Born at Midnight (Shadow Falls #1)(45)

Burnett's eyes tightened in the corners. But Kylie preferred to focus on Holiday's pleased smile.

"Are you finished now?" the camp leader asked.

"Just a few more questions." Burnett's piercing gaze never shifted from Kylie. "How do you feel about our camp, Miss Galen?"

"It's great." Kylie's heart sputtered when she remembered she couldn't lie. "At least everyone else I've met here seems to like it."

"And you don't?"

Don't lie. "I'd rather be at home."

"And why is that?" Burnett's eyes darkened to black.

"Everything is so ... new to me."

"What's new?"

"The fact that people like you even exist." It was the truth. However, she didn't mean it to sound so ... derogatory.

"Like me? As in vampires?" he asked, clearly offended.

"Supernaturals," Kylie corrected.

"And what do you think you are?" he asked smugly.

"I'm not sure," she answered truthful y. "But I'm hoping I'm nothing. Just me." With a brain tumor. She pushed that thought aside to chew on later. He stared harder and Kylie's courage winced. He shook his head and his brows tightened. "Why are you being so close-minded?"

"I'm not. Believing in al this..." It occurred to her that he wasn't talking about her ability to accept al this, but rather, his inability to read her mind.

"She can't help it." Holiday stepped forward. "It's a condition of one of her gifts. She's a ghost whisperer."

Kylie nodded as if to say ditto. Both men's eyes widened.

"Ghost whisperer?" Austin said, and turned to Holiday, but before he shifted, Kylie spotted something that looked like fear cross his expression.

"Like you?" Burnett glanced at the camp leader.

"You've read my file?" Holiday asked.

"It's my job to know who I'm working with."

"Funny, you didn't offer your file to me," she responded. "And you expect me to work-"

"I'l have it sent over. If it real y interests you," he countered, his voice dripping with sarcasm.

"On second thought, don't bother," she clipped out. "But to respond to your earlier comment, yes, Kylie's a ghost whisperer just like me." While Holiday's tone lacked the earlier attitude, the brief smile that flashed on her lips contained attitude plus.

"You, too?" Austin shuddered. "I hate ghosts."

"Is she fairy?" Burnett asked, staring and twitching again at Kylie as if attempting to read her once more.

"We're stil trying to decipher that," Holiday answered.

"So her parents are not registered as supernaturals?" Burnett questioned.

"No," Holiday replied.

"They could be rogues."

"Be what?" Kylie asked.

"They would have never sent her here if they were," Holiday answered Burnett, leaving Kylie's question hanging. Kylie's phone buzzed, but she ignored it, not wanting to miss out on any conversation that centered on her.

"Or maybe that's why she's here." Burnett's harsh glare focused on Kylie again. "Were you sent here with a purpose, Miss Galen?"

"No, and my parents didn't do anything wrong," Kylie insisted.

Holiday took a step closer. "If your hearing isn't off, you should be able to tel she spoke the truth."

Burnett nodded. He stood and then focused on Holiday. "You're right. She doesn't seem involved. But I want to be updated on her condition."

Holiday's expression hardened. "I don't see why that is necessary."

"Neither do I," Kylie blurted out, not liking how they discussed her as if she wasn't here. Burnett ignored Kylie and focused only on Holiday. "You'l comply with my wishes, Miss Brandon, or I'l see to it that my boss finds a camp leader who wil ."

For the first time, Holiday flinched, tel ing Kylie the camp leader cared more about her job than she did her pride. "I'm simply curious as to why you're interested in her."

"In addition to watching over this project, I'm in charge of tracking any anomalies in our al iance. Miss Galen qualifies."

"I'm an anomaly?" Kylie blurted out in disbelief.

"Okay, I'l update you," Holiday said, stil paying Kylie no heed.

Burnett looked a tad smug, as if he knew he'd won. Then he glanced back at Kylie. "You may go now."

Kylie gazed up at Holiday. "I thought-"

Holiday interrupted. "We have a meeting. I'd appreciate if you two could let yourselves out."

Burnett crossed his arms over his wide chest. "Your meeting wil have to be rescheduled. I need you to go through the files with me. Since it appears that Miss Galen is not our suspect, we need to find out who is."

"And you just assume that it's one of my kids," Holiday seethed. "Have you even considered that-"

"Yes, I do assume that. Al the evidence points here," Burnett snapped.

Evidence of what? The question lay on the tip of Kylie's tongue, but something warned her not to push it. Holiday's lips tightened before she turned to Kylie. "We'l meet after lunch. Is that okay?"