Manic Pixie [18+]

Chapter Four

"Shoulda let me drive," Nyx said, pouting as they wove through downtown traffic to the Priyana Casino and Hotel on the other side of the city.

"You just focus on cloaking," Magnus replied as he dipped into the oncoming lane to get around a minivan.

"I don't have to focus." She rolled her eyes. "What do I look like, some kind of fairy? Pixies have this shit on lockdown."

He pursed his lips. He was curious about the differences between pixies and fairies, but also didn't have any interest in making conversation with her.

"On the way back, can we stop so I can grab a phone?" Nyx drummed her fingers on her thigh. "I could transmute one, but alas, I cannot transmute a data plan."

"They'll give you one at the station."

"I want something fancier than that. Plus I don't need to get in shit having any personal stuff on a work phone."

"What personal stuff?" The words left his mouth before he could stop them.

She smirked. "Oh, you know, saucy photos. I bet Krew would be down for—"

"I already regret asking," Magnus snapped.

"You know we're gonna be spending a lot of time together, you're gonna have to get used to shooting the shit with me," she said in a teasing singsong.

He ran his tongue over his teeth, and then sighed. "I get the feeling that despite me not wanting to talk to you, that you'll continue chattering incessantly."

"You are correct, sir." She grinned. "So, how long have you been a cop?"

Magnus clenched his jaw. "What did you mean when you said you don't have to focus on cloaking?" he asked.

"I'm old as dirt." She tapped her temple. "Very good control of my abilities. I don't even have to consciously cloak, it's like an automatic switch that goes on and off when the situation calls for it."

He frowned. "That's disconcerting."

"Hey, knob-gobbler," she huffed, "I'll have you know that my magic is reliable as fuck."

"Will you be aware if it's not?"

"Yes I'll be aware, thank you very much." She rolled her eyes. "As long as I'm conscious you're covered however you want to be." A smirk curled her lips and he raised his hand.

"No," he snapped.

"Suit yourself." She shrugged.

Before she could launch into more questions, he asked, "You said you could transmute a phone. Is that what you did with your ID? It's not just a glamour?"

"Hell no," she scoffed. "None of that glamour shit. Witches and fairies create illusions, pixies change matter itself. Like this fabulous body of mine. I created it out of my own body. You wouldn't be able to see through it because it's real."

He furrowed his brow. "Aren't there limitations on transmutation?"

"It's not actually transmutation, it's just the easiest thing to call it to non-Fae."

"Fairies have this magic too?"

"Probably." She shook her head, twisting a few strands of long chocolate hair around a finger. "They're just lazy."

He swerved around a hatchback and screeched into the casino parking lot. "Is that why you were kicked out of their realm?"

"What makes you think I was kicked out?" She blinked at him innocently.