Page 65 of Pixie Problems
“They’re both in awful shape. They’ve both got healing concussions, lesions, broken and re-set bones, sometimes not even set properly. Callum’s wrist is dislocated. Waylen’s shoulder is dislocated. Both of them have broken ribs, two on Callum, and three on Waylen. Both are suffering from severe malnutrition.” I shifted. Hux really needed to be shot, and I was still in favor of the kneecaps. “I can tell you their minds are in better shape than I expected. I think there’s really something to their twin idea, because I can tell they feed each other encouragement telepathically. They did it a few times just in the short time they’ve been in my shop. Callum was the more nervous of the two, and Waylen was encouraging him through their bond. I could see it making a difference with my Insight.”
Draven leaned over with his elbows on his knees, his hands clasped together, as he nodded at what I was saying, looking thoughtful. “Can you see a difference in the chemistry of their bodies when they speak to each other?”
I nodded, and then shrugged. “It’s like, if you were bonded to someone, and you had been bonded for years and were able to share your vampire positive attributes, like your strength, speed, etc. with them. It’s like that.”
“But that only happens with mates,” Rhys said, squeezing my hand tightly. Too tightly. I glanced at him but was puzzled by the intently focused gaze he was giving Draven.
Draven shook his head. “August is right. It’s incredibly rare, but there is such a thing as twin souls. Twin souls can either be male or female, or any combination of the two. Essentially, it’s a bond that’s created between two people at their birth. Twin souls always find each other because they’re drawn to each other. It doesn’t have to be a romantic bond, although some of them end up that way.”
“And some of them end up like the boys out there. Just really close friends,” August said, having come to stand at my office door so he could be a part of the conversation but still keep an eye on the boys.
Draven nodded. “I’ve spoken with them, and I believe them. And I’m positive they’re twin souls.”
“So what happens now?” I asked. My hand was going numb where Rhys was clutching it, so I shook my hand out of his grasp and gave him a look. He was acting strange. Draven was eying him too, but way more politely than I had done.
“Now, Finn takes the boys to get medical care, and we get them away from Moonhaven.”
“They can’t stay?” I didn’t know why I was reacting this way. Probably because I was feeling protective of Waylen and Callum.
Draven shook his head at me. “They’re in danger here and they’re still minors. We’ll send them to a temporary family in Glacier Falls, Switzerland. A family that can protect them and keep them hidden for a bit.”
Rhys flinched at the town name. Draven noted his reaction, gave him a compassionate nod and glance, but kept speaking. “It’s another paranormal town like Moonhaven, but it’s far enough away that the boys should be able to be safe for a while. They can come back to Moonhaven once Hux and his pack are dealt with if they want to.”
Finn sighed. “From the boys’ testimonies, it seems like not all of the pack are culpable regarding Dice. In fact, it just seems to be Hux, his beta and a few other officers, and possibly his enforcers. Regular pack mates are likely chained to Hux and the pack with the stone the teens mentioned.”
Draven nodded. “When we find them, I know you and your department will make every effort to separate those that deserve Deep Dark and those who’ve been enslaved to the pack.”
Finn nodded tightly. “Yes, sir.”
The meeting broke up then, and after I gave the boys each a hug, thanking them in a choked voice for escaping and coming to warn me, Finn took them to the hospital.
Draven glanced at Rhys. “Are you coming by tonight?”
Rhys nodded.
Draven squeezed my shoulder gently and left. His vampire lure was working less and less on me the more time I spent around him. Which was a good thing, because I’d gotten some very disgruntled looks from Rhys when I was under the influence of Draven’s lure. I guessed it would be the human equivalent of a married partner who had an unintentional crush on a celebrity. I rolled my eyes. I did not have crushes. It was all involuntary anyway, and it wasn’t like I could help it. Thankfully, my tongue stopped getting stuck to the roof of my mouth, and I hadn’t even gazed stupidly at him this time.
I called that progress.
Funny, it was only the super powerful vampires that had lures that could knock you into next week, because as powerful as August was, his lure was like a small pond compared to the ocean of Draven’s.
As if he could read my thoughts, August gave me a dirty look and I laughed. Wow these paranormals were all sosensitive!
Chapter19
Rhys
Later that evening, Dice and I grabbed dinner and took it to the park to eat before I was due to be at Draven’s. We ordered from the deli section at Goblin Grocers. I got ham and provolone on a croissant roll with the works, and Dice got a twelve inch meatball sub. Both my best friend and the love of my life could eat their body weight in food, and I was seriously very confused about where they packed it all. Both of them were tiny, Dice being smaller than Mia, but I think Dice even atemorethan Mia! I shook my head as she wiped her chin with a napkin, catching the dripping sauce.
Another thing I loved? She was unapologetically herself. Sauce down the chin? No big deal. That’s what a napkin was for. She wasn’t a shy violet who made herself smaller every time she committed a social faux paux.
If it was something that hurt or bothered someone, I could see that she moderated herself, but if it was just about her being allowed to unapologetically be herself? She was. And she never backed down, even when people gave her looks. Don’t get me wrong. Shehadtable manners, and manners in general, but all of those little things that people considerednicetieswhen you were around someone else, or out in public, yeah, Dice could care less. I’d never seen a woman or paranormal more comfortable in their own skin then Dice.
And it was seriously a turn-on. I’d never realized before what a turn-on confidence was until this pixie had basically landed in my lap. Andstarswas I glad she had.
I mean, without getting too sappy, I was in love. Something I’d shied away from for a very long time.
We lay back in the grass on the blanket I’d grabbed out of the trunk of my convertible and watched as the stars started winking into existence. A misconception. They were always there. The sun had been down for a while now. I breathed in, filling my lungs with the crisp air, and let it out, releasing the tension in my shoulders.
