With a shrug, I answered, “I’m not sure. How far away is this Perna Harbor?”
“Ten minutes.”
“Good.” I stretched, hitting Niki’s thigh with both my feet before pushing back and sitting up straight. “Do you have food there? Those snacks on the plane are starting to wear off and I’m feeling a bit peckish. If you don’t have food, then let’s swing into a drive thru.”
“I’m quite certain it is not my responsibility to feed you.”
“Rude!”
Niki raised a single eyebrow. “I’ve been accused of worse.”
“I’m sure.” With a huff, I crossed my arms and whined, “But I’m huuungry.” I leaned my head against the backrest, bottom lip thrust out and eyelashes fluttering. “If I don’t eat soon, I’ll die.”
Niki rolled his eyes. “Dear Gaia, the drama. You won’t die. Of that, I am quite certain.”
“True, but if you don’t feed me, I’ll just pester you until I get my way. Trust me, I can be very persuasive.” I waggled my eyebrows but Niki was currently being responsible and watching the road, so he missed it.
“I’m sure you can. I can also be very stubborn. However, lucky for the both of us, I’m hungry also. I am only stopping because I want to eat, not because of your needs.” Niki was sure to make the situation clear.
“Understood.” What Iunderstoodwas that I’d gotten my way. If Niki wanted to think he was getting me food only because he wanted to eat, so be it. Now I just needed him to buy me the food I wanted.
“Happy?”Niki asked, sounding nothing of the sort.
“Ecstatic,” I happily answered while munching on my chicken tenders. I’d already gone through my giant-sized onion rings, an order of bacon cheese fries, and two orders of fried mushrooms. I was currently working on my second soda. Humans really did make the best tasting food. Of course, it was horrible for them to eat it. Thankfully, I didn’t have the same kind of medical issues humans did. I often wondered how humanity remained so prolific given the myriad of ways they attempted to kill themselves.
Niki cringed as he stared at the empty wrappers and boxes littered round me. “That is disgusting.”
I swallowed a huge gulp of soda. “Don’t knock it until you’ve tried it.”
“If I tried all that, I’d have a coronary.”
Patting my full belly, I grinned. “Sucks to be you.”
Niki grunted. “You are picking all that up and disposing of it properly.”
“I’m not a litterbug,” I said, thoroughly offended. “I would not harm nature in such a way.” Niki’s raised eyebrows made me think I’d surprised him.
I wanted to rib him a bit more but just as I was about to add on something obnoxious, Niki turned off the main road and onto a winding drive. Niki’s wards washed over my skin, welcoming my presence. My window was cracked and the sound of breaking waves grew in cadence. Old growth trees lined the drive, obscuring the ending. Breaking through those trees revealed a stately but modest house. I’d been expecting a mansion at the end of our journey, not a quaint craftsman style bungalow.
A two-car garage loomed in front of us. Niki hit a button and one of the doors automatically opened. The garage was neat and tidy—everything had a place, and everything was in its place. It was too neat. I had the urge to barrel through the garage, knocking objects from shelves and making a general mess. I suppressed the urge. I hadn’t made pointless mischief since I’d grown my third tail.
“I see my home’s warding affected you about as much as my vehicle’s.”
“Why do you sound so disappointed?” I cocked my head to the side, attempting to look innocent. There was no reason Niki needed to know that I’d barely suppressed the urge to destroy his perfectly manicured space.
Niki’s grunt and eye roll were his only answer. Going to the trunk, Niki retrieved his traveling bag and headed for a door which I assumed led into the house. Despite my lack of invitation, I followed.
The garage opened into a quaint mudroom, just as immaculate as the garage. I could already tell this neatness issue was going to be a theme. Niki seemed obsessed with order. Looks like I’d come along just in time. All this obsessive neatness couldn’t be good for Niki’s mental wellbeing.
Further surprises awaited inside, the furnishings and décor just as quaint as the outside. The understated elegance didn’t match Niki’s massive ego. The wall-to-wall trifold door that opened up to the back patio and a cliff that fell off toward the crashing waves of the Pacific did.
“Wow.” The ocean pulled me. “That’s quite the view.” I’d lost the concept of currency but could only imagine this is what humans called ‘a million-dollar view.’ I suspicioned the view actually cost much more than that.
“Feel free to walk off the cliff,” Niki sarcastically commented.
“I don’t fancy getting wet.” I threw Niki a wink and he rolled his eyes again. That kind of fall wouldn’t kill me, not that I’d allow my body to truly land on the jagged rocks below. I’d easily dissipate and translocate somewhere else before that happened.
Niki disappeared into a deeper part of the house. I was tempted to follow but the view was too distracting. When he returned, I asked, “Are you going to give me a tour?”
