Page 66 of Missiletoe
Vix wrapped himself around me. At least he had liked it.
Then Baz gave me a huge grin and said, “You’re hired.” He gave Trixie another squeeze.
:You should keep this one too, Paris. He’s going to be a good ear scratcher. I can tell.:
That was Trixie’s biggest seal of approval, so I said, “You’re hired too.”
Vix gave a happy sigh and melted into my side.
“There are too many people here,” Mike said. He sounded like he’d been eating dirt. Melanie must have the patience of a saint to put up with such a sourpuss. “You should ask yourfriendsto leave until the chief gives the all-clear.”
“That’s a great idea,” Vix announced. And before I had a chance to wonder why he was ditching me after declaring I needed a bodyguard, he continued. “You don’t need to stay here any longer, Paris. We can take care of everything from our house.”
“What about my stuff? After the emergency crew is done here, the door will still be busted, so it’ll be free pickings.”
“I’ll send someone to take care of it,” Vix said, and he started poking his phone once more.
“We have people!” Baz elaborated.
“Please, Paris?” Vix gave me huge puppy eyes. “I’ll feel a lot better having you in the house. I promise we won’t let Vale try to electrocute you again.”
I’d been lost once the puppy eyes came out, so I agreed immediately and allowed Vix and Baz to drag me down the hallway to the stairwell. Trixie gave Mike a snobby littlewoofand followed.
When Mike called out. “I didn’t meanyoushould go, Paris!” Vix and Baz yanked me through the doorway to the stairs and out of sight.
Chapter14
Vix
We took Paris home using his truck. Baz sent our car back home on its own because I wanted all of us to be together, and with the addition of Trixie, our small car would have been a tight squeeze. Paris already looked like he’d be closer to wearing our car than riding in it, so his truck was the obvious choice.
Trixie and Baz wrestled over who got to sit next to me, and they ended up compromising with the two of them sitting half on top of each other.
“Trixie is a magic dog,” I informed Baz. “You’re incredibly lucky that she likes you.”
Baz just made a softhuhsound, but he didn’t act like he didn’t believe me.
Why would he? I’ve never lied to him—except about how I feel about the color of our car and my name—so obviously, he’d believe me about Trixie being a magic dog.
“She doesn’t do card tricks or anything. She’s not a stage magician. As far as I know, anyway.” I looked to Paris for confirmation. He shook his head, then paused and looked to Trixie for confirmation.
He held out his hand and made thekindamotion with it, tilting it from one side to the other. “She said she’s great at sleight of hand and pulling rabbits out of just about anything, but she still needs to work on cutting people in half.” Paris snorted and added, “She only has a fifty percent success rate.”
“That can be tricky,” Baz said, nodding.
I could tell he was humoring us now, so I told him about my grand escape and how Trixie had helped me ditch my monitor bracelet. “So I guess Paris is magic too,” I finished.
Paris stopped the truck in our driveway, and we all piled out. Paris scooped me out of the cab and set me down. Baz hopped out neatly, landing right next to Trixie.
“Paris, do your thing so Baz knows I’m not messing with him.” Yes, Baz trusted me, but what I’d just told him was a lot to swallow, so I wanted to throw him a bone.
Paris tipped his head to the side and looked thoughtful.
Then a huge crow swooped down from the sky and landed on his shoulder.
One by one, other crows joined it, landing on the lawn, the phone lines, and in the branches of nearby trees.
Paris fished a treat out of his pocket and the crow took it in its beak and flew over to land on Baz’s head. After finishing its snack, it plucked a few hairs from Baz’s head and flew to the trees.
