Awake at Dawn (42 page)

“Have you heard from Lucas?” she asked when the camp leader answered the phone.

“Yes,” Holiday said. “He’s fine. But … last I heard, the people responsible for taking you weren’t captured. Burnett is watching you, though.

Don’t worry.”

“I know,” Kylie said.

“Are you okay? I wish I could I touch you and calm you down.”

“I’m fine,” she lied.

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“If you close your eyes and imagine the falls, it will help push away the panic.”

“I will,” Kylie said, and this time she wasn’t lying.

* * *

Sunday morning, the ringing telephone woke Kylie at almost ten. She sat up, reached for the phone, and actually looked around, hoping she’d see the ghost. Hey … after over a month of seeing her first thing in the morning, she sort of missed her.

Pushing the talk button, she recalled her conversation with Holiday from last night. It had worked; imagining the falls had taken the edge off her panic.

“Hello,” Kylie answered.

“Are you okay?” Della and Miranda’s voices exploded at the same time over the line.

“I’m fine.” Kylie leaned back on the pillow. “How did you find out?”

“When you didn’t answer the damn phone all night, I called Holiday,” Della said.

“Spill it,” Miranda said.

Kylie gave them the short version and promised she’d tell them all the gory details later. Then she asked about their weekend. Miranda moaned and groaned about the event, but ended by telling them that she’d taken second in the competition.

“And the bitch Tabitha took fourth,” Miranda said with pride.

“How are you, Della?” Kylie asked.

“What does this tell you?” The sound of a toilet flushing filled the line.

“Gross,” Miranda said.

“I think my parents are shocked that I haven’t shown positive yet.” After a few more minutes of chatting, they said good-bye. Remembering the car, Kylie scrambled out of bed and looked out the window.

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Burnett had been true to his word. The car sat on the street outside the house, looking as good as new.

If only everything else in her life could be fixed as easily.

* * *

“You’re up,” her mom said as Kylie walked out of her bedroom a few minutes later. Her mom had a towel wrapped around her head and wore her bathrobe as through she’d just gotten out of the shower. “Give me a minute and I’ll fix us breakfast.”

Thirty minutes later, Kylie was having pancakes and eggs with her mom. They talked about a lot of things but mostly about Sara. Kylie’s mom told her that Sara’s mom had called to make sure Kylie had gotten home okay.

Her mom picked up her plate and carried it to the sink. “Sara’s mom said that Sara’s was feeling good today, too. She’s supposed to go to the doctor tomorrow to talk about her options. I sure hope it works out.” Kylie stood and helped clear the table.

“
She doesn’t need options,”
a voice whispered behind Kylie.
“You did
it.”
The temperature in the room dropped a good twenty degrees.

“I swear that air-conditioner has been acting up for a month now.” Her mom shivered and went to check the thermostat. Kylie wondered if her mom’s AC was really out, or if it had been Daniel causing the cold.

Kylie turned and saw the ghost. She looked healthy and young. Beautiful. Kylie suspected that Sara would look just like her when she hit her thirties.

“Thank you. I knew you could do it.”

“You don’t have to thank me. She’s my friend.”

“Did you say something?” Her mom stood in the kitchen doorway.

The ghost smiled and faded.

“Yeah,” Kylie said. “I said we need to talk about school.” Kylie went and gave her mom a big hug. Her shoulder hardly hurt now. When she 355/375

pulled back she just spouted out the words before she lost her nerve. “I know it’s hard for you. I know you love me. But I need this right now. I really need this.”

He mom touched Kylie’s face. Then tears filled her mom’s eyes.

She breathed in.

Then out.

“Baby, I’m sorry. But I just can’t let you go.” Chapter Thirty-five

Kylie’s heart squeezed. The room went cold again. Daniel appeared. He smiled. “Remind her…” he said, but before he could finish, he disappeared. Somehow Kylie knew what he’d meant.

“Mom,” she said. “Remember how you told me that when you met Daniel, you just knew he was right for you?” Her mom looked shocked that Kylie had brought up Daniel. “Yes, but—”

“This school is my Daniel, Mom. I know it’s right for me. I know it in my heart. Please, don’t take that away from me. Don’t take this away from me, like Daniel was taken away from you.”

* * *

“Don’t I even get to walk you inside?” her mom asked, after she pulled to a stop in the parking lot outside the gates at Shadow Falls later that afternoon.

“It’s not visitation day,” Kylie said, and barely glanced back at the new spirit who’d hitched a ride with them as they passed the cemetery in Fallen. The dark-haired woman, wearing a pink fuzzy housecoat, appeared to be in her late twenties. She also looked completely confused and kept staring at Kylie and asking where she was. Kylie had tried talking to her in her mind, but the woman didn’t hear. Plus, Kylie’s mom had bitched the entire way about how the car’s air-conditioner must be broken, too.

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Scooting over, Kylie gave her mom a big hug. “Thank you,” she said.

Her mom had reluctantly agreed to sign the papers for Kylie to go to school that fall at Shadow Falls.

Sighing, her mom pulled back and rested her hand against Kylie’s cheek. “I still don’t like it.”

“I know.”

“Remember the condition,” her mom said.

Kylie hadn’t meant to argue, but the words slipped out. “I don’t get it.

You won’t forgive him. You don’t even want to see him, but you expect me to call him twice a week.”

“He’s your father,” her mom said.

“Daniel’s my father.”

Her mom winced. “Yes, but Tom loved you like his own.”

“I know. And I plan on forgiving him, but … it still hurts. And when he tried to use me to get to you, well…”

“I know,” her mom said. “He was wrong. He’s not perfect. Neither am I. I’m sorry I caused a scene when he showed up.” Kylie looked into her eyes. “Do you still love him?”

“I don’t know. When it stops hurting so bad, I might figure it out.” They hugged again and a few minutes later Kylie watched her mom pull away. The ghost had decided to stick with Kylie and now stood beside her. She opened her housecoat and looked down at a big gaping hole in her abdomen. Why the heck couldn’t Kylie get haunted by a ghost who died peacefully in her sleep?

“What happened to me?”
the ghost asked.

“I don’t know.” Kylie watched the spirit fade. But Kylie had a feeling she’d be back. And she’d expect Kylie to help her figure everything out, too. That in itself frustrated Kylie to no end. How could she figure out the ghost’s problems when she couldn’t figure out her own? She checked her phone to see if the PI had returned her call she’d made to him right after 358/375

she’d collected her phone from her car this morning. He’d left a text and said he had news, but didn’t even hint at what the news might be.

When Kylie got to the gate, the feeling of being home made her heart race. This really was where she belonged. Holiday and Burnett were waiting for her as soon as she walked inside.

Holiday gave her a big, soulful hug. Burnett took her bag and motioned for her to follow him.

As they passed the dining hall, Kylie saw that several campers had also arrived early. Holiday had called Kylie and asked her to come back an hour early to talk. They walked into the office cabin and Kylie was stunned when Lucas stood right on the other side of the door.

His blue eyes met hers. “The shoulder okay?” Kylie got a feeling he wanted to touch her, but he waited for her to make the first move. As tempting as it was to wrap her arms around him, it didn’t feel a hundred percent right. Last night it had felt as natural as breathing, but now she wasn’t so sure. “Only a little sore. Thanks.”

“If you ever hit her again, accident or not, I’m going to come after you with a pitchfork,” Holiday said. From the tightness in her eyes, Kylie knew the camp leader meant it, too.

“It wasn’t his fault.” Kylie stepped closer to Lucas and obviously he took that as the sign he’d wanted earlier. He moved his hand ever so slightly and touched her wrist. A simple touch, but it sent sweet warmth through her.

“Yes, it was.” Lucas met her eyes. Guilt rang in his voice. “I have to learn to think before I swing.” He looked at Burnett and Kylie got a feeling Holiday wasn’t the only one who’d given Lucas a talking-to.

Slowly, Lucas’s hand slipped into hers and gave her palm a light squeeze. Ambivalence bounced around Kylie’s stomach. She wasn’t sure she was ready to give herself to the possibilities of where that touch could lead them, but neither was she willing to pull away. He’d risked his own 359/375

life to save her. Remembering she should focus on something other than Lucas, she looked at Burnett. “Any luck on finding them?”

“No.” His eyes brightened with anger.

“But we will,” Burnett and Lucas said at the same time.

“The others in the Vampire Council have been told about what happened. I imagine there will be consequences.” In a few minutes, Lucas was asked to leave and then Burnett and Holiday took Kylie into Holiday’s office. Burnett made Kylie go over everything three or four times. While it felt about as easy as eating rocks, she didn’t complain about his drilling. Holiday’s eyes filled with pride when Kylie told them about healing Lucas and possibly also Sara.

Finally, the question that had been brewing in her mind came out.

“The thing I don’t understand is why I couldn’t use the strength to save myself.”

Holiday gasped as if she’d come to a sudden realization. “You’re a protector. I should have guessed after the incident with Selynn. When we were at the lake, you only gained strength when you thought your mother was in danger. It also explains why your real father, Daniel, wasn’t able to save himself the day he died.”

“Does that … tell you what I am? What he was?”

“I’m afraid not, but…” Holiday’s gaze went to Burnett who looked equally surprised and amazed. “Being a protector is very rare and only is bestowed on the extremely gifted.”

“Really gifted,” Burnett said, and he sounded a little awed. “I’ve only met one other protector in my life.”

A protector?
Kylie didn’t know what all it meant. “So, I have other gifts beside the ones I have now?”

“Probably.” Holiday smiled. “I knew you were special, Kylie. I knew it from the moment I saw you.”

“Could one of these gifts perhaps be the gift of figuring out what the hell I am!” Frustration colored her voice.

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After a minute of being told the same thing:
It would eventually happen. She needed to be patient, make it her quest … bla … bla … bla …

Burnett went back to asking questions. “Did Mario say who these friends were that he wanted you to meet?”

“Mario?” Kylie asked.

“Mario Esparza is the old vampire’s name.” She closed her eyes, not sure if she liked knowing his name. “No.” Kylie shivered, imagining the kind of friends he probably kept. “What do you think he meant about the similarities he said we had? Do you think he believes I’m somehow like him? Could he be a protector or…”

“I don’t know what he meant,” Burnett said. “But I don’t think he’s a protector.”

“You’re not like him, Kylie,” Holiday insisted. “He wasn’t born at midnight.”

“So he’s evil?” Kylie asked.

Burnett looked at Holiday as if he wasn’t sure what he should say.

Holiday nodded as if giving the okay.

“Yes, he’s evil. He’s been a thorn in the FRU’s side for years. We tried to get him thrown out of the Council, but we never had enough proof.” Kylie took a deep breath. “Do you think he’ll come for me again?” Again, Burnett glanced at Holiday before continuing. “I wish I could tell you that I thought it was over. He doesn’t like to lose, but you have my personal guarantee he won’t win this one. I will stop him, no matter what it takes.”

Holiday reached for Kylie’s hand and squeezed. “We need to wrap this up,” she told Burnett. “I think most of the campers are in the dining room.”

He didn’t look happy. “Okay, but I may want to ask you some questions later.”

Kylie nodded. They all stood. Burnett started out.

“Burnett?” Holiday said, her tone filled with uncertainty.

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He turned around and for a second his expression was one of a puppy who sought affection and acceptance.

Kylie watched Holiday pull a piece of paper from her desk drawer.

“You might want to take this. Read it over carefully before you sign.”

“What is it?” he asked.

Holiday hesitated. “It’s the paperwork. I thought you wanted to be an investor in Shadow Falls.”

He glanced down at the paper and then back at Holiday. “So, you couldn’t find any other investors?”

Her right eyebrow arched. “I suppose the school isn’t considered the best of investments.”

Kylie had to bite back a smile when she recognized Holiday’s method of avoiding a lie for the purpose of hiding a different truth. She didn’t want Burnett to know she’d had other offers, and Kylie knew why, too. To admit that she chose him over the others was admitting she didn’t want to lose him.

“I will insist on having more of a say in how things are run around here,” Burnett warned.

“And I’m sure I’ll fight you on most of it,” Holiday countered.

A slight smile whispered across his lips. “Fair enough.” Holiday nodded. “Most of my conditions are listed.” Burnett went to Holiday’s desk and signed the paper.

“Don’t you think you should have read it first?” Holiday asked.

“Let’s just say that I look forward to fighting with you.” He handed her the paper and walked out, leaving a sweet kind of tension in his place.

Kylie waited until she was sure Burnett was out of super-hearing earshot. “I know you had another investor lined up.” Holiday rolled her eyes. “And you know not to say anything about it, too, right?”