Whispers at Moonrise (7 page)

“I hadn’t thought about that,” Burnett said. “That could be it.”

“But what about the whole chameleon thing?” Kylie asked.

“I don’t know,” Holiday said. “I’m just saying it could explain your pattern issues.”

Kylie’s mind ran around everything that was said. The more she thought about it, the less sense any of it made. “I want to read those files.”

“I’m sure by now the few files I was able to pull up have already been hidden.”

“They killed my grandmother and got away with it, and now they’re trying to do the same to me.”

“The people who did that were either let go or have retired.” His frown deepened. “I know that’s how it looks and I agree you should decline testing, but I don’t believe they would intentionally jeopardize your life.”

“We don’t know that.” The firmness in Holiday’s tone reminded Kylie of her mom’s voice in maternal mode.

“Which is exactly why I’ve done what I have,” he said. “Why I’m basically going against my oath to the FRU. I’m on your side. What else can I do to prove that?”

“Please,” Kylie said. “I don’t want you two arguing because of me.”

“You don’t have to prove anything.” Holiday blushed with guilt. “I’m sorry. I just get so furious on Kylie’s behalf.”

“I know. I feel it, too.” Burnett glanced at Kylie. “And we weren’t arguing.” He turned and focused on Holiday for a second. “This time we really were just discussing. Right?”

“Right.” The slightest of grins appeared on Holiday’s lips when she met his gaze.

Kylie grinned, too, even as emotion filled her chest. She was so lucky to have these people on her side. But her smile only lingered a second. “What will their next move be?”

Burnett exhaled. “Chances are they still may attempt to change your mind. Convince you that it’s for a greater good. That’s what I thought the plan was when I left.”

“And is that when I tell them I know about my grandmother? Threaten to expose them if they don’t back off?” Kylie asked.

Burnett had taken it upon himself to move Kylie’s grandmother’s body just in case someone in the FRU decided to hide the evidence of what had happened. In his own words, this would give Kylie some leverage to use against the FRU if they tried to force her to do something she didn’t want to do.

“I would just say no, and then if they push, bring up your grandmother’s remains.” His expression tightened and concern flickered in his eyes. The same emotion reflected in Holiday’s gaze.

“What will happen if they find out you were behind the moving of her body?” Kylie asked.

“They won’t find out. I covered my tracks,” he said adamantly. Maybe too adamantly, as if saying it with conviction would make it so.

“They’ll suspect you because you work here. Because you’re close to me,” Kylie said.

“They might, but they’ll have to prove it. And I haven’t left any proof for them to uncover.”

Kylie hoped that was the case. She glanced at Holiday again and remembered the ghost.

Holiday reached over and put her hand on Kylie’s. “Is something else wrong?”

“No. Just this.”

“You sure?”

“Do I need more?” Kylie’s gaze shifted to the window. She could see the dusk sky going black, but she could still make out the tops of trees swaying ever so slowly.

Her gaze shot back to Holiday and she suddenly felt the need to come clean. “I feel as if I’m being called to something.” She motioned to the window. “Something’s out there calling me. But I’m not sure what.”

Holiday looked confused. “Like being called to the falls?”

“Yeah,” Kylie said. Only it felt a lot bigger than that.

“Then let’s make a plan to go.” Holiday leaned forward. “Do you think tomorrow’s soon enough?”

Kylie started to clarify that she wasn’t sure it was the falls calling her, but she didn’t know how to explain it. So she just nodded.

“I’ll go with you,” Burnett said.

“Inside the falls?” Holiday looked back at Burnett.

“If you think I should, I will.”

“The thought of going to the falls doesn’t bother you?”

He shrugged. “I’ve been there before.”

Holiday looked at Kylie and then back at him. “I know. And I find that baffling. Most supernaturals can’t seem to force themselves to enter.”

A small grin tightened the corners of his eyes. “Like I’ve been telling you, I’m special.”

Holiday sighed. “But the falls—”

“Are not a problem.” He cut her off and focused on Kylie. “Why don’t I walk you back to your cabin? Della’s on shadow duty. I told her I’d see you back.” Burnett’s diversion of subject appeared to be a deliberate ploy to avoid talking about the falls. What was Burnett hiding? The same question seemed to brighten Holiday’s eyes as well.

“She missed dinner,” Holiday said.

“All I want is a sandwich and we’ve got that at the cabin.”

Holiday gave Kylie a long hug with warm calming emotion.

The effects from the hug lingered until she and Burnett started down the dark trail and he asked, “Would you like to explain why you lied to Holiday?”

Chapter Seven

“I didn’t lie.” As soon as those words were out Kylie recalled she’d indeed lied when Holiday asked if there was something else wrong. Damn, she should have remembered that Burnett could hear her heart racing if she lied.

She continued walking. He glanced down with one brow arched in disbelief. “Try again.”

Kylie frowned. “It’s a ghost issue. I’m just trying to figure it out myself.” No way in hell could she tell Burnett about the ghost looking like Holiday. Burnett would freak. Then again, maybe he wouldn’t. Maybe he wasn’t so afraid of ghosts as he pretended to be.

“What is it that you’re hiding from her about the falls?” she asked.

His arched brow lowered. “I’m not hiding anything.”

“You can go into the falls when the others can’t.”

“It baffles me as well,” he said. “Though I don’t exactly feel comfortable there.”

“You didn’t feel called to go there?”

He hesitated. “Maybe a little.” They walked in silence for the next four or five steps.

“Why didn’t you tell Holiday?” Kylie asked.

He cut her a sly look. “Maybe I’m trying to figure it out for myself.” He used the same words she’d used on him.

“Okay.” She rolled her eyes.

In a few minutes, he spoke again. “I thought you could talk to Holiday about the ghost issues.”

“I can. But I’d like to handle it on my own if I can.” It was the truth, so she didn’t worry about what he’d hear beneath her words.

He nodded. As they neared the cabin, Kylie remembered she’d wanted to visit with Lucas. “Can Lucas take over shadowing me for a while this evening? I need to speak to him about something.”

Burnett seemed to consider it. For a second, it appeared as if he might refuse. “Okay, but don’t go into the woods.”

His answer had her wondering. “Is the alarm working?”

“Yes, but in certain weather conditions, someone might be able to get into the forest without being picked up.”

She nodded.

“Have you seen anyone?” he asked.

“No.”

He stopped. “Are you sure?”

“I’m sure,” she said. “Sometimes I just … the woods scare me a little.”

“Then listen to your fears and avoid them.”

“That’s my plan.” Kylie looked at the line of trees and the dark shadows beyond them. She didn’t feel anything. Maybe what she’d felt earlier was just her overactive imagination.

Kylie spotted her cabin nestled in the trees. The lights were on and a golden hue spilled out the windows. She saw Della’s shadow pass in front of the window and remembered …

“What did you have a meeting about with Della earlier?”

“Just FRU business.” He sounded purposely vague.

“Is something wrong?” she asked.

He shook his head. “No.”

“Are you having her do something for the FRU?”

“It’s possible. Why?”

Kylie frowned. “Considering the FRU is causing me such a headache, I’m not thrilled about you getting my friends involved with them.”

He stopped, dropped his hand into his jeans pockets, and shook his head as if in frustration. “The FRU is an organization meant to help the supernatural people, just like the police help humans. There have been dirty cops and even groups of cops that have done bad things, but we don’t stop trusting the force as a whole.”

“I might if they killed my grandmother,” she said honestly.

His expression tightened. “I don’t agree with everything the FRU does, but without the FRU, the world would be in chaos. The races would all be against each other, killing and maiming each other. The human race would be viewed as a food source.”

Kylie shivered at his description.

“If you can’t trust the FRU, at least trust me on this,” he said. “The good the FRU does far outweighs the bad.”

“I’ll try to see it like that.” But she didn’t promise anything. She couldn’t.

*   *   *

“You could have just called him,” Della said, moving down the dark path toward Lucas’s cabin about an hour after Kylie had returned. Kylie got the feeling that Della was a little annoyed that Kylie wanted to spend the evening with Lucas instead of hanging out with her. Especially when Miranda had run off with Perry. But Kylie’s guilt over walking away from Lucas earlier made seeing him feel imperative.

“I kind of wanted to be the one to take the initiative.” Kylie noticed the moon, a bright silvery white, a little over half full, hanging overhead. It was a pretty night. The temperature had dropped to the low eighties, making it almost comfortable.

“Why? What did you do wrong?”

“I got mad and walked off earlier.”

“Was that why he was so sappy-eyed when he came by while you were asleep?” she asked.

“I guess.” Kylie gave the line of trees a good long stare and felt nothing, which felt really good. Then she looked back at Della. “What did Burnett want to talk to you about today?”

“Nothing really.”

Kylie looked at her. “You know, when you’re friends with someone for a while, you don’t have to hear their heartbeat to know they’re lying.”

Della made a face. “Yeah, but I thought that would be more polite than telling you to bug off.”

Kylie frowned. “Are you going to do something for the FRU?”

“How did you know?”

“They already had Lucas and Derek do stuff. It just seemed logical. Not that I like it.” She remembered Burnett saying the FRU wasn’t all bad, and tried to give herself an attitude adjustment, but she couldn’t completely let herself trust them.

“I think it would be kind of cool to work for them,” Della said. “It would give me a reason to kick some asses every now and then.”

“Do you trust them?” Kylie asked.

“I trust Burnett,” Della said, and studied Kylie. “Don’t you?”

“Of course I do.” She hadn’t told Miranda or Della about Burnett moving her grandmother’s body. It just seemed like something that she shouldn’t tell anyone. “They went to my mom to see about testing me.”

“Oh, shit, I remember Miranda saying that your mom was here, but I forgot about it. What did your mom say? God, did they tell her you were supernatural? I’ll bet it totally freaked her out.”

“No, they told her they were worried because I had headaches and passed out and they advised her to have me tested. Holiday explained it was just the night terrors and advised against it.”

“Oh, hell. What did Burnett say?”

“He’s not for me getting tested either.”

“Good,” Della said. “I mean, I wouldn’t want anyone probing around my head. Not after hearing what happened to your grandma.” Della stopped and looked at Kylie. “Do you not want me to work for them because of this?”

Kylie got the feeling that Della would really give up her chance to work for the FRU because of Kylie’s opinion—even when it was clear that Della was excited about the possibility. Her appreciation for Della’s devotion swelled in her chest.

“No,” Kylie said. “But … I do want you to be careful.”

“I’ll be careful.” Della rubbed her hands together. “I’m glad you figured it out. I’ve been dying to tell someone. It’ll be so cool.”

They got to Lucas’s cabin. The lights were on. Kylie knocked on the door while Della hung back by the porch steps. Steve, the shape-shifter who had a crush on Della, came to the door. With everything happening, Kylie had forgotten he roomed with Lucas. And so had Della, Kylie realized, when she heard the vamp draw in a quick breath.

“Hey,” Steve said.

“Is Lucas here?” Kylie asked.

His gaze shifted behind Kylie and his expression changed. Kylie knew he’d spotted Della. “Uh … yeah. I mean, no. He left a few minutes ago with Fredericka.”

“Oh.” Kylie tried not to let it show that the news bothered her as she turned to leave.

Steve called after her, “He’ll probably be back shortly.”

She turned back. “Do you mind if we wait for a while?”

“No.” His eyes lit up as he looked at Della. “Come in if you want.”

Della cleared her throat in a sound that said hell no.

“Can we just sit out on the porch?” Kylie asked. “It’s a nice night.”

“Yeah.” He stepped out. His brown hair hung across his brow. Even in the dark, Kylie could make out that his eyes were dark brown, and they were filled with interest as they cut toward Della.

When Kylie turned around, Della didn’t look too happy, but she sauntered forward. “We shouldn’t wait long.” She plopped down on the steps.

“Just a bit.” Kylie lowered herself beside the unhappy Della. Steve sat down on the side of the porch. No one said a word.

“I heard some of the new teachers were at dinner tonight.” Kylie tossed out the conversation starter, hoping not to slip into angst over Lucas traipsing through the woods with Fredericka.

“Yeah,” Steve said. “The English teacher, Ava Kane, seems nice. She’s half-witch and half-shape-shifter.”

“Why don’t you just admit that you like her because she has big tits?” Della said.

Even in the dark, Kylie could see Steve’s face redden. “I … won’t deny she’s pretty, but that’s not what I meant.”

Kylie shifted her foot and kicked Della.

“Ouch!” Della glared at Kylie. “Why did you do that?”

“When are classes supposed to start?” Kylie asked, and no one answered—Steve probably because he was afraid to get in trouble again and Della because she was too busy rubbing her kicked ankle.