by Julie Wetzel
“He may not want to be here when Master Darien gets out of his meeting,” Phelan warned. “I’m sure the human in there would react badly to your friend.”
Vicky looked down at the ball of tentacles wiggling in her lap.
Zak snuffled and shivered as his tentacles lost their shape and fell around him in long strands.
She watched in awe as he took the Shih Tzu form he used in public. The tips of his black and silver hair moved unnaturally, but he looked just like any other show dog she had seen. Giggling, Vicky pulled the hair on the top of his head up from his face, and grabbed the beaded thing from the brown vase on her desk. A while back, she had found that it was some type of stretchy band. She wrapped it around the hair so it was up out of Zak’s eyes.
Purring affectionately, he bounced down from her lap to investigate the rest of Vicky’s office.
Phelan rolled his eyes and crossed his arms over his chest to wait for the end of the day.
***
Mrs. Robinson came out of Darien’s office a little redder than she had gone in. Darien had obviously said something she hadn’t liked. She nodded curtly to Vicky before turning to head out. “Hey there, cutie,” Mrs. Robinson said when she saw Zak sitting in the middle of the floor. “Aren’t you darling?” She bent to pet him.
Zak growled lightly at her.
“Zak!” Darien cried out right before the fay took a chunk out of Mrs. Robinson’s hand.
She pulled her hand away from the danger she hadn’t realized she was in.
“I’m sorry about that.” Darien crossed the room and scooped Zak from the floor. “It takes him a little bit to get used to strangers.” He patted the fay’s rump, and Zak tipped his head forwards for the woman to pet.
“He’s just so cute,” Mrs. Robinson gushed as she petted the fay. “I didn’t know you owned a dog.” Zak snarled a little, but the woman didn’t pay him any attention.
“He’s Miss Westernly’s.” Darien chuckled and bounced Zak a little to remind him to be nice. Zak calmed, and Mrs. Robinson wrinkled her nose slightly in disgust. If Darien hadn’t been watching for the reaction, he might have missed it. She patted Zak once more, and Darien lifted him up to kiss his head like one would do with a beloved pet.
Zak turned around to lick and nuzzle him happily.
“Have a good week,” Mrs. Robinson tried to say politely, but it came out a little tart.
Darien dropped Zak to the floor as the head of HR turned to make her way to the door.
Zak followed her to make sure she left.
“She really doesn’t like you,” Darien said as soon as the door shut.
Zak shook off his hair and wiggled back to Vicky in his normal form.
Standing up from her chair, Vicky picked the fay up to cuddle him. “And you two just made it worse.” She kissed what was close to the top of Zak’s head. It was hard to tell the top of a wiggly ball, but the beaded band was still wrapped around a few of his upper bits. “I can’t believe you played that up so much.” Laughing, she pulled the tie off.
Darien rubbed the back of his neck and had the decency to look a little sheepish. “If she gives you any problems, let me know.” He cleared his throat and tried to look more professional. “What else do we have today?”
Vicky slid Zak up to her shoulder as she turned back to her desk. “We just need to stop by the receiving dock.” She picked up the note. “A truck backed into one of the docks at an odd angle and damaged the roll-down door this morning. The insurance company has been called, but the dock manager thought you needed to stop by to have a look.”
Darien let out a long sigh. “Can’t these people do anything on their own?” He rolled his eyes.
“Yes, but you would have been upset if they hadn’t called you to come see,” Vicky retorted.
“You’re right.” Grinning, Darien went back into his office to close up for the night. “Grab your things, and let’s go see the damage.” Vicky closed her laptop and gathered up her bag.
Darien looked at Zak hanging from her shoulder like some strange parrot. “You can’t ride there.” He tried to take the fay from Vicky’s shoulder.
Zak growled at him angrily, and Darien pulled his hands back when the fay snapped at him.
“That’s not nice,” Vicky scolded and tried to get the fay down, but he just stretched as she pulled on him. “Come on, Zak,” she coaxed him. “We’re going to go past a lot of people that’ll freak out if they see you like that.”
He gurgled, but didn’t move.
“We can stop by and see Sue at the café. I’m sure she can come up with something yummy for you.”
Zak finally dropped to the floor next to her feet.
Vicky ruffled his tentacles as he shook himself back into dog form. “That’s a good boy.”
Phelan stood back and watched as Vicky bent the fay to her will. He was amazed Zak was letting her.
“I’m going to go change,” Vicky said as she stepped off the elevator. Zak bounded after her as she headed up the steps. He had finally dropped the Shih Tzu form when they hit Darien’s foyer. The little fay had been very popular chasing Vicky through the building at work. They had to stop several times for people wanting to pet him. Zak loved the attention and the meat bun Sue found for the little creature.
“I think I’ll find something to eat,” Darien said, heading into the room full of willing victims.
Phelan just shook his head and headed upstairs to find his normal clothing. He would finally be able to get out of this monkey suit and the damn tie that had been choking him all day.
Vicky tiptoed past the four people sleeping in her bedroom as she gathered up some more comfortable clothing and bubble bath from her bathroom. A nice, hot bath would do wonders to relieve the stress from the day. Stopping in Darien’s bathroom, she dropped her clothing on the countertop. She turned on the tap before adding a generous amount of the rose-scented soap. While the tub filled, Vicky went to the bedroom to drop off her bag. Her eyes caught something unexpected on the dresser, and she turned to investigate.
A bouquet of flowers sat in the middle of Darien’s dresser. The red, orange, and black lilies were elegantly arranged in a black vase. Vicky looked at the arrangement curiously. Did Odette put it here? A red ribbon held a note tied to it. Vicky reached out to pull it lose. She squeaked when Zak smacked the arrangement away from her hand hard enough to send the thing flying across the room. It shattered against the wall.
“Zak!” Vicky yelled in anger, but she quickly regretted it when the broken vase burst into flames. “Darien!” she shrieked as she pulled off her jacket to smother the flames trying to take hold on the wooden floor.
Zak whined loudly and tried to pull her away as he held up an injured tentacle. He had burnt it on the vase when he stopped Vicky from touching it.
Phelan, dressed in just suit pants, dashed into the bedroom, followed by Darien and Elliot a few seconds later. Blood dribbled down Darien’s chin where Vicky’s cry had interrupted his meal. Grabbing Vicky, Phelan dragged her back as the two vampires quickly dowsed the flames with a waste can full of Vicky’s bath water.
Vicky sat on the floor in Phelan’s arm, shaking, as Zak climbed into her lap. She cuddled the fay absentmindedly as she took in the chaotic scene in front of her. Elliot leaned against the wall, breathing heavily, as Darien wiped the blood from his mouth with his sleeve. A few of the braver people were starting to stick their heads into the room to see if they could help.
Darien looked at the growing crowd, the scattered flowers, the busted glass, and the burnt spot on the wall before turning to Vicky. Phelan still had her wrapped in his arms and had retreated until his back had reached the couch along the far wall. “What happened?”
“I’m not sure,” Vicky said. “When I came in, there was a vase of flowers on the dresser.” Her voice shook as she spoke. “I went to check the card, and Zak swatted it away.” She squeezed the little fay closer to her. “When it hit the wall, it burst into flames.�
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Zak whined in pain.
Vicky looked at him and saw the burn on his tentacle. “Oh, baby!” she gasped as she took the injured end in her hand and looked at the wound. A trickle of red blood oozed from a blackened, crispy spot on the tentacle.
Darien came over to see the injury. “May I?”
Zak looked at him for a moment before stretching the injured end out to Darien, careful not to move the burned part. The fay whimpered as the vampire took it gently and healed the end.
Vicky was amazed to see clean, fresh skin flow over the burn.
When Darien released it, Zak wiggled the healed tentacle. He purred in Vicky’s lap.
A thoughtful look crossed Darien’s face, and he stood up. Looking around, he didn’t see the person he wanted. “I’ll be right back.” He left to go apologize to and heal the wolf he had left bleeding in the living room. Surely, she would understand his haste, but it was still bad manners to run off and leave your food like that. “Stay with her.” Darien patted Elliot’s arm as he walked past.
Phelan released Vicky, and she slowly got to her feet. She looked at the way Elliot huddled in the doorway before glancing around the room. Darien’s curtains hadn’t been pulled, and sunlight was shining in, weakening the vampire. She quickly drew the blinds down to block out the rays stretching across the floor.
Elliot sighed, looking a little more at ease. “Thank you, My Lady.” He stepped fully into the room.
“You’re welcome,” Vicky said as she slipped past him to shut the water off in the bathroom. It was just about to overflow onto the floor.
Zak scampered after her, and Elliot paused to make sure she came back out of the bathroom safely. The audience that had followed the two vampires had disappeared when Darien left.
“What do you make of it?” Phelan asked as Elliot came over to look at the mess on the floor.
The vampire held his hand over the busted vase and made a worried noise. “I’m not sure, but I think this is obsidian.” He looked at the sharp edge of the volcanic glass.
Vicky looked around the room at the carnage left. Her eyes fell to the top of the dresser, and she let out a surprised cry.
Elliot and Phelan both jerked around to see the horrified look on the woman’s face. They followed her line of sight to the dresser top and the smoke still rising from the four letters scorched into the silvery wood.
Zak gurgled angrily and wrapped around Vicky’s leg protectively.
Darien loped into the room, having heard the cry. His eyes quickly joined the rest to find the word on his furniture. Wrapping his arms around Vicky from behind, he pulled her against him. “This thing has gone too far,” he growled as he stared at the ‘SOON’ charred into his dresser. “Do you think we can move the hunt up to tonight?” Everyone looked down at Zak, who was holding on to Vicky’s leg.
The fay was completely still as it thought.
“We can be ready by tonight,” Phelan answered for the wolves. “Can Lord Dakine make the proper arrangements in time?”
Zak sneezed and wiggled his tips unhappily.
“I think that would be a no,” Darien said, gauging Zak’s reaction. “It looks like we’ll have to wait for tomorrow.”
“I’ll go get a broom.” Vicky made to move away from Darien’s arms, but he wouldn’t let go.
“We’ll get it,” Elliot said as he and Phelan turned to start tossing the scattered and burnt lilies into the waste can from the bathroom.
“I don’t want you leaving my sight,” Darien said as he held onto Vicky.
“Okay,” she agreed. The flowers had frightened her. How could the ifrit have gotten into Darien’s home? She shivered at the thought of the creature who had suggested so many horrible things being in the place where she thought she was safe. “I need to go change,” Vicky said as she stepped forwards.
Darien let his arms slip from her without protest, and she headed towards the bathroom with Zak still wrapped around one leg.
Darien followed her in and looked at the tub of hot water. “Were you going to take a bath?” He walked over to the bubble-covered water.
“That had been my intention,” Vicky said as she tried to pull Zak from her leg. “But I can’t now.” She gave up trying to get him off for the moment and slipped out of her shoes. Looking at the light burns on her sleeves, she let out a sigh. Life had gotten very hard on her clothing recently.
“Why not?” Darien asked.
Turning around, she glared at him. “I’m not taking a bath with you and Zak in the room,” she said. “That would be too weird.”
“The water is already drawn.” He came over to her and rubbed her upper arms reassuringly. “Why don’t you go ahead and get in? You’ve had a rough day. I’ll wash your hair for you.”
***
The scene in the family room was almost comical. It was three in the morning, and the two couches from the living room had been brought in and arranged in an arch with the green ones from the family room. Several chairs from the kitchen had been brought in, and all the cushions from the remaining couches in the house were scattered across the floor. Every seat available was occupied as the group laughed their way through the entirety of the Monty Python collection. True, it wasn’t everyone’s idea of a good time, but no one wanted to be alone after they heard about the ifrit’s present.
Darien sat on the end of one of the center couches and looked down at the girl sleeping against him. Zak had laid down over her legs and was busy chewing on the end of her braid again. A smile slipped across Darien’s face as he remembered their evening.
It had taken Darien a fair amount of coaxing to convince Vicky that it would be all right for her to take a bath with him in the room, and she had finally agreed. He had stifled a laugh when she had insisted he turn around until she was in the hot, soapy water. She was such a modest girl.
Darien had watched her in the mirror as she persuaded Zak into releasing her so she could undress. He could still feel the desire stirred in him from the sight of her shaking the braid from her hair. The soft flesh peeking out from the mane of golden curls nearly drove him wild. He had to call on every ounce of self-control he had to keep him in place. It had almost been a relief when she slipped into the water. Vicky had forbidden Zak to get into the tub with her, but he climbed up on the far end to splash a little in the water. Darien had spent the next thirty minutes working soap and water through Vicky’s locks as she relaxed in the bath.
Clara tapped Darien on the shoulder. “Lord Dakine is here,” she whispered from the chair behind him.
“All right,” Darien responded and looked down at Vicky, asleep against him. He hated to leave her. Vicky groaned unhappily as he lifted her from him and arranged a cushion to take his place. Looking at the group, he shook his head, amused. It was going to be hard to get out without stepping on someone.
Zak gurgled at him.
Darien ruffled his tendrils. “Come on,” he said to the fay, “you’re needed for this, too.”
Zak grumbled a little but got up and led the way out. The people on the floor quickly moved so Zak wouldn’t climb over them.
Darien snickered and followed in the wake of the little creature. He looked back one last time to see Brian drop a blanket over Vicky. She should be okay for the time being.
***
The sounds of laughter woke Vicky from her sleep. She opened her eyes to find someone had put in some British comedy. Two people Vicky didn’t know stood in front of the laughing group, mimicking the movie playing behind them. It was obvious they had seen it one too many times as they bantered on about swallows and coconuts.
Vicky shook her head to clear the fluff from it and sat up. Darien and Zak were nowhere to be seen. Climbing over the back of the couch, she went to answer the pressing urge from her bladder. Vicky pulled up the fluffy blanket so it covered her shoulders as she slipped quietly from the room. She hit the bathroom in the foyer before heading out to the kitchen to find some water.
“Let me know how many you need, and I’ll come up with them.”
Vicky recognized Dakine’s voice coming from the far end of the kitchen.
“But make sure they know something about their handling. Fairy blades are not to be trifled with,” the elf lord warned Rupert.
Zak looked up from the conversation before rolling across the room to Vicky. The discussion stopped, and everyone turned to look at the new addition to the room.
“Victoria.” Darien sat up straighter in his chair. “What are you doing away from the group?”
“Needed a drink.” Pulling a glass from the cabinet, she filled it with water. She was not fully awake yet.
“Do you want me to take you back?” he asked and started to rise from his seat.
Vicky waved him back as she came over to stand next to him. “It’s too loud in there.”
Darien wrapped his arm around her.
She scrubbed her eye with the back of her knuckle. “Can I just stay here?”
He was confused by the question. “Of course.”
To everyone’s surprise, Vicky sat down on the floor next to Darien. When, Zak crawled into her lap, she pulled the blanket around him and rested her head against the side of Darien’s leg.
Recovering from his shock, Darien dropped his hand down to slide his fingers into the loosening curls at the side of Vicky’s head.
She sighed contently as he rubbed her scalp gently. Listening to the group pick back up their planning, she relaxed to the almost-musical tones of their voices without hearing what they said. The rhythmic caresses from the fingers in her hair and the soft vibrations from the creature purring in her lap lulled her tired mind back into a deep sleep.
***
“I think we had better wrap this up,” Elliot said from where he sat in one of the corner windows. “Dawn will be coming soon.”
“These windows have blackout curtains, too,” Darien pointed out.
“Well, unlike some unnamed vampire, there are those among us who don’t function well in the daytime,” Clara sassed at him.