Reborn (Shadow Falls: After Dark #1)(123)

“Remember, Steve knows all of this. The doctor knows some of it. And I’m aware you share everything with Kylie and Miranda, and even though I can’t tell you not to, in this case, I’ll suggest you don’t.”

Keep secrets from her two best friends? She didn’t think so.

After freshening up, Della nodded to Burnett, who stood in the back of the room and opened the bedroom door. They all came barreling in. Kylie, looking panicked, came in first. Miranda, a close second, with tears in her eyes, followed. Perry stood at her side. Steve moved in behind them, and then Jenny and Derek. She even saw Lucas hanging in the back.

Friends. She had a butt-load of them.

Miranda, the perpetual hugger, dropped on the bed, and when she tried to do her thing, Della held up her hand. “I’m fine.” Right then, she looked up and met Steve’s gaze. He winked at her, but she saw something else there. Fear. And she knew exactly what he feared.

Bits of their conversation from when she’d been feverish sounded in her head. He said I’d be … bonded to him. She had told Steve about Chase.

I won’t let that happen, Steve had answered. But he had to have known he might not be able to stop it. Yet, he’d done it. Emotion squeezed her chest. Chase had risked his life, endured pain to save her, and Steve helped him do it, knowing he might lose her.

“Don’t you ever do that again!” Miranda snapped.

“I’ll try not to.” Della met Kylie’s eyes. “I’m fine, so get that worried look off your face.”

“I tried to heal you,” Kylie said, and her eyes brightened with unshed tears. “I couldn’t. My hands wouldn’t get warm and you wouldn’t wake up.”

Della recalled Chase saying healers wouldn’t work.

“But I’m better now. So no emotional outpouring okay?”

“Oh, my God! Oh, my God!” Miranda started chirping and bouncing her butt on the bed.

“What about no emotional outpouring did you not understand?” Della asked.

The witch rolled her green eyes. “You better be glad your pissy pass hasn’t expired.”

“Her what?” Lucas asked.

Della exhaled.

“I’m just happy,” Miranda said. “It’s your aura. It’s not dark anymore. I mean, it’s still vampire dark, but it’s not ugly dark.”

“Nothing about Della could be ugly.” Steve moved in and sat down beside her. He still looked worried. His hand eased over close and touched her wrist. Almost testing her.

She wished she could tell him not to worry.

But she could, couldn’t she?

No one controlled her. It was her choice. She had to believe that. Turning her hand over, she laced her fingers with his. She held on tight, but her still hurt. Hurt from missing Chase.

An hour later, Della was back at her cabin—alone in her bedroom. Pacing. Left to right. The tiny room made pacing difficult.

Steve had walked her back with Miranda and Kylie. When he saw that her two friends weren’t going to give them any alone time, he kissed her on her cheek—in front of them—and told her to call him the minute she could.

She hadn’t called him yet. He was going to ask her. Ask her if she felt different about Chase. What was she going to tell him? He deserved the truth. And yet …

She hadn’t even told Miranda or Kylie anything about what really went down. Della could tell they were waiting for her to explain things. They’d gotten out the Diet Cokes. But Della had played the “tired” card and come to her bedroom.

Okay, fine, she was being a terrible friend and worse girlfriend. But give her a freaking break! How was someone to explain something they didn’t understand? Or tell the truth when they didn’t know the truth.

Bonded? What the hell did that even mean?

She didn’t want to believe it could mean anything.

And yet she hadn’t stopped thinking about him. Her emotions spun like a roller coaster jacked up on coffee that had been laced with speed.

Angry.

Confused.

Beholden.

All of them targeting the same guy.

Almost as frustrating—almost—were her newfound powers. Which she understood even less than the word “bonded.” Of course, it could be because she hadn’t checked them out yet. And when would she get that opportunity?

She had a feeling Burnett was going to be watching her like a hawk to make sure she didn’t expose herself—the way Chase had.

Frankly, she didn’t blame Chase. What good was having powers if she could never use them?

Or, as in this case, almost never use them. Burnett had said they could be used in dire emergencies. Define “dire emergency”.

Della picked up her phone. Her mom had left a message. She needed to call her. But it must not be a dire need, because she didn’t want to do it. Or maybe she just didn’t know what to say to her any more than she did to anyone else?

Oh, she knew what she wanted to say: Hey, Mom. Did you know Chan’s dead? I know you thought he was dead a while back, but he wasn’t. And guess what, now I’m not just a vampire, but a really badass one. And, oh yeah, I’ve supposedly bonded with a guy. Though I don’t have a fracking idea what it means. So could you stop being ridiculous and tell me about my dad’s sister and brother who I’m pretty sure sent this guy here to bond with me?