Being Undead

Chapter 14*

Laura's heart skipped a beat; well, more like ten, actually. In fact, she was very sure that if she wasn't undead already, she would have died from the skips right there.

Laura took a good look at Damiel. His picture didn't any justice, was her immediate conclusion.

Daniel wasn't a giant, but a lot taller than Laura; not that she herself was in that much of the tall category to begin with. His hair was short, wavy, and jet black in way that made Laura suspect that he had dyed it; she knew very well from past experience that hairs didn't come naturally in that colour.

Surprisingly, especially for the modern-day trend, Daniel's face was clean shaven, giving him a sort boyish cherubic look; and he was standing close enough to Laura to see clearly that the colour of his eyes were almond; big and vivid in the night like a cat's. Well, make that a tiger, she corrected herself; his reputation definitely deserved something bigger.

Now, Laura couldn't tell what kind of clothes Daniel was putting on because they were thickly hidden under his overcoat- apparently, no one remembered to the guy leather jackets are the new overcoats in undead fashion, she smiled to herself- but she deduced it would be something within the range of a shirt and trousers and t-shirt and jeans; she leaned towards the former because of his overcoat choice.

"Hello," Laura suddenly heard him say and she snapped back to the present, the look she met being a curious one- he had tilted his head a little like one would when viewing a strange art.

"Hi," she returned, giving it a little bit of a question aftertone. What else am I supposed to say? She asked herself.

"Can I come in?" he asked. He had a Spanish accent that had become dulled over the years but couldn't escape the notice of someone as observant as Laura.

Like hell, no! She screamed in her in her mind. I'll have be crazy to let you, a renowned "psycho undead" into the house that's my only protective barrier from you, Daniel.

But when Laura opened her mouth to speak, what she heard come out was, "Please do." Am I crazy? She asked herself even as she moved out of the way to let him through. Or perhaps under compulsion?

"Thank you." Daniel entered and she smiled.

Yep, definitely under compulsion, she concluded.

But thing is, Laura didn't feel any different from when she had opened the door. Not invaded or coerced; just curious in spite of everything to discover what was it about Daniel that made him that much of a bogeyman in the Undead Mansion.

But maybe that's how compulsion works, Laura, she posed again, but still she didn't do anything to rectify it.

At this point, Daniel had reached the middle of the foyer, looking around with the same curious look that he had shot Laura as if he was trying to deduce something only he could see. "Is Frederick home?" he suddenly stopped and asked.

"No," she replied. "He's out taking care of some business." I couldn't very well tell him he's out hunting down rogues like him, now could I? She shrugged to herself.

"And Damian?" he asked again.

"Him too," she returned.

Daniel smiled, nodding; and Laura discovered that she was correct: he really did look cherubic.

Anyway, he went back to gazing curiously round the foyer into great hall and Laura began to feel uncomfortable with his presence.

"Who should I tell them came looking?" she suddenly asked, her way of expediting the encounter.

No need to tell them anything," he returned. "I won't be long."

But Daniel made no move to leave. In fact, he made no move to do anything at all in the house except gaze round with that uncomfortable curiosity.

"Is there anything I can actually help you with, sir?" Laura asked again. She was really starting to anticipate the moment he would leave. His presence, and especially his inactivity, discomforted her and she didn't like it.

I mean, what kind of bad guy just looks around the house of his enemies without doing anything else like someone at an open house? she thought. It made her feel like she was missing something important and she didn't like missing important things.

Plus she began to think about the guys Frederick had left behind to watch the mansion in case the rogues showed up. Well, a rogue has and they're nowhere to be found, she thought angrily.

But out of nowhere, it suddenly dawned on her. Perhaps they had spotted Daniel before he reached the frontage and had gone down to deal with him. But he had dealt with them first. She could just visualise the image of them lying dead in the snow in piles of ashes- the thought brought bile up Laura's throat and she felt she would retch there and then.

He's got to go, she concluded and walked right up to him. "Sir, you need to leave," she said.

"And why?" he returned. "Are you the mansion's maid?"

"No."

"The messenger?"

"No."

"The door lady?"

"Are you trying to insult me?"

Laura couldn't believe how the event had spiralled. She had been left home alone- for her own protection, she recalled Frederick had said- to be visited by a dangerous, extremely rude rogue who was less than a step away from getting on her nerves.

But violence isn't going to solve anything, Laura, she reminded herself.

Taking a breathe to calm herself, she said, "Sir, if you'll please-"

"Get me water to drink now, honey." He brushed her aside. "I'm thirsty."

"Okay, that's it!" Laura lost it. She could take anything from anyone except being bossed around. Just because he's hundred years old doesn't give him the right to order me around in my own house, she shouted again and again in her head, even Graham wouldn't dare to do that and he's more than a thousand years old.

"Daniel, get the hell out of this house!"

A bout of silence ensued as Laura realised what she had done. She wasn't supposed to know him, that was the only thing keeping everything from escalating into a fight she wasn't prepared to engage in.

Surprisingly, Daniel didn't seem surprised that she knew him. In fact, it seemed to be pleased by it.

"No," he replied casually, smiling as he crossed his arms to make his point clear. "You want me to leave, honey, you gotta kick me out yourself."