Free Eternal: A Seaside/Ruin Crossover Novella (Seaside #6) by Rachel van Dyken

movies.”
    “I’m sexually frustrated, and you want to sit next to me?”
    “The man has a point.” He huffed. “Well then, good luck with...” He pointed at my body. “…that. And if all else fails, cold showers, friend.”
    I cursed.
    “Want me to sing you a lullaby with my accent? Does it for Pris every time. Then again, it’s not hard to—”
    “Go.”
    Chuckling, he lifted his hands into the air and backed up. “Fine. See you on the other side.”
    The door slammed.
    And I was left more wide awake than I was before.
    I was just getting ready to jump back into bed when my door slammed open and Alyssa launched her tiny body in my direction like a lion attacking a zebra.
    Her mouth was on mine.
    Her tongue, touching my tongue.
    Her breasts pressed against my naked chest.
    I groaned.
    And sadly, pushed her away.
    “Whatcha doin?”
    “Saying goodnight?”
    “Say it again… I dare you,” I whispered against her lips.
    “You ate three fish meant for seals today.”
    I kissed her again. “I also sang One Direction. Give me my prize, woman.”
    “Prizes come tomorrow night.”
    “Can they come tonight too?” I joked.
    She smacked me on the shoulder. “Goodnight, Dem!”
    “Goodnight, love of my life, sexiest woman on the planet. Oh, and PS, Jaymeson offered to sing me a lullaby. He was going to fix the problem, and here you go…” I pointed down in exasperation. “…and stir things up again.”
    She tilted her head, a seductive smile curving around those lush lips. “Mad because I’m good with my hands?”
    “How good?” I croaked, not so sure I wanted to hear the answer, considering I was ready to explode on the spot.
    Her voice dripped with sex. “Wanna see?”
    I nodded, mouth dry. Hell yes.
    With a saucy grin, she waved them in front of her face and winked.
    “Cute. It’s like sign language for the lion to come out and play. Do it again. See if I don’t chase you down the hall and claim any prize I can get my hands on. Go ahead. Run antelope, run!”
    “Ha.” She threw her head back and laughed. “I’ll see you in the morning… Just think. This is the last night you have to sleep all by your lonesome.”
    “There was a bat!” I said in desperation.
    Lyss’s eyes narrowed as she peeked under the covers. “In your bed?”
    “No!” I coughed, swatting her hand away. “At the window. It taunted me, said… mean things.”
    “The bat talked to you.”
    “No, well…” I scratched my head. “…tt communicated with its eyes.” Yeah, that so wasn’t helping my case.
    “And it said… ‘I’m going to kill you in your sleep’ ?”
    Awesome. I could have really done without the cheesy Count Dracula voice.
    “No, but—”
    She crossed her arms. “Dem, was there really a bat?”
    “YES!” I went over to the window. “It was right here.”
    She squinted and walked over. “Wow, look at that bat-filled sky. It’s just… insane.”
    “I’m not lying.”
    “Cute excuse, a bat. Didn’t see that one coming.” She laughed. “Love you.”
    The door closed.
    With a curse, I glanced back at the window, only to see the bat sitting there again, freaking glaring at me like some demon-possessed creature. Swear, it’s eyes were even red.
    “I’ll get you,” I vowed.
    Really, that should have been my cue right there. Seeing a bat was like seeing a black cat, right? Because the next day… though I was convinced was going to go as planned…
    Didn’t.
    It just…
    Didn’t.

CHAPTER FIFTEEN
     
    Demetri
    “ W HAT DO YOU MEAN the cake’s missing?” I yelled hoarsely into the air. Somehow I’d managed to lose my voice that morning, on top of everything else that had happened. It had started with no hot water and had just gone downhill from there. On a brighter note, the bat was gone, but I was pretty convinced he was just biding his time before he pounced. “Cakes don’t just go missing.”
    Jaymeson gave me a blank stare then lifted his hands into the air. “All I know