Chapter Five
~Nikolai~
The mechanic was elbows deep in someone’s engine, trying to fix a belt that was in the middle of everything.
It made no sense, but then again, magic engineers got paid plenty of gold to make complicated machinations.
He got paid to fix their fuck ups. Like a snapped belt that he couldn’t get a good angle on, no matter where he attached it.
So Nikolai took the lesser of the two evils and rummaged around in the car’s guts from the top like a raccoon in a dumpster.
This way if something falls out, it doesn’t fall on my face.
The hood propped up over his head was the only pitfall and he’d already knocked his noggin on it twice that morning.
“Vroom! Vroom!”
Thwack! He jerked, glancing up from what he was working on. He snarled, stumbling backward, “Fuaaaachk!”
Three times in one morning.
“Nik ouchie.”
He stood up beside the car, glaring at the tiny terror in the front seat of the vehicle. One hand on his head, the other on the door handle, he popped it open. “Out.”
“But vroom vroom?”
“Not your vroom, vroom,” he grumbled, rubbing his head.
“Nik ouchie, here!” She hopped out of the vehicle, putting her tiny palms up to him.
Isabella waggled her fingers in his direction, beckoning him closer.
He took a deep breath in through his nose before kneeling down in front of the kid.
Breathe, big guy, not her fault she’s an excitable kid.
Nikolai cocked a brow at the little fiend.
She waddled up closer to him and cupped his fuzzy cheeks in her palms. Then, with the gentlest of tugs, she turned his head down in order to kiss the top of his head.
Nikolai froze. Blinking slowly as his mind spun around.
Did she…just kiss it better? He glanced up to see Isabella smiling at him. “No ouchie, better!”
Gobsmacked. Nik stared at the sandy-haired, ruby-eyed, round-faced girl in confusion. It does hurt less now. His mouth screwed up in a petulant scowl as he climbed to his feet. “Thanks.”
“Vroom, Vroom!” Isabella immediately scrambled back into the car.
Nikolai rolled his eyes, glancing around. Katarina must be nearby if the tiny terror was out here harassing him. He lurched left and right to spot her, but the crimson haired beauty wasn’t there.
“Oi, who’s your friend?” Oats snorted, sauntering up and wiping his fingers off with a rag. He leaned over the opposite side of the car than Nikolai.
Nikolai shot the other mechanic a glare that he promptly ignored.
Instead, Oats focused on shoveling something out of his pocket into his open maw.
He had dirty blond with darker roots, brown eyes, and a skinny face.
And he’s currently shoveling food into his mouth with dirty fingers, the little gerbil.
Nikolai was a big guy and he was always hungry.
Oats’ metabolism put his furry ass to shame, the kid was always snacking or else he’d die.
The lanky mechanic peaked inside the window.
“What’s up you little stinker? You make Nik whack his head on the hood?
I heard that like a gong in an echo chamber. ”
Isabella furrowed her brows, eyeballing Oats suspiciously. “Stranger.”
Nikolai crossed his arms, glaring at the little girl. Oh, the elvish kid is suspicious, but you won’t leave me alone? Typical. Isabella scowled at Oats as he pulled away. His coworker shrugged. “Guess she doesn’t like me.”
“Not fluffy!” Isabella huffed.
“Typical,” Nikolai sighed heavily. Why can’t she be obsessed with Jessie?
He’s fluffy! Nikolai had work to do. They needed to get through this car and a handful more before Jessie and he could go out to meet with Knox Zrazduel.
The Devil from the casino invited them to a meeting to talk about money.
Jessie was going without Titan, but not without backup.
As Pops gave up the keys and stepped back, it was time that Jessie stepped in.
Business needed to keep flowing, and Nikolai was there to get a job done.
However, at the moment, he had a six-year-old and a motor belt to deal with. “Come out, tiny.”
“I’m not tiny!” Isabella squawked all while sliding out of the front seat. She waddled up in front of him and raised her arms. “Ups.”
“One condition,” he grunted, crossing his arms.
She pouted, mimicking his arms crossed. “Uppies.”
“You show me where your mom is.”
Isabella huffed, unwinding her arms to wiggle her fingers at him. He arched a brow. When he didn’t give in, she twisted and pointed out into the parking lot. Beyond him was Katarina on a phone, clearly not seeing the open door behind her. Little shit crawled out like a rogue in the night.
Nikolai scooped up the child and planting her on his shoulders.
She squealed happily, her hands deep into his fluff.
Katarina jerked, spinning from her spot.
As Nikolai strode across the parking lot, he saw the five stages of ‘oh fuck’ play across her face.
Finally, her ruby gaze found him, and her body sank against the car.
“Bug! You were supposed to be napping.” The pitch in her voice told Nikolai she was at her wits end.
“Vroom, vroom!” Isabella tugged at Nikolai’s scalp like she were driving him.
“Nik, I am so sorry. I swear I’m not usually so spacey as a mom!” Katarina rushed over, hands frantically moving about.
He shrugged, eliciting an excited giggle from the child upon his shoulders.
Isabella kicked her feet out by his collar bone.
Nikolai brought the escape artist all the way back to the car, where Katarina fussed around him.
She stopped to inspect her child who didn’t feel like she wanted to come down.
Nikolai nodded at the car, meeting the frazzled mother’s eye to ask ‘who’s is that’?
As it certainly didn’t come from their shop.
Katarina sighed, “Oh, yeah, it’s my best friend’s car.
She let me borrow it for the day to get some stuff done. ”
“Hmm,” he hummed, nodding in approval.
“I’m sorry about Bella; I don’t know why she’s so obsessed with you,” Katarina laughed before her face lit up in red. She waved her hands with a gasp. “I mean, not that there’s not a reason to be—it’s not like that.”
Nikolai raised a brow at her. Oh?
“I mean, she’s just not very trusting of strangers.
But she’s really a huge fan of you. Immediately on the Nikolai train, so to speak,” Katarina wheezed with embarrassment.
Nikolai shifted, keeping a firm grip on the little, wiggly legs pressing against his collar bone.
Katarina stared up at him, eyes wide and apologetic. She’s really worried about this.
He smirked. “Fluffy.”
“What?”
“Me.” He let go of one leg to motion at himself with a sweeping motion before snatching her leg up again. “Fluffy.”
“Oh.” Katarina glanced up at Isabella, who was face first in Nikolai’s fur.
He could feel her little nose nuzzling his scalp.
While normally he would detest that kind of intrusion, it was actually kind of cute.
The little terror was wrapped around him, with her cheeks pressed against the top of his head.
Katarina put her fists against her side and exhaled heavily.
“That’s fair. I mean, she does like fluffier bears.
Plus, she fell in love with your platypus. ”
“Barnibus,” Nikolai added.
“Thank you, by the way, for allowing us to sleep in your bed.” Katarina glanced at her phone, locking it instead of doing anything else, and tucked it away. “Though, we could have survived on the couch or whatever.”
“No,” Nikolai shook his head the best he could without disturbing the tiny gremlin on him. Is she…she’s fucking sleeping already? He would reach up and try to detach her, but she wasn’t deep enough in sleep. She’d just wake up and demand to be returned to her post. “Lumpy.”
“Is that all you have?” Katarina snickered, cocking a hip out and staring up at him with those glowing rubies of hers. “One-word answers.”
“Sometimes…” he trailed off with a grunt. Her lips spread into a giant grin as he scowled. “I’m not a talker.”
“Noticed,” she retorted, shifting to cock the other hip out. “Sorry, I’m just teasing. I’m used to guys who don’t shut up.”
“Same,” he snorted with a light shake of his shoulders.
Katarina’s giggle was so sweet. Like tinkling bells, covering her lips with one hand, while the other gripped her side.
It was sweet, like custard with raspberries and lemon.
It had bite to it, and there was a little tart taste, but delightful.
Refreshing. He shifted in his work boots lightly, not sure why his collar was suddenly hot.
Yet Nikolai couldn’t look away as Katarina caught him staring.
“Is there something on my face?” She giggled more.
“No, your laugh,” he swallowed over his own tongue.
“Oh, yeah, got it from my mom. You should see me with a glass of wine. I start snorting and I can’t stop.
Isabella’s got it too, when one of us gets going with the snorts, it’s all over.
We once spent a whole hour on the kitchen floor because she got flour up her nose.
I wish I had one of those dainty laughs. ” She shrugged as her laughter sobered.
“I like it.” The words ripped out of his chest. She blinked once, staring up at him in amazement.
The burning started at the back of his neck and scorched across his throat.
Deep beneath all the fur was a blush that he’d not had in a long time.
It licked across his chest and made his stomach twist up.
They lingered there, in that tense air. He could bite it.
Bite her. Oh, it wasn’t like Nikolai didn’t hungrily eat her up from the kitchen that morning.
She came down in pajama shorts and an oversized t-shirt.
He could sink his teeth into those thighs, into her neck.
The one downfall with Jessie was he was all fur, just like Nikolai.
Didn’t make sense to give into the biting tendencies with him…
but Katarina—WHOOOOA, BUDDY. Nikolai nearly choked on his own lungs.
Horny bastard, she’s just lost her whole life. Doesn’t need a horn dog panting down her neck.
“I, uh, should get her back in the car,” she breathed.
Nikolai tiptoed around the vehicle, unable to voice the words building up behind his tongue.
They were a heavy lump in his throat as Katarina helped untangle the child from his fur.
He leaned over the doorway, memorizing how she locked Isabella in while she was still limp from sleep.
Katarina pulled back and smiled at him. “Thanks for the piggyback ride.”
“Anytime,” he muttered, licking his lips nervously.
“Don’t tell Bug that,” Katarina teased softly, shutting the door on the snoozing child. “She’ll never touch the ground again. But, then again, one of us should get piggyback rides while we still can. I miss them.”
“You want one?” Nikolai arched a brow. Katarina twisted to him, both fists on her hips in challenge. There was a ‘you’re joking’ expression painted across her face. He rocked back on his heels, studying her.
“You couldn’t.” She rolled her eyes.
“Watch me,” he huffed, wrapping a singular arm around her waist. Through the loops of her arms and hugging her waist, he hoisted her up. Katarina squeaked, her hands flying to his shoulders. Nikolai hugged her to his side and smirked at her. “See.”
“Put. Me. Down!” She hissed under her breath, her gaze going to the car window.
Nikolai’s gaze followed hers for a quick check, but Isabella was still passed out.
Which only pleased him more. Nikolai returned his attention to the succubus writhing in his arm.
She huffed, her tiny horns popping out from under the fringe of her hair.
“Fine, you can pick me up. Put me down, strong guy.”
He chuckled to himself, setting her back down onto her feet. “Miss them still?”
“That was hardly a piggyback ride.” She pouted before immediately jabbing a finger in his face. “Don’t you dare.”
Nikolai threw his hands up beside his head, admitting defeat. Katarina glared at him for a moment. Then, after she’d taken a wobbly step back, she exhaled heavily. “That was…wow, I’ve… You’re actually really strong.”
“Ehh.” He shrugged.
“Don’t you ‘ehh’ me, when you just hoisted me off the ground to show how strong you are with one arm.” She crossed her arms under her chest, her back pressed against the hood of the car.
“You just think you’re heavy,” he countered before nodding at the cars. “You’re no car.”
“That’s…fair,” she grumbled, pushing off the hood. Katarina jerked when her pocket trilled. Nikolai eyed her as she pulled it out and groaned. “I gotta go, or else I’ll miss my appointment with the Lord Commander.”
“Everything good?” He followed her around the car like a lost puppy.
“Yeah, it’s about what happened with Gill.
I’m pressing charges. I’m guessing I need to make an official statement or something.
” She tossed her arms out. Nikolai rushed to reach around her, grabbing the door handle of the car.
She stopped in the doorway as he leaned over the other side.
Katarina offered him a worried grimace. “See you two later?”
“Yeah.” He nodded before patting the frame of the car. “No baseball bats, okay?”
Katarina sputtered, giggling again and making his stomach twist up. It made his cheeks ache from the goofy grin that graced his face. Katarina’s shoulders trembled the whole way down into the seat. “I’ll do my best.”
“Good girl,” he slapped the hood for good measure and marched his way back to the shop…before he could say anything else remarkably stupid like ‘Let me give you a piggyback ride’ or ‘I like your laugh’ a-fucking-gain.