I tore the ribbon and paper from the box and opened it. Inside, on a bed of tissue, sat a small glass bottle. When I lifted it, the bottle crackled and flashed.
I gasped in surprise.
“Is it lightning?” He nodded.
“Like I said, it’s nothing really. I’d have bought you something more expensive, but I have no money right now.”
The Supernatural Council had frozen Tiberius’s financial assets while the MIB investigated exactly what the old bastard had been up to, and more importantly, who else had been involved in his dastardly schemes.
“Sucks to be poor, eh?” Zane grinned at Alaric, but for once Alaric ignored him.
“I don’t need an expensive gift from you, Alaric. This is perfect.” And it was. I had no clue how he’d filled a potion bottle with lightning, but I loved it.
“I’m glad you like it,” he said, his cheeks pink, before brushing his lips over mine.
A rogue tear slid down my cheek, and I quickly wiped it away before Maverick had a meltdown.
“This is the best birthday ever.”
But before I could stand and collect my books for my first class, a fiery portal opened in the corner of the room, sending Fig running for his life in a panic.
My father stepped through the portal, impeccably dressed in a designer suit, his hair perfectly styled and his shoes shiny. Like always.
“Happy birthing day, my darling daughter,” he announced with a smug-as-fuck smile. “I have a special gift for you.”
“A gift?” The box in my father’s arms jolted alarmingly as smoke rose from the many holes poked in the lid. I wasn’t sure I wanted this gift. It seemed rather dangerous.
“Kill me now,” Kenji groaned as Dad placed the box on the floor and a baby hellhound leaped out with a ferocious roar.
My favorite witch strolled in carrying a pink gift bag. She took one look at the hellhound and screamed so loudly my eardrums burst.
“I can’t believe your hot demon daddy gave you a baby hellhound,” Glynda whispered as we took our seats in Professor Oakman’s class.
The creepy mage remained at Starfall, sadly. From what Maverick had told me, the MIB still didn’t have enough evidence to arrest the old bastard.
Burying my revenge fantasies where Oakman turned into a pile of goo, I pulled out my notebook and then turned to Glynda.
“You think my dad’s hot?” I wasn’t sure how to react to the revelation that my bestie thought my dad was hot. I mean, he was good-looking, sure, but hot?Eww.
“Yeah. He’s got that whole bad-boy thing nailed.”
“Can we not talk about my father in such base terms?”
Glynda chuckled. “Don’t worry. He’s not my type.”
“And what is your type, exactly? Fae?” I teased, remembering she followed a ton of fae social media accounts.
“Definitely not fae,” she snapped. “I hate fae. The pointy ears and shiny hair do absolutely nothing for me.” Hmm. Her reaction seemed a bit OTT, but okay? I mean, I understood. Farris was a great example of why fae were widely considered assholes in our world, but before I could tell Glynda this, Oakman appeared through a door at the back of the classroom.
“Welcome, everyone,” he beamed, his beady eyes lingering on me for way longer than was comfortable. And I wasn’t the only one who noticed.
Goddess save me, did I have something in my hair?
I’d washed it after the shower, um, business with Rasmus and Zane, but perhaps I’d missed a bit of…yuck. Grim.
Kenji blinked into sight and sat on my desk, vibrating with excitement, although I wasn’t sure why as this lesson was about as unexciting as watching troll weed grow. I’d already read the textbook and learned everything I wanted to know about creeping paralysis spells and their practical applications.
Oakman eyed my familiar and licked his lips. Angelika, his cat familiar, looked up and hissed when she saw Kenji, but for once my kitsune ignored her. Thank the goddess for small mercies.
