I could be patient until then.
Taking him up on the suggestion of checking out the mansion, I started with the room I’d found myself a temporary guest of. The house was by far the nicest place I’d ever seen in my life, with the feel of a building hundreds of years old, but which had been modernized throughout. The bedroom had high ceilings and rich burgundy walls, which stood out against the white crown molding. A white doorway led to a spectacular bathroom. It was tiled with slate and stone from floor to ceiling. The splashes of blue and gray went perfectly with the fluffy navy mat in the center, thick white towels in a small cupboard, and the large array of greenery in pots. Warm and inviting.
My eyes locked on the free-standing tub right by the window overlooking a garden, which I could just make out in the early morning light. The street was just beyond, and people were everywhere, heading home from the square. Despite the lack of privacy – because who would draw curtains on a view like that – I could easily imagine stretching out, reading a book, occasionally glancing out to the world beyond. It took a lot of control not to run a bath, but getting naked in a house of alien dudes didn’t seem like the smartest move. I’d wait and see if any of them attacked over the next few hours before I flashed my goods.
Reluctantly leaving the bathroom I continued out of the bedroom, finding myself in a long hall. All of the open doorways I passed were bedrooms, painted rich, bright colors, with wood and antique furniture. I liked that they’d kept a few original touches of character. Near the end was a small library with thick beams across the ceiling. I lingered in the doorway, which was strange because I wasn’t a huge reader. I preferred movies and television. Reading was actually something I struggled immensely with; words never quite did what they were supposed to. Letters didn’t stay in the order they should, so reading was … hard.
I’d mentioned the problem a few times to my mom, but she just told me I was lazy, and that if I wanted to get better at something I needed to practice it. After months of headaches and tears, I gave up on the entire endeavor. The world of books was not for me, even though I craved to know what was between each of the pages. Movies might be just the tip of the iceberg, but I had long ago accepted that I would never know the world below.
Tearing myself from the doorway, I tucked my dreams back inside. Nothing good came from wanting what you couldn’t have. I’d been disappointed too much already. It was time for me to live in the reality of my world.
I traipsed down the stairs at the end of the hall, admiring the highly polished sheen of the wood handrail. Everything here screamed money. Lots of money. The upkeep on a place like this would be ridiculous. Michaels didn’t strike me as the sort of guy who worked hard. His surfer bum vibe was from more than just his hair. Were all of these Daelighters rich? Or was Michaels just one of the lucky ones?
The ground floor was even more spectacular than the level above. It wasn’t as open-plan as was favored in more modern houses – houses I’d only ever seen in magazines of course. This design had large distinct rooms, separated by archways and alcoves, with deep, bold colors, more burgundies, ochers, and even a teal dining space. The furniture was heavy and antique, like in the bedrooms, fitting perfectly to the era of this home.
It was really nice. Damn Michaels and his good taste in real estate.
After I’d explored, I ended up in the kitchen with its enormous rectangle island bench and an actual fireplace in the room. The fridge was modern, stainless steel, a three-door monster. Did these Daelighters eat normal food?
One way to find out.
Opening the door, I had to laugh. Inside was full alright, with a selection of beer and wine that would make a nightclub jealous. It was very clear why Michaels lived on the edge of the Quarter, an area usually reserved for tourists and those who liked to make their money from tourists. Locals hardly ever went there, from what I’d learned, but clearly these Daelighters enjoyed the party life.
“Hungry?”
I jumped back from the fridge, swinging around to find Michaels leaning against the kitchen bench. He hadn’t slept long, but definitely looked much more refreshed.
“I’m always hungry, but doesn’t look like you have anything here that is actual food.”
Michaels chuckled, moving around the other side of the bench to open the drawer. He pulled out a bunch of pamphlets, sliding them across to me. Walking over, I picked them up, finding that they were all delivery places.
“Order whatever you want. I have accounts with every single one of them.”
I took my time flicking through them before finally meeting his eyes. “I thought you were sleeping?”
He shrugged. “Like I said, I only need an hour. I’ll nap again later.”
No doubt he was an expert napper.
Before I could say anything more, Daniel entered the room. I zeroed straight in on him, menus forgotten. “When will we be heading to Jackson Square?” I asked, not wasting time on pleasantries.
Daniel’s heavy stare shifted between Michaels and me. Finally, he said, “We can go now, if you’d like. An early scouting trip. If Laous is still in the area, he’ll make contact. He’s no match for me, not now he’s lost the overlord power, so he’ll no doubt just deliver a message.” He focused on Jason then. “Get your people ready, though. Later today we’ll be the ones hunting.”
The daelighter nodded, not at all annoyed by the order. “On it, boss. We’ll be ready and waiting.” Then with a wink in my direction, he left the room.
Daniel turned to me. “I need to grab a few weapons. Wait right here.”
Like there was anywhere else for me to go.
He disappeared up the stairs, only to reappear a few minutes later dressed in similar clothes to before. He had changed his shirt for a long-sleeved black Henley that hugged his body and worked with the dark jeans, heavy black boots, and air of barely contained lethal power.
I wished I knew more about Daelighters and their abilities. Like the super speed thing. Could they all do that? What else could they do? Would any of my training actually come in handy against someone like Laous? There was nothing more annoying than stepping into the role of victim, being the one who had to be protected. I’d worked really hard to never be weak, but something told me I was going to be very outmatched by this alien species.
I needed more information. Knowledge was power. I was slowly coming to terms with everything I’d learned so far – the need to scream and freak out was fading – so maybe I’d ask Daniel some more questions when we were out.
As more of my fear faded, though, anger took over. This trickling urge to lose my shit was starting to churn inside of me. Fury was bubbling uncontrollably under my skin. I finally had somewhere to lay the blame for my years of shitty life – with these alien bastards. It was making me rage in ways I didn’t know my numb, dead-inside body was capable of.
“Are you ready to go?” Daniel asked, interrupting my mental planning of how to take down an entire planet.
