Whispers at Moonrise (Shadow Falls #4)(93)

Holiday leaned forward. "Will you promise to confirm with us when you meet your grandfather?"

"Will you promise not to stop me?" Kylie asked.

"I promise we will assess the situation and only stop you if we feel your life's in jeopardy."

"By whose judgment?" Kylie asked. "Some people's idea of safety is not reasonable." She didn't even flinch when she looked at Burnett-who, by the way, looked even more furious. And she felt every bit of his anger.

"This is insane. My job is to protect you," Burnett snarled.

"No," Holiday corrected him. "Our job as school administrators is to teach Kylie how to survive in the human world. Like it or not"-she glanced at Kylie-"she has the right to leave. And that is the last thing we want to happen right now."

Somehow, Kylie knew that the ball of energy in her gut had been about projecting how serious she was on this issue. Was that a fae talent, or was that from her chameleon abilities? Kylie didn't know. But it was pretty damn cool, even if it scared her.

"Do I have a choice in the matter?" Burnett bit out.

"No," both Kylie and Holiday said at the same time.

Burnett's phone beeped in an odd kind of way. He grabbed his device and pushed a few buttons. "Someone just jumped the front gate." He turned to leave, but stopped when a figure flashed in the doorway.

Blake, Holiday's ex-fiance and the suspected murderer, stood there. "I heard you were looking for me."

Kylie jumped to her feet and stood beside Burnett, ready to defend Holiday.

But Holiday acted as though she didn't need protecting. She jumped up and met Blake's glare. "Did you do it?" she asked, fury pouring out of her.

"Did I do what?" he asked.

"Did you kill Hannah?"

Chapter Thirty-one

"What?" His gaze cut to Burnett and Kylie and then back to Holiday. Disbelief filled his eyes and rolled off of him in waves. "Hannah's dead?"

Kylie tried to listen to his heartbeat, but not being vampire anymore, all she could do was read his emotions. They came off sincere, but could she trust that?

"Answer me, damn it!" Holiday slammed her palms down on his chest. Her emotions were a whole bag of raw pain, betrayal at its worst.

Burnett moved to Holiday's side and gently pulled her back, but his eyes were bright green and on Blake with warning.

Blake exhaled, his frustration sounding in the released air. "You are so biting on the wrong vampire! This is meritless."

"Not so meritless," Holiday said. "She told me you were furious with her when she told you that she planned on telling me the truth."

"Of course I was furious. We were getting married. I loved you. She told me if I showed up at my own wedding, she'd stop the ceremony."

"Did you kill her?" Holiday demanded, her anguish filling the air Kylie breathed.

Blake stared at Holiday, hurt radiating from him. "Of all the people in the world, you know me better than that. Do you really think I could murder Hannah?"

"What I think doesn't mean shit," Holiday seethed. "I didn't think you'd sleep with my sister, but you did."

"We were drunk and ... I'd just started dating you. It was a damn mistake. And then the next thing I know, I'm in love with you. I'm still in love with you. And yes, I wanted to tell you then, but I was scared. At first, Hannah acted as if it never happened, so I convinced myself-"

"That you could get away with it?" Tears pooled in Holiday's eyes.

"No, I convinced myself that one mistake wasn't enough to stop two people who loved each other from finding happiness."

"That's enough." Burnett walked over and grabbed Blake by the arm. "You're coming with me."

Blake pulled away and the two men stared each other right in the eyes.

"Not yet." Holiday looked at Burnett. "I want to talk to him."

"You did," Burnett countered.

"Alone. I want to talk to him alone," she said.

Burnett's body turned into one knotted muscle. Jealousy oozed from his pores. "He's a suspected serial killer, Holiday, who illegally entered Shadow Falls. I need to get him to the FRU office."

"Serial killer?" Blake's eyes turned defensive. "I didn't harm Hannah or anyone else."

"That's what they all say," Burnett clipped, and reached for Blake again. The man moved back, his eyes growing hot.

"What's wrong?" Blake baited Burnett. "Worried she might still feel something for me?"

Holiday moved in and rested her hand on Burnett's arm and spoke with honesty. "Burnett has no reason to worry. I want the truth from you, Blake, that's all. And then I want you to climb right back under whatever rock you've been hiding under." She motioned with a firm hand for Burnett and Kylie to leave.

Burnett's body language and emotions said what he thought of that idea. But something told Kylie that Holiday needed this time alone with Blake, and Burnett needed to give it to her.

Kylie touched Burnett's arm, felt the warmth flow from her touch, and saw his expression soften. He looked back at Holiday right before he walked out. Kylie looked at Blake. And right then, her gut told her that he wasn't Hannah's killer.