Page 73 of Perfectly Perfect Pixie

Silence filled the room. Every head and gaze turned toward the somewhat diminutive form lingering behind his brethren. A low, rasping chuckle sent ripples down my spine, raising gooseflesh on my skin.

“Well spoken, Hellfire.” Nirgal kept his face hidden, his voice a husked whisper, as if it weren’t used to being used. “I have no qualm with your presence.”

“I did not think you would,” Ray answered confidently. “With that said, I will agree that this is a vampire concern, with a little wolf drama thrown in for effect. I’ve no desire to interfere directly. I am only here to monitor the proceedings and will only intervene if I believe fairy law has been or is currently being broken. Do you mind if I partake of some refreshment, Lucroy?”

“Not at all.” Having spoken his peace, Ray eased around the bar. The sound of clinking glasses met my ears as Ray helped himself to a drink.

Arie huffed, loud and irritated. “I have other duties to attend to. I don’t have the time or inclination to hang around in a vampire-owned bar, surrounded by this many bloodsuckers.”

Several of my nestmates hissed again, showing a lot of fang. The slang wasn’t new, and it certainly wasn’t original. On a typical night, it would have been an insignificant comment, barely registering as derisive. But this wasn’t a typical night, and Alpha Belview hadn’t only insulted me but also the very ancient among my kind.

“Alpha Belview,” I kept my voice cool and flat. Taking a step toward Arie, hands clasped behind my back, I said, “While I appreciate you have no love of vampires, just as we have no love of overlarge dogs, I would ask that you refrain from slandering my kind while on my property.” Inclining my head toward Freddie, I added, “As Frederick has not gotten his opportunity to fight me yet, I am still king of the Southeast vampire nest. Perhaps, should some miracle befall Freddie and he succeeds in defeating me, he will have a different opinion on the matter.”

I gave Freddie a special kind of grin, one that promised immense pain. Freddie was foolish, but he wasn’t a complete idiot. The beginnings of doubt played across his poorly controlled features. Having already laid down his challenge, one that had been well witnessed, Freddie could not rescind it, and I had no need to act like a poorly fed fledgling any longer. I’d stopped playing weakened vampire the moment those words passed his lips. Freddie was starting to catch on.

Arie waved me off. “I don’t care about any of that. What I do care about is the fact you slaughtered a member of my pack with no cause.”

“No cause?” Leon sounded as incredulous as I felt. “That wolf attacked Peaches.”

“A pixie,” Frederick sneered, attempting to regain some of his earlier bravadoes. “When I heard about what happened, I took Alpha Belview’s complaint to the council.” Frederick sounded supremely proud of himself. I’d thought him the most likely culprit. It was nice to have him admit it in front of so many nestmates.

The response was instantaneous and not at all what Freddie expected. Hissed gasps of disapproval wove through the room, ratcheting up the tension. Freddie’s eyes widened as his wary gaze flicked this way and that. The uncertainty was replaced by irrational anger.

“A pixie,” Freddie spat, pointing a finger in my direction, as if those present hadn’t already known I was the one accused ofslaughter. “A fucking weak pixie.”

Freddie didn’t know his audience—hadn’t taken the time to understand them. My nest wasn’t like many others. I took in misfits, those that didn’t fit into the typical vampire nest system. Many of those I’d taken in had been rescued as much as anything else. Ill treatment and prejudice tended to change one’s opinion. The vampires I governed were not as self-righteous as others. They did not see themselves as the pinnacle of species, nor did they look down on species deemed weaker than themselves. If they were concerned about Peaches, it was only because I’d shown an interest and they were concerned about my well-being.

“Silence, Frederick.” Cassius pushed Freddie back. A single finger pressed against Freddie’s chest was enough incentive.

Gashan stepped forward, completely ignoring Freddie. “Alpha Belview’s complaint is valid, King Moony. This pixie—”

“Peaches,” I interrupted, not liking my beloved referred to in such generic terms.

Gashan’s lips thinned. “Peaches,” she gratingly clarified, “is not part of your nest. He is not a vampire, and therefore, you had no authority to kill another, even if that other creature was threatening his life.” Gashan spoke calmly, her voice devoid of the emotion her words stirred in me.

My vampire instincts roared with the thought of allowing any to harm Peaches. Visions of that night swam through my mind. A razor-sharp claw pressed against Peaches’s perfect neck, the terror lighting up his golden eyes.

“It is unclear,” Cassius said, “why you were even at such an event. A custody hearing? Involving werewolf children?” Cassius sounded truly confused. “And is it true that you offered to stand in as second for a werewolf alpha? That you lowered yourself to offer to fight in a werewolf challenge ring?” Cassius allowed his voice to mimic the incredulity of his words.

Arie fumed, probably irritated that his species was now on the other end of insulting words. I cared little for Arie’s opinion and even less for his tender ego.

Forcing my instincts to calm, I pulled on centuries of practiced experience, remaining aloof. “The situation was complicated and involved a pixie, Philodendron, that was a current employee. Although not a direct nestmate, I consider all employees under my protection. Philodendron had unintentionally bonded to Alpha Voss, the children involved in the custody hearing, and their home. I drove Philodendron to the hearing. Peaches, being Philodendron’s friend, went as well.”

“I’d heard a home-and-hearth pixie bonded to a werewolf’s home, but I’d thought it fabricated rumor.” Gashan sounded mystified.

“He not only bonded,” Leon stepped in, “but also mated Alpha Voss.”

While the vampire council members shifted in disbelief, Arie spat, “It’s a disgrace, that’s what it is.”

“As . . . interesting as that is, that would only explain your actions if it had been this Philodendron that was in jeopardy. I am afraid that does not excuse your actions in defense of the other pixie. It is my understanding that you’d just met this pixie that night.”

Cassius didn’t use Peaches’s name again. This time, it was intentional.

With a shake of her head, Gashan allowed a frown to grace her face. “I’ve nothing against pixies in general, but you well know the danger. Horatio—”

“Was a singular instance,” I interrupted. “There is no actual proof that pixie blood was the reason he weakened and died.”

Freddie stepped in front of Gashan and Cassius, his face lit with joyful triumph. “You’ve been drinking pixie blood. Admit it.”

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