Page 20 of Purrfectly Peculiar Pixie

Call me crazy—and others had definitely accused me of that and worse—but I got off my stool. I must be losing my mind because I didn’t exactly feel threatened. Leon was mad—beyond livid—but that anger wasn’t directed at me. It wasforme. Leon was worried. I still wasn’t sure why. There was so much about this vampire I didn’t understand. That didn’t mean it wasn’t true. It was why he followed me at night, why he stayed at Dusk every day and didn’t go home, why he was so angry now. When I’d taken off earlier, I hadn’t anticipated this level of fear. And itwasfear. It leaked from every one of Leon’s pores. My shifter side recognized the scent, knew it for what it truly was.

With deliberate slowness, I took one small step, followed by another. I kept my limbs loose and as nonthreatening as possible. I didn’t think Leon wanted to hurt me, but right now, he was running on instinct and sometimes the innocent got caught in the fray. I wasn’t sure I qualified asinnocent, but the analogy worked well enough.

Leon fidgeted, as if he couldn’t get comfortable in his own transformed skin. Crimson slowly leaked from his eyes, leaving them a familiar, calm sea of black. Hand outstretched, I settled my palm against Leon’s cheek, rubbing my thumb along his alabaster skin.

“I need you to calm down, Leon. Can you do that? For me?”

Seconds ticked by and Leon’s body remained still. Finally, his joints popped, and his body shrank. Leon still towered above me, but he didn’t loom. When his hands returned to normal, his fingers wrapped around my wrist, holding my palm in place.

Leon’s large eyes blinked, slowly covering onyx in crimson fringed alabaster. There was no inhale, no tension releasing deep breath. Leon stood there, only the methodically slow beat of his heart indicating he hadn’t expired a second time.

“You back?” I asked, making sure my voice remained even and without a hint of fear.

A handful of seconds passed before Leon managed a cold “I am.”

“Good. Lizbeth was worried.” I didn’t mention how concerned I’d been. Never show fear. It was a mantra I tried living by. Some days I managed better than others.

“Only Lizbeth?” Leon tried calling me out on my bullshit.

“She’s the only one I’m admitting to.” I tried pulling my hand back, but Leon wouldn’t release me.

“Leon, I—”

“You will not leave the premises again during the daylight,” Leon demanded, voice still icy.

“Says who? You?” I made a sound somewhere between a hiss and scoff. Only my handler on the Magical Usage Council told me what to do.

“Yes.” Simple. Direct. And painfully to the point.

“Yeah, well, I don’t remember when you were designated my keeper. Oh, there’s a reason for that. You’re not my keeper.” I yanked my hand back, and thankfully, Leon let me go. I had no illusions that if he’d wanted to hold onto me, he would have.

Lips pulled back, the tips of Leon’s fangs peeked through. It was a very emotional vampire response. “You placed yourself in danger today. Did you even tell anyone where you were going?”

“No. There was no need. I’m a grown pixie, I can—”

“It is dangerous out there.” Leon threw his arm out, pointing beyond the building.

“No shit, Sherlock. That’s kind of why I’m here.” I took a step back. When Leon didn’t follow, I took another until I backed into the stool where I’d been sitting. Leon’s arm slowly dropped. Don’t ask me how I knew, but the look in his black eyes was mutinous.

Fuck, I was too damn tired to deal with this. Not to mention I had to work tonight. Plopping down on my barstool, I grabbed what was left of my water and downed it. Elbow resting on the bar top, I placed my forehead in my palm.

Unlike Leon, I needed to breathe and after three good inhales and exhales I felt put back together enough to converse like a grown up.

“Listen, Leon,” I started, hoping against hope he didn’t interrupt me. “While I appreciate the concern, I’m honestly not sure what to do with it.” Or where it came from. “Pixies are dying.” I lifted my gaze. “Dying,” I repeated. “The longer that goes unpunished, the more pixies we’ll lose and it’s a horrible death.” I swallowed hard thinking about what my mother went through. “I don’t have a death wish, but if I can do something to help stop it, then that’s what I’m going to do. And, unfortunately, that means getting captured.” Leon’s chest rumbled but he didn’t interrupt. “It’s my job. No one twisted my arm, I volunteered. I’ve got the best tracking available. Two chips, a warlock charm etched into my skin, and brownie-created hair clips.” I pointed at the silent meerkats lounging within my hair. “Like it or not, I’m the best chance we’ve got.”

Hands tightening into fists, Leon muttered, “I do not like it.”

“No?” I raised an eyebrow. “I never would have guessed.” A grin teased the edge of my lips before I sobered. “You wanna explain why that is?”

Leon twitched. The movement was slight but the equivalent of vampire pacing. When he settled, Leon answered, “I am uncertain.” He licked his lips and his gaze tracked toward my neck. “Your blood…it sings to me.” Leon sounded just as confused saying those words as I was hearing them.

“Huh?” I didn’t have anything more eloquent.

Leon’s dark eyes gazed everywhere but at me when he said, “I do not know how to explain it. Lucroy was equally confused when he met Peaches.”

“What does—” My body stilled, doing a respectable imitation of a vamp. My brain tumbled through his words. They were deceptively simple at face value. Inhaling again, I said, “Peaches is Lucroy Moony’s beloved.”

“I am aware.”

---