Taken at Dusk (Shadow Falls #3)(73)

"Why? What happened?" Kylie asked.

"He offered me a hundred different reasons why he had to leave me and Mom. His life was a lie trying to live in the human world with my mom. He told me it hurt too much trying to stay in touch. He said he'd like to get to know me again. He said a lot of things. And not one of them meant a hill of beans to me. Maybe it will in time. I don't know. But right now, it just feels totally awkward."

"I understand awkward," she said, and offered him a bit of a smile. "Sara is supposed to be coming with my mom on Parents Day."

He reached for her and then pulled back. "I'm sure it'll be okay."

There was a moment of silence, then Derek started talking. "So, with your ghost ... have you figured out what to do? I mean, how can you find out who she is?"

"I don't know for sure. But my gut says that she's remembering more and more each time I see her."

He pondered her words and then said, "You know, I remember reading something years ago about how an old state cemetery was dug up and they found that about five percent of all the caskets had two bodies in them."

"Two bodies?"

"Yeah. The state was burying some of the really poor, homeless folks in with other caskets. Just slipping them in so they didn't have to pay for their own burial."

Kylie thought about it for a second, and it made perfect sense. Catherine O'Connell said she saw Jane Doe rise from the grave of Berta Littlemon. However, if Berta Littlemon was in there, too-and the legends about such things were correct-she would have already been snatched into hell. That meant only one spirit would have risen from the grave.

"I think you might have just solved my problem," she told Derek. "Thank you!" If things had been different between them, she would have hugged him.

He grinned. "You're welcome."

She suddenly realized that they had probably been talking way longer than his negotiated three minutes. She glanced down at his watch.

"Oh, one more thing," he said. "After we talked the other day about Red being strange, I did some checking. You know, just to see what I could find out. Contrary to the weird vibe we both got, he is vampire, or at least that's what everyone thinks. The only other thing I found was ... about his parents."

"What about them?" she asked.

"Supposedly, his mom was murdered in front of him when he was like seven. The case never was solved. It looked as if even the FRU looked into the case, but never found who did it. Then his dad disappeared less than a year later. That's when he went to live with his grandfather."

Kylie frowned. "Damn, I could almost feel sorry for him."

Derek shrugged. "Unfortunately, most people who commit violent crimes were at one time victims themselves. But one wrong doesn't make a right. And we know he killed those two girls."

"I know." When she looked up and found herself gazing into Derek's eyes again, she said, "I guess I should-"

"Go. I know," he said, and his expression turned sad. "I miss you, Kylie. Can we ... do this again?"

She almost said yes but realized it probably wasn't a good idea for either one of them. "I don't know," she said. "I've got a lot to figure out."

"Between you and Lucas?" he asked.

"Yes," she said honestly. She wouldn't feel guilty about her feelings anymore. She didn't know what she might have with Lucas. But for the first time since she'd recognized those growing feelings, she didn't feel at fault about them. And there was something between them. But with his pack trying to break them up, and his dislike of her involvement with the ghosts, she just wasn't sure where it was going to lead.

"Okay," he said. "But if you need me ... or just want to talk ... you know where I am."

Kylie nodded, and then the next thing she knew, she was awake, staring at her bedroom ceiling. "I miss you, too," she whispered, and then rolled over and hugged her pillow.

* * *

Perry met Kylie at the front door the next morning when she stepped out of the cabin.

"Hey," she said, and forced a smile. She wasn't exactly depressed about knowing the truth about Derek and Ellie, but there was an underlying sadness to her mood today.

It reminded Kylie of how she always felt the last day of school before summer vacation. She wanted summer to be here, knew there was no changing it, but a part of her wanted to hold on to life the way it was. She supposed she just wasn't a big fan of change.

Perry, his eyes a bright blue, grinned. "Hey." He looked back at the door, and Kylie knew why.

"Miranda already left," she told him.

"Why?"

Because she didn't want to see you because she's afraid of what you'll say when she tells you she's got a date Friday night with a hot warlock.

"I don't have a clue." And I'm really glad you're not a vampire who can read my heartbeat and tell when I'm flat-out lying.

His eyes went from blue to a sad brown. "I thought ... I guess I just hoped that..."

"I know," Kylie said, and bumped him with her shoulder. "And while I can't say anything, all I can tell you is that hope is eternal."

"So I still have a chance?" he asked.

"A little one," she said, not wanting to give him false hope.