Page 41 of Pixie Problems
Before I could advise against it, Doom fluttered his pink wings and landed on Zian’s back. Zian, completely chill, snuffed at him, and then they went to lay down in front of the fire near Mesmer.
I kept a wary eye on them. I’d just gotten used to the fluff-ball, and I didn’t want him to get eaten.
Draven cleared his throat. “A swix,” he deadpanned. Mesmer was still facing the window, his shoulders suspiciously twitching.
I glared at both of them. “I amcuddly, and this swixadoresme.”
Draven nodded slowly, his eyes on the swix who was currently snoozing on Zian’s back. The thing about Draven I’d learned over the years, was that if a vampire wasintelligentbecause of their long lives and natural abilities, Draven was in a class all by himself. So, when Draven stared as though calculating the square root of the universe, I fully believed he’d have all of my secrets in 5.3 seconds.
Like, the fact that I was now pretty sure Ben had assigned the swix to me because I needed emotional support. I straightened my shoulders and tried to look regal. I had an emotional support swix and I was unashamed. I glared at Draven, daring him to make a comment.
He looked at me after studying the swix and studied me for a bit. I refused to even twitch. I was dedicated to keeping as many of my secrets as possible, and in a town like Moonhaven Cove, and with a master vampire as one of my closest friends, keeping secrets was nearlyimpossible.
Draven merely waited patiently in that annoying way that he sometimes had. “You’re annoying,” I told him.
He nodded. “So Mia tells me constantly.”
I grinned. That was my bestie. She had my back. I sighed, looking around for cookies or something. I needed something sweet. Aiwin, as if he could read minds, came in just then carrying a tray with various cookies and muffins on it. He set it down on the table in the middle, and walked out of the office in as dignified a way as possible for an elven rook who was wearing a fuzzy purple onesie.
I took a cookie. “Your household is getting more bizarre.”
Mesmer had turned back around when the sweets came in. He grabbed a chocolate chocolate-chip muffin and started pulling the muffin paper away so he could eat it. “Just start talking. Why the late-night visit?”
I scowled at him. “I don’t remember agreeing to speak with you, only Draven.”
Mesmer smiled, and I grunted. It wasn’t a nice smile. “Fine, stay.” I slumped into the couch. I was just being difficult anyway. I actually liked the gargoyle. He was one of Mia’s favorite people, and I’d gotten to know him as he’d spent the last several months guarding Mia. He was a good guy.
“I kissed Dice,” I said.
“Congratulations,” Mesmer said sarcastically. “Did you want a medal or something?”
“Mia is rubbing off on you, my friend,” Draven said, and Mesmer shrugged, unconcerned.
Draven turned back to me. “What happened?”
“I—” I twitched my shoulders. “I’m not sure. I kissed her to keep her mind off the needle and getting her hand stitched up. . .” And then I saw their faces and realized I had better start at the beginning.
“So Dice got attacked tonight by about ten members of the coyote pack. They attacked her outside of her new shop. I was already heading over to her shop to help her move some furniture and supplies around, so I got there about mid-way through the fight. I helped her incapacitate them, and she called Finn. I had to wait for Finn while Dice, Ben and Naut went to Ben’s clinic. Ben worked on Naut and got him stabilized, and by the time I’d gotten there, he was turning his attention to Dice’s hand. She’d gotten bitten and needed stitches.” I smiled. “Only, I’ve never seen someone actually that afraid of a needle before. She literally went snow white, and her eyes looked wild.” I shrugged. “I figured I’d kiss her to keep her mind off things. It wasn’t a hardship, believe me.” I was coming perilously close to lying. Of course I’d kissed her to get her mind off the needle, but that hadn’t been the only reason. I was falling hard for her. More than that, I was coming to care for her very deeply.
“I’m surprised she didn’t shoot you,” Draven said, breaking into my thoughts.
“I’m thinking she was out of ammo. She’d put quite a few rounds into the coyotes.” And I was extremely grateful for both her quick trigger finger, and the fact that she had several weapons secreted on her person.
“What happened with the kiss?” Mesmer asked as he got up to stand behind the couch, his massive arms folded over his chest.
“It was like . . .” I looked at them. “It was like my star magic was crossing all of my barriers and leaking into her.” I shook my head. “No, it was like itjumpedinto her.” I gripped the couch in frustration. I was having a hard time articulating what had happened, but the fact remained that I was completely baffled. This had never happened to me before. I wasn’t Don Juan, but kissing had never been a problem with me in the past. And my magic hadneverbehaved that way before.
A hard knock sounded on the office door. “Enter,” Draven said.
Dice stalked in looking madder than a hornet. She ignored Draven and Mesmer, and bent over me, stabbing a tiny finger into my chest. “Whatdid you do to me?”
To say I was confused would be an understatement. “I’m lost, angel. You’ll have to fill me in.”
She leaned in until she was nearly touching me nose-to-nose, and I could see that she was trembling in fear, which made me want to wrap my arms around her and comfort her. “There is avoiceinside of my head now. And I am not crazy!”
“Fascinating,” a voice said from behind her. “She has part of your magic’s sentience. The cognizant part, apparently.”
I turned and saw that my liege Virion had spoken from the doorway. Virion looked like he had the day I’d met him at the battle here at the Leto Villa. He had on a blue split tunic, and pants that looked like a mix of tactical pants and elven creation. His twin curved swords at his back were singing and sighing softly. His bronze hair was tousled as though he’d been fighting all night, and his green and gold eyes were bright with curiosity.
