Chosen at Nightfall (Shadow Falls #5)(79)

"You," he said again with a sense of pride.

"Before me!" she snapped.

"No," Lucas admitted.

Kylie turned to the others in the room. "Have any of you met a holy warrior?"

They all shook their heads no.

"Then there's my proof," she said adamantly. "They are just legends. They really don't exist." Face it, she didn't want to think of herself as a warrior. She was still trying to come to grips with being a protector.

Holiday moved in and rested a hand on Kylie's arm. "We didn't know chameleons existed until a few weeks ago."

"She's right," Derek said to Kylie.

Well, hell, there went that argument, Kylie thought, and tried not to panic.

Lucas, who still held her wrist, gave her hand a slight squeeze. "It's not ... a bad thing. Being a protector is practically the same thing. You have to fight to protect someone."

She looked down at the glowing sword and realized that Lucas's touch was warmer than the sword.

"Okay, so we're guessing she's a holy warrior, but what does this really mean?" Burnett asked. "Why has the sword just now appeared? Is it a rite-of-passage thing? Just timing? Or ... is it something else?"

The way he said something else made it sound bad.

And Kylie could guess what it was, too. And she didn't like it. Nope, not even a little bit.

Lucas glanced at her with sympathy. "I think she's being presented a weapon for a purpose. Yes, it could just be that she hasn't been ready to receive it yet. But I think it's more that..." A look of protectiveness crossed his face. She knew they were all thinking the same thing.

"More what?" Burnett and Holiday asked at the same time.

"It could be she's going to need it. The sword appears when it's time to prepare for battle."

"This is exactly what the elders said," Hayden spoke out. "If she's given a sword, it's because she'd going to need it."

"Is there a way we can find out for sure?" Burnett asked.

Lucas shook his head. "I wouldn't know. But..." He inhaled and met Kylie's gaze. "Do you know how to use one of these?"

"Why would I know how to use this? I don't even know how to use a potato peeler. And that's why this whole thing doesn't make sense. I am not a warrior."

"I've seen you fight," Derek said. "You're pretty amazing.""He's right," Lucas said. "You've got a holy warrior's heart, too." He looked back at Burnett. "But she needs to learn to use a sword."

And obviously she wasn't going to have a say in the matter. She frowned.

"Can you teach her?" Burnett asked.

Lucas's gaze met hers again.

No, Kylie thought, and she finally pulled her hand away from his. This was not a good idea.

"If she'll let me," Lucas said.

"Kylie?" Burnett asked.

Did she have a choice? Could she say hell no and the sword would disappear?

She didn't think so. She couldn't run from this.

She knew that. Knew it with certainty-if for no other reason than how the sword felt in her hand-as if it belonged there.

She nodded, knowing it was the right thing to do, but hating it all the same.

"Good," Burnett said. "First I want you to get me those books of legends from your grandmother and then your job is to teach Kylie how to use that sword."

Lucas turned and looked at Kylie. "I look forward to it."

And I don't, she thought, but kept those words to herself.

* * *

Ten minutes later, Kylie walked back to her cabin with Derek, her official shadow until Della returned from her meeting with her vampire sisters. Lucas was gathering supplies, and lessons would start tomorrow.

"I know you're not happy about this," Derek said.

"You're my shadow, I'm not upset."

"Not about that. I mean the lessons with Lucas."

Kylie sighed. "I don't see where I have a choice."

"You could have insisted Burnett find you another teacher."

"I didn't think about that." But why hadn't I? Am I wanting to be with him?

Derek glanced at her. "It's probably best this way, though."

"Why?" Kylie asked, sensing there was something he wasn't saying.

He smiled, but it came with a small touch of sadness. "You love him. I felt it so strongly in there. I also felt your anger."

"I have a right to be angry," she muttered, even when she knew her anger wasn't the biggest issue. Not that it was exactly a small issue either.

"Yes, you do," Derek said, and he stopped walking and just looked at her. "But what you were feeling was bigger than that."

She thought he meant her knowing that Lucas would eventually resent her, but then Derek continued.

He made a sheepish face. "I felt it. The same anguish you used to feel when we first met. When you were hurt over that ol' boyfriend of yours. Then it was the pain you feel toward your stepdad-you know, for cheating on your mom. Then there was the feeling of being betrayed by me."

She wanted to deny it, but couldn't. "So I guess this just means all guys are pieces of shit!" Her heartknotted and she swallowed to keep the tears from rising to her eyes.