Page 48 of Perfectly Charmed Pixie

“Hey, Parsnip.” Lance’s typically high-pitched, nasal voice was absent. The scratch that replaced it wasn’t much better. “Sorry about the delayed shipment. I’ve got things ready now, and I can get them to you in the next twenty-four to forty-eight hours.”

I sat there with my phone squeezed in my hand. Clearing my throat, I said, “I thought you were out of commission.”

“Yeah. Me too.” Lance chuckled, the sound little more than a rasp. “But I’m out of the hospital and need to get back to work. Bills to pay and all that.”

So, that was it. Lance needed money. Well, I hated to disappoint him, but this last batch of charms was the last bit of coin he was getting from me. Vander’s charm was a world apart, and I had no plans to go back to an inferior and more draining product.

“I see,” I finally managed. “I’ll send the money, but this will be the final time, Lance.”

There was a slight pause before Lance stuttered, “Wh-what? You mean you’re coming out?”

It was an odd way to phrase it, but I understood well enough. “No. But I have found another warlock.” I wanted to tell Lance that Vander’s work was far superior, but I held my tongue. I wasn’t certain how ill Lance was and didn’t see the need to rub more salt into his wounds. “I was under the impression that you wouldn’t be able to finish my order in time, so I had no choice but to contract with another warlock.”

“Oh. Well, I can see the need, but I’m back to work, and the healers expect a full recovery. There’s no reason we can’t go back to our previous arrangement.”

There certainly was a reason, but I still tried to refrain from hurting Lance’s ego. “I’m sorry, Lance, but I don’t believe so.”

“Why not?” Pitch and heat returned to Lance’s tone, neither welcome. “Is he charging less than me? Is he undercutting my operation?” Anger sang loud and clear. “Tell me what he’s charging, and I’ll do better.”

I didn’t know if I should feel offended or not, but that’s the exact emotion that struck me. I started to tell Lance that Vander’s price was the same, but then I realized I’d yet to pay Vander a dime for the charm warmly and comfortably resting against my thigh. I didn’t even know that we’d settled on a price.

“It’s not that,” I honestly stated.

“Then what?” Lance growled. “Tell me who this warlock is.”

I had absolutely no plan to do that. “That is private and none of your concern.” Irritation boiled within me. Lance had made a lot of money off me the past six years. If he didn’t have any left for a rainy day, then that was his problem, not mine.

Still not wanting to burn any bridges, I tried to placate Lance. “I’m sorry, but that’s my final word. As I said, I will pay for the charms you’ve already completed. That’s fair.” Even though they were several days late, and I had no intention of using even a single one unless absolutely necessary. Still, it would be good to have a backup, even if they were inferior.

“That’s bullshit, Parsnip. I don’t come through one time because of an illness—”

“Injury,” I corrected. “According to your stepbrother, it was an injury of your own making. And besides, that’s not the reason.”

“If that’s not it, then what the hell? I rely on that money. You owe me for the past six years. If nothing else, you owe me for keeping my mouth shut. Do you realize just how much I could make outing you? Any gossip rag would pay a mint to hear about the celebrity who’s been fooling everyone. No species likes a liar, and that’s exactly what you are. You think anyone will want to watch a show with you on it after that? Especially when they hear what you really look like? That you’re just a drab little pixie that looks like shit when not wearing a charm to cover your ugliness.”

I’d made a lot of mistakes in my life. One of those had been with Lance. I’d been so damn desperate. I hadn’t asked him to engage in a fairy-silence pact. And, of course, he’d seen what I really looked like. I hadn’t had a charm to cover my appearance at that time. There’d been no choice.

Fear combined with rage boiled up inside me. “Are you threatening me, Lance?”

“Take it how you want. As long as I keep getting paid, I don’t give a shit.”

I’d never heard Lance sound so cruel. “After I pay for the current charms, you’re not getting a dime from me. If you try to go public with this, your career as a warlock is over. No one will ever commission you again. Trust is a hard-won thing, and if you break mine, I’ll make certain everyone knows about it. I will spread your name far and wide. Do you understand?”

Lance’s raspy chuckle was nothing like Vander’s. “Yeah, I think I’ve got it. Take care, Parsnip. Just remember, there are other ways of getting paid that have nothing to do with going to the press, and I’ll deny leaking your secret to my grave. You wouldn’t be able to prove shit.”

Lance ended the call, leaving me staring into my rental home’s abyss. My darkening phone screen blurred as I continued staring, eyes fixed and unblinking. I’d always known Lance was an arrogant ass. I hadn’t known he’d be an underhanded one too.

Unsure what to do, only one thing came to mind. Only one warlock. I thought about calling but didn’t think that was enough. I needed to see Vander. I needed to not only hear his soothing voice but also to feel his rough hands on me. I needed his warmth because right now, I felt colder than the winter wind.

ChapterNineteen

Vander

I itched to start on Parsnip’s next charm but held back. I needed to rest, and that didn’t just mean my body, but it also meant that part of me that made me a warlock.

By the time 10:00 p.m. rolled around, Byx was still giving me the silent treatment. She’d holed up in her room most of the evening and night. I figured she needed time to cool off, to wrap her head around why I was so adamant about not taking her up on her magical offer. I thought she’d settle down eventually. I just wished it was sooner rather than later. Byx and I argued a lot. Typically, they were more in jest than true disagreement. This argument was completely different.

Freshly washed and dried, I didn’t smell as bad as before. Too bad I couldn’t wash my brain the same way, come out of the shower all crisp and clean, all negative thoughts washed down the drain. There was no charm that magically scrubbed the brain of racing thoughts.

---