Mistyx Sonata (Mistyx Series Book 1)

by Paulette Miller

Later that evening as Nikki and Devin were preparing to meet Jackie, Nikki found Cupcake staring at the apartment door. She approached her and asked, “What’s up, Sweetie? Are you expecting someone?” Just then the door opened and Blade walked in. As if expecting her to be waiting for him, Blade caught Cupcake as she jumped into his arms.

  Nikki asked, “Nice to see you, but what brings you by? You finished the skybox last night.”

  Blade replied, “I have a date with Cupcake. She called me and asked me to come over.”

  Nikki replied, “Sorry. I should never have shown her how to use speed dial.”

  Blade shrugged and said, “I don’t mind and, if you recall, it was her call that triggered the rescue that saved your life.” Looking at Nikki in her more conservative Human camouflage and Devin in his going out attire, he said, “Looks like I’m not the only one with special plans. Where are you two going?”

  Nikki replied solemnly, “To take yet another detour in my life plans. I called my boss and quit my job today. She’s keeping it a secret until tomorrow so that I can tie up one last loose end.”

  After Nikki gave him the details, Blade said to Devin, “Since you’ll be out for a while, do you mind if I invite the group over? Building the sky box got Kara all worked up. She wants to scope out the place for curtains or something else with color.” He scrunched up his face in disgust.

  Devin replied, “Tell them all to make themselves at home.” He tossed Nikki a coat and said, “When Cassandra stops by to do her not-so-subtle check in, tell her that we won’t be out late.”

  Chapter 16:

  Hold On for One More Day

  After a short drive, Devin pulled into the Roast House’s parking lot and asked, “Are you ready for this?”

  “I’ve said goodbye to so many potential lives, I’m practically an expert. Let’s just get in there and get this over with as quickly as possible.”

  Shortly after they reached the door to the restaurant, Nikki heard Jackie’s voice calling her name. Nikki turned and smiled at the welcoming face of her best friend. Jackie approached and gave Nikki a bone breaking hug, which Nikki returned with much enthusiasm.

  When the women finally broke apart, Jackie said, “I expected you to look like the walking dead, but you actually look great. I swear you have a tan.”

  “Unlike your light bulb approach, real sunlight is an excellent source of healing. Before we go in, there’s someone I want you to meet.” Nikki turned and motioned Devin forward. As he stepped out from the shadows, she said, “This is my neighbor, Devin. Lady Bug wouldn’t start so he offered me a ride in exchange for a meal. I hope you don’t mind if he joins us.”

  Jackie’s face lit up, obviously liking what she saw and her entire body went into huntress mode. She held out her hand and said in a very sexy voice, “It’s very nice to meet you, Devin.” When she took his hand in hers, she said, “Cool, mysterious, and has strong hands...Nice.” She nodded approvingly.

  Devin watched as Jackie stealthily scanned and assessed his entire body in a matter of seconds—a skill that he thought only he had mastered. He instantly liked her. Not just because she was stunning, but because he sensed an inner strength that he had never felt in a Human before.

  Devin projected his camouflage and said, “You must be the infamous Jackie that Nikki has told me about.”

  Jackie froze with her eyes opened wide in shock. Her entire body language changed in an instant as her flirty side was put away. She exclaimed, “You’re the chicken soup guy!”

  Although grateful Jackie didn’t recognize him for what he was, he looked to Nikki for an explanation. Nikki replied to his questioning stare, “I was on the phone with Jackie when you came by my apartment to bring me soup. She never forgets a voice.”

  Jackie smiled and said with curiosity, “And here you are. Coming to Nikki’s rescue again. How gallant.” Her words were full of hidden meaning and Nikki could almost hear the alternatives forming in her mind for why Devin was actually at her friend’s side. Jackie asked Devin, “Nikki says that you live by her. When did you move into her apartment complex? I’m almost as good with faces as I am with voices and yours I definitely wouldn’t forget.”

  At that point Nikki knew she should have just introduced Devin as her boyfriend. In less than thirty seconds, Jackie had sized up Devin. She had instantly determined that romance was brewing between Nikki and her guest, and that the two were sharing much more than just a brick building. Jackie would tell Nikki later that she knew it because of the way he said the word ‘you’, emphasized a certain syllable, or something else as ridiculously trivial. And since Jackie was already convinced that Devin’s heart belonged to Nikki, he was now off limits.

  In a feeble attempt to rescue Devin from Jackie’s soon to begin interrogation, Nikki announced, “Let’s go in and get our table.”

  Jackie replied, “Great idea. Why don’t you lead the way while I get to know your neighbor better?”

  As Jackie approached Devin, he tried to keep her back by projecting his predatory side. Although she shivered as if a chill hit her, she continued on. She smiled, took his arm, and started to lead him to the door. When Nikki gave him a crooked smile and an ‘I’m sorry’ expression, he just shrugged his shoulders and walked on quietly. He was intrigued by this unusual Human and was curious about what she would do next.

  Nikki had reserved a spot outside in a dark corner and, as they were escorted to their table, Jackie never released her hold on Devin or stopped her scrutinizing stare. And as they walked, Jackie did almost all of the talking, leaving Devin to suffer in silence.

  When they were seated, Jackie made Nikki sit next to Devin. At first Nikki thought it was in an attempt to make it a romantic dinner. She realized the real reason moments later when Jackie sat down opposite Devin so that she could continue to stare directly at the target of her interrogation.

  When Nikki ordered vegetable pasta and Devin a barely cooked steak and the spiciest appetizer on the menu, Jackie chuckled and said, “I guess it’s true. Opposites do attract.”

  Nikki decided to face Jackie’s assumptions head on by announcing, “You can stop your interrogation now. Devin and I are not a couple.”

  Jackie waved off her comment and said, “Whatever you say.” She then focused back on her target and said, “So Devin, what do you think of Nikki’s cat?” Before he could answer, she interrupted him by saying, “Nikki tells me that Cupcake actually sleeps lying across her neck while purring. Does she do the same thing to you at night? Although maybe you don’t get any sleep when you stay over. I bet my quiet, reserved little Nikki is a wild one when she lets loose. Your size differences might bring some challenges but, then again, it could make things more interesting. Am I right?”

  Nikki exclaimed, “Jackie!”

  Jackie looked at her friend and said innocently, “Deny it all you want, but you two definitely have something going on.” She turned to Devin and said, “Besides reading voices, I see auras as rings of light around a person. Nikki has one of the brightest I’ve ever come across and it’s what drew me to her initially. It tickles when I get close to her. Your aura is strong and as dark as Nikki’s is light. But that isn’t the most interesting part. Your auras are locked together like links in a chain. I’ve never seen anything like it. I think she’s the Yin to your Yang.”

  Nikki snapped back, “You’re just making that up.”

  As the women bickered back and forth, Devin felt a new sensation projected from Nikki. It reminded him of the warmth from the feeling of friendship or family and caused him to have an overwhelming need to smile. It also made him realize just how much this Human meant to Nikki. He was then overcome by an inner urgency like it was imperative that Jackie not be allowed to walk out of Nikki’s life. He instantly knew that he had to come up with something quick to change the course of the night.

  As Devin pondered on alternatives, Nikki cleared her throat and said, “While we wait for our food to arrive, I guess I need to tell you the r
eason I asked you to dinner tonight. I called Susan today and told her I was quitting effective immediately.”

  Jackie’s amusement at the boyfriend discussion left instantly and she asked in shock, “Leaving? Where are you going?”

  Devin saw the pain in Nikki’s eyes and knew she was about to tell Jackie she was leaving town. When she opened her mouth to speak, Devin interrupted her and said, “She’s coming to work with me.” Nikki snapped her head toward Devin and, seeing her shocked expression, he said, “We might as well tell her.”

  Between clenched teeth, Nikki leaned toward Devin and whispered, “What are you doing?”

  Devin ignored her projected anger and confusion. After taking Nikki’s hand in his and holding on tightly, he turned back to Jackie and said, “You’re right. Nikki and I have been seeing each other. I would like it to be more serious, but she isn’t ready yet.”

  Jackie’s face lit up and she exclaimed, “I knew it! Auras never lie.”

  While Nikki sat with her jaw dropped, Devin continued. “Nikki and I met at a tavern and she literally fell into my lap. Although she wasn’t too fond of me at first, I must have grown on her because we’ve been locked together, as you put it, ever since.”

  Jackie nodded and replied, “I’ve seen it hundreds of times. She instantly puts up a guard whenever she meets any man. I’m glad to see you were persistent and broke down her wall.”

  “Another wall I’m trying to break down is that of her apartment building. When she finally took me over to her place, I didn’t respond well to her living arrangements. Both the apartment and the neighborhood aren’t safe enough for her.”

  Jackie replied, “I agree completely. I even offered to have her move in with me, but she refused.”

  Nikki started to respond, but Devin interrupted her by saying, “She may be tiny, but she’s stubborn and insists on doing everything on her own. I actually live in a converted warehouse and my place is quite large. She’s been living with me while she’s been under the weather. Now that she’s better, I want her to stay. There’s plenty of room for her to flitter about and I like the way my dark bachelor pad glows when she’s happy. And I’m willing to give her the space she needs until I convince her to take our relationship to the next level.”

  Jackie asked Devin directly, “Why didn’t she tell me?”

  Once again ignoring Nikki fumbling for a response, Devin answered, “Because she’s in denial. As she most likely has told you, she hasn’t had good luck with jobs or men. She was afraid to acknowledge us for fear it would jinx our relationship and make it fall apart.”

  When Nikki attempted to jump in on the discussion, Jackie hushed her and said to Devin, “That’s Nikki alright. She thinks that everything she touches shatters into pieces, but I just know this town and her latest guy are both different. Her luck is about to change and things are going to start going her way.”

  No one was listening to Nikki so she waved her arms and said, “Hello. I’m right here.”

  Devin remained focused on Jackie and replied, “Maybe you can help me convince her to give up that crappy apartment and stay with me.”

  When Nikki started to defend her living choice, Devin put his finger to her mouth and said, “Just a minute, Love Muffin. Jackie and I are talking about your future living arrangements.”

  Jackie approved of his action and replied to him, “Consider that apartment gone. I’ll convince her.”

  Nikki stuck her head between the two and said, “But I have a lease.”

  While Devin pulled her back to her chair, Jackie waved off her concern and said, “I’ve met her landlord.” After fluffing up her breasts, she added, “My ladies are powerful and will have him under their spell in ten minutes.”

  Devin glanced at the parts in question and, after nodding his appreciation for her assets, he said, “With those, I give him five minutes, max.”

  Jackie sat up tall and proud, and said, “Thanks. It’s nice to meet a man that appreciates nature’s handiwork. I want you to know that these are fully home grown, organic...nothing artificial added here.”

  Devin snickered and said, “That’s good to know.”

  Nikki gave up entirely. She sat back fuming and watched Jackie continue her discussion with Devin like she wasn’t even there.

  Jackie continued, “You said that she was going to work with you. Where?”

  “It’s a friend’s business, an old tavern downtown named Mistyx. It’s struggling right now. Nikki would give the shirt off her back to a complete stranger, so when she found out that he was in need, she instantly volunteered to help. We decided to work together to get the place back on track.”

  Jackie’s expression filled with concern and she asked seriously, “Nikki’s going to work at a bar with men? If you two aren’t having crazy loud sex yet, you might want to bump that up in priority.” Nikki gasped and Jackie finally acknowledged her friend, saying “I finally figured out why men fall at your feet. You said it’s been years since you had sex, right?”

  Devin shared his knowledge by saying, “It’s actually been ten years.”

  Jackie’s eyes opened wide in shock and she said, “I had no idea that it’s been that long.” She looked back at her friend and said, “No wonder your needs have been building up like a volcano. Men are helpless puppets when you’re around and in need of getting laid. They sense that you’re about to explode and are unconsciously drawn to you. They want to pop the lid off your pressure cooker.” With a chuckle, she added to Devin, “Even my ladies lose their magic when her needs flare. To prove my point, I bet that by the time we leave, she’ll have two drinks and a dessert in front of her…all compliments of her admirers.”

  As Nikki protested, a waitress came by and placed a drink in front of her, saying “This is from the table in the corner.”

  Nikki looked to where the waitress was pointing and she spotted several men raising their own drinks to her.

  Jackie sighed and said, “See. It’s begun.” She turned to Devin and asked, “Tell me, as a man, can you deny that the sex radar in your pants hasn’t picked up her need? I bet he twitches whenever you’re near her, yearning to douse the fire burning inside her.”

  Nikki was left speechless and put her head on the table to hide her face, and her embarrassment, under her arms.

  Devin looked at the faces of Nikki’s admirers and let out a low growl. He then raised the hand he had intertwined with Nikki’s. When he was sure the men saw that she was with him, he picked up the drink they sent, toasted to them, and drank it down to claim his territory. He then looked over at Nikki, smirked, and said, “Twitching is definitely involved and I would be happy to play fireman anytime she wants.”

  Nikki’s need to crawl under a rock was delayed when their waiter arrived with Devin’s appetizer. As if Nikki’s tablemates had been talking about the weather, Devin picked up a wing and said to Jackie, “Nikki won’t eat anything spicy, but you’re welcome to join me if you like.”

  Jackie replied, “I would love to. The spicier the better.”

  During the rest of the meal, Nikki received another complimentary drink and a delicious Crème Brule dessert. Jackie and Devin continued planning Nikki’s romantic future and, when the waiter finally arrived with the bill, Nikki’s gratitude shifted to anger again when he handed her a free piece of chocolate pie and his phone number.

  Jackie looked down at Nikki’s gifts and said, “Not a bad night’s haul, but my radar was off a bit tonight. There are two drinks and two desserts.” She took a bite from the pie and swooned to the taste, saying “Chocolate, my favorite drug.”

  While Jackie made noises appropriate for a bedroom, Nikki angrily grabbed for the bill. When Devin’s hand beat her there, Nikki said, “Put that down. Even though I’ve been ignored this entire meal, I’m the one that asked you both out.”

  Devin defended his actions by saying, “Jackie has declared me your boyfriend and, as that role, I’m a little old fashioned. Men pay for the pleasure of thei
r lady’s company.”

  Jackie swooned for a moment and then said, “It’s good to see there are still some gentlemen in the world today. I’m thrilled knowing that my Nikki has found a good one. This has been a truly magical night.” Her eyes glistened with happy tears.

  From under the table, Nikki’s palms sparked as she thought about the magic she was going to wield at Devin once she had him alone in the car.

  After settling up on the bill and Jackie got a box for the leftover desserts, they headed toward the exit. Jackie forced Nikki to make a slight detour and stop at the restroom. Although Nikki felt the panic begin to set in, she used all of her strength to push it back and concentrate on Devin’s face, which she knew was waiting for her just outside the door.

  Now alone, Jackie said to her friend, “You’ve found yourself a real keeper out there.”

  Nikki clenched her fists to hold back the growing panic, shrugged her shoulders, and said, “I don’t know. I’ll admit there’s an attraction, but it’s not natural and won’t last. He’s just caught up in some kind of spell and, as soon as it wears off, his feelings will change.”

  Hearing the pain in her voice, Jackie turned Nikki and forced her to look at her. She took Nikki’s hands in hers and, to Nikki’s surprise, she felt some of her panic ease and it gave her a couple of extra minutes before she would be forced to race back to Devin.

  Jackie saw Nikki’s strained expression and, assuming it was from the struggles her friend was having accepting her budding relationship, she asked, “Why do you lock your heart in chains?”

  Nikki was going to lie but, staring into her friend’s eyes, the truth spilled out instead. “It’s safer that way for everyone.”

  “I know that you think you’re a walking bad luck charm, but things can change and start to go your way. But you’re the only one that can make changes in your life. You just need to stand tall and stop letting people step on you.”

  Nikki replied, “But I don’t know how. It’s become habit.”

  “Just open your heart, mind, and eyes to the tall dark and handsome hunk of a man out there. I think he really cares about you and don’t you dare turn your back on what life is offering. Instead of pushing him away, break your chains and embrace him.”