Forty-six

“This is the kitchen.” Bradley said as I stared wowed. The room was surprisingly welcoming, clean and looked brand new, to no surprise on my part. I couldn’t think of an occasion when they could use the room. The built-in cupboard was a glossy red that reflected our reflections like a lucid mirror. The floor was covered in black tiles and the north wall was a refined steep looking glass and it opened to a small garden.

“You grow your own vegetable.”

“Ah, yes…” he sighed, his gaze following mine to stare out of the window. “Carrie is very involved in charity.”

“Oh?” I was intrigued.

“She usually cooks for the homeless and sometimes donates food parcels to charity homes.”

“Which charities?” I just had to ask. I could imagine her friendly round face passing food parcels to children but Bradley surprised me when he said, “she’s more into donating money to animal rescue centres and deals with people fighting against tuberculosis.”

“She’s an amazing woman.” I voiced my thoughts.

“I know.” He placed his hand on my back and guided me around the house. The first floor housed the kitchen, lounge, game room and indoor pool. In the second floor was his parent’s bedroom, he told me the walls in that room were soundproof – in fact in all the bedrooms, and then there was a mini library, a mini bar and braai area which led to the only balcony on the floor and two guest rooms – the first room was clearly meant for a female guest with soft feminine colours and the second was meant for male guests with rich dark masculine colours, a massive bed and a flat screen. The third floor roomed a panic room – though I had no idea why they would need it, they were demons after all but I assumed it was much more equipped than that found on a humans house.. Victor’s bedroom was by the staircase, and Zane's room was facing the backyard, there were more bathrooms than any other floor in the house and then finally the last floor which housed Rebecca’s sleeping chambers, a music room with all sorts of musical instrument with an in-suite recording studio and then we went inside a lift. I had to wonder why Rebecca and her husband had separate bedrooms.

“Rebecca usually has ‘moments’… when that happens she prefers her space.” he told me, when I'd asked.

The lift opened to a penthouse – Bradley’s part of the house. He grinned up at me when I smiled.

“Is this still the fourth floor?” I asked my astonishment evident in my voice.

He nodded. “The advantages of being my mother’s favourite.” He grinned.

“This is extravagant.” I objected. “You’re awfully spoilt.”

He rolled his eyes. “We have enough money to last us over ten billion years, what else can we do with it?”

“Showing off is very rude.” I teased giving him a disapproving look.

He laughed.

The lift opened into a spacious incredible lounge in the south wing; a dark black leather couch sat facing the largest TV I’ve ever seen outside a cinema, a top of the range sound system lay blinking a deep green light and I realised a song was playing in the background, a band I didn’t recognise. I cringed as two steps led down to his very own library. The books were mostly classics he'd told me arranged alphabetically according to release date and then by year. My eyes were hurting already, I felt treacherously asphyxiating.

We walked up a short flight of stairs that ran up right into the bedroom part of the house, when you looked down you could see the lounge, kitchen, bar area, Jacuzzi, library and two doors – one was a closet larger than Jennie ’s house and the other a bathroom.

“I don’t understand why you have so much wine. “I probed. “You don’t even drink.”

He laughed. “It makes me human, I guess.”

“Right.”

“I have a wide collection.” He mumbled smugly. “I have two bottles that are a century old.”

“I know a few people that would kill for one of those bottles.” Jennie was one of them.

He was smiling at me.

“I thought you didn’t sleep.”

“Oh.” He frowned staring uninterested at the bed. “I’ve never used it before.”

But my heart was somehow hyperventilating.

“Don’t get any ideas.” He teased.

I smiled. “I can’t help myself.” I decided to be honest. “I’m only human after all and we’re alone and you look deadly irresistible.”

He led me to the window but I stopped dead in my tracks.

“What’s that?”

He followed my gaze. “Oh. I practice; it takes a lot to defeat my brother at basketball.”

I couldn’t find my voice yet.

“You play?” he asked, amused, as if he didn’t know the answer to that yet.

“No.” I replied sarcastically but my voice wasn’t forceful enough, not when he was smiling so hugely. “I tend to shy away from dangerous objects.”

He smiled. “Have I told you how incredible you are?”

“Only about a thousand times,”

“Want me to teach you how to play?"

I shot him a dirty look.

“Don’t worry you’ll be safe with me.”

“Bring it on, baby.”

He was quiet. I turned to look at him to see he was staring at me strangely.

“What?” I shrugged.

“You called me baby.”

“So?”

He shook his head, “Nothing.”

“I need comfortable clothes though.” I mumbled ignoring his heated gaze as it melted my insides. “I don’t think I’ll partake well in a dress.”

He was gone and back in three seconds, with a t-shirt and basketball shorts. That would’ve taken at least ten minutes.

“Thanks.” I murmured as he disappeared again. I heard a door close though I may never be sure which door he’s disappeared behind. I changed quickly as he gave me some privacy.

“I’m decent.” I called.

He flew up the stairs with a bottle of water that he threw on the bed.

“Okay.” He sang. “We’ll start with the basics.”

I frowned. His clothes were too big for me but I liked the smell coming off of them.

“Ready princess?”

I nodded. He showed me how to hold the orange ball, the right posture. I don’t even know why he bothered with the rules or explaining the game at all. I still had no clue what was expected of me except to shoot the ball into the net.

The score was painfully a fifteen to zero. He had scored even despite my attempts to cheat.

“You don’t play fair.” I mumbled. I felt like the breath had been knocked out of me.

He was totally relaxed. I sighed, infuriated.

“Do you own a tie?” I asked him.

He nodded. The smug look still on his beautiful features but now clouded by confusion and curiosity.

“Can I borrow your thickest?”

He was back in a blink again. It felt good for him to be so open, so free, and so natural.

I blindfolded him.

“Now we can play.”

This time the scores changed. I managed a lousy two and he remained on fifteen. I knew that he was missing the net on purpose. He was being the gentleman again.

“Give me the ball.” He said when it was his turn to shoot.

“No!”

“You’ve played ten rounds already without giving me the ball.”

“No!”

“Elizabeth.” He breathed. “You didn’t have to blindfold me.”

“I know.” He could still win this game if he wanted to.

“Even with my sight you’re still the only thing I look at.”

“Ugh.” I groaned, untying the blindfold. “It’s not even about that and you know it.”

He paused and glanced down at the lift.

“You can come up.” He mumbled.

Four seconds passed and the elevator opened to reveal his family. Surprisingly Zane was with them but separated from Rebecca the sooner there was room to be far away.

“We just wanted to see if I’d have to replace another wall.” Carrie said.

“Wall?” I asked.

“He’s been punching a lot of my house since he started school.” She carried on, ignoring Bradley’s snarl. “Jealousy can provoke even the kindest man to be violent.”

He groaned.

Victor laughed and Christopher snickered.

“Mother you are embarrassing me.” Bradley mumbled.

“That’s my job.” She said dismissively.

“Actually, we heard game.” Rebecca spoke for the first time since I’ve been here. “We wanted to make sure you played fair. This match is so asymmetrical.”

Eventually everyone had agreed that Bradley and I take captainship of the opposing teams. It was only after the game that we’d find out why.

“I’ll be on Eli’s team.” Carrie smiled coming to stand next to Victor and me.

The four faces of lethal beauty frowned. I didn’t understand their confusion.

“Mother, you’re always on Bradley’s team.” Victor voiced every demon’s suspicion.

“I’m always on the winning team and today it’s yours Victor.”

Bradley snickered.

“No one beats Bradley, Carrie … and Victor does come close but he’s never done it before.” Christopher addressed his wife with tender eyes as though he was begging her to reconsider.