“Better than the rest of you. I have to cover several other classes because instructors have called in sick.”
“I’m sorry about that.”
“I’m not. I can use the money. A new pair of Italian leather boots are calling my name. How are you feeling? You still sound different, not quite you…a little squeakier.”
Nikki forgot that she sounded different when in her natural state. She replied, “It must be our phone connection or my flu bug. That or I’m just tired of being trapped in the apartment.”
“Maybe we can get together on Friday. You could come over for a night of sappy romances with plenty of eye candy and firm, naked butts…just the way you like them.”
When Devin’s naked backside filled Nikki’s mind, she replied with almost a purr in her voice, “That sounds perfect, but let’s wait and see how this week goes. I don’t want to risk exposing you to my situation.” Nikki wasn’t ready to say goodbye, so she laid back on her bed and said, “What would make me feel better is you telling me all the details about your conquests at the bar after I left. I want all the dirt and in vivid detail.” Jackie didn’t need much encouragement to talk and Nikki just opened the floodgate. Nikki closed hers eyes and let Jackie ramble on.
Nikki momentarily forgot where she was until a voice from the kitchen yelled, “Nikki, food is waiting.”
Jackie stopped her tale and asked, “Was that a man’s voice I just heard?”
Nikki, thinking quick on her feet, said, “It’s just a neighbor that brought me some chicken soup.”
“In your neighborhood? What does he look like? Tall, dark messy hair, and a smile that makes you melt into a pool of mush at his feet?”
Nikki was shocked just how accurate she described Devin, but she lied, “No such luck. He’s short, bald, and ugly.”
“He didn’t sound ugly and I would know. I’m an expert on male voices. I think you’re holding out on me.”
Nikki forgot the uncanny knack Jackie had at reading people based on their voice. She tried to distract her by saying, “I’ll let your imagination run wild while I go eat my soup. I’ll call you in a few days.”
Jackie replied, “I still don’t believe you, but okay.”
Nikki was having a hard time saying goodbye and, while holding back her emotions, she said, “It was really good to talk to you. It made me feel so much better.”
“I’m glad I could help.” Jackie knew something else was going on and that the problem wasn’t being caused by a flu bug. She asked, “Are you sure there isn’t anything else wrong?”
“I’m fine. You worry too much about me.”
“Someone has to.” Although Jackie let it slide for now, she planned to discuss her concerns with her friend the next time she saw her. For now she said, “Say ‘Hi’ to your not so ugly chicken soup guy and I’ll talk to you tomorrow.”
Nikki hung up and sighed. She really did wish that she had her friend at her side.
By the time Nikki came down from the loft, Blade and Devin had everything packed away. Devin looked over when Nikki joined them and said, “I doubt we put things where you want them. You can rearrange it later.” After he tossed her an apple, he asked, “Did you get everything taken care of at work?”
Nikki nodded and said, “I’m good for a few days but, if we don’t fix this by Wednesday, I’ll quit. I hate lying and, if I leave on a more positive note, I might be able to get my job back after this is finally over.” She took a bite from her apple and headed into the living room without mentioning her conversation with Jackie. While Devin and Blade discussed plans for the night, Nikki searched through Devin’s digital library to find something to watch.
Later Devin and Blade joined her and, eyeing what was on the screen, Devin asked, “What are you watching?”
“I’m watching a TV series about Vampires secretly living among Humans. It’s amazing how many Humans from the small town die and no one seems to notice. At their current rate per show, the entire town would be dead or turned into Vampires well before a single season ends.”
Blade jumped over the back of a recliner and landed gracefully into the chair. He exclaimed, “Oooo, I like this show. The Vampires flash fry the moment they’re touched by sunlight as if their bodies are full of gasoline. Their approach may not be realistic, but it does look cool. I wish we did die instantly. We slow roast and it would take many hours of screaming before we actually succumbed to the torture.”
Nikki shivered at the thought. She was raised to hate Vampires and should enjoy the idea of them dying painfully but, as she looked at those next to her, she found that she didn’t want either of them dying fast or slow.
Blade said, “When you’re done with this show, I’ll start one where holy water makes my kind explode into a pile of bloody goo.”
Nikki cringed and replied sarcastically, “Can’t wait.” After watching a few more scenes together, Nikki asked, “Did you know that some Humans actually believe these silly shows? They think that Vampires are the walking dead and that you can turn someone into one through just a bite.”
Blade laughed and said, “If biting someone made them like me, the world’s population would be Vampire in a matter of days. The fact that we’re a living, breathing species that have families of our own is boring and doesn’t make for a good movie.”
Nikki added, “Don’t feel bad. They think Pixies are the size of a large insect, fly around carrying magic wands, and giggle a lot. We may be tinier than average, but I’m not a bug to be swatted away.”
As Devin sat down on the couch, he commented, “They did get it partially right. You can fly and make noises all of the time—day and night.”
They continued to watch the show together and Cupcake began to sense the strain Nikki’s presence was causing Blade. To offer her form of comfort, she moved into her newest favorite perch—lying on top of the Vampire’s head with her legs hanging down.
Nikki giggled and said, “I like the hat.”
Blade reached up, scratched Cupcake, and said, “Whatever makes my girl happy.”
When Cupcake wiggled and snuggled in affectionately, Nikki feared her cat was never going to let Blade go.
By the time they finished a second show, Cassandra arrived. Nikki didn’t hesitate and pulled her to the side. They discussed the proposed night plans and, as expected, Cassandra asked in exasperation, “You’re kidding, right? You want to spend an evening with just you and a bunch of Vampires?”
When Cupcake meowed, Nikki added on her behalf, “Don’t forget Cupcake will be here too.” She then tried to explain her point of view. “These last few days have been hard on me, but I know that Devin being forced to live with a food source his kind craves hasn’t been easy on him either. If you want to keep me safe, Devin needs to continue doing whatever it takes to keep himself under control. That includes feeding regularly and ‘letting off steam’ as he puts it.”
Cassandra replied, “You may be right, but it makes no sense to let you be in an apartment full of Vampires. But for the sake of argument, if I were to agree, what if myself or Grippin were here to watch over you?”
Knowing how Vampires felt about both of her suggestions, Nikki said, “I appreciate that, but I think your presence might cause issues of its own. I want them to be comfortable and not add any more stress to the situation. It’s taken me about two seconds to learn that they’re a restless race and need to let it out so that it doesn’t build to dangerous levels. Besides, there won’t be anything to watch. I plan to spend the entire night up in the loft, so I won’t be interacting with any of them directly. I promise to not even touch the downstairs floor the entire time they’re here. Unlike me, they’re the night owls and, while I sleep, they can stay up until dawn.”
Cassandra wasn’t convinced yet and declared, “This isn’t a good idea.”
Nikki added, “You admitted to me that you didn’t think that Devin could keep his hands and fangs to himself, and yet, I’m untouched with no bite marks. I’ve been
around Blade and I know it has been hard for him, but he hasn’t attacked me either. I’ve accepted the fact that I’ll be here for a while so, sooner or later, we’ll have to face what me living here means—with not just Devin, but with the local Vampire community. I want to give the others that live here a chance to prove that they can also control themselves. I really need them as my allies and I’m willing to take the risk. Like it or not, they’re my temporary family.”
Blade jumped in on the conversation by saying, “I’ve already had long discussions with those in this warehouse. This building is Devin’s and they know that if they even look sideways at Nikki, they’ll be howling into the night while looking for a new home. None of them want to be tossed out to the curb.”
As the curse provided Devin images of an injured Nikki, he added, “…or worse. Losing the apartment is their best case scenario.”
Cassandra was surprised by the real threat behind Devin’s words.
Blade jumped back in and said, “To make it a little easier, I’ll have them over-indulge on Human snacks before they arrive.”
Cassandra looked pointedly at Nikki and asked seriously, “Why would you risk this given the history between your two races?”
Nikki replied, “That’s exactly why I want to do this. Maybe if we could learn more about each other, we could find a way for our two races to live together in peace. Then my people could finally come out of hiding and openly become part of the magical community. I know that’s a bit of a stretch, but someone needs to take the first step.”
Seeing Cassandra’s resistance starting to falter, Blade put Cupcake back on top of his head and said, “Nikki won’t be unprotected. Cupcake and I promise to protect her.” As Blade pulled a dagger from its sheath, Cupcake flicked out her claws.
Cassandra couldn’t hold back a snicker and said, “I’m glad you can find humor in this.”
Nikki said, “I’d rather laugh than cry. I’ll have my phone glued to my hand and my finger on your speed dial number so, if I end up feeling threatened in any way, I’ll zap them, lock myself in the bathroom, and call you.”
Cassandra stared at Nikki’s bright wine-colored eyes and, unable to cause her any more pain, she replied, “Okay. We’ll see how it goes, but I’ll expect you to text me regularly throughout the evening and don’t be surprised if I just happen to stop by.”
Nikki said, “You have a deal.” Although she knew it was stupid, she found herself looking forward to the night to watch how Devin’s kind play.
While Blade talked security measures with Nikki, Devin escorted his godmother to the apartment door. As she walked into the hall, she looked back at Nikki and whispered to Devin, “That Pixie is impossible to say no to.”
Devin replied, “Tell me about it.”
Chapter 11:
Bad Moon Rising
Later, as Devin got ready for his guests to arrive and for the night’s festivities to begin, Nikki nibbled on dinner nervously. For some ridiculous reason she agreed to put her faith and life in the hands of a race of creatures that wanted nothing more than to drink her dry. But once she made a decision she wasn’t one to back down. If she could survive ten years on her own in the Human world, surely she could spend one night sharing the same space with a few Vampires. If push came to shove, she had her defensive abilities to remind them not to get too close, although she prayed it wouldn’t be needed. She had some lingering doubt whether she could wield the magic when needed, given the growing weakness she had been feeling.
When Devin came downstairs and joined her, he was dressed in his typical thrown on outfit that, once again, looked perfect. He said, “Blade just texted me that he’ll be in front of the warehouse in five minutes. Are you ready to go meet him?”
Before the gathering started, Blade was bringing Devin his Human snacks. Although Blade promised Nikki that the Humans wouldn’t be hurt and wouldn’t remember a thing, Nikki wasn’t sure she was ready to witness the event.
Sensing her nervousness, Devin said, “You won’t be alone. Blade already explained everything to Bo, so he’ll be standing at your side until we’re done.”
It was a critical step in their plan, so she stood, took in a deep breath, and announced, “Then let’s get this over with.” She tried to put on her Human camouflage, but the magic still wasn’t working, so she grabbed the blanket draped on the back of the couch. As she walked to the door, Cupcake jumped onto her shoulder so that she could watch over Nikki and see Bo again.
Devin then escorted his roommates out of the apartment and into the elevator. Once the gate closed, he instantly encountered a problem. Knowing he was about to feed had put his body’s senses on high alert and he instantly locked on Nikki’s accelerated pulse, making his mouth water. As the elevator moved slowly down, he had to hold his breath and look away with his fists clenched in order to not pin Nikki to the wall and forcibly take what his body was screaming for. The thought alone caused the curse to punch him hard in the gut. When they finally reached the bottom floor, Devin opened the door and raced out.
Bo was sitting outside of the elevator waiting for them. Living with Vampires, he was very familiar with the meaning of their many mood swings, so when he caught Devin’s strained expression, he quickly took his place between Nikki and the hunter. It was a position he planned to stay at until Devin’s thirst had been quenched and Nikki was delivered safely back to the apartment.
Cupcake wanted to spend some time getting to know Bo, but wasn’t sure how to approach him, so she cautiously crawled down and onto his back. She waited for him to throw her off but, when he looked back, he gave her an approving nod and she settled in for the ride. After following Devin outside, Bo led his charges to a shadowed spot. To reduce the panic. Nikki made sure that, from her location, she and Devin could stay in direct line of sight. Although she was hiding in the dark, she knew that his Vampire eyes could see her clearly.
While they waited, Cupcake crawled up onto Bo’s large head so that she had a better view. While her fellow hiders got comfortable, Nikki stared up at the moon and, when she shivered from an ominous feeling, she whispered, “Stay close and alert. There’s a bad moon on the rise and I fear trouble is on the way.”
They didn’t have to wait long before they heard a group of people coming down the road. For a moment Nikki couldn’t stop her mind from seeing her own people being lured to their doom. She again questioned her own sanity for the night’s plans.
Nikki peeked around Bo and watched Blade escort half a dozen laughing, glassy-eyed Human males, who were passing around a liquor bottle. She wasn’t sure what lure Blade had used and expected female Vampires to be waiting to entice them. Instead he used a different set of curves—Devin’s sports car. When Blade’s clueless captives spotted her sleek, shiny metal, they let out a yell and raced over to Devin and his anxiously waiting fangs.
The ruse worked completely. The Human men were allowed to explore the car and, while Blade used his mind abilities to keep them distracted, Devin used his skills to pull each one discretely to the side. He only took a small amount of blood from each to not raise suspicion or impact their ability to stand upright. This well-staged and less aggressive approach to feeding was done for Nikki’s benefit and she did appreciate their efforts. In an attempt to offer a little of her own unique help, Nikki blew Pixie dust off her palm into the night breeze. While the Humans moaned at the scent, Blade and Devin head’s snapped over to Nikki’s location in the shadows. When they both gave her a scowl, she responded by giving them a crooked smile and shrugging sheepishly.
By the time the scene was over, the Humans walked away, happily chatting and totally oblivious to what just happened to them. Blade followed them to make sure they left the area. Bo stayed pinned to Nikki’s side until he had delivered her safely back to Devin’s apartment and he confirmed that her Vampire roommate’s feeding instincts had calmed. After Cupcake rubbed her face on the side of Bo’s paw and Nikki gave him a big hug and kiss on the nose, he left his charg
es in Devin’s care. Before he left the apartment, he looked over at Devin and gave him a warning growl.
Devin was impressed with how Nikki had completely won over yet another magical creature. Her power made Vampire magic look like child’s play and, given enough time, he guessed that she would have the entire magical world willing to give up their life to protect her.
Shortly after the cursed couple were once again alone, there was a knock at the door. Knowing that one of the guests had arrived, Nikki headed toward the loft. Devin called to her as she walked up the stairs, “Once everyone is here, I’ll introduce you.”
Nikki’s nerves spiked and, as she cowered, she said, “Maybe I should just remain hidden.”
Devin said calmly, “They’ll smell your scent the moment they step out of the elevator. There’s nothing a Vampire wants more than a hunt and hiding you just begs them to track you down. Best to stick to the plan and present you formally. That way it takes some of their curiosity out of the equation. It also allows me set boundaries and remind them of consequences.” Seeing her body trembling, he added, “That is… unless you want to call this whole thing off?”
She shook her head and said, “No. I agreed to this and I think we need to do this.” She was determined to prove her theory that Pixie’s and Vampires can share the same space peacefully.
He replied sweetly, “Then let’s stick to the original plan.” With as much self-confidence as he could project, he added, “Trust me. This will work.”
Nikki and Cupcake watched from behind the safety of the loft railing as the crowd slowly grew in number. She felt like a child trying to catch Santa Claus coming down the chimney. By the time everyone arrived, she was outnumbered seven to one.
Both Devin and Blade became somewhat unsettled when an unexpected Vampire was counted in their numbers. When an impromptu debate started, Nikki leaned closer to listen. Based on the discussion, she learned that a Vampire named Alec had joined those assembled. He was a nomadic Vampire that they all seemed to know quite well. He had arrived at the warehouse just after dusk to attend Devin’s weekly work-out session and then stay over for a couple of days in one of the empty apartments. To Nikki, it sounded like this was a fairly regular routine.
Mistyx Sonata (Mistyx Series Book 1) Page 13
