As they discussed options, Nikki sat quietly. She found it very unsettling to be referred to as if she was a daily special on a restaurant menu. After a long discussion, Styx offered, “I can’t offer Humans but, until this is resolved, I’ll allow you to discretely feed while at Mistyx. That’ll also allow me to see Nikki at least once a day to confirm that she’s okay and being treated well.”
While they continued to talk, Nikki stepped to the side. When she heard her cell phone beep, she flew over to the kitchen counter. She picked up her phone and saw that it was a text from Jackie asking her if she wanted to meet her for an early dinner. Nikki sighed. She wondered how she was going to handle her Human life when she was stuck in the magical world.
She needed more time so she texted back, “Can’t tonight. Woke up with the bug that has been going around work.”
“Do you need me to bring you some chicken soup?”
“No. I think I’ll keep myself quarantined for now. How did last night go? Did you find the love of your life?”
“I wish. I did have several offers to quench my thirst that I did consider.”
“Maybe you’ll find him next time.”
“Maybe...text me tomorrow and let me know how you’re feeling.”
“Will do.”
After Nikki returned to the group in the living room and Cassandra noticed her sad expression, she asked, “Is everything okay?”
“It’s my other life. I just lied to my best friend Jackie. If this curse traps me here for any length of time, I could lose my job, apartment, and Jackie. She may be Human, but she’s the first real girlfriend that I’ve ever had.”
Cassandra replied, “Once again, I can’t apologize enough for disrupting your life.”
Nikki said, “As I said before at Mistyx, I’m not surprised that I got caught in this web. You could make millions betting on the bad luck that follows me.”
Cassandra suddenly realized that if the ache that Nikki was projecting now was the pain that Devin needed to fix, they could be stuck together for a very long time and she honestly wasn’t sure her godson was up to the task. To avoid making the mood any more somber, she kept her theory to herself.
They talked throughout most of the afternoon. Although they weren’t able to solve anything, Nikki appreciated their efforts. As she stared at those she now considered friends, she decided that, other than being stuck with a Vampire that constantly stared at the veins in her neck and where her spots disappeared under her clothes, she couldn’t have asked for a better group to be fighting at her side. Cupcake must have thought the same thing since she was fast asleep while draped over Grippin’s broad shoulder.
Chapter 8:
Workin’ for a Livin’
Once a special clock on the wall announced that the sun was setting, Devin’s visitors decided it was time to leave. Since Devin controlled himself all night and throughout the day, Nikki convinced the others to let her and Devin try the trip to her apartment on their own. With the decision made, Cassandra returned to her temporary home to continue working on counter-spells, while Styx and Grippin left for Mistyx. Nikki had a long and heated discussion with Cupcake to convince her to stay behind and, once the cat reluctantly gave in, Nikki and Devin jumped into Devin’s car and headed over the bay.
After Devin pulled up in front of Nikki’s apartment complex, he sat quietly and scanned the very questionable neighborhood. At the same time, Nikki stared at a group of street teens that were eying Devin’s car with envy in their eyes.
Before Devin could comment on his disapproval for the area, Nikki announced, “We should have driven my car. I’m not sure your gas guzzler will still be here when we get back. Maybe I should just run in and let you wait here.”
“Your concern for my car is touching, but don’t you remember what happened this morning? You wouldn’t make it to the top of the stairs before a blue Pixie would come flying back down into my waiting arms—flittering wings and all.”
“Fine. It’s your car, but no snide remarks about my apartment. It isn’t quite as roomy as yours.”
As they got out of the car and walked toward the door, one of the boys approached Nikki. Before Devin could step in, Nikki blew something from her palm into his face. Seconds later, the boy’s eyes went glassy and Nikki said, “Not tonight. Go back and play.”
The boy gave her a crooked smile and stumbled away as if drunk.
Devin leaned in and asked, “Pixie dust? Isn’t that breaking your rule of living Human without benefiting from your magic?” Not waiting for an answer, he decided to follow her lead and said, “Two can play this game.”
He left Nikki’s side and approached the one that appeared to be the leader of the group. After staring him deep in the eyes, he whispered something that Nikki couldn’t hear. The boy’s face turned white and he nodded numbly. As the boy ordered his companions to stand guard in front of the car, Devin led Nikki to the door of her building.
Once they were inside, she scowled at Devin and asked in disgust, “Did you have to terrify that boy?”
He waved off her concern and said, “Humans are so easy to manipulate, but don’t worry. He’s fine. I just expressed how displeased I would be if I something happened to my car.”
She grunted and said, “At least mine left happy.”
They continued up the stairs and, when they approached her apartment door and he saw the gaps in the frame, he said, “Don’t bother getting your keys out. Let the big, bad wolf take care of this.” He pulled Nikki back and said, “Then I’ll huff and I’ll puff and I’ll blow your door in.” He spread his arms wide and, after inhaling loudly, he blew out hard.
Nikki found herself waiting to see if the door actually moved. When it remained shut, she whacked Devin on his puffed out chest and said, “Very funny, Wolf, but I said no comments.”
As she unlocked the door, he asked more seriously, “Aren’t you afraid of someone breaking in and stealing your things?” That question became unnecessary when they stepped into the apartment and Nikki flipped on the lights.
He stared at the extremely small room, which was not much bigger than his apartment’s bathroom. When he opened his mouth to say something, she turned to him and said warningly, “Not a word.”
While Nikki started to fill a bag with a few of her clothes and other bare essentials, she said, “Here’s another reason we should’ve driven my car. Will yours even hold a piece of luggage?”
Devin replied with irritation in his voice, “It has a trunk.” After a moment to ponder on the realities of the situation, he added, “But maybe you should put what you need in a garbage bag so we can cram it in if necessary.”
While Nikki continued to gather items, Devin took a look around. Although he did try to remain silent, his mouth had other plans. He turned to Nikki and asked, “I can understand your need to venture out on your own, but why would you choose to live here?”
Nikki stopped packing long enough to respond, “I don’t need things and it’s a great place for me to hide. This neighborhood is filled with hippies and starving artists, so being unusual is normal...almost expected. If I mess up and someone catches sight of my Pixie side, they would just brush it off as just another person who likes to wear costumes. Since I don’t have family that gives me an apartment building, I need to work for a living to pay my rent. I may not have much, but what I have I earned completely on my own. I’m not complaining, it’s just that by the time I get my paycheck on Friday, it’s already spent. I can’t seem to get ahead. I was supposed to get a small raise next week, but now that’s not going to happen. With my luck, I’ll still be stuck at your side and flat broke.”
Nikki stepped into the bathroom to put on her own clothes, while Devin continued his self-tour. After she emerged in a very feminine, green paisley halter dress, Devin smiled at her changed attire and exclaimed, “So you do have curves! Much better.” She then watched him finish pacing out the distance across the room. While shaking his head in disbelief, he reached
up, touched the ceiling, and asked, “And you tease me about living in a coffin? You barely have enough room to lift off the ground. How do you stretch your wings in here?”
“I don’t fly in here. I can’t risk being seen by others.”
He walked past her and stepped into the bathroom to take a look. When he shrieked, Nikki asked in obvious irritation, “What’s wrong now?”
He peeked back into the main room and said, “Your shower barely fits one. How do you and a friend fit?”
She replied, “Duh, I live here alone.” She assumed that would answer his question.
It didn’t and he asked, “What about when you have dates over?”
As she recalled a few not so pleasant scenes from her past, she said, “I haven’t had a male guest in my home for a very long time and, when I moved to this city, there’s a reason why I took a job at a company where men aren’t allowed.” Seeing his confusion, she continued by asking, “Do you recall how everyone reacted to me when I was in my Pixie form at Mistyx? Multiply that by a hundred times and you’ll get closer to how Human men react to me if I let even the smallest amount of my Pixie side out. I can’t keep my Human disguise when my body is focused on other more intimate needs, so let’s just say that the results are not a night full of passion. Usually screaming and running are involved. That’s quickly followed by me packing and moving cities.”
When the reality of what she was saying registered, he asked in shock, “Are you telling me that you haven’t had sex since you left your village ten years ago?”
Without answering his question, she announced, “Time to pack some food.”
He watched her walk to the refrigerator and wanted to ask more questions, but he felt a sensation from her that he hadn’t felt before. It wasn’t anger or panic. The first word that came to his mind was despair, so he decided to drop the subject for now.
After she gathered or threw away all of the perishable items from the make-shift kitchen, she went back into the bathroom to gather needed supplies. This time when she returned, she found Devin staring at the twin mattress on the floor. To his amusement, he was tapping it with his foot and watching Pixie dust float into the air. As he breathed in its very pleasant and unique aroma, he whispered to himself, “What a waste.”
She rolled her eyes and announced, “I’m ready. Let’s get out of here.”
With one last tap and poof of sparkle, he picked up her bag. Feeling the weight of the amount of clothes she grabbed, he asked, “Do you really need all of this? The curse will be gone tomorrow.”
“You just keep telling yourself that, but I have a bad feeling that you’re stuck with me for a while longer. And if I’m wrong, I’ll just drag my clothes back. Better safe than sorry.”
The two went back outside and, after they crammed her possessions into the almost nonexistent trunk of Devin’s car, Nikki crawled into the passenger seat. When Devin didn’t follow her lead, she glanced back and saw him standing next to the building by the entrance of an ally. He was talking to the boy he had coerced into watching his car.
When the two stepped into the shadows, Nikki exclaimed, “He wouldn’t!” Just as she opened the door to go hunt down the Vampire and save the boy, Devin walked back out onto the sidewalk. To her relief, the boy followed shortly after and was counting money, seeming pleased and unharmed.
Once Devin was in the car, Nikki asked angrily, “Did you just feed on that boy?”
“Well, if you want to remain bite free, I need to keep my hunger tamed.”
When she looked over and saw the boy showing off his money to his friends with a smile, she asked, “Does he even know what you just did to him?”
“Like I said earlier, Human minds are easy to manipulate. He just thinks that we stepped into the alley so I could pay him privately for his guard duties.” Seeing her surprised expression, he added, “Did you think that it’s like the movies and we rip people’s necks open? It would be impossible to hide my kind for long if we left torn up bodies all over town. If we remain in stealth, Humans give us what we need and they’re none the wiser. In the end, we cohabitate quite nicely.”
“I don’t know what I thought, but I just didn’t expect it to have so little effect on your victim.”
With pride Devin said, “I can feed on a woman while on the dance floor and no one, including the one in my arms, even realizes what I’ve done. I can make it feel like a kiss. If I dance with enough women, I can get what I need within a few songs.” With a crooked grin, he added, “I would be happy to demonstrate with you any time you ask.” He showed off his fang filled smile.
She replied, “I’ll take your word for it.” Recalling the discomfort of his bite, without thinking, her hand instinctively rubbed her neck and she asked, “Then why did your bite hurt me?”
“Because your taste took me completely off guard.”
Not wanting to feel her version of his bite again, she suggested, “Maybe we should stop at a dance hall on the way back to the warehouse so that you can go in and fill up your inner tank.”
Seeing her distress, he teased, “Don’t worry. As much as my fangs would love to become intimate with your veins again, we can stop at Mistyx to take care of my cravings for tonight. Besides, Grippin would rip my fangs out if I feed on you and I don’t even want to think what my godmother and her blasted curse would do to me.” He shivered involuntarily. “Vampires fear only a select few creatures, but my godmother is on many lists just below my mother.” He continued with a more serious tone, “Just so you don’t take Vampire feeding lightly, you need to know that my kind do have the ability to rip out a throat without blinking an eye. It can happen to even the most controlled Vampire if they allow themselves to become too thirsty. I don’t tell you this to scare you, but you’re temporarily living in a building full of Vampires. The ones that live in my building fulltime I hand selected because they have excellent control and won’t expose us. But, we occasionally have Vampires stop by that have been on the run and have control problems. Some aren’t safe for anyone outside of my kind to be around. As long as you’re stuck at my side, assume all are untrustworthy unless I tell you otherwise.”
Nikki agreed, truly appreciating his honesty and concern for her safety, even if it was forced on him by the curse.
As they drove off, he continued her education. “Without a live-in Pixie, I could go for days before becoming dangerous, but many of my kind need to feed daily. To make it more entertaining, we make a game out of it. Like collecting paintings, we try to feed on as many works of art as possible, varying race, age, gender, and blood type. You, my dear Pixie, are a unique and very rare masterpiece.”
“Do I really taste that different?”
“You’re the prize of my collection by a long shot.”
Trying to change the subject, she asked, “How long can you be outside during the day if you’re completely covered up?”
“It isn’t just the severe allergic reaction my skin has to sunlight, my eyes are designed for seeing in the dark. Sunlight is blinding and extremely painful. Maybe if I had special sunglasses and a bodysuit of some kind, I could tolerate it for a few minutes. Why? Are you planning on getting revenge by dragging me out into the light?”
“No, I could never torture or kill anyone. Actually I don’t like to cause anyone pain—not even a Vampire.” For his benefit she quickly added, “…no matter how much they might irritate me by trapping me in a curse. I asked because I was just trying to learn more about you and your kind. I know that your race nearly destroyed my people and I was raised to hate you with every fiber of my being, but you’re nothing like the uncivilized animals they described.”
“The war between our people was over long before you and I were born into this world. Vampires were once out of control animals as you were taught, but times have changed and forced my race to evolve.”
“I can see that, but now I don’t really know what’s truth and what was just taught because of fear.”
Devin repli
ed, “I’ll share with you whatever you want to know. Since we’re stuck together for at least tonight, can I ask you some questions too?”
After she nodded, she said, “I’ll answer what I can, but don’t bother asking where my people live. I may not be able to live with them, but I would never betray them.”
“I would expect nothing less. Actually, I understand why you left, but don’t you miss your kind?”
“Every minute of every day.”
“Your family must be worried. Do you call them?”
“My people reject modern technology, so they don’t have phones or any other gadgets. If you were to see my village, you would think you’ve gone back in time. With everyone flying around, it’s like the Flintstones meet the Jetsons.”
“Are you ever planning on going back...even to visit?”
“I would love to see them again, especially my mother, but I don’t fit in their world anymore. It about killed me to leave the first time. Nothing has changed and, if I were to go back and be forced to leave, I wouldn’t survive the pain.”
Feeling her anguish, Devin decided to lighten the mood by saying proudly, “When my parents left town, I had a party that lasted over a week.”
She asked with genuine interest, “Why did they leave?”
“They’re the more typical nomadic Vampire and like to travel. They stayed here to raise me but, as soon as I was old enough, they left.”
“Do you know where they are right now?”
“I hear from them occasionally and the last message I received said that they were somewhere in Europe. They come back to San Francisco every couple of years, but I don’t think that they’ll ever decide to call one place home.”
“To travel like they do and to buy you a warehouse, they’re obviously quite wealthy. How did they get so rich?”
“People say I’m a charmer, but I’m nothing compared to them. I may use my talents to attract feminine curves, but they both use their gifts to get close to very powerful people—both Human and magical. While under their mental influence, their targets not only offer their veins willingly, they share business secrets. Their snacks wake up a little lightheaded and completely unaware of the millions they handed over.”
Mistyx Sonata (Mistyx Series Book 1) Page 10
