Born at Midnight (Shadow Falls #1)(25)

"Just make sure he doesn't come back. I don't want to become another blood spatter on his shirt." Saying the words sent another chil down Kylie's back.

When the chil hung on longer than it should, she wondered if the cold stemmed from her panic or was it from something else? Was someone else here? Someone other than ...

"Thanks." Del a smiled. "I knew I liked you. Come on-let's get to the bonfire before they send someone after us."

They started walking again, but every other step had Kylie looking over her shoulder. What frightened her more-finding a ghost or Del a's cousin

-she wasn't sure.

* * *

The smel of wood smoke grew stronger as they made their way through the woods. The half moon shifted in and out behind clouds, shrouding them either in moon shadows or complete darkness. The strange animal sounds kept playing in the distance-lions, elephants, and even wolves. But thankful y, the cold faded into the darkness.

Del a never seemed to lose her way so Kylie stayed close, ignoring the feel of thorns and bushes catching on her jeans. Final y, a reddish glow appeared between the trees.

Able to think clearly at last, Kylie took advantage of their last few minutes alone to ask Del a a few questions. "Is ... your cousin the one who did this to you?"

Del a looked over her shoulder. "Did what to me?"

"Turned you into a vampire."

"Oh. No. I was born with the virus. But yes, it was probably the contact with him that activated it."

"I thought you became a vampire by getting bit? Or is that just a myth? I mean, I realize there's a lot of myths about supernaturals. I saw you could eat pizza. And you were in the sun."

Del a smiled. "The sun and I don't get along, but sunscreen mostly takes care of that. I can eat-not like I used to. I mostly need blood. And yes, some humans can be turned by being ... bit. There are parts of the myths that are true. However, most of us are born with the virus. But it takes being exposed to another vampire before the virus is activated."

Kylie tried to understand. "So you knew you were a vampire al your life?"

Del a chuckled. "Hardly. The virus runs in my family but we never knew anything about it because it only affects one in fifty family members, and even then it may not be the active virus. Everybody thought Chan died in a car accident when he was in France. Then one night I saw him, at this party. Freaked me out."

"I can imagine." A lot of this was freaking her out.

"Anyway, he of course could sense that I had the gene and having come in contact with him, he knew I'd turn and get sicker than hel . He showed up to help me. He told me that I was a vampire. It was a big friggin' shock to my system. Sort of like what you're going through right now."

"Yeah, but I haven't been sick. We're not sure if I'm anything."

"Yeah, denial is a big part of it," Del a said. "I remember. I swore I just had a bad case of the swine flu."

Kylie bit back another denial and let Del a continue. "I went through it al . Of course with vampires it's worse. The change is damn painful." She moved a few branches out the way and held them back for Kylie to pass.

"So your parents don't know?" Kylie asked.

"You kidding?" Del a asked. "They would freak."

They kept walking and Del a continued. "I got real y sick at first. The doctors didn't understand it, either. Chan explained everything to me. He hid in my bedroom and took care of me for almost two weeks. I owe him big for that."

"Enough to leave your family for him?" Kylie asked, remembering what Del a and her cousin had argued about. Then Kylie recal ed her own family drama and sympathized with Del a's plight. Losing someone you loved hurt like hel . An image of her father flashed in Kylie's mind and her chest tightened.

Emotion made Del a's eyes bright. "There's a community of vampires who live in Pennsylvania. Chan thinks it's best if I go there and live. It's hard to live with family and keep this from them. I just ... I don't know what's right. We ... my family and I, used to be so close. Wel , Dad's always been a hard ass, but I know he loves me. Mom was my best friend and I have a little sister and I can't imagine leaving her."

"Would your mom let you go if you asked her?" Kylie asked.

"No. I'd have to run away and I know that would break their hearts. Which is why most young vampires fake their deaths, so the family moves on. I don't want to do that, but ... I'm pretty much breaking their hearts now anyway. It's like a war zone at home."

Del a's voice shook and Kylie didn't look but she figured there were tears in her roommate's eyes. Then again, Kylie wasn't sure if vampires could cry. But tears or no tears, she could hear the pain in Del a's voice.

"It's hard," Del a continued. "I had to go out at night to get blood. It's not as if I can keep a supply in the fridge. I'm basical y nocturnal now, so staying awake at school during a boring class was almost impossible. The school convinced my mom I was either doing drugs or depressed. My parents, even my mom, were riding me and accusing me of al sorts of shit. Al we did was fight, and I couldn't make it stop. So Chan may be right."

Kylie struggled for something to say. Staring straight ahead she spotted the red and orange flickers from the bonfire. The voices of the campers who were standing around a fire fil ed the night. She glanced at Del a and offered her the only thing she could. "If it makes you feel any better, my home life sucks right now, too."