Page 36 of Perfectly Charmed Pixie

“What are you doing here?” Parsnip hissed. I leaned over the table so I could hear him a little easier. Parsnip’s eyes darted around the corner, but only his producer, Divia, paid us any attention. All other eyes were focused on Phil and Peaches’s elongated goodbye.

Slipping out of the booth, Sedrick wrapped an arm around Phil’s waist and pulled. When Phil lightly protested, Sedrick said, “If I don’t give you a little encouragement, we’ll never get home, and we’ve been gone long enough. Any longer and you’ll start feeling sick.”

Phil and Sedrick locked lips in a kiss that was anything but chaste. Peaches hooted and hollered, a catcall and whistle thrown in there just for fun.

“Good thing Ollie has the kids tonight.” Peaches waggled his eyebrows. “Looks like it’s gonna be a fun evening.”

Phil’s cheeks flushed, and he spluttered, wings dancing. Pink dust filled the air, and I quickly placed my arm over my nose, blocking most of it out. My throat tickled, but that was about it.

“Sorry,” Sedrick addressed me as he passed with Phil snuggled up at his side. “I don’t mean to be rude and cut out before introductions, but I need to get my mate home.”

I held up my hands, palms out. “No worries.”

Sedrick nodded in my direction before doing the same at Divia and Parsnip. “It was nice meeting you. I hope your time in Rutherford Haven is pleasant. Let me know if there’s anything Phil and I can do to make your episode better. Or if there’s anything else we can do.”

A true alpha, I quietly mused. The good kind. The one stories were written about. I hadn’t even officially met Sedrick, and I could tell he easily slid into that mold. Unfortunately, not every alpha did. Arie Belview could take some lessons from this one.

That singular thought got stuck in my head, the Belview name spurring a memory I’d almost forgotten. I figured I could be forgiven, what with meeting my one and only. My brain was a little full right now.

Sedrick led Phil out of the bar, his arm never wavering from its possessive position.

“Want to borrow my phone and take a picture?” Parsnip sounded snippy. “It’ll last longer.”

Surprised by the animosity spinning through his voice, I glanced down and was faced with slitted, aqua eyes shimmering back at me. Parsnip sat there, arms crossed, chin jutted out, and a look of unabashed hurt simmering behind those livid eyes.

It took me an embarrassingly long minute before I realized something very important. “You’re jealous.”

ChapterFifteen

Vander

Parsnip’s jaw dropped. “J-jealous. Don’t be ridiculous.” He waved me off, dismissing my insane notion. “I don’t know why you’d think something so idiotic.”

“You don’t, huh?” I rocked back on my heels, hands stuffed inside my pockets.

Parsnip’s gaze tracked my movements, as if drawn to a flame he couldn’t resist. I could tell he hated the knowing smirk on my face, like he wanted to get up and wipe it from my lips. He might be a little taller than me if he stood on his seat. I’d have to look up at him instead of down. I almost suggested it, just to see the satisfaction on his face.

“Parsnip, care to introduce me to your…friend?”

Friend.

Divia’s siren voice was difficult to ignore, even with my charm. Warlocks weren’t as affected by sirens as humans, but we weren’t immune either. My charm helped, but it didn’t completely eliminate Divia’s pull.

Parsnip didn’t seem affected in the least. Pixies were one of the species sirens had little effect on. “This is Vander Kines. He’s a—”

“Warlock,” Lucroy finished. “And from what I hear, the best one in the Southeast. I am surprised this is our first meeting. Then again, I rarely have reason to travel to our state’s lovely capital.”

Forcing Parsnip to the periphery of my attention wasn’t easy, but when the king of the local vampire nest addresses you, you give them your full attention.

“And I don’t have much cause to venture to Rutherford Haven.” I reached across the table, offering my hand. “Regardless, it’s good to finally meet you, King Moony.”

Lucroy took my outstretched hand. His fingers were cool but not cold, his grip firm but not crushing.

“Leon told me we had a warlock in the bar recently,” Lucroy said, releasing my hand. “It’s been some time since your species has graced Dusk’s doors. Please tell me that Johnny had a good burnt rum on hand.”

I held up my glass, tilting it in the light and showing off its deep plum color. “No complaints on my end.”

Lucroy’s smile was just shy of showing fang.

---