“I would settle for educated agreement.It involves a blood draw, so I want you to be enthusiastic or, at least, willing.”
“Blood?Yikes.I can’t guarantee that I won’t be in a slightly furrier version of myself.”
“I don’t have a problem with a little fur in my mouth.”
She mumbled, “Why do I think that’s a perv comment?”
“Because you are wise.”He chuckled.
“So, did you have a mate at one point?”
“No.Pixies mate once, and it is for life.We fool around a lot, though.”
“Less than comforting.”
He chortled.It was a funny sound coming from such a big guy.
She asked, “Does it hurt your feelings when no one will sit behind you at the movies?”
His shoulders shook.“It doesn’t come up much.I have a home theatre.”
“Nice.”
“You and your friends share a house?”
“Yes.There are six bedrooms and the carriage house for Vine, so we have plenty of room.We do better close together.”
“What is your occupation?”
“I am Jennika’s sous chef.We work for Ivy at the hotel.”
“So, you can cook?”
“About as well as you can lift.”
He laughed.“You are funny, Sable.”
“Thank you.I try.I find being honest is downright hilarious.”
“So, I will give you my number.Call when you want to try to leech off some of that extra energy.That is what is causing the issue.Unlike your friend, who can wave flames and dissipate her extra energy that way, your body turns in on itself, and the power forces you to shift over and over.How are you remaining human now?”
“Vine made me a charm.Well, many charms.When I feel them crack, I replace them.”
“The charms are likely draining the excess from you.When they overload, they crack.”He shrugged as they got back to their party.“That is just a guess, but it seems likely.”
She handed off the food on the tray as she felt the surge coming.As the charm cracked, she felt herself take on her feline form, but she calmly removed the one and put on the next.
Xao was watching her closely.She took the spent charm and tossed it to Vine.Vine did something that she had rarely done in public.She put the charm in her mouth and sucked on it.
Sable’s body reformed to human as soon as the charm was on.
She called out, “Vine, what are you doing?”
Vine looked at her and mumbled around the charm, “Recycling.”
Ivy laughed.“Sable, you haven’t seen that before?”
“No.She usually takes the charms back to her workshop.I am usually just relieved to be back to me.”
