"Yes," Holiday lied, and almost sounded honest. "I know, it sounds kind of strange."
"Kind of?" her mom asked, eyes still wide with shock.
Kylie pulled Socks closer and continued to whisper what she hoped were calming words close to his ear. But who, she wondered, was going to whisper calming words to her? This, was exactly why merging her old life with her new was such a bad, bad idea.
* * *
"Well, that went well," Holiday said an hour later as they watched Kylie's mom and Sara drive out of the Shadow Falls parking lot.
Kylie, her chest so tight that she thought a few ribs had cracked, looked at Holiday in shock. "You're kidding me. I'm practically told I'm not good enough for Lucas by his grandma. My dad's miserable. My mom thinks I'm having sex with two boys. And she thinks you're an idiot who keeps a skunk as a pet."
"I had to come up with something," Holiday said. "He must have snuck out when I left and I didn't see him."
"Don't forget that it couldn't have gotten any more awkward between Sara and Miranda and Della. They barely spoke to each other. And..." Tears filled Kylie's eyes. "And if I ever wondered if you really kept things from me, I know the truth now. What's this crap about you wanting to know if I'm part American Indian?"
Holiday's face flashed with guilt. "I was going to tell you. Honest. There just hasn't been time."
"Yeah, you're always going to tell me something after the fact." Kylie batted at the tears rolling down her cheeks. "I'm sick and tired of all the secrets around here, Holiday. I'm tired of being kept in the dark. I'm tired of not knowing what I am. It's not fair, and I'm not going to tolerate it anymore."
* * *
It was Wednesday night. The last few days had passed by in a blur. Kylie had gone into a frenzy trying to dig up her family tree. Holiday had explained that there was an American Indian legend about certain descendants of an Indian tribe having been touched by the gods. And that these mere humans would carry the gift with them for generations.
If Kylie had that blood running in her veins, it would explain how she could be a protector and still be half human. Kylie didn't know why it was so important to her to find out her heritage. It wasn't as if it would get her any closer to discovering what she was. But it might explain why she seemed to have certain gifts. Then again, maybe it was because it was the only lead she could work on right now.
The ghost showed up three or four times a day but still wasn't talking. Lucas showed up two or three times a day, too. And they weren't doing much talking, either. But on the plus side, they were doing a lot more kissing.
She hadn't said anything about what his grandmother told her. Partly because he already seemed so tense-no doubt because of the approaching full moon. And the other part because she was afraid of his answer.
She was afraid he'd tell her his grandmother was right. That he could never consider marrying her if she wasn't a werewolf.
Yeah, it still seemed stupid that she'd worry about it at this point in their relationship. But then, Kylie kept coming back to the fact that being girlfriend and boyfriend was supposed to be all about finding that one person you'd spend your entire life with.
Should she live for the day or plan for the future? And should she start something when she knew it wouldn't and couldn't last? Could she risk giving her heart to someone who could never truly be hers?
Earlier that night, when Lucas came by, they'd sat on the porch, kissed, and stared up at the moon. "You don't feel anything when you look at it?" he'd asked her.
He no longer tried to hide the fact that he wanted her to be were. And it was getting harder for her to pretend that it didn't bother her. Not that it changed how she felt about him. Everything from his smile to his blue eyes to the way he kissed-it all captivated her. The time she was close to him was about the only time she really felt at peace.
Kylie remembered telling Holiday she needed a touchstone, something that felt completely right. Lucas had become her touchstone. In some ways, he was like the falls. When she was close to him, when she felt his warm touch on her, all her problems seemed so much smaller.
But when he wasn't close, those problems came back to sit on her shoulders and eat away at her sanity. Eventually, Kylie knew they needed to talk about the whole bloodline issue. And even his question about her going out. Although she got the feeling he assumed she'd said yes. Looking back, she realized that considering their conversation that day, he might even have reason to believe it. So she'd let that one slide, but the bloodline issue wasn't that easy to drop.
But for now, she decided to just let it be.
"Hey!" Della's voice snapped Kylie back to the present as she walked out of her room. "Is Miranda back yet from her make-out session with Perry?" She plopped down at the kitchen table behind where Kylie sat at the computer desk.
"Not yet." Kylie glanced back. Della looked bored or depressed. She'd been extra quiet lately. Ever since Parents Day.
"What are you doing?" Della asked.
Worrying. "My mom finally got me my great-grandmother's maiden name. I thought I'd put it in the database on that genealogy Web site and see if I get anything."
"Why don't you just put a feather in your hat and call yourself an Indian?"
Kylie frowned. "That's not nice."
"Sorry," she muttered. "I'm in a pissy mood."
"Why?" Kylie stood and grabbed two diet sodas from the fridge and then dropped back down in the kitchen chair.
Della took the drink Kylie slid over to her and popped the top. It fizzed and she pressed her lips to the rim of the can to catch the overspill. When she looked up, she had tears in her eyes.
"What's wrong?" Kylie asked.
Della made a little hiccup noise, and Kylie realized that the vamp was crying. She stopped herself from going over there and hugging Della, because she knew Della hated that.
"Della? Tell me what's wrong." And instantly, Kylie got tears in her eyes, too.
Della swiped at her cheeks. "I miss it. It's just like Ellie said. I miss being normal. I miss living with my family. I know I'm lucky to be here. Lucky to have you and Miranda as my best friends. And I'm happy that you've got Lucas and Miranda has Perry, but it just makes me miss Lee, and it hurts so bad sometimes. And I know I should try to go for Steve, but I'm not ready." She hiccuped again and more tears slipped from her dark lashes onto her cheeks. "I miss it. All of it. I miss being human."