Taken at Dusk (Shadow Falls #3)(29)

He leaned down, his lips inches from hers. "I have a request."

"What's ... that?" She was barely able to think, much less speak.

He swept the blade of grass up and swirled it around her forehead. "When you close your eyes and get images flashing in your mind..."

His words reminded her of what he'd heard her say to Della about the porn movie. Her face grew hot again.

"I want that movie playing in your mind to be of us. Only us."

She felt the warmth of his mouth, then in a flash he pounced over her. He landed in a crouch, then slowly rose, a low growl rumbling from his throat as he stared out at the line of trees.

She scrambled to her feet. "What is it?"

He looked back at her. His eyes glowed that bright burnt orange color. "Someone's coming."

Chapter Ten

Kylie's heart started to pound. "Should we run?"

"No." Lucas's defensive posture relaxed. "It's just-"

"Me," another deep male voice said.

Kylie recognized the voice before she saw Burnett standing behind her. Even in the darkness, she was close enough to recognize the look of discontent on his face. His eyes weren't glowing, so it wasn't about danger, but everything in his expression said he wasn't happy. And he was looking right at her.

What could he be so upset about?

He stepped closer, his presence larger than life. "Holiday is-"

All it took was his two words and Kylie had her answer. "Crap! Holiday was supposed to come by my cabin. I'm sorry."

"Yeah," he said. "And she really got worried when we couldn't find Della, who was supposed to be your shadow." He turned his focus on Lucas, and his grimace deepened.

"Where's Della?" Kylie asked. "Is she okay?"

"She's fine. She and Miranda had gone for a swim. But none of this would have happened if someone hadn't insisted she be relieved of her shadow duties."

"That's my fault," Kylie insisted.

"It's not anyone's fault." Lucas stiffened his shoulders. "I wouldn't have let anything happen to Kylie."

"That's not the point," Burnett growled into the night. "Considering your affiliation with the FRU, you of all people should understand the importance of following protocol. I assigned Della as Kylie's shadow, and it's not your place to change my orders. And by changing them, you caused this situation."

"I wouldn't have had to change it if you'd assigned her to me in the beginning as I asked. And considering my affiliation, you should trust me to protect her."

Kylie looked from Burnett to Lucas and then back again. "I'm the one who forgot about Holiday. If anyone is to blame-"

"I came looking for you," Lucas snapped, as if refusing to let her take any blame. He stared back at Burnett. Lucas's eyes started to change colors.

An owl called out in the woods. The half-moon seemed to grow brighter as the two of them, vampire and werewolf, stood staring at each other.

Burnett was the first to blink, not that it came off as weakness, but rather a sign of reasoning. "Trust is earned. Your overconfidence will not serve you well in the FRU."

"My overconfidence only comes second to yours," Lucas said. "And I think it's part of the reason the FRU is interested in me."

"Perhaps. But there is a fine line between indomitable and supercilious. And the latter character trait is nothing the FRU accepts." Burnett pulled his cell phone out of his pocket and hit a button.

Kylie saw Lucas's jaw tighten, and she knew how hard it was for him to be reprimanded by Burnett, especially in front of her.

Lucas looked away, but not before Kylie saw his eyes glittering with anger. But then he said, "I apologize if I caused a problem." He might be angry, but he was willing to concede.

Burnett nodded and spoke into the phone. "Holiday, I have her. She's fine.... Yes. I will." He hung up and refocused on Lucas. "I'll meet you back in the office in a bit. I need to speak with Kylie."

Lucas met her eyes, as if asking if she was okay with his going.

She nodded. "I'll see you later."

He took off and in seconds was nothing more than a speck shifting between the moonlit trees in the woods. Burnett watched him disappear and then he looked back to her.

Kylie spoke before Burnett. "I should have remembered Holiday was coming."

"True. But Lucas shouldn't have requested you leave your shadow without conferring with me."

"He's not supercilious like you said." She frowned.

"Yes, he is." Burnett chuckled. "But so was I when I was his age. He'll grow out of it. I did."

Kylie didn't like Burnett's answer, but she felt better knowing he wasn't holding a grudge against Lucas.

When Burnett didn't automatically go into what it was he wanted to talk with her about, she asked her own question. "Any more news on the people who were pretending to be my grandparents?"

"No, but the car they were driving was found. It was listed as stolen. We're checking for fingerprints."

Kylie nodded and looked back up at the moon as a lacy cloud passed over it, making the night appear darker. When she looked back, Burnett stared and his brow twitched as if he were checking her pattern. Puzzlement filled his eyes.