Chapter 193 Chapter 193
Valerie and Maxwell were the first ones to arrive at the bar, where she had booked a private room for her party. It was already dark outside, and the establishment was filled with partying people, most of them supernatural beings. A waiter showed them to their room, and Valerie was happy with what she saw. It was spacious, furnished modernly with tables, chairs, and a bar in the corner. Music came from the speakers in the ceiling, and the lights emphasized the decoration on the walls. Everything was as she had requested, so she was satisfied with her choice to come here.
Her guests arrived not long after, the first one being Xander. He appeared directly in front of her to scare the living daylights out of her.
“Hello, Valerie,” he said, earning a shocked screech.
“Xander?” she sputtered, needing a second to get over her surprise. Maxwell was quicker and shot a small beam of light at the other demon.
“Idiot,” he said and rolled his eyes at the younger demon’s antics. Xander just snickered and stuck his tongue out at him.
“Happy birthday, Valerie,” Xander said and hugged her, being so hyper that Valerie wondered whether he’d had too much sugar or something. Immediately after he let go of her, he held his present under her nose. She took it and thanked him, curious about what he had gotten her. He had put it into a red gift bag, and she reached into it, feeling something soft. Pulling it out, she discovered a cute brown bear plushie. Stunned, she looked at it, her mind going blank for a moment. It was adorable, and it surprised her that Xander would get something like this for her.
A smile broke out on her lips. “Thanks, Xander. It’s very cute.”
“Why a bear, though?” Maxwell snorted, scrutinizing the plushie with a raised eyebrow. “That’s so fucking random, even for you.”
“Bears are great,” Xander said and shrugged. “I thought you might want one, Valerie.”
She couldn’t follow his logic, but she was happy about the gift, and that was all that mattered. He mirrored her cheerful expression, his green eyes shining with mirth.
“Valerie,” someone called, drawing her attention to the group of demons that had just come through the door. They had arrived at the same time, and she hurried to greet them.
“Hi there,” she chirped, and everyone went on to wish her a happy birthday. The other demons had also brought presents, ranging from candy to books to a necklace. The latter she received from Benjamin, and it looked like something you would only get in hell. Brian surprised her when he brought a few snacks for Mochi along with his gift.
Esther threw herself at Valerie, embracing her affectionately. The young witch wore an elegant black dress with dark green gemstones stitched on its fabric, the colors matching Vaughn’s outfit.
“Happy birthday, girl,” she gushed. “Did you have a great day so far?”
Valerie smiled and nodded. “Yes. Maxwell made breakfast this morning, and later on, I met some friends,” she summed up.
“Sounds good,” Esther grinned. “Vaughn and I got this for you.” She gave Valerie a gift wrapped in cellophane. Behind the transparent wrapping, Valerie noticed something adorable. It was a photo frame containing a selfie they had taken during their double date at the amusement park. Underneath it was a big assortment of snacks and a jewelry box that she would open later.
“Thank you,” Valerie beamed. “This is so cute! We should go on another double date soon.”
“I agree,” Esther smiled, and even Vaughn, who stood behind her, didn’t look averse to the idea. “Whenever you have time.”
They ordered drinks and snacks for everyone, and Maxwell made it his mission to keep an eye on Valerie to make sure she wouldn’t end up drunk again—even though last time had been a few months ago, it still haunted him. She had acted like a silly child, and he didn’t want to play babysitter tonight.
However, Maxwell was soon distracted by Vaughn, and Valerie found herself in the company of Liam and Brian.
“It’s great to see you’re fine,” Liam said. Even though he wore a smirk on his lips, the seriousness in his eyes didn’t vanish. He was more vigilant, more than anyone else. Liam didn’t mention Mason and their search directly, but Valerie knew that his comment was linked to the issue.
“Yeah, things have been… quiet lately,” she replied. “What about you?”
“It’s the same for us,” Liam answered, gazing at the glass in his hand. She could have sworn the liquid inside rippled a little. “Unfortunately,” he added. “I’d rather get it over with.”
Nicholas Clarke joined them, listening to their conversation with a frown on his face. Brian noted that the mood was dimming. Since today was her birthday and he wanted her to be happy, he steered the topic in a different direction.
“By the way,” Brian grinned. “How’s your cat? I miss the little one.”
“Ah, you mean Mochi?” Valerie smiled, inwardly grateful for the change of subject. “Doing great. Only recently, it managed to make Maxwell jealous again.”
Brian exchanged amused glances with Liam and Nicholas Clarke. “Sounds like we missed something interesting,” Nicholas Clarke smirked.
“Oh yes, you did,” she giggled. “He got very upset with the poor kitty. They… uh… they growled at each other.”
“Why am I not surprised?” Liam smirked, taking a sip of his drink and throwing Maxwell a sly look. He was still busy talking to Vaughn and Esther, not noticing his gaze.
“Because he’s a jealous idiot sometimes? Or always,” Shawn said, joining them. The fire demon wore a beam on his face, his presence brightening the mood. “Just kidding, of course.”
“Don’t let him hear it,” Liam said with a smirk. “Wouldn’t end well.”
Brian and Valerie exchanged an amused glance, the frost demon snickering quietly. He stood next to her and had noticed how much effort she had put into her outfit for the night. “Your dress is pretty. Suits you,” Brian grinned, holding his cocktail in his hand. A few ice cubes swam in the red liquid, clinking against the glass.