One

One

DESI

A demon in the human realm is bound to cause mischief, but a demon princess house hunting with her voracious big brother and his equally snackish husband . . . well, that's pure chaos. And it isn't mayhem for the reasons you might think. I have standards. High standards. Ones that demand a great view, fashionable furnishings, and stainless-steel appliances.

I need a house that screams I've got my shit together and you want to date me! Seven houses in and I haven't found one that even slightly meets my expectations.

"At this rate, you're going to waste all your time visiting every rental in Denver," Mandis says as we walk down the steps of a brownstone.

"I can't help that I'm not willing to compromise my standards and settle for something less than ideal," I say, kicking a rock down the sidewalk as we make our way through the neighborhood and toward the closest bus stop.

"What was wrong with that one?" Glen asks, sliding his muscular frame between me and my brother and linking his bulky arm with his husband's.

"It just didn't have everything I was looking for," I hedge, not meeting my brother-in-law's hazel gaze.

"What was the problem? What was it missing?" Mandis asks and raises an eyebrow, awaiting my answer. I sigh and let my head fall back to stare at the late afternoon sky, my wild red curls cascading down my back. "The white appliances were ugly, okay?"

Mandis and Glen let out groans in unison. "Desi. You've made everything about this so diff—"

I hold up my hand, stopping Mandis from saying the same words he said after touring the last two rentals. "Please. Don't start. I didn't think it was too much to ask for a nice, modern house where it snows, but where it is currently autumn. I want to wear sweaters and scarves and drink those pumpkin coffees somewhere I feel comfortable."

"You want to be a basic white bitch," Glen adds, biting into an ice-cream cone with his pointy front teeth. An ice-cream cone he didn't have in his hand a minute ago.

I pull on the back of his shirt, making the buttons strain against his broad chest, bringing him to a stop.

"Where did you get that?" My gaze darts to my brother. "You didn't conjure that for him, did you? You know what Dad said about using your gift while we're here. You could ruin everything."

Mandis runs his hand down his neatly trimmed red beard and rolls his eyes. "Calm down, I didn't conjure it for him. Although I wish I had. Look how handsome he is feasting. My gluttonous little demon. The only thing that would look better in his mouth is my c—"

"Then where did it come from?" I demand, stopping my brother from steering this conversation to their notorious sex life.

"I took it from the freezer you so vehemently hated in that house," Glen says with a proud smile.

"You stole it?"

"I was hungry."

Panic surges through me. I glance back at the town house, and yank both demons into a brisk stride. My knowledge of humans is limited to the four family vacations we took in this realm when I was younger and human movies and TV shows, but I know they don't like when someone takes what doesn't belong to them. The human authorities put thieves in ugly orange jumpsuits and make them sleep in bunk beds. Neither of which fits the aesthetic I'm going for, not to mention that orange clashes horrifically with my hair.

"Give me that," I say, using my gift to yank the cone from Glen's hand and float it into mine.

"Good job keeping a damper on your power," Mandis grumbles, narrowing his bright-green eyes at me. "Next thing you know, you'll be telling every human that angels and demons live among them."

I shoot my brother the kind of glare that could kill. Of course I wouldn't confirm anything about our existence with a human. I'm no glutton for punishment; our father would never let me hear the end of it.

To spite Mandis, I shove half the ice cream into my mouth. A jolt of cold pain pierces my brain, followed by pure regret. I groan and press the heel of my free hand to my forehead.

"That's what you get for taking from my sweet peach," Mandis says with a cocky grin.

"Shut up, Gourmandise," I hiss.

Glen pats my back and slips the rest of the cone from my hand. "It's okay, Desi. I forgive you. That bite was impressive."

Glen feeds Mandis a bite of ice cream, who closes his eyes as if he is experiencing the height of bliss. That isn't surprising; overindulging is euphoric for him. He swallows before saying, "Don't call me that heinous name."

Our parents were . . . creative when choosing names for me and my six older brothers, and arguably, Mandis, prince of Gluttony, got the short end of the stick on that deal, since Mom had been obsessed with all things French in the human realm when he was born. I love using it against him. The flush that crawls up his face gives me the best kind of sisterly satisfaction.

"Now, now, Your Highnesses, no more arguing. Let's keep moving and find Desi the perfect bachelorette pad, yeah?" Glen interrupts, literally and figuratively steering us both back on track.

The three of us resume our stroll down the sidewalk, and after a few seconds, Mandis breaks the silence. "Why don't you just stay in a hotel? You have the money to pick the best one in the city."

My jaw drops and I place my palm against my chest with an overdramatic gasp. "You can't be serious! I want all the luxuries of home. What if someone wants me to cook a meal? Besides, I want to prove that I'm reliable. Staying in a hotel says I'm here for the short term."

My brother and his husband share a glance, and Glen is the one to say, "But you are here for the short term."

"Not to mention, you don't cook," my brother adds.

"I am aware of that," I say with a growl. "But everyone else doesn't need to be."

Mandis unbuttons the front of his tailored suit jacket and pulls at the knot in his silk tie. I tried to convince him to wear something comfortable, but he refused. I'm not the only one who was raised to believe first impressions are important. Dad always used to tell us that you have to dress the part. If you want respect, dress respectfully. If you want to invoke fear, look terrifying. I suppose that's why my father carries a gigantic ax with him wherever he goes. The king of Infernis might be scary to some, but I know the loving demon underneath the leather and metal spikes. He is the one who gave me this chance to find something different.

"What about this one?" Glen asks, handing me his phone.

The first picture piques my interest. The modern fa?ade is sleek with cherrywood trimmings and a limestone base. Tall windows look out on a sandstone walkway that leads to a black front door. The outside is perfect, and something tells me the inside is too. For the first time today, I'm excited about a house.

"Let's go," I say, bouncing on my heels and handing the phone back to Glen.

Mandis lets out a puff of air that makes his lips rattle. "Eighth time's a charm."

Glen calls for a car using an app on his phone, and within minutes we're driving to the other side of the city. It's strange how humans use their phones for everything. My brother, Lux, once brought me a phone after one of his trips to the human realm. He loaded some games, books, and movies on it, but it never worked like it does when it's connected to the service in this realm. I could only play the offline games, and after a couple of weeks I ended up placing it in my keepsake box. Now it's in my pocket and I'm using it again.

I take advantage of the drive, attempting to tame my curls and touching up my makeup. I clean up the eyeshadow around my green eyes and freshen up my lipstick. Out of all the houses we've toured today, this one makes me the most nervous. Something tells me it's the one, and I plan to put my best foot forward to impress my potential landlord.

We arrive, and my hand trembles as I open the car door. It's even better in person. We walk up the stone path lined with chrysanthemums. I take in the outdoor chairs and ottoman arranged around a copper fire pit to the side. The pictures of the outside didn't do justice to the enormity of the windows running from the floor to the ceiling. Bursts of giddiness pop inside me. This house will give the best first impression to my future partner.

"Hi there!" All three of us turn our heads toward the cheery voice piping up from the yard next to us.

Kneeling in the flower bed in front of an equally beautiful house is a petite woman. She looks to be around thirty-five, with shoulder length black curls, brown skin peppered with a smattering of freckles over her nose, and deep-brown eyes. She gets to her feet and brushes her palms off on her jeans before crossing the yard to us. "I'm Meredith. Are you guys here to talk to Jace about the room he's renting? I hope so; he's been wanting to get that room filled for a while now."

She places her hand next to her mouth like she's about to divulge a juicy secret. "Between you and me, I think he's lonely and using this as an excuse to make new friends. But he'd never admit it."

My brother and Glen exchange a quick glance, each with his eyebrows raised. "You don't think he's the kind of guy who makes ‘new friends' and cages them in his basement in hopes of eating them for breakfast, do you?" Mandis asks.

Meredith playfully slaps my brother on the bicep. "I hope not. He has all that fancy workout equipment down there, not to mention the rec room. That would be one hell of a mess to clean up."

"I had a friend like that once. He caged his best friend, an imp—"

"Okay!" I cut Glen off before he scares the neighbor and she puts in a bad word about me. "It was nice meeting you, Meredith. Maybe if I get the place, you and I can grab a drink sometime."

"I'll take you up on that. It's been a while since I had a neighbor to gossip with."

We wave goodbye and walk to the front door.

"I like her. She seems fun," Glen says.

"Of course you do, my tiny macaron. She smells like strawberries and cream," Mandis says, brushing his thumb over his husband's cheek.

"Okay, okay, behave, please. Stop discussing people's scents. It's weird." I knock and smooth down the cashmere of my blue deep V–neck sweater.

Glen brushes my hands away from my chest. "Stop fidgeting. Your tits look great."

With a sly smile, I wiggle my eyebrows. "I know; that's why I chose this sweater."

"Don't encourage her, darling, or her ego won't fit through the door," Mandis grumbles.

"Okay, okay, I get it," I say, feeling guilty about how obstinate I've been all day. "I'm sorry I've been a beast, but I am so nervous about this. It's really important I find the perfect place, or you know that Dad is going to—"

I clam up when I hear footsteps behind us, and the three of us turn in unison.

A man in slacks and a button-up shirt walks up the path. His brown skin is smooth, and his hair is styled into mini twists that lie close to his head. He meets my gaze with the most breathtaking sky-blue eyes, and my knees go weak when his plump lips turn up into a smile. He may be the most handsome human I've seen all day.

"I'm here about the room for rent," he and I say at the same time.

I crinkle my forehead, and he cocks a brow. Seconds tick by as we stare at one another, waiting for the other to explain themselves. I take advantage of the quiet to size him up before he says, "So, you don't live here?"

"No. So you're not the landlord?"

"Nope."

I lift my chin and square my shoulders. "Well, I hate to break it to you, but that room is mine."

"A confident woman. I like that. But we'll see who gets the room. May the best man or woman sign a lease today."

He holds out his hand, and we shake.

"I'm Cannon, by the way."

"It's nice to meet you. I'm Desi."

He takes a step back and looks up at the modern exterior with its black shutters and wrought-iron fixtures. "This is a big place. It's hard to believe that there's only one room available."

"Maybe they have more than one," I say hopefully.

Mandis clears his throat and says, "We'll never know if no one knocks."

"Right," I say quickly, dragging my stare from Cannon's icy blue gaze to tap my fist on the door.

A man wearing joggers and a T-shirt with a short, green alien-looking creature printed on it stands on the other side of the threshold. His chestnut-brown hair is rumpled, and his angular jaw is covered in scruff. Black horn-rimmed glasses frame his light-gray eyes, and his rosy lips, with their predominant cupid's bow, rest in a scowl. He doesn't give off the kind of vibes I would expect from someone who lives in a house like this.

His eyes bounce between the four of us and for a moment confusion clouds his features. "Um, hello. Can I help you?"

For a split second, I'm struck silent by the combination of his voice, eyes, and mouth, but I collect myself quickly and say, "Yes, I'm Desideria. I'm here to look at the room for rent." Was it a dick move to pretend Cannon isn't even standing there? Probably. But was I here first? Yep. Am I desperate? Also yep.

"You must be Jace. I'm Cannon; we spoke a few minutes ago." My new competition for the single room wedges his way to the front of the group and gives me the side-eye. "I'm excited to see if the room you're offering will be a good fit for me."

The homeowner, Jace, looks between me and Cannon and then to my brother and Glen. "I only have one room available."

Mandis and Glen both hold their hands up in surrender. "We're just here for moral support for my sister," Mandis explains, nodding toward me. "You don't have to worry about us."

I bat my lashes, giving Jace my best puppy dog eyes. "I really, really need a place to stay. I've been house hunting for what feels like ages, and I just know your place would be perfect."

Jace releases a breath and steps aside, gesturing for us to enter. "I'll let you two duke it out. Please take your shoes off before we go any farther," he says, pointing to the wooden-slat bench in the entryway.

"Your ad said you wanted to rent the room out to a guy." Cannon flashes me a million-dollar smile that screams he has an advantage over me.

"It's true; I'd prefer to rent the room to a man. No offense, Desad . . ."

"Desideria. Just call me Desi." My nostrils flare as I sit down to unzip my knee-high boots, then tug them off and push them under the bench. I get to my feet and move in front of Jace. Standing straight, I'm still about five inches shorter than him. "Why is that, by the way? Do you have a particular reason you don't want to live with a woman?"

"I'm attracted to women and don't want to complicate the situation." He tilts his head toward Cannon. "He's a good-looking guy but not my type."

"Well, as long as I'm not your type, I think we'll be okay," I joke.

He crosses his arms and steps back, never taking his eyes off me. His lips stretch as he runs his tongue over his teeth behind them. "A girl like you isn't what I'm looking for," he quietly says.

I can't hide the flinch at the obvious diss. Even Mandis lets out a low whistle, and when I hear a grunt from his direction, I know Glen has elbowed him in the gut. Good. "Well, all right, then," I murmur.

Jace removes his glasses and rubs his eyes. He takes what I imagine are several calming breaths before saying, "Look, it's nothing against you, and I'm not saying that it's impossible for a man and woman to have a platonic relationship. I just want to make sure this is a safe place for everyone involved."

My eyebrow dips and I push my hands into my back pockets. "What are you saying? You don't think you'd be safe around me? Or you don't think I'd be safe around you? Because trust me, I can hold my own. And I'd never hurt anyone." I shake off the embarrassment and clear my throat. "Regardless, I got here first, so I think it's only fair that I get the chance to have the room."

Cannon speaks up then. "But I called first. So I think that gives me first dibs."

"Dibs? What are we, five?"

"Listen—"

Glen steps in and holds up a hand to silence us both. "Hang on. Stop." He looks at Jace and says, "Man, you're telling me you don't have two free rooms in this house? Think about it, you could have double the extra cash. Because trust me, this girl right here is not going to give in."

Jace stares at Cannon's Italian leather boots lying haphazardly on the floor, but he doesn't answer Glen's question. "I'll take you both on a tour and explain the house rules. If one of you still wants to move in, we'll discuss it from there."

I grin and silently thank my mother for teaching me to always put my belongings away neatly. It might just help me out in this case. "Okay, sounds good to me," I say, clasping my hands in front of me. "Mandis, Glen, stay here, and we'll be back, okay?"

Mandis raises an eyebrow. "Sis, you might want to rein in your bossy side until the guy lets you sign the lease, yeah?"

I roll my eyes and discreetly give him a vulgar hand gesture.

"Ready?" Jace asks, and Cannon and I both nod.

Jace takes a moment to eye my brother and his husband like he's not sure if they'll stay put. He must notice they look too exhausted to rifle through his home because he leaves them alone and leads us into the kitchen. There isn't a white appliance in sight. It's perfect. I run my hand over the shiny granite countertops while eyeing the dark-brown cabinets and the stovetop built into the island in the middle of the room. From here I can see right into the living room, making it a perfect space for entertaining friends and family while cooking.

Jace points to the barstools and says, "Obviously, you can eat in here, but all dishes need to be placed in the dishwasher. If it's full, start it, and if everything in it is clean, put it away. I'm not picky about the food situation; just contribute and let me know if you take the last of something."

With a quick nod, I say, "Absolutely. No problem. I'd even do the grocery shopping if you needed me to. I'd contribute monetarily, in any way at all. I can promise you I'd be the model roommate." I hold my breath in anticipation of his answer; if I have to look at one more potential home today, I might just give up and let my father promise me to a demon.

"Noted," he says, before continuing his tour.

I don't see so much as a speck of dust on the wooden floor as we move through the open floorplan and into the living room. The only thing out of place is a game controller on the plush gray couch. The fireplace on the main wall is constructed of simple lines, and a stack of wood burns in the center. The high ceilings and windows make the room spacious yet cozy.

"All your belongings would need to stay in your room. No kicking off your shoes and leaving them in the middle of the floor. You can bring a blanket in here to watch television, but I expect it to be put away and the pillows on the couch straightened when you're done."

"That's not a problem. I appreciate a clean house," I say.

"Me too," Cannon pipes up, and I give him a dubious look. Anyone who really appreciated a clean house to the same degree as Jace would have never left their shoes in the middle of the floor.

Not that I'm concerned with being that neat myself. This house looks like it's barely been lived in. But with my powers, I can keep a house this clean with zero issues. As long as no one's looking.

"Dude, is that the new Spider-Man game you're playing?" Cannon asks, wandering over to pick up the case on the coffee table.

"Yeah, I just picked it up last night."

"I'm jealous. I was going to grab my copy yesterday but I had to work late. My job keeps me busy most of the time. Whenever I get a minute, I have my PlayStation controller in my hand."

The pair of them carry on a conversation that's like some secret code. They talk about graphics and movies and games they're looking forward to. I'm at a complete loss and feel my opportunity slipping through my fingers. I'm going to be booted for my lack of knowledge about human geek culture.

This isn't fair. Just because I don't know about spiders that turn into men or men who turn into spiders or whatever the hell it is they're talking about doesn't mean that I don't deserve a chance to move into this house that would be perfect for me.

I think about interrupting with a question or two to join the conversation, but I don't know where to start. So I just butt in to remind them of my existence.

"Hey, guys, I don't mean to interrupt, but can we continue the tour? I'd like to see the bedroom . . ."

The men stop talking, both looking a tad embarrassed for getting caught up in their own thing and forgetting I'm here. Jace clears his throat and says, "Yeah. If you'll both follow me upstairs, I'll show you the room."

Cannon and I walk a few steps behind, and he leans in and whispers, "You are diabolical. That conversation was my in."

I glance at him with a wink and murmur, "A little, but a girl has to do what she has to do. I'm going to get one of those rooms. No matter what. Maybe he'll take mercy on you and give you the other, but this body will be in one of these beds tonight. I can promise you that."

"If he isn't ensnared by your evil scheme, I'd be happy to have you in my bed tonight."

Damn, Cannon. That was unexpected.

"I—"

"This is the room," Jace says, completely oblivious to what he just interrupted.

It is the exact kind of room I imagined staying in for the next ninety days. It's open and sunny with a picture window that takes up the entirety of the side wall, looking down onto an inground pool and across to the other side of the house. The furnishings are modern and clean with lots of white and grays, and the bed is plush, king-size, like I have at home. There's plenty of closet space and a small en suite bathroom. The only thing that it doesn't have is a garden tub. It has a shower stall, which I'm not used to, but I am not complaining.

"It's perfect," I breathe, forgetting for a moment to be calm, cool, and collected; I'm looking at this room like it's the love of my damn life. "I only need the room for ninety days. Can't you let me stay in here, let Cannon stay in another room, which there must be in this massive place, and then I'll be out of both your hair in three months? I'll even pay extra rent. Anything you want, Jace. I just cannot bear to look at another house. Please. I'm begging you."

The two men exchange glances, and Cannon says, "I'm fine taking another room if you got one, but this is your place, so the call is up to you."

"Three months?" Jace asks.

My heart lifts. "Three months. Not a day more."

"No drama, keep my house clean, and you go in ninety days." Jace's firm tone sends a shiver through me. I'm not sure if I want to run or drop to my knees and say Yes, sir. Either way, he isn't messing around.

I find my voice, and when it comes out, it's raspy and low. "Absolutely. No drama, I'll leave everything cleaner than I found it, and I'll be gone before midnight on the ninetieth day." I take a step toward him and stick out my hand. "I swear it, Jace."

He moves to wrap his hand around mine and hesitates for a moment. When we touch, his skin is warm and the handshake firm. "You got a deal. Let me show Cannon his room then I'll take you both downstairs to complete the rental agreement."

With that settled, I'm free to turn my attention to the real reason I'm here.

I'm officially on the hunt for a human partner.