Reborn (Shadow Falls: After Dark #1)(89)

Something akin to hope filled Della’s chest. She might find herself with a real family after all. She pulled out her phone to call Derek.

“He’s at your cabin now. With Kylie. Just Kylie,” Jenny muttered. “I saw Miranda leaving with Perry.” Her tone sounded accusing.

Della, eager to see the book, tucked her phone back in her pocket and started moving a little faster. She got several feet before she realized that Jenny had stayed behind.

Della glanced over her shoulder. “Come on.”

“Nah,” Jenny said, and scuffed her tennis shoe in the dirt.

Della knew what was going on in Jenny’s mind, and sighed. Della pushed aside her own urgency. “Look, Jenny. Nothing’s happening between Kylie and Derek.”

“You don’t know that for sure.”

“The hell I don’t. Kylie’s so in love with Lucas, she wouldn’t touch Derek with a ten-foot pole. And as for Derek, Kylie is last year’s news. Look, a vampire can smell pheromones, and he’s not stinking up any air when he’s around her.” At least he hadn’t been when her nose had been working. “On the other hand, when he’s around you, I can hardly breathe, he pollutes the air so much.”

“But he admires Kylie.”

“So? She’s a protector. I admire her, and I’m not fooling around with her.”

Jenny made a face. “How can I compete with Kylie? She’s so great.”

“That’s my whole damn point. You aren’t competing.” Della got an idea. “You aren’t going to believe it until you see it, are you?”

“See what?”

“See them. See them not doing anything. Let me prove it to you. Turn both of us invisible and let’s go to the cabin.”

“I … I don’t think that’s a good idea.”

“Why not? You’d finally know the truth. Maybe then you’d get past this thing.”

Jenny frowned. “But … but I don’t know if I can turn you invisible. I’m not nearly as advanced as Kylie. And … Burnett told me that I wasn’t to ever eavesdrop.”

“Yeah, but you’re not eavesdropping, your proving something. There’s a difference.”

“Burnett made the rule very clear.”

“Sometimes the rules have to be broken. Besides, aren’t you breaking the rules running around invisible?”

“Yeah, but—”

“And how do you know you can’t turn me invisible if you don’t try?” Della saw temptation in the chameleon’s eyes. The girl did have gumption. Maybe that’s why Della liked her. “Come on. Give it a shot.” She caught ahold of Jenny’s hand. “Do it.”

“This is cool, yet so fracking weird,” Della said. She could feel herself but not see herself. She couldn’t see Jenny either. They stood on her porch looking into the window and listening to Kylie and Derek talk about his mom.

“Shh,” Jenny said, holding her hand extra tight.

Kylie offered Derek a drink and they sat down at the table. “Do you want me to call Burnett and find out how late Della will be?”

“Nah, I’ll wait a few more minutes and then I’ll leave the book. We can talk tomorrow. I know she’ll want to see this, but unfortunately it really doesn’t tell us much right now. But hopefully it will give us more leads.”

Kylie nodded. “So how are things with you and Jenny?”

Jenny’s grip tightened.

Della worried this whole thing might backfire on her. Not that Kylie and Derek still had a thing for each other, but if he said something about Jenny she shouldn’t hear … Oh, shit. Maybe Burnett’s rule was right.

“Slow.” Derek sounded disappointed.

“Have you talked to her?” Kylie asked. “Told her how you feel?”

Della relaxed a bit.

“Sort of,” Derek said. “I kissed her.”

“Kissing her isn’t talking to her. If you really like her, speak up.”

“And if she says she’s not interested, she’ll pull back. I don’t want to scare her off.”

“I think the only one scared is you,” Kylie said. “To quote Della on this one, ‘For God’s sake, grow a pair.’”

“She quotes me.” Della giggled.

“Shh,” Jenny said.

“What am I supposed to say to her?” Derek asked.

“I don’t know. Why don’t you start by telling her how you feel?” Kylie paused. “How do you feel about her?”

“I like her, really like her. I can feel her emotions clearer than anyone. I mean, even right now I feel her somewhere out there, feeling unsure of something.”

“Stop feeling,” Della whispered.

“I can’t,” Jenny snapped back. “And they can’t hear us when we’re invisible, so you don’t have to whisper.”

“But I’m trying to listen,” Della shot back.

Derek shook his head as if thinking. “She’s caring and yet amazingly spunky. Even though she’s new and everyone’s always looking at her funny for being a chameleon, she handles it with courage and poise.” He paused. “She’s beautiful, but not like one of those girls who knows it. She’s innocent, but at the same time she’s eager to experience things. She’s smart and sometimes a bit of a smartass.” He grinned, then sighed. “I love how she looks at life. And I want to be there to … well, to share in those experiences, and of course to make sure she doesn’t get hurt.”