Page 70 of Perfectly Perfect Pixie

Darkness filled the landscape, tiny stars flaring to life. A small root broke through the ground, wrapping itself around my ankle and rubbing against my skin.

Warmth filled me, soothing some of the aches.

“Where do you think she went?” Phil asked. “After she left you. Do you think she just went back home? Did she head out of Mr. Moony’s territory?” Phil’s wings fluttered, showering us in pink.

“I don’t know,” I answered. “But I kind of got the feeling she wouldn’t run. Bree seemed resigned to the consequences of her actions.”

“Death,” Sedrick said. “It would be the only punishment she could expect.”

I wasn’t so certain. I’d spent enough time around Lucroy to understand that vampires had different ideas of punishment, and some of those were far worse than death.

Sedrick’s phone rang. He shifted against me to pull it out. He stared at the caller ID, lips twisted and eyebrows drawn in confusion. That meant it probably wasn’t Lucroy.

“Hello, this is Sedrick Voss,” he answered, verifying that it probably wasn’t someone he knew.

Body against mine, Sedrick stiffened. Any façade of softness disappeared just like the setting sun.

“When?” Sedrick clipped before he uttered a heartfelt, “Shit.” Pulling away, Sedrick fully sat, dislodging the sprites from his head. They flew and settled on Phil. “You need me there too?” Sedrick gripped his phone tight, his voice even tighter.

Phil and I shared a worried glance. After mouthing, “The kids?” at Sedrick, Phil physically relaxed when Sedrick shook his head no.

While I was glad Dillon and Ruthie were okay, I was still concerned. Lucroy hadn’t shown up yet. I wasn’t all that surprised. The sun had only set about fifteen minutes ago. It would take my vampire time to get here.

Sedrick’s gaze flicked to me, his expression hard to decipher. “I’ll keep him safe. Don’t worry about that.”

Who in the hell was Sedrick talking to?Dirt and debris drifted down my clothes as I pushed away from my tree. My aching muscles seemed like an afterthought, my worry pushing my own pain away.

“Got it. Keep me informed.” Sedrick ended the call, grip firm against his phone. Gentle and unassuming, Phil reached over, pried Sedrick’s fingers loose, and took the phone away.

“What’s going on?” I asked, heart pounding. I could feel its accelerated rhythm all the way into my throat. When Sedrick just stared into the night, I pushed. “Sedrick, tell me what’s happening.”

Face twisting, Sedrick looked like he would rather jab a twig into his eye than answer my question.

“Sed?” Phil moved from my side to Sedrick’s. It was all the alpha needed.

“Lucroy’s not coming,” Sedrick answered with a heavy sigh. When I opened my mouth, he held up a halting hand. “That was Leon. Lucroy asked him to call me. Lucroy was on his way here when the vampire council showed up.”

My inhaled breath caught in my throat. “The vampire council? Why would they be at Dusk?” I didn’t know much about the council except they were scary, and vampires didn’t want to be in their crosshairs. Their presence wasn’t a good thing.

Teeth grinding, Sedrick dropped his head, rubbing the back of his neck. “Lucroy didn’t want to worry you, Peaches, but it seems the council got wind of that werewolf he killed at the kids’ custody hearing. There was a complaint leveled, and he was being investigated.”

“What?” I leaped to my feet. “This is the first I’m hearing about it.”

“I know.” Sedrick and Phil followed my gesture, standing also. “There’s more,” Sedrick grimaced. “Looks like that Freddie fucker is making his move too. He challenged Lucroy for leadership of the nest.”

I sucked in another painful breath, my heart pounding even more furiously.

“Calm down, Peaches.” Sedrick placed his heavy hands on my shoulders, forcing me to the ground. “This is what Lucroy’s been waiting on. Well, not the council part, but Freddie challenging him. That’s a good thing.”

The logical part of my brain knew that was right, but . . . there was so much more. “And the council?”

Sedrick winced, pulling his hands away. As soon as he did, I lifted into the air. Sprites scattered, swooping in and eating some of my dust. They remained quiet, knowing their sounds hurt Sedrick’s ears.

“I’m not sure about the council,” Sedrick honestly answered. “I don’t know much more about them than you do.”

“But Mr. Moony killed that werewolf to save Peaches’s life,” Phil argued, sure that was reason enough to get the council off Lucroy’s back.

“He did,” Sedrick agreed. “But that wasn’t vampire business.”

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