Whispers at Moonrise (Shadow Falls #4)(9)

"It doesn't work like that. I mean, there are a few people who are able to know of their death and use the time wisely. But when you start planning for the end, most people instinctually stop living for tomorrow. Living for the day is beautiful-too many of us don't do it enough-but to live fully, we must live for today and tomorrow. Think about it, if you knew you were going to die in six months, would you start a project that you knew you couldn't finish? Would you go to school to learn to be a doctor? Would you have a child, knowing you would leave it alone too soon? People miss out on so much if they stop living for tomorrow."

Holiday's little speech sent Kylie right into the lap of another problem. Her ghost problem. She tried to think about the best way to approach it.

"Now, about the whole lizard thing," Holiday said, taking Kylie's thoughts in another direction. "I've never heard of a chameleon supernatural. And while I'm inclined to tell you that he got it wrong, I wonder..."

"Wonder what?" Kylie asked.

"I don't know for sure, I'm just-"

"I know," Kylie said. "You're just speculating, guessing, but since I'm feeling pretty clueless, I'd like to hear it."

"I was going to tell you." Holiday's expression told Kylie she needed to be patient.

She'd grown tired of being patient. And yes, she knew that on Thursday, her grandfather Malcolm Summers was coming, and hopefully he'd make sense of all this for her. But that meant a couple more days of not knowing.

"So just tell me. Please." Kylie softened her tone because being impatient might be understandable, but blaming others for it wasn't.

Holiday inhaled. "Maybe he referred to you as a chameleon because your pattern hasn't matured to what it really should be. It's still changing, like a chameleon changes colors."

"But he said I was a chameleon like he was telling me that I was a vampire or witch. Is it possible that there's another type of supernatural race that no one knows about?"

Holiday paused. "My gut says no. The history of supernaturals is documented in books as old as the Bible. But ... I admit I'm baffled. It seems that whatever is causing this is probably hereditary because of your real grandfather and great-aunt's ability to change their patterns to human. But even that is completely off the chart weird. I'm still thinking it was Wiccan related but..."

"Or..." Kylie considered Holiday's words. "Maybe that's what it means, the whole chameleon thing. I was talking about this with Derek earlier. Maybe chameleons can change our species. Like a chameleon can change its colors."

Holiday paused as if thinking. "But DNA doesn't work that way. You can't have more than one string of DNA. It isn't possible, because supernaturals only have the DNA of the dominant parent."

Kylie bit down on her lip. "Then maybe it's not the species that really changes, but just the pattern. And in a way it makes sense because a chameleon doesn't turn into a rock, it just changes its colors so it looks like a rock."

Holiday's brow wrinkled. "But..." She shook her head.

"But what?" Kylie wanted to know everything Holiday considered.

"It just doesn't feel right. If this ability to hide your pattern actually exists, why haven't other supernaturals heard about it?"

"Maybe we have heard about it," Kylie said. "Maybe this is exactly why they tested my grandmother. You mentioned once that you'd heard about those tests. Did anyone say what the tests were for?"

"Not specifically," Holiday said. "Something about understanding genetics in some supernaturals. But that they went wrong."

"That's an understatement," Kylie muttered. "They killed people." Killed my grandmother. Kylie couldn't understand how someone could do that-take a life. For that matter, how could Mario kill his own grandson? Or kill Ellie, who never did a thing to harm him? Or anyone else for that matter?

"I know." Holiday sighed as if sensing Kylie's grief. "Which is why I refuse to let them test you. I don't think the FRU is evil, Kylie. I just don't trust them to not take too many risks with you to find answers. Whatever is going on, we'll figure it out sooner or later."

Kylie sure as hell hoped so. Because right now, it didn't make a lick of sense to her. She gazed back at Holiday. "Is that why you can't trust Burnett? Because he's part of the FRU?"

Holiday looked perplexed. "I trust Burnett."

Kylie arched a brow in disbelief.

"I trust him with Shadow Falls," Holiday confessed.

Just not with your heart. And how sad was that? Kylie thought.

"I wouldn't have him working here if I thought there was a chance he would betray you or any of my students."

"I know," Kylie said. "And I trust him, too. I mean, the whole FRU thing with my grandmother scares me, but I trust Burnett."

Holiday met Kylie's eyes again. "I know that waiting for answers is hard on you. But hold on to the hope that your grandfather will come on Thursday and-"

"What do you mean 'hold on to the hope'? He told Burnett he was coming, right?" Seeing disappointment flash in Holiday's eyes, Kylie's heart sank. "What happened?"

"Burnett tried to contact him again and ... your grandfather's phone has been disconnected. But it could mean nothing."