Patchwork pixie, p.13
Patchwork Pixie, page 13
“I am good with chicken or pizza. Some kind of cola-related beverage.” She shrugged. “When working, I eat whatever shows up on the job site. Lots of cold sandwiches, too.”
Marshall rubbed her back. “Lots of late nights?”
“Sure. When you are installing and testing industrial security systems, you eat when you can.” She shrugged.
Marshall’s phone chimed. He smiled slowly. “Can you get some extra tickets?”
“Sure. The upgrade in venue comes with ten tickets for me a night.”
Rayden checked his phone. “I only get five tickets.”
She smiled. “But I am the patchwork pixie.”
He chuckled.
Marshall snickered. “Anyway. There are some high-powered alphas from Japan who want to see an Elite female on skates. Since you get some VIP tickets, if you offer them one of the evenings, they are willing to hook you up with whatever you need locally.”
“What?”
“They live two properties over.”
“Oh. Wow. I know it is a stereotype, but where is a good spot around here for sushi?”
Marshall typed, and when the phone immediately chimed, he laughed. “She asked what we want.”
“Who?”
“Polly. Her husband is one of the company clients, and he’s also an alpha with extras.”
“He’s an Elite?”
“No. He’s in the monster category.” Marshall smiled. “Your favourite sushi?”
“Barbeque eel.”
He chuckled. “Good answer. Mama Tsubaki will love you.”
“Who’s that?”
“Just one of the best Japanese chefs on the continent. She has retired and lives locally but occasionally slips into her family restaurant for special clients. Polly is always a special client.”
“I would like to thank her personally.”
He smiled and texted. “Polly and Minoru will come here and pick you up. They will be here in eight minutes. The drive to the restaurant will take twenty minutes.”
“Right. I just need to grab my coat and my wallet.”
Rayden said, “I’ll get it.”
He headed upstairs for her and returned with a bounce in his steps. He wrapped her in a shawl instead of her coat. “Your coat doesn’t fit the real you.”
“Oh. Right.” She took the wallet from him and slid it into the pocket of her sweatshirt. She kissed his cheek, and he sighed and pressed his forehead to her shoulder.
She was a little nervous when the vehicle pulled in, but the driver came around and paused for a moment before swallowing, bowing, and opening the door for her. A woman stepped out and smiled. “You must be Rub...” The woman stood and looked up and up.
“You must be Polly. Pleased to meet you.” She extended her hand as a very large alpha stepped out of the car.
She stared at him and saw the crimson mask and horns overlaying his features. “Right. Monster alpha.”
He looked startled. “You can see it?”
“Yeah. Oh, sorry. I am Ruby.”
“I am Minoru, and this is my wife, Polly. Our children are with the nanny.” He grinned, and his hand extended to her.
She shook his hand, and he jolted at the contact.
Ruby heard steps behind her, and Polly’s mouth hung open. “Elves? You are elves?”
Marshall’s voice spoke softly. “We are. Hey, Minoru. You are looking well.”
Polly blinked. “Right. Let’s get going. It won’t do to disrespect Mama by being late.”
Minoru straightened. “May we join you for dinner?”
Marshall chuckled. “Please.”
“Good. I have so many questions.”
Ruby laughed and got into the car before Polly, who was followed by her husband.
“I don’t know how much I can tell you about the dark Elite, but I will answer what I can.”
Polly blinked. “Is that what they are?”
“Yup.”
Minoru asked, “What are you?”
“A creature the Elite have been trying to stamp out. I am an Elite omega.”
“I didn’t know that your kind existed,” Minoru murmured.
“They have been doing an excellent job of bribing people to hand us over before we hit puberty. They stall it, and by the time we are adults, we are just pale betas. But my parents helped me escape. They brought me here and found people to keep me safe until I could stand on my own. My sister was brought to the city in a similar way but placed with others. We just reconnected a few days ago. She has her own stories.”
Polly asked, “Do you have two forms?”
“Sure, but I have had a rough day, so getting down into beta form is going to take some doing.”
Polly blinked. “It doesn’t have to be today. I was just curious.”
“So, are you the ones in search of the tickets for the Patchwork Pixie?”
Minoru chuckled. “Yes. We want to bring our little ones, and I have family coming into town. They are eager to see it.”
“Oh, wow. I saw the video with you and one of your mates today.”
“We were just practicing lifts because Rayden wanted to try it. My treacherous ex-coach showed up early and commenced with the video.” She grimaced. “It was fun though. I feel very safe in Rayden’s hands.”
Minoru nodded. “And he must have great confidence to have those blades so close to his face.”
“Yeah. It was his suggestion, so he had to have known what was coming.”
Polly was grinning. “I am so excited to be seeing it.”
“Yes, well, next year, they are going to be looking for new sponsorship. If you know of any interested businesses, I am sure you can contact this year’s organizers.” Ruby smiled.
Minoru laughed. “I will keep that in mind.”
She nodded. “Good. The performers are all local volunteers, so the only people getting paid are the arena and the folks who sell popcorn. All profits are donated to children’s charities. I had a friend in school who was going through cancer therapy, and it stuck with me that kids like her needed help.”
Polly stared. “Stuck with you? Hang on.” Polly’s thumbs flew, and she laughed. “You wrote it. You wrote the Patchwork Pixie.”
“I did.” She smiled. “When I was eleven and skating was my life.”
“The chain buys a stack of tickets, and we give them out to families. Polly has been asking to go since she saw the clips online. She keeps muttering about elves on ice.”
“Well, since they switched the venue, there are a lot more opportunities for folks to get tickets. Does your family live out of the country?”
Minoru shook his head. “They live here but are travelling to visit relatives who want to meet our triplets. So, they will return together, and seeing you would be an excellent jewel to crown their visit, as well as the other family members who are accompanying them.”
She was trying to imagine what his family would look like, but she drew a blank. The car cruised to a halt in the lot of a building with subtle lanterns, a stone garden, and trees covering the roof to bury it in the woods that promised quiet places to hide.
Polly smiled. “Come on. Minoru is just needed to eat it.”
They got out of the car and walked to the building. Polly took off her shoes, and Ruby followed suit.
She moved carefully under the doorframe, and when one of the young people came in and saw Polly before looking up at Ruby, her eyes went wide, and she blinked. “You are real.”
Ruby moved slowly to her and extended her hand for the young woman to touch. “Real. Definitely.”
The girl blushed and scampered to the back, and an older woman came forward tutting at her, right until she saw Ruby. Her eyes went wide, and she smiled up at Ruby with the expression of an excited child. Ruby held her hands together and bowed as low as she could.
Polly spoke in Japanese, and the older woman winced. “English, Polly. Stop learning Japanese from Anime. I thought Minoru was working on it.”
Polly smirked. “What he has taught me does not apply to this situation. Mama Tsubaki, this is my new friend Ruby Lest. Ruby, this is Mama Tsubaki.”
“An elf. Just like in fairy tales. The rulers of the ayakashi.” The woman reached her hands forward, and Ruby held her hands out, and the grip was strong and comfortable.
Polly blinked. “I thought that the ogres were in charge.”
“Their kind is second. The gods were primarily Elite, but females here are much more rare than at home, at least historically.”
Ruby smiled at the small woman. “I have been hiding as a beta, so there may be more than we know. If I can do it, many could be here in this city.”
Mama beckoned her down and touched her skin. She inhaled sharply. “You are an omega.”
“Yes. All the males are alphas, so it makes sense.”
The delicate fingers traced here cheek. A soft whisper sounded, “Do you have a mate?”
“Two dark Elite. I was skating with one of them.”
“Good. We need more magic in the world.” Mama Tsubaki stared into her eyes and started crying. “You are lovely.”
“I am pasty, but my hair is pretty.” Ruby smiled. “You are glorious.”
The older woman blushed and smiled. “It is kind of you to say so.”
“Kindness is not one of my attributes.”
“But wisdom is. Ah. Come back anytime. I would love to have a meal with you and your mates if you wouldn’t mind.”
“Of course. Perhaps after the performances are over.”
“Excellent. I look forward to seeing you.” She turned her head and barked. There was a collision on the other side of the doorway and a lot of hissing. Ruby saw three pairs of eyes staring at her.
One of the young men came out with a series of fabric bags and a glossy box for Polly. Ruby took the larger bags, and Polly looked confused.
Mama looked at her. “Give her my number. She can call any time, day or night.”
Ruby chuckled. “Dangerous offer. I will probably be trying for a pregnancy this year. This body is big, which would be a lot of food.”
Mama smiled. “I will take that into consideration.”
Ruby bowed again, and Polly led the way out of the shop, where they put their shoes back on. Ruby smiled over her shoulder. “Thank you, Mama Tsubaki. Yours has been the first genuine conversation I have had like this. Thank you for not being concerned about my appearance.”
“I have been reading about your kind since I was a child. It is amazing to see you just walking in. Please, come back.”
“I will. Thank you.”
She smiled and slid the door closed before returning to the car. The driver had the trunk open, but she shook her head. “I would like to keep it with me, please.”
He blinked but nodded. “Of course, miss.”
She got back in the car and settled in her seat. Minoru smiled. “Polly says you and Mama Tsubaki got along.”
“She likes my skin.”
He chuckled. “You have omega skin?”
“I do.”
Polly chuckled. “I am a little more on the sturdy side.”
Minoru didn’t reach out to touch her.
Ruby asked, “So you two just ditched three infants to come out for dinner?”
Polly chuckled. “We have an excellent housekeeper and a great nanny. They just about threw us out of the house after checking us for spit-up.”
Ruby laughed.
Minoru smiled and said, “The rest of our children will arrive at a more measured pace.”
“The rest?”
Polly sighed and explained about the capture of her barely fertilized eggs that wouldn’t have been possible if they weren’t who and where they were.
“Oh. Wow. You are going to have a huge family.” Ruby grinned.
Minoru nodded. “It’s a good thing we have a huge home.”
Polly smiled. “Ruby needs to come over for a hot soak.”
Ruby blinked. “What?”
“Our home backs onto a hot spring. When I am not trying to calm the little ones, I like to sneak out and relax in silence.”
They chatted about different events, and Polly spoke about her sister, Olly, and her twins.
When Ruby realized who she was talking about at last, they were back at Marshall’s house. “Wait. Olly Thorn?”
Polly chuckled. “Yeah. Mate to Feng, Taio, and Benjiro.”
Ruby waved them away. “Yeah, fine. She’s amazing.”
Polly smiled. “Tell her that when you meet her.”
“Am I meeting her?”
“She already has tickets for herself and her thunder for the final night.” Polly smiled. “They are bringing the babies and already have seats in the VIP section. Now that the hotel has gotten a block of them, we can all sit together and torture those around us with baby sounds.”
“We will tweak the sound system. Do you have ear protection for them?”
“No, but I will. Thanks for the tip.” Polly smiled. “I will also let Olly know.”
“So, you already grabbed a block?”
Minoru smiled. “Of course. It kicks off the holiday season, and this is our first season as a family. So, we will do the family things.” Minoru took his wife’s hand and kissed her knuckles.
The car door opened, and Ruby stepped out, looking back with a smile to face a gun. “Oh, unexpected.”
Tanner was aiming a gun at her. “Where’s Ruby?”
Ruby smiled and gestured toward the cars parked and waiting. “This way.”
She walked away from the car and the couple she wanted to keep out of it. He followed her, and when she was sure that he had aimed his gun toward her, she whirled and flared energy needles out of her arm, spraying him across the chest and making him scream. She grabbed the gun, ejected the cartridge, and cleared the barrel before dropping it while Tanner clawed at himself.
She sighed and reached over to press her hand to his forehead. She sent a bolt through his brain and stood straight. His brain was stuttering, and his body would follow in a few hours.
She pulled her phone out of her thigh pocket and was about to dial nine-one-one when Marshall’s hand covered hers. He was already on the phone.
Rayden wrapped her in his arms and whispered in her ear. She nodded and remained in her alpha form.
Things whirled past as the police and ambulance arrived and saw Tanner on the ground. She looked at the officer with haunted eyes and explained that she and friends had just grabbed takeout, and when they came home, he pulled a gun on her as they walked to the middle of the yard. When she turned to face him, he started spasming. He dropped to the ground, and she emptied his gun before checking to see if he was running a fever.
Marshall provided the ring cam footage, and it confirmed her description of events.
One of the officers walked up to the one who was talking to her, and she started shivering. “You have a restraining order against this man?”
“Yeah. He’s attacked me once before. He didn’t have a gun though.”
Rayden wrapped an arm around her and rubbed her arm. “Can we finish this inside?”
The officer asked Ruby, “What do you think happened, miss?”
She shivered. “No clue. I don’t have a medical background.”
Rayden kissed her temple.
“We will be in touch if we have any questions.”
Ruby nodded and headed inside. Polly hugged her as soon as they got in. Ruby waited until the door was closed and Marshall was back. She asked him quietly, “Are we clear?”
“Yes. The police have what they need. How are you, sweetness?”
She grinned. “Glad I got to do it in front of the doorbell cam. He has about eight hours left before his aneurysm takes his tragic life. Eight hours full of seizures, agony, and madness. Yay.”
Minoru was staring at her. “You deliberately killed him.”
She washed her hands. “Absolutely. The raping bastard deserved more pain, but I didn’t, so he’s fading, and I am delighted.”
Polly caught on. “You did something to his brain.”
“Poked a hole in it.” She sighed. “Is it in bad taste that I am still hungry?”
Minoru waved at the table. “Polly has set it up.”
Rayden sighed and stroked her back. “Go eat. I believe this has concluded his reign of terror.”
Marshall nodded. “And now the company will owe you money for what is left of your retainer.”
“Oh, no. Beth is still gonna sue me. She’s that kind of lady. She has to be the victim, so there has to be a villain. With one dead, I am next.”
He looked at her and nodded. “Good point.”
She walked to Polly and pulled her toward the table. “I am not starting on this alone. Wow.”
Polly muttered, “It took a lot of energy to keep Minoru from helping. His beast is a little chivalrous when it comes to folks threatening ladies. His claws wouldn’t have been nearly as neat.”
They got the chopsticks and small plates and started in on the array of food. Polly and Ruby both enjoyed the eel and were sitting and chatting when Marshall came by and kissed Ruby’s head before he helped himself to the food. Minoru and Rayden came around the table, and soon, they were all discussing food and the upcoming production.
By the end of the meal, Ruby had a friend, and Polly had a wasabi buddy. They went out back while the alphas were talking, and Polly asked, “Are you close with your sister?”
“I had to leave Emerald when she was nine. Emmy and I were close, but our lives have been... different. We are still sisters though. Down to the bone.” Ruby smiled.
“Is she... like you?”
“Yes. She’s an Elite omega. Big green eyes though.”
Polly smiled. “Wow. That’s just... cool.”
“Great, now say that in Japanese.”
Polly laughed. “Did I tell you that I have an enormous collection of kimonos? Minoru’s family was so excited that he was interested in someone, they provided me with both a dowry and a means of apology in one. Minoru isn’t fond of me cursing, and when we first met, I kicked him in the groin and broke his nose. So I had to do a formal apology, which involved a kimono, so his family provided all of my apology supplies. It was touching and sweet.”
“And showed no faith in your ability to curb the cursing.”
