Awake at Dawn (Shadow Falls #2)(46)

"I told you earlier, I'm just trying to protect our cabin."

Kylie remembered her roommate claiming that an unwelcome presence lurked nearby, although Kylie hadn't really felt anything. Other than when she'd been alone in the woods or paths.

"Protect it from what ... exactly?"

Miranda tossed up some kind of herbs in the air. They crackled and popped on their downward descent, telling Kylie they weren't just regular herbs. "I don't know ... exactly."

"Didn't you already do something to get rid of it?"

"Yup, but the bad boy is still here. Just won't go away."

Kylie didn't want to ask, but she figured she had to. "Could it be a ghost?" Because if it was, Kylie wasn't so sure Miranda should attempt to keep it away. Like it or not, dealing with ghosts was sort of Kylie's job. Not that so far Miranda's rituals had prevented the ghosts from visiting.

However, if Miranda's herbs were in any way keeping Daniel away, well, Kylie couldn't have that. She really needed to talk to Daniel. "No, it's not like one of your spirits," Miranda said.

"Then what is it like?" Kylie felt a tad apprehensive and remembering the unwelcomed vampire visitor from the other night. "I mean, wouldn't Della know if it was like something rogue?"

"Yeah, but this isn't ... normal. It's involving magic. I can't put my finger on it yet, but I'm working on it," she said.

Working on it like she was working on changing Socks back to feline form? Kylie didn't say it, because that would have hurt Miranda, but Kylie couldn't help thinking it.

"Have you mentioned it to Holiday?" Kylie asked.

"Not yet. Let me try to deal with it first."

Kylie nodded, but she wasn't too sure.

"You ready to go yet?" Miranda asked after tossing up one more sprinkling of herbs.

"No." Kylie brushed a few of the tiny crackling herbs from her hair.

"I ... got a few phone calls to make."

"Okay, but don't be too late. After Campmate Hour, we've got cooking together, and today we're supposed to bake brownies, and you're supposed to decorate them. And they won't let us eat them until after you've done your thing. And I love, love brownies. And don't want to have to wait."

"I won't be that late." Kylie was actually enjoying the food art lessons she'd signed up for last week. Who knew she'd get off on decorating cupcakes and such? Drawing with pen and paper had never been her thing, but working with icing was kind of cool. Then again, she'd always kind of enjoyed watching those cake-decorating shows on cable.

Miranda started to walk away and then turned back. "Who are you calling?"

Holding the phone number of the private detective in her hand, she almost told Miranda the truth, but decided she wasn't ready to share. "I'll explain later."

"Trey?" Miranda asked.

"No way," Kylie answered.

"Sara?" Miranda asked.

"I'll explain later." Kylie frowned, remembering Sara still hadn't tried to call her back.

"A secret admirer," Miranda continued as if were a game. "A hot stud muffin who kisses like no tomorrow that you haven't told us about? Oh, I want to meet him."

Kylie groaned. "I don't have a stud muffin."

"Really? The way you blushed when you talked about Derek naked, I thought he was your stud muffin."

"Go to breakfast." Kylie waved her off.

"Oookay," Miranda said, and started off.

Kylie shut the door and looked at the scrap of paper she held in her hand. She finally felt as if she might be closer to finding answers. She hadn't had any luck finding Daniel's adoptive parents, or even knew if they were still alive, and she didn't have a clue how to go about looking for his real ones. But if Derek was right ... if this guy was that good, then maybe he could find them. And because they were supernaturals, or at least one of them had to be, and considering they had a longer life expectancy, then there was a good chance they could be alive.

And if she found them, she would find her answers. She would finally know what she was. God, she really, really hoped this guy was as good as Derek believed.

Just thinking Derek's name, or maybe it was Miranda's whole stud muffin talk, either way, Kylie got flashbacks to last night. To the whole shower scene and to the hot kisses they'd shared.

"Wow. If he actually finds them, what do I get?"

Derek's question played in her head. She knew he was joking, he didn't expect payment of any kind for helping her. And perhaps that was part of the reason she wanted to reward him. Or not exactly reward him.

She just wanted ...

Don't go there, she told herself. It was way too early to start thinking about those kinds of things. Think about decorating cupcakes. Or think about making the call.

Grabbing her phone off the kitchen counter, she sat down at the computer desk. Taking a deep breath, she dialed the PI's number.

"Brit Smith Agency," he answered.

"Hi." She didn't exactly know where to start. "Uh, my name is Kylie Galen."

"Derek's girl?" the man said.

Kylie felt her stomach wiggle at being called "Derek's girl." It sounded really nice, even though Kylie wasn't officially his girl. Then again, seeing him naked ... Don't go there.