Page 27 of Enticing Monsters

Before he can slump back onto the bed, I give him another shove.

“You still owe me, and you know it.” I loved those damn knives.

And while it wasn’t all my knives and I can get more, the new ones won’t be the same as the ones I broke in. And stabbed people with.

Besides, I’ve been looking for an excuse the last few days to get what I want. Caleb finally handed me one on a silver platter.

Step two, here we come…

He groans but doesn’t object. “What else do you want?”

“You’re going to tell Mom and Dad that you’re taking me for training in the area and to shop for new knives.”

“Fine, I’ll buy you knives.” He moves to lie back down, his eyes half-mast and his face cracking in two with the force of his yawn, but I yank him up by the back of the shirt.

“I didn’t say you could go back to bed,” I warn him, releasing him and crossing my arms over my chest. “We’re leaving now.”

“Sparkle. Sera. Have some mercy. I haven’t slept in, like, forty-eight hours. I was already running on fumes when you glued me to the damn shower.” His tone’s pleading, and he widens his eyes, clasping his hands in the prayer position. “I’ll shop with you later, and you know Mom and Dad won’t care if it’s done this afternoon. Besides, they’ll be at work for hours yet.”

Because they’re trying to find the psycho behind this mess. He doesn’t have to say it for me to fill in the blanks.

“That’s why I said you’re going to tell them I’m with you.”

He half closes his eyes and, edging towards his pillows, halts suddenly, his full focus turning towards me. “You arenotgoing to have sex.”

I snort and roll my eyes. “Dude, if I wanted to have sex right now, I would, and I wouldn’t ask you to cover for me. It’s my body, and I’ll do what I want with it.”

A slight pallor creeps over his skin, and he shakes his head. “Seriously, can we skip this conversation?”

“You’re the one who brought up sex,” I point out.

He groans, rubbing a hand over his face. “Fine. What is it, then? A cupcake run? A party?”

I step back, crossing my arms over my chest and arching a brow at him. “Sorry, glitter butt. Nothing quite so easy.” He gives me a wary look, and I smile, channeling V with his edge of menace and insanity. “You’re going to be my alibi to Mom and Dad and sneak me into Faerie.”

CHAPTER NINE

SERAFINA

It only took me about an hour to talk my brother around.

Well, an hour, some talking, and a knife to the balls, but really, what else would happen in a debate between siblings?

“I still think this is a bad idea,” Caleb mutters. “Isn’t there a virus or something you can get there? Your health is bad enough—if this virus gets you, who knows what it will do? It’s hard enough watching you hurt, Sparkle, or carrying you to bed after a seizure like I had to do last night.”

His eyes are serious and a little sad as they meet mine, forcing back the tart reply I want to make.

It seems that Cal’s knowledge about Faerie is nearly as poor as my own, surprisingly. I knew my parents visited the world—they found me there, after all—and I assumed they took my brothers at some point. However, Caleb was quick to squash that theory.

“Which is why we’re making a detour,” I remind him in a slow drawl. “Here!”

I point out the window, and he pulls into the drive, parks the car, and lets it idle.

“You sure about this, Sparkle?” His voice is laced with concern, his fingers gripping the steering wheel so tightly that his joints are turning white.

“I need answers, Caleb, and I’m not getting them here. I’m just running in circles, and I can’t keep that up.”And survive.

Caleb’s freaked out enough, so I don’t feel like I need to truly finish that sentence.

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