Free Phantom Shadows by Dianne Duvall Page B

the dark trees that formed a small amphitheater around them. If Seth hadn’t meant to teleport her . . . “Should I leave?” She didn’t know where she would go, but . . .
    “No,” Seth said. “I didn’t mean you weren’t welcome. I only wished to apologize for teleporting you without first warning you.”
    “Apology accepted.”
    Tanner held his hand out to her. “I’m Tanner Long, by the way.” He was an attractive man, perhaps in his midthirties and dressed in slacks and a dress shirt. His short blond hair really stood out against the darkness characteristic of the immortals. His wire-rimmed glasses also set him apart physically. He sort of looked like a banker or an accountant. Maybe a professor.
    A hot professor, Linda would likely say before singing “Teach Me Tonight.”
    Melanie shook his hand. “Melanie Lipton. Nice to meet you.”
    “Nice to meet you, too. This is the first opportunity I’ve had to thank you for everything you’ve done for Vince, Cliff, and Joe. I think some of the immortals and humans at the network have been fighting vampires for so long that they’ve become numb to their plight. You haven’t.”
    That meant a lot to her. “I wish I could have done more for Vince.”
    “You tried to help him when no one else, save Bastien, would. He appreciated it, believe me.”
    “Thank you.”
    Bastien’s gaze swung from Melanie to Tanner, then shifted to Seth. “So why are we here?”
    “I didn’t want to tell you in front of the others that I’ve chosen Tanner to be your Second. I thought you might say something stupid like—”
    “I don’t need a Second,” Bastien protested.
    “That,” Seth finished.
    Tanner examined Bastien thoughtfully. “You needed a Second when you were working with the vampires.”
    “That was different.”
    “Not really.”
    Seth held up a hand to forestall whatever Bastien intended to say. “If you want to execute your duties as an Immortal Guardian without a babysitter, as you put it, you need a Second.”
    “No, I don’t.”
    Tanner frowned and propped his hands on his hips. “I thought you were happy with my work.”
    “I was.”
    “If you’re worried that I won’t be able to fight by your side, you can relax. The network’s been training me for almost two years now.”
    “It isn’t that.”
    “Then what is it?”
    Melanie was curious to know that herself. She would’ve thought Bastien would be happy with the arrangement.
    “If you become my Second, you will be ostracized at the very least and—”
    Tanner laughed. “Hell. Is that what’s worrying you? That I won’t be accepted by the other Seconds? This isn’t high school, Bastien. I don’t give a rat’s ass who likes me and who doesn’t.”

Chapter 4
    Bastien stiffened. While he didn’t appreciate his concerns being so easily dismissed, he thought Tanner wasn’t seeing the full picture. “You’re right. This isn’t high school. It isn’t a popularity contest that means nothing in the greater scheme of things. It’s life or death. If the other Seconds don’t accept you, you won’t be able to count on them to back you when you need them.” He looked at Seth. “Tell him.”
    Seth shook his head. “They’ll back him or they’ll answer to Chris Reordon.”
    “Who would love nothing more than to see me fall. I’m sure he would feel the same way about anyone he considered my ally.”
    Melanie spoke. “If that were true, I wouldn’t have a job.”
    Bastien stared at her. “What?”
    “Who do you think pushed Mr. Reordon to allow you more frequent visits with Cliff and Joe?”
    “Seth.”
    “Actually,” Seth said, “it was Dr. Lipton. I merely offered my approval.”
    “And Richart and I both refused to let Mr. Reordon chain you up in the holding room,” she said. “He may not have liked it, but he didn’t fire me.”
    Bastien still didn’t understand why Richart had stood up for him. Or Dr. Lipton for that matter.
    As for Tanner . . .
    Bastien glanced