“Why don’t you join your parents and see the world?”
“I guess I’m content to live the night life available right here.”
Nikki couldn’t imagine living in the dark her entire life and said, “I know you enjoy the night, but the daytime is full of so many wonderful things and a rainbow of colors. I just can’t imagine not being able to enjoy it.”
Devin replied honestly, “The night isn’t all gloomy. If we end up having to spend more nights together, maybe you’ll let me show you the world through my eyes.”
Surprised by his sincerity, she replied, “I think I would like that.” In the spirit of establishing peace between them, she added, “I wish there was a way that I could show you my day-based world too.”
“Maybe someday we can find a way.”
Nikki echoed back with a smile, “Maybe someday.”
Chapter 9:
I See You
Per their plan to quench Devin’s thirst, the cursed couple stopped at Mistyx. The moment they walked into the tavern, Switch helped Nikki take off her sweater to make room for her wings, which instantly fluttered in a stretch.
When she sighed in relief, Devin asked, “Is it hard to hold the magic needed to keep your Human disguise?”
Nikki shrugged her shoulders and replied, “Some days are easier than others. Right now, I’m finding it a bit difficult.”
He knew there was more behind her words. Before he could ask, Blade walked up to his friend and said, “I see you still have your Pixie.” He nodded toward Nikki with a smirk and teased, “Are you going to join us for dinner tonight or are you taking carryout home?”
Devin glanced at Nikki and, to support Nikki’s goal of developing a friendship, he replied, “Since I value my life, I’ll have to quench my thirst here.”
Blade said, “You know that Styx won’t allow it after our impromptu nip and release session.”
“To keep Nikki bite free, he knows that he has to let me feed and, doing it here, allows him to watch over our little Pixie. If I stay discrete, he won’t throw my ass out.”
Nikki didn’t want to listen to how they planned to feed so she said, “On that note, I’ll leave the two of you to do what we came here for.” Seeing several in the crowd already eying her with interest, she waved Grippin over and said, “I’m going to sit with Grippin. I think I might need his assistance.”
Blade stared at Nikki as she walked away with her personal gladiator at her side and asked, “So where do those wonderful spots disappear to? I want a map in extremely graphic detail.”
Devin replied not able to hide his disappointment, “I wouldn’t know. My Vampire charms don’t work on her and this blasted curse packs a wicked punch when I even think of exploring her terrain.”
Blade’s head snapped back to his friend and he asked in shock, “Are you telling me that you spent the entire night with her and, not only didn’t you sneak a quick snack, you didn’t get to know every inch of those sparkling curves? You’re losing your touch.”
“You have no idea.” Devin put his hand on Blade’s shoulder and said, “Let’s sit and I’ll tell you all about my time with the Pixie, her lethal cat, shadow Grippin, and the curse from Hell.”
*~*~*~*
Bee approached Nikki excitedly and hugged her so hard that Nikki was almost lifted off the ground. After talking for a few minutes, Bee went back to work and Nikki and Grippin sat down together at the small table by a fireplace. Devin and Blade sat in their usual spot. To prevent any form of curse-induced panic, Devin and Nikki positioned themselves so that they could keep each other in their sights. Being nervous and unsure what to talk about with Grippin, Nikki started to share stories from her travels. Since he couldn’t speak, he was an eager listener and encouraged her to continue. At the same time, Devin told Blade all about the events of the last twenty-four hours.
After chuckling at the tale, Blade replied, “I love that cat of hers and can’t wait to get to know the fur ball better.” He flipped open a switch blade and held it in his hand like it was his claw. He then swiped it in the air and, liking the way it felt, he added, “Sounds like we’re kindred spirits.” After a moment to ponder, he added, “If Nikki naturally makes noises in her sleep, I wonder what kind of noises she makes during other more vigorous activities?”
Both of the Vampires looked over at Nikki and let their minds wonder for a moment.
Blade then sighed and announced, “I think we both could really use a drink.” He scanned the crowd and, when he spotted the proper candidate, he nodded toward the one in question and said, “Your preferred appetizer is here...tall, blonde, and curves in all the right places. If she doesn’t ease your ache, I’ll just keep tossing you a thousand different women until you forget the little Pixie.” When he spotted another woman, he added, “I, on the other hand, prefer mine dark and dangerous.”
Although Blade was correct about Devin’s preference, when Devin looked at the woman, he found he had no interest in her. His eyes kept glancing over at Nikki instead. He guessed that he could try looking for someone new, but the curse was making sure that he only had eyes for his claimed woman. Knowing his temporary roommate wasn’t an option, he said resolutely, “Time to force feed at the buffet.” He flashed his dimple and a woman was in his arms in seconds.
When Devin escorted the woman onto the dance floor, Nikki paused in her story. She watched intently as the dance couple moved together seductively. When Devin leaned in and tucked his face into his partner’s neck, she wiggled into his lips’ touch. Nikki found herself leaning to the side, trying to get a better view of Devin’s moves. No sooner did he begin, he released her.
Nikki said to Grippin, “Huh, he’s right. I’m watching every move he makes and, if I hadn’t known what he was doing, I would never have guessed that he just fed on that woman. It looked like just an affectionate kiss. Fascinating.”
As Devin looked at Nikki and licked his lips, Grippin cringed and tapped his mug of beer. Nikki shivered, looked down at her purple drink, and replied, “I agree. Our drinks are so much better.” Although she had no desire to ever drink blood, seeing the pleased expression on Devin’s snack’s face, she couldn’t stop her mind from wondering what that version of a Vampire kiss would feel like. As soon as the thought entered her mind, she mentally scolded herself for wanting to fraternize with the enemy.
While Devin continued to work the buffet line of women on the dance floor, Nikki downed another drink while picking at a bowl of vegetable appetizers. Suddenly she stood and announced to Grippin, “I’ll be right back. I need to use the bathroom.” When Grippin stood to follow, she waved him back down and said, “Stay here. It’s less than twenty feet away. Surely I can make it there and back on my own.” She then started the short trek to the target door.
Grippin let her go, but he waved several branches to discretely follow.
*~*~*~*
After Devin twirled another woman into his arms, he felt an odd pressure in his chest. He glanced over at Nikki’s table as he had done at least a hundred times since they arrived. When he found the object of his curse obsession missing, he frantically searched the crowd looking for her and a sense of panic started to set in.
Blade noticed the quickly growing fear in his friend’s eyes and, after he walked over, he asked, “What’s wrong?”
As Devin spun, he replied, “I can’t find Nikki.”
Styx was watching the scene from the sideline and whispered, “Switch, deliver idiot.”
Blade watched as Devin was unceremoniously picked-up by several branches and dumped in front of the bathroom. Just as his feet touched the floor again, Nikki came barreling through the door and smashed against his chest.
As he held on to her, she panted hard and said, “Sorry. I needed to use the bathroom. I thought if I did it really fast, I could be in and out without the curse realizing it.”
With his own heart pounding, he replied, “No such luck. It seems that the effects of the curse are even stro
nger when we’re in public places.” Looking up at the men’s room door, he said, “Stay right here. I might as well take care of my own business.”
For some reason, the revelation that Vampire’s, like every other living creature, had to use a bathroom made Nikki chuckle. His race was so much more normal than what the elders of her village had led them to believe.
Unable to leave Nikki standing alone and unprotected, Devin looked over at Blade and asked, “Would you and Switch watch Nikki for me?”
Blade nodded, grabbed a sword off the wall, and stepped forward. Devin gave Nikki one last squeeze and then raced into the bathroom. While Nikki stared anxiously at the door that separated her from her curse buddy, Blade took his guard position next to her with his weapon at the ready as if he was preparing for battle. Switch mirrored his moves with his own branch now shaped like a club.
When Blade sensed Nikki’s racing pulse, he asked teasingly, “So, do you come here often?”
She looked up at him and, when she saw him smirk while stabbing at an invisible foe, she let out a giggle. The act caused a small amount of Pixie dust to sparkle in the air. Nikki’s shoulders slumped and she apologized.
Blade tried to catch the glitter on the edge of his sword and said, “Cool. You’re like walking confetti.”
Seconds later, Devin emerged. Although Nikki tried not to reach out to him, as soon as they brushed against each other, their fingers intertwined in a death grip and the ache instantly eased. Leaving their hands locked together, Devin looked down at her and, when he caught her trying to hide a yawn, he said, “You’re tired. Do you want to go back to my apartment?”
Nikki asked in return, “But have you fed enough?” Nodding toward the group of women staring back at him, she added, “It looks like there are several more works of art waiting to be added to your collection.”
Devin shook his head and said, “There’s no point.” Staring down at their entwined fingers and knowing that he couldn’t let go if he tried, some of his pent up emotions spilled over. He replied angrily, “Look around at the crowd of women here tonight. I’ve snacked on many of them, but it had no effect. You don’t know how badly I wish I could just grab one of them, take her home, and quench all of the thirsts inside me, but I can’t even look for at anyone else, because my cursed eyes only see you. You’re stuck like a damn melody that keeps playing over and over in my mind. But I also know that I can’t have you either. The curse won’t let me do anything that might even remotely cause you pain.” Knowing that Nikki wasn’t to blame for the mess he was in, Devin looked away for a moment to regroup. After taking in a deep breath, he said more calmly, “Obviously I can’t get what I want here, so I’m ready to leave whenever you are. Did you manage to get yourself something to eat? The food choices in the apartment are quite limited.”
She looked away so that she didn’t have to see the growing frustration and anger in his eyes and replied, “I’m fine; I had enough.”
Even Blade could tell that Nikki was lying and stepped in to help defuse the situation. He announced, “I think we’re all hungry. How about I pick up some food and bring it by the apartment? What about Nikki’s personal guard, Grippin? Is he going to stay at the apartment again?” At his name, they all turned to see the one in question standing behind them with Styx at his side.
Nikki said to the large man, “I really appreciate your willingness to guard me, but tonight, please sleep in your own bed. Devin may be furious at the situation but, for some reason, I trust him to not hurt me. This may sound crazy, but the curse is watching over me and it’s better than a hundred guards. Besides I’m a private person and would like a break from the constant staring. I have Cupcake, Cassandra, and Bo available if needed.”
Blade gasped, faked like his ego was bruised, and exclaimed, “Don’t forget my beautiful face.”
Nikki nodded and added, “…and Blade.”
Although they expected Grippin and Styx to argue, the two in question had heard Devin speak. Earlier Grippin had also communicated to Styx what he had seen back at the apartment the night before and how Devin had responded to Nikki’s every need. After a quiet exchange, to Nikki’s surprise, Styx and Grippin agreed to her request.
When Grippin tapped his phone, Nikki said, “I promise to text you regularly to let you know how the evening is going. I do want to thank you for watching over me last night and for listening to my life story tonight without falling asleep or crying.” Grippin smiled broadly and motioned to his ear, as if he would like to hear more. Nikki nodded and replied, “I have plenty of stories to share so, if you’re willing and interested, we’ll continue next time.”
Devin found himself feeling a pang of jealousy. He wanted to know Nikki’s story as well and now Grippin knew more about his roommate than he did.
As they made their way to the door and Blade was about to hand the sword to Bee to return it to its display, Nikki breathed in smoke from some incense being burned at one of the tables. She was sensitive to the scent and it made her sneeze hard. Unlike earlier, this action caused a large cloud of Pixie dust to billow around her. Many customers that breathed in the dust suddenly became glassy eyed and extremely interested in the body that produced it.
Nikki sneezed again and Styx yelled, “Switch, hide!”
In a flash, a branch scooped Nikki up and pulled her into the safety of the tree’s canopy. Blade used his sword to stop tree climbers, while Grippin literally tossed the impacted parties further back into the crowd. Another branch pushed Devin toward the exit. The Vampire took the hint and raced toward the door. Once there, Nikki was gently, but urgently, handed over to him. When he took her into his arms, he sighed in relief. Although he feared that her dust might trigger his inner animal, it did tickle his nose and made him squirm with interest, but the curse allowed him to maintain control. He put her back on the ground for a moment so that she could focus on her own magic and put on her Human disguise before they raced outside.
When she remained blue and he saw her frustration, he asked, “What’s wrong?”
With panic in her eyes, she said, “I can’t get my camouflage magic to work.”
Seeing the quickly growing mob behind them, he whipped off his coat and, after she folded up her wings, he wrapped it around her. While Blade, Switch, and Grippin continued to hold back the crowd, Devin tossed Nikki over his shoulder, raced outside, and ran to his car.
Once he had Nikki safely tucked into the passenger seat, he walked to the driver’s side. When he opened the door and heard another sneeze, a puff of glitter greeted him. As the sparkle filled his lungs, outside of his control, he let out a low growl of interest. He looked over at Nikki, glared, and said, “You aren’t making this any easier.”
She waved away the glitter in the air to dissipate the sparkle and said with her cheeks red, “Did I forget to mention that I’m allergic to incense? It could have been worse. You should see what happens when a cigarette is involved.”
He got into his seat and stared at his dash, which looked like it was covered in diamonds. After blowing the sparkle into the air, he said, “Thanks for the heads up.”
After a quiet drive back to the warehouse and parking the car, Devin got out of the car and freed Nikki’s bag from the too small trunk.
When Bo approached, Nikki asked him, “Do you want to come up and play with Cupcake for a little while? I know that she’s going to be mad that I forced her to stay behind tonight and seeing you again might calm her anger.”
Bo shook his head sadly and stepped back. While staring at the main entrance into the warehouse, he stiffened his stance and snarled.
Devin explained Bo’s behavior to Nikki. “We fear the news of your presence will spread quickly and it won’t take long before your adoring fans attempt to get in here to find you. We’ve asked Bo to increase security for the duration of your stay. He’s very dedicated to his role and won’t leave his post.”
Nikki wrapped her arms around Bo’s neck, pulled his head against he
r chest and, while giving him a bone breaking hug, said, “I’m so sorry that you’ve gotten caught up in this magical web too.”
After accepting her unexpected affection, he pulled away and then nudged her toward the elevator. After giving her a toothy grin, he went back to staring at the door with a protective, low growl.
Nikki was forced to leave him and she and Devin went up to the apartment alone. The second they walked through the door, they found Cupcake sitting on the counter, glaring at them with a very irritated expression. As Nikki approached, the cat turned around and looked the other way.
While Devin put away the food items, Nikki attempted to make-up with her furry friend. When she tried to entice her to turn around with her favorite treats that she brought back from their apartment, Cupcake finally gave in. The cat took the offered bribe and rubbed her head on Nikki’s hand affectionately to say thank you. Although they were still best friends, the cat was still mad, so she ran off to eat the food up in the rafters alone.
Still overwhelmed by the whole evening, Nikki went up to the loft, texted Grippin and Cassandra, and then unpacked her things in a corner of Devin’s overly large walk-in closet. By the time she came back down, Blade had arrived with Chinese food in hand.
Cupcake couldn’t stay mad so, after they spread the buffet out on the kitchen table, the cat returned. She jumped up on a chair to see what the Vampire had brought and eyed Blade warily. She was still trying to decide whether he was friend or foe.
Blade glanced over at the recent arrival, who was shooting daggers at him. While keeping his snickers to himself, he said, “It’s nice to see you again, Cupcake. Bo says hello and hopes you’ll come visit him again soon. I’ve been warned to behave or face your wrath.”
Mistyx Sonata (Mistyx Series Book 1) Page 11
