Taken at Dusk (9 page)

*   *   *

The moment Kylie hit the edge of the woods, she started running, wanting to outrun the living, breathing ache in her chest. In a few seconds, Della was beside her.

“You okay?” Her feet thudded in rhythm with Kylie’s own footfalls.

“No,” Kylie answered, and ducked beneath a tree limb.

“Where are we going?” Della asked a few minutes later when Kylie turned and headed in the opposite direction of their cabin.

“I want to run,” Kylie said.

“Okay.” Della stayed beside her.

They ran and ran. When Kylie spotted the fence at the end of the Shadow Falls property line, she stopped and dropped to the ground. Curling her arms around her bent legs, she rested her forehead on her knees. Her lungs worked overtime as she fed them wood-scented air that still carried the scent of rain.

Della, not even winded, sat beside her. The sounds of the forest surrounded them—a bird stirred in the trees, some unnamed creature shuffled in some underbrush not far away. But mostly Kylie heard her own heart racing, sending gushing sounds through her ears.

“Your heart’s still beating fast,” Della said.

“I know.” Kylie kept her face down.

“He was telling the truth.”

Kylie knew Della was talking about Derek. “I know.”

“I tried not to listen, but it was impossible. I considered moving farther away, but then I wouldn’t be doing my job as shadow.”

Kylie raised her head. Her gaze went to the fence and she realized where they were. Just through the barbed wire were the dinosaur tracks. And the creek where Lucas had kissed her. She let herself think about it for a second, because thinking about Derek hurt.

Then she looked back at Della. “You listen in on my private conversations, but then you don’t share.”

“Share what?” Della sounded clueless.

Kylie raised an eyebrow. “What happened while you were at home? I know you were lying. So does Miranda.”

“Oh, that.” She pulled a long blade of grass from the ground and started tying it around her finger.

Kylie thought Della wasn’t going to answer, and then … “I went to see Lee.”

Kylie suspected that Della hadn’t stopped caring for her ex. Not that Della had admitted to it. “And?”

“He’s practically engaged to another girl. His parents are pushing him to make it official. They like her.” The pain in Della’s voice matched the pain Kylie felt for Derek.

Kylie hugged her knees. “I’m so sorry.”

“Don’t be,” Della said. “It’s for the best. He could have never accepted me being a vampire.”

“Doesn’t mean it doesn’t hurt.” And damn if Kylie didn’t know that for a fact.

Della hesitated. “She’s a hundred percent Asian. Not a mishmosh like me.”

“He said that?” Kylie really disliked this guy.

“Not exactly, but he said his parents had pushed him to date her. And I know they didn’t like me because I’m half white.”

“You need to move on,” Kylie said.

“I already have.” Della tossed the grass back to the ground.

It was a lie, but Kylie didn’t think calling Della on it would do any good. Kylie leaned back and stared up at the trees. The moisture from the recent rain soaked into her clothes, but she didn’t care. The coolness felt good in the Texas heat. A blue jay flitted from one limb to another in the tree. Kylie’s emotions seemed to be doing the same.

She studied the bird, so happy, so innocent and trouble-free. Della released an exaggerated breath, as if she were still thinking about Lee.

“Steve likes you,” Kylie said.

“No, he doesn’t.”

“Yes, he does.” Kylie glanced at Della. “I saw him looking for you today when we were in the dining hall. You should go for it.”

“If he likes me, he’ll come to me.”

“I don’t mean throw yourself at him. Just be nice. Make yourself more approachable.”

“I’m approachable,” Della said.

About as much as a rattlesnake, Kylie thought.

Della picked up another blade of grass and then lay back on the ground beside Kylie. Their shoulders almost touched. “It’s not easy.”

“Believe me,” Kylie said. “I know.”

They lay stretched out on the damp ground for several long minutes without talking. The sun leaked light through the trees and created shimmering golden shadows throughout the woods. Through the leaves, Kylie saw the sky painted in an array of stormy-looking clouds in a variety of colors. Her mind went round and round and somehow landed back on Derek.

“I can’t believe he brought Ellie with him.” The idea of having to see Derek with Ellie made Kylie’s chest tighten.

“Yeah, that’ll be tough. I mean, if I had to see Lee with his girlfriend, I’d end up killing someone.”

“No, you wouldn’t.” Kylie sat up, pulled her hair over one shoulder, and removed a few clinging twigs. “You’d do exactly what I’m going to do.”

“What’s that?” Della sat up.

“Pretend it doesn’t hurt, and hope like hell that one day it doesn’t anymore.”

“Nope. I’d rather kill someone.” Della stood and dusted off the wet grass that clung to her backside. Then she looked down at Kylie. “So does this mean you’re actually going to give Lucas a real chance?”

Kylie stood up and gave her own butt a few swipes to dislodge most of the grass. “Maybe. If it’s what he wants, too.”

“If? Didn’t you hear him getting pissy with Burnett about shadowing you? He’s got it bad for you. I mean, I know you’re hurting over Derek, but he doesn’t deserve you angsting over him. You have an opportunity with Lucas. Go for it.”

She hesitated to say anything, but it spilled out. “Fredericka said something that made it sound like his pack doesn’t want us seeing each other.”

“Don’t listen to anything that b with an itch says. She’ll say anything to come between you and Lucas.”

Kylie nodded, knowing that Della was right. Or at least she hoped she was.

The bird in the tree called out. Kylie looked up and wondered if that was a mating call. Did birds experience romance? Did they ever suffer from broken hearts? She had to admit it looked awfully lonely up in the tree alone. Almost as lonely as it was where she stood.

“Let’s make a deal,” Della said. “You give Lucas a chance and I’ll give Steve a chance.”

Kylie smiled. “Are you that worried about me, or do you just need an excuse to go after the good-looking shape-shifter?”

“Maybe both.” Della grinned. “We got a deal?”

Kylie considered it, and mentally she stopped trying to hang on, stopped trying to fix something that didn’t seem fixable, and opened herself up to other possibilities. “Yeah.”

Della started walking, and Kylie took a step. Then the cold grabbed her. She turned and watched Jane Doe’s spirit materialize in the beam of sunlight.

The woman met Kylie’s gaze.
“Do you know?”

“Know what?” Kylie asked.

Della turned around. “What?” She stared at Kylie for a second and then said, “Oh shit. Not again.” She backed up. “I’m not freaking out. I’m not. Really, I’m not freaking out.”

Kylie held up a hand to silence Della and stared at the spirit as she edged closer.

“Do you know what I am?”
Jane spoke in a hushed tone that seemed to whisper through the trees. The blue jay in the tree chirped extra loud.

“No,” Kylie said. “I don’t.” Then the bird chirped oddly and fell from the tree and landed with a lifeless thud at the spirit’s feet.

Chapter Eight

“What was that?” Della demanded.

Kylie stared at the bird. It didn’t move. Didn’t make a noise. Was it…? Her heart squeezed.

“Screw this! It’s raining dead birds.
Now
I’m freaking out. Can we leave,
please
?”

The spirit looked from the blue jay to Kylie.
“Is it dead?”
She knelt and stared at it. When she looked up, she had tears in her eyes.
“It’s dead. Just like me. Just like the death angels warned. Someone lives and someone dies.”

“No one is going to die.”

Kylie picked up the limp bird. Its neck flopped to one side. She remembered seeing the bird so full of life just moments before. What happened? She looked back at the spirit. “Did you kill it?”

“No, I didn’t kill it,” Della said. “Wait, you aren’t talking to me, are you? Is this a death angel or just a ghost?”

“No.”
Jane looked around as if she were as frightened as Della. She moved closer.
“The others did. They’re not nice.”

Kylie shivered from the ghostly cold. “What others?”

“Shh.”
The spirit lifted her finger to her lips.
“They’re coming.”
She faded away.

Della stood back and continued to stare. Kylie cupped her hands around the blue jay. She’d healed Sara. Was it possible that she might be able to…?

Kylie closed her eyes and tried to think healing thoughts.

The bird started quivering. Kylie opened her hands and its wings spread. Its feathers, a bright royal blue and white, caught a spray of sunshine and shimmered in the light, then the bird lunged to its feet and flew away. Kylie watched it disappear into the tops of the trees, her emotions ambivalent. On the one hand, she’d given something life, and that was cool. On the other … Well, it was just too freaky.

“Did you do what I think you did?” Della asked. “Did you just bring that dead bird back to life?”

Kylie looked up. “I’m not sure.” Suddenly silence filled the forest. The spirit’s words echoed in Kylie’s head.
They’re coming.

The lack of noise seemed ominous.

She looked at Della. “Can you sense anyone here?”

Della sniffed the air. “No. But it’s too damn quiet.”

“We should go,” Kylie whispered.

“You don’t have to ask me twice.” Della tore out.

Kylie was right behind her, hoping to outrun the silence, the feeling of danger, and another startling realization about her powers.

*   *   *

“You sure it was dead?” Holiday asked.

“I didn’t listen to its heartbeat.” Kylie paced the small office. “But do birds regularly fall out of trees unconscious?”

Holiday bit back a smile. “I don’t think so.”

For some reason, this news didn’t seem near as startling to her camp leader as it did to Kylie.

Kylie, still winded from her run, had left the woods and come straight to find Holiday. Della, who took the job of shadowing seriously, waited outside.

“The ghost was there. Do you think her presence did this? Maybe it had nothing to do with me. The bird came back to life when she left. So maybe it was just her.”

“It could be. However, I’ve never heard of a ghost’s presence killing wildlife, even temporarily. Maybe the bird was just stunned. Maybe all this is a clue.”

“To what?” Kylie asked, frustrated.

“Her identity, maybe.”

Kylie stopped in front of the desk. “How is a bird dying going to tell me who she is?”

“Sometimes the spirits have crazy ways of communicating.”

Kylie rolled a few things around her already confused mind, and then she remembered. “Jane Doe has no brain pattern. Nothing. It’s blank.”

“Blank?” This time Holiday appeared genuinely puzzled.

“Yeah. I kept trying to refocus, thinking I was … just not seeing it right. Because I thought we all had brain patterns, like fingerprints.” Kylie dropped in the chair across from the camp leader.

“I’ve never seen one that’s blank, but…”

“I think she’s supernatural.” Kylie chewed on the side of her lip.

“Why would you think that?”

“Because she knew about the death angels.”

Holiday appeared to consider it. “She probably heard you talking about them.”

“Maybe. But … she’s really scared of something.”

“Dying can be scary if you’re not ready.”

“I think it’s more,” Kylie said.

“More like what?”

“I don’t know yet. But it’s … something.”

“Wait.” Holiday pressed a hand on the desk. “Didn’t you tell me she had some kind of brain operation?”

“Yes.” Kylie touched her temple. “She has stitches and her head is shaved.”

“It’s probably a tumor. I’ve never seen anyone with one, but I’ve heard tumors can make one’s brain pattern do strange things.”

“But can a tumor make it disappear?” Kylie asked. “And what about her getting freaked out when I asked her what she was? I really think she’s supernatural.”

“I’m not saying she isn’t one of us, but … rarely do we supernaturals hang around long after we pass. In all my years of dealing with ghosts, I’ve only had three supernaturals.”

“But my dad hung around.”

“But he had a very big reason to hang on. To check in on you.”

Kylie pulled her leg up in the chair and hugged her shin. Her mind zipped from the ghost to her dad to the ghost again. “I don’t know … There’s something about her that’s … different. Remember, she told me she had messages from others.”

“That’s not unusual. I often get spirits who tell me something for someone else.” Holiday rolled a pencil between her hands.

“But from the death angels?” Kylie asked.

“No, but like I said, she could have heard you mention the death angels and simply be confusing things. Has she mentioned the message again?”

“Yeah. Every time, like it’s important.” Kylie frowned. “She keeps saying that someone lives and someone dies. And I don’t like the die part.” She hugged her knee tighter.

“Me either,” Holiday said. “But as you’ve learned, ghosts aren’t the best communicators. So don’t panic. Just keep asking questions and watching for clues.”

“Is it possible that the only reason she’s here is to give me this message?”

“Rarely. She’s probably here for something else.”

Kylie frowned. “Then how the heck am I going to help her if she doesn’t even remember who she is?”

Holiday dropped her chin in the palm of her hand. “I think this might be a difficult one.”

“As if any that I’ve had have been easy.” Kylie tightened her hold on her leg. “There’s one thing I want to check out.”

“What’s that?”

“Fallen Cemetery. I know you said she could have come from anywhere, but I still find it odd that this is where she popped into my mom’s car.”

Holiday pinched her brows together. “I’m not going to tell you not to go, but cemeteries aren’t the best place for a ghost whisperer. By now you should be able to see more than just one ghost, and a lot of ghosts hang around the cemeteries for a long time.”