Chosen at Nightfall

Chapter Twenty-three

  Kylie concentrated on looking at her dad and tried not to focus on the scene happening behind him-the scene being a nonverbal argument between Holiday and Burnett. An argument that rivaled the old silent movies that included some very angry hand motions and some very unhappy and telling facial expressions.

  "Uh," Kylie said, a complete stalling tactic because face it, she didn't have a clue what to say.

  "Of course you should go spend some time with your dad," Holiday finally blurted out.

  Burnett's jaw clamped down so tight, Kylie would bet his teeth had just shortened a quarter of an inch.

  Holiday stood up. "However, Kylie has a test in her next class. How about you coming back in about an hour or an hour and a half and you two can go to lunch somewhere. I think Kylie was telling me the other day that there was a hamburger joint in downtown Fallen that she wanted to try. What was it, Burgers R Us?"

  Kylie nodded, clueless about the restaurant Holiday had mentioned.

  Burnett's expression lightened; either he was seeing reason, or he was on to Holiday's plan. Kylie just wished she was on to it, too, because she was clueless as to what was going on.

  Her father turned to Kylie. "I guess I could go take a drive and come back around eleven. It is pretty country out here. "

  "That would be good," Kylie said.

  "Okay," her stepdad said, and reached out and drew her in for one of his super heart-melting hugs. The warmth from his embrace seeped into her chest and it should have made her panic subside. And it probably would have if over her stepdad's shoulder she didn't see the sword falling point down from somewhere above. It hit with force and caused a sharp clank as it lodged itself, standing straight up in the middle of Holiday's desk.

  Kylie's heart lurched and she felt her father flinch at the noise. One thought ran amok in her head. How was she going to explain this to her stepdad?

  Burnett flew into action at vampire speed. He snatched the sword, knocked over Holiday's glass of tea, and then hid the weapon behind his back in one swift move.

  Only a fraction of a second later, her father pulled loose and swung around to check out the clatter.

  "What the fu . . . frack?" Jonathon muttered, and then blushed when he realized what he'd almost said.

  Burnett scowled at Jonathon. Holiday smiled and should have won an Oscar for her acting. "Dang it, I swear this is the second glass of tea I've knocked over today. "

  Her dad just looked back at Kylie, who hadn't breathed since the sword's miraculous appearance.

  "I guess I'll see you in an hour and a half. "

  She nodded and inhaled.

  "You're up for this?" he asked.

  She got another gulp of oxygen into her lungs and hopefully to her brain. "Are you going to walk me out?" he asked.

  Feeling a bit like a bobble head doll, she nodded again, then added a smile to it, hoping to appear more convincing.

  Her stepdad took one step and stopped and looked at her. "Are you okay? You look like you saw a ghost. "

  A ghost she could have handled, she thought.

  "I'm fine. " The two words came out squeaky. Unfortunately, she simply wasn't an awarding-winning actress like Holiday.

  * * *

  "I think it's doable," Kylie told her dad, and glanced up from the brochure of a guided hiking tour through the Grand Canyon-a trip he wanted to plan for them this summer. "It looks great. " It wasn't really a lie, but she'd bet Chris, the vampire sitting a table away from her and her dad at the restaurant, might have heard her heart say differently.

  She felt Lucas, sitting across from Chris, glance at her and her heart gave a little tug. Burnett had picked two people-two he thought her father was less likely to recognize-to play secret bodyguards during her lunch. When he'd told her he would have two people stationed at the restaurant, she hadn't considered he would pick Lucas. Little did Burnett know, Kylie half feared her stepdad would recognize Lucas as the kid who'd lived next door to them. The kid Kylie had accused of killing her cat.

  Thankfully, her stepdad hadn't given Lucas a second glance so far. Neither had he noticed the hawk following the car all the way into town. She'd bet her best bra that the hawk answered to the name of Perry.

  Kylie had taken the time before her dad's return to find Miranda and make sure she was okay. The little witch was still shook up. She'd made up with Perry, but had an appointment to have a sit-down serious talk with Holiday. No doubt there would be some consequences for her actions. While Miranda didn't look forward to the consequences, she accepted her wrongdoing.

  "I thought you would like it," her father said, drawing her attention back to the present. "It's sort of like the one we did in Taos, New Mexico. There'll be some kayaking, but nothing too dangerous. "

  Her dad's eyes lit up with excitement. Kylie felt bad not sharing his thrill. She'd pretty much spent the last forty-five minutes here, praying that sword wouldn't come and stab any of the restaurant's patrons.

  But now seeing her stepdad's eyes become worried, she tried harder to put on a good front.

  "Remember the baby deer we saw on that trip," Kylie offered. "And that camp leader that got skunked. "

  "Oh, yeah. " His grin widened. "We have had some great trips. "

  "I know. " She put her hand on top of his and he turned his over and gave hers a squeeze. She felt his love seep into her palm.

  "Do you know how much I miss you? I really wish you'd consider coming back and living with me. "

  She bit down on her lip, remembering how when he'd first left her mom, she'd thought that was all she wanted. Her life these three months had changed so much.

  Giving her dad's hand another squeeze, she said, "I really like Shadow Falls. But we'll have this trip in the summer. " God, she hoped Mario was dealt with by then and she wasn't lying. He nodded. "I get it. My baby girl is growing up. " Emotion filled his eyes and he looked around. And Kylie's heart clutched with fear he'd recognize Lucas.

  "Did you like your hamburger?" she blurted out, drawing his attention to her.

  "Loved it. You were right to suggest we come here. But you barely touched your food. " He waved at Kylie's plate with her hamburger and fries growing cold.

  "I had a big breakfast," Kylie lied. "But it was good. " Kylie glanced at her watch. It was almost one.

  Burnett had had her stall her father so they wouldn't be in as big of a lunch crowd. Her chest clutched a little when she realized that in less than an hour, she would face the Brightens, her real dad's adoptive parents. Oh, hell, she still didn't have an approach plan.

  She looked back at her stepdad. "You know, it's getting late. "

  "I know, you're gonna turn into a pumpkin if I don't get you back. " He signed the credit card bill that Kylie had already asked the waitress to bring.

  Suddenly the three Cokes she'd drank out of nervousness hit her bladder. "I'm going to run to the girls' room first before we head out. "

  "Go ahead, I need to make a call to work anyway. "

  When she started to the girls' room, Lucas frowned. Oh, please, Kylie thought, what was going to happen in the bathroom?

  Okay, a lot could happen. Mario could happen. But she had to pee.

  Chris and Lucas whispered across the table and then Chris got up and shot ahead of her toward the bathrooms. She hoped he knew he wasn't coming into the bathroom with her. With her shy bladder, she'd never get her job done.

  She found him waiting beside the men's bathroom door. As if he planned to just stand guard and listen.

  And just knowing he could hear her pee would probably making peeing impossible.

  "Do what you gotta do and get out," Chris said like some serious special agent.

  "I will. " Kylie pushed the door inside.

  The moment the door whooshed shut
, someone inside one of the stalls turned on some weird Cajun music. Each to her own, she thought, and went into the stall.

  She hadn't been in there a minute, was finally warming up to the crazy rhythm of the tune, when she heard a noise above. She looked up and saw a pair of hands gripping the top of her stall. Then a foot appeared as someone came climbing over.

  Crap.

  There couldn't be anything worse than getting caught midstream and in an above-the-toilet-seat squat when confronted by an intruder.

  She shot upright, prepared to face whatever was about to go down. Unfortunately, she hadn't managed to stop the flow completely.

  Immediately she realized she'd been wrong. There could be something worse. Being caught midstream, in a squat, with pee running down your leg, when you faced the almost-fiancee of the guy you still loved.

  "What are you doing here?" Kylie snapped, knowing that to show fear to a werewolf could be detrimental.

  "Isn't it obvious? I was curious?"

  "About my potty habits?" Kylie snapped. She smirked. "About you. "

  Not thinking the girl was going for her throat-and hey, if she did, Kylie didn't want to die with pee running down her leg-she snagged her few squares and wiped the urine running down her thigh.

  Panties up, jeans snapped, she faced Monique and decided to just get rid of her. "You should know any second now a vampire is gonna run in here. If I was you, I'd scoot. "

  Monique arched a brow. "So Lucas didn't teach you the secret trick of dealing with nosy vamps, huh?

  Just a little zydeco music and their super hearing goes to shit. "

  Kylie frowned. No, she didn't know that trick, and she was a bit miffed that Lucas hadn't enlightened her. But why would he? Keeping secrets from her was his specialty.

  "What is it you really want, Monique?" Kylie asked.

  Monique shrugged. "I told you. I'm curious. Do you know how many suitors have approached my father to marry me? And then . . . the lucky guy my father finally chooses to saddle me with for life doesn't even want me. "

  Kylie heard the resentment in Monique's voice. But oddly it sounded more about being forced into an arranged marriage than Lucas's unwillingness to go through with the engagement. Nor had Kylie missed the part about Lucas not wanting Monique. He'd told Kylie this, Fredericka had told her this, but something about hearing it from the other girl herself felt good. "So now you want to take it out on me, huh?"

  "No. " She tightened her brow and started checking out Kylie's pattern.

  Kylie turned her head and tried to change her pattern, but obviously she wasn't quick enough.

  "Wow, that is weird. What exactly are you?"

  "Just a mystery," Kylie said, and grew leery of standing in a stall with Monique-leery because this was what all chameleons feared, being noticed, bringing attention to their race. "Do you mind backing out?" Kylie asked.

  Monique shuffled back a few steps and unlatched the stall door by reaching back, never taking her eyes off Kylie. "Are you sure you don't have a brain tumor?"

  "That's probably it. " Kylie motioned for her to move back again.

  The girl took one step and then stopped. "But they say you're a protector, too. And at the ceremony, I'm told you had a were pattern. How could you. . . "

  Kylie squeezed past her to leave the stall and went to wash her hands. And as much as she didn't want to think about it, her mind re-created the kiss she'd seen Lucas give Monique.

  "Are you still mad at him?" Monique asked. "I'll bet you're furious. "

  Kylie gave the soap container an extra-hard pump. When she glanced up in the mirror at the were's reflection, Kylie was hit again by how pretty Monique was. Her eyes were dark brown with long dark lashes that matched her black hair. Her lips were pouty and plump like some famous actresses. Yup, she had a pretty face, matched by her picture-perfect curvy body.

  Scrubbing her hands together, Kylie said, "If you don't mind, I don't think this is something I want to discuss with you. "

  "If I were you, I'd be drilling me with questions. " She tilted her head to the side and studied Kylie's reflection as if trying to figure her out. "Since you're not curious, that means you believe him when he told you that we didn't fool around. Or at least you want to believe him," Monique said. "Don't you want toask me?"

  A sharp, painful ache struck Kylie's heart. "You already said he didn't want you. "

  "Maybe I meant he didn't want to get married, but you know guys, they always want other stuff. "

  Kylie ran her hands under the faucet and rinsed. Then she looked up at Monique's reflection again.

  "You were right the first time. I believe him. " And the words slipped out of her mouth and didn't trip her heartbeat up a bit. Even she was a little surprised.

  "Then why are you still mad at him? Clara says you hardly acknowledge him. That he's one sad puppy. "

  Kylie snatched some paper towels from the dispenser. "Let me repeat myself: I really don't care to discuss this with you. "

  Monique shook her head as if she was confused by Kylie's behavior. "It took guts to do what he did.

  To call off the engagement. To risk it all. " She tilted her head to the side and studied Kylie. "You do know what all he risked, don't you?"

  Kylie didn't answer. She closed her eyes for a second and wished she didn't have to hear this.

  "His own pack is considering banishing him," Monique continued. "If he can't get on that Council, he has lost everything. His father has practically denounced him. I've heard the forefathers have called a meeting to discuss his actions. My father is still debating putting a hit on him. "

  Kylie twisted and stared at Monique. "And you are going to let him?"

  "Let him? I've told him that I'm thrilled to be out of the union, but what I say holds no importance to my father. Like Lucas, I'm expected to follow the rules. Funny, it took him calling off our engagement before I kind of liked the guy. "

  Monique moved in a little closer. "Call me a romantic, but I think it's kind of sad that after he did that, you don't take him back. Not that you would have him for very long. A lone wolf's life expectancy is very short. You either belong to a pack, or you are considered free game for any hungry were on a hunt. "

  The bathroom door banged open. The lone wolf stormed into the bathroom looking prepared to kill.

  When his eyes lit on Monique, his killer instincts lessened, but his scowl tightened. "What the hell are you doing here?"

  Monique shrugged. "When a girl's gotta pee, she's gotta pee!" She moved past him without a bit of shame and walked out the door. "Have a good life, Lucas. "

  Lucas didn't even watch her leave. He stared at Kylie, his gaze almost a caress. "I'm sorry. She had no right to-"

  "She didn't do anything. " Kylie twisted the paper towels extra tight, ripped them in two, ripped them one more time, and then tossed them in the garbage. She swallowed the knot of pain down her throat.

  "You should go to her. Agree to go through with the engagement. "

  "What?" He stared at Kylie if she'd lost her mind.

  "You heard me!" she insisted.

  He shook his head. "You don't mean that. "

  "Yes, I do!" she said. And she did with all her heart. How could she stand by and watch him lose everything? Watch his own pack push him out, knowing it was because of her?

  "You're just angry with me. "

  "Yes! You're damn right I'm still angry at you. " Tears filled her eyes as honesty echoed in her voice.

  "You betrayed me. It hurts like hell knowing you left me all those times and went to see her. But do youwant to know who I'm angrier at? Myself. I knew for the longest time how this would end. I knew that me not being a were would end up destroying any chance we had. "

  "I don't care what you are!" he g
rowled.

  "You should. Because the price you'll have to pay is too much. " She saw the hurt flash in his eyes.

  "Even if you hadn't betrayed me, I wouldn't let you pay it. It's over, Lucas, accept that and don't screw up your life because of me. "

  Head held high, she walked out. Unfortunately, her heart felt like the towels she'd just trashed- mangled and twisted.

  * * *

  Kylie watched Perry-still a hawk-follow her dad's car as they returned to Shadow Falls. While her stepdad drove, he talked about the possible hiking trip. When he slowed down to turn into the Shadow Falls parking lot, Kylie noticed the silver Cadillac in front of them with its blinker on, also pulling into the parking lot. The car's tinted windows prevented her from seeing who drove, but she couldn't help wonder if it might be the Brightens-her real dad's adoptive parents.

  Kylie's stomach started to flutter. She still didn't know what to say, what not to say. Her heart kept echoing the pain she'd felt when talking to Lucas, but she needed to shift mental gears now. Unfortunately, she had too many issues to give herself over to just one.

  She glanced at her watch. It was twenty till two. It could actually be them if they were the type to be early.

  Glancing at her dad now talking about the camping gear they would need, she realized how awkward this would be if he had to meet the Brightens. It would probably lead to having to explain a whole hell of a lot of things that Kylie didn't know how to explain. And it would probably end up hurting her stepdad, something she didn't want to do.

  The silver car pulled in and parked in a visiting parking spot. Her dad pulled in and parked two spots down. Releasing her seat belt, before her dad even had a chance to turn the car off, she leaned over and gave him a kiss on the cheek.

  "Thanks for lunch. I'll see myself in. "

  "Not so fast, I have time to walk you in. I need to take advantage of every second with you. "