Page 16 of Purrfectly Peculiar Pixie: Phlox's Story (Perfect Pixie Series Book 5)

Leon

The thirst was an untamable beast. Had my throat ever felt this dry? My lips so parched? My gut so hollow? Surely there had to be a point in my past, when I was a freshly turned vampire and hunting was so difficult I’d thought I’d go insane from hunger.

If there was such a time, I couldn’t remember it. Perhaps it had been so horrid I’d blocked the memory. It was doubtful, but currently, it was a hope I desperately clung to. Because if I’d survived such thirst in the past, I could surely hold out now.

“They look far too at ease.” Johnny tossed his hand towel over his shoulder, draping it across his shirt. “Smug too.”

I glanced at the wolves currently preoccupying all our minds and time. They were a distraction I could hardly currently afford. I’d assured Lucroy I would keep a weather eye on them, but preoccupied as I was with my current circumstances, I was hardly the pillar of observation I typically was.

With a distinct uneasy feeling, I realized Johnny was correct. The wolves did look smug. Had they appeared that way before? I wasn’t certain. On closer observation, I realized only one of the wolves held that expression. The other two simply looked wary as their eyes forever shifted around the room, as if constantly on alert and expecting someone, or something, to pounce on them any second.

“I put Lizbeth on their table. She’s damn observant and those cocky bastards will underestimate her the most,” Johnny said. “She can’t get a good read on them. Just like all the other groups that have come in and sat in the bar. Werewolves are supposed to be a social, rowdy bunch. Arie’s wolves couldn’t be more different. When they come in here, they’re sullen and quiet as the grave. They certainly aren’t coming into Dusk to let off some steam and relax.”

Again, Johnny wasn’t wrong.

Huffing, Johnny shook his head and asked, “You want me to get you something to eat?” Johnny turned as if he was ready to head for the fridge and pour me a glass of blood.

I swallowed but had little saliva to work with. Giving a reluctant head shake, I said, “Thank you, but no.”

Johnny’s head cocked to the side and his eyes narrowed in puzzlement. “You sure? I haven’t seen you drink anything tonight and—”

“I said no thank you,” I snapped, voice low and cold.

Johnny straightened. His puzzlement morphed into stunned silence.

Silently cursing my hasty remark, I said, “Apologies, Johnny. I did not mean to snap at you.”

He waved me off. “It’s okay. I suppose we’re all wound a little tight.” Johnny said the right words, but his wounded eyes told a different story.

“While true, that does not give me the right to take that frustration out on you. Again, I beg your forgiveness.”

Johnny’s tight shoulders relaxed, and his face softened. “Nah, it’s okay. You just let me know if you change your mind.”

Johnny left to take care of Dusk’s customers. I stood there, staring after him. I’d done well so far but that brief altercation was the first blow across the bow. With my thirst riding me, my temper was on a hair trigger, and it would only get worse. If I never took another sip of blood again, I’d survive, if one could call it that. Boxing was the worst punishment a vampire could suffer. Sealed inside an impenetrable crate and left for days, weeks, months or sometimes years to decades. Given enough time without feeding, there was little more than a husk left, the mind inside tormented by thirst to the point of insanity. The vampire could be revived with blood, but what came back was a mental time bomb.

Boxing a vampire was worse than death. It was cruel and only the vilest among us deserved that degree of punishment. If I could not convince Phlox that he was my beloved and that I needed to feed exclusively from him, I could only hope another took pity on me and either beheaded me or gave my body over to the sun.

Leaning my elbows on the bar, I fought the exhaustion pulling at my mind and body.

“Leon.” Lizbeth’s anxious voice pulled me from my dark thoughts.

“Yes?” I couldn’t manage much beyond that simple word.

Lizbeth stood there, a folded piece of paper in her hand. She stared at the outstretched piece of paper as if it might explode if not handled gently. “I found this tucked under a glass. It was at the table with the weres. Someone left it.”

I eased the paper from her pinched fingers before glancing at the now empty table. I hadn’t even noticed their absence. I was doing a piss-poor job keeping an eye on our unwanted guests.

Pushing my failure from my mind, I concentrated on the scrawled writing and felt my eyebrows pull tight as my brow pinched. The note was for Sedrick or, more specifically, Alpha Voss.

“I thought about taking it over myself, but the boss looks like he’s in deep conversation with everyone. I didn’t know if it was okay to disturb them or not.”

“I’m sure it would have been fine, but I understand and appreciate your hesitancy. I will make sure Alpha Voss gets the message.”

“Thanks, Leon.” Lizbeth sagged with relief before ducking behind the bar.

The paper was little more than a folded sheet, so light I barely registered the weight. I had no idea what the contents were but given it was addressed to Sedrick, whatever was on the note was not intended for my eyes.

Lizbeth was correct. Lucroy was ensconced in a meeting of sorts. Hellfire and Wendall were missing but whatever was said, I knew they’d be filled in soon. Or perhaps they were already aware of Vander’s news.

With the wolves gone, I headed toward the table, easing into my previous seat beside Phlox. Being this close was agony and bliss all rolled into one complicated package.

“Leon,” Lucroy addressed, voice soothing and cool as always. “I noticed our guests vacated the property.”

“They have, but one left this behind.” I slid the note Sedrick’s way. I had to lean closer to Phlox to do so. The blood rushing through his arteries and veins sped as I neared. I scented arousal, not fear. What I also scented was confusion. Now was not the time to explore those feelings further.

“What’s this?” Sedrick asked as he snatched the paper from my fingers. His eyes widened as he stared at his name. “You said one of Arie’s wolves left this behind?”

“Lizbeth found it on the table, tucked under a glass.” It was obviously left on purpose.

Sedrick’s deep brown eyes briefly glinted gold as they scanned the table, finally resting on Phil. His mate could only shrug.

“I suppose we won’t know until you open it,” Phil wisely said.

“Yeah, but knowing Arie, there could be a nasty surprise waiting inside,” Sedrick just as wisely replied.

“Give it here.” Vander made a gimme motion with his fingers. Sedrick didn’t hesitate passing the note over. Running his fingers over the note, Vander closed his eyes. I’d seen him do that before. It meant he was concentrating, searching for magical threads.

“Anything?” Parsnip asked.

Vander shook his head. “Nothing I can sense. As far as I can tell, it’s clean.” Vander’s lips twisted. “I wish I could give you a hundred percent guarantee, but all I can say is that I don’t sense anything nefarious.”

Vander leaned across the table and handed the note back. Sedrick grabbed it and flipped the folded paper between his thick fingers. “Just because there’s no magic doesn’t mean the words inside aren’t toxic as hell.”

“A valid observation,” Lucroy agreed.

With a heavy sigh, Sedrick said, “Best get on with it then.” Opening the folds, Sedrick’s eyes scanned the brief message. As he read, his eyebrows shot up before scrunching down.

“What’s it say?” Peaches asked, wings twittering.

Phil leaned over Sedrick’s arm, eyes scanning the scant words. His mouth opened once, before he cleared his throat and read, “Help us, Alpha Voss. Alpha Belview has gone mad.”

The table went silent before Phlox finally asked, “That’s it?”

Sedrick gave a solemn nod. “That’s all it says.” He flipped the paper over, scanning it to make certain nothing else was there.

Again, silence settled in. None of us knew what to make of it. Lucroy said, “If it is a trap, it is far too vague to be useful. Unless…”

“Unless he’s trying to rile me up, get me to start poking around his pack. To what end, I’m not certain. This is Arie Belview we’re talking about.” Sedrick tapped his temple. “Logical thought isn’t a trait I associate with him.”

“Agreed. However, I do not believe I have ever thought of Alpha Belview as mad. The usage of the word in this instance implies insanity, or at the very least, a break with reason. In the past I have always found Alpha Belview filled with reason. While I may vehemently disagree with the thought process behind that reason, I’d hardly call him mad.” Lucroy glanced around the table finding agreeing nods.

“What in the goddess’s name is going on with him?” Phil asked.

Refolding the paper, Sedrick answered, “I have no idea. I just wish I didn’t need to speculate. Moon goddess, I just want Arie Belview to disappear. I want him out of our lives for good.” Sedrick rubbed his forehead. Phil leaned his head on Sedrick’s shoulder while wrapping his arms around his mate’s chest.

“I suppose I need to talk to Ray about this,” Sedrick said, his voice a little defeated. “I doubt fairy law can do much. This seems more like a werewolf matter to me, but I’d like to keep him in the loop.”

“Speaking of information loops…” Vander held up his phone. “I just got a text from Nick. Looks like Erasmus is willing to help out. As expected, the fee is…generous.” Vander swallowed hard. “Shit, if Byx saw this, she’d zap my damn phone.”

Parsnip leaned over Vander’s shoulder and whistled. “Bold, but it’s difficult to haggle when they’ve got us by the balls.”

Phil choked on a sip of honeysuckle mead. His face flamed and I wasn’t certain if that was due to embarrassment or asphyxiation. I did not miss breathing.

“When can the necromancer be here?” Lucroy asked, ignoring the financial sting.

“Nick says Erasmus is in Mississippi, so it won’t take as long as I thought. Once we give the okay, he’ll hop on a plane. I’d say tomorrow at the earliest. I’m assuming we’re all in agreement here?”

“Give him the go-ahead,” Sedrick said. “The sooner we get this sorted, the better.” He gave a heated stare that should have lit the note on fire. “Between this pixie trafficking ring and Arie’s continued bullshit, my wolf’s getting restless.” The last was said as little more than a growl.

“I am afraid I agree with Sedrick,” Lucroy replied smoothly. “When it comes to either topic, I find it increasingly difficult to control my more feral side. Without my beloved, I doubt I would be able to maintain such an amiable fa?ade.”

Peaches nuzzled Lucroy’s neck. While I doubted the full truth of that statement, it was clear to see the calming effect Peaches had on the Southeast vampire king. I longed for that same peace and contentment. While Phlox sat hip to hip beside me, that level of bliss had never seemed so far away.