Mistyx Sonata (Mistyx Series Book 1)

by Paulette Miller

  Blade replied, “I’ll help her as best I can.” To reassure both Devin and Nikki, he added, “I’ll beat you there with both Jackie and the car intact.”

  *~*~*~*

  As promised, Devin and Nikki met Blade inside of Mistyx. Blade tossed Devin his keys and said, “Jackie is safely on her way, so you can stop worrying.”

  Nikki replied, “She texted me, but I wasn’t worried about her. You earned my trust a long time ago.”

  Blade asked, “Then why did you want to talk to me? Do you want to warn me away from Jackie?”

  Nikki replied, “I would ask that you be very careful with my friend. She’s larger than life, but she’s vulnerable and can be hurt. But that isn’t why I wanted to meet you here.” She took his arm and said, “Let’s go sit and I’ll explain.”

  When they approached the Vampire’s regular table, they found everyone else from the warehouse already waiting for them. Shortly after the new arrivals joined them, Styx and Grippin were added to their numbers.

  Cassandra was the first to speak. “We’re all here as requested. What did you want to talk to us about?”

  Nikki shook her head and said, “Not here.” She turned to Styx and asked, “Can we use your office?” After Styx nodded, Nikki asked Cassandra, Grippin, Styx, Blade, and Devin to follow her. She then looked at those remaining at the table and said, “The rest of you stay here for just a moment. I would like to talk to the others privately before you join us.”

  Once those requested were in the office, Nikki stood at the fireplace and directed everyone to take a seat in front of her. Once in position, she said, “I know that having me trapped in a den of Vampires has been hard on all of the Vampires, especially Devin, but I think I’ve come up with a way to make it a little easier.” She pulled out a small, sealed mason jar from her purse and handed it to Devin.

  Devin examined the unlabeled container and asked, “What’s this? Homemade wine?”

  Nikki replied, “It’s my own recipe that I’ve named Blue Lightening.”

  Blade took the jar and, as he swirled the liquid around, he said, “It looks like either thick grape juice or thin jelly.”

  Nikki snickered and said, “In a way you’re right. It’s made from Pixie grapes.” When her answer left confused expressions on everyone’s faces, she clarified, “It’s my blood.”

  Devin jumped to his feet and, yanking the jar back, asked angrily, “Is this what you and Jackie were up to?”

  “Don’t be mad at her. I made her do it. Before you all bite my head off, literally, let me tell you why I did it.” Nikki proceeded to explain her plan for offering allergy shots to the Vampires living in the warehouse in hopes of lessening their cravings for her blood.

  Devin exclaimed, “You’ve got to be kidding! It’ll just cause them to want you more.”

  Nikki shook her head and said, “I don’t think so. Every time you’ve had some of my blood, I could sense that your cravings eased for a time period.”

  Devin didn’t hold back his outrage as he replied with his voice raised, “Have you already forgotten what happened in the shower when I fed on your blood? I could have killed you.”

  Nikki replied, “But you didn’t. You lost control because I forced you to avoid having any of my blood. Then when you were exposed to my blood along with my other intimate urges, it was like giving a starving man a steak. I think regular allergy shots could keep your thirst at bay.” She looked to Blade and said, “Your kind collect blood and I’m an extremely rare find. Can you deny that your cravings for me are heightened because of the desire to taste the unknown?”

  Blade nodded and said, “It’s true.”

  Nikki continued. “If you were to taste it, your curiosity will be sated, right? Vampires are creatures of habit so, if we do this on a planned, regular basis, we might be able to keep your curiosity at bay.” Before he could respond, she added, “And if we do it via a glass, my veins are not directly involved. No heartbeat to trigger the animal within.”

  Blade nodded and said, “She does raise a good point. Every Vampire on the planet would want to add her to their collection. We’re no different. It might be worth a try.”

  Cassandra said, “I never expected the curse to turn out like it did and it hasn’t reacted to anything like I expected. What if the curse backfires and makes things worse?”

  Nikki replied, “Then we would’ve proven that everything I touch turns into a disaster, but I’m betting that my luck is about to change. Then again, it can’t get any worse so I have nothing to lose. The curse is still going strong and, for me to survive this until the end, we have to do something. I’m willing to take the risk.” She took the jar back and added, “I brought this here hoping that Styx could control the distribution. If you prefer, Devin can make sure I’m locked in the apartment with him before we give anyone a shot.” She looked at Cassandra and said, “I would ask that you be ready and waiting in your apartment so you can pop in if needed.”

  Blade asked, “What about Devin’s shot? Controlling his cravings is the most important.”

  Nikki looked at Devin and, seeing the fury still in his eyes, she said, “I was hoping that he and I can discuss a more frequent option once he calms down.”

  To everyone’s shock, Devin grabbed the jar from Nikki, twisted open the lid, and downed a large swallow. He closed his eyes and enjoyed the feel of the familiar, but unique, liquid flowing down his throat. As Nikki suggested, his cravings began to calm as warmth spread throughout his body. After he opened his eyes again, he screwed the lid shut and handed it to Styx, saying “You and Blade can decide how to make it happen once we’ve left Mistyx. I’m taking Nikki home so that she and I can have a long, private chat.”

  Seeing the look in Devin’s eyes, Styx asked, “Do I need to send Grippin with you as well?”

  Devin shook his head and said calmly, “We’ll be fine. She and I just need to set some new house rules.”

  Nikki added, “Actually Devin’s reacting better than I expected. I’ve learned to watch for warning signs and, although he’s thoroughly pissed at me and I’m going to hear all about it, I’m not seeing his ‘don’t turn your back on me’ expression. That’s another reason I chose Mistyx as the place to announce my plan. It gave me more backup if I needed it.” She turned to Blade and said, “Please let me know how my experiment goes with you and the others.”

  She then took Devin’s extended hand and they headed out of the tavern with Cassandra close on their heels.

  Once Devin, Nikki, and Cassandra were gone, Styx called the other Vampires into his office. After Blade explained what the plan was, he said, “None of you are obligated to participate but, I think Nikki is right and I’m going to take my shot. The curiosity over her blood is becoming a nagging voice that’s quite demanding. I fear that if Nikki is going to be living with Devin much longer, I could lose control.”

  Wolfe admitted, “I’m already there. You all know that, when I was younger, I participated in the Fairy hunts, so I’m more sensitive to Nikki than all of you combined. Even the little I tasted from her the night of Devin’s attack has triggered my old hunting instincts and I desperately want more. If I can’t get this under control, I’ll be forced to move out.”

  Styx said, “Then let’s do this. Once we get the call from Devin, we’ll begin.”

  They all stared at the jar with their mouths watering.

  When Styx’s phone rang, they all jumped. After a brief discussion, he hung up and announced, “They’re in place. Who wants to be first?”

  While Styx poured a small amount of the liquid into a shot glass, Blade stood and said to his friends, “Remember, no one other than those in the room right now can know what we’re doing.” He then lifted the glass to his nose. After inhaling its unique scent, with his fangs bared and his animal side coming forward, he toasted to his friends and said, “Here’s to keeping the blueberry safe—well, as safe as she can be with our drooling mouths around.” He raised his glass high and said,
“Chug-a-lug.” After closing his eyes, he downed the purple liquid in one large swallow. His body trembled and he clenched his fists so tightly that his knuckles were white.

  Skye approached and asked anxiously, “Blade, are you okay?”

  Blade’s eyes shot open and, with a huge smile on his face, he slammed his fist on the table. He then exclaimed, “Hot damn! Best moonshine ever.” He turned to Styx and said, “Nikki was right about something else. We can’t do this anywhere near her. If I knew that a body full of this exquisite liquid was nearby, she wouldn’t be safe.”

  Styx asked with some concern, “Do you think you’ll be safe once you go back to the warehouse?”

  Blade replied, “I would want to stay here for a while to make sure, but I think I’ll be fine later. I just need some time to regain full control on my senses.” He turned to his friends and added, “I’ve spent more time with Nikki than the rest of you and I’ve grown to care about her. That’s going to help stop me from trying to administer my own allergy shots directly from the source. But without my connection to her, she would be doomed. That means if we think these shots will work, we all need to become closer friends with the Pixie.” He then added with a smile, “With that said, who wants to be next for Pixie proofing?”

  Skye stepped forward to Styx and said, “Give me my shot of that Blue Lightning, Doc.”

  Once he handed her the glass, she raised it and, mirroring Blade’s words, said, “Chug-a-lug.” She downed the liquid and had similar reactions as Blade, although it took her a little longer to regain her control. Once she was able to, she put down the empty glass and said, “I now understand why we hunted down their race and forced them into hiding. Their blood’s a drug and I’m buzzed already.”

  Kara and Jett were next and they toasted their shots together. They each had a slightly stronger reaction than Skye but, given some extra time, they were able to calm themselves. Jett couldn’t sit still after and, after doing a backflip, exclaimed, “What a rush! I feel like I could run ten miles without breaking a sweat.”

  After they sat down, Blade said, “Wolfe, you’re last.” When Wolfe remained in his seat, Blade asked, “Is there an issue?”

  Wolfe said with a rare and uncharacteristically frightened expression on his face, “My animalistic side is too close to the surface and her draw is too strong. I’m not sure if a shot is going to cut it for me. Maybe it’s best if I skip it all together and move out as I planned.”

  Blade said, “No one wants you to move out. You’ve managed to control your urges better than any of us expected and, considering your history with Pixies, that’s quite impressive. But to continue keeping Nikki safe, these shots are especially important for you. You may just need a stronger dose.” He turned to Styx and asked, “How much is left?”

  Styx replied, “I would guess about three swallows worth.”

  Blade took the jar from Styx, poured the remaining liquid into 3 shot glasses. Everyone looked to Wolfe, and Blade said, “Take a drink and we’ll watch over you. We won’t let you leave here until we know you’re safe. If they don’t work for you, then we’ll help you move out. It’s worth a try.”

  Wolfe finally agreed, but added a condition. “I fear my reaction may be extreme, so I’ll only do this if Grippin and Switch are also guarding me.”

  After everyone was in place, Wolfe was handed a glass. The second he caught the blood’s scent, his body went instantly stiff and his eyes changed to the deep yellow of his inner hunter. The moment the first shot was empty, he began to growl and, with his fangs bared, the animal within came fully forward.

  Seeing his extreme reaction, Styx yelled, “Switch, pin!”

  Seconds later, Wolfe was pressed against the wall, with strong vines securing him in place with Grippin’s strong arms in the mix. Once Wolfe’s body stopped fighting his bindings, Blade forced him to take the next shot. Although he reacted to the taste again, the initial shock had already passed and he recovered a little quicker. They repeated the same routine until all of the Blue Lightning was gone.

  Once Blade sensed that Wolfe’s inner hunter had gone back to rest, Blade asked, “Are you alright?”

  Wolfe nodded and, as Switch and Grippin eased their hold, he replied, “I won’t complain if you buy me a stiff drink, but I fear everything else will taste like shit compared to our little Pixie’s blood.”

  Skye said, “I second that. I knew that it would taste good, but I could never have imagined. I can still feel the warmth generated from it.”

  Styx finally relaxed his stance and patted Switch’s branch, saying “If you would be so kind, please make sure that none of these Vampires leave Mistyx until we confirm they’re under complete control.” A small army of branches stretched out and slithered through the air toward each of the Vampires. With everyone properly guarded, Styx announced, “Although Nikki provided the first round, follow me back to the bar and the next round is on the house.”

  *~*~*~*

  Meanwhile, Nikki was standing in the kitchen watching Devin pace the floor. The entire drive back to the apartment had been tense and awkwardly quiet. Nikki had wanted to talk to him, but the expression on his face made her courage falter. Since he still seemed unable to speak to her, she continued her retreat by saying, “I’m going to take a shower before bed.”

  Before she took a single step, she found herself pinned against a wall with Devin glaring down at her. Between clenched teeth, he said, “You aren’t going anywhere, you little schemer, until you and I have a very long talk.” He threw her over his shoulder, carried her up the stairs, and tossed her on the bed. Once she stopped bouncing, she found Devin standing at the foot of the bed with his arms tightly crossed over his chest.

  Devin demanded with a glare, “Explain yourself.”

  Nikki sat up and said, “Don’t be mad at me. I knew you wouldn’t agree to my plan, but I really think it’ll work. Even I know that curiosity about my taste is a powerful obsession for Vampires. They were trying to hide it, but it was driving everyone crazy. If you stop being mad at me long enough to think about it, you would see that my logic is sound. The only times when your cravings caused things to go a little poorly was when we let you go too long without a Pixie nip.”

  In exasperation, he exclaimed, “A little poorly! Is that what you call what I did? I almost killed you.”

  “But you didn’t and, if you had caught me, I don’t think you would have killed me then either. Like our touch appeasing the curse, once you had your fill of my blood, your cravings were appeased. After I zapped you, I think you would have regained control if it wasn’t for another craving that I put aflame. The day after the attack, Blade explained to me that you were chasing me as a mate. You’ve been with me for months and unable to take care of other more intimate needs. In the shower, I wanted you and I triggered that same need in you as well. I just didn’t realize that the craving for sex could be as strong as your craving for blood. Appeasing your need for sex is going to be a little trickier since the curse will only allow you to be with me and our combined desires are too strong for us to control. But I can at least help you ease your Pixie blood cravings.”

  “But tasting you is dangerous.”

  “It’s as dangerous if we do as if we don’t, so I vote that we give it a try. Jackie can help me bottle it so that we have a regular supply for everyone else. For you, a shot once in a while isn’t enough. Since we live together, I think we need to find a more frequent alternative closer to the source.”

  “What are you saying? You want me to bite you on a regular basis?” He shook his head and added, “Feeling your veins pulse while I feed definitely won’t work.”

  “I was thinking of something a little less aggressive. Maybe nip a fingertip or...” She looked down, nervously fiddled with the bedspread, and said, “Maybe... I was thinking... we could kiss.” When she looked back up at him, she quickly added, “Just not when I’m naked and in the shower.”

  “Why would you want to kiss me after ev
erything we’ve been through together?”

  “You feel what I feel so you’re more than aware of how much I liked kissing you. Remember, you’ve been sex free for all of six months. Try ten years. And like an apple a day keeping the doctor away, maybe a kiss a day will keep your fangs at bay.” Seeing him staring at her lips and considering her offer, she said, “I’m willing to try if you are. Just think about it. Right now I’m going to jump in the shower and get ready for bed. Why don’t you call Blade and see how everyone reacted. With my luck, my plan backfired and tomorrow we’ll be in a worse mess than today.”

  Devin waved her on and said, “Go take your shower and I’ll find out if tsunami Nikki destroyed Mistyx.” Before he walked away, he added, “How can someone so small wreak such havoc?”

  Nikki’s face fell and she replied, “It’s a gift. Just ask my village.”

  Devin felt a stab of pain in his chest. Although Nikki didn’t suffer the pain of blood lust, she had her own source of cravings and he needed to find her form of an allergy shot.

  *~*~*~*

  After a long hot shower, Nikki turned off the water and found Devin leaning against the wall watching her. As she dried off and felt the strength of his stare, she asked casualty, “After the attack, you said you weren’t going to peek anymore?”

  “If shots will appease a Vampire’s cravings for your blood, maybe regular peeking will appease my other needs.”

  Seeing the relief behind his smile, she asked, “Did my ridiculous plan actually work?”

  “We’ll know for sure when they see you, but Blade thinks it may have helped. They’re all enjoying a Pixie high right now...even Wolfe. They all say that they haven’t felt this relaxed since you dropped into their lives. And I have to admit that I feel more in control around you since I had my shot. I think that your idea of daily nips for me might be a good idea.”

  She said, “I don’t want you to decide too quickly. Sleep on it tonight and we can talk more tomorrow.” She gave him a brilliant smile and her wings started to flitter. Since she was still standing in front of him naked, the sight made his pulse race. She quickly got into her pajamas and, as she passed him to go toward the bed, he pulled her into his arms.