Chosen at Nightfall (Shadow Falls #5)(62)

Kylie grabbed Miranda by the arm, leaned in, and whispered, "She was wrong to do this, but ...

change her back. Change her back right now before you forget how to break the curse!"

Miranda frowned, but Kylie saw the logic whittle its way into the girl's brain. She bit her lip, pointed her pinky, muttered a few things, and poof, Nikki magically appeared-no longer a kangaroo, but now a very embarrassed and angry shape-shifter.

The laughter from the crowd must have upped the embarrassment quotient. Instead of turning into something fierce and ripping the little witch apart, tears filled Nikki's eyes and she took off running.

Perry shot around and faced Miranda. "Why did you do that?"

Crap! Kylie thought, knowing Perry had said the wrong thing.

Miranda, already wearing an expression of remorse, frowned up at him. "You're taking her side? She's trying to steal you away from me and now you're taking her side!"

"No, I'm not ... But that was stupid," he said.

Oh, shit! Kylie thought. Miranda didn't like the word stupid.

Miranda's face turned red and tears filled her eyes. "Stupid?" Miranda snapped. "Fine, if I'm so stupid, why don't you run after Nikki and console her. Because she can have you if that's how you feel!"

"What's going on?" Holiday came running out of the dining hall. While several people started to fill Holiday in, Miranda ran off.Kylie turned to Perry, who stood there staring at a departing and very hurt Miranda.

"Hey," Kylie said. When he didn't respond, she gave his T-shirt sleeve a good yank. "Don't just stand there. Go after her and tell her you're sorry."

"What did I do?" he asked.

"First you called her stupid. Being dyslexic, she really hates that word. Second, like it or not, it sounded like you were taking Nikki's side."

"No, I said what she did was stupid. And it was." Perry looked over at Holiday. "She's gonna get hell from Holiday. Why the heck did Miranda have to do something like that?"

"Probably for the same reason a certain shape-shifter turned into a big bear and then a giant lion and tried to rip apart another shape-shifter for kissing someone. Because she's jealous. Don't you remember how it felt?"

Perry frowned. "Yeah, I do remember." Guilt shadowed his eyes. "Shit. I did screw up, didn't I?" He raked a hand through his blond hair. "But I wasn't taking up for Nikki. I just didn't want Miranda to get in trouble."

"Then go tell Miranda that. Explain what you meant. And then do yourself and Nikki a favor and go tell her to give it up."

"I ... haven't encouraged her one bit."

"But have you come out and told her that you're with Miranda and it's just not happening between you two? Because obviously she still thinks you two have a shot. And it's not fair that Miranda has to put up with that crap, and it's not fair for Nikki to keep hoping when she shouldn't. Now go and fix this mess you're in before it's too late."

Right then Kylie's advice to Perry turned around and bit her in the ass. Because it was advice she needed to hear as well. Perry wasn't the only one who had some straightening out to do. She had to talk to Derek. She had to set him straight.

"I can't go," Perry said.

"Yes, you can, or you'll regret this."

"No, I can't. I'm shadowing you. Burnett will give me hell if I run out on you."

Kylie groaned. She turned around and Derek had made his way up to them. She grabbed him by the arm and yanked him in front of Perry. "You're not shadowing me anymore. Derek is."

"Great." Derek smiled and she knew he was reading something into this that wasn't there.

Perry shook his head. "But Burnett-"

"Burnett's not going to get mad. I'll explain it to him. Now go before it's too late and Miranda decides not to forgive you. Go!" She gave the little twerp a shove.

Perry transformed himself into his bird form and took off flying. Kylie knocked a few of the electric sparkles off her arm, and then confronted Derek.

"Come on," she said.

"Where?" The look he shot her came complete with a sexy smile.

"To talk," she said. "We have to talk."

"What about Campmate hour?" he asked.

She let go of a deep sigh. "Forget Campmate hour. You're coming with me!" She grabbed him by the arm and started dragging him.And, of course, that was when Lucas walked up.

His blue eyes met hers. She saw the way he looked at her. She had the oddest desire to stop and explain, but when she tried to think of exactly what she'd say, or why she felt he deserved an explanation, it just seemed too hard.

So she just met his eyes with a look of apology and went back to dragging Derek behind her. Later, she would deal with Lucas. How she would deal with him, she didn't have a clue.

* * *

"Do you want to go to the rock?" Derek asked, now walking beside her.

"No." The hurt look in Lucas's eyes kept echoing in her heart. He'd hurt her, but hurting him, even unintentionally, sent regret tightening her chest.

"Why not?" Derek asked.

"Because we have to talk, and I think you know what it's about, too."

For a second she wished it wasn't so. It would be so easy if she could just pick Derek. He didn't have a pack trying to keep them apart. He hadn't given up his quest and wouldn't someday blame her. But you couldn't make your heart take the easy way out, it felt what it felt, it wanted what it wanted.