Page 58 of Perfectly Perfect Pixie

Sprites swarmed me, diving in and getting a last meal. I’d remembered to grab my earpiece on the way out and quickly shoved it into my right ear. “Storm’s coming. You need to take cover. Go on,” I shooed them. “Get somewhere safe.”

A chorus of thanks and goodnights rang out into the night as they buzzed off into the trees. Their homes were strong and would withstand the coming weather.

“Be well and watchful.” Lucroy leaned down, his forehead snug against mine. “I know you’re strong, but I worry. How can I not when you hold what is left of my heart?”

Lucroy’s confession nearly dropped me to the ground. “I—”

“Shh. Just promise me that you will keep your boundary as tight as possible. I don’t want even the smallest virus getting through.”

“I promise.” It was easy enough to make. Bonding with the land made the boundary nearly effortless. Intentionally weakening it took more thought than maintaining it.

“Good.” Lucroy inhaled, and his ordinarily stoic face eased. “Your scent is beyond compare. I do not know how I existed all these centuries without it.”

My cheeks warmed despite the biting wind. No one had ever spoken of me that way—as if I were their sun, moon, stars, and every reason for living. I had no idea what to say. I’d never thought myself ineloquent, but I sounded like a barbarian next to Lucroy Moony.

At a loss for words, I let my lips do the talking. Lucroy’s mouth wasn’t soft. It was all hard planes and sharp edges against my plump lips. It was glorious. Wrapping his arms around me, Lucroy pulled me in even closer. He didn’t nip my lips or tongue, but I felt the sharp edge of his teeth. He could have bitten down, and I would have moaned my appreciation. Lucroy didn’t. He carefully ate at my mouth without taking a snack.

Pulling away, Lucroy placed gentle kisses along the seam of my lips, angling down my jaw and to my neck.

“You are too much temptation,” Lucroy growled, finally releasing me. “I must go, and you need to get inside before the storm unleashes itself.”

Thunder rolled across the landscape, punctuating Lucroy’s concern. With a final kiss to my forehead, my vampire turned and vanished into the awaiting Jeep. He moved so fast, I heard the door slam before I saw it open and close.

I hovered, watching the Jeep lights fade. The wind picked up, blowing my hair and obscuring my vision. Pushing it behind my ears, I remained where I was until the first cold drop of rain froze my skin.

Shivering, I flew back to my cottage. The wind made it difficult, but I managed to get inside before the full force of the storm let loose. The sound of heavy raindrops smacking against the windows, along with the howling wind, made me feel cold, despite the fire. Standing in front of the flames, rubbing my arms, I realized it wasn’t Mother Nature that made froze my skin. It was Lucroy’s absence.

ChapterTwenty-Three

LUCROY

“You sure about this, boss?” Johnny leaned against the bar top, eyebrows raised and more than a little bit of skepticism coloring his face.

“I have never been more certain.” Giving my sleeves a slight tug, I corrected my cufflink. “It is a good plan. Leon agrees.”

Johnny coughed, the sound dismissive. “Yeah, but Leon’s not much better than you when it comes to doing stupid shit.”

Johnny was often frank, but I’d rarely heard that level of irritation. “I beg pardon?”

Waving me off, Johnny shifted so he could jab a finger into my chest. “Vampires, especially old as fuck ones, think they’re invincible, but that’s hardly the case. You’re not immortal, Lucroy. Don’t make the mistake of thinking you are.”

“I think what he’s saying is don’t get cocky.” Leon slapped my shoulder before pulling his arm back to his side.

“That’s exactly what I’m sayin’.” Johnny gave Leon a quick nod of approval.

“It will be fine.” I wasn’t spouting false bravado. I’d lain more than my fair share of plans and traps before. I often found the game exhilarating. Centuries of existence got boring, and a little cat-and-mouse every now and again was just what an ancient vampire needed to keep them feeling young.

“Of course it will,” Leon cheekily agreed while reaching for the glass of warmed blood Johnny pushed in his direction.

Alpha Voss had been kind enough to sniff every bottle of blood stored within Dusk. The only tainted bottles had been my special blend. Leon’s dinner was safe. Mine was too, though the poisoner wouldn’t know it. We’d replaced the tainted blood with safe, boring, human blood. The refilled bottles appeared to be the same mix I typically drank. Very few would be the wiser.

I stared at the tasteless blood, my glass still half full. Johnny’s narrowed eyes and thinned lips made it clear he was not pleased with my reaction. I was supposed to act normal, as if the blood was my typical blend and I enjoyed drinking it. Even if the human blood in my glass carried a hint of ogre, it still would have tasted disgusting. Peaches’s blood had ruined my appetite for anything else.

“Drink it,” Leon whispered into my ear. “Others are watching.”

With an indifferent look plastered across my face, I swallowed the noxious blood, forcing it down my throat and struggling not to suppress my gag reflex. I kept reminding myself it was sustenance and I needed to remain as strong as possible. I couldn’t afford to do more than feign weakness.

“Good boy.” Johnny burst into laughter, dodging out of harm’s way before I could physically injure him. Trotting off, Johnny’s laughter rang in my ears.

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