I walked to the front door. It was painted black and had an ornate brass door knocker with a ring hanging from a gargoyle’s mouth. I rang the bell. The tenants knew I was coming, yet I still felt like an intruder.
The sound of movement behind the door was followed seconds later with it opening.
A man with dark hair, groomed beard, and blue plaid shirt smiled. I pegged him to be in his late twenties. “Hi. You must be Nova.”
“I am.” I extended my hand.
“Sebastian.” He stepped aside and motioned for me to enter. “Come on in.” Once he closed the door, he took my coat and hung it on a coat rack in the entryway. “It’s a shame what happened to your aunt. She was a good person.”
“Thank you.” I pushed my hair out of my face.“This whole thing has been quite a shock.”
“It was unexpected,” Sebastian agreed.
He led me into the living room, which had high ceilings and a brick fireplace. The hodgepodge of furniture sat on an aged maroon oriental rug that covered the hardwood floor.A brown suede couch and a worn black leather recliner faced a flat-screen TV.
“Come on, I’ll show you around.” He continued the tour of the main level. The dining room had wood paneling and a built-in china hutch. “Our bedrooms are up there.” He pointed to the staircase.
A guy with dark blond hair, high cheekbones, and blue eyes bounded down the stairs. He wore loose fitting black pants and a white shirt with the top two buttons undone. “Hey, there. I’m Lucas.” He took my hand and kissed it. “Enchante.”
“Lucas, save it,” Sebastian noted with irritation. “Your mojo won’t work on her.”
“Mojo?” I repeated.
“I’m a dragon shifter.” Lucas winked. “Ladies are often drawn to us.” He patted his chest. “Must be our fiery nature. But don’t worry, I’m just saying hello.”
My tenant was a dragon shifter? It was funny how open they were with me. Was it because of their relationship with my aunt? What a strange setup she had with these guys. Still, who was I to judge? If it worked, it worked. I forced myself not to react like some clueless person hearing about supernatural beings for the first time. I grew up in a town of witches. Gianna and I had known of other beings while we were in school. Their true nature was that guarded because humans could be unpredictable with that knowledge. Maybe supes were more open these days, or they sensed who they could trust.
Then again, they could probably use magic to wipe my memory clean if they deemed me a threat.
I hesitated before asking the next question. It had been so long since I’d been around non-humans that it felt strange to come straight out and ask. Since Lucas had willingly offered the info, I figured it was okay to ask. “Are you all supes?”
“Indeed,” Sebastian replied. “I’m a wolf shifter. Our other roommate, Diego, is a vampire.” He motioned his hands to the side and grinned. “The best tenants she’s had, according to your aunt.” He motioned for me to follow him into the kitchen. It had a vintage French country feel with yellow and blue decor.
“The house has this main kitchen, which we all share.” He pointed to a door opposite from where they’d entered. “Margaret lived in those rooms over there. There’s a small eating area overlooking the backyard on her side.”
I stepped into my aunt’s space. The circular room had a cozy feel with a sofa, built-in bookshelves, and afghans. “Is her bedroom upstairs?” I asked.
“Yes. She slept on the second floor, where there’s also a bathroom.” Sebastian pointed up. “And her workspace is on the third floor in the finished attic.”
I nodded to give the sense that I followed what he was talking about, although I knew nothing.
“Do you want to go look around on your own?” Sebastian asked.
“I will in a bit.” It still felt intrusive to poke around in a stranger’s space, even if she was my blood relative.
Sebastian led me back into the living room where Lucas sat on the sofa with a gray cat beside him. He pet the long-haired furball. “This is Shadow, because he often follows me around like one. Hope you’re okay with cats.”
“Sure.” I walked over and extended my hand. Shadow glanced at it from bright green eyes and sniffed me. I bent down and rubbed his cheek.
When I stood, a man wearing all black stared at me from near the fireplace.
I gasped. “Where did you come from?”
His glowering turned more intense. The reddish glint in the whites around his bright blue eyes gave him a feral look. I stepped backward and covered my chest with one hand. My heart pounded beneath my fingers.
Whoever he was, his glowering didn’t bode well for me.
My breath came quicker as our gazes remained locked. Something about his stare intimidated, yet fascinated me.
