Chosen at Nightfall (A Shadow Falls Novel) (11 page)

Kylie bit down on her lip, and wouldn’t you know that’s when the tears started flowing. Big, fat, and fast tears. She sniffled and wiped her cheeks with the back of hand. Her breath caught in her chest. But damn it. Why couldn’t this have happened when she was alone?

“Those tears do not affect me, young lady!” He pointed a finger at her. While she couldn’t hear his heart beat to the rhythm of a lie, she heard it in his voice. They did affect him. Not enough to stop him from him being mad, but enough that his voice tightened with emotion.

And knowing she’d disappointed him added another layer of pain to her chest. Just what she needed … more pain.

She hugged herself and tried to stop crying. But the tears kept coming. He didn’t say anything. Just paced, back and forth in front of her.

Back and forth.

Back and forth.

Staring at her with complete discontent and disappointment the whole time. She started to move back to her cabin, and he growled. Just a growl. No words, but enough inflection to know he didn’t want her moving. Obviously, her punishment was to stand here and accept the fact that she’d let him down.

In the back of her mind she wondered if this was how Lucas had felt.

She swallowed another trembling breath. “I just…”

“Did I say you could talk?” he asked. He did three more pacing laps, as if working off steam, before he looked at her again. “Where were you going?”

When she just looked at him, he bit out, “Answer me.”

“You said I couldn’t talk.” She wiped at her cheeks again.

“Where were you going, Kylie?”

Dear God, she didn’t know what to say. She couldn’t tell him the truth. She’d made a promise to her grandfather never to give up Hayden Yates.

Yup, she was really up shit creek and not a paddle in sight.

“Were you going to see Lucas?” Burnett asked.

She started to nod, but felt her heart race at just the thought of a lie.

“So it wasn’t Lucas,” he seethed, obviously hearing her heart and knowing her temptation to spout out untruths.

He stepped closer and his dark eyes studied her. Studied her too closely. Up close, she saw again the disappointment in his eyes, and the knot in her throat rose again.

She tried to think of what to say, something to help this, something that wouldn’t give anything away. Something that wouldn’t be a lie. “I just—”

“Don’t talk to me if you’re going to lie.”

Okay, so her heart wasn’t going to even let her white-lie her way out of this one.

“I want the truth,” he said. “Were you going to meet your grandfather?”

“No,” Kylie said with honesty, and with it came an enormous amount of relief.

He studied her closer. His eyes tightened. “Okay, I’m going to ask you a direct question and I want a yes or no answer. Don’t you try to talk around the truth, because I’ll know.” He paused for effect, or maybe just to collect his thoughts. “Were you going to see Hayden Yates?”

Kylie’s mind raced. What did Burnett know? When her grandfather had told her that Burnett believed Hayden’s lie that Kylie had simply tricked the teacher into thinking she had permission to leave, she hadn’t believed that Hayden had fooled Burnett.

He knew something. But just how much, and what he knew, remained unknown.

“Okay, your silence pretty much answers it for me. Come on.” He motioned for her to start walking.

“Where to?” she asked, afraid of what he was going to say.

“You wanted to see Hayden, so let’s go see him. And then you two are going to tell me what the hell is going on, or somebody’s ass is grass! And I’ll be smoking it!”

Chapter Ten

Kylie had heard the term “walking the green mile” when convicts walked to their execution, and the trek to Hayden’s cabin sort of felt like her green mile. Burnett didn’t speak. She barely heard him breathe. And yet his rock-hard posture moving beside her told her of his impatience. Her loyalty to her grandfather and Burnett had her heart torn in a game of tug-of-war.

“Can we go talk to Holiday first?” Kylie asked, knowing that maybe Holiday could calm Burnett down and make him understand.

“No.” Burnett’s one word came out coarse. “I’m going to get the truth.”

But at what price, Kylie thought. Would Hayden realize that Kylie hadn’t just turned him over? She hoped so. But would her grandfather understand her breaking her promise to him?

She didn’t think so.

Like the man moving so brusquely beside her, her grandfather was not so forgiving.

As they came to the bend near Hayden’s cabin, Kylie desperately searched for a way out. “Do we have to wake him up? Can’t we just—”

“He’s already awake,” Burnett said with sternness. “He’s tossing and turning in bed worrying about something. Was he expecting you this morning? Are you already late?”

“No,” she muttered.

They kept moving and got all the way up the cabin’s porch steps and suddenly Kylie realized something. Anger stirred her gut, and she grabbed Burnett by the elbow. “That’s right, you can hear everything!”

“And your point?” he asked, obviously noting her new disposition. And yes, being angry gave her guilt over being caught hiding secrets a slight reprieve.

“Earlier, when you dropped me off at my cabin, you knew Lucas was there, didn’t you? You knew he was waiting to talk to me!”

Guilt whispered across Burnett’s brow. “He pleaded with me to give him ten minutes.”

“And you gave it to him. You thought that was your choice to make,” Kylie accused.

Burnett frowned, but the guilt didn’t completely fade from his eyes. “If I remember correctly, you put your two cents in Holiday’s and my romantic affairs.”

“Neither one of you ran off and got engaged to someone else!”

He didn’t flinch, but in his expression she saw her argument hit his conscience. “Everyone deserves their chance to explain themselves,” he offered, but his tone lacked complete conviction.

“There’s no explanation for what he did,” she bit back.

Burnett inhaled and pinched the bridge of his nose. “Okay, I concede I might have been wrong allowing him that privilege. And I will forego any such actions in the future. And now maybe you and Hayden can make amends by explaining what you two are keeping from me!” He arched a brow at Kylie, raised his fist, and banged on Hayden’s door so hard it shook the hinges.

Once he’d taken his mood out on the door, Burnett cut his eyes to her again. She saw his mind churning, searching for answers. It was the first time she got the feeling that Burnett didn’t know as much as she feared he might.

“Be forewarned,” the vamp said, “if I learn that there’s anything romantic happening here, I’m sending him packing … less a few body parts.”

Kylie’s mouth dropped open. “Romantic? Oh, please, he’s old. He’s as old as you.”

Burnett’s brow creased. “Which is my point.” His frown deepened. “Not that I’m
that
old.”

*   *   *

Hayden opened the door and his gaze zipped from Burnett to Kylie.

Burnett growled. Then the vamp stepped across the threshold as if he ran the joint. Which he did.

Hayden wasn’t happy about Burnett’s grand entrance, but he didn’t attempt to stop him. He backed up, allowing Burnett to come all the way inside.

Kylie swallowed, not sure how this was going to play out. Burnett was going to be furious, and as soon as her grandfather learned Burnett was on to Hayden, he would be furious.

“Okay, let’s get one thing straight,” Burnett said, getting things started. “No one is leaving this room until I have answers. And I don’t care if I have to use force to get them.” He stared directly at Hayden. “And since I don’t hit girls, I’d suggest you start explaining.”

Hayden tilted his head up. “Explaining what?” he asked, not showing the least bit of intimidation.

Kylie had to admire Hayden for it, too. She loved Burnett and knew he wasn’t unfair or unjust, but she still had a quiver in the pit of her stomach. The man had intimidation down to an art. And one he excelled at.

“What’s the tie between you two?” Burnett asked.

“Tie?” Hayden asked.

“At first Kylie was certain that you were the one behind the dead girls, and then suddenly you are her ally. You lied when you told me she asked to be let out at the cemetery.”

“I did let her off at the cemetery.”

“Then you lied about her coming to you. I know Kylie, and she wouldn’t have just gone to you for help without a reason, without a connection of some sort.”

“I’m her teacher,” Hayden answered. “I thought helping a student in difficult situations was a plus around here.”

“And I thought you were smart enough to know when to come clean!” Burnett’s eyes glittered with specks of angry green. “The only reason I haven’t already kicked your ass out of here is that I want answers first. So start talking!”

Kylie, afraid this might get out of hand, moved between the two men. “Can Hayden and I have a moment of privacy?”

Burnett’s expression hardened.

“Please,” Kylie said. “I … I think it will help get to the bottom of this.”

Burnett’s jaw tightened to the point it looked about ready to crack.

“And when you come back, I’ll have answers for you.”

His frown tightened. “I’ll be right outside the door.”

“But you can still hear—”

“That’s all I’m giving you!” he demanded.

She suddenly realized that was enough—for she and Hayden could go invisible and their chat wouldn’t be overheard by intruding vampire ears. She nodded and watched the angry vamp step out. As soon as the door closed, she pressed a finger over her lips and then grabbed Hayden’s hand and took him into the invisible realm with her.

“You can already do this?” Hayden’s voice echoed but he remained unseen.

“Yes.” Kylie held on to his hand, so she’d know where he was.

“That’s amazing, Kylie. Do you realize how far advanced you are? When did you—”

“Sorry, but we don’t have time to talk about that right now. What are we going to tell Burnett? I think we should come clean.”

“He’ll insist I leave,” Hayden said. “And you’ll lose my protection.”

“First, I don’t need protecting from anyone here. But I don’t want you to go, I want to have someone I can go to if I have questions. Second, I’m not sure Burnett will make you leave. But if we don’t tell him, he’s for sure going to send you packing. Our best chance of you getting to stay is telling him the truth.”

“I see your point,” Hayden said. “But…”

“I didn’t tell him, you know. He doesn’t even know you’re a chameleon. He just—”

“I know,” Hayden said. “He’s been suspicious of me since before you even left.”

“That’s my fault. I—”

“I know,” Hayden said.

The sound of the front door slamming brought Hayden’s words to a halt. Burnett stormed back into the room, his eyes glittering with fury.

“That man is impossible,” Hayden said.

“God damn it!” Burnett’s words rang out. “Kylie! Where are you!”

“I’m going to talk to him,” Kylie said to Hayden. “You stay invisible.” She released his hand and willed herself to be seen.

Burnett’s scowl landed on her immediately. “Where is he?” he bit out.

“He’s here. We’re still talking. In private, like I asked.”

“You can make others invisible?”

She nodded.
Not that I had to make Hayden invisible—him being chameleon—but Burnett doesn't know that.

“This is foolish. I want answers!”

“And you’ll have them if you allow me this time!” she demanded, not backing down. “I’m asking you to trust me as you have asked me to do so many times in the past.”

He growled and turned his gaze to the ceiling as if pleading for patience. Kylie willed herself invisible again.

“I’m right here,” Hayden’s voice came beside her. “So exactly what all do you want to tell him?”

“Everything,” Kylie said to an empty spot, but she trusted he was there. “That you were sent here by my grandfather and that you’re a chameleon. And that you want to stay on here.” She paused. “And it wouldn’t hurt to add how impressed you are with this place. If we can get him to see you as our ally then maybe…”

“Maybe what?” Hayden asked.

“I don’t know if it’s possible, but I was thinking that a lot of the younger chameleons like Jenny could benefit from Shadow Falls.”

“I’ve entertained that thought myself,” Hayden said. “But the elders wouldn’t—”

“Okay, time’s up!” Burnett snapped, and started moving around the room. “Get your asses back here now.”

“One more minute,” Kylie insisted. “We’re almost done.”

“He can’t hear you,” Hayden said.

“Oh, yeah.” She paused, questions for Hayden racing through her mind, but Burnett was about to flip. And a flipping Burnett wasn’t easy to deal with.

“Are you ready?” Kylie asked. “I have so much more to talk to you about, but for now … I think we should deal with this. Wait!” Kylie snapped. When she didn’t hear him, she called for him. “Hayden?”

“Yes?” he asked.

“Do you think my grandfather was in on the plan to kidnap me and keep me from Shadow Falls?”

“No. I don’t think he was. He’s been very worried about you—even called six times until you arrived.”

Relief fluttered through her. “Will you tell him I’m sorry for … not saying good-bye?”

“I will.”

“Kylie!” Burnett growled.

Taking a deep breath, she willed herself visible again. Hayden appeared at her side.

Burnett didn’t look impressed. He came at Hayden and grabbed him by his shirtfront. “Disappear again and I’ll see that you disappear permanently.”

“Calm down.” Kylie moved beside Burnett. “Hayden isn’t the enemy. It’s because of him that we were able to find Holiday when Warren had her. He’s actually the reason I was able to escape tonight.” Kylie saw Hayden look at her as if surprised she knew this piece of the puzzle.

Burnett released Hayden and then studied his forehead. “You are a chameleon?”

Hayden’s body posture stiffened. “You say that as if it’s an insult.”

Burnett’s shoulders grew tighter. “I say that as if you’ve been lying to me.”

Hayden brushed off his wrinkled shirtfront. “I came here to make sure Kylie wasn’t being sold out to the FRU by someone who has a problem throwing around his authority.”