“About last night and what you saw…” Holiday said.
“I’m okay,” Della insisted. “If I want to work for the FRU, I’m going to have to learn to deal with it. And I can.” At least the flashbacks had lessened.
“Yes, you will have to learn, but you don’t have to deal with it alone. Della, don’t tell Burnett I said this, but even he needs someone to lean on. If you really want to work for the FRU, you’ve got to accept that you’re going to need other people. You have to counter the bad with the good. If not, you’ll get lost in the evilness of it all. It can darken your soul and you’ll lose all joy in life.”
“The joy will be catching the mofo who did that,” Della said, and right then the flashback hit again. Her heart filled with the need for justice. “I don’t even know the couple, but they didn’t deserve that.”
“I know.” Holiday grasped Della’s hand. “But before you lose yourself in making things right for others, you need to work on making them right for yourself. I get this feeling you are searching for something. Something you long for. But I also get the feeling you’re procrastinating.”
The truth of the fae’s words hit with a thud on her conscience. Her uncle. Finding something to replace the feeling of the family she felt she’d lost. And what was she was procrastinating about? Reading the obituary. Della glanced away, not liking that Holiday could read her so clearly.
“Don’t worry, I’m not going to force you to tell me anything. But I will tell you this: Whatever it is you’re looking for, make it your quest, but make sure you don’t take too many risks. I know you, Della, and sometimes you act before you think.”
“Maybe I just think fast.” Della smiled, hoping to lighten the conversation.
Holiday rolled her eyes as if she knew exactly what Della was up to. “This trait is part of being vampire, but it’s also part of your personality. You’ve got more raw gumption than anyone I’ve ever met. Gumption is to be admired. But I’m just afraid that if mishandled, it can do you more harm than good.”
Della nodded. “I’ll try to remember that.”
“Make sure you do,” Holiday said, and sighed. Then the fae sat up and placed a hand on her pregnant stomach.
Still wanting to change the conversation, Della asked, “Is the baby moving much?”
“All the time. I think it’s going to be impatient like its daddy. You want to feel it?”
Della hesitated. “You don’t mind?”
“Not at all.” She took Della’s hand and placed it on her stomach.
Della felt the movement. “Wow. I think your baby just kicked me. That’s so cool,” she said, meaning it. She couldn’t imagine what it would feel like to have a person growing inside of you. “Weird, but cool.” She grinned up at the camp leader. “And you’re freaking huge. You sure there’s not two of them in there?”
Holiday grimaced. “Freaking huge? Thanks.”
Della frowned. “Sorry, I just meant…”
“Don’t worry.” Holiday leaned in and bumped her shoulder. “I am freaking huge. And no, it’s not twins. But it appears my baby is going to be vampire dominant.”
“You had one of those X-ray things? Does that tell you the baby’s pattern?”
“A special sonogram can show it. But I asked not to be told. I want to be surprised.”
“Then how do you know for sure it will be vampire dominant?”
“Supernaturals very seldom carry babies to full term. But the gestational cycle for a vampire can really vary. Sometimes it can happen as quickly as four or five months.”
“Wow, so you could like have the baby really soon?”
“Yup.”
“Are you scared? Of having it?” Della had seen a birth on some freaky documentary once and it was pretty darn terrifying. It had showed everything. Like the baby coming out. It had made Della extra careful about birth control.
The fae glanced down at her belly. “I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t a little nervous. But I’m more worried about the baby than myself.” She pulled her hair over her shoulder, her hand dropping to rest on her huge baby bump. Then she suddenly turned her head and looked behind her, then to the right. The quick movement reminded Della of Kylie when …
“What’s wrong?” Della asked.
“Nothing,” Holiday said, but her heart rate told Della it was a white lie.
“Is it the ghost?” Della pulled her knees closer to her chest.
Holiday fixed her green eyes on Della and her brow wrinkled. “Yes. How did you know?”
“Kylie said there was one hanging around. She thinks it might be vampire.”
Holiday nodded. “I think she’s right. It’s traveling at high speeds.”
Della also remembered Kylie suspecting that it might be her uncle. “Did you see it?”
“No.” Holiday continued to look left to right. “It’s moving so fast.” She shrugged. “Has it made contact with Kylie? Does she know what it wants?”
Della shook her head. “Not unless she’s seen it since this morning.”
“It’s odd,” Holiday said.
“What’s odd?”
“I don’t understand why it’s visiting both Kylie and me. Usually it only chooses one person to attach itself to. And it shouldn’t be hanging around if Kylie’s not here.”
Della recalled Kylie saying she thought the ghost was there for Della. A chill ran down her backbone. No way did she want any ghost getting attached to her.
Stiffening her spine, Della looked around and then asked, “Can you tell it to leave?”
“Ghosts don’t work that way.”
“Why did I know you were going to say that?” Probably because Kylie had already said it.
Holiday pulled her phone out of her pocket. “Yikes, I’m supposed to meet Perry at the office right now.”
Something about Holiday’s tone caught her attention. “Is something wrong with him?”
Holiday hesitated. “No. Not really.” “I’d better go.” She gave Della a stern look and pointed to the front door to the cabin. “You get some sleep and if I find you running around again, you’ll have Burnett to deal with next time.”
Holiday, belly huge, struggled to stand up. Della popped up and offered her a hand.
“Don’t make it look so easy,” Holiday mumbled, but she accepted Della’s hand.