Chosen at Nightfall (Shadow Falls 5)

The spirits still crowding around rushed at Mario again. Purposefully. Their intent-to protect her- showed in their concerned and ash-colored faces. Holiday had been right. All spirits were in some way death angels-death angels being spirits of supernaturals. Spirits who while known to protect the innocent, were mostly feared for their stern judgment of those misusing their powers. A quick glance at the graveyard gate and Kylie saw even more phantoms stumbling out. Some moved slow and uncertain, as if they had just been awoken from a deep sleep.

"Thank you," Kylie managed to say, even though her teeth chattered and the cold of the presence of too many dead made being alive difficult.

As the spirits re-gathered around the rogue, Mario roared again and the sound of his disappointment and agony was the last thing she heard before the icy throbbing in her body became too much. Her vision blurred, ice coated her lips, and she felt herself being pulled into a dark spiral of nothingness.

Chapter Eight

"We wait on Burnett."

"We get the hell out of here now!"

Kylie slowly became aware of the voices. Who? Wait on Burnett for what? Questions rolled around her confused mind. Where was she? Who was holding her so...?

She heard the sound of a rhythmic thump. A heartbeat? But not her own. The warmth, the heat of someone pressed close felt like heaven. She'd been so cold. Why? If she focused she could figure it out.

But part of her didn't want to focus; part of her wanted to stay just like this. Unaware, warm, and feeling safe in the arms of someone holding her close.

Holding her tenderly.

Holding her as if she were treasured.

"We can't leave," one of the voices said. The voice in the distance. Not the one holding her.

"He could come back. We should leave while the leaving's good." She heard the words vibrate deep in the speaker's chest.

"I don't think so. You said Burnett was on his way. We don't leave."

"Just because you're afraid-"

"I'm not afraid, damn it. I'm being rational. Kylie came here for a reason. The spirits, I'm betting they're the ones who sent that bastard packing."

Kylie recognized Derek's voice.

Everything came rushing back. Her grandfather's betrayal, Jenny's assistance, Derek finding her, Mario showing up, the fight, and Lucas ... The familiar feel of the arms wrapped around her told her who held her, whose warmth she now absorbed. Stiffening, she pushed herself off Lucas's chest. "Put me down."

His dark blue eyes, now glowing light orange, no doubt still sensing danger, shot to her face. "Can you stand on your own?"

"I can," she said, and when she saw the bruising around his neck, her heart clutched. Dear God, she'd almost killed him. She'd had her hands around his neck, squeezing the life out of him, and had almost finished the job.

Tears stung her sinuses, but she blinked them back. Now wasn't the time to fall apart. Later, she'd let that happen. Later, she'd have a good, long pity party. She deserved one. Just not now. Not now, she repeated in her head, trying to fight the emotional overload.

"Are you hurt anywhere?" Lucas asked.

"She asked you to put her down," Derek insisted, his tone tight, no doubt reading her battling emotions.

"I heard her," Lucas growled, and Kylie glanced up from his bruised neck to his face. His dislike for Derek made his eyes a brighter orange. "I'm making sure she's okay."

"I'm fine," she lied, her emotions ping-ponging all over the place.Betrayal.

Fear.

Her gaze shifted to his bruised neck.

Guilt.

"Please put me down," she insisted.

He did as she requested. Her knees felt weak, but she focused on not letting them turn to Jell-O, and was able to remain standing.

Lucas kept his hand out as if to catch her if her legs wouldn't hold her up. She didn't want to need him to catch her. Why was he even here? Hadn't she told Burnett not to put him on guard duty? Then she remembered thinking she'd seen Monique. Had it been her?

Her emotions did an about-face and she realized how unimportant that was at this time. Right now, she had to make sure they got back to Shadow Falls safely. Like the pity party she'd mentally scheduled, she could spend time mourning over Lucas and her issues later.

"Are you up to heading back?" Lucas asked her.

"We're not leaving here until Burnett shows up," Derek snapped again.

Kylie looked at Derek and then back to the gates, which were now closed. The spirits stood guard, their faces peering out between the rusty metal bars. "Derek's right. We stay here until Burnett shows up."

A flash passed by Kylie and then another.

Burnett, along with about three other FRU people, as well as several of the campers, Perry included, suddenly surrounded them.

"I'm here," Burnett said. His bright eyes seemed to say he was prepared to fight. He glanced around as if checking for danger, before focusing back on them. "And someone better tell me what the hell's going on."

When no one spoke up fast enough for his impatience, his gaze zeroed in on Kylie. "I was supposed to come get you in the morning." His gaze shot to Derek. "You were supposed to be guarding her at her grandfather's place." He glanced at Lucas. "And you told me you were going to your father's."

"Well, I lied," Lucas bit back, never one to take a reprimand easily. "I wanted to make sure Kylie didn't need me. And she did."

"What happened?" Burnett asked again, his tone implying he was losing patience.

"Mario," Kylie answered.

Burnett's eyes brightened and he glanced around again. "Are you sure it was him?" he asked.

"Positive." Kylie shivered, remembering the wickedness she'd felt from him. She recalled the sensation that he'd enjoyed toying with her-like a cat with a mouse. But the mouse had won this time.

Thanks to the dead, no one had died at Mario's hand, but what about next time? She heard Mario's threat ring in her head. You will come to me, Kylie Galen, come to me willing to die, to suffer at my hands for my pleasure, because the price will be too great!

He spoke with certainty as if he already had a plan in place. Fear tiptoed up her spine.

Burnett continued to glance around. After a few more seconds of putting out his feelers, he looked back at Derek.

"He's gone now," Derek said.

"I can see that."But was he really gone? Being a chameleon, he could turn invisible. He could still be here. Kylie almost said something to that effect, but remembered the other FRU members. And her lack of trust in them kept her mouth closed. The less they knew about her and the chameleons as a whole, the better.