The courtyard was an island of tranquility in a sea of monsters. To any outsider, the scene would have looked idyllic—a family gathered around a rustic black-wood table, enjoying a breakfast of fresh fruits under the shade of ancient, swaying trees. But Adam, sitting with his back straight and his grey eyes scanning every minute movement, felt the sheer weight of the atmosphere.
The air didn't just carry the scent of nectar and damp earth; it carried the suppressed pressure of several nuclear reactors masquerading as humans.
Alicia LeBron peeled a translucent grape with a grace that bordered on the supernatural. Her skin was flawless, glowing with a vitality that made her look like Andrea's elder sister rather than her mother. But when she looked at Adam, he felt a prickle at the base of his skull—the "Danger Sense" that had saved his life a thousand times was screaming. It wasn't because she was hostile, but because her existence itself was an affront to the natural order.
