1
MAKE A WISH
STANDING IN THE CORNER WITH A DRINK IN HER HAND, Iris Donovan debated the logistics of ghosting her own birthday party.
Maybe if she skirted around the edge of the room, she could make it to the door without anyone noticing. Or maybe she could stride purposefully there, and if anyone asked, she’d say she was going to grab more booze from the depanneur. The minute she got through the door, she wouldn’t stop running until she made it home. Alone and sober.
“Wipe that scowl off your face,” a female voice hissed in her ear.
She swung around to find that her best friend had snuck up behind her.
“I’m not scowling,” Iris replied.
“You look like you’re either plotting murder or you caught a whiff of something foul.” Suyin considered this a second. “Or both.”
“I don’t—”
“Ooh. No. Better yet, you already plotted the murder and carried it out. And now you’re smelling the rotting bodies, and it’s grossing you out.”
Iris grimaced. “Okay, I get it. I’m scowling.”
She couldn’t help it. This whole night was putting her on edge. She was standing in a room crowded with predators and prey. And the prey were oblivious to the danger they were in.
But her twin sister had begged for her new “friends” to come, and Iris hadn’t been able to deny her. How could she? For years, what was supposed to be their shared birthday celebration had always just been about Iris.
Every year, shy, quiet Lily would find a way to sneak away from the festivities, and no one would notice. Even Iris wouldn’t notice, too caught up in her raucous friends and whatever loudmouthed douchebag she was dating at the time, and it made her hate herself a little.
How the turn tables... or tables turn. Whatever.
Because this year, Iris was the one scoping out the smoothest path to the exit, while her sister was surrounded by company like a regular social butterfly.
Sure, Iris’s usual rowdy crowd was here, but Lily had her own crowd now too. And if Iris had thought she hung out with unsavory people, well... Lily’s new besties made them look like honor-roll students.
After all, they were demons.
Actualdemons. Hell’s dropouts, notorious fiends whose tales of destruction had been passed down through the ages. And somehow Lily fit right in with them. Because they were supposedly “good” now.
Iris had been literally dragged to Hell and back before she’d been willing to accept that there was such a thing as reformed demons, but she still struggled with the idea. How could she not after what had happened to her parents?
She and Lily were witches, and witches who enjoyed living did not mess with anything from the underworld. Yet tonight, as Iris looked around the room, half of her coven were rubbing elbows with demons, and they were completely unaware of it. The whole thing stressed her out.
“So?” Suyin asked. “What’s your deal? You’ve barely said two words all night.”
“I’m fine.”
Obviously unconvinced, Suyin scanned the room as if searching for the cause of Iris’s troubles. Her eyes traveled over to Lily, who was laughing about something, blond hair tumbling in silky waves past her shoulders. She was wearing the lowest-cut top Iris had ever seen on her, and damn, her boobs looked amazing.
Her demon obviously thought so too. One arm around her, Mist was staring down at her like she was the pot of gold at the end of a rainbow.
“Is it Lily’s boyfriend? You don’t trust him?” Suyin’s lips pinched together. “Yeah, I wouldn’t either. He’s way too good looking.”
Iris felt a surge of defensiveness on Lily’s behalf. “What’s that supposed to mean?” she asked. “You don’t think Lily could land a good-looking bloke?”
Lily had always been self-conscious about her weight, and Iris had spent most of their lives convincing her she was perfect as she was. She meant it too. Iris’s body type ran more along the lines of “praying mantis,” and she’d always been a little jealous of Lily’s voluptuous curves. The grass was always greener, as they said.
Suyin scoffed. “No. Have you seen her? That girl’s got assets. I just mean, men that gorgeous aren’t to be trusted. It’s a fact of life. Tell me you’ve learned this by now.”
Iris took a swig of the drink she’d just realized was still in her hand and grimaced. She’d been holding it so long, the beer was flat and room temperature. “Oh, I’ve learned it. I’ve learned it so many times, I ought to get it tattooed across my frickin’ forehead.”
