Part 10 (1/2)

”h.e.l.lo! Thinking much?” she teased. She was about to enter her office when he took hold of her arm and gently eased her close to him.

”I think you're being bugged,” he whispered. ”Just get your things so we can go home.”

Melissa narrowed her eyes, silently questioning him. When she realized it was no joke, she nodded. ”I'll be right back.”

True to her word, she was in and out of the office in less than a minute.

Once they were on the street, Melissa asked, ”What makes you think someone was spying on me?”

”I thought I saw something in the frame on your desk. The one holding the picture of you and your parents.”

Melissa made a face. ”I've had that frame for nearly a year. Do you mean to tell me-”

”He could have broken into your office. Or-it's a common type of frame-it would be easy to swap it out without you noticing.”

Sebastian realized that his long-legged stride was making Melissa have to nearly run to keep up with him so he slowed his pace.

”It would explain how they knew about the journal. Is there any way of making sure?”

Sebastian nodded and paused at the corner as traffic moved past them on First Avenue. ”I can bring in my laptop and try to tap into the wireless signal.”

”Why is this happening?” Shaking her head, Melissa let out a resigned, tired sigh. ”What next, I wonder? Could something I'm carrying be bugged?”

He wanted to call himself a fool a thousand times over for not thinking beyond the frame in her office. ”Yes. Anything new?

Anything someone gave you?”

Melissa slung her knapsack from her shoulder and gave its exterior a cursory once-over. Nothing appeared to be on its surface or in the straps. Quickly rifling through it, she confirmed that it held only those things she had placed inside. ”Nothing.”

”Good.” The light turned and they resumed their walk. ”We'll talk to Diana and Ryder about this later tonight. Hungry?”

”Not really. I ate a big lunch with a friend. Mexican.”

”Your friend's Mexican?” Sebastian teased.

Melissa laughed as he'd intended and playfully jabbed him in the arm. ”No, the food. But of course, you knew that.” He grinned. ”Si, but I like seeing you smile.”

”So are you hungry?” Melissa asked and slipped her hand into his as they ambled back to her apartment.

Sebastian glanced down at their intertwined hands and his grin broadened. ”Always, but I can wait until later. Maybe you'll be hungry by then and we can grab a bite.”

”It sounds like a plan.”

”It definitely does.”

Chapter 14.

T he door shut with a resounding slam that reverberated through the large open s.p.a.ce of the living room.

Ryder stood with his back to them, arms braced on his hips as he stared at the door where Diana had just stormed out.

Melissa tossed a quick glance at Sebastian before saying, ”Where do we go from here?”

Ryder whirled to face them. ”We do what we had planned-”

”Up until the hacking part,” Melissa finished for him.

”Diana will have a hemorrhage if we do the hacking part,” Sebastian added.

Ryder glanced over his shoulder at the door. ”I think she already did.”

”Naw, that was just Diana working up a righteous anger,” Sebastian clarified and gave a small wave with his hand. ”I'm surprised you haven't seen it before.”

Ryder surprised her by grinning and rubbing his ribs as if they were sore. ”Let's just say we work out her anger in a different way.

Slightly painful, but more effective.”

Melissa shot a glance at Sebastian, wondering what it would take to push him that far and how he would react when pushed.

Would he react physically like his sister? That thought led her to images of getting physical while making up. Heat raced through her, but she fought it back. She should be thinking about the investigation.

”So if we stick to the plan-except for the hacking part that is-Sebastian will come with me to the hospital to see if I'm being bugged and try to track down the signal,” Melissa said.

”And Melissa will read the entries in the last journal,” Sebastian added. ”Maybe there will finally be something worthwhile in that one.”

Melissa nodded and finished with, ”Then we can decide what to do about getting more information about Sloan.”

Ryder let out a frustrated sigh and dragged a hand through his hair. ”And your grand plan is for me to sit and do nothing. Day after day, I'm G.o.dd.a.m.ned trapped in here. And Diana...”

”Is out there. In the dark,” Sebastian said. ”Dark being the operative word if you're a vampire, right?”

”Subtle, Sebastian. Very subtle.” Ryder glanced at the door with longing. ”Seems to me it is dark outside. Just the right time of day for a little ol' bloodsucker like me.”

”I think you know where she lives.” ”And works,” Melissa added.

Ryder smiled. ”Seems you two have everything worked out. Don't wait up.”

In a blur of motion, he was out the door.

Sebastian was a little unnerved and he realized Melissa was, as well. ”Not used to seeing that?”

”Not sure he's even used to it. Ever since he was hurt, it's almost like he's regressing. Like he's becoming more of a vampire.”

”Why's that do you think?”

Melissa shrugged. ”His life has become more isolated, for one. He's still too weak to go out except when the sun is almost totally gone. He's needed more feeding-”