Taken at Dusk (Shadow Falls #3)(46)

Kylie watched the bird's beak move up and down as it talked. "First, turn yourself back into human form before you speak to me. Second, you don't have to just stand there. Go ask her to dance."

Diamond-shaped sparkles started appearing around the bird. From where Kylie was standing only a foot from him, the air seemed to get thin. She wasn't exactly sure what happened when Perry shifted, but it had to do some weird stuff to the ozone.

One of the sparkles floated up; on its descent, it brushed against her arm and popped like the blow bubbles she'd played with as child. But instead of a tickling sensation, Kylie felt a jolt of electricity run up her arm.

Suddenly Perry stood there instead of the pterodactyl. His eyes were red, angry. "Ask her to dance so she can reject me in front of everyone? Do I look like an idiot to you?"

"No, right now you look like a coward afraid to take a chance on what you want."

"I'm not a coward!" he growled. "I have more power in my pinky finger than ten of you supernaturals."

"Then prove it by standing up for yourself." He didn't looked convinced, so Kylie added, "I have a feeling she won't reject you."

He just stared at her, disbelief shining in his eyes as they changed from red back to his normal blue.

"Trust me," Kylie added.

She could see he wanted to give in. But then he waved a hand back toward the door. "She's already dancing with someone else."

"Then cut in." Kylie frowned when she saw Lucas standing in the shadows. Then she remembered he was her shadow. He had to follow her.

"Cut in?" Perry asked, as if he weren't familiar with the term.

"Go tap on the guy's shoulder and just say you want to cut in."

"And he'll just step aside and let me dance with her? Where the hell did you get that idea?"

"It's not an idea. It's proper dancing etiquette. When someone wants to dance with someone who's already dancing, you're supposed to tap on the guy's shoulder and just say you're cutting in."

Perry frowned. "And what happens if he says no?"

"He's not supposed to say no."

Perry rolled his eyes. "In the human world, maybe, but-"

"Oh, for Christ's sake." She held up her hands in frustration. "Just try it."

"Fine," he said. "But if he gives me any shit, I might end up hurting him." His eyes turned red again. Blood red.

"No, you can't hurt-"

Before she could finish, Perry shot back inside. She took off after him. Oh, friggin' great. Maybe this hadn't been the best idea.

Lucas called to her, but she didn't slow down.

* * *

Kylie had barely made it back inside when she heard the commotion. She took off toward the dance floor.

"I said I'm cutting in!" Perry's voice rose over the music and chatter of the other campers.

Kylie tried elbowing her way through, hoping to get to them in time to prevent things from escalating, but a crowd had already started to circle and her elbows must not have been sharp enough because everyone just grunted and ignored her.

"And I said go to hell!" a voice, obviously Clark's, answered back.

"What about what I want?" Miranda said.

Kylie stood on her tiptoes to get a better view but still couldn't see anything.

The sound of a scuffle filled the room. Most of the female campers started squealing, while the males just started cheering the fight on.

"Stop it!" Kylie yelled, and started jumping up and down, hoping to see what was happening.

"Watch out!" someone screamed, and like a wave, everyone dropped to the ground as a fireball the size of a volleyball shot through the air.

"Crap!" Kylie yelled, and took advantage of everyone's position to move in. By the time she'd stepped over two or three people, apologizing when she felt fingers or feet beneath her step, she spotted Miranda giving Clark hell.

"I said I wanted to dance with him!" Miranda yelled.

Perry stood there watching, listening to Miranda with a big smile on his face.

Miranda continued her rant, and Kylie couldn't make it out because of everyone else's chatter, but she could see Clark's face turning angry red. Miranda poked him in the chest. Clark retaliated by shoving Miranda back and calling her a name.

Miranda hadn't caught her balance when diamond sparkles started popping off like fireworks. A huge green dragon the size of an eighteen-wheeler appeared where Perry had just stood. Smoke billowed up from the dragon's long, bumpy snout. Most of the campers started running like cockroaches in a Raid commercial.

Well, everyone but Kylie, Miranda, and Clark. Kylie moved in and grabbed Miranda's arm, hoping to get her out of the way of danger. But the little witch slipped out of Kylie's hold and stood there staring up at the dragon with what looked like admiration.

"Oh my, he's beautiful," Miranda muttered.

Kylie gazed up at the huge green beast, and while she couldn't agree with Miranda, she decided to forgo speaking her mind. Especially when Perry swiped his fifteen-foot tail around the room, knocking down several of the daring onlookers and tossing a few others across the room. The building shook again, and then everyone left standing moved back.

Della swooped in and screamed at Kylie and Miranda to get back. Miranda ignored Della, too. And until Kylie could get Miranda out of harm's way, she wasn't leaving.