“Since this is a sleepover, I should be able to invite Carter.” Eli folded his arms, looking for any excuse to avoid ‘the games’. He also looked for an escape route. Sitting Indian style, Winter and Parker blocked the main exit between the beds and Ally’s feet dangled from the bed to his right.

“Girls only.” Haley hopped down from Winter’s ankle and strode towards him.

“Fine,” he said. “Put me back in my apartment.”

“Girls and premies only.” Haley backed him against the cabinet and poked him in the forehead. “Which should go without saying.”

“What game are we going to play first?” Winter asked, leaning forward onto her elbows. “I know! How ‘bout Monopoly?”

“Sounds good to me,” Eli said.

“Boooring.” Haley pointed to Ally who, as usual, was fiddling with her phone. “She’s filming for YouTube. If we play a board game, we’ll lose subscribers.”

“We?” Eli said. “Since when did you get involved with my channel?”

“Since I became your manager.” Haley rounded behind him and pushed him toward Parker, hands on his shoulders. “Lord knows you need all the help you can get.”

“Pretty sure I never agreed to this,” Eli said as she thrust his body into a more central location.

“Typical Haley.” Winter leaned one shoulder against the bed where Ally sat. “Get used to it.”

“I have to admit.” Ally spoke from high above. “You’ve become a lot more outgoing since you met her.”

He squirmed out of Haley’s shoulder vice grip. “Well —”

“First order of business.” Haley walked over to Parker. “I’m teaching you the basics about humans, at least in regards to the games.” She pointed.

On cue, Parker extended her right leg and rolled up the hem of her jeans, exposing her ankle and lower calf.

“Rule number one — don’t worry about hurting humans. You can’t.” She unleashed a series of punches on Parker’s leg, avoiding the bone. Her fists deflected harmlessly and Parker smirked.

“I’ve got sharp nails.” Haley clawed with both hands. “But at best, I’m giving her a light exfoliation.”

“Keep going.” Parker bit her lower lip.

“You wish.” Haley kicked the enormous leg. “Now you try it,” she said to Eli.

“Me, me, me!” Winter extended her own leg and swooped it beside Eli. “Do me!”

“I’m not going to punch a girl.” He stepped away from his sister’s bare foot.

“Spare us the chivalry,” Haley said. “You took a swing at me earlier today. Or are you saying you don’t consider me a girl?” She walked toward him, hands on swaying hips. “Maybe I need to prove — “

Parker’s leg lifted and descended in front of Haley, but the premie vaulted over the ankle as if it were a minor obstacle. Parker’s hand appeared, scooping Haley up and depositing the smaller girl on the bed beside Ally.

“It really is ok, Eli.” Parker said as Haley crossed her arms, fuming. “You can’t harm her.”

“Please, Eli.” Winter inched her leg to the side, nudging his hips with her ankle. “Pretend I’m a punching bag and you’re letting off steam.”

“But I’m not angry,” he said.

Winter pressed her lips together, then smiled mischievously. “Still got some mashed potato right…” She wet her finger and, before he could dodge, wiped saliva along the entire left side of his face and neck. “There. Got it.”

“Disgusting!” He wiped his face on his sleeve and kicked her leg...just like they’d wanted him to do.

Fine. She asked for it.

He gripped skin just above her ankle and bit down as hard as he could. His teeth sank into her flesh, but there was just so much of it. Still, if he exerted the full strength of his jaw —

Winter giggled, angling her head to get a better view. “It tickles. Is he biting me?”

Eli pushed away, delivering one final kick. “I’m telling Mom you did that.”

“Awww,” Winter said. “But I brushed my teeth. Honest.”

“What are you, like five?” Haley asked Eli. She climbed down Ally’s leg and hopped onto the floor, making a beeline toward him. “What happens at a slumber parties, stays at slumber parties.”

“This isn’t fight club,” he said.

Haley rolled her eyes and stopped in front of him, towering over him. “That was nothing. My sister licks me all the time. If she’s out of candy, she’ll pop my entire arm in her mouth and suck on it like a lollipop. Sometimes she even forgets to ask for my permission.”

“First of all, she’s six,” he said. “Secondly, it’s still disgusting.”

“Which brings us to rule number two,” Haley said. “Humans find us tasty. Isn’t that right, Parker?”

Parker shrugged, looking the other way.

“What the hell does that mean?” Eli asked.

“They can’t help it,” Haley continued. “Something about the premie powder we digest. It repels insects and most animals, but to humans, we taste...well Amber says I taste like a watermelon Jolly Rancher.”

“This is news to me,” Ally said, peering over her phone.

Winter scrunched her face, but then she stuck the tip of her tongue against the same finger she’d used to swipe Eli’s face. Her expression changed to one of curiosity as she sucked on her finger.

“Ok.” He scanned the human faces in the room. “So you’re saying they want to eat us?”

Haley laughed. “Yes! They want to gobble you up and digest you like a tootsie roll pop.”

“Eww,” Winter said, finally removing the finger from her mouth. Still, whether conscious of it or not, she did lick her lips.

“Parker?” Eli asked. Her eyes were still averted.

“Only once, and I did ask for permission,” Parker said.

“Yeh right,” Haley said. “After binding me a few minutes earlier. Of course I was going to say yes.”

“And she tasted like what?” he asked, having trouble believing the course of the conversation. “A watermelon Jolly Rancher?”

“No,” Parker shook her head and, for a moment, he assumed it would be the end of her response. “Tangerine.”

“That’s pretty specific.” Ally wrinkled her nose at Parker. The blue haired girl’s cheeks flushed with color.

“Relax, Natalie,” Haley said before turning to Eli. “She gets so embarrassed when I share her little taste test. It’s hilarious.”

Parker sighed, “Please don’t call me that.”

Haley poked Eli in the chest. “Just remember to stay away from babies and toddlers. They don’t know any better and if you’re not careful, you might just get eaten for real. Oh your insides might not taste so great, but it’s too late once they’ve bitten —”

“I’m going to have to edit this out,” Ally said.

“Oh, stop being so serious.” Haley said. “It’s a sleepover. Winter, come.” Haley motioned with her hand.

Winter brought her face in close.

“Open your mouth,” Haley said.

Winter parted her lips and Haley stuck in her arm to her elbow. Or she tried to. Winter jerked her head back.

“Oh, come on,” Haley said. “Tell me what I taste like to you. I’m curious.”

Winter sucked on her tongue, then lowered her head again, this time letting the premie arm enter her mouth. She closed her lips and winced. Then she sucked. And sucked some more. “Mmmmm.”

Haley withdrew her arm, wiping it on her pants. “So?”

Winter leaned back into her sitting position, savoring. “I don’t know. A little like orange soda. Different than Eli.”

“Ally?” Haley waved her other arm, the dry one.

“I’ll pass,” Ally said.

“C’mon, this is supposed to be a party.” Haley stalked toward Ally’s socked foot. “Live a little.”

“If you can reach my face.” Ally pulled her legs up onto the bed with her.

“That was the wrong thing to say.” Parker’s smile returned.

“Shush.” Haley leapt and grabbed hold of the comforter, then pulled herself upward like a mountain climber. “Rule number three.” She took a few deep breaths upon reaching the top. “Watchers are easy to climb because they always stay very still.” She jumped onto Ally’s shirt and climbed upward, going right to the underside of her breasts. “They’re afraid they’ll hurt us if they move,” she said, dangling there as she caught her breath. “Go ahead Eli, climb Parker. It’s fun.”

“Climb me, Eli!” Winter said. “I’ll hold still.”

“Actually a lot of folks on YouTube requested the same.” Ally’s eyes focused on the premie dangling from her chest, hands underneath, ready should her passenger fall. “Some said they’d donate.”

“Fine,” he said, surprising himself. Haley did seem to be having fun, and if folks would donate, he’d get to Premoria faster.

He worked his way across the carpet until he reached Parker’s shirt.

“I’m shorter.” Winter’s face dominated his left field of view. “I’d be easier to climb.”

“Yeh, but less fun,” Haley said, hanging from an area that Eli wanted to avoid.

“Can I help, at least?” Winter’s hand loomed above as Eli made his way around to Parker’s back.

“Uh, it’s ok, Eli,” Parker said, hinting toward his obvious choice in starting points. “I don’t mind.”

“Rule number four,” Haley said as she rounded atop Ally’s modest chest. “It’s impossible for a premie to sexually harass a human.”

“Not true.” Parker leaned forward, making the slope of her back less steep.

“Very true.” Haley leaned against Ally’s neck and planted a few kisses, causing Ally to laugh. “See.”

“Pretty sure — ” Eli struggled. In spite of Parker’s efforts to lean, his ascent wasn’t easy. “You’re just making these rules up.”

“Pretty sure you’re right.” Ally turned her face away as Haley tossed an arm up toward Ally’s mouth. The premie missed, foremar slapping against Ally’s lower jaw.

“I’ve been a premie longer than anyone else in this room,” Haley said. “So I know what I’m talking about. Not that Eli would sexually harass anyone. You’ should’ve seen him when I tried to have sex with him the other day.”

“You did what!” Winter, Parker and Ally spoke in unison. Ally, having turned her face toward Haley, gave the premie the opportunity she’d been looking for — to insert arm into mouth. Not for long, but long enough to get a drenched arm.

“Ok.” Ally grabbed hold of Haley and lifted her in front of her face. “Talk.”

Haley leaned back against Ally’s fingers, drying her arm on her sweat pants. “Amber bound me to have a baby with him, so, well you can figure it out from there.”

“She can do that?” Winter asked.

“No.” Parker said. “And I’m going to have a talk with her as soon as — ”

“Mom’s already spoken with her about it,” Haley said. “She won’t do it again. Like I said, it’s not a big deal. Eli was a gentleman.”

By this point, he’d made it to Parker’s shoulder, using her hair for balance and grip. Of course he couldn’t fall if he wanted to — Winter’s hands to either side made sure of that. As Parker slowly sat up straight, he shifted so that his feet alighted upon her collarbone. She smelled good — not flowery like his sisters, but some sort of feminine scent mixed with cinnamon.

“Either way,” Parker said. “You won’t be sleeping in Eli’s apartment tonight.”

“Give me a break,” Haley said. “You know binding doesn’t last for more than an hour or two at most.”

“Not taking any chances,” Parker said.

“I have to agree,” Ally said.

“Me too,” Winter said.

Haley shrugged. “He missed his chance. He won’t get a second one.” She faced Ally. “So, what did I taste like?”

“I don’t know, but you smell like sweat,” Ally said. “You ought to have a bath before dinner.”

“Same with Eli.” Parker pinched his foot lightly. “I can smell him from here.”

“No fair,” Haley said. “We’ve hardly done any games yet.”

“Separate bathrooms though.” Parker lifted Eli from her shoulder, winking. “I’ll help Eli, you two take care of Haley. It’ll give us a chance to talk.”

“Um, I have a bath in my apartment,” Eli said.

“Yeh, right,” Haley said, arm wrapped around one of Ally’s fingers. “Like that’s gonna fly. You realize you’re talking to Parker, right? Supervising bathtime is her ‘right as a human’.”

“It is?” Winter’s eyes went wide.

“Hey, they get to play human games, it’s only fair we ‘humans’ get to have some fun too.” Parker rose to her feet with Eli in hand, as if the matter had already been decided. “Besides, I haven’t had a chance to speak with him yet.”

“Yaaay!” Winter said. “Bathtime!”

“Eli,” Ally said. “You OK with this?”

Parker turned mid stride so that he could respond to his sister. He wasn’t sure about the girlfriend thing anymore, but he did owe her a talk, if she wanted one. And she wouldn’t hurt him, he was sure of that. “It’s fine. I’ll wear my bathing suit.”

“Just make sure she washes behind her ears.” Parker said, stepping into the bathroom off their bedroom. “She’s a trickster, that little one.”

Then, she closed the door and they were alone.