Chosen at Nightfall

Kylie had heard the term "walking the green mile" when convicts walked to their execution, and the trek to Hayden's cabin sort of felt like her green mile. Burnett didn't speak. She barely heard him breathe. And yet his rock-hard posture moving beside her told her of his impatience. Her loyalty to her grandfather and Burnett had her heart torn in a game of tug-of-war.

"Can we go talk to Holiday first?" Kylie asked, knowing that maybe Holiday could calm Burnett down and make him understand.

"No." Burnett's one word came out coarse. "I'm going to get the truth."

But at what price, Kylie thought. Would Hayden realize that Kylie hadn't just turned him over? She hoped so. But would her grandfather understand her breaking her promise to him?

She didn't think so.

Like the man moving so brusquely beside her, her grandfather was not so forgiving.

As they came to the bend near Hayden's cabin, Kylie desperately searched for a way out. "Do we have to wake him up? Can't we just-"

"He's already awake," Burnett said with sternness. "He's tossing and turning in bed worrying about something. Was he expecting you this morning? Are you already late?"

"No," she muttered.

They kept moving and got all the way up the cabin's porch steps and suddenly Kylie realized something. Anger stirred her gut, and she grabbed Burnett by the elbow. "That's right, you can hear everything!"

"And your point?" he asked, obviously noting her new disposition. And yes, being angry gave her guilt over being caught hiding secrets a slight reprieve.

"Earlier, when you dropped me off at my cabin, you knew Lucas was there, didn't you? You knew he was waiting to talk to me!"

Guilt whispered across Burnett's brow. "He pleaded with me to give him ten minutes."

"And you gave it to him. You thought that was your choice to make," Kylie accused.

Burnett frowned, but the guilt didn't completely fade from his eyes. "If I remember correctly, you put your two cents in Holiday's and my romantic affairs."

"Neither one of you ran off and got engaged to someone else!"

He didn't flinch, but in his expression she saw her argument hit his conscience. "Everyone deserves their chance to explain themselves," he offered, but his tone lacked complete conviction.

"There's no explanation for what he did," she bit back.

Burnett inhaled and pinched the bridge of his nose. "Okay, I concede I might have been wrong allowing him that privilege. And I will forego any such actions in the future. And now maybe you and Hayden can make amends by explaining what you two are keeping from me!" He arched a brow at Kylie, raised hisfist, and banged on Hayden's door so hard it shook the hinges.

Once he'd taken his mood out on the door, Burnett cut his eyes to her again. She saw his mind churning, searching for answers. It was the first time she got the feeling that Burnett didn't know as much as she feared he might.

"Be forewarned," the vamp said, "if I learn that there's anything romantic happening here, I'm sending him packing ... less a few body parts."

Kylie's mouth dropped open. "Romantic? Oh, please, he's old. He's as old as you."

Burnett's brow creased. "Which is my point." His frown deepened. "Not that I'm that old."

* * *

Hayden opened the door and his gaze zipped from Burnett to Kylie.

Burnett growled. Then the vamp stepped across the threshold as if he ran the joint. Which he did.

Hayden wasn't happy about Burnett's grand entrance, but he didn't attempt to stop him. He backed up, allowing Burnett to come all the way inside.

Kylie swallowed, not sure how this was going to play out. Burnett was going to be furious, and as soon as her grandfather learned Burnett was on to Hayden, he would be furious.

"Okay, let's get one thing straight," Burnett said, getting things started. "No one is leaving this room until I have answers. And I don't care if I have to use force to get them." He stared directly at Hayden.

"And since I don't hit girls, I'd suggest you start explaining."

Hayden tilted his head up. "Explaining what?" he asked, not showing the least bit of intimidation.

Kylie had to admire Hayden for it, too. She loved Burnett and knew he wasn't unfair or unjust, but she still had a quiver in the pit of her stomach. The man had intimidation down to an art. And one he excelled at.

"What's the tie between you two?" Burnett asked.

"Tie?" Hayden asked.

"At first Kylie was certain that you were the one behind the dead girls, and then suddenly you are her ally. You lied when you told me she asked to be let out at the cemetery."

"I did let her off at the cemetery."

"Then you lied about her coming to you. I know Kylie, and she wouldn't have just gone to you for help without a reason, without a connection of some sort."

"I'm her teacher," Hayden answered. "I thought helping a student in difficult situations was a plus around here."

"And I thought you were smart enough to know when to come clean!" Burnett's eyes glittered with specks of angry green. "The only reason I haven't already kicked your ass out of here is that I want answers first. So start talking!"

Kylie, afraid this might get out of hand, moved between the two men. "Can Hayden and I have a moment of privacy?"

Burnett's expression hardened.

"Please," Kylie said. "I ... I think it will help get to the bottom of this."

Burnett's jaw tightened to the point it looked about ready to crack.

"And when you come back, I'll have answers for you."His frown tightened. "I'll be right outside the door."

"But you can still hear-"

"That's all I'm giving you!" he demanded.

She suddenly realized that was enough-for she and Hayden could go invisible and their chat wouldn't be overheard by intruding vampire ears. She nodded and watched the angry vamp step out. As soon as the door closed, she pressed a finger over her lips and then grabbed Hayden's hand and took him into the invisible realm with her.

"You can already do this?" Hayden's voice echoed but he remained unseen.

"Yes." Kylie held on to his hand, so she'd know where he was.

"That's amazing, Kylie. Do you realize how far advanced you are? When did you-"

"Sorry, but we don't have time to talk about that right now. What are we going to tell Burnett? I think we should come clean."

"He'll insist I leave," Hayden said. "And you'll lose my protection."

"First, I don't need protecting from anyone here. But I don't want you to go, I want to have someone I can go to if I have questions. Second, I'm not sure Burnett will make you leave. But if we don't tell him, he's for sure going to send you packing. Our best chance of you getting to stay is telling him the truth."

"I see your point," Hayden said. "But..."

"I didn't tell him, you know. He doesn't even know you're a chameleon. He just-"

"I know," Hayden said. "He's been suspicious of me since before you even left."

"That's my fault. I-"

"I know," Hayden said.

The sound of the front door slamming brought Hayden's words to a halt. Burnett stormed back into the room, his eyes glittering with fury.

"That man is impossible," Hayden said.

"God damn it!" Burnett's words rang out. "Kylie! Where are you!"

"I'm going to talk to him," Kylie said to Hayden. "You stay invisible." She released his hand and willed herself to be seen.

Burnett's scowl landed on her immediately. "Where is he?" he bit out.

"He's here. We're still talking. In private, like I asked."

"You can make others invisible?"

She nodded. Not that I had to make Hayden invisible-him being chameleon-but Burnett doesn't know that.

"This is foolish. I want answers!"

"And you'll have them if you allow me this time!" she demanded, not backing down. "I'm asking you to trust me as you have asked me to do so many times in the past."

He growled and turned his gaze to the ceiling as if pleading for patience. Kylie willed herself invisible again.

"I'm right here," Hayden's voice came beside her. "So exactly what all do you want to tell him?"

"Everything," Kylie said to an empty spot, but she trusted he was there. "That you were sent here by my grandfather and that you're a chameleon. And that you want to stay on here." She paused. "And it wouldn't hurt to add how impressed you are with this place. If we can get him to see you as our ally thenmaybe..."

"Maybe what?" Hayden asked.

"I don't know if it's possible, but I was thinking that a lot of the younger chameleons like Jenny could benefit from Shadow Falls."

"I've entertained that thought myself," Hayden said. "But the elders wouldn't-"

"Okay, time's up!" Burnett snapped, and started moving around the room. "Get your asses back here now."

"One more minute," Kylie insisted. "We're almost done."

"He can't hear you," Hayden said.

"Oh, yeah." She paused, questions for Hayden racing through her mind, but Burnett was about to flip.

And a flipping Burnett wasn't easy to deal with.

"Are you ready?" Kylie asked. "I have so much more to talk to you about, but for now ... I think we should deal with this. Wait!" Kylie snapped. When she didn't hear him, she called for him. "Hayden?"

"Yes?" he asked.

"Do you think my grandfather was in on the plan to kidnap me and keep me from Shadow Falls?"

"No. I don't think he was. He's been very worried about you-even called six times until you arrived."

Relief fluttered through her. "Will you tell him I'm sorry for ... not saying good-bye?"

"I will."

"Kylie!" Burnett growled.

Taking a deep breath, she willed herself visible again. Hayden appeared at her side.

Burnett didn't look impressed. He came at Hayden and grabbed him by his shirtfront. "Disappear again and I'll see that you disappear permanently."

"Calm down." Kylie moved beside Burnett. "Hayden isn't the enemy. It's because of him that we were able to find Holiday when Warren had her. He's actually the reason I was able to escape tonight." Kylie saw Hayden look at her as if surprised she knew this piece of the puzzle.

Burnett released Hayden and then studied his forehead. "You are a chameleon?"

Hayden's body posture stiffened. "You say that as if it's an insult."

Burnett's shoulders grew tighter. "I say that as if you've been lying to me."

Hayden brushed off his wrinkled shirtfront. "I came here to make sure Kylie wasn't being sold out to the FRU by someone who has a problem throwing around his authority."

Burnett frowned. "I am the authority here. And I ran a background check on you. Everything states that you are half vampire, half fae. You are even registered as such."

"I am," Hayden said.

"But it's not true."

Hayden didn't blink. "It is how I choose to live my life."

Burnett shook his head, as if trying to understand. "But according to my research, Kylie's grandfather is listed as human by the FRU. And the few chameleons I saw outside the compound wore the human pattern.

I thought that's what all of you let the world think. For that matter, why do you choose not to live in the compound with the others? Are you rogue?"

Hayden's posture tightened. "Are you rogue because you do not live within a community of vampires?

One should live their life as they choose, is this not so? I simply prefer to live on my own and I chose to live it as a supernatural and not a human.""So you just picked a species and fake that pattern?"

"I haven't done anything wrong to be judged by you," Hayden said.

Burnett still looked confused. "How many like you exist? Living as a different type of supernatural?"

"Not enough for us to feel comfortable with coming forward," Hayden said. "Not when history has proven what can happen."

Kylie saw Burnett try to absorb what he was hearing and file it away. "So when you saw I held no threat to Kylie, why didn't you come forward then?"

"So you could send me packing, or worse, have me arrested?"

Burnett might throw his weight around more than Hayden, and even outweigh him by quite a bit, but verbally Hayden held his own. And that fact wasn't appreciated by Burnett.

"You work for Kylie's grandfather?" Burnett asked.

"Work for him? No. Was I assisting him? Yes. As you know from the checks you ran on me more than once, I worked as a regular high school teacher for three years in Houston."

"Are you still assisting him?" Burnett's question hung in the air as if the answer would decide something.

"Depends on what you mean by assisting. Am I trying to go against you to cause Kylie any harm? No.

But am I still keeping a watchful eye on her and answering the concerns of her worried grandfather? Yes."

"The same worried grandfather who had planned to kidnap her?"

"My grandfather wasn't behind that," Kylie said before Hayden could answer. "And I don't want you to send Hayden away, either. Please, Burnett, do this for me."

Burnett looked at Kylie. "I don't know if I can work with someone who doesn't know where his loyalty lies."

Kylie rolled her eyes. "You mean like you and the FRU?"

Burnett's eyes tightened. "My loyalty has always been to protect you."

"But you still work with them, too. Because as you say, you see the good the FRU does. Well, Hayden is the same. He wants to protect me, but he understands my grandfather has good intentions. Why can't you accept this?"

Burnett frowned, but Kylie could see her point had hit home. "I will take it under consideration and discuss it with Holiday."

Hayden nodded, his expression saying he wouldn't beg to stay on. Not that Kylie blamed him for not wanting to plead, but she didn't have so much pride that she wouldn't. Her life would just be easier with Hayden here, and it would help with her connection with her grandfather. She really, really needed Hayden.

"My rules, however, still stand," Burnett continued. "No matter what I decide with Mr. Yates's future at Shadow Falls," Burnett said, focusing on Kylie, "you are not to run off to see your grandfather. You will have shadows, and if I have to personally guard your cabin every night to prevent you from going against the rules, I will."

Kylie nodded, accepting she'd have to earn his trust back.

Burnett shifted his attention back to Hayden. "And if I choose to let you stay on at Shadow Falls, I will expect you to abide by my rules and help me keep Kylie in check. And assist me in learning how to cope with a rogue of your own kind.""If you decide I can stay on, I'll consider your offer," Hayden said, the edge in his voice stating he obviously hadn't warmed up to Burnett's demeanor. Not that Kylie could blame him. It had taken her a while to warm up to the vamp. Until she learned how much he cared. "But I can tell you this, Mr. James, I refuse to be treated with disrespect."

"Disrespect?" Burnett growled.

And then everything went to hell.

Burnett and Hayden exchanged colorful verbal blows. According to Hayden, Burnett was a prick, and according to Burnett, Hayden was an overconfident jerk who had lied.

She didn't know if she felt confident the tension wouldn't elevate to physical blows, or if she was simply too tired to care anymore. If they broke each other's noses, so be it. She didn't think they would kill each other. Then again, she could be wrong.

But she was suddenly too tired to try to stop them.

Her knees wobbled and her eyes grew heavy. She had to sit down before she fell down. Ignoring the two arguing men, she walked across the room and plopped down on Hayden's sofa.

Feeling a chill wash over, she hugged herself. She was so tired it took a minute to realize the cold wasn't just a natural reaction from being exhausted. It also took a second to realize the men had stopped arguing and were staring at her.

Kylie ignored the men to deal with the spirit. "Not now," she muttered, and stared right at the coffee table in front of her, not wanting to have to face the ghost and her nonsense talk of murder. And not really wanting to face Burnett or Hayden, either.

"Not now, what?" Burnett asked.

"Nothing," Kylie said, and the ghost stepped in front of her. Her pale pink dress hung heavy, soaked in blood. Lots of blood. At least it looked like blood.

Kill or be killed. The spirit's words wiggled through Kylie's mind.

Kylie leaned back and looked the spirit in her cold dead eyes. Right now, I'll have to go with "be killed." I'm just too tired.

"Are you ready to go back to your cabin?" Burnett glanced around as if aware they had a visitor, but he couldn't see her. Not that he really should be able to see her ghost, but he had been able to see Hannah, Holiday's sister, so Kylie wasn't sure.

"Can you see her?" Kylie asked.

"See who?" Hayden asked.

"A ghost," Burnett answered Hayden.

"Shit!" Hayden mouthed, and took a step back.

"No, but I can feel her," Burnett said, and his concerned gaze stayed locked on Kylie. "You're not going to pass out, are you?"

"I don't think so," Kylie answered.

"Good. Are you ready to go back to your cabin?" Burnett asked again.

"Yeah," Kylie said. As she went to stand up, she saw Hayden's phone on the coffee table. Recalling she wanted to call her mom, she picked it up and shot Hayden a glance. "I'm gonna borrow this," she told him. "I left mine with my granddad."

Hayden frowned. "Just don't call my girlfriend like the last time you borrowed my phone."She moved over to him, ignoring the spirit who she felt standing by the door, and hugged Hayden.

Maybe she shouldn't have, because he stiffened. What is it with men and hugs? she wondered.

"Thank you," she said, pulling away.

"Yeah," he answered.

She glanced at Burnett. He looked upset, as if she'd just hugged the enemy. "You know, the problem with you two is that you are too much alike."

Both of them made some scratchy noise in their throat as if to deny it. Kylie just rolled her eyes and started out. And her ghost, carrying a bloody sword in one hand and ... and somebody's head in the other, cut in front of Kylie. The head, apparently freshly severed and still pouring blood, dangled and bounced against her hip as she moved.

Kylie gasped and came to an abrupt stop. The spirit turned around, and smiled. Then, holding the body part up by a handful of dark hair as if it were a trophy, she gave it a good shake. I told you, killing is a piece of cake.

She shook the head. The eyes wobbled as if loose in their sockets, and blood squirted out of the neck.

Kylie let out a frightened squeak.

Swinging around, Kylie slammed into Burnett and buried her face in his shoulder and hung on. "I'm too tired to handle body parts," she muttered. "Make her go away. Please, make her go away."