Whispers at Moonrise (Shadow Falls #4)(107)

She motioned for Fredericka to stand back. The girl's eyes filled with rebellion. Kylie didn't have time to argue. She stormed into the building; the door splintered, the walls wobbled.

Collin Warren jumped up from the floor. At his feet lay Holiday.

A very still, very dead Holiday.

Chapter Thirty-six

Fear filled Collin's eyes when he saw Kylie, while pure evil seemed to surround him.

Kylie picked up Collin Warren and tossed him across the cabin. She heard his body hit the log walls with a loud, cracking thud. The air gushing out of his lungs sounded in the room, but she didn't see him land.

She heard a scuffle happening behind her. Fredericka screamed. Kylie ignored it.

On her knees beside Holiday, Kylie removed the rope from around her throat.

"Is she dead?" Kylie heard Fredericka ask. The question floated in the room-unanswered.

Kylie's gaze stayed locked on Holiday. Kylie's heart stayed locked on the fact that she'd tried to save Ellie and failed-tried to save Roberto and failed then, too.

Burnett's footsteps sounded in the cabin; she heard him let out a sound of pure anguish. He knew. He knew Holiday was dead.

Kylie still didn't look up. Everything she had-everything she wanted to believe in-stayed focused on Holiday. This couldn't be happening. Not Holiday.

"No!" Kylie screamed.

Not Holiday, who had always been there for Kylie, always listened, always cared. Memories of them together filled her mind. Memories of them laughing, sitting side by side at the falls, even eating ice cream while talking about heartaches and boys. How many times had Holiday offered Kylie a warm, comforting touch?

"You can't go," Kylie said with a half sob. Tears rolled down her cheeks and landed on Holiday's pale face. Kylie ran her hands over Holiday's swollen, bruised throat.

When Kylie didn't feel her hands heat up, she closed her eyes and prayed. Let me save her. You gave me this power, now let me use it. I'll pay whatever price it takes, even if it's my own life. Do you hear me? My life for hers!

A ball of warmth formed in her chest and then slowly spread to her hands. Her hands tingled and then turned hot and then hotter still. Holiday's body felt so cold, so lifeless under Kylie's palms, but she didn't stop. She couldn't.

"She's glowing again," Fredericka's voice sounded in the distance.

But even as Kylie's light filled the small room, Holiday didn't respond. Another somber, grieving sound came from Burnett. It was the last sound Kylie heard before her vision went black.

* * *

Darkness surrounded Kylie. Exhaustion pulled at her mind. Where was she? Why did she feel so depleted? So dead?

She tried to open her eyes, but the effort felt too much. Wake up! Wake up! a part of her brain demanded. The feeling of urgency filled her chest and she fought to push the cobwebs from her mind.

As the last few clouds of confusion and exhaustion were cleared, she came to. She was in someone's arms, someone who ran. Kylie's body jolted up and down with the footfalls. She forced her eyes open and looked up at ... Fredericka?

What was...?

"Put me down," Kylie demanded.

"Burnett said to carry you," Fredericka bit out. "Believe me, I don't like it, either."

"Put me down!" Kylie demanded, and the she-wolf came to a sudden stop and dropped her none too gently on the ground. The feel of her butt hitting the hard ground brought it all back.

Collin Warren had Holiday.

Holiday ... dead.

Pain filled Kylie's chest.

Bolting to her feet, she saw Burnett, holding a lifeless Holiday in his arms.

Kylie rushed over. "Let me try again!" she begged.

"You already did," Burnett bit out.

"But maybe this time-"

"Kylie! You already saved her," Burnett said. "She's weak, but she's breathing. Now, let Fredericka carry you back to camp so we can get both of you help."

"I'm fine," Kylie insisted.

"You're still glowing, Kylie," Burnett snapped. "And I don't know what that means."

Kylie didn't know either. But she didn't care. She stared at Holiday's chest, waiting to see it shift upward, bringing in oxygen. She held her own breath.

Only when Holiday breathed did Kylie draw air into her hungry lungs.

"Let's go," Burnett muttered. "I have a doctor meeting us at the camp."

Kylie pushed herself to run, but it wasn't nearly as fast as before, and damn if she didn't feel every muscle burn. Not that she was complaining. Holiday was alive and so was she. Nothing else mattered.

* * *

Kylie sat in Holiday's living room, silent and still glowing, while the doctor checked Holiday out in the bedroom. Burnett, on his feet, kept a listening ear turned to the door.

All the other students gathered in the dining hall. School had been canceled while everyone waited for news. Kylie wondered if Holiday knew how loved she was. That everyone, even Fredericka, cared.

Everyone except ... Collin Warren. Questions start flipping through her mind. Kylie looked at Burnett. "What happened to Collin?"

Burnett shook his head.

Kylie's gut knotted. She recalled tossing the man across the small shack, recalled hearing the sound of his lungs give up air. Had his soul given up as well?