Chosen at Nightfall (Shadow Falls #5)(17)

"Now what?" he asked in a voice barely audible, and she felt his breath against her cheek. She shifted back.

"If I understand what Jenny meant, the guards walk the property. I can hear footsteps, and I'm assuming it's them now. They aren't too close, but it sounds like there are two of them. I'm hoping they will walk on by."

"Sounds like a plan."

It sounded like a shot in the dark, Kylie thought.

They stood completely silent and invisible. The footsteps drew nearer. Close.

Then closer. But they remained invisible. The sound of their breathing echoed too loud in the night air.

Kylie tried to listen to see if their own breaths sounded.

Derek must have shifted because the sound of a twig snapping filled the air.

Kylie stiffened and prayed it didn't give them away.

"Did you hear that?" one voice asked.

Kylie recognized it as one of the chameleons' voices. She didn't know him well enough to call him by name. Not that knowing his name would help right now. If he discovered them, they would probably call the elders. And just what the elders would do was beyond her.

"Who's here?" a different voice called out, and the footsteps drew closer. So there were definitely two of them.

"Speak now if you are one of us!" the second voice said, and moved so close to Kylie she could swear she could feel the warmth of his invisible body.

And that warmth left Kylie cold with fear.

Especially when the body materialized and stood within an inch of her. Derek's grip on her fingers tightened, telling her he was sensing her fear.

The redheaded chameleon guard glanced around and called out. "Hello? Is someone here?"

Chapter Six

Another set of footsteps filled the darkness, but this one came from behind them.

"It's just me," a feminine voice called out several feet behind where Kylie and Derek stood, invisible and silent.

Kylie recognized Jenny's tenor just before she appeared from the shadows. The girl had obviously followed them-to make sure they had made it. Kylie felt slightly guilty for doubting the girl in the beginning.

"Jenny Beth? What are you doing traipsing out in the woods at this time of night?"

Derek squeezed her hand and Kylie could only assume it was out of concern for Jenny. But her gut said that Jenny should be able to handle this. She almost said that to Derek, but remembered the other guard would hear her.

Jenny moved in a few more inches. "I couldn't sleep. I stepped outside for a quick walk and then ... I saw someone."

"Saw who?"

"I don't know, he didn't look familiar. Sandy brown hair, almost six feet. Medium build. Young. And when the moonlight hit him, he looked like he had light eyes."

Kylie bit down on her lip. Why was Jenny describing Derek? Derek squeezed Kylie's hand a little tighter, silently asking the same question.

The other chameleon materialized beside his partner. "Sounds like one of the guards that dirty FRU put on us. The one that knocked our asses out. I'd love to get another stab at him."

Tension traveled through Derek's grip and up Kylie's arm. The need to protect him stirred in her chest.

The new guard cut his gaze toward Jenny. "Why did you stay out here with a stranger running loose?"

the man asked.

"I didn't. I mean, that's why I came this way. He was between me and my house when I spotted him. He walked toward the north part of the property. I was going to Mr. Summers' home to report it."

"I knew this wouldn't end well," the guard snapped. He pulled a cell phone from his pocket and dialed.

The other moved closer to Jenny. "I'll walk you home."

"I think I can make it."

"Not with strangers running amok."

Kylie saw Jenny cut her eyes toward her and Derek, almost as if she knew where they stood. And in the gaze, she seemed to send a silent message that said once she got the guys away from here, they needed to run.

It was a message Kylie didn't need to receive twice.

The one on his cell started talking to someone about finding Jenny. "She says he was headed north." He paused. "We will." He hung up and looked at the other guard. "Get her back home and join me in the northend to find this guy. Our orders are if we don't find him quickly, we'll have to sound the alarm."

"Twice in twenty-four hours, I think that's a record," the other stated with disgust.

Silence reigned in the dark. "Yeah, that's what happens when we start bringing in strangers. Protector or not, I knew that girl's coming here would stir up shit. And to think they want to keep her."

Kylie's heart pulled at hearing this. It wasn't that she hadn't believed Jenny, but hearing it somehow made it feel more real. And it hurt deeper.

Derek's touch grew warmer and Kylie knew he was attempting to console her.

One of the guys shifted closer to where she kneapped. He pulled a cell phone from his pocket and dialed.

The other moved closer to Jenny. "I'll walk you home."

"I think I can make it."

"Not with strangers running amok."

Kylie saw Jenny cut her eyes toward her and Derek, almost as if she knew where they stood. And in the gaze, she seemed to send a silent message that said once she got the guys away from here, they needed to run.