green bowler hat onto his head. “That’s not how it works, m’dear,” he said softly, in a slightly lilting accent. “The SEA caught me so now I have to perform three acts before I’m free to go. I’m indentured to you until I do.”
The tigress curled her lip in derision. “Right, because you’re a leprechaun.”
Penny couldn’t help the snort that escaped. She managed to clamp her hands over her mouth before any more of her bubbling laughter got out, but not before the ‘leprechaun’ shot her a withering gaze.
“That’s right, m’darlin’.”
“You’re not a leprechaun. You’re a lunatic. Seek help,” came the caring response of the tigress, before she stomped back into the elevator.
The bear shifter guard narrowed his eyes at the self-proclaimed leprechaun, and the only other occupant of the lobby, a tall, geeky looking young man, tried to shuffle away as far as possible.
Penny couldn’t help herself. Perhaps it was an inquisitive nature. More likely it was just a sneering nature, one she currently shared with her penguin.
“So you really think you’re a leprechaun?” she asked.
He took off his hat and gave her a flourishing bow. “Seamus Fitzpatrick, at your service.”
Penny folded her arms. “Aha.”
“Perhaps there is something I…”
“Take it easy,” rumbled the bear, rising to become a seven-foot wall of broken-nosed ruggedness. “Try anything and they’ll have to carry you out of here in pieces.”
Seamus, unconcerned at the threat, beamed at the bear and donned his hat. “Now, really, I’m only here to help.”
“How come you’re so tall?” asked Penny. “I’ve eaten Lucky Charms before. You’re supposed to be tiny and smoke a pipe, and come with your own rainbow and pot of gold.”
“Yes, I can see you are truly an expert on the subject,” he chuckled.
“You’re too handsome to be a leprechaun,” she insisted.
He placed a hand on his heart. “You are too kind, m’dear. But I assure you, we come in all shapes and sizes. Though, I am particularly good looking.” He winked, and Penny rolled her eyes, which made him chortle.
The bear, whose nametag read Boris, huffed. “I did not let you upstairs, how did you get past me?”
“Magic, m’boy.”
“Why didn’t you magic your way out of the grip the tiger had on you?” said Penny.
His smile faltered a little as he rubbed his ear. “I swear that female worked for the Spanish Inquisition in a former life. But we’re getting off topic.” He turned a thousand megawatt smile on Boris, Penny and the young, gawky man. “The SEA caught me doing something I, ahem, shouldn’t have been doing…”
“What was that?” Penny grinned thinking of the possibilities, and they only became more lurid as pink dusted his cheeks.
“Not important,” he said a little too quickly. “The point is that by ancient leprechaun law…” he paused while Penny tried not to wet herself laughing. “By ancient leprechaun law,” he said a little louder, “I have been caught, and before I can be free, I must perform three acts to better the lives of my captors. Since the tiger doesn’t want anything, you three will have to do.” He looked at them in turn. “Ah, yes, I see what you all want.” He cracked his knuckles. “This won’t hurt a bit.”
Penny backed away as he started chanting something in, what? Gaelic?? Her penguin flapped in panic. Colors started whipping through the air. “Holy crap! He really does have his own rainbow!”
“Now hang on a minute!” shouted the bear.
Bright rainbow light hit them all square in their chests. Penny staggered backward. She heard a roar, and instantly she was tucked behind Diaz’s large frame.
Seamus tipped his hat to her and disappeared with a pop. Diaz snarled and spun around. “Are you okay? Are you hurt?” He ran his hands all over her body – all over . “I’m
The tigress curled her lip in derision. “Right, because you’re a leprechaun.”
Penny couldn’t help the snort that escaped. She managed to clamp her hands over her mouth before any more of her bubbling laughter got out, but not before the ‘leprechaun’ shot her a withering gaze.
“That’s right, m’darlin’.”
“You’re not a leprechaun. You’re a lunatic. Seek help,” came the caring response of the tigress, before she stomped back into the elevator.
The bear shifter guard narrowed his eyes at the self-proclaimed leprechaun, and the only other occupant of the lobby, a tall, geeky looking young man, tried to shuffle away as far as possible.
Penny couldn’t help herself. Perhaps it was an inquisitive nature. More likely it was just a sneering nature, one she currently shared with her penguin.
“So you really think you’re a leprechaun?” she asked.
He took off his hat and gave her a flourishing bow. “Seamus Fitzpatrick, at your service.”
Penny folded her arms. “Aha.”
“Perhaps there is something I…”
“Take it easy,” rumbled the bear, rising to become a seven-foot wall of broken-nosed ruggedness. “Try anything and they’ll have to carry you out of here in pieces.”
Seamus, unconcerned at the threat, beamed at the bear and donned his hat. “Now, really, I’m only here to help.”
“How come you’re so tall?” asked Penny. “I’ve eaten Lucky Charms before. You’re supposed to be tiny and smoke a pipe, and come with your own rainbow and pot of gold.”
“Yes, I can see you are truly an expert on the subject,” he chuckled.
“You’re too handsome to be a leprechaun,” she insisted.
He placed a hand on his heart. “You are too kind, m’dear. But I assure you, we come in all shapes and sizes. Though, I am particularly good looking.” He winked, and Penny rolled her eyes, which made him chortle.
The bear, whose nametag read Boris, huffed. “I did not let you upstairs, how did you get past me?”
“Magic, m’boy.”
“Why didn’t you magic your way out of the grip the tiger had on you?” said Penny.
His smile faltered a little as he rubbed his ear. “I swear that female worked for the Spanish Inquisition in a former life. But we’re getting off topic.” He turned a thousand megawatt smile on Boris, Penny and the young, gawky man. “The SEA caught me doing something I, ahem, shouldn’t have been doing…”
“What was that?” Penny grinned thinking of the possibilities, and they only became more lurid as pink dusted his cheeks.
“Not important,” he said a little too quickly. “The point is that by ancient leprechaun law…” he paused while Penny tried not to wet herself laughing. “By ancient leprechaun law,” he said a little louder, “I have been caught, and before I can be free, I must perform three acts to better the lives of my captors. Since the tiger doesn’t want anything, you three will have to do.” He looked at them in turn. “Ah, yes, I see what you all want.” He cracked his knuckles. “This won’t hurt a bit.”
Penny backed away as he started chanting something in, what? Gaelic?? Her penguin flapped in panic. Colors started whipping through the air. “Holy crap! He really does have his own rainbow!”
“Now hang on a minute!” shouted the bear.
Bright rainbow light hit them all square in their chests. Penny staggered backward. She heard a roar, and instantly she was tucked behind Diaz’s large frame.
Seamus tipped his hat to her and disappeared with a pop. Diaz snarled and spun around. “Are you okay? Are you hurt?” He ran his hands all over her body – all over . “I’m
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