Mistyx Sonata (Mistyx Series Book 1)

by Paulette Miller

  Grippin seconded Styx’s thoughts by giving Devin a snarl while cracking his knuckles in warning.

  Seeing the anger and frustration in Devin’s eyes, Blade leaned over and whispered, “Don’t be angry over the situation, because this isn’t all bad. You’re going to be living every Vampire’s dream. You, lucky bastard, are taking home a Pixie. Others would kill for that privilege.” As he nodded toward Nikki, he added, “You may come from separate races, but she’s still just a woman and the laws of attraction are on your side. Your charms are legendary and have never failed you. Think of this as a challenge. If you’re temporarily separated from feminine curves that adore you…”

  Devin finished his thought, “…then I’ll need to entice those sweet, blue hued, Pixie curves into my waiting arms.”

  As the two Vampires imagined the joys of a Pixie, wicked grins formed on their faces. The Vampires’ daydreams were interrupted when the women returned with Nikki, whose figure was now completely concealed under a t-shirt that hung past her knees.

  Nikki ignored the intensity of Devin’s stare and focused on Styx, saying “Sorry, I owe you a new shirt. There was no way for me to wear it without ripping holes for my wings.”

  Styx waved off her concerns and said, “Don’t worry about it. Anyways, the shirt looks much better on you than on me.”

  Cassandra walked over to Devin, kissed him on the cheek, and said, “Try to make your godmother proud and I’ll see you both tomorrow.”

  Nikki put on her Human camouflage and threw one of Styx’s cloaks over her shoulders. She handed Devin’s coat back to him and, when he shook off a cloud of Pixie dust, he couldn’t stop himself from breathing in the resulting sparkle with a growl.

  Nikki turned to Styx and asked, “I left my car out front. Do you think I can be separated from Dagwood over there long enough to drive behind him?”

  Seeing the look on Styx’s face, Devin decided to ignore yet another incorrect reference to his name.

  Styx answered Nikki, “Given what we saw earlier, I highly doubt it.” While looking pointedly at Devin, he added warningly, “Devin will behave himself on the way. If not zap the living daylights out of him.” He then glanced up at Grippin and asked, “Would you and Blade follow close behind them in Nikki’s car?”

  After Grippin nodded, Nikki added while tossing him her keys, “I’m not sure you’ll fit but, Lady Bug, I mean my car, is a little temperamental so be patient if she doesn’t want to start right away.”

  While ignoring Grippin’s glaring stare and Cupcake’s low growl, Devin walked to the door and said to himself, “I really am cursed.” As he exited the tavern and his chest suddenly clenched with a stab of panic, he stopped, turned, and called with a frustrated sigh, “Come on, Pixie. The sky is starting to get lighter.”

  After Bee gave Nikki another strong hug, Cupcake crawled back onto her perch on Nikki’s shoulder. The two then left Mistyx at the side of their mortal enemy, who couldn’t hide the quickly growing blood lust in his eyes.

  Chapter 6:

  Hit Me With Your Best Shot

  As the odd couple walked outside and Devin spotted the Beetle parked halfway on the sidewalk, he turned to Nikki and asked, “That’s what you drive? Did someone pay you to take it?”

  “She may be a bit old, but she does just fine.” Seeing her door ajar and scanning the neighborhood, she added, “I’m just grateful that no one stole her.”

  Devin let out a loud laugh and said, “I don’t think you have to worry about that.”

  Nikki knew that she really should be afraid of the Vampire, but her anger overrode her logical thinking. She glared at him and threatened angrily, “While I’m stuck with you, if anything happens to her, you’ll regret it.”

  Devin replied, “If anything happens to her, I’ll buy you a new one.” He added to himself, “To replace this hunk of junk will cost me about five bucks.”

  As they continued down the road and stepped into a private garage, Devin clicked a button on his keychain to unlock the car doors and the lights flashed, announcing which car was his. When Nikki approached a blood red sports car with windows tinted so dark that she couldn’t see anything inside it, she rolled her eyes. Somehow she knew that he would drive an impractical and highly flashy vehicle.

  Devin walked past Nikki’s door and got into the driver’s seat. Nikki, with Cupcake in her arms, opened her own door and crawled into the passenger seat of the two door coupe. As they settled in and she stared at the high tech dashboard, she asked, “What type of car is this?”

  Devin said with adoration, “It’s an Alfa Romeo 4C. I just got her a few months ago.”

  “Lady Bug still gets about thirty-five miles to the gallon. What’s the mileage on this gas guzzler? Maybe twenty on a good day?”

  Although he grunted at her snide comment, in reality, her guess was generous. It’s one of the reasons he had installed a large gas tank next to the warehouse’s underground parking.

  Nikki squinted out the windows and said, “This glass is so darkly tinted, it’s hard to see through.”

  Devin replied, “Maybe for you, but not for my Vampire eyes. Actually, this glass is specially made to keep UV rays out. I ordered them so that this car could save me if somehow I got stuck outside during the day.”

  As Nikki looked at how pristine the car was, she asked with curiosity, “How much do you love this hunk of metal? Would it hurt you if you lost it?”

  “Why? Are you planning on crashing us into a wall?”

  “No. I’m just trying to figure out what you love enough that its loss might break the curse.”

  “Good try. I do adore my car, but it’s just a hunk of metal as you said. I could easily replace it with another.”

  Nikki’s shoulders slumped as she replied, “Damn.” After a brief pause, she asked, “What do you love more than anything else on this planet?”

  Devin wasn’t able to think of anyone or thing that would cause him true pain to lose. He replied, “I have absolutely no idea. Everything is replaceable.”

  The rest of their drive to where he lived was quiet other than Devin occasionally shouting, “Ouch,” every time Cupcake stretched out on Nikki’s lap and accidentally caught his leg with a razor sharp claw. He swore he heard the cat chuckle in response several times.

  Devin pulled onto a side street in a large warehouse district and stopped in front of a very old, unremarkable, large brick building. The only features worth noting were a couple of old, crumbling gargoyles perched on the front corners of the roof.

  Devin clicked a button on his dash and a large sliding door opened. After parking in an underground parking lot, he announced, “Honey, we’re home.” He added as if proud of himself, “And I didn’t bite you once.”

  “That’s because you drove so fast you didn’t have time to think about it.”

  He teased, “Oh, I didn’t say that I didn’t think about it.” He flashed her his fangs and waggled his eyebrows at her.

  His expression was so silly looking, she found herself not seeing him as a killer Vampire and realized that much of what she knew about his race was wrong.

  When they finally got out of the car and Nikki saw other dark-tinted windowed vehicles parked nearby, her body began to shake. Knowing she was standing in a den of Vampires, she felt like she had walked directly into the enemy’s camp. She instantly dropped her Human camouflage so that she could call on her Pixie defensive magic at a second’s notice.

  All thoughts about Vampires were temporarily pushed to the back of her mind when a black and brown Rottweiler the size of a grizzly bear stepped out of the shadows. Nikki froze in place as a dog well over two hundred pounds approached with curiosity. Even the fearless Cupcake crouched apprehensively as she stared at her latest adversary, whose broad chest, solid muscle body, and paws the size of dinner plates would make anyone cower.

  While Nikki stood quietly trying to find the ability to speak, Devin stepped forward and said casually, “Hey Bo. This is Nikki. She�
��s going to be staying with me tonight, maybe longer.”

  The dog stepped forward and, with Nikki’s shorter height, he stared eye to eye with her. She instinctively tried to love all creatures of nature, so she gave the animal a gentle smile and said, “It’s nice to meet you, Bo.”

  Hearing Nikki’s musical voice, Bo walked closer to investigate. As he sniffed her and breathed in her unique scent, he let out a deep sigh. His stubby tail wagged to say that he was glad to meet her as well. Cupcake wasn’t so gracious. Her fur instantly stood on end and she let out a loud hiss.

  Before the dog could even register where the noise came from, Blade jogged in and, after joining the group, he announced, “I’m glad to see the Pixie is in one piece. I would’ve been here sooner except Nikki’s car wasn’t so sure she wanted to start for a stranger, but I sweet-talked her into turning over.”

  Nikki looked back at the parking area and, not seeing the one she was waiting for, she asked nervously, “Where’s Grippin?”

  Seeing her apprehensiveness, Blade gave her a gentle smile and said, “Don’t worry. Your protector is on his way. Although he did try very hard, he couldn’t find a way to squeeze himself into your car. Maybe later I can show you a great video of his attempt I captured on my phone.” As Blade patted Bo on the head, he said, “Grippin knew that our watch dog would protect our guest from the nasty Vampires until he arrived.” Blade scratched Bo hard behind an ear, making the dog lean affectionately toward him. “He’s a big baby with friends, but if he deems you a threat...”

  Seeing his massive paws and large teeth, Nikki said, “No need to explain. I get the picture.”

  Blade turned to Devin and said while nodding toward Nikki, “Although I was with this beautiful creature at Mistyx, in all of the chaos, I was never formally introduced.”

  Devin said, “Nikki, I would like you to officially meet your first Warehouse member, Blade. He lives in the apartment on this first floor.”

  Blade held out his hand to Nikki in greeting. Unsure what to do, she looked up at her temporary roommate. He replied to her unspoken question by saying, “His level of feeding control is unmatched in my kind.” He looked pointedly at his friend and added warningly, “So he’ll keep his fangs to himself.” He was shocked to find the continued protectiveness in his own voice.

  Nikki didn’t know if she needed to be polite, but decided that it was best to stay on the friendly side of those with fangs that she was forced to temporarily live with. She decided to be brave and placed her hand gingerly in Blade’s palm. She shivered at the typical Vampire cool touch and said with a slight quaver in her voice, “It’s nice to meet you.” She held her breath as he lifted her hand to his mouth.

  After giving her knuckles a gentle kiss, Blade breathed in some Pixie dust from her skin and replied with a grin, “The pleasure is definitely all mine.”

  When he continued to hold her hand for longer than necessary, the curse gave Devin a kick, forcing him to clear his throat to get Blade’s attention. Blade took the hint and released Nikki.

  In an attempt to reassure their temporary guest, Bo rubbed his massive round head against Nikki’s hand. Nikki followed Blade’s lead and scratched the dog behind an ear. But when Bo leaned against her, asking for harder scratching, his weight knocked her to the floor.

  Devin laughed and said, “Sorry. Sometimes he forgets how big he is.”

  Nikki stared at the hand Devin offered to help her stand. Keeping to her approach of attempting to be friends with the race that wanted to drink her dry, she accepted his assistance. After Nikki was back on her feet, she looked around for Cupcake who had fallen off her shoulder. She gasped when she spotted Bo and Cupcake staring at each other with their noses only an inch apart. Cupcake stood her ground between Nikki and the dog, demonstrating her protector role. With her hair on end, the cat drummed the now extended claws from her front paws on the tile floor below her. When she let out a low, protective growl, Bo looked to Blade for advice.

  Blade said, “Bo, I would like you to meet Cupcake. She’s Nikki’s companion and protector.” Seeing Cupcake’s aggressive stance, Blade said directly to the cat, “Cupcake, have no fear. Bo’s a protector just like you. Instead of being tied directly to one charge, he watches over everyone in this warehouse. I know that you don’t need it, but he’ll help protect you and Nikki as long as the two of you are here.”

  While Bo tried to figure out how something smaller than one of his paws could be a protector of anything, Cupcake quieted and glanced over at Blade. She liked that he spoke to her directly and that he acknowledged her warrior role. Although she was still unsure about trusting a Vampire, this white haired Vampire she was warming up to. She gave Blade a nod at his words and then went back to glaring at the dog.

  Bo looked into the eyes of the cat. He knew he could sneeze her across the room but, when he saw her absolute fearlessness, he decided to make peace. He laid down in front of her and gave the fellow warrior a large toothy grin.

  Cupcake let out a triumphant huff, puffed out her chest, and then started to prance proudly back to Nikki. Before jumping up onto Nikki’s shoulder, she glanced back at the dog. When his stubby tail started to wag, she couldn’t stop herself from giving him a grin.

  When deep, booming footsteps sounded from the parking area, Bo instantly jumped up and, in a flash, took a protective stance in front of Nikki and Cupcake. His growl made the hair on Nikki’s neck stand on end. The moment Grippin entered the hall, Bo instantly relaxed his stance and raced to him. He then jumped up on the large man’s chest and gave him a wet lick across the face. Grippin’s face beamed as he accepted the dog’s affection.

  Blade explained to Nikki, “Bo and Grippin are great friends. Grippin is the only one that can truly handle the dog’s playful side. He visits here regularly to help Bo work off some energy.” He nodded to a door behind him that contained a large flap that acted as a dog door and added, “Bo lives most of the time with me in my apartment.” He then pointed down the hall to a large doorway whose opening was covered by hanging strips of leather and added, “The rest of this floor is dedicated to his playroom. If you stick around long enough, maybe you’ll get to see Bo and Grippin’s playful sides.”

  Nikki’s childhood curiosity spiked and her desire to learn all about those she that had met tonight made her respond, “I would actually like that.” She already had so much to write about in her new creature book. Since the ones in front of her were not what she feared or expected, she decided that the first page was going to be dedicated to the realities of Vampires.

  Seeing Nikki yawn and the weariness in her eyes, Devin’s forced gallantry came out again and he said, “The sky outside is getting lighter, so we need to call it a night.”

  Blade said to Nikki, “In case the curse breaks tomorrow, let me take a moment now to say that it was an honor to meet both you and Cupcake. Although you’ll have Grippin at your side tonight, Bo and I are here if you need us.”

  Nikki scanned those in front of her. Although she was unsure of Devin’s intentions, she liked having a grizzly bear, gladiator, and a samurai warrior looking out for her. She replied honestly for her and Cupcake, “Thank you. We really appreciate it.”

  Blade tossed Nikki her car keys and then he and Bo headed toward their apartment door. At the same time, Devin led his guests to a large wooden freight elevator and a step closer to their temporary home.

  As the elevator started to move, Nikki asked with confusion, “We’re going up? What floor do you live on?”

  “The top floor.”

  “You’re a Vampire, a creature of the dark and night. I guess I expected you to live underground or maybe in a coffin.”

  While Grippin smiled, Devin rolled his eyes and said, “My crib is a little roomier than that.”

  During the slow, but smooth, ride Nikki could feel Devin’s intense stare. Once the elevator shook to a stop and Grippin lifted the large freight door, Nikki didn’t hesitate and was the first one out. When she st
epped into a small entry way and saw only a single door, she turned to Devin and asked, “Is your apartment the only thing that’s on this entire floor?”

  “I like having some room to play.” He punched in a code on an electronic pad and, after swinging the door open, walked in and flipped on an entry-way light. He tossed his keys onto a long kitchen counter and, seeing Nikki and Grippin still standing in the doorway, he said, “Unless you’re planning on sleeping in the hall, come on in.”

  Grippin ducked to enter the apartment. He had never been in Devin’s home and sighed in relief when he found the ceiling was high enough that he could stand fully erect. He had feared that he was going to be spending the night hunched over, trying to move around in an average height room.

  Nikki stepped forward and, as soon as the door closed behind her, Cupcake jumped down and ran off to explore her temporary home. Cupcake’s action made Nikki relax, since it told her that her cat didn’t sense any danger.

  Devin watched the cat prance away and said, “I guess your cat doesn’t need a tour, but I can give you the basics.” He picked up a remote and stepped further into the apartment. The echo of his footsteps told everyone how large the room actually was.

  While pointing to their immediate right, he clicked on a light that illuminated a large kitchen. Since there wasn’t a dirty dish or pan in sight and the take out containers were overflowing a garbage bag, Nikki guessed that he rarely used this room for cooking. When he clicked the next light, she found the edge of the kitchen was separated from the living room by a long wraparound counter with half dozen tall stools. In the living room was an area full of large, plush furniture, surrounded by a wall of electronic equipment. Since Nikki didn’t currently own a television set, she had no idea what most of the electronics were even for. The room didn’t contain any other colors other than gray and black, and it’s highly polished and modern design was a little intimidating. Nikki found herself afraid to touch anything.