Uriel huffed before looking around town square to see what the dire emergency could be. A gaggle of sprites stood in front of the bakery, along with his cousin York and one of the vendors from the craft fair. Wasn’t that interesting?
“What are you thinking about?” Joe whispered. “You’re giving grinch vibes again. Oh, and speaking of the big green guy, I’ll fix your doorbell later so you don’t have to do something awful to Edgar.”
Joe understood him too well for someone who’d only known him for a few months.
“I’m trying to determine what to call the group of cousins whose appearance always seems to bring me some sort of misadventure. I’d thought gaggle, but that doesn’t seem quite right.”
“That’swhat you were thinking?” Joe asked.
Uriel shrugged. “I see no emergency. No flashing lights. No fire trucks. Only the flock of cousins.”
“Flock?” Joe curled up his lips in distaste. “You can do better than that. How about pack?”
“As in wolves? I think not. They’re hardly ferocious shapeshifters. More like meddlesome creatures who torment those of us who prefer not to become enmeshed in the town’s holiday traditions.”
“Hmm. Well, let’s go see what they’re up to. I’m so tired I think I left my brain on your front porch.” Joe pulled his knitted scarf up over his nose, drawing the strangest urge from Uriel. He considered offering Joe his robe since he appeared to be cold. He resisted the ridiculous idea.
However, speaking of cold….
“Why did you wake me? I was warm and cozy and—”
“Why wouldn’t I?” Joe asked. “Of course, I’m going to get you. You don’t think clearly this early in the morning, do you?”
Uriel huffed as Joe dragged him over to the others who appeared to be listening to the crafty one. What was his name again?
“It had to be more than one person. Probably quite a few. Don’t you think, York?” Crafty one said.
Uriel couldn’t think of the man’s name, proving Joe’s point that he wasn’t thinking clearly. He couldn’t allow Joe to be correct too often, or it would go to his head. Uriel scowled, searching his memory until the name came to him.Gabriel.
It was entirely too early for this nonsense of remembering a stranger’s name.
“Definitely more than one,” York agreed.
“Why am I in town square at this goddess-forsaken hour?” Uriel grumped as Joe finally stopped pulling him forward.
York pointed up.
Uriel scowled, then looked at the streetlamp. His eyes widened and he turned to stare at Joe. “Thisis the emergency?”
He’d been dragged out of his cozy, comfortable bed to deal with the prank he and his cousins had performed on the streetlamps. There was no justice in the world. The entire point of the pranks was for the herd of sprites to deal with the problems.
Uriel’s frown deepened. Nope, herd wasn’t right either. He’d figure it out sooner or later. Maybe at a reasonable hour once the sun had come up. He shot another quick glare toward Joe.
“Be nice, Uriel,” York said. “I have a ladder at the shop. Why don’t you go get it? And Joe, grab him a cup of coffee from Carol and have him drink it on the way. He’s a lump of coal until he’s caffeinated.”
“Morning doesn’tsoothim,” Joe teased. “And yes, Uriel, the streetlamps wearing fishnet stockings definitely qualifies as an emergency.”
“Keep it up, funny guys. I have no problem going back to bed and letting everyone else sort out this…this—”
“Fra-gee-lay mess?” York smirked and glanced at Gabriel who let out a little shiver before smiling in return.
Well wasn’t that an interesting exchange? He’d have to speak to his cousin about his connection with Gabriel later.
Joe cackled and pulled on Uriel’s arm again. He followed, but only because he didn’t want to be around his chipper cousin. What a disgusting amount of energy in the middle of the night. It should be outlawed.
“Here, drink this while we get the ladder.” Joe shoved a cup of coffee from Carol’s cart into his hand. “I can’t believe someone did that to the streetlamps. York’s joke was funny, though.”
“It was?” Uriel took a long sip of the coffee. He managed to swallow before coughing. The jolt of caffeine hitting his stomach did super-charge him, though, even if the drink itself left much to be desired.
