Page 46 of Monster's Pet

“Hazel should be almost ready,” I said, turning to look back down our hall. “I have no idea about Lilia, though.”

Sure enough, Hazel was leaving our room, followed closely by Lilia.

Brom was halfway down our hallway to meet his mate before I could even blink. He was so besotted with my friend, and I loved to see it. She deserved to be treated well.

The stairs down to the mess had been transformed. The railings were wrapped with garlands of hearts, tiny cupids dangling between the spokes. Each step changed color once it was walked upon, alternating between pink, red, and white. Clouds of glitter burst overhead at each landing, the dust raining down gently over us.

I spat shimmery silver glitter out of my mouth once we reached the main floor. “Una, did you have anything to do with the decorations this year?”

She smiled entirely too innocently for someone bedecked in glitter. “I might have.”

“I’m going to find this stuff everywhere for years,” Aiden grumbled.

“Probably.” She shrugged.

“There’s a counter curse, isn’t there?” I asked her.

“First of all,” she said, holding up a finger, “I’m offended you think glitter is a curse. And second, why must there be a counter?”

I raised an eyebrow and crossed my arms.

“Fine.” She visibly deflated.

“A little glitter is nice,” I tried reassuring her. “But this is too much.”

“No such thing.” Una pointed at each of us in turn and glitter evaporated off us, swirling overhead in a multi-colored cloud.

“Thank you,” Bruce said, giving himself a shake and brushing his shoulders as if to check for himself that she hadn’t left any behind.

“Dinner?” I said, taking Aiden’s arm and letting him lead me into the mess hall.

The rest of the evening was fun, from the delicious food to the glamor of the ballroom, but I was ready to disappear with Aiden after dancing with him only twice. His heated stares made me feel like I was already naked before him, and I was ready for that to be reality, so we needed to find privacy quickly.

Giggling like teenagers, we ran hand-in-hand up to Aiden’s room. At the door, he swished me around to face him and pressed me against it.

“I am so lucky to have found you,” he murmured against my lips. “You’re so gorgeous. I love you so much.”

“Kiss me already,” I whined impatiently.

Aiden grinned, his breath washing over me, and pulled back. “So ready for it. Are you dripping?”

I flushed at his dirty words. “Yes.”

“Not enough.” He opened his door and we stumbled inside.

“Oh, Aiden. You did this for me?” I gasped, looking at the rose petals strewn across the bed. “And all without magic?”

“It had to be magicless thanks to Moonbeam,” he said, rolling his eyes. “Speaking of, where has she gotten to?”

We searched for his pet, finding her inside her nest with one of the magic generators half-eaten between her paws. She’d managed to drag one of Aiden’s shirts over herself, which was why we hadn’t noticed her immediately.

“Privacy at last,” Aiden said seductively. “Whatever should I do with you?”

“Fuck me until I scream?” I suggested.

“I don’t know...” he trailed off. “You didn’t respond to my declaration of love.”

“Oh, sweetheart!” I wrapped my arms around his neck. “I love you so much I don’t know what to do with myself.”

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