Patchwork pixie, p.7
Patchwork Pixie, page 7
Grey wrapped his arms around his mate. He didn’t say anything.
Leon leaned back against his alpha, and he breathed him in. That made him pause. “She’s an omega; I would stake my life on it, so why doesn’t she have a scent? I remember her smelling like candy. That’s gone now.”
“Maybe you should ask her.”
“I don’t think she is in the mood to be interrogated.”
“She’s always answered frankly before. Why would now be different?”
Leon growled. “Because he hurt her. That does something to your mind, to the way you think about the people around you. You trust a lot less and suspect more.”
Grey paused. “How do you know that?”
“I had a friend who was a late activation when I was at the Omega Centre. She was raped and flinched anytime staff came near her. She was petrified of physical touch. She was there for months before she was stable enough to be presented to a pack. They were aggressive, and she was back at the centre. It took them three years and six heats to find her a placement.”
Grey relaxed his grip. “How is she now?”
“She had two children and then committed suicide. None of her new pack bonded her.” Leon started crying. “Dane did that to her. He knew what Tanner was, and he thought it was funny.”
Grey growled. “You don’t know that.”
“Yeah. I do. He told me today. He was crying, but he did it. He wanted to punish her for invading his family.”
“Does he know why she was here?”
“Yeah. I told him. I got my sister on the call. She had no idea Ruby was in distress, or that’s what she said. Her second daughter ended up with friends here. Ruby doesn’t know.”
“Why didn’t Ruby go to them?”
Leon turned in shocked surprise. “Because Ruby is my family! She’s my niece. I held her in hospital. I named her for fucks’ sake! She was supposed to be safe here!”
He dragged in a deep breath. “I lost our little girl. I am sorry for that. Ruby was not a replacement. She was my niece, the bright star in my sister’s eyes. And I let someone break her and didn’t even notice. Why didn’t I notice?” He started sobbing.
Grey held him. “Because I drove her away. We raised her. We were done.”
“We didn’t raise her.” Leon inhaled. “We housed her. We didn’t even buy clothes or her skate lessons for her after she turned thirteen. She paid for everything herself so she wouldn’t be a burden.”
Grey paused. “What?”
“She gave me all the money in cash. It’s in my study.”
“How much is in there?”
“Sixty thousand dollars.”
Grey pulled back and held Leon by his shoulders. “How did she get that kind of money?”
Derrik’s voice said calmly, “She sold choreographies for skating routines, and then she learned dance to write dance choreographies. She started when she was eleven years old. It was how she paid for college.”
Grey blinked. “Leon, I thought you paid for college.”
“You gave me money for her first semester, and after that, you said she had to be a big girl, so I told her, and she started writing apps. She’s a millionaire now, and we never got to congratulate her on that either. Well, you were right. She grew up, and we had nothing to do with it.” Leon’s tears flowed again.
Grey stepped back, and Derrik came in to hold Leon. Leon turned his face into Derrik’s shoulder and felt the waves of concern from his other mate. James was concerned as well, but he would be home in a few minutes.
Leon pulled away and straightened his shoulders. “I should have dinner on the table in a few minutes. Ruby is working tonight, so she is resting a bit. She has declined dinner. She said she wasn’t here to be a leech. She’ll get takeout until she finds a new place to live.”
Grey stepped back again, and his face paled.
Leon looked at his primary mate. “She also wants to know if you ever want to sell the candy shop. She’ll buy it from you, just so she doesn’t have to jump through hoops to work there.”
Grey blinked. “She wants the shop?”
“Well, she doesn’t want things that can be taken away anymore. So, this is the last holiday season that she is going to pitch in if she doesn’t own the company.” Leon sighed. “She also knows that you have been thinking about offering it to Dane’s wife.”
“How does she know that?” Grey looked ashen.
“Ruby was installing a security system at her design firm. She knows all about what a grasping little whore Dane’s wife is.” Leon looked at him with emotional fatigue. “Ruby said that she doesn’t know much about our dynamic, but if I can spend time away from you guys, she wants me to go on a holiday with her. No one looks whiter than her on the beach.”
Derrik chuckled. “After properly seeing her, that’s likely true.”
James came in and said, “Leon, what’s the matter?”
Leon was hugged and surrounded by two out of three mates.
They calmly gathered for dinner, and then Grey cleared his throat. “We need to have a family meeting.”
Leon nodded. “Good idea.”
Grey looked at Leon. “Uh, when?”
“Sunday dinner.”
“Do you think she will come?” He frowned.
“Who?”
“Ruby.”
“Grey, love. She calls you uncle, but you don’t consider her family, and she knows it. You want her at this meeting. You are going to ask her.”
They ate dinner and were still sitting around waiting for Dane, his wife, and Gerald to respond to their texts when Ruby glided by wearing a cocktail dress and her hair up in a bunch of braids. Her makeup was perfect.
“Good evening. I have no doubt that you already know I have a part in the Patchwork Pixie, so you won’t be seeing me much for the next few weeks. I will try and be quiet as I come and go, but if it becomes annoying, I can go. I have been offered other places to stay. Or there are hotels.”
James frowned. “So, you are working three jobs?”
“Two, technically. The chocolate concierge is something that Mark decided was a good idea, so I am going to be handing out boxed chocolates at a gallery tonight. Yay. My life is so glamorous.”
Grey forced a smile. “Well, at least you get paid.”
She laughed. “That would be new. I haven’t been paid since I started at the chocolate shop. I had to get a part-time job just to afford to work there and buy lunch.” She grinned. “Right. Well, I am out of here. Uncle Leon, dinner smelled great.” She waved, and her heels clacked as she left the house.
Grey frowned. “What does she mean that she didn’t get paid?”
“Check payroll. I did this afternoon. She’s never gotten direct deposit. It has always been deposited to Dane’s account. He’s been stealing from her every time she worked there, and she knew it. Their accounts were only three digits apart, and I am guessing he knew it.”
The car outside started up, and little Ruby was on her way to the next job.
Chapter Six
Ruby tried to stay friendly and businesslike, but she was surrounded by statues of dark Elite and Elite omegas as well as other statuary, but nothing caught her imagination more than the onyx and marble statue of a couple embracing.
When the artist arrived with his mate and their third, she blinked. Dark Elite out in public. That never happened. And their mate was tall and glorious. The woman saw the chocolate table and came over.
“This looks amazing. Oh, this one has chili. Can I try one?” The woman looked at her and then paused. “You look familiar.”
Ruby smiled. “You look familiar. I am seeing you everywhere in this room.” She put a chili chocolate on a small napkin and extended her hands to the other woman, and then... they touched. “Oh, shit.”
The energy wrapped around her and pulled out her natural shape. Ruby focused on keeping her dress intact, and the woman stared at her. “I didn’t mean to do that.”
There was a group of people gathering, and Mr. Kensington came out of the crowd and put his suit jacket around her shoulders as he took on his dark Elite form.
She whispered, “Why are you here?”
“I thought you might need me.”
The woman said, “There is a private room here if you want to chat for a bit.”
Her slightly smaller mate grinned and said, “I will man the chocolate table.”
The woman grinned. “Excellent. The chili one rocked. Can I get the liquid caramel one next?”
Mr. Kensington walked with her, following the artist who was being celebrated. He opened the green room door, and his heavy, gravelly voice said, “In here, Marshall.”
The artist smiled. “I am sorry that my mate outed you. It is her skill. One of many.”
“I was fine until direct contact.”
He laughed. “That is how she got me, too.”
She smiled. “I am Ruby.”
“I am Achilles. She is Keres, and our third is Dante.”
Her head whipped toward Mr. Kensington. “Lawyer Dante?”
He nodded and smiled. “He’s in contracts.”
“Oh, okay.” She smiled and tried to shrink back to herself. “I’m stuck.”
Achilles frowned. “Stuck?”
“Stuck. Frozen. Locked up. I can’t be beta me right now.”
Kensington rubbed her back and said, “You just need to relax. That usually helps.”
Achilles said, “I will leave you two alone.”
“If you see Rayden, you can send him along, General.”
“He’s part of you?”
“Yes.”
Achilles went to close the door, and Ruby called out, “Wait!”
He leaned back in. “Yes?”
“If you see a woman with a blue swath of hair, just make a note, please. Maybe get a business card or something. Or... have your mate do it.”
He nodded and smiled. “Will do.”
The door closed, and then Ruby turned to look at Mr. Kensington. “Thanks for the save. You were really quick with the jacket.”
“You have very attractive shoulders. I didn’t want them getting cold. I am surprised the dress stretched.”
She felt a breeze. “It didn’t. It is only covering everything if I don’t move.”
He chuckled. “I see.”
“You would if I took a few steps.”
Rayden came in, saw them both, and put on his other face. “Are you okay?”
Rayden wrapped his arms around her and kissed the tip of her ear. She inhaled sharply but didn’t pull away. It felt nice to be held. She relaxed and just stood there.
Ruby muttered, “I touched hands with Achilles’ mate, and boom. Here I am, all pale and tall.”
“You can’t get back to beta?”
“Nope. I have only felt something like this once before, so I am hoping Achilles finds the person I am waiting for.”
They stayed together for a moment until there was a feminine shriek. “What the actual fuck!”
There was a lot of angry muttering, and then a tall woman in a dark green gown was in the now-open doorway. The woman had the same pearl skin and crystal-white hair, but her eyes were vivid emeralds, and her hair had a thick blue crest through it. “Ruby!”
“Emmy!” She pushed away from Rayden and ran to hug her younger sister.
They collided, and a bright flash filled the room. Emmy muttered. “Sorry.”
Ruby laughed, and when they leaned back, she cupped Emmy’s cheeks. “How dare you grow taller than me.”
Emmy grinned. “I had to do something. I have minimal other talents.”
“How was your time in foster care?”
“Some parts fun, some parts not. I survived it and am out on my own.” Emmy shrugged. “What can you do?”
“They came after you, didn’t they.”
“Oh, yeah. Caught me a few times, but I got away. Obviously. Jasper was on a few of the tracking teams, so those were the ones who found me, but he stopped them from doing anything truly unpleasant. And then I got away and dug the trackers out later. I got back to the city and beefed up the defenses you planted. They got shiny and bright really fast.”
Ruby blinked. “Fire and gasoline.”
Emmy beamed. She had delicate little fangs.
“Of course, you get the teeth. They are very cute.”
Rayden said, “Hey, don’t your pixies have little fangs?”
Emmy grinned. “Do they?”
“Yeah, but where are your wings?”
“They didn’t trigger when that lady grabbed my arm.”
Mr. Kensington was strangled when he said, “You have wings?”
“Yeah. Ruby, are these yours?”
Ruby blushed. “Not yet.”
Rayden said, “We are working on it.”
Emmy looked at them and extended her hand to Rayden. “I am Emerald Lestor, Ruby’s youngest sister.”
He shook her hand, and she zapped him. He dropped to his knees, and Ruby giggled. “I forgot about that.”
Kensington stood back. “I am not sure I want to experience that.”
“It’s fine. It just makes your knees go weak.” Emmy smiled. “Since she’s wearing your jacket, I will spare you.” She stuck out her hand. “But you still have to shake my hand.”
He smiled and shook her hand. She only sent a light electric tingle into his body. Now she could find her sister or her mates anywhere.
Ruby watched her mates react to her sibling, and a bright giggle spilled through her. Emmy walked over to her and pressed her forehead to Ruby’s. They exchanged knowledge of their upbringings, and Emmy had anger in her eyes when she leaned back. “Oh, honey. I am sorry.”
“I am through it. Now, I just need to figure out what to do. Your own memories are... I am sorry.”
They looked at each other and then hugged. Emmy said, “Mom said this wouldn’t be easy, but if we made it to grownups, we would be spectacular. Right now, in that dress, you have certainly hit spectacle.”
Ruby blushed.
“A beautiful spectacle. I just get settled into tall and dorky.” She winked.
“How old are you now?”
“Twenty-five.”
Ruby was surprised. “How?”
“Go back through my memories to years seventeen through nineteen.”
“Oh.” She focused and pulled out hiding and torture in a strange space. “Where was that?”
“Oh, the mage zone. Time becomes a little funny there.”
“What was happening to you?”
“They were trying to extract my magic. I am the wrong flavour. Took them long enough, but in there, I didn’t have to eat or drink, but I did get older.” She patted her head. “Kept the blue though.”
Ruby smiled and then remembered. “Oh, shit. This is Rayden, and this is Mr. Kensington.”
“Great.” Emmy grinned. “Nice to meet you, brothers.”
They looked at each other and grinned. Rayden was back on his feet. “Hello, little sister. Do you have mates yet?”
She wrinkled her nose. “No. I need someone I can’t zap. The zapping happens when I am excited or nervous, and tasing someone during sex isn’t a particularly great idea considering that the dark Elite seem to be a little on the sturdy side.”
Ruby snorted. “You just made that up on the spot.”
“Absolutely. But not about the zapping thing. It kept me from getting too badly hurt in the other realm. They stuck to plain torture out of arm’s reach.” She smiled. “That is easier to heal from. Affection extended and pain given is harder.”
Ruby stood still as her sister hugged her again. That was it. The promise of joy and pain swapped out. Once she understood that, it was something that she could work with. She had been grappling for the key. It wasn’t the injury; it was the betrayal of trust.
Emmy said, “Gimmee your phone.”
Ruby handed it over, and Emmy put her name in under “Emmy the Magnificent.”
A quick text and Emmy’s phone pinged.
“There. Now we won’t lose touch again.” Emmy smiled. “If you are busy, we can get in touch after the holidays.”
“Oh, you are going to be with me during the holidays. I promise. I am gonna hunt you down and cover you in tinsel.”
Emmy smiled. She drew a deep breath, exhaled slowly, and her beta self was standing there. “There we go. I am working for the catering company, so I will get back on the floor.”
“Dressed like that?” Ruby looked down at her. The green dress had been shredded along every seam.
“Fine. I was supervising the caterers. And this should fix the tears in the dress.” She held her fingers up, and a glittering column surrounded her, leaving a black dress behind.
Emmy looked at her. “So, it is just your guys and the artist’s trio here today, right?”
Ruby laughed at her sister. “No idea.”
She saw Kensington and Rayden taking pictures of her sister and covered her mouth. “So, how will you know if you find a guy if you are avoiding them?”
“I will figure it out. Dying an old maid isn’t the worst thing that could happen. At least I could have a ton of cats.”
Ruby took her hand and squeezed it. “I don’t want to lose you.”
“You won’t. I have this surviving thing down, and so do you.” Emmy grinned. “We’ve got this. Now find out what else there is.”
The little beta with the blue streak sashayed out of the room, and then Emmy was gone.
There was silence, and then Emmy’s voice came out, “Watch it, fuckhead!”
Ruby started laughing. “Her language was a trial to our parents.”
Kensington frowned. “I doubt she is in customer service industries.”
“She’s an app developer. I recognize her number.” Ruby grinned. “She’s doing great now.”
He smiled and held out his hand. “She asked you to check ages.”
“Yeah. We swapped memories without emotions, so we know what happened without covering the other person in painful questions. She’s physically twenty-four but mentally about thirty years old. She was trapped for a long time. I am guessing she didn’t want to say that in front of you guys.”
She shuddered. “They looked like alphas. Angry and desperate alphas in grey skin and black hair. It didn’t matter where they were from; that was creepy. They kept trying to break her skin, but it wouldn’t break.”
