Page 8 of Pixie Problems
“Miss Lucky is attempting to reprint the report but sent a message that the sheriff's computer system is having some problems, and this report appears to have had a mishap.” He looked up, gaze apologetic. “I apologize, Miss Hart, but you'll have to give your statement again.” A wizard in the third row was kind enough to send a cleaning charm to Mr. Leto's hands, and he thanked the wizard with a grateful nod.
Yep. Hot chocolate was all kinds of sticky.
“I'm not even sure why we're here,” an icy woman in the second row said. She had platinum blonde hair like mine, but hers was coifed perfectly, while mine was sticking up all over even though I'd brushed it. And she had ice-blue eyes that were chillier than an arctic tundra.
Gut reaction, I didn't like her.
“She's brought a dangerous pack of coyote shifters to our quiet town. She should be kicked out for that alone.”
I wanted to jab an icepick through her little finger, but I heroically restrained myself. Instead, I gave her my blankest stare. “I did not bring them here. Theychasedme here. There's a difference.” I eyed her like she was a particularly squashy bug and returned my attention to Mr. Leto. “Are they here, Mr. Leto?”
He studied me for a moment, and then slowly nodded. “I'm afraid they showed up at our borders last night.”
“Were they let in?” I was trying not to panic. It was taking more nerve than I thought it should.
“Of course they were let in,” the icy woman scoffed. “Moonhaven can't restrict access to supernaturals without a legitimate reason.”
I flinched, and the elf, who had up until then been behaving himself like a two year old on timeout, said, “Shandra?”
She turned to him.
“Shut it, hag.”
Mr. Leto sighed, and the elf shrugged. “What? She's a sea hag. I'm simply addressing her properly.”
Even though icy fear was skittering down my spine, I wanted to laugh. And also, I warmed up to the elf just a little bit.
I took a deep breath and tried to regain the floor to explain why they should kick Hux's pack out at their earliest convenience. After giving all the details behind Hux and his pack stalking me, I went quiet. My brain was churning. Should I remain in Moonhaven Cove? Would I be safer if I were constantly on the move? I was just selfish enough to want to stay. Was I bringing danger to the town? Yes. But I needed backup. I couldn't win against a pack of coyote shifters on my own. And I refused to let Hux bully me longer than he already had.
“Miss Hart?” Draven Leto's voice had softened, and the room went utterly silent. “You're welcome to stay. Legally, I can't kick them out without cause. I understand there's been some threats. But this is a town full of supernaturals. Threats amongst our kind are common. When theyacton those threats you can be certain the sheriff, other officers, or members of this council will respond.”
I very carefully counted to ten before I responded. “So, a pack of coyote shifters, who have threatened me and my family in the very recent past, and who won't leave me alone, will have free reign to harass and potentially harm me? And no one will do anything?”
I changed my mind about them being smarter than a box of rocks.
“No,” the elf said. And it was said so forcefully that one of my eyebrows went up in surprise. “Your restraining order for the entire pack still stands. No one in the pack can get within 500 feet of you. We can andwillenforce that. You stated that the police from your hometown did not, but we will. The minute they physically assault you the restraining order becomes a protective order, and we have our own Moonhaven Cove ways of dealing with violators of those.” His smile turned feral, and I quickly rearranged my hasty circumstance-based opinions of the elf. That smile told me he was incredibly lethal. And here I'd just thought he was a rather large child.
Well, maybe he was just a large child most of the time. Like ninety percent. 80/20? I shook away my speculations and addressed Mr. Leto respectfully. “Thank you for your time.” Mr. Leto nodded his head, and I was dismissed. I made my way out of the chamber with a straight spine and my head held high, and then found an empty room down the hall, hurried in, and then slumped against the wall.
Hux was here. In Moonhaven Cove. And there was nothing I could do about it. I scowled. Even though I wanted to shout in frustration, I tried to think it through logically. At least I wasn't waiting in anticipation of his arrival. I knew where he was, and that meant I could go out of my way to avoid him and his pack.
Also, the council and the Sheriff's Office knew where they were, and they would keep an eye on them. It didn't mean that Hux wasn't smart enough to slip past them and act on his threats, but I was in a better position now than I'd been in before in my hometown. I checked that the pistol strapped in a holster at my waistband around my back had a full magazine, reemployed the safety, and made my way to my bike.
Draven Leto was leaning against a light post in front of my ride. I looked him over carefully before grabbing my helmet and started strapping it on. “What can I do for you, Mr. Leto?”
“Nice bike.”
“Thank you.”
“I assume you have a conceal carry permit for that pistol under your shirt?”
“See, and I'd thought it was so circumspect that no one would notice it.”
His eyebrow winged upward, and I smirked. I felt a little like the three-year-old star elf on the council, trying to get a rise out of the vampire. “To answer your question, yes, I have a conceal carry permit. It's brand new. Hot off the press.”
He nodded. His voice turned soft again, and I had to strain to hear him. I couldn't figure out if he was trying to speak softly enough that the supernaturals leaving the meeting wouldn't hear him, or that he just naturally had a softer voice. “I'm sorry that this is happening to you, Paradise Hart. And I'm sorry that our hands are temporarily tied. We're happy to have you in Moonhaven.”
He started to turn away, and I sighed. “Mr. Leto?”
