Chapter 18
Eighteen
Hikaru
Niki was under the deluded notion that I spent my nights in a separate bedroom.
I silently scoffed at the silly notion. Why would I stay so far away when Niki was so very close?
It made absolutely no sense. Walls and closed doors meant absolutely nothing to me.
Privacy was a notion I’d never been able to fully grasp, much to Martin’s annoyance.
I rolled my eyes at the thought. Martin was far too dull for me to truly waste time on.
The only reason I checked in on him now and again (completely unannounced) was because I knew it annoyed him.
Keir had tried convincing Martin of this.
It was one of the few times I think Martin actually ignored Keir.
Cheek resting on my cupped hand, I laid on my side, elbow planted on a pillow next to Niki’s head as my warlock slumbered.
I was glad he was truly asleep. Most nights, Niki did little more than catnap.
If I’d made the slightest sound, he would have sprung awake.
Lucky for me, one of the first lessons I’d learned as a young kit was how to remain silent.
After all, it was difficult to spy on others if you were discovered.
Niki’s dark hair lay in stark contrast to his light blue sheets and pillowcase.
He slept on his side. Niki didn’t sleep completely naked, but it was gloriously close.
He wore boxers to bed. I wasn’t certain if that was what he wore under his well-fitted dress pants and suits.
His chest was bare except for the sheet that barely covered his moon-pale skin.
Niki’s darkened fingertips stood in stark relief to those otherwise pallid hues.
Each finger held a different, charmed ring.
I’d learned quickly that Niki never removed them—not even to shower.
Ask me how I knew.
Gentle as the softest breeze, my clawed fingertip carded through a section of Niki’s hair, pushing it away from his handsome face.
Even exhausted with darkened circles cupping his eyes, Niki was a vision.
He’d be damn near angelic if I could remove the stress and worry that wouldn’t even release him during slumber.
I liked to think I snuck into Niki’s bedroom for his benefit.
That’s the story I told myself. Like so many other tales, it was a lie.
Niki didn’t even consciously know I was here.
His subconscious knew, of that I was certain.
I had no idea how I knew. I simply did. What I also knew was that only utter exhaustion seemed to inspire me to truly rest. My mind was too preoccupied.
Visions of my friends—skeletal remains all that was left of their once familiar bodies—haunted my waking dreams and fueled my nightmares.
Tenzen hadn’t just killed them, he’d allowed Shadow to devour the meat from their bones.
I’d seen it before, or at least the result of Shadow’s feeding.
It wasn’t something Tenzen readily spoke of or even shared.
I’m not even certain he was aware of what I’d seen.
Even when I’d thought Tenzen Huxley hung the moon and painted the stars, I’d found Shadow’s appetites disturbing.
I’d told myself more lies, more half-truths and suppositions that excused the behavior.
Every living creature required sustenance.
Vampires needed blood. Ogres and Trolls needed rotten meat.
Zombies ate brains. Okay, maybe the individuals in that last category weren’t technically alive, but the sentiment stood.
I’d convinced myself that Shadow was simply an extension of Huxley and had its own dietary requirements. Who was I to judge?
I’d written Shadow’s feeding off, ignoring all the warning signs.
My friends had paid the price for my dismissal.
Maybe if I’d said something, if I’d gone to Keir and told him what I’d seen—my eyes slid closed as foolish tears fought for release.
Would telling Keir, Alethia, or any of the others truly have made a difference?
I suppose I’d never know. Time travel wasn’t in my wheelhouse.
I doubted it was in any species wheelhouse and that was for good reason.
I could no more go back and change the past than I could predict the future.
Straightening my arm, I laid my head on the pillow next to Niki’s head.
I wanted to snuggle in closer, to wrap his powerful arms around me.
Would he allow that? I don’t think Niki would have a few days ago.
Now I wasn’t so certain. I’d grown on him.
Niki’s protests typically carried a fond undercurrent, and his eyes often danced with humor.
I liked the changes I’d made in him. Now, I just needed to find a way to protect him so he wouldn’t lose that newfound joy.
Well, maybe joy was a stretch, still, it was something.
That something relaxed Niki. I knew I’d be good for him.
Niki’s lips parted, releasing a little puff of air.
The magic that always surrounded him mimicked his peaceful state.
Infinite colors swirled around Niki’s body, caressing him in ways I couldn’t—not yet.
A part of me wanted to be jealous, but while magic had a soul, it didn’t have romantic inclinations.
How could I blame it for being drawn in by this magnificent being?
Allowing my eyes to slip closed, I silently made Niki a promise. I would find these tainted charms before they harmed another. And if that ship had already sailed, then I would make sure those responsible paid the ultimate price for their betrayal.
“I have the list,” Cilla said on a yawn.
“Goddess bless, but I’m tired.” She rubbed her eyes, only making them increasingly red.
She’d called Niki a little after eight-thirty this morning.
Unable to sleep, Cilla had gotten up, headed into the store, and compiled a list of customers who’d purchased charms since the day Warlock Bailor disgraced Niki’s business with his presence.
Niki and I’d shoved food into our mouths, jumped in his vehicle, and taken off toward San Diego. Niki had barely spoken, but at least he appeared more well-rested this morning. I liked to think my presence last night aided his sleep. I’d made sure I was gone before Niki opened his eyes.
We rolled into the store’s parking lot a little after ten a.m. Cilla was there, body slumped over the checkout desk, computer on and a printout of Niki’s most recent clients laid out beside her. Contrary to what I’d first assumed, she hadn’t been asleep or dead. Cilla had simply been resting.
“Thank you, Cilla.” Niki’s deep voice rumbled from within his chest.
She waved him off. “It’s fine. When I got home last night, all my body wanted to do was flop into bed and sleep for a day or two.
My brain had other ideas.” Cilla tapped her temple for emphasis.
“Just lying there, trying to go to sleep was frustrating, so I got up, got dressed, and headed into the store.”
“I’m sorry you couldn’t rest,” Niki said. I couldn’t figure out why others thought Niki was cold and heartless. It was just another indication the world was filled with idiots.
“I don’t suppose anything in particular stood out?” I asked. While the list wasn’t the equivalent of Santa’s naughty section, it wasn’t short either. Having somewhere to start would be nice.
Cilla chewed on her bottom lip. “Well, I’m not certain.
” She scratched her head, displacing even more of her hair.
“I tried to get into Warlock Bailor’s mind.
Figuratively speaking.” Cilla’s nose scrunched with obvious distaste.
“I mean, I looked at each charm and what it’s supposed to do and then tried to think of ways it could be twisted to harm someone.
” She blew out an exhausted breath. “I’m sorry, Nikodemus.
I just don’t think my mind works that way.
It was difficult and more than a little nauseating.
I also have no idea what kind of changes could be made.
In the end, thinking about those kinds of things just gave me a headache so I stopped. ”
Niki pulled a charm from his pocket and slid it into Cilla’s hand. “Activate that. It will help with the headache. It’s clean.”
Cilla’s grateful smile softened her pinched features. “Thanks.”
“It’s the least I can do.”
Niki grabbed the seven-page printout. Cilla had the purchaser’s name, the product they bought, and any contact information that was available. Most of the time, that was simply a phone number. A few of them had a driver’s license number attached.
Sliding around Niki’s side, I looked over his shoulder while wondering what he thought while looking at the list. Not so long ago, Niki would have swatted me away. Now it was like I was an extension of his body.
“Anything stand out?” I asked.
Niki was silent for half a minute before answering. “No. Even the most innocently intentioned charm could be manipulated into something far more dangerous—even deadly.”
“Even the color changing ones?” I found this section interesting. There were charms listed that not only changed hair color, but fur and feather color as well. I could only guess there were charms that could change scales or any other type of body covering.
Niki’s nod was slow. “It’s possible, although most of the damage would be more psychological than physical. The results would be an embarrassment not only to the purchaser but to me as well. It would be a very visual example of my supposed incompetence.”
“Hmm…” I could see how that might be true. “If not deadly, then perhaps we move those to the bottom of the contact list.”
“A reasonable consideration,” Niki agreed.
Another charm caught my eye. “An antiaging charm?” I shifted around so I could see the list better. If Niki could make something like that, then why was he so worried about his son? “Why don’t you give one of these to Erasmus. If it will stop his aging, then—”
“It doesn’t stop the aging process, only the outward signs. It is a cosmetic charm.” Regret laced Niki’s voice. “If I could truly stop the effects of time, then I would not hesitate to do so.”
I tilted my head with consideration. “And if Bailor tweaked it so that it sped up the appearance of aging…”
Niki harshly inhaled. “Then that would be very upsetting to the client. For obvious reasons, most who purchase such charms are already aged and have underlying health concerns. The stress of suddenly appearing much older could be enough to worsen their underlying condition.”
“I see. Let’s move that one to the top of the list then.”
“Cilla, can you please give me a pen.”
“Sure thing.” Cilla quickly procured a pen and Niki began making marks.
On and on he went through the list. Niki sent Cilla home while he and I stayed.
Together we tried to think of worst-case scenarios regarding the purchased charms, assigning them different levels of importance.
It was near one o’clock before we finished.
“I’m hungry.”
“You’re always hungry,” Niki said by way of dismissal.
“True, but sometimes I’m hungrier than other times. This is one of those times. In fact, it might be a feeding emergency.” My stomach grumbled its displeasure.
Niki gave my abdomen an incredulous look. “It’s not that late.”
I shrugged. “My stomach feels differently.” Honestly, I didn’t know what he expected me to do to take care of the problem beyond eating. “Besides, we’re done going over the list and both of us need a break.”
I wondered how Niki avoided getting his hair caught in the myriad of rings encircling those digits as he ran his fingers through his thick hair. “We should start calling the customers. Someone could activate one of these charms any minute and—”
“And I might pass out any minute from hunger. I can’t make a lot of phone calls if I’m passed out from hypoglycemia.” We both knew I was being dramatic. What we also both knew was that I was getting hangry, and no one wanted to deal with a hangry kitsune.
“Fine. Order something.”
Every one of my tails perked. “I can order?” Oh, the possibilities.
Niki’s eyes narrowed. “Within reason.”
“Pfft, I don’t even know what that means.”
“Gaia save me.” Niki stared at the ceiling, fingers pinching the bridge of his nose. I noticed he tended to do that a lot when he was around me. “I believe Cilla keeps a folder of local restaurants in the drawer below you.”
“Oh, I’m beginning to like Cilla more and more.
” It didn’t take me long to find the folder.
It was easy to see she simply added menus as she collected them.
There wasn’t a particular rhyme or reason to their order that I could tell.
Clearly, Cilla could teach Niki a thing or two. It was good he had both of us.
Humming happily, I scrolled through the menus, settling on a local pizza joint that Cilla had scribbled happy faces on.
Quickly dialing, I ordered three large pizzas, four orders of breadsticks, and some cinnamon dessert thing that Cilla had placed three exclamation points behind.
Conveniently, the restaurant already had Niki’s information and said they’d charge it to his account.
When I hung up, Niki’s narrowed eyes glared down on me. “There is no physical way you can eat that much food.”
“Of course not. I would never order only for me. I was thinking of you too.” I mean, really? Niki should know better by now.
His eyebrows shot skyward. “There is no way the two of us combined can eat that much food.”
Oh, how I loved a challenge. My feral grin spread so wide it physically hurt. “Watch me.” Niki had no idea what he’d started.