"I'm okay," Kylie said.
"Then I'll say good night." Rejection sounded in his voice.
"Derek, I'm really-"
"Just say good night, Kylie," he insisted.
"Good night," she whispered, and nothing was sadder than the sound of that dead line.
Putting her phone down, Kylie looked around. The cold from the spirit had lessened but she could tell she lingered nearby.
"Who are you?" Kylie asked.
The woman didn't answer. And why should she? They never made it easy.
But then, neither did the living.
* * *
"Kylie! Kylie!" The voice jolted Kylie from a deep sleep before the sun rose the next morning. She shot up, chills crawling up and down her spine like spiders. Without even knowing why, her blood sizzled with the need to protect. Protect someone.
Still half asleep, she pushed her hair from face and stood in the middle of the room, breathing in and breathing out. Her pulse raced, and panic filled her chest, crowding her lungs. Something was happening. She felt it.
Someone needed her. Someone needed Kylie's protection.
Who?
Her mind raced as she tried to make sense of what she felt. Then Kylie remembered the voice. She let it play in her mind, again and again, until finally she recognized it.
"No!" She grabbed her jeans and T-shirt.
Holiday was in trouble.
Chapter Thirty-five
Right before Kylie lit out of her room, she glanced at the clock on her nightstand. Five AM. Holiday would be at the office already.
Kylie stormed into Della's room, but the girl wasn't there. Probably at an early vampire ceremony. Kylie didn't wait a second longer; she bolted out of the cabin and flew like the wind to the office. The only thing that felt heavy about her was her heart. As if her heart knew Holiday's situation was bad. Really, really bad.
When Kylie got to the office, she found the door ajar. Not a good sign. Even worse, there was glass shattered all over the wet floor of the entrance. The broken handle of the coffee pot lay in the corner, another sign that a struggle had taken place.
"Where are you, Holiday?" Kylie's voice trembled. Tears filled her eyes and she tried to think.
Burnett. She needed to contact Burnett.
She reached into her pocket for her phone, only to realize she hadn't brought it. She ran into Holiday's office. The room looked undisturbed. Whoever had gotten Holiday had done it in the entrance area. He'd probably been waiting for her when she came in this morning, or maybe walked in when she'd been making coffee.
Hands shaking, Kylie grabbed Holiday's office phone. She couldn't remember Burnett's cell number. But damn, she could get to his cabin quicker than find his number.
She tore out, her feet barely touching the ground. She didn't know if she'd morphed into a vampire or if in protective mode she simply had more power. She didn't really care. Only one thing mattered, one thought echoed in her mind. Save Holiday. She had to save Holiday.
She made it to Burnett's cabin, and didn't even knock. She screamed his name when she entered, but no one answered. No one.
She went into his bedroom. The bed stood empty.
Recalling the vampire ritual, she tore out again. Della had told her once where they held it. She shot through the woods, not caring about her promise to not enter. If she ran into trouble, being in protective mode, she could kick ass and ask questions later.
She exited through the line of trees into a clearing. The wind whizzed past as she moved. Coming to a jolting stop, she found herself circled by a half-dozen angry vamps, their eyes glowing at the idea of an intruder disturbing their ceremony.
Lucky for her, the Shadow Falls vamps weren't likely to attack. A good thing, because even in protective mode, she didn't know if she could take on all six of them.
"Where's Burnett?" Kylie snapped. "Or Della?"
"What is it?" Burnett came to a stop beside her.
Kylie never answered. She didn't have to. He saw it in her eyes.
"Holiday?" The sound in his voice had Kylie's chest aching. Her blood pumped faster.
Kylie's breath caught. "He's got her."
"Who?" he demanded as Della stopped at his side.
"I still don't know," Kylie answered, and her eyes spiked with more tears. But they had better find out, and soon, before it was too late.
* * *
Three minutes later, after Kylie had explained everything, Burnett had spouted out orders for all the vamps and her to go search the Shadow Falls property. If Holiday was still here, they'd find her. Burnett headed back to the office to see if he could find clues and to check to see if the alarm was functioning.
Kylie headed to the west side of the property. But when she passed the trail that led to the cabin where Hayden Yates lived, she did a complete U-turn.
She slammed down on his porch. Heard him moving around inside. Heard him talking to someone.
She stormed in without knocking and oops, forgot to open the door. It landed with a loud crack on the floor. Hayden stood by the sofa, his hooded sweater in one hand as if he'd just removed it, and his phone in the other. His dark hair appeared darker, wet with sweat. His skin looked flushed, as if he'd been running. But from what?
Or better yet, from where?
"Where is she?" Her tone came out deep, filled with fury and warning.
He cut off the phone. "Where is who?" he asked in innocence.
"Don't play games with me." Her blood now fizzed in her veins. Her patience, if she'd had any at all, was now gone.
He tossed the hoodie and his phone on the sofa. Beside those two items was a watch. A black-banded watch.
"You're vampire now. Try listening to my heart for the truth."
Kylie had already listened to his heart, but it didn't matter. Didn't matter that he had a different watch from the one she'd seen in the vision. He could have two watches. "That only works with people who have a conscience."
"And you're assuming I don't."
"You've been hiding something ever since you got here." She took a step closer. Her intent was to get answers, and she didn't care how.
He apparently read her mood, because he held out his hands, palms up. "Perhaps, but it isn't what you think. I haven't hurt your precious camp leader."
"I didn't tell you who it was! So how the hell-"
"I'm no fool. Burnett stakes out at her house most nights."
"If you've hurt her, I'll kill you." She didn't flinch at hearing the words. They were true. For Holiday, Kylie would kill.
But what if she'd failed Holiday and it was too late? Anger, fear, and love burned in Kylie's chest. Her hands shook.
"I don't doubt you could kill me," Hayden said, holding his submissive pose. "Your strength right now appears ... palpable." He inhaled and she could swear he looked sincere, even respectful. "It isn't my place to"-he hesitated again-"speak up." He ran a hand through his hair. "It would probably be beneficial for me to just keep my mouth shut. But unfortunately, unlike you believe, I do have a conscience."