"But your fae ass has thought about it, haven't you?" she asked.

"Yeah, my fae ass has thought about it, but-"

"But nothing! I'm not letting you go, Kylie." Tears filled the vamp's eyes. "I lost Lee, I lost my parents and my sister and all my friends back home. You and Miranda are all I have, and Miss Witch is so obsessed with a certain shape-shifter right now, I hardly even have time to argue with her anymore."

Della stood up and swiped at her cheeks. "I'm freaking tired of losing people I care about."

Kylie stood up. "You're not losing me." Her own eyes stung. Even if she had to go away, she'd be back. She belonged here. Surely Della realized that.

Della huffed. "I'm leaving next weekend to go ... to go do what I gotta do for Burnett. And all I can think about is that you won't be here when I get back."

"I'll..." Kylie finally heard what Della said. "Where are you going?"

Della frowned. "I can't tell you."

"Shit." Kylie shook her head, recalling the anxiety she'd read from Della. Was Della scared? Of course she was scared, Kylie realized, but Della would never admit it. Kylie went and hugged the vamp. Della didn't like it, but she didn't fight it too hard. "Whatever you're doing for Burnett, it damn well better not be too dangerous."

"Group hug! Group hug!" Miranda said, bolting through the door.

"No." Della lurched back. "That one was just for Kylie," she said, trying to sound badass, but Kylie read her embarrassment loud and clear. "Go hug Perry." Della stormed into her bedroom and slammed the door.

"What crawled up her butt and put her in such a sunny disposition?" Miranda asked.

Kylie rolled her eyes. Then the computer dinged with a new e-mail, and she scurried over to see who it was from. Her mom.

The thought crossed Kylie's mind like sandpaper. If she did have to leave Shadow Falls, what in the hell would she tell her parents?

Kylie glanced back at Miranda. "Maybe you should go pick a fight with Della so she'll know you still care."

* * *

Dinner that night was supposed to be a celebration to kick off the new school year. Books and class schedules were passed out. Kylie and Della had all the same classes. Miranda was in two of Kylie's five classes. Kylie couldn't help but wonder if this wasn't Burnett's idea of shadowing her without calling it shadowing.

Not that she was going to let that thought ruin her night. Sitting at a table with Della, Miranda, Perry, Jonathon, and Helen, Kylie downed her second piece of pizza. It was good to enjoy food again. Not that her improved mood had anything to do with the thin-crust pepperoni. It wasn't even the party atmosphere, or the party itself; it was what was happening after the party.

She eyed the clock-only two hours to go.

Right then Steve came over to their table and dropped down in an empty chair beside Della. Kylie almost grinned when Della literally blushed.

"What's up?" Steve asked.

"Hi, Steve," Kylie said, wanting him to feel welcome. Before coming to the dinner, Della had confessed that Steve was also supposed to go with her on the mission for the FRU. Della, of course, was pissed. Ahh, but she hadn't been able to hide the excitement in her stream of emotions.

Jonathon and Steve started chatting about some classes. Della seemed to relax and so did Kylie. Miranda nudged Kylie with her elbow and leaned in. "I think he likes her," she whispered in a very low voice. But Della, not missing a word with her sensitive hearing, shot Miranda a scowl.

"Here's to a great year." Someone made a toast across the room. Everyone seemed to be in a festive mood, and for the time being, everyone had stopped staring at Kylie's pattern. Probably another reason Kylie was in a better mood.

But no sooner did she appreciate not being stared at than the hairs on the back of her neck started doing a two-step. When she swerved around, Hayden Yates turned his head. Her heart gripped when she saw Holiday standing next to him in the crowd. Not talking with him, but talking to the shy teacher Collin Warren.

Kylie still didn't like Hayden being that close to Holiday. She zeroed her gaze on him and when he glanced back, obviously feeling his neck hair dancing, their gazes met. I swear if you hurt her, you'll pay for it.

He looked away; Kylie kept her gaze locked on him for several moments, and she hoped like hell he understood her message, because it wasn't a threat. It was a promise.

Just thinking about the possibility of anyone hurting Holiday made Kylie's blood thicken and start to fizz-a sure sign that while her pattern might have changed, she was still a protector.

Someday she hoped to be able to say that with a total sense of pride, but right now it seemed to be just one more thing making her different from everyone else.

Kylie had no sooner turned back when she felt another pair of eyes on her, only a different kind of feeling tiptoed up her spine. Even from fifty feet away, Lucas's gaze felt like a caress. He winked. He glanced at the clock and she knew that like her he was counting down the time until they met.

"Damn!" Jonathon yelled, pulling Kylie's gaze from Lucas. "You cut yourself." Jonathon was holding Helen's hand; blood oozed from his grip.

Helen, looking a bit squeamish, had a bloody apple in her other hand and a bloody knife sitting in her lap. "It's okay." Her words lacked confidence. "It's not bad. Is it?"

Jonathon released his hold on her hand to look at it. His eyes grew bright, no doubt because of the blood, but even more apparent was his concern for Helen. "You need stitches," he said.