In the Dark by Melody Taylor Read Free Book Online

said he hated watching the young ones get
rushed into things. He didn’t want to introduce us for a while
yet.”
    “Oh.”
The young ones? How many of us were there?
    “I really
think we’re making Sebastian terribly uncomfortable,” she
went on when I didn’t say anything else. “Let me give you
my number, and we’ll go.”
    When I realized
again that I didn’t have my cell phone with me, we found a pen
and some paper – or rather she did – and she jotted down
something from the Seattle area.
    “In case
you need anything,” Josephine added as she pressed the number
into my hand. I tucked it into my pocket with a mumbled thanks. Maybe
later I’d have to pick her brains about Kent.
    Josephine
squeezed my hand once more, then headed for the elevator. The mortal
woman followed without being asked. I walked them over to it, only
partly aware I should see them out. The blond gave me a shy, sad
smile. I tried to return it. When the doors closed, leaving me alone
in the quiet of the penthouse, I broke down in fresh tears.
    With my back
against the elevator doors, I slid down to hit the floor with a bump.
Oh, Kent. I hid in my crossed arms and sobbed until my face ached
with the effort, and kept sobbing. My heart hurt. I hurt all over.
    “Ian.”
    I wiped my eyes
on my sleeve. Sebastian’s sleeve, I realized, too late.
“Sorry,” I said, holding the reddened fabric up.
    He shrugged. “I
will get you a clean one, if you like.”
    I did like. He
brought one, and I ducked into the hallway to change. If I took a
little longer than that in order to compose myself, Sebastian didn’t
complain when I came back into the living room. Feeling a little
wrung out, but ready to move forward, I asked the question I wasn’t
sure I wanted answered.
    “What’s
the plan?”
    “We’re
going to the Half-Moon.” Sebastian picked up his coat.
    “Now?”
I asked.
    “Why not?”
    I didn’t
want to walk into the mouth of danger, but if he came with me it
might be okay. “No reason, I guess. All right. Why are we going
there?”
    His eyes flashed
a smile. “To see if a criminal really will return to the scene
of a crime,” he deadpanned.
    “Oh.”
    He belted on his
sword, pulling his long coat over it. Once he had the coat on, I
couldn’t see the sword unless I looked very hard. Like it was
part of him.
    I didn’t
have a coat. Or keys. Or a sword, for that matter. I went and found
my boots. Lacing them up without Kent to help me was a pain in the
ass and nearly started me crying again. Sebastian just waited for me,
then hit the call button for the elevator when I stood. It reminded
me of the two I’d just walked out. And the sweet smile one of
them had given me.
    “Who was
the blond?” I asked.
    Sebastian
shrugged. “One of Josephine’s. Emily, I think. I’m
not certain.”
    “Ah.”
Emily – I was right. My eyebrows puckered. “Why won’t
you help Josephine?”
    We got on the
elevator, me watching Sebastian, Sebastian paying attention to
nothing in particular. I still got the feeling he noticed every move
I made.
    “I see no
need,” he said. “I am looking into this as a diversion.
If she can offer information I did not have before, I will ask her
for it.”
    “It would
make her feel better. She just wants to be included.”
    He didn’t
answer.
    “What
would it hurt?” I pressed.
    His eyes
darkened. “What would it accomplish, besides making Josephine
feel better?”
    “Isn’t
that enough of a reason?”
    His eyes went
darker. “I have made my decision, Ian.”
    “Yeah,
well, I don’t agree with it.” I crossed my arms.
    “You have
that right.”
    I sighed and let
it go for now. This argument was far from over, though.
    The elevator let
us out in the garage, and we left for the Half-Moon.

I AN
    W e
left the car and headed for the club, both of us staying as silent as
we had on the trip over. As we got closer, the people in line started
noticing us – and then promptly pretended they hadn’t.