Chosen at Nightfall (Shadow Falls #5)(89)

Anger filled his eyes, but he seemed to rein it in. "You don't hold back, do you?"

She sent him her swallowed-a-mosquito smile. "That was holding back."

"You are such a joy to speak with," he said. "However, the problem is that your mom really likes me and I her. I don't think I'm going out on a limb to say that it would be helpful if we could get along."

Kylie leaned in. "I don't think I'm going out on a limb to say that you haven't known my mom long enough to be saying this to me."

Kylie could swear his eyes brightened. A nonhuman kind of bright. She tightened her brows to check his pattern.

What was this man?

His human pattern appeared clearly. Not that he couldn't still be a chameleon, but ...

Anger filled his gray eyes. "This could end up hurting your mom." His words came out so cold, so ...

threatening that Kylie's protective instinct buzzed.

"What do you mean?" She curled her hands into fists.

He glanced away as if to calm himself. When he looked back his eyes were normal. "Just that problems between us would hurt your mom."

She stared him right in the eyes. And God help her, but she sensed he was lying, that his words had been a threat. She tried to calm the buzzing in her veins down, but it continued. Over John's shoulder she saw her mom step out of the restroom.

She leaned across the table and whispered to John, "If anyone dares hurt my mom, they will die regretting it."

Right then, Kylie knew two things: she did have the ability to become a holy warrior. Because if John laid one finger on her mom, she could, and would, kill him with no regrets. And secondly, she simply couldn't die, not right now. Not if it meant leaving her mom with this *.

"Is everything okay?" Her mom stepped up to the table, obviously picking up on the tension.

Kylie waited to see how John decided to play this.

"It's fine," John said. "We were just talking." He stood up. "I guess it's time to go." They started walking, but the fear for her mom built higher with each step. Kylie couldn't let her mom leave with this man-not without a warning.She reached for her mom's arm. "There's someone I want you to meet."

John turned.

"Can you give us a minute?" Kylie sent John a look that dared him to intervene.

He hesitated but then said, "I'll wait by the car."

Kylie watched him walk out, wishing he'd keep walking right out of her mother's life.

Her mom looked around. "Who do you want me to meet?"

"Mom, I know you're not going to like what I have to say, but John scares me. I'm worried about your safety."

"Scares you?" her mom asked. "I don't understand. What has he done?"

"I don't trust him. He gives me the creeps. And I'm a good judge of character."

Hurt flashed in her mom's eyes. "So am I, young lady. Sorry you don't like him, but I do."

The hurt in her mom's eyes vibrated in Kylie's chest. "I just want you to be careful and not let this thing move too fast."

Her mom scowled. "This is because you want me and your dad to get back together."

"First," Kylie said, now feeling annoyed, "Tom's my stepdad. Second, yes, I did want you to get back together, but this isn't about that."

"It has to be, young lady, because John is the sweetest man I know." She leaned in and kissed Kylie's cheek. "Now, please accept the fact that your stepdad and I are not getting back together." She left. Kylie stayed, fearing what she might say to John if she had to face him again at the car.

"Are you okay?" The masculine voice came near her ear.

Kylie's first thought was that it was Derek. He always knew when she was in emotional trauma. But she quickly recognized the deep, sexy voice. The voice of the person whom for the last week she'd tried to beat to smithereens with a wooden sword.

She turned around. "Yes." Then her pent-up anger crowded her chest and she knew what would help.

"Do you want to go practice?"

"Now?" Lucas asked.

"I need to burn off some aggression."

"On me?" He half smiled.

"Not ... Do you want to practice or not?" she snapped, in no mood for humor. Face it, someone had sent her a sword to learn to fight-and if they expected her to fight, then they obviously meant for her to stay alive. And she planned to stay alive to protect her mom from creeps like John.

Yup, staying alive sounded like a good idea.

"Sure." His blue eyes filled with concern. "Let me tell Burnett." His gaze didn't move from her face.

"What happened?"

"I don't want to talk," she said. "I want to fight."

* * *

Thirty minutes later, Kylie had already broken one sword without Lucas having said anything about loving her, how beautiful she was, or about them making out in the grass.

He made her go through some stretching exercises, insisting he could see the tension rolling off of her.

It wasn't rolling off of her, it was rolling around inside of her. Fear for her mom's safety chopped away ather sanity, fear for Lucas and what would happen to him if the pack completely turned against him ate at her peace of mind.