Oliver handed me the box. “Open it.”
I did so, tearing away the Christmas paper Oliver had wrapped it with and lifting the lid. A dozen sexy pairs of bras and panties were nestled in tissue paper.
I tried not to laugh as I lifted one up. The netted material was fringed with lace. It looked like whoever had made it had run out of fabric.
“Wow, this is—” going into the back of my drawer, where I’ll never touch it again, “uh, really sexy.” I wasn’t going to ask how he knew my size.
Oliver smiled smugly. “It’s about time you replaced all those hideous cotton panties you have stashed away.”
And just like that, Oliver managed to spoil a good moment. Fairies.
“My panties—”
“Needed to be burned,” Oliver said. “Lucky for you, I’ve already taken care of that situation.”
I blinked a couple of times at Oliver, trying to make sense of his words. Then I squinted suspiciously at him. My gaze darted to my dresser. I was up in an instant, pulling open my top drawer.
Empty.
“All my underwear is … gone.”
“Happy birthday!” Oliver squealed. I could hear the glee in his voice.
I turned around, my fangs descending. “You are so going to—”
Leanne stepped in front of me and handed me another box, this one much smaller than Oliver’s.
I took the small package from her, still staring at Oliver. “I can’t believe you just pillaged my underwear drawer.”
“Upgraded it, sweets,” he said from behind Leanne.
“Just shut up, Oliver,” Leanne said, “or she’s going to drink you dry, and I want her to open my gift before she does that.”
She winked at me and leaned in close. “I promise you can have at him as soon as we’re done,” she whispered.
“Hey, I heard that!”
I smiled at her, and she nudged the present in my hand. Taking the hint, I ripped off the wrapping paper and opened the box hidden beneath it. Inside was a bottle of perfume.
When I reached for it, Leanne’s hand shot out and she stopped me. “Wait. Before you put it on, you should know that this is magical perfume—it repels … er, suitors.”
My eyebrows shot up. “No fucking way?” I said, reappraising the perfume bottle. Now that my powers were intensifying, the siren in me was growing, which meant that I had an increasing amount of unwanted attention. “This will scare them off?”
“Well, it won’t scare anyone off—you’ll have to flash some fang for that—but it should dampen some of the lusty looks and the creepy stalkers,” Leanne said, shaking her head.
I set the bottle aside and tackle hugged Leanne. “You. Are. The. Best.”
“Hey!” Oliver said, “what about me?”
I opened my arms. “You too Pixie Sticks, even if I haven’t fully forgiven your for burning my undies.”
Oliver huffed but stepped into the embrace.
“I can’t believe I had to buy my friend boy repellent,” Leanne said.
Oliver shook his head. “Sometimes life just ain’t fair.”
I rolled my eyes at them. “Where did you even find that?” I asked Leanne. “I didn’t know that sort of thing even existed.”
“Yeah, it does, but it’s sold in the ‘Hexes and Curses’ section of supernatural shops.”
There was a thoughtful pause as the three of us considered this, and then we fell into hysterical laughter.
“Why didn’t you throw in a bottle of hair loss shampoo or some aging cream while you were at it?” I asked when I finally caught my breath. “I’m offended.”
Leanne flashed me a wicked smile. “I was tempted.”
Man I was going to miss her.
That evening I exited my dorm, pulling my jacket tighter around me as soon as I walked outside. My body thrummed long before I caught the gaze of the dark being in front of me.
Andre pushed away from his car, his body seeming the gather the shadows around him. He looked for all the world like the prince of darkness he was.
He sauntered over to me, power snapping off of him. The thrum of energy built upon itself until he stood in front of me. Then the noise fell silent.
“Happy birthday, soulmate,” he said, a smile tugging at his lips as he spoke. He leaned in and kissed me gently.
Loose strands of his hair tickled my face as his mouth glided against mine. Fire simmered through my veins as the kiss escalated. Our lips parted, tongues touched, and I closed the remaining distance between us until our bodies were flush with one another.
He sighed and pulled away, looking regretfully at my lips.
“What’s wrong?” I asked.
He glanced at his watch. “As much as I enjoy that mouth of yours, we have a boat to catch.”
“A boat … to catch?” I asked, not sure whether I’d heard him correctly. “I thought we were going out to dinner.”
“We are,” he said, “out on the open ocean.”
The frosty ocean air whipped my hair about and tugged at my coat. Not even this chilly evening could prevent me from enjoying the open water. The volatile siren in me had relaxed now that I was surrounded by it.
A warm chest pressed into my back as the boat left Douglas harbor.
“Are you sure you’re not too cold out here?” Andre’s lips tickled my ear as he spoke, and his hair grazed my cheek. We stood on the deck of his yacht, watching the land grow smaller and smaller.
My fangs slid out, and heat rushed to my skin. “I’m good.” He was doing plenty to keep me warm and flushed already.
“How did you know?” I breathed. There was no place I’d rather be than out here, with nothing but water stretching out around me on all sides.
His lips skimmed my ear. “How could I not?”
I smiled and leaned into him, and for a while we remained like that. That was, until Andre kissed the exposed skin behind my ear. I swiveled around to face him.
His gaze was heated, and his eyes dropped to my lips. Was Oliver right? Was all that held Andre and me back from doing the deed just my age? And if that was so, where was tonight going to lead?
The thought made me excited. And nervous.