Page 46 of Pointy Ears and Purple Glitter
“I always need you,” Tynan admitted. “But it felt good to stand up to him myself. To the family, through him.”
“You were magnificent.” Malik’s blue eyes shone with admiration. “The look on his face when you showed him our mating marks - priceless.”
From his perch by the window, Sparky finally broke his uncharacteristic silence. “I was calculating how many feathers I’d need to pluck from that pompous peacock if he tried anything. At least sixty, I figured.”
“You were awfully quiet,” Tynan observed.
“Strategic silence,” Sparky replied with dignity. “Let the enemy underestimate the avian element of our defense strategy.”
Malik chuckled, but his expression quickly sobered. “Do you think they’ll really send others?”
Tynan sighed. “Finlay talks a good talk, but I doubt it. The main fae council knows the laws well enough not to interfere, and while the family council might whine and grumble about it for the next two hundred years, they’ll know if they do anything to interfere with my life here, then the general fae council will interfere with them. Our fated mate bond has to be respected above all else.”
“Good.” Malik’s arm tightened around him. “Because you belong here now. With me.”
“With us,” Sparky corrected. “I’m an essential component of this arrangement.”
Chapter Twenty-One
Malik couldn’t shake the feeling of unease as he turned the wrench on a Pontiac’s timing belt. A full day had passed since Finley’s unexpected visit, and while the fae intrusion had been handled, it left him with a heightened sense of vigilance. Tynan had insisted that the fae council wouldn’t pursue matters further, but Malik’s rhino remained restless, sensing threats on multiple fronts.
Pride mingled with his angst as Malik reflected. Tynan remained blind to his surging confidence, but watching him confront his cousin had stirred something profound in him. His magic flowed with precision now, his laughter rang out despite the perils that stalked their streets, and the way he had woven himself into Malik’s life - and Ian’s - touched both man and rhino alike.
He’d just finished tightening the last bolt when a thunderous crash echoed through the workshop. Malik dropped his wrench and sprinted toward the sound, heart hammering against his ribs.
The front roller door, down because it had been raining earlier, had been halfway ripped from its track, the metal bent and twisted. Through the mangled opening, Malik spotted four men in dark clothing rushing into his workshop. Two carried baseball bats, one had what looked like a crowbar, and the fourth - clearly the leader - held a pistol casually at his side.
“Look what we have here,” the leader called out, his voice carrying an educated accent that seemed at odds with his thuggish behavior. “The rhino’s den.”
Malik’s blood ran cold. He scanned the workshop, locating Ian near the office door, frozen in shock, and Tynan emerging fromthe office with Sparky on his shoulder. Both looked alarmed but unharmed.
“You’re trespassing,” Malik growled, stepping forward to place himself between the intruders and his family. “Get out before I throw you out.”
The leader laughed, a hollow sound that echoed off the workshop walls. “Such hostility. We’re simply here to deliver a message.” He gestured with the gun. “This neighborhood is being cleansed of undesirables.”
Malik recognized the man from Grok’s description - tall, dark-haired, with the polished look of old money gone bad. “You must be Garrison.”
“My reputation precedes me.” Garrison smiled, revealing too-perfect teeth. “And you’re the infamous Malik. The mechanical giant who’s been harboring freaks.”
One of the bat-wielding men suddenly lunged forward, swinging at a nearby workbench. Tools were scattered across the concrete floor with a cacophony of metallic clangs.
“Stop that!” Ian shouted, breaking his stunned silence and taking a step forward.
“Ian, don’t…” Malik warned, but it was too late.
The second thug rushed Ian, slamming him against the wall with his forearm pressed against the young man’s throat. Ian struggled, eyes wide with panic.
“Let him go,” Malik demanded, his control slipping. His rhino pushed against his skin, demanding release, demanding retribution.
“We will, once we’ve made our point.” Garrison stepped farther into the workshop, examining the space with casual disdain. “You see, I have a vision for this neighborhood. A clean, orderlycommunity where everything is natural. No abnormalities, no freaks hiding behind human faces.”
His gaze shifted to Tynan, who had moved closer to Malik’s side. “Like your silver-haired friend here. What are you hiding under that glamor, I wonder?”
Tynan tensed beside him, and Malik felt a surge of protective rage. He took a measured step forward. “This is your last warning. Leave my property, and let my employee go.”
“Or what?” Garrison smirked. “You’ll shift right here, in front of everyone? Confirm what I already know?”
The man holding Ian suddenly wrenched the young mechanic’s arm behind his back. Ian cried out in pain, his face contorted.
