sat in silence for a few minutes, still holding hands.
Finally, she squeezed his hand, released it, and got up.
“You’re not allowed to date my brother,” she said. “Even if you do charm him to the other side. It would just be too weird for me.”
“Killjoy.”
The usual nightly routine followed: dinner thrown together from the groceries Cindy regularly brought, watching the news, and waiting for Aaron to call with any updates he had. He did have some—his information gatherers had confirmed, indeed, the murdered researcher stuffed in the trunk was a gift from Robbie’s faction.
Sam seemed agitated by this, more than usual, a bit emotional even. He went upstairs, and Muse followed him up a few minutes later.
June wouldn’t let Diego go back to the hotel where he’d been staying. She made him a bed on the couch, telling him they’d get his things the next day, when they went out to meet with Occam.
Micha remained in a stormy mood all night, and June finally sent him up to his room with the promise she’d be up soon. When Diego fell asleep, she went to join him.
However, she didn’t go directly to Micha’s room, but to Sam’s. The door was open a crack. She knocked lightly and nudged it open, peeking in.
“Sam?” she said cautiously.
The room was dark, but light from the hallway shone in. Sam lay on his side, his back to the door. He wasn’t asleep, though, as he immediately lifted his head and looked over his shoulder.
“Sorry,” June said. “I just wanted to—” She stopped, eyes widening.
Sam wasn’t alone. Muse lay curled up next to him, and she peeked over his shoulder.
“Oh, sorry.” June averted her eyes, though they were both fully clothed. “I just needed to talk to you, but it can wait.”
“I’ll be out in a minute,” Sam said.
June went and sat on the steps, awkward. A few minutes later Sam came out and sat down on the step next to her. He was barefoot. He pushed his hair back.
“What?” he said.
“I just thought we should talk about this meeting with Occam tomorrow. How we’re going to protect Micha from the vampires.”
“Maybe we won’t have to.” He folded his arms on his knees.
“I don’t think Occam just wants to chat. Doesn’t seem his style.”
“I’ll think of something.” He curled his toes in the carpet on the stair beneath him.
June frowned and ducked her chin, trying to meet his eyes. “Something wrong? It seems like something’s bothering you.”
“Oh, no, what could possibly be bothering me? Everything’s just peachy in my perfect, blissful life.”
She rolled her eyes. “I mean, besides the obvious. Is this about Robbie?”
Sam gazed down the stairs. “Muse isn’t feeling well, that’s all.”
“Oh. Is it, um”—she touched her face, indicating the ticks—“the nerve damage? Or something else?”
“She’s dying,” he said flatly. “We’ve both known that for a long time. It’s no surprise she’s going to feel under the weather now and then.”
“There’s nothing that can be done for her?”
“What’s to be done?” He shrugged. “You can’t lessen her powers or take them away. Even the Institute hasn’t figured that one out yet.”
June hesitated; then she spoke carefully. “So are you and her…?” She gestured, a little wave, though she had no idea what it was supposed to indicate.
Sam frowned at her.
“Never mind.” She unfolded her legs. “But I think we should figure out a way to protect Micha, if there is one.” She stood up.
Sam grabbed her wrist. “Why do you care?”
She arched an eyebrow. “Because I don’t want him to die?”
“No, I mean about…” He paused and shook his head. “I’ll figure out something. I still don’t think you should go. I don’t want a repeat of what happened before. I truly don’t.” He sounded like he truly didn’t.
“It won’t. We’ll be careful.” She pulled at his grip. “Can I have my arm back?”
He let go.
He remained sitting, as
Finally, she squeezed his hand, released it, and got up.
“You’re not allowed to date my brother,” she said. “Even if you do charm him to the other side. It would just be too weird for me.”
“Killjoy.”
The usual nightly routine followed: dinner thrown together from the groceries Cindy regularly brought, watching the news, and waiting for Aaron to call with any updates he had. He did have some—his information gatherers had confirmed, indeed, the murdered researcher stuffed in the trunk was a gift from Robbie’s faction.
Sam seemed agitated by this, more than usual, a bit emotional even. He went upstairs, and Muse followed him up a few minutes later.
June wouldn’t let Diego go back to the hotel where he’d been staying. She made him a bed on the couch, telling him they’d get his things the next day, when they went out to meet with Occam.
Micha remained in a stormy mood all night, and June finally sent him up to his room with the promise she’d be up soon. When Diego fell asleep, she went to join him.
However, she didn’t go directly to Micha’s room, but to Sam’s. The door was open a crack. She knocked lightly and nudged it open, peeking in.
“Sam?” she said cautiously.
The room was dark, but light from the hallway shone in. Sam lay on his side, his back to the door. He wasn’t asleep, though, as he immediately lifted his head and looked over his shoulder.
“Sorry,” June said. “I just wanted to—” She stopped, eyes widening.
Sam wasn’t alone. Muse lay curled up next to him, and she peeked over his shoulder.
“Oh, sorry.” June averted her eyes, though they were both fully clothed. “I just needed to talk to you, but it can wait.”
“I’ll be out in a minute,” Sam said.
June went and sat on the steps, awkward. A few minutes later Sam came out and sat down on the step next to her. He was barefoot. He pushed his hair back.
“What?” he said.
“I just thought we should talk about this meeting with Occam tomorrow. How we’re going to protect Micha from the vampires.”
“Maybe we won’t have to.” He folded his arms on his knees.
“I don’t think Occam just wants to chat. Doesn’t seem his style.”
“I’ll think of something.” He curled his toes in the carpet on the stair beneath him.
June frowned and ducked her chin, trying to meet his eyes. “Something wrong? It seems like something’s bothering you.”
“Oh, no, what could possibly be bothering me? Everything’s just peachy in my perfect, blissful life.”
She rolled her eyes. “I mean, besides the obvious. Is this about Robbie?”
Sam gazed down the stairs. “Muse isn’t feeling well, that’s all.”
“Oh. Is it, um”—she touched her face, indicating the ticks—“the nerve damage? Or something else?”
“She’s dying,” he said flatly. “We’ve both known that for a long time. It’s no surprise she’s going to feel under the weather now and then.”
“There’s nothing that can be done for her?”
“What’s to be done?” He shrugged. “You can’t lessen her powers or take them away. Even the Institute hasn’t figured that one out yet.”
June hesitated; then she spoke carefully. “So are you and her…?” She gestured, a little wave, though she had no idea what it was supposed to indicate.
Sam frowned at her.
“Never mind.” She unfolded her legs. “But I think we should figure out a way to protect Micha, if there is one.” She stood up.
Sam grabbed her wrist. “Why do you care?”
She arched an eyebrow. “Because I don’t want him to die?”
“No, I mean about…” He paused and shook his head. “I’ll figure out something. I still don’t think you should go. I don’t want a repeat of what happened before. I truly don’t.” He sounded like he truly didn’t.
“It won’t. We’ll be careful.” She pulled at his grip. “Can I have my arm back?”
He let go.
He remained sitting, as
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