Whispers at Moonrise (Shadow Falls #4)(108)

She'd said she would kill for Holiday, and she would, but now the thought that she might have taken a life made her want to puke. "Did I...?"

Burnett shook his head. "Fredericka. She said he came at you with a knife. She attacked. They fought. He lost."

Kylie now recalled hearing the struggle, but the idea left her stunned. "Fredericka saved my life?" Oh, hell. She didn't want to be indebted to someone who hated her. Then she couldn't help but wonder why she'd done it. She could have let Collin kill her.

Burnett stared at Kylie as if reading her mind. "She comes off as a real bitch, but I don't think she's as bad as she lets people believe." He hesitated. "That happens when you have a rough upbringing. People think the worst of you and it just gets easier to let them think it than to try to prove them differently." He looked back at the bedroom door. "Holiday believed she was salvageable."

So did Lucas. Kylie sat there and chewed on her feelings. About Fredericka, then about Lucas. She missed him. Wished he was here.

Then she reheard Burnett's words and picked up on the personal reference in his tone. That happens when you have a rough upbringing. A piece of the puzzle of who Burnett was suddenly fell into place. She didn't know why it felt important but it did. She looked up at him. "You were raised in a foster home with Perry, weren't you?"

Burnett's gaze stayed fixed on the door. "She's going to be okay." A smile brightened his eyes. "The doctor, he just said she was going to be okay." He reached back with both hands and laced his fingers behind his neck. When he glanced at Kylie, he was still smiling. "Yeah. I was raised in foster care. Why? You thinking that's why I'm a mean bastard? Because of my rough upbringing?"

Hearing the humor and relief in his voice, she smiled. She knew if he weren't so relieved by the doctor's news, he'd probably be pissed that Kylie figured it out. Then the opportunity occurred to her. "No, but I'm thinking that's why it might be so hard for you to tell Holiday how you feel. To admit that you love her. And I think she really needs to hear that."

His eyebrows arched. "I'm not the one who's been pushing the other away."

"But you haven't told her how you feel, either. And you gotta trust me on this. A woman needs to hear that."

A few minutes passed in silence; she knew Burnett was thinking about what she said, and that felt good. But then the vamp looked back at her with questions in his eyes. "How did Hayden Yates know about Collin Warren?"

Kylie chose her words carefully. She hadn't told Burnett that Hayden was a chameleon and wasn't sure if she should.

"When I went to his cabin, he'd been out running. I accused him of being involved. He denied it. He said he'd seen Collin out and the man looked suspicious."

Burnett digested what she'd said. "Supposedly, Collin's always been socially flawed but no one saw the evilness in him until now." Burnett paused again. "How did you end up with Hayden's phone?"

"I'd forgotten mine when I left. So I ... confiscated his." She shrugged.

"Did you know he left a message with me, saying he had a family emergency and had to leave for a few days?"

Kylie tried not to let her disappointment show. "No, I didn't know that."

"Do you still think he's involved?" Burnett asked. "If you do, I'll bring his ass back here now."

"No," Kylie answered honestly. "I was wrong. He didn't have anything to do with Holiday. If anything ... he helped save her."

Burnett studied her. "And you don't see it as suspicious his leaving right now?"

"Maybe a little," Kylie said, so she wouldn't get caught in a lie. "But I'm sure he didn't have anything to do with Holiday's abduction."

"I'm still questioning him when he gets back," Burnett said.

Me too. Kylie shook her head. If he comes back. Her heart sank.

Then she recalled the phone again, still tucked in her pocket. Hayden Yates had to be working for her grandfather. And if so, he was probably in contact with Hayden. That meant she might have her grandfather's number in the phone.

If her grandfather hadn't changed his number again.

* * *

Thirty minutes later, after Burnett had visited Holiday, Kylie moved into the bedroom. Holiday, her red hair looking redder against the white sheets, looked pale, but alive. The bruise on her throat hadn't gone away.

She touched her throat and motioned for Kylie to hand her the water on her bedside table.

"You brought me back." Holiday's voice sounded raw, painfully raw.

"But I didn't heal you all the way." Kylie's throat hurt hearing Holiday talk. "Do you want me to see if I can-?"

Holiday shook her head. "I think you've done enough. You look worn out."

Kylie felt worn out, but not so much that she couldn't try. "I could-"

"No. I'll heal." Holiday looked concerned. "You haven't stopped glowing."

"I know," Kylie said. "But it'll go away, right?"

Holiday nodded but didn't look confident. Then she motioned for Kylie to sit in the chair beside the bed. "I got to see Hannah before she passed over. Right as I was dying, everything slowed down and she came to me. We talked. We made amends." Tears brightened Holiday's green eyes. "None of this would have happened if not for you. Thank you. I know the cost you have to pay, and I promise to live my life so it won't cost you even the tiniest piece of your soul."