[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
did. They sat at the kitchen table waiting. Kylie turned a Diet Coke
around in her hands. Miranda didn t even move.
She didn t do this, Kylie kept saying. How can they think it s
possible?
Miranda groaned as if tired of Kylie s litany. This isn t the same world
you used to live in. Shit happens here. Bad shit. Teenage girls die. Cats
get turned into skunks. Werewolves come into your cabin and try to
kill
you. And when a vampire turns for the first time, they can & do things
that they wouldn t do in their right minds.
546/679
You think she did it! Kylie accused.
I don t know, Miranda said. But if she did, it wasn t her fault and I
won t stop loving her. And damn it, Kylie, you shouldn t, either. She
thinks you walk on water. If you turn your back on her, it ll kill her.
Tears filled Kylie eyes at even the suggestion that Della could ve done
something so terrible. But deep down she knew, even if it was true, she
wouldn t turn her back on her friend.
Ten minutes later Della, eyes red, walked into the cabin and dropped
into a chair. The bite marks weren t mine. None of the fingerprints,
either.
286/375
A smile spread across Kylie s face and her heart. I told you.
Tears slipped from Della s dark eyes and rolled down her pale cheeks.
They think Chan did it.
Miranda looked from Della to Kylie. Who s Chan?
My cousin, Della told her, no longer caring about keeping the secret.
He helped me through my change. He didn t have to do it. But he
did.
547/679
Oh, Miranda said.
Now they want to me to find out if he did it, Della went on. To go
undercover and get the proof of his guilt. She hiccupped. But he was
there for me when no one else was, and now I have to
Just tell them no, Kylie said.
You don t tell the FRU no. Della took in a deep breath. Besides &
they showed me the pictures. Sorrow filled Della s dark s eyes. There
was a baby. It was awful. If he did do this, he has to be stopped before
he
does it to someone else. I don t think I could live with myself if I let
that
happen.
* * *
That night Kylie attended a mandatory camp meeting because
somebody
had tampered with the security alarm again. According to Burnett, the
alarm was being shut off what he didn t know was if it was by
someone
on the inside or outside, but he was determined to find out.
548/679
Kylie wondered if her feeling of being watched coincided with the
security
alarm being turned off. Because now that the alarm was guarded,
she didn t feel a thing, except safer.
After the meeting, she had headed back to the cabin alone and had
taken the first step up onto her porch when a noise startled her.
So much for feeling safe. Her heart pounded and she turned. Her
thoughts shot to Fredericka.
How long do you think you can avoid talking to me? Lucas leapt up
on her porch.
287/375
Kylie shifted a bit closer to the light fixture above the front door,
where insects buzzed, and looked at her watch.
Obviously only about twelve hours, she said, noting it was nine
o clock on the dot. Today when she d seen him in the office, she d been
too concerned about Della to worry about her Lucas issues with the
dreams. But not tonight. She stepped out of the light, hoping he
wouldn t
549/679
see embarrassment color her cheeks.
So you admit you ve been avoiding me? Humor laced his deep voice.
Humor she didn t appreciate. She met his eyes before looking away.
I d deny it, but you wouldn t believe me. Besides, avoiding things
that
make me uncomfortable is my specialty.
Instantly, she recalled confessing to Holiday about how confronting
her dad had made her feel better. Was it too much to hope that
confronting
Lucas would have the same effect?
One more peek at her cabin door and she knew she had to do this.
Face him and get it over with.
So, if you re not going to deny it, dare I hope you ll explain the reason
you re doing it?
She raised her gaze again and while she wanted more than anything to
believe he didn t know about the dreams, she couldn t believe it.
Obviously,
she was much better at avoidance than denial.
Reasons, she said.
550/679
What? He stepped closer and his scent, woodsy and rich, invaded
her air.
I have more than one reason.
Okay. He caught the end of a strand of her blond hair and rubbed it
between his fingertips. Tell me the reasons.
She pulled her hair from his hand and took a step back. Tell you? And
take all the fun out of your trying to figure it out yourself? She had
meant for the words to sound curt, but she must have missed her mark
because he chuckled.
288/375
She frowned.
His humor faded. Okay, my first guess is that you re beginning to
realize at least some of your gifts. Dreamscaping, for example?
She flushed but didn t look away this time. Now that I understand it,
it won t be a problem. She prayed she was right. Holiday had said
Kylie
would get more control over it, hadn t she? Surely that meant she
could
551/679
shut it down. God, she hoped it was true.
He studied her. That s a shame. His tone came out flirty again.
She glanced back at the door. She d said what she needed to, hadn t
she?
When she reached for the doorknob, he caught her arm. His touch
wasn t rough, not even a little bit. It was tender and that gave her more
pause. She d had a hell of a day and could still recall how he d seemed
genuinely concerned for her in the office.
Give me a few more minutes. Please.
She continued to stare at the door, so aware that he didn t drop his
hand from her arm. So aware that his touch sent feel-good tingles
down
her arm.
So what are the other reasons? he asked. When she didn t answer,
he continued. Why are you so angry with me, Kylie? And don t deny
it. I
might not be able to feel your emotions like & some people & but I see
it
in your eyes.
552/679
Kylie didn t question who he meant by some people. He must have
heard about her and Derek. Good, she thought. But then, whatever
he d
heard was history. Derek had ended it.
His hold on her arm tightened slightly. Tell me what you re upset
about so we can get past it.
One word sat on the tip of her tongue. Fredericka. But admitting she
was upset about his being with Fredericka meant she cared about him
in
a boy-girl kind of way. She didn t want to admit that to Lucas. She
hadn t
289/375
liked admitting it to herself. And it wasn t even really true. She was
just
confused.
I m tired. She risked looking at him.
His blue eyes looked brighter in the golden hue of the porch light. He
still had his hand around her arm and his thumb started brushing
against
her skin. You got my letters, right?
553/679
Yeah.
Is it the dreams that have got you upset, because I didn t
I know it was me, not you. She pulled her arm away.
He raised his eyebrows as if contemplating. It wasn t all you, he said
as if it cost him a lot to confess it. Not the first dream. I mean&
When he hesitated, her mind took over. So you were doing it? You
came into my dream? [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
zanotowane.pl doc.pisz.pl pdf.pisz.pl exclamation.htw.pl
did. They sat at the kitchen table waiting. Kylie turned a Diet Coke
around in her hands. Miranda didn t even move.
She didn t do this, Kylie kept saying. How can they think it s
possible?
Miranda groaned as if tired of Kylie s litany. This isn t the same world
you used to live in. Shit happens here. Bad shit. Teenage girls die. Cats
get turned into skunks. Werewolves come into your cabin and try to
kill
you. And when a vampire turns for the first time, they can & do things
that they wouldn t do in their right minds.
546/679
You think she did it! Kylie accused.
I don t know, Miranda said. But if she did, it wasn t her fault and I
won t stop loving her. And damn it, Kylie, you shouldn t, either. She
thinks you walk on water. If you turn your back on her, it ll kill her.
Tears filled Kylie eyes at even the suggestion that Della could ve done
something so terrible. But deep down she knew, even if it was true, she
wouldn t turn her back on her friend.
Ten minutes later Della, eyes red, walked into the cabin and dropped
into a chair. The bite marks weren t mine. None of the fingerprints,
either.
286/375
A smile spread across Kylie s face and her heart. I told you.
Tears slipped from Della s dark eyes and rolled down her pale cheeks.
They think Chan did it.
Miranda looked from Della to Kylie. Who s Chan?
My cousin, Della told her, no longer caring about keeping the secret.
He helped me through my change. He didn t have to do it. But he
did.
547/679
Oh, Miranda said.
Now they want to me to find out if he did it, Della went on. To go
undercover and get the proof of his guilt. She hiccupped. But he was
there for me when no one else was, and now I have to
Just tell them no, Kylie said.
You don t tell the FRU no. Della took in a deep breath. Besides &
they showed me the pictures. Sorrow filled Della s dark s eyes. There
was a baby. It was awful. If he did do this, he has to be stopped before
he
does it to someone else. I don t think I could live with myself if I let
that
happen.
* * *
That night Kylie attended a mandatory camp meeting because
somebody
had tampered with the security alarm again. According to Burnett, the
alarm was being shut off what he didn t know was if it was by
someone
on the inside or outside, but he was determined to find out.
548/679
Kylie wondered if her feeling of being watched coincided with the
security
alarm being turned off. Because now that the alarm was guarded,
she didn t feel a thing, except safer.
After the meeting, she had headed back to the cabin alone and had
taken the first step up onto her porch when a noise startled her.
So much for feeling safe. Her heart pounded and she turned. Her
thoughts shot to Fredericka.
How long do you think you can avoid talking to me? Lucas leapt up
on her porch.
287/375
Kylie shifted a bit closer to the light fixture above the front door,
where insects buzzed, and looked at her watch.
Obviously only about twelve hours, she said, noting it was nine
o clock on the dot. Today when she d seen him in the office, she d been
too concerned about Della to worry about her Lucas issues with the
dreams. But not tonight. She stepped out of the light, hoping he
wouldn t
549/679
see embarrassment color her cheeks.
So you admit you ve been avoiding me? Humor laced his deep voice.
Humor she didn t appreciate. She met his eyes before looking away.
I d deny it, but you wouldn t believe me. Besides, avoiding things
that
make me uncomfortable is my specialty.
Instantly, she recalled confessing to Holiday about how confronting
her dad had made her feel better. Was it too much to hope that
confronting
Lucas would have the same effect?
One more peek at her cabin door and she knew she had to do this.
Face him and get it over with.
So, if you re not going to deny it, dare I hope you ll explain the reason
you re doing it?
She raised her gaze again and while she wanted more than anything to
believe he didn t know about the dreams, she couldn t believe it.
Obviously,
she was much better at avoidance than denial.
Reasons, she said.
550/679
What? He stepped closer and his scent, woodsy and rich, invaded
her air.
I have more than one reason.
Okay. He caught the end of a strand of her blond hair and rubbed it
between his fingertips. Tell me the reasons.
She pulled her hair from his hand and took a step back. Tell you? And
take all the fun out of your trying to figure it out yourself? She had
meant for the words to sound curt, but she must have missed her mark
because he chuckled.
288/375
She frowned.
His humor faded. Okay, my first guess is that you re beginning to
realize at least some of your gifts. Dreamscaping, for example?
She flushed but didn t look away this time. Now that I understand it,
it won t be a problem. She prayed she was right. Holiday had said
Kylie
would get more control over it, hadn t she? Surely that meant she
could
551/679
shut it down. God, she hoped it was true.
He studied her. That s a shame. His tone came out flirty again.
She glanced back at the door. She d said what she needed to, hadn t
she?
When she reached for the doorknob, he caught her arm. His touch
wasn t rough, not even a little bit. It was tender and that gave her more
pause. She d had a hell of a day and could still recall how he d seemed
genuinely concerned for her in the office.
Give me a few more minutes. Please.
She continued to stare at the door, so aware that he didn t drop his
hand from her arm. So aware that his touch sent feel-good tingles
down
her arm.
So what are the other reasons? he asked. When she didn t answer,
he continued. Why are you so angry with me, Kylie? And don t deny
it. I
might not be able to feel your emotions like & some people & but I see
it
in your eyes.
552/679
Kylie didn t question who he meant by some people. He must have
heard about her and Derek. Good, she thought. But then, whatever
he d
heard was history. Derek had ended it.
His hold on her arm tightened slightly. Tell me what you re upset
about so we can get past it.
One word sat on the tip of her tongue. Fredericka. But admitting she
was upset about his being with Fredericka meant she cared about him
in
a boy-girl kind of way. She didn t want to admit that to Lucas. She
hadn t
289/375
liked admitting it to herself. And it wasn t even really true. She was
just
confused.
I m tired. She risked looking at him.
His blue eyes looked brighter in the golden hue of the porch light. He
still had his hand around her arm and his thumb started brushing
against
her skin. You got my letters, right?
553/679
Yeah.
Is it the dreams that have got you upset, because I didn t
I know it was me, not you. She pulled her arm away.
He raised his eyebrows as if contemplating. It wasn t all you, he said
as if it cost him a lot to confess it. Not the first dream. I mean&
When he hesitated, her mind took over. So you were doing it? You
came into my dream? [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]