Chosen at Nightfall (A Shadow Falls Novel) (31 page)

She actually considered it. “I don’t think so.”

“Tell me about your ghost,” he said.

She told him about the spirit. About the head and the sword.

“Shit, that would be freaky,” Derek said. “They have to be connected somehow. She’s got a sword and then a sword shows up.” He paused. “I know that Lucas is going to bring those books from his grandmother’s but I’m still going to do some research on the Internet. Maybe I’ll find something.”

“Thanks,” she said, and then glanced at him. “For everything, too.”

“Everything?” he asked.

“I don’t deserve your friendship.”

“Oh yes you do.” They walked a few minutes in silence. The sound of their footfalls on the rocky path joined in the melody of nature. A few bird calls, insects buzzing.

“You want to know something?” he said.

“What?” she asked.

“You did the right thing … with us. I needed you to tell me that. As crazy as it sounds, I actually feel better.”

“Are you just trying to make sure I don’t feel guilty?” she asked.

“No. I’m serious. This is right.”

She looked at him and sensed he was being completely honest. “We’ll be okay, won’t we?” she asked.

“Yeah, I think we will. But I’m also serious about being your friend.”

“Me too,” she said.

They walked a little way in silence again.

“What are your other quests?” he asked.

She didn’t want to explain everything about coming out of the closet to Derek, so she explained the other half. “I want to help the other chameleon teens. The elders keep them secluded from everything. It’s no way to grow up.”

“Like that girl Jenny?” he asked. “She seemed … pretty normal.”

“Yeah, like her, and she’s normal, she’s just … very secluded from the world.” She told him about them not having cell phones or friends outside the compound.

“That’s sad. Jenny seemed … nice.”

“Yeah, she is,” Kylie said, and remembered seeing Jenny clinging to Derek’s back as he ran around in circles trying to buck her off. Kylie almost smiled.

“I know what you’re thinking about,” he said.

“It was funny,” she admitted.

“It was not. I could have hurt her.”

“You wouldn’t have,” Kylie said.

“Not on purpose, but she lunged at me from nowhere. I had no idea it was a hot chick latched on to me.”

“So.” Kylie pointed a finger at him. “You thought she was hot. I knew you did. I saw the way you two looked at each other there.”

He shrugged. “I didn’t look at her any way.”

“Yes, you did. You were checking her out. And she was checking you out.”

He arched a brow. “Was she really?”

Kylie laughed. “Yes, she was.”

“Then I’ll have to look her up, I seem to have a thing for chameleon chicks.”

“Good luck with that,” Kylie said. “I hear her kind can be difficult.”

“That’s true,” he said, and chuckled. They walked a few feet in silence.

“How bad is it really for them, for the teen chameleons?” Derek asked.

“They basically aren’t allowed to go in public until they can change their patterns. And that doesn’t happen until like their late teens or twenties.”

“You can change yours.”

“Yeah, I’m different for some reason.” She frowned. “It seems to be the story of my life.”

“That does suck for them,” Derek said. “Why don’t you see about bringing them here? I’ll bet Holiday would allow it.”

“Believe it or not, I’ve given it some thought, but it’s not going to be that easy.” First Kylie had to figure out how to get the chameleons to come out of the closet.

“Well, if I can help, you know I will.”

“I’ll remember that.”

When they got to the cabin Della was already there. So was Miranda. They sat at the kitchen table, sodas in their hands and troubled expressions on their faces.

“Good, you’re here,” Miranda said as if they’d been waiting for her to hold some important roundtable, Diet Coke discussion. Then both her roommates looked at Derek as if it was a party and he wasn’t invited.

Derek looked at Kylie and half chuckled. “The last time I saw that look from girls, there was a handwritten note on my neighbor’s tree house that read ‘No boys allowed.’ I’ll see you. And if I get anything from my computer research, I’ll let you know.”

Kylie watched him leave. Then she turned to Miranda and Della and tossed out her own roundtable, Diet Coke issue to discuss. “Why couldn’t my heart have picked him? Life would have been so much easier.”

“Because hearts are ornery, sneaky little bastards, designed to cause misery. They want what they want, and they don’t give a damn about what would make life easier or harder for the heart’s owner,” Della snapped. “It sucks big toads!” she screeched, and hit the table so hard, Kylie wouldn’t be surprised if it had cracked. “I say we get drunk on chocolate again. Do you think you could score another bottle of chocolate syrup from Holiday?”

Kylie looked at Miranda with the unspoken question:
What the hell is going on?

Miranda shrugged and obviously read Kylie’s silent inquiry, because she answered it. “Steve’s been calling her about twice an hour and she won’t even answer the phone.”

Chapter Twenty-nine

The next day after school, Kylie still sported a chocolate hangover. Yes, they did exist. She was living, breathing, nauseous proof. Holiday, claiming they all three deserved to drown their sorrows in cocoa, had not only come through with the chocolate syrup, she’d had Burnett buy them a gallon of chocolate ice cream and a pack of Oreos.

Of course, more than half the Oreos were gone by the time Burnett and Holiday dropped them off, and Holiday still had crumbs on her chin. “I’m eating for two,” she said, excusing herself.

Della had stuck with just her Bloody Chocolate Marys, but Kylie and Miranda had gorged on everything. Kylie wouldn’t be surprised if she never touched the stuff again. She couldn’t deny that the chocolate had managed to temporarily soothe all their issues. Soothe, not solve.

Della had bitched about Steve not accepting it was over. Miranda had whimpered about having to apologize to Nikki. Kylie had almost gone into a serious whine about how all guys were no-good cheats. But no sooner than the words were about to leave her lips did she recall what Derek had said about her dumping all her past anger on Lucas. Again seeing truth to the statement, she bypassed that rant and talked about being pissed she was a holy warrior.

Of course, after bringing up the warrior issue she had to go into the whole thing of what happened with the sword, making them vow not to repeat it. Miranda, of course, thought the whole holy warrior thing was cool, and Della was jealous. Kylie was still pissed and downed another bowl of ice cream to help deal with it all. Ahh, but before the night was over, they were laughing themselves silly over all things stupid. Among the topics they discussed were sex, boys, and what was more appealing on those boys, briefs or boxers.

Boxers won.

“Okay, so maybe chocolate and blood don’t go so well together,” Della said, looking pretty gloomy this afternoon as well. It was Kylie who should be in the worst mood. She was about to meet Lucas to have her first sword fighting lesson. By the lake, too.

Why had he chosen that spot to practice?

Oh, damn, she knew why—because that was sort of their make-out spot. But what she didn’t know was if he thought there was a chance in hell that they’d be making out today. If he did, he had another think coming. She’d come here to fight, not French-kiss!

She spotted Lucas waiting, leaning casually against a tree. She hadn’t seen him since yesterday in the office, but for some reason it felt like a long time ago. He had missed school. When Ms. Cane asked about his absence, Fredericka popped up and said he’d had to go pick up something from his grandmother. Kylie figured it was the books Burnett had wanted.

Moving closer, her gaze continued to shift toward him. He stood there appearing as natural and rugged as the woods behind him. For some reason, he came off more were than human, and she surmised it was getting close to the full moon. About two weeks before a full moon she started noticing he would appear more masculine. The closer she got to where Lucas stood, the more she realized just how hard this was going to be.

His jet black hair needed a trim and flipped up in places. Those tiny almost-curls stirred in the breeze and made her want to run her fingers through them. He wore jeans that were just tight enough to showcase a lower body of a man, not a boy. The aqua blue T-shirt fit snug across his wide shoulders and defined the shape of his chest beneath the thin cotton. The hem of his short sleeves landed perfectly to draw attention to the muscles in his arms. And the color of his shirt just made his blue eyes look a tad untamable. He looked like he’d just walked off some magazine ad selling some super-masculine product.

He pushed off the tree and started walking toward her and Della, but she felt him moving right at her as if she and she alone was his destination. Not that he hurried; his gait was slow, but confident. Her stomach fluttered and she could feel her hands start to sweat.

Della leaned her head down and whispered, “You do know a were can smell your pheromones, don’t you?”

Friggin’ great, she thought, but then realized that while she couldn’t control being attracted to him, it didn’t mean she had to act on those feelings.

“If it makes you feel any better, you’re not the only one polluting the air right now.”

Kylie hadn’t purposely dressed to draw his attention. Had she?

The pink scooped-neck tee didn’t give more than a hint of cleavage. Sure it fit snug enough, but most of her clothes did since she’d grown a cup size. The color was feminine, but could she help it that she liked pink? Her shorts were cutoff jeans, nothing too short, her shoes just plain white tennis shoes worn over pink socks that matched her shirt. And the only makeup she wore was mascara and lip gloss.

Lucas stopped in front of her. Crazy, how he smelled like the outdoors; fresh, earthy with a hint of mint.

“I’m here.” She tried to appear unaffected by his presence.

“Good,” he said, and there was a softness to his tone.

Their gazes met and held a second. Her heart picked up speed.

Della waved her hand at Kylie as if to say she was feeling like a third wheel. “Did you want me to stay?”

Kylie’s yes and Lucas’s no chimed out at the same time.

“Sorry,” Lucas said, not sounding so sorry as he looked at Della. “But I need Kylie’s full attention to teach her, and you would just distract her.”

“Right,” Della said in a tone of complete disbelief.

Lucas frowned at the vamp.

“Okay,” Della said. “I’ll just mosey along.” She focused on Kylie. “Call me when you’re ready to go and I’ll come back when you’re finished.”

“I’ll walk her to the cabin,” Lucas said.

“I’ll call you when I’m done,” Kylie said.

Della took off, leaving them alone. Kylie looked at the water for a second and tried to find the strength to get through the next hour.

*   *   *

Neither of them spoke for several minutes. She continued to stare at the water and she could feel him staring at her. The butterflies playing bumper cars in her stomach revved their engines and went into high gear. Taking a deep breath, telling herself she was being silly, she faced him. “Where do we start?”

“Let me get the supplies out.” He went back to the tree where a big cloth bag rested beside the trunk. He pulled out a towel from the bag and then shook it out on the ground. Reaching into the bag again, he pulled out a sword. She recognized it immediately as the one stalking her. Something close to a shiver spiraled up her spine. But not fear, something else. Like some crazy form of recognition.

Lucas rested it on the towel. Just the way he carried the weapon spoke of respect, reverence. She hadn’t even realized he knew how to use a sword. Perhaps the topic of fighting and such just didn’t come up in their conversations.

Kylie moved closer and watched as he pulled out a second sword, a little different, but similar. The size and shape seemed almost the same and it had the same look of antiquity.

Did another one just magically appear? “Where did that one come from?” she asked.

He glanced up. “This one’s mine. When I got the books for Burnett I also brought my sword.”

“Where did you get a sword?” Kylie asked.

“It’s a family heirloom. It’s been in my family for a long, long time. My grandfather actually gave it to me before he died.”

She noticed again that the swords sort of looked the same. “Were they crusaders or holy warriors?’

He grinned up at her—one of his sexy bad-boy smiles. And damn if her toes didn’t curl inside her tennis shoes at that smile. She remembered feeling that smile against her lips. Tasting it. Loving it.

“Actually, they were Vikings. I’m told that they were the Robin Hoods of their kind, not the murdering pirates, but I wouldn’t swear on it.”

She brushed her sweaty palms on her back pockets. “Has Burnett had a chance to look at the books yet? Did he learn anything useful?”

He reached back in the bag and pulled out two wooden swords. “I saw him right after lunch and he said he was still making his way through them.”

“Have you read the books?” Kylie asked.

“Yeah. When my grandfather was giving me lessons, I devoured them. I used to pretend to be a holy warrior.” His smile brightened. “Saving damsels in distress.”

She could see him playing that role. She remembered when they were kids and he’d caught the rock that the bullies had thrown at her. At six, she’d considered him a hero.

At sixteen, she considered him a heartbreaker.

“Okay,” he said. “Here’s my plan. First I’m going to teach you how to hold the sword, and then to do some very simple defensive moves. Then we’ll actually spar for a while.”

He picked up her sword and moved behind her. She immediately swung around.

“Turn around, I want to guide you on how to hold it.”

“Why can’t you just show me?”

He frowned. “This is how my grandfather taught me. Please, turn around.”

She frowned right back at him, but she swung around. Then she held her breath and waited for his touch. Waited to feel his body against hers.