Infinity by Sherrilyn Kenyon Page B

did.
    That being said, his father seemed to be decent enough in spite of his perfect speech. Made him wonder where Kyl got it from.
    They didn’t say anything else as Phil navigated traffic. It didn’t take them long to reach Kyrian’s house that was down in the Garden District. This was the coveted highbrow area where antebel um mansions went on row after row like hulking beasts from a bygone era of gentility and manners that most people nowadays lacked.
    Nick and his mom would sometimes come walking down this way … mostly ’cause his mom’s favorite author lived here and she wanted to catch a glimpse of her whenever she could.
    His jaw went slack as they pul ed up to a gate that opened into what had to be the biggest house he’d ever seen. It was a huge Grecian-style home with Doric columns supporting what seemed to be a never-ending porch. Top and bottom.

    Phil pul ed around the circular drive until he got to the front steps. “We’re here.” But he didn’t turn off the engine.
    Nick frowned. “Are you staying?”
    “My orders were to deliver you to the door. Mission accomplished.”
    Weird, but okay …
    Nick had no idea why he was so intimidated, but something about the house seemed eerie and forbidding. It wasn’t like he hadn’t known Kyrian had money, but knowing something and seeing such obvious proof were two different things.
    What in the world would it be like to have this kind of wealth?
    For that matter, he couldn’t even imagine not having to count pennies to eat at McDonald’s.
    Gathering his courage, he got out of the car, grabbed his backpack, and headed up the stairs to the front door. Made of mahogany and etched glass that reminded him of cut crystal goblets, it looked like something out of a movie. He lifted his hand to ring the bel , but the door opened to show him a tiny Hispanic woman who eyed him like a warden greeting a new inmate. Dressed in a coral shirt and jeans, she had her dark hair pul ed back into a tight bun.
    “Nick?” It sounded more like “Neek,” which was a much prettier version than the normal drawl he was used to.
    “Yes, ma’am.”
    She stepped back to let him enter. “Mr. Kyrian is waiting for you upstairs in his office.” She reached for his backpack.
    Nick shied away from her.
    “You no trust me?” Her tone was offended.
    “No disrespect meant to you, ma’am, but I don’t even know your name.”
    Her face went completely stoic. “I am Rosa and I keep Mr.

    Kyrian’s house for him. Now would you like me to put your bag away while you’re here?”
    He felt foolish for not letting her have it. It just wasn’t in him to let anyone take anything from him without a fight no matter how worthless it was. It was the same reason he hadn’t wanted Brynna touching it earlier. “I guess.” He shrugged it off.
    She umphed as he surrendered the ful weight of it.
    “Goodness, you’re much stronger than you appear. How you carry this without being hunchback?”
    Nick shrugged. “It’s what I have to have for school.” She gestured at the mahogany staircase that curved up to the second floor. “Third door on the right. No need to knock.
    He wil hear you coming.”
    Yeah, okay, that was creepy too.
    Nick headed up, taking his time to scan every inch of the impeccable palace. The banister had what he was pretty sure were gold medal ions in the center of the black iron railing and the polished floors were some kind of something real y expensive—like marble or tile or … whatever. Part of him wanted to run back to the street.
    I so don’t belong here.
    He felt like a fraud or unworthy. Until he realized what real y made him so uncomfortable.
    There was no daylight. …
    Every window in the house was covered with shutters and heavy drapes. Every single one. Not so much as a tendril of sunlight came in. How weird was that? His mother was always yel ing at him for burning electricity in the daytime.
    Stop shaming the daylight, boy. Turn out the lights. Have