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fireplace, sofas, and armchairs. Everything was
the height of luxury, expense and style; from the fabrics to the
vases, to the flat screen television attached to one of the walls.
Most breath-taking of all was the glass wall that looked out on to
a wide balcony. Light flickered outside and Avery could just make
out the dark sea of greenery for miles around the house. Jeez, it
was an estate.
    “ Upstate,”
Brennus finally answered her, seeming reluctant to let go of her
arm. “My home.”
    Avery turned in a slow
circle, drinking it all in. “You guys must make good
money.”
    “ I was
considered wealthy in my mortal life. We’re allowed to keep our
mortal state of being.”
    She nodded carefully,
afraid to look at him. Standing in these modern, beautiful
surroundings he seemed almost human. And she didn’t want to forget
that he wasn’t.
    “ I have
questions,” she told him quietly, refusing to meet his
eyes.
    “ Of course.
That’s why you’re here. So we can get to know one another
better.”
    A morbid thought crossed
her mind and she grimaced. “Who’s taking care of the dead while
you’re here trying to schmooze me?”
    Instead of answering
Brennus gestured to one of the sofas near the fireplace. The flames
flickered invitingly and Avery suddenly realised how cold she was
in her pj bottoms and camisole. Tentatively she sat down near the
edge of the sofa, the heat from the fire licking her skin
deliciously, little goosebumps rising all over her skin. She
watched curiously as Brennus walked over to a device on the wall
near double doors. He pressed his finger to a touch screen and it
made a buzzing sound.
    “ Sir?” a
cultured accent asked softly.
    Avery raised her eyebrow
and Brennus smirked at her before speaking into the device. “Could
we have a tea tray and some snacks sent up please,
Ames?”
    “ Of course,
sir.”
    “ Thank you.”
Brennus pressed the touch screen again and then turned back to
her.
    Avery
exhaled. “So how huge is this place?”
    The annoying creature
smirked at her again as he took a place across from her on the
opposite sofa. “Which question shall I answer first?”
    Trying to
remember what the hell she’d asked first, Avery took a
minute. Oh yeah ,
she slapped a hand to her head inwardly, the first, definitely the first. “Who’s taking care of the dead?”
    At first she thought he
wasn’t going to answer her. He just stared at her and she shifted
uncomfortably. The longer he stared, the hotter she felt, a strange
fluttery feeling in the pit of her stomach making her squirm. He
was doing it deliberately.
    Avery narrowed her eyes
on him. “Well?”
    “ Apologies,”
he replied in a low voice that made her tingle. “You’re just so
beautiful.”
    No one had ever told her
she was beautiful before. And not like that. Josh had told her she
was hot and a couple of guys had told her she was really cute. But
not beautiful. And somehow she believed (or maybe she just wanted
to believe) that this alien, damaged man in front of her actually
meant it. Along with the warm fluffies she was getting, she was
suddenly pissed off. “Yeah right,” she snapped. “You really gave me
to time to dress for the occasion when you abducted me.”
    Brennus threw her a look.
“You came willingly.”
    “ I was
blackmailed!”
    “ Same
difference. You made a choice.”
    The door cracked behind
him and a small, older man with the best posture Avery had ever
seen came into the room carrying a large tray that should have been
too heavy for him.
    “ Ah, Ames,
thank you.” Brennus stood up and reached for the tray.
    Ames nodded respectfully.
“I hope everything is satisfactory, sir.” He didn’t even glance at
Avery.
    Brennus put the tray down
and then turned back to Ames (the butler?!). “Ames, I’d like to
introduce you to Avery.”
    Avery fluttered her hand
at him. “Hey.”
    “ Miss.” Ames
gave her a little bow.
    “ Avery.”
Brennus gestured to Ames. “Ames is my butler and the