Page 2 of Purrfectly Peculiar Pixie

“More? How so?” Wendall cocked his head to the side, an air of innocence leaking from him in waves.

Again, I didn’t get a chance to answer. A round ball of fur darted across the yard. I jumped back as it scurried up Wendall’s leg, running across his arm and settling on his shoulder. A long tail wrapped around his bicep and Wendall leaned into the mound of fluff. Cooing filled the air. It was a sound I was completely unfamiliar with.

“Did you have fun? There are a lot of trees around here. Did you see the wolves?” Chattering erupted as the round fluffball tottered back and forth. “I told you not to engage with them, Trinket,” Wendall admonished. “They’re a lot bigger than you.”

In answer, Trinket opened their mouth impossibly wide, showing off a row of razor-sharp teeth. My eyes widened but Wendall seemed nonplussed.

“Yes, I know you’re fully capable of defending yourself, but I don’t think Alpha Voss would be happy if you tore a chunk out of his niece or nephew. None of that. You know I’m right, and we’re guests in Phil’s house. He’s a bonded home-and-hearth pixie. This is his home, and we’ll respect it and the ones it protects.”

Trinket’s demeanor instantly quelled. Nestling deeper into Wendall’s neck, their coos sounded apologetic.

Fingers disappearing into their deep fur, Wendall scratched what I thought might be their side. Gaze tracking to me, Wendall gave an apologetic shrug. “She’s pretty young and still learning.”

“Oh, I…what is she?” I asked the completely rude question.

“A scuttlebutt,” Hellfire answered. “She is of Fairy.” He said the last with warning.

“Ray gifted her to me.” Wendall leaned into Hellfire, his eyes full of adoration. “She was the absolute best present in the world.”

Hellfire’s cheeks flushed, their color only slightly dimmer than his crimson hair.

“She has indeed proved her worth.”

Wendall chuckled before going up on tiptoes and pressing his lips against Hellfire’s cheek. “She has,” he readily agreed.

“Come, I believe we’ve wasted enough time outside. The others are already here.” Hellfire wrapped his arm around Wendall’s waist again and made for the door. He didn’t look back to see if I followed.

Before he could reach for the knob, the door swung open. Phil’s protective barrier washed over me, tingling my skin and raising my hair. Inside, the house was awash in warm colors and enticing smells. Sound came from nearly every corner of the house, voices melding together in harmony.

“When will it be ready, Phil?” A young werewolf child bounced on her toes. Her brown hair was heedlessly bound on top of her head, little strands coming out here and there. “It smells soooo good.” As if to prove her point, she leaned her head forward, nose in the air, and sniffed.

“Soon, Ruthie.” I’d heard that Philodendron was large for a pixie. Sometimes, knowing something and seeing it in person are two totally different things. Phil was big. He was also beautiful. Pink ombre hair freely flowed down his back between two large pixie wings. Pink dust filled the air, mixing with a lingering glimmer of golden yellow.

“I want some too.” A typical-sized pixie, golden yellow wings and matching hair fluttered nearby. Intel told me this was Peaches. “Goddess, you make the best cinnamon twists.” Peaches clapped his hands. He looked more excited than the children.

“Peaches is right.” A young werewolf male stood behind his sister, arms crossed and head raised in confidence. “Everything Phil does is the best,” Dillon said with the authority of youth.

“Oh, I doubt that,” Phil answered, ruffling Dillon’s hair. On the surface, Dillon appeared miffed but the dusting of pink across his cheeks told a different story.

“Don’t argue with an alpha were, Phil. That never turns out well.” A large, burly were with a deep brown beard and thighs the size of tree trunks encircled Phil’s waist, squeezing between his wings and nuzzling his neck. When Phil tilted his head, it exposed a pink diamond necklace, platinum surrounding those sparkling gems.

“I’m gonna agree with Sedrick on this one,” Peaches said. “Especially where cinnamon twists are concerned.” Turning, Peaches placed his fisted hands on his hips. “Lucroy, I really wish you could consume something other than blood. You’re really missing out on Phil’s baking.”

The Southeastern vampire king’s dark black eyes gazed at me as he answered, “With all due respect, beloved, I believe others are missing out on the sweet taste of your blood. I suppose that is a blessing considering I would tear out the heart of any other that drew your blood.”

Peaches’s golden eyes rolled skyward. “So possessive.”

“Naturally,” Lucroy calmly answered, his eyes still locked on me. I’d met more vampires than fairies and that cold stare barely made me twinge. If Lucroy Moony wanted to have a go, I’d happily give him a run for his money. I’d most likely be ripped to shreds, but my shifted form was more lethal than most expected. I might be small, but I was mighty and, when properly pissed off, quick and deadly. Lucroy Moony could best me, but he wouldn’t come out of an altercation unscathed.

“Trinket!” Ruthie joyfully called and the little ball of fluff skittered down Wendall’s body and shot toward the child. Going to her knees, Ruthie giggled as the scuttlebutt danced around her body before climbing her like a tree.

Wendall sighed and when I chanced a glance in his direction, he appeared pleasantly at ease. That ease dissipated slightly when Lucroy’s cool voice broke through the calm atmosphere.

“Ray, would you care to introduce our guest?”

“Apologies,” Ray returned, nearly as devoid of inflection. Despite the soft tone, or perhaps because of it, all heads turned toward me. “This is Frost. He was sent by the Magical Usage Council to assist in our endeavors.”

“Frost?” Peaches flew forward and would have come closer if Lucroy hadn’t reached out and grabbed the edge of his shirt, pulling him back. Peaches didn’t even turn his head to acknowledge the move. “I’ve never heard of that type of pixie name.” Peaches didn’t sound judgmental, simply confused.

---