apartment.
One problem. Reindeer didn’t hibernate.
“All done, thanks Cynthia.” Darrick handed the completed forms over and turned. Shoving a hand under Rudi’s arm, he marched her toward the door and out into the walkway between the back compounds. The sounds of training drifted to them on the air, but they were concealed from prying eyes.
He spun her around, corralling her against the wall with his hands braced either side of her head. She froze, looking up at him.
“Okay, sweetheart. Out with it,” he rumbled, the expression in his blue eyes serious. “Every Christmas you’re a fucking bitch and I wanna know why. Plus, you know way more than most about those bastard Claus elves. What gives?”
She sighed, blowing her bangs out of her face. No matter what she did, her hair always escaped from the tight braid she kept it in, and curled around her face.
“Come on, I know you ain’t an elf…so why protect them?”
She barked out a laugh. “Believe me, I am the last person to ever protect a fucking Claus elf.”
“Come on, sweetheart.” He lifted a hand as if to stroke the loose strand of hair behind her ear. Her hand snapped out to grab his wrist in an iron hold, stopping his movement. His eyes widened.
“Let’s just say once bitten, twice shy shall we? I trusted one once and got my heart broken in return.”
Understanding filled his eyes, followed swiftly by anger. Pixies were flighty as fuck at times.
“Which one? One of ours? Cole?” He growled. “I’ll break his fucking kneecaps.”
She didn’t let go of his wrist even when he tried to pull away. Her shifter blood made her a lot stronger than her human form would suggest.
“Hold your horses, cowboy. It was none of the ones we have here.”
The last thing she wanted was Cole and Rhod getting involved. They recognized her of course, but the unwritten code of silence between those who’d left the Pole for whatever reason stood firm. They wouldn’t give her away. Besides, she wasn’t giving Darrick any excuse to go postal on Cole.
“Hmmm… fuck it, Rudi!” He snatched his hand away and backed off a step. Pure frustration glimmered in his eyes. “Just let me pound on one of them, for a little bit? Please?”
Within a heartbeat he went from worryingly direct and lethally dangerous to a guy she quite liked as a person. She socked him in the upper arm.
“Moron. Come on, let’s go grab a coffee before we get another call.”
They re-entered the building into the central processing area to find everyone watching the TV in the corner.
“Police have confirmed three dead at the Kingsbridge Plaza in a third armed robbery this week. Similar to previous attacks, the armed gang targeted the Santa’s Grotto in the center of the mall. Some of the animals used in the Grotto were killed in the attack…”
The scene switched from images of uniformed cops rushing around to the bloodstained grotto and the slumped forms of reindeer. She gasped, hand over her mouth as she realized the animals who had been killed were her kind. Well, full reindeer, not weres. They’d been gunned down while they stood helpless.
“Shit…” Darrick slid her a sideways glance, aware of her distress. Realization colored his face. “We’ll get the fuckers, Rudi. I promise.”
Before she could reply, Cynthia looked up from the counter, phone in her hand. “Rudi, Darrick…Boss wants you both in her office. Yesterday.”
Exchanging looks, they turned and headed toward the offices. Even though it was late at night, the building was filled with staff. From small beginnings, the business had boomed until they were a 24-7 operation.
Pausing to knock on their boss’s door, Rudi caught the mulish expression on her partner’s face as a voice within called out for them to enter. She sighed. Most Pixies had issues with authority, and Darrick was no exception.
“What did you do now?” she hissed over her shoulder as she pushed the door open.
Apparently
One problem. Reindeer didn’t hibernate.
“All done, thanks Cynthia.” Darrick handed the completed forms over and turned. Shoving a hand under Rudi’s arm, he marched her toward the door and out into the walkway between the back compounds. The sounds of training drifted to them on the air, but they were concealed from prying eyes.
He spun her around, corralling her against the wall with his hands braced either side of her head. She froze, looking up at him.
“Okay, sweetheart. Out with it,” he rumbled, the expression in his blue eyes serious. “Every Christmas you’re a fucking bitch and I wanna know why. Plus, you know way more than most about those bastard Claus elves. What gives?”
She sighed, blowing her bangs out of her face. No matter what she did, her hair always escaped from the tight braid she kept it in, and curled around her face.
“Come on, I know you ain’t an elf…so why protect them?”
She barked out a laugh. “Believe me, I am the last person to ever protect a fucking Claus elf.”
“Come on, sweetheart.” He lifted a hand as if to stroke the loose strand of hair behind her ear. Her hand snapped out to grab his wrist in an iron hold, stopping his movement. His eyes widened.
“Let’s just say once bitten, twice shy shall we? I trusted one once and got my heart broken in return.”
Understanding filled his eyes, followed swiftly by anger. Pixies were flighty as fuck at times.
“Which one? One of ours? Cole?” He growled. “I’ll break his fucking kneecaps.”
She didn’t let go of his wrist even when he tried to pull away. Her shifter blood made her a lot stronger than her human form would suggest.
“Hold your horses, cowboy. It was none of the ones we have here.”
The last thing she wanted was Cole and Rhod getting involved. They recognized her of course, but the unwritten code of silence between those who’d left the Pole for whatever reason stood firm. They wouldn’t give her away. Besides, she wasn’t giving Darrick any excuse to go postal on Cole.
“Hmmm… fuck it, Rudi!” He snatched his hand away and backed off a step. Pure frustration glimmered in his eyes. “Just let me pound on one of them, for a little bit? Please?”
Within a heartbeat he went from worryingly direct and lethally dangerous to a guy she quite liked as a person. She socked him in the upper arm.
“Moron. Come on, let’s go grab a coffee before we get another call.”
They re-entered the building into the central processing area to find everyone watching the TV in the corner.
“Police have confirmed three dead at the Kingsbridge Plaza in a third armed robbery this week. Similar to previous attacks, the armed gang targeted the Santa’s Grotto in the center of the mall. Some of the animals used in the Grotto were killed in the attack…”
The scene switched from images of uniformed cops rushing around to the bloodstained grotto and the slumped forms of reindeer. She gasped, hand over her mouth as she realized the animals who had been killed were her kind. Well, full reindeer, not weres. They’d been gunned down while they stood helpless.
“Shit…” Darrick slid her a sideways glance, aware of her distress. Realization colored his face. “We’ll get the fuckers, Rudi. I promise.”
Before she could reply, Cynthia looked up from the counter, phone in her hand. “Rudi, Darrick…Boss wants you both in her office. Yesterday.”
Exchanging looks, they turned and headed toward the offices. Even though it was late at night, the building was filled with staff. From small beginnings, the business had boomed until they were a 24-7 operation.
Pausing to knock on their boss’s door, Rudi caught the mulish expression on her partner’s face as a voice within called out for them to enter. She sighed. Most Pixies had issues with authority, and Darrick was no exception.
“What did you do now?” she hissed over her shoulder as she pushed the door open.
Apparently
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