Chosen at Nightfall (Shadow Falls #5)(39)

"And you're not?" Holiday asked.

"No," Kylie said. And she meant it. She did. Yes, she really did. So why did she sound like she was trying to convince herself of that? "I don't want to talk about Derek."

Holiday studied her. "Do you want to talk about Lucas?"

"No," Kylie said.

"Okay, but if you need to talk about him or anything, I'm here for you."

"I know." Then, just to make a liar out of herself, the words slipped from her lips. "I realized I loved him right before all that happened." Her heart felt like it folded over on itself. "I was going to tell him the next time I saw him. Then, the next time I saw him he was promising his soul to Monique."

Holiday pursed her lips as if hesitant to say what was on her mind. "I don't think he meant it."

"I don't care if he meant it; he shouldn't have done it."

"That's true. And I won't tell you what to do, but I do believe he's telling the truth about his intentions.

And I'm just saying that if you still care about him, I don't think he's a bad guy."

Kylie drew in a deep breath. "I asked my mom once if she still loved my dad. She told me she didn't know. That maybe once she got over being mad at him, she'd have to see how she felt. Maybe that's what will happen with me and Lucas. But for right now, it's royally pissing me off that everyone is telling me what a good guy he is. It makes me feel like I'm the one who did something wrong." Tears tightened her throat, but she swallowed them and stiffened her spine.

"I'm sorry." Holiday held up one hand. "And you know you didn't do anything wrong. And I'll not say another word."

"Thank you."

Her gut suddenly let out a loud growl letting her know it was as unhappy as she was ... and empty. She gazed back up at Holiday. "I need to eat something. I think my stomach is gnawing on my backbone right now."

"Here." Holiday reached over to the nightstand and handed her a paper bag. "I brought it to you earlier, thinking you'd need some food."

Kylie pulled out the plastic baggie and saw half a sandwich with a bite out of it.

"Sorry, I got hungry while I was waiting on you to wake up."

When Kylie unwrapped the sandwich and took a bite, Holiday reached back into the bag and pulled outa bag of opened chips. "I'm still hungry." She smiled apologetically and popped a chip into her mouth.

As Kylie ate the sandwich and watched Holiday eat the chips, the weight of the world sitting on her chest felt as if it lifted. Not all the way, but enough to give her a reprieve. She still had tons of issues to work through. But being back at Shadow Falls-this was right. And being here with Holiday helped make it so.

Kylie finished off the last bite of sandwich and reached into the chip bag Holiday held. Her fingers found the bottom of the bag.

Holiday made a funny face. "Sorry, I don't know what's up with me. My appetite has gone haywire."

"It's probably love," Kylie said. "You're just shining with it. Every time you say Burnett's name, your eyes start glowing."

"Actually, love does just the opposite on the appetite. You think you can live off love. No food needed."

Kylie arched a brow. "Then ... maybe you're pregnant."

Holiday licked the potato chip grease and crumbs from her fingers. "Not possible."

"Oh, please. Miranda told me she was at your place and Burnett's things were scattered all over. You two are planning a wedding. Miranda told me that, too. The fact that you two are sleeping together is ... is normal. And if you pretend otherwise, you're going to look stupid."

Holiday tilted her head to the side, offering Kylie a half-serious look. "I'm not pretending. And while I shouldn't have to explain this-" She paused. "I didn't say he wasn't staying at my place, or that we weren't ... sleeping together. I said it wasn't possible. We're being careful. Using protection. Which is the best advice I can give any teenager out there." She pointed to the paper sack on the bed. "There's a few cookies in the bag. Sorry, I ... ate some of those, too."

Kylie snagged the paper bag and pulled out another plastic bag in the bottom that had three Oreos. She grabbed one for herself, and out of politeness, offered one to Holiday-who took it with enthusiasm.

"I love Oreos," Holiday said, as if reading Kylie's surprise. Then the fae pushed the entire cookie into her mouth in one big bite.

"You know condoms aren't foolproof," Kylie said, opening her cookie and licking at the white icing between the chocolate wafers. "Some statistics state they are only eighty-five to ninety percent effective in preventing pregnancy. Some claim that as much as ten percent of that error is human error, or in your case, vampire error, and not condom error. Like a guy pulling out too quick"-she made a face-"causing leakage, or not putting the thing on right in the first place. And if a woman has long nails..." The look on Holiday's face gave Kylie a moment of pause. "Not that you have long nails or that Burnett wouldn't know how to put one on himself." Kylie felt her face heat.

Holiday blushed right along with Kylie. Then, still having a mouth full of cookie, the fae held up her hand as if to say she needed a minute before speaking.

Kylie, oddly over the embarrassment, felt proud of the knowledge she had, and kept talking between licks of icing. "And if a guy carries one around in his wallet too long, it can tear. Then there're product failures. For whatever reason the condom breaks, or has a tiny hole in it. And you would be surprised how little sperm it takes to get a girl preggo."