Chosen at Nightfall

Chapter Sixteen

  Kylie had stopped the kiss, but not nearly soon enough. And then she'd rested her head on his chest and cried because she'd felt so confused. He'd held her so close and let her cry. It had been cathartic and soothing.

  It had been wrong.

  Wrong because of what she saw reflecting in his eyes. Hope. Optimism that when her heartbreak with Lucas was all said and done, they'd find their way to what they'd had before.

  That thought brought on an epiphany-one of those startling realizations that usually caused havoc in one's life. And yes, she felt the havoc, but she also felt . . . a surge of questions and a need to understand.

  Derek had cheated on her, actually slept with Ellie, unlike what Lucas had done-or what she'd thought he had done. And while she'd been hurt by Derek and felt betrayed, this thing with Lucas felt like so much more. Why?

  Did it speak to how much she cared about Derek-that forgiving him had come easier? Or did it refer to the depth of her feelings for Lucas? That the feelings she held for Lucas were truer?

  "You okay?" Derek asked, staring at her.

  She nodded. "Just hungry," she lied, and moved in front of him in the line, so she wouldn't have to face him or the lie she'd just told.

  He leaned down and whispered in her ear. "You're not mad at me, are you?"

  She considered the question, and the answer came back. I can't be mad at you, it's myself I'm mad at.

  She'd been weak. She should have called the end to the dreamscape before it got started. And she could have done that. So why hadn't she?

  "No, I'm not mad," she whispered back. "I'm just. . . " Realizing they were surrounded by vampire ears that could hear all kinds of secrets, she said, "We'll talk later. "

  "That will work," he said. "I'm shadowing you tonight, so we should have plenty of time. "

  Kylie frowned. Maybe she needed to add Derek to Burnett's no-shadowing list. At least until she sorted out her feelings.

  * * *

  With a food tray in hand, Kylie moved to the table where Miranda and Perry sat. She sat down and glanced at Perry and again felt the wash of gratitude to the shape-shifter. "Thanks," she said.

  "Anytime you need me to show my ass, I'm there for you," he said, grinning.

  Kylie heard someone take the seat beside her and worried again about encouraging Derek. Picking up a fry, she looked straight ahead, trying to ignore the fae as long as possible. Her gaze shifted around the room, stopping on the were table and the four frowns being tossed her way from the weres sitting there. Frowns from everyone but . . . Lucas.

  A certain woodsy scent of the person sitting next to her suddenly filled her senses. The fry slipped from her fingers. Slowly, she turned her head to confirm her mistake.

  Mistake confirmed. Her breath hitched a little.

  It wasn't Derek sitting next to her. But Lucas.

  Reverting her gaze to the plate of food, she stared at the hamburger that suddenly didn't smell or look so appetizing. "Shouldn't you be with your pack?" she whispered without looking at him.

  "Actually," he said, leaning in close. So close his shoulder brushed against hers. Pain, emotional pain from just that light touch, went right to her heart. "I'm exactly where I belong," Lucas whispered.

  She scooted over a few inches at the same time a tray hit the table in front of her. It hit a little too loud.

  She suspected the owner of the tray might be one pissed-off fae. A glance up confirmed it. Derek dropped into the seat, eyeballing Lucas as if he was infringing on his space.

  Just freaking great, Kylie thought. She considered the right thing to do, bolt out of here, knowing people were probably already watching to see what she'd do. Stay and hope no drama arose between the were and fae, and try to downplay all the gossip.

  Feeling forced to pretend everything was fine, she picked up her hamburger and sank her teeth into the soft white bun. While she didn't think about how it tasted, her stomach must have approved, because it grumbled in appreciation the moment the first bite made its way down into the empty organ. She didn't give her stomach time to beg for a second bite before she went in for another. This time, the flavor of the slightly sweet bun, mixed with the cheesy beef patty and the tangy zest of ketchup, had her taste buds applauding. She really hadn't eaten right since leaving Shadow Falls.

  Derek, probably reading her desire to avoid chaos, picked up his burger and started to eat. Lucas did the same. The tension let up, but not by a whole hell of a lot.

  "Who's up for a game of basketball after dinner?" Perry asked.

  A few voices broke in with a yes. Kylie thought both Derek and Lucas chimed in, but she didn't know for sure. She did most of her focusing on her food and avoided eye contact with anyone.

  Then Derek added, "But it will have to be a short game. I'm shadowing Kylie tonight. "

  It was more how he said it, than what he said, that made it clear his goal had been to piss Lucas off.

  And it worked. Lucas gave his tray a quick shove and it flew across the table and slammed into Derek's, sending his French fries flying into his lap.

  "Give it up," Lucas said. "We'll be back together in no time. "

  "Are you sure of that?" Derek asked.

  "Stop," Kylie snapped.

  "I'm sure," Lucas growled as if he hadn't heard her. "You see, I didn't sleep around on her like someone else did. "

  "Yeah, but I didn't get engaged behind her back," Derek tossed out.

  "Neither did I," Lucas countered. "The engagement never went through because I didn't sign the papers after the ceremony. "

  Say what? Kylie looked at him, shocked. She had just assumed . . . "What about getting on the Council?" she asked.

  "You're more important," he said. "I told you that already. "

  No, he hadn't told her that. Not really. And he hadn't told her he'd backed out of the engagement,either.

  "I told you it was mistake. That. . . " He hesitated just a second. "That I love you. "

  She didn't miss how hard it was for him to speak his feelings publicly, and you can bet every ear in the room was straining to hear, but he'd done it. He told her he loved her in front of everyone.

  And it annoyed the hell out of her. Perry's mooning had been much more appreciated.

  "And why the hell couldn't you have figured that out earlier?" She dropped her hamburger, shoved her own tray back, and left the dining hall. As she did, she heard her own footfalls on the tile floor. Which meant everyone in the room, the whole freaking camp, had just been privy to her personal upheaval.

  Great. Just friggin' great.

  * * *

  Kylie got outside before she heard someone following her. Thinking it was Derek, and prepared to send him packing, she swung around and Miranda crashed right into her.

  "Sorry," Miranda said.

  Kylie blinked away what felt like the beginning of tears. "It's okay. You don't have to come. Stay with Perry and finish your dinner. "

  "I have to come," Miranda said.

  "No, you don't. "

  "Yes, I do. " Miranda nodded. "First, because you're one of my best friends and second, because . . .

  Burnett told me to. But I would have come anyway because of the first thing. " She hugged Kylie. "You want me to tell Perry to moon them again?"

  Kylie pulled back from the hug, chuckled, and swiped at her tears. "I don't think they could handle seeing it twice. "

  Miranda giggled. "Are you kidding? It's a gorgeous ass. "

  They walked back to the cabin and Miranda talked about Perry. A lot about Perry. Like, as in nonstop.

  Not that Kylie minded; she'd take Miranda going on about Perry over the silence she'd experienced at her grandfather's place anytime. So what if Miranda talked a bit too much? Kylie still loved her, loved hanging with h
er, too.

  They got to the cabin, walked inside, and both of their gazes shot to Della's door. Della's closed door.

  And that could mean only one thing. Della was home.

  Screaming, they both went hurtling inside the vamp's room.

  Della stood, completely naked, in the middle of the room with her bra in her hands.

  "Jeepers! Don't you guys know what a closed door means? Now, turn around while I get dressed. "

  "We don't care if you're naked. We're just so happy to see you," Miranda said.

  "True," Kylie said.

  "Yeah, but you shouldn't have to see all of me. You'll tease me about my little tits. Now turn around. "

  "They're not that small," Miranda said, and gave Della a good hard look.

  "Turn around!" Della growled, and used one hand and arm to cover her breasts and the other to cover her pubic hair.

  "No so fast," Miranda said, and pointed a finger at her. "First you got some explaining to do, girlie!"

  "Girlie? I'm not anyone's girlie. And explain what?" she asked, but she was grinning, obviously asglad to see them as they were to see her.

  "It's not your little tits you should be hiding. It's that hickey below your shoulder. "

  Della shifted her hand up from her boobs and hid the mark right below her neck.

  "It's not a hickey. " Swinging around, she reached for the robe on the bed and slipped her hands in.

  "Really?" Miranda asked.

  "It looked like a hickey. " Kylie giggled, just so darn happy that the three of them were back together again. She didn't even care if they started bickering, or threatening to rip off each other's limbs. Just being here around these two . . . it was what home was supposed to feel like.

  "When it looks like a hickey, and smells like a hickey, it's a hickey," Miranda demanded.

  "Hickeys don't smell," Della snapped.

  "You know what I mean. Besides, I know a hickey when I see a hickey. " She pulled her shirt down to expose a rose-colored mark above her right breast.

  Kylie laughed and then sighed. "I swear, you two are such bad examples for me. I'm not sure I can stay in the same cabin with you. You two might taint my reputation. "

  "Oh, please," Della said. "You've had more action than a wind-up doll on speed since you've been here. "

  "I have not," Kylie said.

  "You've made out with three different guys since you've been at Shadow Falls. "

  "Three? I have not. "

  "You're forgetting Trey came here. "

  "Oh, hell, Trey doesn't count. Besides, I've never even had a hickey. "

  "Oh, you poor thing," Della said. "Did you know you can give yourself one with a vacuum cleaner? I gave myself my first hickey in sixth grade and told everyone an eighth grader gave it to me. It was a doozy, too. "

  Kylie rolled her eyes. "I can't believe you made out with a vacuum cleaner. "

  "Yeah, and it was better at it than my first boyfriend. He was totally hickey impaired. "

  Kylie and Miranda started laughing. Then Della got somber. "Gawd, it's so good to be back!" She jumped on her bed and bounced twice. Then Miranda and Kylie both dove onto the bed with her.

  "So you aren't going to explain the hickey?" Miranda asked, and snatched one of Della's pillows and hugged it.

  "Nope," Della said. "No hickey talk. "

  "At the very least tell us who gave you the hickey?" Miranda insisted.

  "Okay. I'll tell you. " She stopped smiling and cleared her throat. "I ran into my old vacuum cleaner.

  And we took a trip down memory lane. It was so romantic," Della said, and grinned.

  That grin didn't fool Kylie. She saw something in Della's eyes. A glimmer of pain. Della really didn't want to talk about this.

  "Was the vacuum cleaner named Steve?" Miranda asked.

  Della frowned. "Forget the hickey. "

  "But that's not fair, we tell each other everything," Miranda said.

  "It's okay," Kylie said, enjoying the easy banter and not wanting to lose it just yet. "How about let's talk about me seeing Perry's ass?"

  "You said you didn't see his ass," Miranda said. "Wait. What?" Della asked, and stared at Kylie. "You saw Perry's ass?"

  "Just a quick glimpse," Kylie said. "But I think everyone else got a really good long look. "

  "Of Perry's ass?" Della asked.

  Miranda nodded and then told the story about how heroic Perry had been coming to Kylie's aid by dropping his drawers.

  Della smiled ear to ear. "I knew I liked that shape-shifter. "

  "He is sweet, isn't he?" Miranda sighed and got that droopy-eyed look.

  "So what's up with you?" Della asked Kylie. "Have you kicked Lucas's ass and decided to forgive him yet? He looks like a puppy who lost his only chew toy. "

  Kylie frowned. "Let's not talk about that. "

  Miranda bounced up and down on her butt. "You should have been at dinner. Derek and Lucas both sat with her. I swear, I thought they were going to go to fist city. And then Lucas told Kylie he loved her, right in front of everyone. It was sooo romantic. "

  Kylie's chest grew heavy. "It wasn't romantic. It was . . . It was sad. "

  "Sad pretty much describes him when you left," said Miranda. "It was as if someone had reached in and yanked out his joy. "

  "I don't want to talk about this," Kylie said.

  "So you're still mad at him?" Della asked. "I don't blame you. "

  Kylie cut Della a stern look. "Hey . . . I respected your wishes not to talk about the hickey. Now you should respect mine. "

  Miranda dropped down on her belly and grunted. "This isn't fair. I tell you guys everything. I don't hold anything back. "

  "Believe me, I know," Della said. "I know more about you and Perry's relationship than the law allows. "

  "Don't start on that. " Miranda frowned.

  "Why don't we go get a Diet Coke?" Kylie offered before the two of them started bickering in full force.

  They all bounced off the bed and started for the kitchen. For the time being she wanted to forget all her issues. She just wanted to sit around the kitchen table and laugh some more. Laugh with friends, tell a few jokes, and remember that no matter what issues life dealt them, it would be okay as long as they had each other.

  Della got to the kitchen first. "What the hell is that?" she mouthed out.

  The moment Kylie saw what rested on the kitchen table she realized that forgetting her issues wasn't going to be that easy.

  "Crap," Kylie muttered. "Can someone please call Burnett and Holiday and tell them to get here ASAP!"