Awake at Dawn (20 page)

She grabbed her brush, phone, and purse and headed out. Right before she shut the door, she looked back at Lucas’s letter on her bed.

“No time now,” she muttered, and shut the door and left, but as she took off in a run down the trail she could almost hear Holiday:
“Avoidance isn’t a very good coping method.”
Yeah, yeah, yeah, Kylie thought. One thing at a time.

* * *

Kylie and Della, both checking out some tops on a nearby rack, walked back to the dressing room area. “Yeah, we’re here,” Kylie answered.

They were two hours into their shopping spree, and were having a great day so far. The only negative blemish had been seeing the sidewalk where she’d watched her dad and his slutty intern getting it on.

Miranda stepped out of the dressing room modeling a pair of jeans.

“Okay, tell the truth. Do these make my butt look good?”

“Turn around,” Kylie said.

“Did you say good or big?” Della asked, and grinned.

164/375

Kylie would admit the few downtown Fallen stores didn’t offer the same experience that shopping at her mall back home did, but it hadn’t stopped them from having a blast. Kylie would even admit the town had a certain quaint charm about it. Obviously, she had really needed some time away from the camp.

“Is that a slam because I don’t have much of an ass?” Miranda looked over her shoulder as if to see her butt.

“They look great,” Kylie interjected.

“Hey,” Della said. “Considering I’m lacking in one department,” she glanced down at her chest, “I don’t pick on body parts. Unless they’re really bloody and then—”

“Shh,” Kylie said, realizing a couple of other teens were lurking nearby.

Della, not appreciating being hushed, frowned. The frown added to the overall intimidating don’t-screw-with-me air she carried on her shoulders all day. Not that the air was intended for her and Miranda.

Nope. Rumor had it that the homegrown teens, as well as some of the campers in the area, had it out for all the Shadow Falls teens. Kylie hadn’t experienced it the few times she’d come into town, but Holiday had mentioned it at their last camp meeting, so Kylie knew the stories had merit.

“Shh, why?” Della asked.

Kylie cut her eyes to the two girls. Della’s frown deepened to a full-blown scowl.

Kylie wondered if Della hadn’t picked her all-black outfit on purpose, as if dressing like trouble would keep trouble away. In truth, Kylie wasn’t sure the outfit didn’t do more harm than good, but arguing with Della was useless, so Kylie hadn’t said a thing.

One of the girls started moving closer, and Kylie sent up a quick prayer that this wasn’t going to spoil their day.

165/375

“Hi, my name’s Amber Logan,” the cute redhead said, looking at Kylie.

“Are you new in town or here with one of the … camps?” The way she said
camps
led Kylie to believe this wasn’t going to end well.

“A camp.” Kylie put a bit of extra nice into her voice, hoping to ward off any trouble.

“Which one?” the tall blonde standing behind Amber asked, and she cut Della a cold look.

Nope, this wasn’t going to end well.

“Shadow Falls,” Della answered with attitude, and her dark eyes grew a little golden. Kylie just hoped the girls didn’t notice

“Boners,” the blonde whispered to Amber.

“What did you say?” asked Della, her shoulders coming back as she took a defensive step forward.

Blondie grinned. “The camp used to be named Bone Creek Camp. So they call you guys … boners. It’s not personal.”

“It feels personal,” Della growled.

Both Amber and Blondie took a step back.

Kylie saw Miranda stick out her little pinky as if ready to cast a spell.

Kylie shot her a warning glance, but it wasn’t Miranda who Kylie worried about.

“Nice to meet you,” Kylie told the girls, and latched a hand on Della’s elbow, hoping the touch would help her see reason. She couldn’t go vampire badass on these girls. She couldn’t even threaten to kill them without stirring up a whole big pot of trouble.

“’Bye,” Kylie added, and motioned for them to leave with her free hand.

Amber shot Della another calculating look. From the spark of fear in her eyes, Kylie figured the girl wasn’t all that stupid. She turned around, nudged her blond friend, and the two went their own way.

“You better tuck your tails and run,” Della muttered, pulling away from Kylie.

166/375

“I could have given them the worse case of pimples you’ve ever seen,” Miranda snapped.

“Oh, I could have done much worse,” Della snarled.

“But you didn’t.” Kylie latched a hand around each girl’s arm, just in case they changed their minds. “You both showed an amazing amount of restraint. I’m very proud of you.”

Della shot Kylie a huge frown. “Don’t you ever just lose it? I mean, don’t you ever just wanna rip somebody’s heart out and beat them over the head with it?”

“I get mad, yes,” Kylie said, and grinned. “Don’t know if I’ve ever wanted to bludgeon someone to death with their own heart, but I have my moments.”

“Yeah, what do you do when you’re really pissed? Frown at someone?” Della chuckled.

“Yeah,” Miranda piped in. “But have you seen her frown? It’s very effective.”

They all laughed.

An hour later, after shoe shopping and trying on a few more pairs of jeans, they moved to the lingerie section. Because she’d already spent close to a hundred dollars, Kylie headed to the clearance rack. They all dropped their packages and browsed through the array of underwear.

“Do either of you wear thongs?” Miranda held up a red stringy pair of panties.

“Not me,” Kylie said. “I like regular bikini.”

“Personally for me, wearing a thong is like flossing your ass,” Della said, and all three of them burst out laughing.

After the giggles subsided, they went back to checking out bras.

A store attendant walked up. “Would you like me to measure you to make sure what size you are?” she asked Kylie.

Kylie looked up at the store clerk and back at the four bras she held in her hands. “Uhh, no … thank you. I think I can figure it out.” 167/375

“Okay, but it’s very important you get the right size.” Kylie nodded. “I will.”

“It will only take a minute,” the attendant said, a tad more insistent that time.

“I know … but I’m fine. Thank you,” Kylie added.

The woman’s expression said Kylie was making a mistake, but she walked off.

“Ugg, no way would I let a stranger handle my girls,” Miranda whispered. “These are virgin girls.” She giggled.

“I think the ol’ biddy just wanted to see your boobs.” Della growled at the clerk’s back.

Kylie elbowed Della and tried not to snicker. “She was just doing her job.”

“Duh, she was like eyeing your boobs like they were candy, and I’m standing here holding a bra and she didn’t even ask to measure me!”

“I think there might be a reason for that.” Miranda snickered again.

“Bitch!” Della said it with a smile.

Relief swept through Kylie when she saw Della’s smile. The last thing Kylie wanted now was for Miranda and Della to start smacking each other around verbally.

Della cupped her A-cup boobs. “At least these puppies aren’t virgin.

And believe me, Lee didn’t complain.”

Miranda laughed. “I’m surprised you didn’t tell me that I didn’t have an ass.”

“I’m saving that insult for next time,” Della said.

“I’m going to try on these.” Kylie studied the bras she held. “Can you hold these?” Kylie handed Miranda her bags containing two pairs of jeans and two pairs of shoes.

“Here, try this one on, too.” Della held a bra out.

“I don’t like black bras,” Kylie said.

“Yeah, but I’ll bet Derek does.” She grinned and wiggled her brows.

168/375

Kylie rolled her eyes. But she snatched the bra from Della and headed off to the dressing room. Behind her, she heard Della and Miranda laughing.

Trying on bras reminded Kylie of the Goldilocks fairy tale. One felt a bit too big. One was a bit too lacy, and one, the black one, was a bit too …

sexy.

Now to decide which ones to take home. Kylie glanced down at the pile of bras and had just slipped the strap of her old bra up onto her shoulder, when she heard:

“I like the black one best.”

The deep male voice that came from behind her had her heart leaping into her throat. Her eyes shot to the mirror.

Before she saw his face, she saw the blood.

He stood right behind her. Big splotches of red color stained his shirt.

Even his auburn-colored hair was soaked in it.

His eyes flashed a vivid red color. He shot her an evil smile and his elongated canines showed at the edges of his mouth. Recognition hit—Blood Brothers.

Kylie opened her mouth to scream, but neither air nor words came out.

Panic gripped her throat and blocked off all oxygen and verbal communication. She swung around, not certain if it was to fight or to run.

He wasn’t there. Her gaze shot back to the mirror as if only his reflection had been real. He wasn’t there, either.

Her gaze shot to the open door to the dressing room. It had been closed. He’d really been here.

She slammed the door. Sucked a bit of oxygen into her lungs. Tried to scream again, but stopped when the dressing room door swung open and whacked against the wall.

Every muscle in her body clenched.
Fight
. The one-word command echoed inside her. Then Della appeared behind the door that now hung half off the hinges.

“Was someone here?” Della asked. Her eyes shined bright amber. Her canines appeared sharp and threatening under her raised upper lip.

Still unable to speak, Kylie nodded.

Della careened forward when Miranda rammed into her back.

“What happened?” Miranda peered over Della’s shoulder. “Why did you take off like that?”

Tears stung Kylie’s eyes. She sometimes cried when she was scared, and she had been scared—mortified, actually—but these weren’t frightened tears. These were tears of anger. No, make that fury. Fury from feeling violated.
I like the black one best.

170/375

His words rang in her ears. How long had that slimeball been watching her try on bras?

“Is someone here?” Miranda asked. “Ghost? Non-ghost?”

“Vampire,” Della snapped at Miranda, and looked back at Kylie. “You okay?”

Kylie nodded again. “Is he gone?”

“For now.” Della snatched up Kylie’s purse and bras and handed them to Miranda. “Go pay for these while she gets dressed.” Miranda took off. Della looked back at Kylie. “You really okay?”

“I think I’m mad enough to rip out someone’s heart and beat him with it.” She bit down on her lip to keep from crying. “How long was he here playing Peeping Tom?”

“Just seconds.” Della’s color grew paler. “It wasn’t Chan, was it? I mean, it didn’t smell like him, but … all I could mostly smell was blood.”

“No.” Kylie grabbed her shirt and yanked it over her head. Her mind flashed the image of the blood dripping from the guy’s hair.

“So you did see him?” Della asked.

Kylie poked her head through her T-shirt and met Della’s eyes. “It was … it was that creep that we fought at the wildlife park. The one who grabbed me.”

Della lifted her nose in the air. “Oh, shit!”

“Is he coming back?”

“Somebody is.” She grabbed Kylie by the arm and hurried her out.

When they walked out of the dressing room, Miranda was taking the package from the woman at the checkout counter. Della motioned her to follow and she did without questioning. Obviously, Miranda could see panic in both of their eyes.

“What’s going on?” Miranda asked.

“We have to get back to camp,” Della said.

“Is he here again?”

“Let’s just go,” Della snapped.

171/375

The moment they stepped out of the door, a black SUV came to a screeching stop in front of the store. Della growled and then pushed Kylie and Miranda behind her.

The window lowered and Burnett stared out. His own eyes were a fierce golden color. “Get in.”

“What about the car we drove?” Kylie asked, though she didn’t know how she could even think, let alone drive responsibly with the panic still bouncing around her gut.

“Get in!” Burnett’s tone demanded obedience.

And they complied.

* * *

Burnett didn’t answer. He focused on driving. The SUV took off before Kylie realized someone was sitting in the front seat with him. It was a dark-haired woman around Burnett’s age. She looked familiar and Kylie realized she’d been among the crowd of FRU the night of the fight at the wildlife park.

“Toss them the scrubs,” Burnett told the woman.

Three plastic bags with what looked like a pair of hospital scrubs tucked inside each were thrown in the backseat. “What are these for?” Kylie asked.

“Take your clothes off,” Burnett ordered. “Put all your clothes back in the bag. Shoes, socks, underwear. Everything. Then put the scrubs on.”

“Do … what?” Kylie asked.

“You heard me,” he snapped.

“Why?” Kylie and Della asked the same question.

“Do it,” the woman ordered.

Della and Miranda started to undress, but Kylie grabbed their hands and stopped them.

172/375

“No. We’re not taking our clothes off until you explain why. And it better be a damn good reason because I don’t take my clothes off just because someone tells me to. Just ask my ex-boyfriend!” The woman turned in her seat and glared. Her eyebrows twitched as if trying to get a reading on Kylie. Too bad it wouldn’t work.

Not that the woman gave up immediately. She continued to stare. Her amber-colored eyes grew a bit brighter, and somehow Kylie suspected that she was werewolf. Pissed-off werewolf. “Do it,” the woman insisted.

“No.” Amazingly, Kylie didn’t feel intimidated. She glared right back.

She even did her own twitching and tried to see the woman’s brain pattern. It didn’t work, but the were didn’t know that.