Page 4 of Monster's Pet

“I think I need a shower first,” I said dryly, our combined fluids now coating our thighs.

“I could clean you up.” He wiggled his eyebrows, making me laugh.

“Tonight,” I promised him. “It’s time for presents!”

I used magic to clean myself and the room and we got dressed quickly. We shuffled out of my room, taking the stairsdown to the kitchen two at a time like children. If there hadn’t been garland wrapped around the banisters, I probably would have slid down them like I used to. There was something about being with Aiden that brought out my playful side.

I liked it.

“Happy Christmas!” Grandfather greeted us, leaning against the counter with a cup of coffee in his hand. “I hope you had a pleasant rest?”

“I slept very well, sir,” Aiden said respectfully.

“I’m afraid I can’t wait any longer for you to open your gift, my girl,” Grandfather said, gesturing with one hand. A small box materialized in front of my plate. “Go on.”

The old box was wrapped simply with a red ribbon, so I pulled on one end and pressed the latch with my thumbnail, opening it to reveal a familiar ring set with amethysts and diamonds.

“Grandmother’s engagement ring!” I gasped, putting my hand to my mouth. “Are you sure you want to give it up?” The light purple stones winked up at me between the larger shimmery clear diamonds.

“I’m not getting any younger.” He brushed off my protests before I could say anything. “And I have no male grandchildren who might ask for it to propose to their girlfriends. I expect Aiden has a family heirloom that he will use for his own proposal, so I can’t think of a better gift for you.” He paused to take a drink. “Also, I had a dream that it was needed.”

I arched my eyebrows in surprise. “Needed? What’s the story behind this ring?”

Grandfather shrugged. “It’s been in the family for so long, I’m not actually sure. Maybe you can ask Darragh when you see his portrait next.”

“I’ll do that,” I said, making a mental note.

“It’s beautiful,” Aiden said, leaning over to look at it in the box. “Are you going to put it on?”

“Oh yeah.” I slipped the beautiful jewelry onto my right ring finger and smiled at it.

“I promise I will propose to you,” he murmured quietly. “You’re my forever.”

I kissed his cheek softly. “I never doubted you for a second.”

“Eat!” Grandfather urged us. “I want to see what you got for me!”

I rolled my eyes. “I swear, you’re more like a child than I am. I’m surprised you didn’t wake us at sunrise!”

“I was tempted,” he admitted unabashedly.

CHAPTER 2

Going backto Blackthorn Academy was always difficult, but this time was different. In the first place, Aiden was with me, and it was hard to be sad about leaving Grandfather behind when I was wrapped up in Aiden’s arms. Secondly, Bruce and his wife, Clarissa, were on the ferry with us, returning from their holiday in Ireland at Bruce’s home there.

I shook my head, still surprised that none of us had realized that Bruce had been displaced by over three hundred years in order to try to save his wife, who had been turned to stone. It had taken that long for the fruit that would save her to mature. His brother had taken over the duties of headmaster, and his descendents had put aside investments for the heir when he arrived. Once he had saved Clarissa, I had thought that they would leave the academy, but it turned out that not only had they not completed their schooling before they had gotten married, but the magical advancements that had taken place in the three hundred plus years meant that they still had a lot to learn. They had been assigned special married quarters once Clarissa had registered to attend the school, and would be staying there for the first time once we got to school today.

“Are you looking forward to your classes?” I asked Clarissa, leaning forward slightly to see the majestic woman. She was extremely tall with beautiful black hair and a stern resting face. When she smiled, though, her dark brown eyes lit up with her inner fire, practically making her shine.

She smiled now. “I am!” she said in her accented English. Not only was she from the sixteen hundreds, but she was from the Ottoman Empire, from the region known as the country Turkey in today’s world. “There is so much I wish to learn. History of Magic will be especially useful in updating me on all the time I have missed.”

I nodded in agreement. “As long as you steer clear ofAncientHistory. You lived through that!” I teased.

If possible, her smile widened. “That will never get old,” she said, her eyes dancing with mischief.

“That was terrible,” Aiden said with a groan. “You’re as bad as Siobhan.”

“I will take that as a compliment,” Clarissa said with a wink at me.

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