Page 52 of Perfectly Charmed Pixie

“Okay, don’t have to tell me more than twice.” She hopped up and took off down the hall to what I assumed was her room.

The kitchen was small, much like I gathered the rest of the apartment was. The first time I’d come into the shop, I hadn’t realized Vander and Byx lived above it. I supposed it made sense. Following Vander’s lead, I gathered my bowl and empty glass, adding them to the counter with the dirty dishes.

“Towels are in that lower drawer.” Vander inclined his head in the direction I needed to look. I found the clean but tattered supply easy enough.

The sink filled with warm, soapy water, and Vander got busy. I dutifully dried what he handed me but was unsure where things went. I made a clean stack and thought of Parsley. If he were here, he’d be flying all around the kitchen, discovering its secrets and conversing with the cabinets.

We were two-thirds done, and Vander hadn’t asked me a single question. He simply washed, a light hum of a song I barely recognized drifting through the air. I’d never been one for domestic activity, but cleaning dishes with Vander was soothing. It relaxed some of my tension, though it couldn’t take it all away.

“You know,” Vander finally said, “I’ve heard that sharing a problem often halves its burden. I know we haven’t known each other long, and you’ve probably got no reason to believe me, but you can trust me, Parsnip. Deep down, I think you know that. I think that’s why you drove over an hour to find me.”

Vander placed a dripping glass in front of me, and I mindlessly grabbed it. I considered his words and knew they were true. I didn’t know how I knew. I didn’t trust easily, and Lance’s recent betrayal should have had me locking my mouth down tight. But Vander agreed to a silence pact. He already knew my deep, dark secret. He risked losing his warlock abilities if he did what Lance threatened.

Glass dry, I set it along with the others on the counter and started. “Lance called last night.”

Vander’s body stilled. “Lance? The warlock?”

“The one who made my previous charms, the one that had amagicalmishap that landed him in the hospital,” I clarified.

“Ahh yes. I take it he’s out of the hospital?”

“He is.” Those two words sounded far harsher than they should.

“And that’s a bad thing?” Vander stopped washing, giving me his full attention.

I barked out a laugh. “You wouldn’t think so, would you?” I shook my head, wondering how my life had gotten so fucked up.

Wasn’t there a point when karma said you’d been punished enough for your stupid mistakes? Hadn’t I already paid the price for my arrogance? Considering Lance’s threat last night, I had my answer.

It was amazing how little time it took to relate the story. Fascinating how such a brief conversation could send you into a tailspin of despair.

Vander listened. He resumed washing, finishing up what little was left, but he paid attention. Vander’s biceps flexed in time with his anger. Anger close to the point of rage.

Vander Kines was fascinating. I’d seen a lot of pissed-off individuals in the past. Vander was different. He didn’t shout, didn’t curse or storm about. It was a low, simmering boil. A carefully considered rage. It was quiet and contemplative, and I had a feeling it was far more dangerous than the explosions I was used to.

When I finished, Vander asked, “No silence pact?”

“With Lance? No. I was desperate and foolish back then.”

“I wouldn’t say foolish, but desperation often leads in that direction. You were trusting, and now Lance has betrayed that trust. Warlocks like him are what give us a poor reputation.”

I couldn’t argue. “I’m not sure what to do. Lance is right. He doesn’t have to make it known that he’s the one that outed me. There’s…”

I thought about Letty Fox. Lance knew about the witch. We’d had to change the charm from a necklace to something I wore around my thigh because of her. I’d told him the reason. It wouldn’t be difficult for him to track Letty down. She’d salivate over the revelation and waste no time posting it to her blog. Lance could give her all the information she needed to make the blog convincing enough for others to believe. Even if everyone didn’t buy the story, enough would. The damage would be done.

“There’s what?” Vander’s palm fell onto my shoulder.

The pressure was enough. It was the reassurance I needed.

“There’s a witch. Her name’s Letty Fox. She…” I wasn’t really sure what to say. I hardly understood Letty’s motives, or, at least, I didn’t understand them from a witch. “She’s obsessed with fame. Or maybe more notoriety. I’m not sure which. All I know is that she craves attention. She’s worse than any social pixie I’ve ever met. The first charms Lance made me were worn around the neck. Letty spotted it. She didn’t know what it did, but being a witch, she knew it was forsomething. She started paying attention to me, to every little detail. Lance changed the charm so I could wear it somewhere that could be concealed easier. But Letty wouldn’t let it go. She became obsessed. She’s still obsessed. She meticulously reviews any photo or video of me she can get her hands on. And she’s noticed things.”

“What kinds of things?”

I sighed, slumping against the kitchen counter. “Lance’s charms weren’t always consistent.” Vander snorted. “There were discrepancies. Little things that the typical viewer wouldn’t notice. Unfortunately, Letty is anything but typical.”

Vander mimicked my counter lean, head tilted down and contemplative. “So, this witch, her goal is what? More likes on her blog?”

“In a way. Like I said, I’m not completely certain of Letty’s motives. She craves attention, and just like a toddler, she doesn’t care what form that takes. Parsley thinks she has an inferiority complex and is seeking out attention as a way to validate her existence. He might be right. Regardless of her reasons, Letty’s been a huge pain. She’s a stalker too. I have a restraining order out, but that hasn’t helped much. She can still be the allotted distance away and still snap photos. She’s here in Virginia.”

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