"Hi, I'm Kylie. Are you Del a's mom and dad?"
"Yes, where is she?" the woman asked.
"She wasn't expecting y'al so early. If you like, I can get someone to run to the cabin."
"Is she stil in bed?" the dad asked. "My God, I thought this camp was supposed to straighten her out." He looked at his wife. "I'm going to ask for the results of the drug tests. If they don't have them, I'm taking her out of here and placing her in a better facility."
Kylie tried not to react to the harshness of the man's tone. But on the inside, she gave thanks for her dad. So what if he hadn't shown up at the police station, and maybe he should have come to see her before she was packed off to camp, but without a doubt, Kylie felt certain he was loads better than Del a's grumpy dad.
"Oh, she's awake," Kylie said, knowing it was probably a lie, but wanting to protect Del a from his demeanor. Giving the room another check for her dad, she said, "I'l tel you what, I'l run and get her."
She walked slowly to the door and took off in a dead run to get Del a up and dressed.
* * *
An hour later, Kylie sat at the back of the dining hal watching everyone else visit. She'd gotten Del a up and to the dining hal in record time. And on the way Kylie had stopped in the office to see Holiday and warn her about Del a's father wanting to see drug tests. Kylie gazed at Del a now, sitting and chatting with her sister, while her parents sat stiffly listening in. From the distance, the visit didn't appear to be going wel . Del a had been tied in knots about seeing them, and after hearing her father's temper, Kylie couldn't say she blamed her. Miranda's mom and dad showed up about twenty minutes after Del a's. Kylie had never seen Miranda appear so insecure as she did around her parents. She sat with her shoulders slumped over and not smiling. Miranda always smiled and her posture wasn't that of the browbeaten child, but that's how she appeared in their presence. Kylie wanted to march over and tel both Miranda's and Del a's parents how happy she was to have them as roommates, but for some reason, it seemed hokey.
Derek and his mom had gotten up to go take a walk. He'd actual y brought his mom over to meet her. Kylie had to bite back a laugh when his mom brushed a strand of his hair off his brow and Derek blushed. Guys never liked it when their moms made a fuss over them.
"Hey." Holiday came over to where Kylie sat. "Your dad's not here yet?"
"Not yet. He probably misjudged how long it takes to get here. Mom always was the one who figured out the maps and such. And you know men, they'l drive for hours before they stop and ask for directions."
Kylie knew she was close to babbling but she couldn't help it. Babbling was better than thinking about the possibility her dad simply wasn't going to come.
Holiday grinned. "Men. We can't live with them. And it's no fun living without them."
"Do you have ... someone?" Kylie asked, even though she didn't know if it was too personal of a question to ask her camp leader. "I don't see a ring or anything."
Holiday shrugged. "Wel , sometimes no fun is better than putting up with them."
"So you're divorced?" Kylie asked.
"No, we never made it to the altar. I had the ring, had the date, and even the wedding dress. An hour before the wedding, I realized I didn't have my fiance."
"That must have sucked," Kylie said.
"Yeah, it did."
"Did he ever tel you why?" Kylie asked.
"He said he met someone more compatible. Another vampire."
"Oh goodness, it's not Burnett, is it?"
Holiday's eyes widened. "No. Why would you think..."
"He likes you," Kylie blurted out. "Everything time you aren't looking, he's looking at you."
"Please, that man's so arrogant, I'd never..."
"He's good-looking," Kylie said.
"I know, damn it." Holiday sighed. "I hate him for it, too."
They both laughed.
Holiday looked over at Del a and her family. "Thanks for giving me the heads-up. Her father is a real handful."
"I know," Kylie said. "It made me realize how lucky I am. Wait til you meet my dad. He's not like that."
"I'm looking forward to it," Holiday said.
Kylie knew Holiday was hoping she could take a look at her dad and pronounce him supernatural. Not that Kylie believed it. Her dad wasn't gifted. Wel , he was, but not that kind of gifted.
Kylie sighed and looked up at the door and wished he'd hurry up. She needed one of his hugs in the worst way. Her gaze shifted back to Del a and she wondered if her dad ever hugged her. "Do you think Del a should go live with other vampires?" Kylie asked Holiday.
Holiday sighed. "It's real y hard for a new vampire to coexist with normals. Especial y if they live with someone who is control ing. But Del a real y cares about her family, and leaving them is going to be tough, too. I'm afraid either path she chooses is going to be real y hard."
"I hate that," Kylie said, her heart hurting for her friend.
Right then the doors opened. Kylie held her breath waiting to see if it was her dad. Instead, in came Lucas Parker with an older woman. Kylie watched how Lucas caringly held the woman's arm. "Who is that?" Kylie asked.
Holiday looked up. "Lucas's grandmother."
Kylie hadn't considered the probability of running into Lucas's parents. The last thing she wanted was for them to recognize her-especial y since it was obvious that Lucas didn't. "His parents aren't coming, then?"
"Afraid not. His parents were kil ed right after he was born. His grandmother raised him."
"Not right after he was born," Kylie said, not thinking before she spoke.
"Yeah, it's terrible." Holiday said, misunderstanding Kylie's comment as heartfelt disbelief instead of an announcement of a fact. "I think the files state he was only a week or two old when it happened."
"Oh." Kylie looked away. Then she remembered what Miranda had said about kids born to rogues. Had Lucas lied about his parents because otherwise he'd have been judged? And was the saying true that if one was born rogue, they died rogue?
"Not again," Holiday said.
Kylie looked up and saw Burnett James walking into the room. He wore a huge frown on his face and she didn't have to be supernatural to know something was very wrong.
Holiday pul ed out her phone and dialed a number. She frowned and then dropped it in her pocket. "Why is it half the time when he shows up, Sky manages to be unavailable and I have to deal with him by myself?"