Mistyx Sonata (Mistyx Series Book 1)

by Paulette Miller

  Devin paused the debate by walking to the loft stairs and saying, “Everyone, wait here.” After he joined Nikki, he asked, “Someone we know quite well stopped by and would like to join the party. After you meet him, I’ll let you decide if he can stay.” When Nikki nodded, he held out his hand to her and asked, “Are you ready to meet my guests?”

  Nikki replied nervously, “I’m as ready as I’ll ever be.” She let Devin help her get to her feet and then she followed him to the top of the stairs, while clutching onto both her phone and Cupcake.

  Assuming that this was all a joke, Alec looked around and said to those waiting at his side, “Where’s he hiding this mythical creature or does she exist only in his wet dreams?” His chuckle was cut short the moment Nikki appeared. For almost everyone present, this was the first Pixie they had ever seen.

  Everyone tried to smile politely but, when Nikki saw all of them clenching their fists so tightly that their knuckles were white, her mind screamed, “This is a really stupid idea.” She instinctively moved behind Devin.

  Devin liked the idea of being the one that Nikki looked to for protection and took a shielding stance in front of her. He then announced, “This is Nikki and she’s staying with me for a few days.”

  Alec let out a loud laugh, making everyone jump, and then said, “I thought you told me that he was cursed? I fail to see how being stuck with those blue curves is a curse. If it is, then let me know what I need to do to get a witch pissed off at me enough to lock one of those at my side twenty-four hours a day.”

  When Alec growled playfully at Nikki, Devin’s own pain spilled out and he shouted back the truth in anger and frustration. “Why do you think that Cassandra has practically moved in to the warehouse? Everyone is watching me like a hawk and, if I do anything they deem inappropriate—which basically says I can’t touch Nikki at all—they promise to rip my heart out. And what do you think it’s like to hear Nikki’s blood pumping through her veins twenty-four hours a day and not being able to taste a drop? Every time I even think about that wonderful warm liquid flowing down my throat, the curse stabs me in my chest so hard that I can’t breathe. So, trust me when I say that this has been pure torture.”

  When out of the corner of his eye Devin caught Nikki backing away from him, he turned to her with regret in his eyes and whispered, “I’m so sorry.”

  She always thought of Vampires as invincible and, as she stared at the group as a whole, ‘hunter’ and ‘danger’ were the words that instantly came to her mind. The thought that they were also vulnerable and truly felt pain, once again, surprised her.

  To not ruin their evening before it even started, Blade called to Devin, “Why don’t you introduce everyone to Nikki?”

  Devin vowed to fully apologize to Nikki later and explain his words. He quickly regrouped, pointed to the women, and said, “Nikki, I would like you to meet the ladies of the warehouse—Skye and Kara. They moved in about three years ago.”

  Kara was the shortest of the guests, which still made her over six inches taller than Nikki. She had shoulder length auburn hair that was swept to one side and had bright red highlights. Her matching lipstick, bold make-up, and colorful wardrobe, although intense, offered a playfulness that Nikki didn’t expect. Beside her was Skye, who was what Blade had previously described as Devin’s preference—tall, blonde, and beautiful. She was quite a bit taller than Kara and almost all of it was legs, which she emphasized in her tight skinny jeans. She had exceptionally long hair that was pulled back into a loose ponytail that caused a cascade of waves to fall down her back. Unlike Kara, she wore minimal make-up, although it wasn’t needed. She held a natural glow to her pale skin that would be the envy of any woman.

  Kara said to Nikki, “Skye and I share an apartment on the third floor. It took us a long time to convince Devin to break down his bachelor pad wall and let some estrogen into the building. Our apartment isn’t as large as this masterpiece Devin lives in, but at least it offers some color. Devin does seem to think that creatures of the night need to live in the dark…literally.”

  Skye chuckled in agreement and added, “Maybe you could come down and see our place sometime.”

  Nikki took a moment to remind herself that friends don’t kill friends and, knowing that even Vampire women were strong enough to pull a tree out by its roots, she wanted these two as friends as quickly as possible. Nikki replied politely, “I would really like that. It’s nice to know that not all Vampires live in a black and white world. Devin said that while I’m staying with him, I can I add a few things to this place to make it more homey. If I end up staying here longer than expected, maybe you can help me add a little color.”

  Kara gasped in excitement and replied, “Oooo, you and I will definitely have to talk. I’ve been wanting to get my hands on this place for years, but he won’t let me near him with paint swatches.”

  To prevent the women from starting a discussion on how to girly-up his apartment, Devin said, “You can talk shop another day. I want to introduce Nikki to the other two who call this warehouse home.” As two men stepped forward, Devin said, “This is Jett and Wolfe. Although Jett just joined us last year, Wolfe’s been here almost as long as Blade.”

  After Nikki nodded a greeting, Jett gave her a broad, friendly smile and announced, “I think blue is my new favorite color.” He took off his hat and gave her an exaggerated deep bow.

  When he stood tall again, Nikki instantly smiled at his blonde curls and friendly baby boy face. Based on his clothes and brightly colored tennis shoes, Nikki guessed that he was in his late teens. With the gleam in his dark eyes, he looked like someone that could make you laugh until your sides hurt.

  Nikki’s smile faded when her eyes met Wolfe’s. He was the oldest in the group by many years and by far the most intimidating. His body bulged with muscles and he projected pure power. He had thick, jet black, messy hair and matching beard that blended seamlessly into his dark colored leathery skin. But the part that gave her gooseflesh were his dark, yellow eyes. His more animalistic appearance caused Nikki to recall the wolf shifters she had encountered in the woods that had killed Callen. Unlike the shifters, she was surprised to see a loneliness in Wolfe’s eyes that mirrored her own. Although she should fear him, she found herself wanting to learn his story. She then said to herself warningly, “Remember, curiosity killed the cat.” As Callen’s smiling face filled her mind, her mind added, “…as well as any others that follow the cat’s lead.”

  Knowing that Wolfe was an acquired taste, Devin moved on by pointing to the remaining Vampire and said, “And the last one in our group for tonight is Alec.” He quickly added with a stern stare, “He’s just passing through and won’t be staying very long.”

  Alec puffed out his chest proudly and said, “Devin left the best for last.” After letting out a deep sigh, he added, “Alas, he’s right. I’ll be heading on tomorrow evening. I like to see the world, so I don’t like to stay trapped in any one place for very long.”

  Alec was the first nomadic Vampire Nikki had met and she expected him to look like a homeless man. Instead she found an average sized Vampire with short, well-styled hair and clean shaven. He looked more like a businessman than a lethal killer. As a nomadic Vampire where blending in could mean life or death, his appearance was perfect. He could walk into the Human nightlife looking like a traveling businessman that stopped at a bar to relax after a long day at work. He was also attractive enough to catch the eye of many lonely women who would be willing to offer their form of relaxation. Vampire meal served.

  While Nikki continued to examine his appearance, Alec said, “Devin lets me crash here whenever I’m in town but, if he decides to keep his latest apartment decoration, I might have to seriously reconsider my nomadic lifestyle.”

  Knowing that she was the decoration he was referring to, Nikki tried to discourage the thoughts she guessed were rolling around in his mind by saying, “I’ll be leaving here very soon as well. Odds are we’ll beat this curse t
omorrow so I’ll be out of Devin’s hair and on my way.”

  Alec said with the Vampire typical flare, “If you need a traveling companion to take you to your next stop, I’d be happy to volunteer.”

  With the light flickering off his fangs, Nikki replied, “Thanks for the offer, but I think I would prefer someone that doesn’t see me as a walking snack pack.”

  Alec replied, “But it would make traveling down a lonely road so much more interesting.” He then added in a whisper what all of the men were actually thinking, “I would love to play connect the dots with those spots to explore what treasures I’d find along that journey.”

  Nikki couldn’t hear his last comment, but all Vampire ears heard his words clearly. Although Alec snickered under his breath, Devin gave him an angry glare, while Wolfe whispered something into Alec’s ear that made the smirk instantly leave Alec’s face. Surprised that Wolfe came to her defense, Nikki smiled at the large Vampire appreciatively.

  Alec gave Nikki a bow and said, “I apologize for my comment and I hope you don’t hold it against me. If you let me stay, I’ll behave.”

  Although Cupcake looked up at Nikki and gave her a ‘throw the jerk out’ expression, Nikki replied, “Fine. You can stay.”

  Blade put his arm around Alec’s neck and, as he squeezed, he said threateningly, “Then I’ll personally watch over him to keep him out of trouble.”

  Cupcake made a sound like a snicker when Blade’s hug caused Alec to wince.

  Seeing the cat’s almost Human like response, Kara said to Nikki, “I love your kitten. What’s her name?”

  Nikki’s musical voice quavered as she replied, “This is Cupcake and she isn’t a kitten. She’s a full grown cat that’s been my companion for over twelve years.”

  Devin added, “Don’t let her small size fool you. She’s tougher than most shifters I know.”

  Cupcake gave a toothy grin, while showing off a set of razor sharp claws. As everyone laughed, Cupcake caught Blade’s appreciative smile at her display of attitude. She instantly wanted to jump into his arms, but even she knew her limits with five unknown Vampires staring back at her.

  Nikki couldn’t stop herself and she let out a chuckle, causing a small amount of Pixie dust to fill the air around her. She scolded herself as everyone else began to squirm uncomfortably. She knew that her presence was already causing issues and decided it was best to go back into hiding.

  She said as politely as possible, “If you’ll excuse me, Cupcake and I have a date with a book. Enjoy your evening.” As she turned to go back into the shadows, she looked up at Devin and whispered, “Go join your world and don’t worry. I promise that I’ll stay up here out of sight.”

  After she walked away, he looked back at his guests and said, “I want to remind all of you that this loft is forbidden territory except for myself and Blade. If you think you can’t control yourself, leave now. If I have to throw you out, you’ll be banned from this warehouse.”

  Blade added, “I’ve agreed to be Nikki’s personal guard so, if you touch her, you’ll have to deal with me up close and personal…and I’ve been itching to try out a new knife I just bought.”

  Devin said to the group, “These are my house rules and anyone that doesn’t want to abide by them, there’s the door.”

  After everyone agreed to his terms, Blade said, “We didn’t come over tonight to stand around. Who besides me could use a stiff drink?” He didn’t give Alec an option and pulled him toward the bar.

  Devin thought that a drink was exactly what he needed so, when he followed Blade, the rest circled behind him. Jett walked closest and, after brushing some sparkle off of Devin’s shirt, he breathed it in, shivered, and then exclaimed, ‘Hot damn!” As he looked down at some dust captured in the palm of his hand, he pondered to himself, “I wonder if she would be willing to bottle this stuff?”

  *~*~*~*

  Up in the loft, Nikki sent a quick text to Cassandra to let her know that everyone was there and that she was safe. She then snuck closer to the rail to watch the group from above with both her notebook and phone in hand. She watched as Devin took his position behind the bar and people began to call out drink orders. Seeing how he expertly flipped, tossed, and juggled bottles and glasses without spilling a drop, she knew that playing the bartender was a role that he was quite proficient at performing.

  Alec couldn’t stop his mind from sensing Nikki and, in an attempt to lure her down, he called up to the loft, “Hey Blue. Do you want to come down and join us for a drink?”

  Nikki knew that Alec was one Vampire she didn’t want to get anywhere near, so she walked over to the rail and called back, “I think I’ll pass.”

  Blade walked over to Alec and, while patting him on the shoulder, he said, “Give it up, Alec. She isn’t influenced by our charms, so she isn’t coming down. And even if she did, I wouldn’t let her neck anywhere near you.”

  “But she’s Pixie… a once in a lifetime find and a priceless addition to any Vampire collection. It isn’t fair that Devin’s the only one that gets to sample that sweetness. I swear I can hear her blood pumping from down here.” As his mind focused on the rapid beat, he whispered to himself, “I wonder if her blood is blue?” When Blade harrumphed, Alec added, “Don’t try to tell me that you aren’t interested in collecting that prize?”

  Blade replied honestly, “I’ll admit that having a live-in Pixie is something that every male Vampire dreams of—including me. But she isn’t here by choice and she isn’t volunteering to be the main course on a buffet line. I made a promise to protect her as long as she’s here and that’s what I’m going to do no matter how hard it is.”

  After Nikki returned to her spot in the shadows, she caught Cupcake trying unsuccessfully to find a good location where she could watch the Vampires without leaving the loft. Knowing she wanted a closer look, Nikki asked, “Can you go up into the rafters and keep an eye on them for me?” Cupcake hopped into Nikki’s arms, rubbed against her affectionately, and then jumped up to a beam to find a better perch. Nikki debated on following, but decided that her current position allowed her to hide better and offered a quicker escape if needed.

  *~*~*~*

  After everyone had a drink in hand, Blade, Wolfe, and Alec started to play a loud game of pool, while Skye walked over to the wall of electronics and turned on the music. She called, “Devin, come dance with me.”

  Devin downed his double shot and walked over to his dancing partner, while Kara and Jett followed their lead onto the dance floor. Nikki watched from above as the Vampires twirled through several songs. Although Kara and Jett were all over the dance floor, Devin and Skye danced so closely and fluidly together that it was obvious that they had been in each other’s arms many times before.

  Nikki was so impressed by Devin’s moves, she jotted some notes in her book and snapped a few pictures. She sent the images to Cassandra with the text, “Have you ever watched your godson dance? Impressive.”

  Cassandra replied, “He was born with dancing shoes on.”

  When Nikki moved closer to the rail to watch, she suddenly felt drawn to the left. When she looked in the direction the sensation was coming from, she spotted Alec staring back at her. With a grin on his face and his arms spread wide, he did a few dance moves in another feeble attempt to lure her down to join him.

  Without responding to his mental persuasion and, to his disappointment, she shook her head and stepped back into the shadows.

  When a slow song started, Devin pulled Skye tightly into his arms. As their bodies twisted and curved into each other seductively, Nikki found herself so enthralled that she forgot completely about Alec’s repeated attempts to get her attention. The dance couple’s movements were mesmerizing to watch and, given how comfortable they were touching each other’s bodies, Nikki guessed that dancing wasn’t the only thing these two had done together in the past. The thought reminded her of other physical needs that would be awkward for Devin to address with him trapped at her side.
Since she wasn’t about to ease that particular ache, she was going to add that topic to the list of issues that must be resolved. If they didn’t break the curse soon, Nikki wondered if Skye would be the key to easing that ache.

  When her mind returned to the dance, she clicked a few more pictures and found herself swaying to the music with longing. With her overwhelming Pixie presence, she rarely ever danced with a Human man and had never done it with her body so intertwined with her partner. When Devin’s hands joined the dance and caressed up Skye’s curves, Nikki’s eyes locked on the path of his fingers. When they reached Skye’s neck, Nikki held her breath and knew what was coming next. As soon as Devin leaned in and gave Skye a Vampire kiss, Nikki caressed her own neck and then shook her head in disgust. She knew it was stupid to want Vampire fangs anywhere near her veins, but she wanted to feel the sensations that would cause her face to match the pleasure that was now in Skye’s expression.

  As Nikki caressed her own lips, an inner desire grew. At the same time, Devin felt a warmth flow into him which, in turn, caused a different heat to build. After he released Skye’s neck, he didn’t back away. Instead he turned her, took her face into his palms, and kissed her. As the embrace grew in passion, his mind suddenly filled with the image of Nikki and a pain stabbed him in the temples.

  Devin stumbled back and the inner voice of the curse said, “And until you learn your lesson, you’ll cling to none other.” He was then made painfully aware about another side of the curse. If kissing wasn’t allowed, any level of romance was out of the question for the duration of his unwelcomed lesson.

  Skye saw Devin’s distress and asked, “Are you okay?”

  Devin glanced over at the loft and caught Nikki staring back at him. He rubbed his temple and grumbled a response back to Skye, “I’m fine. I think I just need to work out and let off some excess energy.”