Whispers at Moonrise (Shadow Falls #4)(41)

She could feel his heart beating. She could feel it breaking, too, right alongside her own. "I don't give up easily." It was the truth. If she was a quitter, she wouldn't still be at Shadow Falls.

He wrapped his arms around her, leaned against the tree, and pulled her flush against him. They stood like that for the longest time. Not talking. Not making promises. And Kylie couldn't help but wonder if it was because they both instinctively knew those promises wouldn't hold.

He finally pulled away. "I should go help Clara get situated."

Kylie loosened her hold around his waist. But she didn't want to. She didn't want to give him back to Clara or to Fredericka or to his father. As selfish as it was, she wanted him all to herself. Or maybe it wasn't that she didn't want to share him. Maybe she just didn't want to share him with people who were trying to keep them apart.

"Do you want to come with me?" he asked.

Clara would love that, Kylie thought. Not. "I'll let you two have some time alone."

"Thanks," he said as if he'd hoped she'd refuse. He smiled, but beneath the smile was a touch of disappointment. "So you're a witch. I never would have guessed."

"I'm a witch right now," she said.

He looked confused. "You think it will change?"

"Yes. Maybe." What did she believe? "I changed from that strange pattern to human."

"Yes." He stared at her pattern. "But this is a true supernatural pattern." Lucas's attention shot over his shoulder and he growled. Derek came around the office.

Derek's green gaze met hers. There was no apology in his eyes for interrupting them. Even his posture seemed to say he had a right to be here. "I need to see you, Kylie. It's important."

"About what?" Lucas asked.

Derek didn't look at Lucas. The fae's gaze never left Kylie, and while he answered the question, he spoke to Kylie. "It's about your ghost."

"Since when did you become a ghost expert?" Lucas asked.

Derek looked at the were for the first time. "Since I found out Kylie needed help with them." His implication hung in the air. He supported her when Lucas didn't.

Lucas heard it as well. His eyes tightened and turned a light orange.

Before trouble started, she placed a hand on his back. "Go help Clara."

He didn't look happy, but his expression told her he wasn't planning on arguing.

Yet his next move surprised her. He leaned down and placed an affectionate kiss on her lips. The kiss seemed more about letting Derek know she was his girl than for her pleasure, but she didn't completely blame him.

There had been a time or two she would have loved to kiss him like that in front of Fredericka.

* * *

"What is it?" Kylie asked Derek as soon as Lucas moved around the office and was out of earshot.

Derek stared after Lucas and then back at her. "You're disappointed. What's disappointing you?" he asked, reading her emotions right on the mark.

"Nothing." She refused to talk about this with Derek.

"Is it Lucas?" he asked.

"Let it go," she insisted. "I'm with Lucas now."

Though for how long? The question whispered through her head.

A frown pulled at his lips. "I know. I screwed up and didn't realize that I loved you until it was too late."

She held up her hand. "Don't say-"

He reached out and laced his fingers with hers. The press of his palm against hers came with a soft warmth, a sense of calm, and endearment. She frowned at how tempted she was to just hold on, but knowing her emotions were completely out of whack right now, she pulled her hand from his. He was her friend. Just a friend.

"It's okay." He dropped his hand into his pocket. "I accept that it's my fault. And you don't have to tell me you love me." His gaze met hers. "But I can read you, Kylie, and I know you don't want to admit it, but you care about me, too."

"Stop it," she said. "I care about you like a friend."

"No." He continued to stare. "It's more. But don't worry. I know you care about Lucas, too. And that's my cross to bear because I pushed you right into his arms. And as long as you're happy, I can accept that. But if you're not-"

"Please stop." Kylie wanted to start singing "la la la" and cover her ears. And if it wouldn't have been so childish, she would have done it. Instead, she reminded him of the real matter at hand. "Didn't you say you had information about my ghost issue?"

He stuffed both his hands in his pockets. "Yeah. Good news, at least I think it is. But I guess some of it could be bad news, too."

"What?" She hoped it was more good than bad. She could really use some good news.

"I don't think your ghost is Holiday."

"But ... how ... what makes you think that?"

"I did some research on the Internet. Simple stuff." He hesitated. "I found out that Holiday has an identical twin. Her name is Hannah."

I think my name is Hannah or Holly, or something like that. The spirit's words echoed inside Kylie's head. "A twin? Why hasn't she ever mentioned her?"

Derek shrugged. "It seems a little odd, doesn't it? I mean, you would think she'd have said something about having an identical sister."