Chosen at Nightfall (Shadow Falls #5)(42)

"He's not all bad," Kylie said. "I know he can be ... difficult. In a lot of ways, he sort of reminds me of my grandfather. And even you a bit."

"I'm not nearly as pigheaded," Hayden said. "He has no right to treat me like this."

Kylie could argue the point with Hayden that coming here and hiding his whole identity didn't instill trust in Burnett, but what good would it do? "Just promise you'll consider staying on. I really need you here."

"I'll consider it, but that's all I can promise."

* * *

With another sandwich, Oreos, and Burnett in tow, Kylie and Holiday made their way to the falls. Burnett moved with them, but the vamp kept tripping, mostly because his concerned focus stayed on Holiday, instead of watching where he stepped.

She hadn't hiccuped again, but neither had she stopped panicking. At least it appeared that way, because she hadn't lost that oh-shit look on her face. Obviously, Burnett picked up her oh-shit look, too.

"Everything okay?" he asked for the second time.

"I told you, it's just tummy issues," Holiday answered, and Kylie recognized her answer as a version of the truth, so her heartbeat wouldn't give away the fact that she lied.

"Do you need to see a doctor?" His brows tightened and the big bad vampire became a worried, normal-looking guy who cared a whole hell of a lot for Holiday.

A warmth filled her chest just looking at them. With it came a sense of accomplishment. A feeling that she'd not just played a part in getting these two together, but it had been part of her quest that she'd completed, and completed well.

"No, I don't need to see a doctor," Holiday said. "At least not yet," she added quickly to counter another lie.

"Probably wedding jitters," Kylie added, hoping to help the conversation move away from her tummy issues before Holiday couldn't find another half truth to throw out.

Looking away from the couple holding hands, Kylie could swear she heard the whispering sound of rushing water over the falls. She slowed her steps and tuned her ears to listen. Yup, it was the falls, and yet they were probably a half mile away. She inhaled deeply, longing for the peace she would find behind the magical wall of water-a place where all the wrongs in life didn't feel so wrong. Or at least they felt manageable.

"Wedding jitters?" Burnett asked as if he'd been considering Kylie's statement. "She has nothing to be nervous about." He almost sounded offended. "I will do everything in my power to be a good husband."

"Brides are always nervous," Holiday said.

"About what? It's not as if you don't already know all my bad habits. Or me yours."

Holiday shot him a funny face. "What bad habits do I have?"

"You're a cover hog." Burnett grinned and stared with devotion at her. Kylie had seen that look on hisface before, but now he wore it with pride.

"But seriously," Burnett continued, "what would you have to be nervous about?"

Kylie noticed that when they talked, it was as if she wasn't even here. They were so tuned in to each other, everything and everyone else disappeared. And hadn't she felt the same about Lucas? She pushed that thought back.

"What if you get cold feet?" Holiday asked, and some of the teasing tone slipped from her voice.

Kylie remembered that Blake, Holiday's ex fiance, had left her at the altar-after sleeping with her twin. No doubt, Holiday probably did have wedding jitters.

"My feet are always cold. I'm a vampire," he said in a teasing voice, almost as if he was trying to chase away Holiday's somberness. "And if I remember correctly, you complained about that last night."

He slowed down and slipped his arm around Holiday. "Marrying you doesn't scare me a bit. It's the best thing that could ever happen to me. I'd never run out on you. I'll be the first one to the church."

Kylie's heart swelled at Burnett's words.

She heard Holiday let go of a sigh in the sentimental moment. "And it's when you say things like that I know why I put up with your cold feet." Holiday reached up on her tiptoes to kiss him. Burnett pulled her up so he could deepen the kiss.

"Hey," Kylie said, grinning. "You've got virgin eyes watching you right now."

"Then turn your head," Burnett said to Kylie, and he smiled. "I should be able to kiss my fiancee."

Kylie chuckled. "Yeah, but you'd better be careful, they are going to revoke your vampire license if you get any more romantic and mushy."

"Don't worry," Burnett said, his eyes pinched as if serious. "I can still be a jackass, and kick ass, when it's called for."

Yeah, like last night, Kylie thought. She still had a few bruises on her ego, and so did Hayden Yates, but she didn't say it. Down deep, she knew Burnett had justifications for coming off strong with her and Hayden.

Her thoughts went back to her conversation with Hayden, but already the calm of the falls had given her a sense of peacefulness, and she was able to push her worries aside. She glanced over at the two lovebirds holding hands and walking. Maybe it wasn't just the falls offering this sense of well-being, Kylie admitted. Being back at Shadow Falls and among her friends just felt so damn right.

Almost on cue, the sound of the falls grew louder, and a calm spread inside her chest. Kylie had to admit the falls were definitely contributing to the magical sense of ease. And after everything that happened this last twenty-four hours, she wanted to cling to that magic. Forget that seeing Holiday and Burnett reminded her that she loved someone, too. Forget that Lucas had betrayed her. Forget about running into Mario. Forget she'd probably hurt her grandfather by leaving without saying good-bye.