Free The Girl and The Raven by Pauline Gruber

urge to peek at the cake in the fridge. It sure beats Momma coming home with a Twinkie and sticking a candle in the middle before passing out on the couch. By the time Sheldon steps down from the chair, the Happy Birthday sign hung, the doorbell rings.
    “It’s time girls.” Bernard smiles.
    Katie and I run off to my bedroom. We still need to change.
    I throw on my blue jean skirt and gray hankie hem top. Katie puts on a pair of blue jean shorts and layers a powder blue tank top over a white one. I poke my head out my door, listen for a moment, then shut it again.
    “It’s just their poker friends,” I tell Katie, wiping fake sweat from my brow. I hand her my favorite lip-gloss as I apply eye shadow. “You wouldn’t believe how much I had to fight my uncles for the nanny job.”
    “They didn’t like Dylan’s dad?”
    I frown at my reflection. “It was more than that. They didn’t think it was a good idea for me to have a fulltime job over the summer.” I stand up straight and mimic Sheldon’s voice. “A girl your age should be out having fun with her friends.”
    Katie giggles.
    I turn away from the mirror. “But I want to make my own money, build my savings so that I can buy a car. They finally caved after I convinced them I’ll pack in lots of fun over my weekends, including time with them.”
    “At least they tried to talk you out of it.” Katie’s shoulders droop. “My mom insists that I get a job the day I turn sixteen. Between homework and a job, I’ll have absolutely no life. And no time for a boyfriend.”
    I head to the dining room while Katie finishes getting ready. Bernard’s iPhone is docked in the stereo playing the special birthday mix he created for me. I allow the sound of Alicia Key’s voice to wash over me, to counter the nervousness churning inside of me. Maybe a birthday party wasn’t such a good idea after all. Dinner with Katie and my uncles sounds like a really good idea right now.
    “Happy Birthday kiddo.” Sheldon takes my hand in his, gives it a squeeze. Maybe he sees the panic on my face, because he leans in and whispers. “You deserve this. Enjoy it.”
    Although I knew he would be here, my breath catches when I see Marcus standing in the corner of the dining room by the appetizers, a coke in his hand. I haven’t seen him since he spent the night and I have no idea if I’m in danger from the demon or if he, Persephone and Henry have figured out who it is. And I hate that I feel shy all over again. My heart beats wildly in my chest. Katie appears next to me and elbows me in the side, urging me to go talk to him. The doorbell rings. She runs off to answer it, announcing that it’s probably her mom and her mom’s boyfriend, Jerry.
    I walk over to Marcus on wooden legs. “Hey.” Clearly there’s something wrong with me. I can’t think straight. And ‘hey’ is the best I come up with? It’s no wonder he didn’t come and spend a second night with me.
    “Hey yourself.” He fixes me with a penetrating stare. Once again, his outfit—a white button down shirt and dark blue jeans—does him justice. I recall the warmth of his throat, his scent, and I fixate on the area of skin exposed by those three open buttons.
    “Thanks for coming,” I say breathlessly. I give myself a mental shake and try to sound normal...confident. “I hope my uncles didn’t pressure you too much.”
    “Nah, they bribed me with their famous fried pickles.” A smile pulls at the corners of his mouth. He plucks one of the fried pickles from the tray and tosses it into his mouth.
    “Yeah, they’re pretty irresistible.” I smile back at him. I try to imagine what Ella would do right now. Should I flick my hair? Lick my lips? The problem is…I would screw it up and wind up looking foolish.
    Marcus leans into me. “We need to talk later.” His voice is low as his eyes sweep the room. “Certain measures have been put into place.”
    “What kind of—”
    Katie returns, followed by her