. In fact...” I tried to reach behind me to undo the dress.
“What are you doing?”
At Dale’s voice, I startled falling sideways in my struggle against my dress. I almost face planted into the water, but Aidan thankfully caught me in time with his big hands.
“Trying to take my dress off so I can see if that’s Ian over there and stop the warrior demons from taking over the human race and making us into their taco slaves.”
“Wait, what?” Dale’s brows furrowed. “I know something in there made sense, but I’m having difficulties deciphering it. Once more, for the little people?”
I snorted. Little people. Yeah right.
“Ian has gotten into some bad juju, and we’re here to save the day,” I summarized, still trying to get my dress undone. Giving up with a frustrated growl, I spun around. “Help me with the zipper.”
“Hold on. That’s not necessary.” I glanced over my shoulder to see Dale scowl at Aidan. “Were you really going to let her strip down for this?”
Aidan smirked.
Shaking his head, Dale moved past me to the edge of the pond. Cupping his hands around his mouth, he shouted, “It’s time.”
“Time?” I glanced between the two of them. “Time for what?”
Dale pushed his glasses up his nose and smiled. “Just watch.”
Aidan wasn’t much help either. He moved to the other side of me and crossed his arms over his chest, waiting for something.
Glancing up at Aris, I scowled. Something funny was going on here. If Aris wasn’t freaking out, then the real danger was not here. Or anywhere near here. Which only meant that...
The dark figures in the gazebo moved and the pond lit up. Water filled columns of light shot up from the pond in two straight lines, creating a sort of bridge toward the gazebo. The dark gazebo no longer covered by darkness, and as that veil pulled away, it revealed two people. Ian and Paul. They stood next to a table with a large cake and several packages.
It dawned on me that I’d been duped. “Ian wasn’t in trouble, was he?” I glowered at Aidan halfheartedly.
He shrugged. “Only to himself.”
“And you.” I pointed a finger at a smiling Dale. “You had a hand in this?”
“We all did.” Dale wrapped an arm around my shoulders. “With some help from your grandparents, of course.”
“Of course.” I murmured, though the fact that my grandmother had helped astounded me more than anything. She had been pretty clear about her feelings regarding all of my guys that the thought of her helping them do anything was a bit bizarre.
“So, how do we get over there?” I asked, staring down at the water. “I don’t suppose you have a boat?”
“Actually,” Dale waved his arm forward. The ground vibrated beneath our feet and panels of wood from beneath the pond rose up and formed a bridge, the water columns careening over it to form a series of arches.
I stared in awe as I made my way onto the bridge. When I stood underneath the columns of water, my shoulders bunched expecting to get wet. However, the water didn’t even drip onto the bridge. It stayed above us in their own little tubes of light.
“This is really amazing,” I murmured and then smiled back at Aidan and Dale who trailed behind me. “You did this all for me?”
Dale rubbed the back of his neck. “Well, you almost ruined it with that whole thing with Monica but yeah. It’s your birthday after all.”
My lips tipped down. “How did Monica almost ruin it?”
This time it was Paul who answered. “Not so much what she did, but after you dealt with her and then you ran into the kitchen, you almost caught us bringing the cake out here. Then the whole thing would have been for nothing.” He offered me his hand.
I flushed, taking the hand he held out to me. “Well, it’s not my fault. Kicking ass makes me hungry.” I huffed and then sat down at the table next to Ian. “I see you’re alive and well.” I narrowed my eyes into slits looking for any signs that he had been doing something bad. “Was this your idea?”
Ian quirked a brow. “Well, I can’t say it wasn’t partly my idea, at least to use me as bait.”
“The cake was Aidan’s idea.” Paul took the seat next to me, sandwiching me between the two brothers. “The whole light show was Dale.”
“And what did you bring to this whole fiasco?” I peered up at Paul.
Paul grinned cheekily. “That.” He pointed a finger behind me just as a loud boom filled the sky.
Spinning in my chair, I gaped at the fireworks being shot from the other side of the pond. I had seen dozens of human fireworks. They got boring once you hit puberty, but nothing prepared me for magical fireworks.
The rocket shot to the sky and burst into a large star. Instead of dispersing and falling to the ground, the sparks of fire rearranged their shape into a message.
Happy Birthday, Max.
“Ah, you guys,” I cooed, tearing up against my better judgment. “This is so sweet.”
“We just wanted to let you know that we’re in.” Paul kissed my forehead, making me frown.
“You’re in?”
Dale stepped forward. “What you said before with your parents about caring about us all. We just wanted to make it official. We’re all in. Whatever you want to do, we’re here.”
Aidan grunted his agreement.
Ian grabbed my hand, pulling me into his
embrace. “If you want to keep dating all of us, that’s fine. We’re good with it. We do have some conditions though.”
I raised a brow at him. “Conditions? I thought it was whatever I wanted to do?”
Aidan snorted, and I shot him a glare.
“What we meant was,” Ian placed his hand on my face turning my eyes back to his, “that we’re ready to share you equally, but you have to give equally as well.” His finger stroked the side of my face.
I squinted at him. “Is this about sex? Because I thought we were doing pretty good on that front.”
“We are.” Ian nodded firmly. “However, it isn’t just about sex. It’s about—”
“Time,” Aidan interjected. “Emotion.”
“Dates,” Paul added.
I glanced at Dale who hadn’t said anything. “What, nothing from you?”
Dale smirked and then shot me a wink. “I’m just here for the sex.”
I wrinkled my nose at him. “Oh, are you?”
The guys laughed together and then I put my hand up, stopping them. “I have conditions as well.”
“Oh, you do?” Ian growled. “And having four of the most powerful wizards on campus at your beck and call isn’t enough?”
“Pfft.” I rolled my eyes. “I’ll believe it when I see it.”
Paul gestured to the cake and set up.
“Okay, fine. You’re getting up there with the best boyfriends award, but I still have conditions.” I put a finger up. “No fighting for my time. We can make a schedule or whatever if you want, but I’m not scheduling sex.” I pointed a finger at Dale. “That’s one thing I’d rather be organic, spontaneous.”
“Very well.” Aidan nodded.
“What else?” Paul placed his hand on my leg and wiggled it.
“Also, while I might be dating four of you, I don’t want you with anyone else.” I held my breath on that one. I knew it was selfish. I was asking them to be monogamous, but I wasn’t. They’d totally tell me to fuck off.
“Fine by me,” Ian announced with a grin, “as long as Paul makes out with me.” He gave his brother a lewd wink which made Paul jump to his feet.