"I'd like for you and Helen to work together on this," Holiday said. "Maybe even meet regularly like a species group."
Kylie raised an eyebrow and suspected she knew what Holiday was up to. "Because I don't belong to a group, right? That's why you're doing this?"
Holiday rolled her eyes. "You belong here at Shadow Falls. Just because you don't belong to a certain group doesn't mean anything."
Kylie nodded. "I like Helen."
After a few minutes of just listening to nature, she told Holiday all about the blue jay's little dog-and-pony shows. Holiday didn't have an explanation for the bird's pop-in visits, except to say that maybe the bird was only a fledgling and it sort of imprinted on her, meaning it thought Kylie was his mother.
"God, I hope not. Because I'm not chewing up worms and barfing into its mouth. I mean, I know that's what mama birds do."
Holiday laughed.
Kylie looked at her friend and counselor, and the most important question of all popped out. "Does any of this give you any clue as to what I am?"
Holiday frowned. "I wish it did."
"What if I never find out? What if I go through my life never knowing?"
"That's not likely," Holiday said. "Almost every week, we discover something else about you. Sooner or later, something is going to point you in the right direction."
Kylie looked down and watched an ant move across the porch. "I think Lucas wants me to be werewolf."
"Yes, but what Lucas wants isn't important."
Something told Kylie that Holiday understood the reason Lucas wanted this. She almost asked, but she wasn't sure she was ready to talk about it.
"You will be what you are, and whatever it is, you will be fine. Everyone has to accept that and love you for who you are; it doesn't really matter where your heritage comes from."
For some reason, Kylie remembered Derek saying pretty much the same thing.
Holiday's phone rang. She looked at the number and then glanced at Kylie.
"Who is it?" Kylie asked, sensing it was about her.
"Derek again."
Kylie sighed. Why did just hearing his name still sting?
Chapter Twenty-three
Kylie nibbled, without appetite, at her hamburger and fries at dinner that night while sitting between Della and Miranda at the dining hall. When asked, Miranda confessed she hadn't yet spoken to Perry about the dance/dragon thing from last night.
Miranda said that she'd gotten another phone call from the cute warlock back home and he'd arranged to pick her up Friday evening and take her out to dinner. "What am I going to say to Perry?" she asked. "'Hey, I'd like to just talk to you to see if we might have a chance, but first I'd like to go out on a date with another guy and see if I like him better'?"
Both Kylie and Della agreed it would be a difficult conversation. But they suggested Miranda at least thank Perry for standing up for her against Clark.
In truth, Kylie hoped Miranda would talk to Perry and cancel her date with the cute warlock. Kylie had nothing against cute warlocks, but Perry was one of their own.
Kylie placed a greasy fry in her mouth and tried to pretend she was hungry. When she glanced up, she noticed Lucas sitting with his pack of weres; their eyes met across the rows of hungry teens munching on burgers. He smiled, and Kylie returned the smile. He'd asked her to sit with him at the weres' table. She would have, even knowing it would be uncomfortable sitting with a group of his friends who didn't want him to see her. She would have done it because if Lucas could stand up to them, then so would she. But Della was her shadow, and Kylie knew the little vamp would have had a fit if she'd asked her to sit with the were group. So Kylie had refrained.
Lucas picked up a fry, and as he popped it into his mouth, he winked at her. The small gesture might not have meant anything coming from a different guy, but for Lucas to show anything in the way of public affection was a big deal. She grinned big and winked back. She did it even when she noticed Fredericka sitting two people away from Lucas and snarling as though she wanted to rip out Kylie's throat.
The she-wolf could probably do it, too.
Somebody must have said something funny a few tables over because laughter filled the large room. The smell of burgers mingled with the faint smell of singed wood. Thanks to Burnett, the physical reminders of the big fight were all gone, but the memory still lingered. Everyone at the camp seemed extra cheery tonight, no doubt celebrating Holiday's return. If the camp leader doubted how appreciated she was, the number of squeals, accompanied by "You're back!" and unexpected hugs (even from a few vamps and weres, which were not common) should have done her ego good.
For a moment, Kylie worried it might make Burnett feel like a second fiddle. But more than once Kylie caught the vampire watching the emotional greetings with so much pride in his eyes that it was like watching a romance movie. Kylie could almost hear the sappy music playing in the background. She wished she had a camera so she could show Holiday how Burnett looked at her when she wasn't aware.
The door to the dining room swished open. Derek and Ellie walked in side by side, though they weren't holding hands. Derek immediately started moving his gaze around the room, and Kylie knew he'd been looking for her when his gaze landed on hers. She couldn't help but wonder what he'd wanted to talk to Holiday about. Was it her again? And why? Shouldn't he be giving Ellie his attention?
He nodded slightly. She nodded back and forced herself to eat another bite of her hamburger. It tasted like dead meat. Which it was, but the thought made it even more unappetizing.
When the lump of food took two swallows to get down her throat, she pushed her plate aside. She was so done.
Staring at her glass of tea, she wiped away a trail of condensation and searched for a plausible excuse to escape from the dining hall. Escape before she had to watch Derek and Ellie whispering back and forth and sharing fries or something-not that she cared, of course. At least that's what she told herself. And she would continue to tell herself that until it was true. It would happen, too. How could it not when she enjoyed Lucas's company so much? Enjoyed his kisses. Enjoyed being the girl he would actually wink at with dozens of people around to witness.
Kylie's phone rang, giving her the excuse she needed to skip out. Not even checking to see who it was, she leaned over and whispered to Della that she had to take the call. Della, who'd been interested only in the rare meat on her bun and had already wolfed that down, grabbed her real meal-a tall glass of B positive blood-and followed her out.