Page 64 of Purrfectly Peculiar Pixie

Those words were simple and sparse, yet they settled the frayed nerves slowly eating away at my calm. Phlox was gone far longer than I thought he’d be. His text gave nothing away beyond the fact he was tired, if the exhausted emoji was anything to go by.

On the heels of Phlox’s text was one from Lucroy. He too, it seemed, was on his way to Dusk. I wasn’t sure if Peaches would accompany him or not. I also wasn’t certain if Phlox had eaten much before he left. Even if he had, my beloved needed nourishment.

With that thought in mind, I caught Lizbeth’s attention. The bar was open now, but it was still early and a weekday so not as busy. While we didn’t regularly serve meals, we did have snacks. When Phlox arrived, I would inquire what else he wanted and order it to be delivered.

“Phlox will arrive shortly. A glass of orange juice and whatever snacks are available would be appreciated.”

“You got it.” Lizbeth headed back to the bar and disappeared into the back. I’d seen Phlox drink orange juice before and thought it a better choice than water.

I busied myself with some final computer entries and was just finishing when a cloud of bluish-gray pixie dust entered my eyesight. Phlox’s twittering wings not far behind.

My grin was automatic, just shy of showing fang, as was the lightening of my chest. “Phlox.” That singular word was sweet as honey dripping from my lips.

“Leon.”

I took back my earlier thoughts. The sound of my name spoken in Phlox’s soft voice and was far superior. What wasn’t better were the dark circles under his eyes and the pallor shading his skin.

Holding out my arm, I motioned for Phlox to settle in beside me. He snuggled in close. “I missed you today,” Phlox said, making my heart skip a beat. “I know you couldn’t be there. The sun was way too high in the sky when the meeting started. We also conducted a fair bit of business outside. I mean, you could have come for the end.” Phlox scrubbed his hand over his face, and I brought the glass of orange juice into his visual range.

“Oh, thank you.” Phlox grabbed the glass and downed its contents before reaching for the nearby chip basket. “I should have eaten more before I left but I didn’t get a lot of notice. The phone rang and Peaches told me to haul ass to his orchard.”

“Peaches said that?” I inquired. It did not sound like his normal MO.

Phlox grunted. “I got the feeling he was quoting someone else. Probably Ray, although I doubt he used those exact words either. Most likely Peaches paraphrased the intention.”

“It was that dire?”

Another glass of OJ appeared on the table and I barely had time to whisper a word of thanks before Lizbeth was off, attention already on another table. She’d set a glass of water beside the juice.

“I’m not sure. I think it was to accommodate Erasmus’s schedule. Although I believe that might be shot to hell now.” Phlox groaned. “You are not going to believe what happened.”

“Indeed, Frost is correct.” Lucroy walked up to the end of the table. Peaches was absent. However, Ray and Wendall were there.

“I already lived this once. I don’t need to rehash it. I think Trinket and I will head to the washroom. I could use the busy work to take my mind off things.” Wendall placed a kiss on Ray’s cheek before asking Phlox, “Do you want to come with me or would you like to stay here?”

“I’ll head back and help in a minute. I’d like some time with Leon if that’s okay.”

Wendall grinned and nodded.

“Lucroy, I believe you and Frost are more than capable of filling Leon in on tonight’s happenings. I will leave you to do so while I do the same with my queen.”

“You’re going to visit Aunt Silvidia?”

“Would you like to come along?” Ray asked.

Wendall appeared to consider the offer before finally shaking his head. “Not this time. Like I said, I don’t really want to rehash what just happened. I think Aunt Silvidia will understand. Let her know I’ll come visit soon.”

“As you wish. I will walk back with you to your station.”

With his hand on Wendall’s lower back, Ray guided them both through the growing crowd until they disappeared behind the bar and into the room beyond.

“It seems we are all on similar missions,” Lucroy coolly stated. “I dropped Peaches off at Philodendron’s home on my way here. He will relay the matter to Alpha Voss.”

Phlox quickly informed me why Sedrick and Phil were not at the meeting, finishing by saying, “I think Peaches wanted to check in on Ruthie too.”

“I am certain the child is on the mend,” Lucroy stated, not unkindly. “She is a dire wolf and the toughest of her werewolf species.”

I figured Lucroy was correct. Still, Ruthie was a child and Peaches loved her like a niece. It was only natural he’d be concerned.

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