Page 43 of Perfectly Charmed Pixie

With a final nuzzle along my neck, Vander pulled back. His color had improved a little, but he was still too unsteady for my liking. I was just getting ready to tell him to stay, that we didn’t have to do anything else. Something deep inside simply wanted to take care of him, to make certain Vander was fed and rested.

But those thoughts frightened me more than the erotic ones of Vander’s cock slipping deep inside.

“I better get going.” Vander’s grin was sly, almost mischievous. “Better to get Byx’s verbal beatdown out of the way sooner than later. Once I’ve recovered, I’ll work on your next charm. That one should be easier than the first. The second always is. We’ll see how long this first one lasts. I’m hoping for at least three weeks, but time will tell. We’ll talk soon.”

I stood there, barely hovering above the floor, as Vander opened the door and left. His warmth charms must have run out because Vander burrowed deeper into his too-thin coat when the cold hit him. The blanket tossed on the back of the couch called to me, begging me to grab it, rush out, and throw it around Vander’s shoulders.

That would have been the kind, nurturing thing to do. Parsley wouldn’t have hesitated. But I couldn’t move. My wings stopped, and my feet hit the floor. The sound of a car engine starting should have startled me out of my stupor. It didn’t. I kept standing there, staring at that door, doing its best to keep the cold out. Yet it could do nothing for the ice freezing my core. I stood there, indecision paralysis ruling the day.

ChapterSeventeen

Vander

Fuck.I pulled off the side of the road, body shaking. My heart was aiming for a rhythm that would ultimately fail. I knew there’d be a drain when Parsnip activated the charm, but I hadn’t expected that.

Leaning back into my seat, I turned the heat on high. I didn’t have enough energy to sustain my charms and was frozen to the bone, far colder than the outside temperatures.

I hadn’t lied to Parsnip. I had worked extra hard, making the charm as perfect as possible. I’d overdone it to finish the charm and take it to Dusk tonight. I’d been desperate to see him. Maybe a little too desperate. Like always, that feeling brought out the stupid in life. Warlocks certainly weren’t immune.

My phone chimed, another text from Byx. She was worried. Before I’d left, I’d told her she was being overly cautious, that there was nothing to get so worked up about. Wisely, she hadn’t bought all the shit I was trying to sell. Byx was smart like that. She was a hell of a lot smarter than me.

I stared down at Georgiana’s ring. Its crimson glow dimmed the farther I traveled from Parsnip. Deep red lines haphazardly danced across its ebony surface. I could still feel its warmth, even through the bitter cold.

My shaking subsided enough for me to feel safe to drive again. Before putting the car in drive, I shot a quick text back to Byx, letting her know I was on my way. I didn’t glance down when my phone dinged again, unsure I wanted to see what kind of emoji Byx responded with.

I needed rest and food. A beer wouldn’t hurt either. I should probably stick with that order. Maybe I’d grab something to eat before falling into bed. Most likely, the beer would have to wait.

I also needed to figure this shit out. I’d agreed to make Parsnip’s charm, but I hadn’t been able to stomach the idea of it stealing away more of his life force, draining him every day he wore the damn thing.

Instead, I’d sacrificed mine. And I would do it again and again if it meant giving my one and only what he needed. What I had to figure out now was a better way to cope with the drain. I couldn’t function like this, and more to the point, given enough time, Parsnip would figure out something was wrong. My pixie was far too smart to expect less. I’d gotten away with my fib tonight, but I had no illusions that would last.

And then there was Byx. She was my responsibility. More than that, it was my privilege to care for her. She was still young enough that she needed me. One day, that would change. If I had anything to say about it, Byx would outlive me by at least five hundred, maybe more, years. But for now, I was the adult.

I managed a drive-thru on my way back to Richmond. I couldn’t say how the food tasted. I shoved it into my mouth too fast, downing the soda along with it. Sugar and carbs were a poor replacement for magical exhaustion, but they’d do in a pinch, and I definitely felt the squeeze.

By the time I got back home, I was feeling a bit more like myself. Foolishly, I thought it was good enough I’d be able to fool Byx. Evidently, I hadn’t lived long enough yet to get past the complete idiot stage of life.

“You look like shit,” Byx said by way of greeting. Her harsh words were softened by the worry fueling them. “I told you it was a bad idea.”

Since she wasn’t completely certain what kind of charm I’d made for Parsnip, Byx hadn’t exactly told me that. She didn’t know the full extent of my idiocy. What she did know was that I’d pushed myself too hard to get it done and then hopped in my car, driven an hour away, and stayed up all night. My body needed rest to rejuvenate, and I hadn’t given it even a glimpse of reprieve.

“Byx,” I sighed, unsure I could deal with what she was itching to dish out. “I—”

“Shut it,” she demanded. Hair sticking out every which way, Byx flounced down the remainder of the stairs. I got the feeling she’d been sitting on the fifth step most of the night. “Please tell me you at least ate something on the way back.”

I’d never been more thankful for Taco Bell. “I did.”

“Good. At least that proves you’re not a total moron.”

“Thanks?”

“Don’t thank me too much. I didn’t say youweren’ta moron. I only said you weren’t a total one.” Huffing, Byx shuffled up to my side. “Put your weight on my shoulder, and I’ll help you up the stairs. You’re going to bed, and I’m going to put together the biggest damn sandwich you’ve ever seen. You’re going to eat every last drop of food and drink at least two full glasses of water before you drift off to dreamland. I’m closing the shop tomorrow. Don’t complain,” Byx said before I could argue that I’d be well enough to open in the afternoon. “And don’t even ask me to get you a beer. You need hydration, not the opposite.”

“Yes, ma’am,” I said dutifully. “Your mamma would be so proud.”

“Idiot, Mamma would have zapped you good when you walked through the door, knocking you out. She probably would have thrown a blanket over you, but not much else. Maybe that would have taught you a lesson not to be this stupid again.”

I chuckled. “She would have tried.”

---