In The Shadow of Love

Chapter 10: Ambush

Sebastian had left the following morning before either of them had woke, leaving a note that he was going to do more investigating.

"Why do I get the feeling he's switched his obsession to us?" Ominis said anxiously after Diane read him the note.

"I suppose he just needs something to do, and this makes him feel better. Honestly out of all the things he could be doing this isn't the worst."

"I just hope he doesn't get caught." Ominis sighed in worry. "He always gets in over his head."

"Yeah." Diane said, looking out the window as if she might see Sebastian outside, but he was off who knows where. She rubbed her arm, glancing nervously back over to Ominis. "I'm... sorry about last night. I didn't mean to make things so awkward."

"It's fine." Ominis said, a bit flustered when he thought of what happened. "Sebastian is probably more awkward about it than I am."

Diane nodded with a heavy sigh. "I was wondering if that's why he left so early."

Ominis walked forward and put a hand on top of her head affectionately. "Don't worry about that so much. How about you read one of your books to me? That way we can relax and pass the time." He knew she didn't like being contained inside, she was always the type to run around the countryside and explore. Being stuck in the house for so long was likely going to be very stressful for her.

"Okay, what did you want to read? I can read a science fiction, a horror, a romance, I have textbooks from last year if you really want to be studious." She chuckled.

"Let's leave the textbooks for when we're back in class." He grinned. "How about something you like? I don't mind whatever you read."

Diane blushed a bit as she realized she was currently reading another romance book, but nodded. She hadn't gotten far in so she'd just read it from the beginning. "It's a romance, is that alright?"

"Like I said, anything is fine." Ominis shrugged.

"Let's go over to the couch, then." She said, grabbing her book and flipping back to the beginning as she sat on one end of the couch. Ominis followed, sitting on the other side, lounging casually against the armrest with one arm so he was sunk back into the cushions in a comfortable position.

Diane started reading, curling her legs up beside her as she continued, finding it rather nice to read aloud. She'd never really done so before outside a classroom setting, but it was somehow very relaxing. She glanced up from reading to see Ominis closing his eyes, one of his legs crossed above the other as he seemed to just enjoy listening to her.

They spent most of the afternoon like that, at one point Ominis preparing them some tea while he insisted Diane continue reading. It wasn't until nearly sundown when Sebastian returned again, looking far less haggard this time, but he was definitely tired.

He walked into the door and looked between them on the couch, Diane having stopped reading when he came in.

"Where have you been all day?" Diane asked in a bit of an annoyed tone. "Searching for clues again?"

"Of course." Sebastian said, shrugging as if it couldn't be helped. "The more information we have, the better. Now... what are you two up to?" He said, looking from Diane to Ominis with a bit of suspicion.

"She was reading to me." Ominis said with a small smile, looking rather satisfied.

"Really?" He asked, looking pointedly toward Ominis. That expression... it was unusual for him.

"Yes, I was reading from a new book I got, I started over." Diane held the book up, the flourished title telling him it was likely another romance, and one he hadn't read.