Chapter nine
Reggie slept when his brother stormed into his room. Delsin's eyes were ablaze, smoke swirling around him like it always did when the conduit was furious. And furious he was. The balled fists, the tight skin around his mouth and the trembling lips, all clues of the hidden anger under the shore.

Reggie jumped up, heavy steps and hard clanks calling to his attention and he searched for the source of the sound. His eyes fell on Delsin. Little Delsin Rowe, the second son, his little brother, conduit. Little Delsin Rowe who wasn't that little anymore, the bulging muscles in his arms and his broad shoulders were visible evidence of this.

''What?'' his reply was short and snappy, but really could you blame the poor man? He had an unpleasant encounter with the most creepy man in the entire universe a mere day or two ago, which resulted in no sleep and if he somehow fell into a slumber it meant horrifying nightmares.

Sometimes Reggie saw his parents. His long dead parents. His parents who would tell with great passion why he hated him, them and why they chose to leave them behind in the shithole of an house when he turned just seventeen. Part of it was true, they did die when Reggie was seventeen, Delsin was a little ten year old, but there story wasn't such a sappy, shitty story. He could keep them fed, clean and going. The job he'd hadn't been the greatest, but it did work and now with his desk job at the police department he couldn't be happier. It was a tragic story, without actually the really tragic part. Yet from what he could remember his parents loved their sons, both of them, to pieces and while he'd that knowledge it still hit him brick hard.

Sometimes Reggie saw his brother. No, most of the time Reggie saw his brother. In more scenarios than he could count. In some of his dreams Delsin was crazy, powers out of control and he just wasn't his Delsin anymore. In others he died in every way possible, over and over again. Like groundhog day.

''Why is there a work associate downstairs at twelve thirty p.m.?'' that got him awake. His eyes snapped open and his blankets were thrown to the floor, while he half assed attempted to find his pants somewhere in the mess that was his room.

Delsin snorted and ducked down, retrieving a piece of clothing of the ground. The conduit was always surprised at how Reggie could make his room such a chaotic mess all the freaking time. Although you may have not expected it, Delsin's own room was quite nice, not a spot out of place, but… that may have been because he never was there. He'd deny it, but most of the time he slandered through the streets doing god knows what. Probably burning things… or people… or both. He tossed the jeans to his brother, aiming at his face and hitting it dead on. With a small grin gracing his lips, he nodded.

''You need to clean this room, man.'' Reggie rolled his eyes in annoyance. He did know that, his room was like a garbage dump. Literally. If he craned his neck he could see a bit of the black textile of the garbage bag in the corner of the room. Oh and was that the skin of a banana? Yes, next to his lunch from last week. But he was busy, however that wasn't really a good excuse, because damn did he live in a mess. One big, devastating mess.

''Yeah, yeah.'' he flicked his wrist and pulled on the hopefully clean jeans and stretched his legs. Who of the company would want to discuss business at this time of the night? Maybe Marcus.

Marcus was the work-a-holic of his section in the police department. Always busy, always working and it was a miracle his wife hadn't left him yet. Jenna was pretty enough, but Reggie had this feeling money played a big part in their marriage. Lately with The Deal going on, the man had been extra stressed, wanting everything to be tip top perfect. Shouldn't surprise Reggie if it was Marcus.

''He claimed it had to do with ''The Deal''.'' Delsin mocked him with bunny ears in the air and gave him a spite smile. Reggie handled it. Always had, always would, because well they were family. Siblings. Brothers. No matter how annoying his little brother became he was stuck with him and sometimes he hated that and sometimes he didn't. This was one of those moments he wished Delsin had his own apartment or even just got the fuck out of his room. The small blessings, you know.

Marcus. It had to be Marcus. If one college of his came at this time to his house and he claimed it had to do with The godforsaken Deal. It couldn't be anyone but Marcus. Nobody, not even insane Ed, would come in the pitch black of the night to talk about business. In that object Ed was quite sane, knew where to keep the work load, right, at work.

''I may go out tonight, don't get to wild now, Reggie?'' a wink and his brother disappeared out of the door. Said door was slammed behind him, wood splintering and Reggie groaned. Sure, he could handle a broken bedroom door as well. Fantastic.

He dragged himself out of the room, grabbing a vest of the railing of the stairs and hurried down said stars with swift steps. He wanted to deal with Marcus and get back to bed. Oh, how sleep sounded amazing at that moment. His tired legs came to a halt in front of the closed door that led to the living room. A shiver of light came from under the door and a shadow on the ground signaled that there was indeed someone there. With his shoulder he pushed the door open, it was a clap door and today with his tiredness it was handy. Mainly because he didn't feel like he could lift his hands high enough to turn the doorknob.

There was no Marcus. There was no conduit. There was no monster.

There was only a girl.