by Jaymin Eve
“Everyone needs a hobby, right?” He patted the car one more time. “Cars are one of the best things about Earth. We don’t have them back in Overworld, so here I indulge my love.”
Another thing we had in common. “Can I choose?” I asked, unable to hide the anticipation in my voice.
Daniel’s grin grew, and my legs got a little shaky as he crowded closer, pressing me back into the Rolls Ghost behind us. My body ached, lifting of its own accord to push against his. He was killing me here – I had just found my ultimate aphrodisiac, Daniel surrounded by expensive cars.
“You like cars?” he asked, and I swear he dipped his head low then, brushing his face close to mine, like he was breathing me in. By the time my eyes fluttered open again, though, he was back to where he had been standing before, inches of space between us.
I tried to find some oxygen, but I couldn’t seem to fill my lungs. “Yes,” I choked out. “The faster and more modern the better.”
This time I didn’t miss the movement. He cupped my face, tilting my head back so we could lock eyes. “You, Earthling, were definitely put in my path to tempt me,” he murmured, a bite to his tone as a flash of darkness turned the cinnamon of his eyes murky.
He let me go then, turning away, and I sucked in some deep breaths, filling my starving lungs. Daniel was such an enigma. There were two sides to everything he did, and I was starting to crave both of them. His kind side nurtured my soul, and when he turned hard, it made my body burn. I never feared him, mostly because there was a control he carried at all times, and he rarely directed his anger at me.
Fact of the matter: I had always liked my guys rough around the edges.
I might actually need therapy.
Recovered, I walked to where he stood in the center of the huge garage. He lifted both hands out on either side of him, palms up. “Pick your poison.”
“That one.” I pointed, no hesitation in my tone.
He briefly rested his gaze on the gun-metal gray Audi R8 and gave a nod. It wasn’t my favorite of the cars in here, but it was the one that fit my mood today. Daniel was happy enough with the choice, if the look on his face was any indication. The doors opened smoothly, and I couldn’t help but sigh as I slid in, the leather bucket seat wrapping around me. The interior was a stark white, with dark gray accents.
Growing up on a limited income, I obviously had never sat in a car like this before, but I had seen all the pictures. Pressed my face to the showroom windows. None of that compared to this moment. There was no way to truly understand the feel and smell and opulence of the car until you experienced it.
“The 5.2L V10?” I said in a rush. Daniel, now in the driver’s seat, turned his head lazily in my direction. His eyes were very dark again.
“You know your cars,” he finally said, hitting the button to start the powerful engine.
As it roared to life, vibrations ran though my body and I had to stifle the moan that wanted to escape. Best. Day. Ever!
“If you let me drive it, I will be the best soul-sharer you’ve ever been attached to. Promise.”
Daniel didn’t even hesitate. “You can take the cars out whenever you want.”
I fought against my sudden instinct to climb out of my bucket seat and into his, and not because I wanted to drive.
Daniel backed out, heading toward the triple set of garage doors that guarded his precious cargo down here. I buckled my seatbelt and sank back to enjoy the ride. I’d never actually lived in this part of the Pacific Northwest, so it was interesting for me to take in the scenery as we drove. We took a road along the ocean, and I loved that as far as I could see was water. I pressed my face to the car window, before jumping back as it started to lower. I flashed Daniel a smile and then arched my neck so I was just hanging out of the car. I breathed in the salty air, letting the coolness whip across my face, invigorating me.
Turning to Daniel, I knew there was a beaming smile on my face; my cheeks were actually hurting. “Can we drive this way home?”
“We can go any way you want. I’ve missed quite a lot of school recently, so my appearances are mandatory for some time, but once I clock in some human hours, I’ll have more freedom. I’ll take you wherever you want to go in the world.”
I had to shake my head. I’d never had a person in my life who actually cared about what I wanted, who cared enough to try to make me happy. It was messing with my brain.
Twisting in my seat, I actually turned my back on the water so I could see him better. “How does it work, you being overlord major but not being in House of Imperial to keep it running?” He was a king, of sorts. Surely he didn’t really have the time to take me anywhere in the world.
Daniel shot me glances between focusing on the road. “As long as I make frequent trips to House of Imperial, the rest of the day to day running is done by other members of my house.” He turned a corner then, away from the ocean. “At the moment we’re in a transition period. Laous caused a lot of problems, and there is anger and resentment going around. I want to be with my people as much as I can, bring us back together as a house, but I also have to make these trips to Earth. The balance is getting harder to maintain.”
“Does someone keep you updated?” I asked.
“I keep track of it via the network.”
This network thing was hard for me to comprehend, so I was mentally picturing it as a cell phone with internet access. “Will you explain this network to me one day?”
Daniel chuckled. “It’s difficult to explain without experiencing it. But one day we can try.”
Good enough for me.
We arrived at the school far too quickly for my liking. I felt comfortable, safe, in my bubble with Daniel, but the sight of hundreds of uniformed students streaming into the school was enough to jolt me right out of it. The concept of going to school was something I had accepted. I needed to be around Daniel, and he had to go to school. Made sense that I would go too. But now that we were sitting here in a parking lot, so similar to the many I’d seen in teen drama shows, the reality was hitting me hard.
Just as Daniel went to open his door, I reached out and grabbed his forearm. “I have never been to school,” I blurted out quickly. “Like … in my entire life. And I’m also … stupid or something. I can’t read. Words are a jumble. My mom said I was born stupid. I guess she wasn’t wrong, because it has never gotten easier, not even when I worked my ass off to get better.” I forced my words to slow down, because they were a jumble. “I … I just don’t want to embarrass you.”
Admitting that was difficult for me. But I trusted Daniel not to use my weaknesses against me. Which was never a trust I had with my mom. If she knew I was sensitive about something, that was the very thing she used to hurt me when I didn’t conform. Or just because she felt like it.
Daniel made a derisive sound before shaking his head. “You’re not stupid. I don’t need a textbook to tell me that. Nothing you do will embarrass me or House of Imperial.” His voice got low then as he leaned in closer. “You could parade through here, naked, singing the national anthem, and I wouldn’t give a shit.”
I laughed, still feeling like a moron, despite his words. “Right … naked? Really?”
He let out a rumble, before he sighed. “You got me there. But not because I’m going to be embarrassed. Human males don’t always show the respect that they should. Especially teenagers.”
“You’re not a teenager?” I asked, wondering exactly how old he was.
He wore an amused look then. “Haven’t been a teenager for a long time. In human years, I’m probably sixty years old. But in Daelighter years, I’m the equivalent of … a twenty-year-old, I would guess. Hard to tell with the way we age.”
This was too much to deal with on top of going to school, so I let that vague explanation go. Realizing I was still holding Daniel’s arm, I released it and sucked in a deep breath. You can do this, Callie. I really did want to try school. This would be the last chance I ever had. Technically, I sho
uld have graduated already. I’d turned eighteen in June, but no one here knew that.
“Let’s do this,” I said, opening the door and pulling myself up and out of the low-slung car.
Daniel was at my side in an instant. With a shake of my head, I had to wonder how these Daelighters managed to keep their secret. They shed their human façade far too often to hide their otherness. It was lucky for them that most humans didn’t notice what was going on outside of their own little worlds.
As we stepped up to the path, I stared at the school. The parking lot might be exactly like the movies, but the building itself was nothing like I expected. No boxy brick building, it was all steel and glass, with a bulbous center and sleek lines along each side … like arterials leading off the main hub.
This had Daelighter technology written all over it. “This school is the territory of your people, right?” I lifted my head, so my murmur could only be heard by Daniel.
He nodded, leading me up onto the path and past a center statue of four imposing men. “When we first crossed from Overworld, we ended up in Astoria. This town has been our center point ever since. Its close proximity to home and the transporter is useful for those of us having to making the trip across frequently. The school, Starslight Prep, was put here for the families who decided to raise their children on Earth. They needed a safe education institute, a place they could control.”
I still couldn’t believe these aliens had been here with humans for well over a hundred years. It made me wonder how many other beings might be here on Earth, too, blending in, biding their time. The Daelighters were, for the most part, peaceful, but knowing they controlled a lot of the global money … it was scary to think of … that power. If they ever turned on humans, we wouldn’t stand a chance. I guess that’s exactly what Laous had done, and one rogue Daelighter could do a lot of damage apparently.
Inside the main building I was getting an airport, space station vibe. Lots of metal, moving sidewalks, high windows, and security. I noted all of the cameras, because that was something I was trained to do. Always figure out who was watching. More training from my mom.
Thinking about my life with her brought up the long-suppressed feelings of hurt, but knowing she was out there right now possibly being tortured … or worse … dead, was too much on top of everything else. My breath sucked in and out harshly as mild panic took me over.
“What is it?” Daniel asked, gently gripping my biceps as he pulled me closer and away from the gawking crowds.
Yeah, I noticed all of the students staring at us. The hall was full of open mouths and wide eyes. Most of them were looking at Daniel and then me, wondering who this strange girl with him was.
“Callie!” There was more urgency in his tone and I snapped my attention back to him.
My voice was monotonous, only a twinge of my upset showing. “My mom is being held prisoner somewhere, or dead … who knows … and I’m just here going to school, acting like life is normal…”
Some of the tension eased out of his broad shoulders; his expression softened, thick lashes partially obscuring his eyes as he took a deep breath. It looked like he was trying to get himself under control, and I realized that I’d really scared him. Probably should have been more circumspect in my random freaking out when there was a psycho on the loose.
“The council assured me that they’re doing everything they can to find Laous.” He didn’t remove his hands. “Until we have some leads, there’s no way to track your mom down. But the second we know something…”
My return whisper was laced with sorrow. “He has no more need for her, right? He got what he wanted from me. She was only leverage for that. We’re kidding ourselves to think that she’s still alive.”
He released me, and then in the same instant wrapped his arms around me. The gasps that filled the entrance to the school were loud. Whispers started after that. Who’s the new chick? Another one stealing a founding son.
Founding son? Really? Were they referring to the fact that the four houses founded the school? Was that actually a thing here?
“I don’t know if your mom is still alive, Callie,” Daniel said close to my ear, his body so warm and firm against mine. “But we won’t stop searching until we figure out what happened to her.”
I heard his assurance, but was distracted because … I was being hugged by Daniel. Again. This time it was unlike any hug I’d ever had. He was wrapping me up tightly, holding all of my broken pieces together. My eyes burned as I pressed my face into his soft shirt. I never wanted to leave his strong arms. I wanted to stay there, warm and safe and hidden from the world.
And not alone.
That’s all I ever wanted from life. To not be alone.
Eventually, I had to pull away. The whispers were out of control, it kind of felt like everyone was standing in a circle around us. They dispersed as soon as Daniel narrowed his eyes on the groups nearby, and then he nudged me forward, toward a double set of sliding doors.
“We’ll talk more about it later,” he said. “For now, let’s get you enrolled.”
My heart was still racing like crazy, so I worked to control my breathing as we entered the office.
“Daniel Imperial, how are you doing, sweetheart?”
That overly chirpy voice belonged to a blond woman. She was impeccably styled, not a hair out of place in her tight chignon. She had a lot of makeup on, which didn’t disguise the fact that she was in her forties. Forty but trying to look twenty was exactly how I’d describe her.
Her heavily made-up eyes were locked on Daniel, and I was pretty sure she’d just licked her lips. Seriously … she could be his mother. Or probably not, since in human years Daniel was older than her, but she didn’t know that, so my point remained. Crossing my arms over my chest, I leveled my very best resting-bitch-face on her.
Daniel either didn’t notice or didn’t care. And he was far too polite. “Good morning, I have a new student to enroll today, Callie Channing. All of the paperwork should have been sent through last night.”
Blondie made a disparaging noise, her watery blue eyes locking on me. “Callie, is it?”
Before I could nod, or flip her off, which is what I wanted to do, she dropped her eyes to the computer in front of her and started to type. It seemed to take her an extraordinarily long amount of time to find my file, but eventually she figured it out and set me up in the system.
While she explained my class schedule, she continued to stare at Daniel.
Eventually I had to clear my throat. Loudly.
“I’m sorry?” she said, blinking and finally turning in my direction.
“You’re talking to me, right?” I was all fake politeness. If I’d been Southern, I’d have said “bless your heart” to her multiple times already. “Daniel already knows his classes, so there’s no need to tell him.”
She blinked a few more exaggerated times, and if her forehead could move, it would have been wrinkled in shock. “I’m sorry…” she spluttered out once more.
I took a step closer, leaning over the bench so that our faces were only a few inches apart. But before I could give her a piece of my mind – subtle just wasn’t me – Daniel wrapped one arm around my waist, picked me up, and dropped me behind him. He then grabbed up the paperwork the cougar had been waving around before directing me out of the office.
Laughing eyes met mine, and I was relieved that he didn’t look too upset. “Come on,” he said with a smirk. “Let’s get your uniform.”
My annoyance dissipated quickly, and I hurried after him. The uniform turned out to be some sort of torture device with skirts and tights and a fitted shirt. They even made me remove my Converse for these shiny, slippery, uncomfortable shoes.
Just as I was stepping out of the seamstress’ room, a familiar face skidded around the corner.
“Callie!” Emma shrieked. “You made it.”
She hugged me, and this time it almost felt natural. I even returned her gesture without having to think
too much about it. Before I could offer a greeting or anything, she had my arm and was already turning to Daniel. “We’ll be back in a minute. Watch our stuff, okay?”
She started to drag me, and before I knew it, we were in a nearby bathroom.
Chapter 9
This room looked exactly like the movies, starkly white, tiled, with a row of stalls and a row of sinks. Emma flashed me a huge grin and I chuckled at how mischievous her expression was. She then turned to stare at the closed door. “Three … two … one…”
Bang, bang, bang.
“Emma, get your scrawny butt out here. Callie needs to get to class.” Daniel sounded annoyed but not angry.
“Give us a minute, this is girl stuff, Dan,” Emma shouted back, rolling her eyes at me. “These Daelighter dudes are so predictable. I hoped that this was the one place I might get a second alone with you. But even being a girl’s bathroom, it won’t keep them out for long.”
The door swung open then and I almost expected Daniel to stroll right in, but it wasn’t him. A stunning, dark-haired girl stood in the doorway. She looked somewhat familiar to me, but I couldn’t figure out where I knew her from. Anyone that beautiful was going to stick in my mind, but … I really couldn’t remember where I’d seen her before. Maybe she was from a television show or something.
“Star!” Emma waved her over. “Come and meet Callie. She’s the second secret…” She trailed off then, clearly realizing we weren’t exactly in a private place.
From what I could see, all the stalls were empty. “I think we have the room to ourselves,” I said.
Star quickly checked and said, “Yep, all clear.” She then stepped over to me, the sweetest smile on her face. “It’s so nice to meet you, Callie. I’m Star Darken, Lexen’s sister.”
