Taken at Dusk (Shadow Falls #3)(104)

"I don't remember." Ellie sounded befuddled.

"Kylie? Is this a dream?" Della asked.

More than anything, Kylie wished it were. She looked at Ellie.

"What happened?" she asked again.

"You have to hurry. I'm worried about Derek."

Fear suddenly set in. Fear for Derek. Fear she might be too late to save Ellie and Derek. It didn't matter how much of her soul she'd have to give to save them. She'd give it.

"What's going on?" Miranda walked in.

"She's freaking again," Della snapped.

Kylie, with tears in her eyes, looked at Miranda. "I need you to call Holiday. Tell her Della and I are going up to the park past the dinosaur tracks. Derek's there and he might be hurt. Come on," Kylie said, and started to run.

Della caught Kylie by the arm. "What's going on?"

Kylie drew in a shaky breath. "Ellie's dead at some park close to here. And Derek was with her. We have to go before it's too late!"

Miranda let out a sob.

"How? What happened?" Della's eyes widened with emotion.

Kylie didn't have time to explain. Ellie bolted out the door, and Kylie went after her. Della's footsteps thudded against the earth as she came behind her.

* * *

Kylie never slowed down. Neither did Ellie or Della. When they got to the dinosaur tracks, they crossed the creek and jumped a fence into the park grounds. The path went uphill quickly, but Kylie kept up with no problem. Her blood fizzed with the strange kind of energy she got when she was protecting someone she loved. She just prayed it wasn't too late.

"It's just around the bend," Ellie said. She'd been quiet during the run. Then she suddenly stopped. Panic filled her gaze. "Oh, my God. I remember."

"What?" Kylie stopped beside Ellie.

"What? What?" When Della met Kylie's gaze, she must have realized she hadn't been talking to her, and she simply nodded.

"I followed someone here," Ellie said. "I spotted him running from the camp. I was almost here when I heard someone behind me. It was Derek. That's when the person I'd followed attacked."

"Who was it?" Kylie's mind went to Red. "Was it a young guy, red or brownish hair?"

"No, it was an old dude. Vampire."

Mario. They never had a chance!

Kylie's chest filled with pain. And guilt. This was all her fault. "Where's Derek? Where's your body?" She had to save them.

Ellie pointed to the side of the mountain. It looked as if it had recently been disturbed. Loose rock lay around the ledge. "Derek came around the bend and a bolt of lightning struck. He was slammed against the rocks. His head was bleeding, but he was breathing. But then more lightning struck. I picked him up and put him in the small cave and moved the rocks in front of him. I was doing that when ... everything went blank."

Kylie ran to the edge of the cliff and started moving the loose boulders.

Della moved in. "What are we doing?" Worry filled her expression.

"He's behind here," Kylie said. They moved the rocks to the side. Rocks that weighted well over four and five hundred pounds. Her strength didn't even surprise her; she thought only of Derek and Ellie.

"Oh God!" Della took a step back.

Kylie saw Ellie's mangled body lying between the rocks. Kylie's breath caught, and her tears started falling faster. She picked up Ellie and moved her to the side and rested her body on the rocky path.

"She's dead," Della said.

"Keep moving the rocks," Kylie ordered Della, and with everything Kylie had she prayed Derek was still alive. Prayed she could bring Ellie back.

She laid her hands on Ellie's battered body and sent up prayers that this worked. She closed her eyes, concentrated, and moved her palms over the injuries, as she had with Lucas and with Sara. Blood, Ellie's blood, coated Kylie's hands. She cried harder and tried harder, but no matter how hard she concentrated, her hands didn't heat up.

Suddenly, Ellie was sitting beside her body. "It's too late. Look." Ellie pointed up at the sky. The sun was a big ball of orange. "I see my mother up there. She's waiting for me."

"No," Kylie said. "Don't go. I'm trying to bring you back."

"But I want to go with her. I've missed her."

"No!" Kylie screamed again.

Ellie's spirit stood. "Derek's okay." She pointed back to Della as she moved the rocks. "But I have to go. Thank you, Kylie Galen. Thank you for being my friend. Thank you for teaching me to think beyond myself. Thank you for everything."

"Please don't," Kylie begged. But it was too late. Ellie's spirit started floating up toward the setting sun and Kylie knew it was hopeless.

"I got him," Della yelled. "I got Derek."

Kylie bolted to him. He was unconscious but breathing. She found the wounds on his head and pressed her hand against them. More blood oozed between her fingers, but she didn't care. Her hands grew hot and she felt the heat of her palms sink into Derek's scalp.

"Did you save Ellie?" Della asked.

"No, I'm sorry," Kylie said, and stared at Derek.

"Holiday and the others are coming," Della said, and when Kylie looked up, Della had tears running down her face.