Chosen at Nightfall (A Shadow Falls Novel) (4 page)

Coming to a sudden halt, she grabbed the vampire by the elbow. “Is everyone okay? What … what happened?”

*   *   *

Five minutes later, Kylie sat at the dining room table and waited for her aunt to serve them iced tea before the conversation started. She just prayed it wouldn’t lead to more of what had happened out by the barn. The tension between Burnett and her grandfather was slowly building again. Kylie’s, however, had already hit its peak. Someone had better start talking or she was going to lose it. And by someone, she meant Burnett.

He’d postponed answering her question until they got somewhere to … talk. Which basically put Kylie on high alert that she’d been right. Something more than just Mario had happened. Someone wasn’t okay.

On the walk to the house she’d gone crazy imagining the worst. Now sitting here, cold pizza centering the table, she fought back a sense of nausea as different versions of the worst threw darts at her heart. She knew Derek and Lucas were okay. And yeah, she shouldn’t care about Lucas, but she still did.

Holiday had to be fine or Burnett wouldn’t have been able to function. He loved her too much not to have been a physical mess if something had happened to her. That left …

Her thoughts immediately went to her two closest friends—friends her grandfather had insisted she not speak with for a while. But because he’d relented on her conversations with Holiday, she had tried to accept it. Now … if something had happened to them … Oh, God! Without knowing the answer, tears stung Kylie’s eyes.

Kylie’s mind turned first to Della. The stubborn vamp was on a mission for the FRU. Had something gone bad? Was Della okay?

Kylie recalled telling Della she didn’t like her working for the FRU, but when Della came right out and asked her if she wanted her to decline helping them, Kylie hadn’t told her no. She had known how much Della had wanted to work for the agency.

But now … if something had happened to Della, Kylie would forever regret her answer.

Worry chewed Kylie’s patience down to a fine thread.

“Is it Della?” she finally bit out, as the glass of tea was set in front of her and her aunt left the room. “Did something happen to her?”

Burnett looked at her. “No, Della is fine … as far as I know. She is still on the mission.”

“Then who … what happened?”

Burnett cupped the cold glass in his palm, but didn’t sip from it. If it wasn’t blood, he seldom drank anything except the strong coffee she’d seen him consume on some mornings. “After Mario was reported having been seen in Fallen, there was an incident. We aren’t sure it’s connected.”

“Was anyone hurt?” The words stung as they left her lips, but somehow she knew with certainty someone hadn’t walked away unscathed.

He turned the glass in his hands twice before answering. “Helen was attacked.”

Kylie’s breath caught. Helen, a half fae, was the shyest, most docile person at Shadow Falls. Who in the hell would hurt her? The answer bounced back like an unwanted echo. Mario.

“Is she … okay?” The word
alive
lingered on her lips, but she feared saying it because, damn it, it would have hurt too much.

“Yes,” he answered. “She’s going to be fine. And we don’t even know if any of this is connected.”

“So it wasn’t this Mario, seeking Kylie,” her grandfather said.

She looked at her grandfather and then said the obvious. “Burnett wouldn’t be here if he didn’t suspect that.”

Burnett begrudgingly nodded. “We suspect it.” He glanced at Kylie. “But there is really no proof to substantiate it. She was attacked from behind. She can’t remember what happened.”

“How bad is she?” Kylie asked, praying Helen wouldn’t have scars—emotional or physical.

“She’s stronger than any of us thought.” He hesitated. “Her injuries were serious, but not life threatening. As you can imagine, Jonathon isn’t leaving her side. Her parents are there at the hospital and there have been some awkward moments. Apparently, Helen hasn’t told them of her newfound love.”

Kylie envisioned the tall, lanky, and pierced vampire holding Helen’s hand while her parents looked on. “I can also imagine that he’s beyond pissed and wants revenge.”

“I see you know Jonathon very well.” The slightest hint of a smile passed Burnett’s lips. But the smile didn’t linger. “We have guards at the hospital, just in case the attacker returns.”

“Should I go there?” Kylie asked.

“No,” Burnett and her grandfather said at the same time.

Burnett continued. “If it was Mario, this could have been his ploy to get you to go to the hospital.”

The thought that she and she alone was the reason Helen had been attacked sent an achy feeling crowding into her chest. Then anger crawled in and found its own spot in the tight space. She was so damned tired of people suffering at Mario’s hand because of her. But how could she stop it? That was the million-dollar question and one Kylie decided needed to be answered. And sooner rather than later.

Burnett sat up straighter and refocused on her grandfather. “It was after Helen’s attack that I got worried about Kylie’s safety. I figured if I could find you then I’m sure he can. I think Kylie would be safer back at the camp.”

“And I don’t agree,” her grandfather said.

“You don’t agree?” Burnett seethed out the question. “Mario has made it clear, he wants Kylie to either join his group of rogue chameleons or he plans to kill her. He’s threatened by her power as a protector.”

“Again, I know this,” her grandfather insisted. “You are not the only one who Kylie confides in. But if this attack on the other girl was to draw Kylie out, then it means he doesn’t know where she is.”

“But for how long?” Burnett asked. “Mario isn’t one to let up.”

“Perhaps, but if he’s already found his way into the camp to get to this girl, why would you have me believe that he couldn’t do it again to get to Kylie?”

“But—” Kylie spoke up, yet Burnett’s direct glance at her seemed to ask for her to let him deal with this. She clamped her mouth shut, although it irked her to do it.

“I see your concerns,” Burnett said. “However, the attack didn’t take place on camp grounds.” He gave the glass of tea another twirl in his hands and looked down at the amber-colored liquid as if debating whether to drink it. Then he raised his gaze. “Another factor to consider is that we have more bodies to help fight this rogue and his followers. And while I know the idea probably enrages you, I also have the FRU’s assistance. With the office in Fallen, near the camp, I can have a hundred trained people there in a matter of minutes.”

Her grandfather frowned. “You are right, it enrages me.” He paused and Kylie saw him grinding his teeth before he spoke again. “I must tell you that the only reason I sit at the table with you is because my granddaughter holds you in such high regard. In the absence of her real father and the situation of her home life, you have in many ways stepped into the role of a father figure for her.”

Burnett ran his finger over the condensation of his tea, almost as if uncomfortable at hearing how highly Kylie thought of him.

“I pray you deserve her respect.” Her grandfather breathed in again. “That said, your logic here confuses me. You claim to be keeping my granddaughter from the FRU and yet you would call them to assist in protecting her. How is this feasible?”

“I’m assisting in preventing them from testing her simply because I’m not sure the tests are one hundred percent without risks. I believe their eagerness to find answers might prevent them from completely considering Kylie’s best interest. But please don’t take this to mean that I think they are capable of doing what they did to others in the past. The FRU isn’t perfect, Mr. Summers, no organization is, or ever will be, but it’s not the same organization that it was back then.”

Silence filled the room. The tension hung thick in the air.

“Let me take Kylie back to Shadow Falls where I believe she is the safest,” Burnett continued. “I will have guards waiting and watching for Mario to make his move. When he does, we will be ready. We will catch him and put a stop to this once and for all.”

“And we can do the same,” her grandfather added, his tone tight again.

Burnett’s grimace deepened. “Look me in the eyes and tell me honestly that you believe you and your people are capable of handling this.”

Her grandfather laced his fingers together—tight—and set his gripped hands on the table. Then he stared at his hands as if weighing Burnett’s words.

When he raised his gaze, he met Kylie’s eyes, and then returned his frown to Burnett. “I do not agree with your plan, nor your assessment of my or my people’s ability to protect one of our own. Albeit I may be holding on to my prejudices of the past. Prejudices I am certain will be a part of me until I take my last breath.”

He cleared his throat and let go of a sigh. “However, if my granddaughter has told me anything since she’s been here, it’s that she is her own person. So while I hope she will listen to my counsel on this, I’m aware that the decision will be hers. I have lost too much family in this life and I care too much about her to push her away by trying to hold on too tight.”

Tears stung Kylie’s eyes again. She reached over and touched her grandfather’s hands. He turned his palm over and held her hand. His gaze found hers. “Stay here, Kylie. Stay and continue to learn who you are and where you belong.” His touch, so much like that of her father’s, sent warmth through her.

And a part of her wanted to give in. But at what cost?

Chapter Four

Before Kylie spoke, she saw in her grandfather’s expression that he already knew her decision. And she saw the pain she was causing him. She felt it, too. His pain.

“You won’t lose me. Where I live won’t change anything. I’ll always be your granddaughter. But I think Burnett has made some good points. I need to go back.” It was, she thought, the only choice she could make.

Shadow Falls was her home, but that was only half the reason for her decision. Deep down she knew that Burnett was right. As gifted as her grandfather and his compound of chameleons were, they had spent the majority of their lives avoiding confrontation, not preparing for it. They were no match for Mario and his murdering kind.

Problem was, Kylie wasn’t sure Shadow Falls could take on Mario, either. And if they did, how many more like Helen would be hurt, or worse, killed? It wasn’t as if it hadn’t happened before.

*   *   *

As she matched Burnett’s steps to the front gate, they remained quiet. Night was encroaching on them. Part of the western sky, with shades of pink, hinted at the sun’s departure. When they arrived at the gate, he looked at her. “I’ll call your grandfather to set up a time to pick you up tomorrow.”

Kylie nodded; she had insisted she have time to say good-bye to her grandfather. But now her heart didn’t want to see Burnett leave. They hadn’t really gotten to talk. That last fifteen minutes had been her grandfather asking how Burnett had found them. Burnett explained that it had been through the real estate office. When her grandfather had sold his house, Burnett was able to find out who had handled the sale, and through sales records he’d discovered another property her grandfather had owned.

Now with good-bye on her lips, she wasn’t ready. “Promise me that Helen’s really okay.”

“It is as I told you. She will heal.”

“And things with Della’s mission are going okay? She’s not in any danger?”

“My last communication with her confirmed everything is well.”

Kylie nodded. “And Holiday’s okay?”

“She’s worried. But she’s always worried about you guys. It’s her natural state of being.”

“But things between you two are … good?”

He smiled. “Yes. Very good.”

Burnett’s smiles were few, so she could guess how good it was.

“And Miranda?” Kylie asked.

“Lonely,” he said. “With both her roommates gone, she’s feeling rather out of sorts. She, as well as many others, will be happy to hear you are returning.”

“Right. With no one there with evolving patterns to check out, I guess it’s pretty boring.”

Burnett shrugged. “I think you would be amazed how many people have inquired about you. You aren’t nearly as unaccepted as you perceive, Kylie.”

“I miss everyone, too,” she admitted. “Can I hug you good-bye?”

He arched a brow in disapproval, and Kylie immediately knew why. Burnett wasn’t one to completely let someone off the hook.

“I didn’t think I warranted a good-bye hug,” he said, reminding Kylie that she hadn’t said good-bye to him when leaving the camp.

“I was wrong,” she said, accepting she deserved this comeuppance. “I just knew that you would argue with me. It would have made leaving even harder.”

“I would have argued. I would have insisted it was wrong,” he said. “And I would have been right.”

“Maybe not all right. I have learned some things. Plus, he’s my grandfather and she’s my great-aunt. My time here hasn’t been a complete mistake.”

“I understand your need to learn about yourself and I agree, there is a time to reunite with family, but not when your life is in danger.”

Kylie looked at him. “So one’s welfare is more important than … family. Like Holiday’s your family?” She knew she had him.

He didn’t even try to bullshit his way through that one. “I concede.”

“Wow, this is a rarity.” She smiled.

“Well, enjoy it,” Burnett said. “Then again, you knew my one weakness and used it against me.”

“Loving someone isn’t a weakness,” Kylie said. And then concern chased the levity of the moment away. “How certain are you that Mario did this to Helen?”

“Enough that I’m here,” he said. “And enough that I will have guards monitoring this place tonight. Mario has seen your power, Kylie. You threaten his existence.”

And yet, she felt powerless against him. She looked past the front gate and saw two figures. Two figures she recognized as Lucas and Derek. They stood a good fifty feet apart as if they weren’t even together. Or as if … they were stationed to … Were they going to serve as guards? The idea that Lucas might be the one watching out for her, when he’d been the one to hurt her so deeply, sent another wave of pain to her chest.