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I stop in mid-step, staring down at the message. Rock? What rock?

The stranger sends a photo of a rock sitting in the grass. It looks fairly normal, even boring, until I zoom into the image. Carved into the stone is a message.Come out, come out, fae bitch. I swallow thickly, looking at the stone. That must have been what was thrown at Alice’s window last night.

Wait. On my desk?

Okay, someone is still very pissy. It probably wasn’t smart to mention the headmaster, but there is something so delightfully delicious about how he reacts to it. I think that might be skirting the boundaries…

83

Summer

Ilay sprawled on top of Connor, both of us completely naked, as he runs his fingers through my hair. After a long day of studying, we all ate dinner together, and Connor conned me into a sleepover. It was only possible because Zach received a booty call request just as we were discussing where Alice could sleep.

“I’m going to miss you,” he says, his voice sounding far away and wistful.

“It’s just two weeks, Con. I will be with Alice for Yule and we’ll be back in time to have Christmas Eve together. Then I’ll be coming to Eden for your birthday.”

Connor sighs. “I just love everything about it this season. It is our first year together, and I want to share it all with you. Are you sure you need to go to Transylvania?”

“Alice needs me,” I say with a gentle smile.

“Fine,” Connor groans. “But you’re with me next Yule and Christmas.”

I press a kiss to his chest. “Deal.”

“I’ve got you presents, you know?” he says, twirling a lock of my hair around his finger.

“Oh, yeah?”

“Two presents, actually. But don’t worry, neither of them are in ring-shaped packages.”

I quirk a brow. “And why did you feel the need to say that?”

Connor smiles, pulling me closer. “No reason.”

I pull back, looking up at him. “Are you saying I’m not worth an engagement ring?” I tease.

“You want a ring?” he asks.

“I didn’t say that.”

“Hm,” he says with a secretive little smirk.

I laugh, brushing my lips over his. “We should sleep. We have lots more studying to do tomorrow.”

Connor yawns and kisses the top of my head before he drifts off.

I check my phone and see I have another message from the stranger.

I shift off Connor. I have learned that my angel sleeps like the dead, but I am still careful not to wake him.

I climb out of bed and pull on one of Connor’s shirts and a pair of snow boots before going downstairs. Everyone is in their rooms, so my path is completely clear as I leave the house. The cold nips at my bare legs and teases beneath the shirt, and I curse myself for not taking an extra minute to pull on some pants and a large sweater.

I feel his hand before I see him. He ruffles my hair. “You two made up,” he says, his voice caressing my ear.

“Huh?”

He nods toward the house. “You and the boy.”