Stakeout (Aurora Sky (24 page)

A pair of legs strode past me. I looked up
and caught Jared’s backside as he receded down the hall. He hadn’t
even noticed me.

“You can go in now,” the secretary said.

I adjusted my lace gloves and proceeded into
Melcher’s office as though I’d never eavesdropped.

Melcher stood, holding an open file in his
hands, staring down at it intently. He looked like one of those
hard-ass FBI agents on television.

“Good morning, Harper. Take a seat.” Melcher
closed the file and tossed it on top of his desk before settling
into his chair. He leaned across his desk on his elbows. “I’ve got
good news. I’ve secured a new place for you.”

My heart leapt with joy.

“I trust you’ll be fine on your own for a few
months? Aurora can decide if she wants to move in after graduation
or at the end of summer before university begins.”

I sat straight up in my chair. “Wait a
minute? I get to be roommates with Aurora?” Now my heart was really
bursting with joy. It sounded too good to be true. First I’d get
the place to myself, then I’d be living with a close friend who
knew all the things I knew about vampires. No more Michelle and
Trudy, no more hiding who I was or getting weird looks for what I
wore and how often I went out.

“That’s right,” Melcher said with a slight
smile. “I’d planned to find her a place near campus this summer,
but now works just as well.”

“Melcher, thank you. I can’t tell you how
much this means to me.”

Melcher nodded. “It’s a better situation all
around. I’d rather have my team looking out for one another than
stick you with innocents who have no clue as to what you do.”
Melcher tapped his finger on his desk. “There is one other thing. I
want you to keep an eye on Aurora.”

The excitement I’d experienced two seconds
ago dissolved to ash. Melcher’s hawk-like stare and crisp tone did
not bode well.

My voice dropped an octave. “Why do I need to
keep an eye on Aurora?”

“It’s nothing you need to worry about. Aurora
has already come forward about her blood cravings. Now I want to
make sure she doesn’t experience any relapses.”

I wrinkled my nose, remembering how Aurora
sucked down a full glass of human blood after sustaining multiple
stab wounds. She’d jokingly called it a self-administered blood
transfusion.

Melcher gave an approving nod at my
reaction.

“As I explained to Aurora, blood cravings are
one of the unfortunate side effects a hunter or informant can
experience after their procedure.”

No wonder the lab coat was always asking me
if I’d experienced any unusual symptoms. Yetch! Thank goodness
blood cravings weren’t one of my side effects. I’d never
experienced any that I was aware of.

“Aurora seems to be doing fine now, but a
relapse might occur at any moment,” Melcher continued. “That is why
I want you to keep an eye on her and report any suspicious behavior
to me so that I can get Aurora immediate help.”

Something about that sounded really sketchy,
like black-hood-over-the-head, disappear-without-a-trace
sketchy.

Luckily, I was a pro at masking my feelings
when I didn’t want to show a reaction. I’d had plenty of practice
with Clive. All those times he wanted to see me crumble, watch me
cry, I’d forced a stony expression over my face and saved my tears
for later until I was so well trained, I rarely needed to cry even
in private.

“What kind of help?” I asked calmly.

“Most times it’s as simple as adjusting the
subject’s medication.”

Did he seriously just refer to Aurora as a
subject?

I nodded thoughtfully. “What kind of symptoms
am I looking for?”

Melcher relaxed into the back of his seat.
“Blood cravings first and foremost. Any significantly altered
nocturnal patterns—staying up all night, sleeping all day.
Hypersexuality. Any sort of compulsive, obsessive, addictive
behavior.”

“Excuse me?” This conversation had shot way
out of my comfort zone.

Melcher stared at me for several unnerving
seconds.

“Just keep your eyes and ears open.”

For what exactly? Bumping and grinding?
Screaming and moaning the whole night through? I never realized
Melcher had such a twisted mind.

His frown deepened. “You trust me, don’t you,
Noel?”

“You saved my life.” I said it with
conviction because despite any sketchiness on Melcher’s part, I
never forgot that fact. But it didn’t mean I’d report harmless
vampires or rat out friends.

Melcher’s jaw moved from side to side as
though chewing on a thought. “You’ve done good work for this
department,” he said slowly. “You were worth it.”

Wacky words and freakiness aside, I felt an
inexplicable urge to walk over to Melcher and hug him. He’d found
me a safe haven and said my life was worthwhile. I’d never hug him,
of course. Not in a million years. But that was how grateful I felt
at the moment. I could use some good news in my life.

Melcher rapped the file he’d tossed on his
desk with his knuckle. “While you’re here, I want you to look at
something.” He pushed the file across his desk.

I leaned forward to the edge of my seat, spun
the file around, and opened it. A photograph of a young blond
woman, about nineteen was clipped inside. She had a stony
expression and the frown of a person utterly devoid of joy. Her
image gave me the instant willies.

“Vampire,” I said.

“That’s correct. Giselle Morrel. Last seen in
Sitka and considered extremely dangerous.”

“Sitka?” I asked, looking up. I needed to get
back to school or get on the phone and talk to Aurora. It sounded
like her mission didn’t go as smoothly as mine.

Melcher nodded, grim-faced. “She’s the one
who got away.”

“Did she have anything to do with Agent
Crist’s murder?”

“No, but her father did. He and his wife and
son were successfully terminated, but Giselle managed to get away.”
Melcher leaned forward. “I don’t need to remind you what happens
when a vengeful vampire is on the loose.”

My throat suddenly felt very dry. “You think
she’ll track her family’s killers to Anchorage?”

“Again, one of many reasons why I need you to
keep an eye on Aurora. If you see this girl, tell me at once.”
Melcher reached across his desk and touched the photo. “Do not
engage with her. Do not let her frail appearance fool you. Giselle
Morrel is a killer. She’s been around longer than any of the
vampires you’ve investigated before, and she’s lost every last
trace of humanity. Do you understand?”

I nodded slowly. “Yeah. I understand.” Loud
and clear. I’d happily step aside and let the vampire hunters take
her out. Sounded like the perfect assignment for Dante.

I guess the whole “keep an eye on Aurora”
assignment wasn’t as peculiar as I first thought. It sounded like
Melcher was truly concerned for her safety with this baddie blonde
possibly out for revenge. At the end of the day, he was only
looking out for us. Look how quickly he’d found me somewhere to
live.

“How soon until I can move into my new
place?”

“You’ll have the key next week.”

Now would have been better, but I wasn’t
going to complain. At least I’d soon have a place to live and could
get out of Fane and Joss’s lair. I was sure they’d be happy to have
their living room back.

I couldn’t wait to tell Aurora we were going
to be roommates. Time to get my butt back to school. I got up from
my chair.

“Thank you, Agent Melcher.”

“You’re welcome,” he said without emotion.
“Oh, and Noel, none of this leaves the room.”

“Of course not,” I said.

“Including the house you two will be sharing.
I will let Aurora know after she graduates. She can decide if she
wants to move in right away or spend the summer at home.”

My heart gave a leap of joy. Melcher had said
house. Not apartment. House.

I nodded. “I won’t say anything.”

It would be hard, but not impossible. Keeping
secrets was part of the job, and I could understand why Melcher
didn’t want to dangle the house in front of Aurora right now. She’d
probably want to move in right away. I was looking forward to being
roommates, but I also wouldn’t mind having the place to myself for
a few months—maybe even six if she spent the summer with her
mom.

I did a half spin outside Melcher’s office
and headed to my car. I felt like a kid waiting for Christmas.
Packing would be easy since Clive took all my things. Should have
asked Melcher if the place came furnished.

I’d slept on a mattress on a floor; I’d be
fine. Now to tell Fane the good news.

Knowing I’d soon have a place to live, I felt much
more motivated to get up, get dressed, and go to school in the only
clothes I now owned. And when Friday night rolled around, I was
most definitely ready to follow my usual routine.

“I’m going to Marcus’s,” I announced after a
late dinner with my vampire hosts.

Joss gave me a sour look.

“It’s the weekend. It’s my job.”

“I’ll go with you,” Fane said.

“Okay.” I was sorta looking forward to going
off on my own. I didn’t like the feeling that I was encroaching on
other peoples’ space. But it wasn’t like I could say “no” after
Fane had taken me in and dealt with my dad. I owed him big time,
and we could split up once we reached the palace.

“I’m not going,” Joss announced.

“Shocker,” Fane said under his breath. He
grabbed his coat and keys, calling out, “Don’t wait up.”

Once we stepped out into the dark I said, “We
should take separate cars in case one of us wants to leave
early.”

“It’s cool,” Fane said, heading to his car.
“I can stay or go whenever you want.” He looked pointedly at the
passenger door.

Guess we were carpooling.

We didn’t talk much on the way over. Fane was
the kind of guy who could do silence. That was until he asked,
“Have you spoken to Aurora lately?”

“No, actually, and I really need to,” I
admitted. “Things have just been so crazy.”

Fane looked sideways at me. “You don’t like
sharing your personal life with people.”

I shook my head slightly. “We all have
problems to deal with. No one wants to hear about my problems. And
I’m not a whiner, not usually.”

“I don’t think you’re a whiner.”

My lips twisted into a frown.

Fane stopped at a yellow light and leaned
over the car bench. “Noel, it’s okay to share your burdens with
friends. And it’s okay to ask for help.”

I didn’t know how to answer, so I didn’t.
What Fane said sounded good, but it didn’t change the fact that my
life was personal, not something to be shared publicly. There was
enough woe in the world without me adding to it. No one liked to
hear about that kind of stuff. Hell, I didn’t want to hear it. I
wanted distraction. I wanted purpose. I wanted escape.