"If you can visit me, why hasn't she?" The steam from her lips snaked up to the ceiling.
"I was here first."
"Where were you first?" Her teeth chattered again.
"Waiting until you were old enough to understand. They only al ow one spirit to come to you at a time, until you are able to cope."
"Wel , they were wrong." She looked back at the lion.
"Wrong about what?"
"I'm not ready to cope yet."
He smiled.
Kylie hadn't meant it to be funny. "So you've actual y seen Nana?" New goose bumps started forming on top of the old goose bumps. Kylie knew she would feel warmer if the ghost left, but the idea of being alone with the lion didn't thril her.
"She is not a woman who can be missed," he said. "Not even in spirit form."
Curiosity struck. "Did you meet her before ... before she died?"
"A long time ago." His light blue eyes, combined with his blond hair, pul ed her in for a second. She studied him. And then it happened. She saw inside his head. She was doing what al the other supernaturals could do. Seeing his pattern. A tiny thril ran through her. Blinking, she continued to look at his pattern. He had vertical lines and then some odd kind of writing, like Chinese, or prehistoric symbols. "You are ... were supernatural, weren't you?"
The lion let go of another roar. Kylie flinched as the beast stood. "I think he's hungry," she said. "I think I should get the chair now, don't you?"
The ghost didn't answer. Kylie noticed the temperature rising. Oh, shit. Even the ghost feared being eaten alive. Only he couldn't be since he was already dead.
Just as she might be soon if she didn't think of something quick.
Tears fil ed her eyes. She was alone. Al alone. And then the lion tossed his head back and forth and lunged at her.
Chapter Thirty-seven
Kylie shot behind the chair, thinking about using it as a weapon, but when she looked up, the lion had backed up. He poked his face out the bedroom door as if something out there had caught his attention.
Then Kylie heard it, the kitten. The lion took a step out of the bedroom. She could go slam the door, push the bed against the wal . And listen as the animal ate her kitten alive.
"No!" She rocked the chair back and forth to get the lion's attention. "Come here, you ugly foul-smel ing monster."
The lion backed up, growled, exposing his teeth, and shook his mane at her.
For some reason, she thought about the soldier and his choice to die as he went back to save the woman. I'm not going to die. I'm not going to die.
"Daniel, please come back," she cal ed out, not wanting to be alone.
The cold brushed over her skin again. "Holiday is getting help."
The lion came closer to the chair. New tears fil ed her eyes. "Don't leave me again, okay?" she begged.
"I won't," he said. "I never wanted to."
"Kylie?" Holiday yel ed out from the living room.
The lion charged at the door. "Don't come in," Kylie screamed, and shook the chair to keep the beast's attention in case Holiday didn't hear her. Kylie heard retreating footsteps. "Burnett is on his way to get a sedative gun," Holiday cal ed. "He's just a few minutes away. Are you safe?"
Safe? She had a lion in her bedroom. But if Burnett was on the way, maybe ... Kylie started to answer when she heard more voices.
"No," Holiday said.
"No what?" Kylie asked.
"It's too dangerous," Holiday said as if talking to someone else.
Footsteps sounded from the cabin's living room. The lion growled. Derek appeared in the doorway. His soft green eyes met hers, and then shifted to the lion. Fear flickered in his eyes, and she felt the same fear as he did.
The thought she might have to watch the lion attack Derek sent her heart bouncing against her ribcage. "Leave, Derek," Kylie said, trying to sound calm even though she was a breath from screaming. "Listen to Holiday."
"I can do this," he said in a confident voice. "I have the gift, remember?"
Derek took a step into the room. The lion shook his mane and growled.
Derek didn't move. He stared at the beast. Then he started unbuttoning his shirt.
"What are you doing?" she asked, and while the idea of seeing him without his shirt tempted her, this was so not the time.
"He doesn't like how I smel ."
"Then for God's sake keep it on so he doesn't eat you."
"It's okay." Derek tossed his shirt back into the living room. He looked even better than she imagined. Then, holding his palms out, he took another step forward. The lion roared, but didn't charge.
Derek took another step. This time, the lion lunged for him, almost taking Derek's arm in his mouth.
"No." Kylie started rocking the chair to get the animal's attention.
"Stop that," Derek ordered.
"It stops him from getting you."
"Kylie, you're making him mad. Trust me, okay? Stop!"
The firmness in his voice got her attention. Soldier Dude stood silent in the corner, so she couldn't stop shivering.
"I'm going to come over to you," Derek said. "I want you stand behind me. Then we're moving out the door. You go through first and I'l shut it. You understand?"
Almost as if the lion knew Derek's plan, he growled and faced Derek, but backed up closer to Kylie. Each step Derek took, the lion took another closer to Kylie.
A urine smel fil ed Kylie's nose. The big cat's backside hit the chair and knocked Kylie against the wal . When she refocused, she saw Derek now stood inches from the lion. So close that the beast's mane brushed up against his bare abdomen. Derek's muscles tightened and his upper body appeared hard, almost chiseled.
"Now ease out from behind the chair, Kylie," Derek said.
"Do as he says," Daniel said, speaking up.
Kylie moved her foot and the lion slammed his head into Derek, and almost knocked him down. Derek rebounded. "Slowly, Kylie," he said, as if he didn't realize the lion could open his mouth and use him for a chew toy. "Slow and easy."
She inched out, afraid to even breathe, and then Derek caught her arm and eased her behind him. She placed her hands on his bare sides. The palms of her hands pressed against his warm skin.
"That's good. Now we're going to do baby steps back until we're out the door. You're doing good. Keep going."
Kylie felt the door's threshold against her heel. Derek reached around to the left for the doorknob, and the lion lunged and swatted his claws at Derek.