Eira folded her arms, her posture rigid with authority.
"New rules," she said, her voice hard and non-negotiable. "If you stay here, you do not touch him while he sleeps. Not like that. Not without his clear yes. And you do not sneak in. You knock. Like guests, not parasites."
Both Glimmucks stared at her with open-mouthed disbelief, as if she had just suggested they eat gravel instead of the bacon Nix was still clutching.
"Knock?" Nix repeated, scandalized. "We are Glimmucks. We sneak. It is who we are. It is how we stay alive."
"Then you can sneak into the pantry and clean it," Eira shot back. "Or sneak dirt out of the corners. Or sneak Pig Men noses off their faces next time they try the door. But you do not sneak under his blanket to feed."
Pearl wrinkled her perfect nose, crossing her arms under her breasts. "That part was the fun part," she complained, sounding like a pouting debutante denied a second glass of champagne.
Marcus cleared his throat, the sound rough. He was still trying to wrestle his libido back into submission.
"I… think I would like the rule," he said, his face still flushed but his voice firmer now. "At least until I have coffee. And pants."
Nix looked from Marcus to Eira, then to his partner. He sighed, a dramatic exhale that ruffled his vest, and shrugged.
"Fine," he said, defeated. "We stay. We eat. We steal only a little—trinkets, no heavy iron. We knock. Sometimes. She does not drink him without asking."
He nudged Pearl sharply with his elbow. "Say it," he whispered.
She rolled her golden eyes so hard they nearly vanished into her skull. She pushed herself up to her feet on the soft cushion of the couch, putting her hands on her hips in a pose of defiance.
"Fine," she said, dragging the vowel out. "I will ask. Next time."
"Good," Eira replied, her gaze icy. "Because there will only be a next time if he says yes, not because you are hungry and he is warm."
She turned her gaze to Marcus.
"You understand what you are inviting in if you keep them," she said, her voice dropping lower. "They are chaos. They are not pets."
Marcus looked at the two small, bright, dangerous creatures perched in his office. The memory of the "dream" still buzzed in his nerves—the heat, the skill, the impossible pleasure. The broken front door, the memory of the Pig Men, and the heavy footsteps were still in his bones. He needed allies. Even chaotic ones.
He took a slow breath, rubbing his jaw.
"Yeah," he said. "I think I do."
He propped himself up on his elbows and managed a tired, crooked smile.
"All right, Nix. You and… her… can stay. But we are doing this my way. No surprises."
Pearl puffed up, preening. "I have a name too," she said haughtily. "You did not ask."
She leaned forward, her eyes gleaming with mischief and promise. "But I will tell you later. When you earn it."
Nix laughed so hard he dropped his roll onto the carpet.
Eira just shook her head, a flicker of amusement crossing her face before she turned toward the door.
"Five in the morning," she said. "We open in a few hours. If any of you want breakfast that is not stolen from last night, now would be a good time to start the coffee."
Marcus groaned and flopped back onto the couch cushion, pulling the blanket up.
Nix hopped down, already sniffing the air toward the kitchen again, his nose twitching.
Pearl stayed for one last heartbeat. She placed her small, warm hand lightly on Marcus's stomach, her golden eyes softening just for a moment.
"Sleep later," she murmured, her voice a caress. "Dreams are tastier when you are safe."
Then she jumped down, landing without a sound, and followed Nix out into the dim light of the restaurant, her hips swaying.
Marcus stared at the water-stained ceiling tile.
Safe, he thought.
In a building with elf sisters, interdimensional Pig Men, and two dream-drinking gold thieves who thought his subconscious was a snack bar.
"Sure," he muttered to the empty room. "Safe. What could possibly go wrong."
Morning Haze
A short while later, Marcus sat up, stretched until his spine cracked, and tried to shake the last sticky haze of sleep—and Pearl's influence—from his mind. The morning after a night like that left him feeling both deeply relaxed and oddly charged, his skin sensitive to the air.
He made his way toward the kitchen, rubbing his face, determined to find coffee before he attempted higher brain functions.
The diner was already awake. Eira and Liri were up, moving quietly through the dining room, straightening chairs and wiping down the tables with focused efficiency. Their voices were low and calm, weaving together in their native tongue.
Nix and Pearl were huddled at a table near the back, heads bent over their little piles of gold, sorting and admiring the night's treasures once again.
Marcus wandered over to their table, still bleary but curious. He stopped when he saw the two neat piles of loot—dust, coins, rings, bits and pieces of jewelry glimmering in the pale morning light filtering through the blinds.
Pearl looked up at him. She flashed a sly, knowing smile that crinkled the corners of her golden eyes.
She moved closer, sliding along the bench seat so Marcus could catch her scent—exotic, earthy, vanilla and ozone. It was almost hypnotic. The effect was immediate. Desire surged through him, quick and sharp, a physiological response he couldn't control. He shifted his weight, embarrassed by how obvious his reaction was.
He managed an awkward, rough laugh. "Uh, sorry about that…"
Pearl's smile widened, turning a little wicked. "Nothing to be sorry about, Mr. Wonderful," she purred. She reached out and let her fingers brush the back of his hand, her touch light and lingering, sending a spark up his arm.
Across the room, Eira and Liri shared a look. They noted the charged moment, the way Marcus leaned in slightly, the way Pearl preened. They could sense the lingering spell of the Glimmuck's nighttime visit—something subtle but unmistakable, woven into his aura. For now, it seemed harmless, if a little intense.
Just then, a sharp knock at the front door shattered the moment.
The sound startled everyone into action. Nix scrambled to cover the gold with a napkin. Eira's hand went to her hip, though she had no weapon.
Marcus straightened, shaking off the fog. He went to answer it.
Outside, a battered delivery truck was idling at the curb, its engine ticking and cooling. The driver, a wiry man in an old logo cap named Stan, was hefting a plastic crate out of the back. He set it on the concrete step with a grunt.
"Morning, Marcus," he called out, wiping sweat from his forehead with a rag. "Got your order here. Eggs, milk, bread."
"Morning, Stan," Marcus said, unlocking the door and stepping out. "Right on time."
"You folks seen the roads out by the old bridge?" Stan asked, leaning against the doorframe. "Looks like someone took a damn shovel to 'em. Dirt everywhere, rocks in the road, weird colors in the air like an oil slick. I nearly got lost on my own route. GPS was spinning in circles. Strangest thing I've seen all week."
Marcus accepted the crate, listening with one ear while glancing back at the others inside the diner.
The driver shook his head, still muttering about the strange road conditions and the odd atmospheric pressure.
At the Glimmucks' table, Pearl and Nix exchanged frantic glances. Nix leaned in, his voice a harsh whisper that barely carried.
"Not a good idea to go out. Pig Men are wandering. We smell them on the wind."
The delivery driver perked up. "Pig men? What's that supposed to mean? You got hogs loose?"
Marcus quickly covered, waving a hand dismissively. "Ah, just a joke. Don't worry about it, Stan. Just talking about... wild pigs in the area. Heard some tearing up fences."
Stan nodded, buying it but still looking wary. "Yeah, hogs'll do that. Nasty business." He clambered back into his truck, the door slamming shut. "Stay safe out there."
The truck rumbled away, leaving a cloud of diesel fumes.
Marcus turned back to Eira and Liri, keeping his voice low. "Maybe we should take a couple of minutes. Just step outside, look around the perimeter. See what's changed. If the road is messed up, we need to know."
Liri was already peering out the window, her eyes narrowed as she scanned the tree line.
Eira nodded thoughtfully. "It wouldn't hurt to get the lay of the land. But we should be careful. The air feels... thin."
Nix and Pearl both shook their heads vigorously, concern clear on their beautiful faces.
"Not a good idea," Pearl said softly, hugging her knees. "Pig Men are still out there. We can feel the heavy steps. We can taste the rot."
Marcus weighed their warning against the tactical need for intel. He shrugged.
"We'll keep it short," he decided. "Two, maybe three minutes. Just enough to get a sense of what's what, check the sightlines, then right back inside. Lock and load."
The group prepared to make a cautious circuit of the building, all senses alert for any sign that the Slipgate's strange world had shifted once again.
Marcus was the first to open the door. He stepped out onto the concrete pad. He looked left toward the empty highway. Then right toward the gas station.
He turned back to report, his mouth opening to speak.
And instantly vanished.