Page 61 of Pointy Ears and Purple Glitter
“What’s the plan?” Tynan asked, his magic already gathering around his fingertips in faint purple wisps.
Malik’s mind raced through options. “I’m guessing they don’t know we live in the connecting building. They think they’re hitting an empty workshop.” A grim smile spread across his face. “Let’s use that to our advantage.”
The security monitor showed the intruders had managed to break through the first lock on the side door. They were working on the second, unaware they were being watched.
“I’ll go through the connecting door and surprise them from inside,” Malik said, already moving toward the workshop entrance. “You circle around through the back alley and cut off their escape route. Do whatever you have to do but keep yourself safe.”
Tynan nodded, his glamor dropping to reveal his pointed ears. In the dim light, his eyes seemed to glow with an internal fire. “Be careful.”
“Always.” Malik pressed a quick kiss to Tynan’s forehead. “Sparky, stay high and watch for reinforcements. If you see more of Garrison’s men approaching, warn us immediately.”
“Consider me your aerial reconnaissance,” the raven agreed, flying ahead through the connecting doorway.
Malik moved silently through the darkened workshop, positioning himself in the shadows near the side door where the intruders were focused on breaking in. He could have locked down the entire building with the security system, but he wanted to face Garrison directly. The whole situation had gone beyond protecting property - it was about establishing boundaries that would never be crossed again.
The final lock gave way with a metallic snap, and the door swung open. Four figures slipped inside, the last one - clearly Garrison - closing the door behind them.
“Spread out,” Malik heard Garrison whisper. “Find anything that looks valuable or important. And remember, this isn’t just about theft. I want this place trashed.”
Malik’s rhino surged beneath his skin. Their territory was being violated, again. Forcing his animal side back, Malik held still, waiting until all four men had moved deeper into the workshop, separating slightly as they explored in the darkness.
“We need lights,” Garrison ordered one of his men, who flicked on a powerful flashlight, sweeping it across the tools and vehicles.
That was Malik’s cue. He reached for the main switch and flooded the workshop with harsh fluorescent light. All four intruders froze, momentarily blinded by the sudden brightness.
“You picked the wrong shop to vandalize,” Malik growled, stepping out from the shadows.
Garrison recovered quickly, his surprise transforming into a cruel smile. “Well, well. The rhino himself. This is convenient. I was planning to pay you a more personal visit tomorrow anyway.”
The workshop suddenly felt smaller as tension filled the space between them.
“You stepped over the line, Garrison,” Malik said, his voice deceptively calm. “The smart thing would’ve been to walk away.”
“Walk away?” Garrison scoffed. “The natural order is changing. Your kind doesn’t belong here - or anywhere else among decent people.”
One of Garrison’s men moved toward the vintage Mustang Malik had been restoring, raising his bat toward the windshield. Before he could swing, Malik was across the room with inhuman speed, catching the bat mid-strike and wrenching it from the man’s grasp.
“My kind?” Malik snapped the bat in half with his bare hands. “You mean business owners? People who contribute to the community instead of terrorizing it?”
The thug stumbled backward, eyes wide with fear. “Boss, he…he… he can’t be human!”
“Of course he’s not,” Garrison snarled. “That’s the whole point. He’s one of the creatures hiding among us, pretending to be normal.” He pulled a gun from his waistband, pointing it directly at Malik. “But not for much longer.”
A flash of purple light suddenly illuminated the workshop as the door behind Garrison burst open. Tynan stood in the doorway, silver hair floating around his face as if caught in an invisible breeze, his magic crackling around his fingertips.
“I’d reconsider that if I were you,” Tynan said, his voice carrying an authority Malik had never heard before.
Garrison spun around, keeping his gun trained on Malik. “The silver freak. Perfect. Two abominations for the price of one.”
“Four against two,” one of Garrison’s men said, clearly regaining his confidence. “We still have the advantage.”
A harsh laugh echoed from the rafters as Sparky dive-bombed the speaker, talons raking across his face. “Might want to recount, featherless.”
Taking advantage of the diversion, Malik seized his opportunity. He charged Garrison, moving fast. His shoulder collided with Garrison’s chest, sending the man flying backward into a toolbox. The gun clattered to the floor, sliding beneath a workbench.
The workshop erupted into chaos. Tynan’s magic flared, creating a barrier between two of Garrison’s men and the exit. They bounced off it like they’d hit a solid wall, cursing as they stumbled back.
“What the hell is this?” one of them shouted, swinging his bat at the invisible barrier only to have it repelled with a shower of purple sparks.
