Page 79 of Perfectly Perplexing Zombie

“Can’t say I saw that one coming,” Stover said, tone flat.

I couldn’t read the human. Was it jealousy? I didn’t think so, but I couldn’t put another name to it.

“I suppose you told him too.” Stover was close enough that he leaned over and reached for the amphora.

This time, Trinket acted too quickly for Wendall to stop her.

“Trinket, no!”

She didn’t listen. Diving off Wendall’s shoulder, Trinket barrel-rolled once she hit the ground. Quick as lightning, her tail flicked out, the tip smacking into the amphora. The scuttlebutt was quicker than the amphora’s magical protection. The amphora skittered across the room, smacking into the wall. Trinket didn’t escape unharmed. As the amphora rolled along the floor, it shot out that same lightning streak, squarely smacking Trinket. The smell of burned fur filled the air, and her small body stilled.

Wendall screamed and dove for her, scooping her still-smoking body into his arms. “Trinket.”

He shook her, and relief barreled through me when she weakly chittered. Her eyes remained closed, and I could barely make out the slight rise and fall of her shallow breaths. She was alive. I could only hope she remained that way. Lucroy’s vampire was still unconscious.

I went to Wendall’s side and leaned over his shoulder. My slender fingers stroked Trinket, but she didn’t respond anymore to my touch than Wendall’s.

When I glanced up, Aurelia stared at me with blank eyes. Only her thinned lips indicated she found fault with the situation.

“Serves the little furball right,” Stover said while turning to walk in the direction of the amphora. He pulled up short.

Overcome with concern for Trinket and Wendall, I hadn’t seen Lucroy move. Peaches was with him, forever at his side. They formed a wall between Stover and the amphora.

The professor smirked while his fingers twitched and fisted at his sides. “You think that will stop me? I don’t have to have it in my hand to control the djinn. I was the last one to touch the amphora. Until that changes, I wield the djinn’s power.”

“She has a name,” Peaches protested, arms crossed over his chest and wings furiously beating. “It’s Aurelia.”

Golden dust covered the area and wafted toward Stover. He grimaced before a heavy sneeze broke through. Pulling out a handkerchief, he covered his nose and glared daggers in Peaches’s direction.

With a muffled breath, Stover did the unthinkable. “Aurelia,” he mockingly said, “I wish the pixie were dead.”

Lucroy roared, and with a horrid cracking sound, his body twisted into the killer vampires were known to be. Talons erupted from his fingers while all his limbs elongated. Sharp eye teeth snapped in Aurelia’s direction.

Surprisingly, Aurelia simply stood there. I fleetingly hoped the reason for Aurelia’s inactivity was because Vander and Mattie had found time to disable the magical bonds holding her to the amphora. I was sadly wrong.

“Djinn,” Professor Stover hissed, but still, Aurelia did nothing.

“Specifically, what pixie do you want destroyed?” Aurelia leaned against a nearby wall as if bored. “I’m afraid there are a lot of pixies in the world. I live to serve your wishes and would not want to disappoint you by murdering the wrong pixie.”

If the situation weren’t so dire, I would have found it amusing. She was stalling as only a djinn could.

Stover looked like his head might explode. Throwing an arm out, he pointed in Peaches’s direction. “That pixie.”

Aurelia didn’t bother looking and said, “There could likely be pixies on the other side of the wall, walking by. I’m afraid I still need more direct information.”

With his teeth gritted, Stover looked furious. He didn’t know Peaches’s name, or if he did, he couldn’t remember it. He did, however, figure out a work-around. “Fine. Aurelia, I wish for you to kill the vampire king, Lucroy Moony, and his beloved pixie. Is that specific enough for you?”

Eyes narrowing, Aurelia gave a reluctant nod. “It is.” Turning, her heavy boots sounded ominous as they landed, one foot after another. Vampiric hissing filled the bar, and as one, all the vampires left started for Lucroy’s side.

“Hold,” Mr. Moony managed to hiss through a mouth full of fangs.

“Lucroy, we won’t—”

Lucroy held up his taloned hand, stopping Leon. Crimson-filled eyes stared across the room, ordering Leon to keep the other vampires away. Lucroy wouldn’t sacrifice his nestmates.

“Coward,” Peaches accused from behind Lucroy’s looming form. “You can’t even do your own dirty work.”

Stover reached into his waistband and pulled out a gun. “Oh, I could. I doubt this would do much to King Moony, but I don’t think pixies are nearly as immune to human-made bullets as vampires.”

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