Page 90

She paused, but only for a moment. “Xiomara.”

Eric laughed. “Oh man, sucks for you. I’d hate to have to report back to her. Especially if I couldn’t find the…” His voice trailed off as he glanced around again. “Well, you know.”

Melody’s face went flush with anger. Xiomara! This was supposed to be her first assignment. Her first unassisted assignment! And now here was someone else, sent perhaps even to babysit her. Or at the very least, to help out.

“What’s wrong?”

“Nothing,” Melody said, just a little too quickly.

“Doesn’t seem like nothing.”

“It’s just that…” She sighed in frustration. “I thought I was being sent here alone. I work well alone,” she added, although that part was a bit of a stretch. “No offense.”

“None taken,” shrugged Eric. “And hey, I didn’t know you were here either,” he admitted. “Not until I saw you out in the field. Maybe they wanted us to help each other?”

She shook her head reflexively. “I really don’t need any help.”

“I dunno,” he said, scratching his chin. “Looks like you definitely might’ve needed some help back there…”

Melody followed his gaze back to the road. Off in the distance, the dog was gone. Probably limped off, although she couldn’t see how. Thinking the animal might be okay made her feel somewhat better at least.

“Look,” said Eric. “I didn’t mean to—”

“No, no,” she relented, resting a hand on his arm. She couldn’t help but notice it was a firm arm. “This has nothing to do with you. I promise. It’s just that… well…”

“You thought you were riding solo.”

She sighed and smiled. “Yeah, that.” She bit her lip. “I guess I’m just being an asshole.”

“Nah. I get it.” Eric’s voice was soft and understanding. Consoling, but without trying to placate her. “They’re always springing shit like this, aren’t they?”

Melody laughed out loud. “Yes. Yes they are.”

“So let’s make the best of it,” he said.

“Okay.”

“Get this stupid thing and get out of here?”

She nodded. “Definitely.”

“Good.”

Melody took a deep breath and let it out slowly as they stepped onto the porch. She was feeling better already. The big antebellum mansion was imposing, to say the least. Locating what they were after might take a while, and two heads were always better than one.

The Order must really want this thing, she thought to herself. Badly.

Enormous columns streaked upward on either side of them, stretching twenty-five feet in the air. Stepping past them, Eric knocked three times against the thick, painted door. The sound barely registered. When no one answered he knocked again, harder this time.

He turned to her and raised an eyebrow.

“Oh, and can I say one more thing?”

“Shoot.”

Eric winked. “You look cute when you bite your lip.”

Five