Della's eyes glowed gold with anger. Then her top lip raised just enough to show her extended canines. There was a time when seeing Della like that would have scared the bejeebies out of Kylie, but not anymore.
She wasn't afraid of Della.
"I don't think you're a monster," Kylie said. "But that doesn't mean I wasn't scared."
"Liar," Della growled.
"I'm not lying. Check my heartbeat if you want," Kylie said. "Listen to my heart, see if I'm lying."
Della turned to walk away, and Kylie caught her elbow this time. "Don't you dare walk away," Kylie insisted.
"Let me go," Della rumbled in a low voice. When Kylie didn't let go, the vampire swung around, her eyes brighter, her teeth fully exposed. Kylie heard a few murmurs in the crowd. The argument had obviously drawn attention. Della heard it, too, because she looked around and hissed. The few people standing close by scattered like scared mice. Kylie still wasn't afraid.
"Uh, we should leave, too." Miranda bumped Kylie with her elbow. "She's really pissed off now."
Kylie didn't look at Miranda. She continued to stare at Della, letting her know that she wasn't afraid. "I'm not leaving until she hears me out."
"I don't have to hear you out. I know what you think." Della's angry glare, filled with so much hurt, slapped against Kylie.
"That's unfair." Kylie glared right back at the pissed-off vampire. "What's unfair is that I thought you were my friend." The hurt in Della's eyes shined brighter through the golden hue.
"I am your friend. I gave you my blood," Kylie said.
"Me, too," added Miranda, sounding nervous.
When Della's expression didn't change, Kylie continued. "And I also remember you telling me how scared you were when you found out you were turning. You said you were so afraid of what was happening. You said you didn't want to change."
Della turned to leave again. But Kylie kept talking and didn't let go of her elbow. "Are you the only one allowed to be afraid?" Kylie felt the emotion swell in her chest, and tears filled her eyes. "Are you so special that no one else can feel that?"
Kylie half expected Della to zip off. Maybe even pull her arm out of her socket when she did.
She didn't. But neither did her friend turn around. She just stood there for several long seconds. One. Two. Three. Kylie counted and waited, hoping this meant-
"Fine," Della bit out in frustration, and finally turned around. Her eyes were no longer gold. She looked down, then up again. "You're right."She looked away and then back at Kylie. "I'm sorry."
"Damn," Miranda said a little loud. "I didn't know vampires could or would ever apologize."
Della shot Miranda a cold look. "I didn't apologize to you. So why don't you go find your broomstick and fly to Timbuktu. That is if your dyslexic, screwed-up sense of direction will get you there. And don't bother coming back, either."
Miranda took an offensive step toward Della. "You are so mean-"
Della bared her teeth and growled. "I heard you when you told Helen that blood was disgusting. You promised you would respect-"
"Is it disrespectful to be honest?" Miranda asked.
Kylie moved between them. "You two can sling insults, call each other names, and even kill each other later. But right now..." She looked at Miranda.
"I need a minute alone with Della. Please."
Miranda's chin notched up a few inches. She didn't like it, but she walked away. That was the thing about Miranda. She might get pissed in a flicker of a heartbeat, almost as fast as Della, but Miranda got unpissed just as quickly. Della on the other hand-that girl knew how to hold a grudge. And while she pretended nothing could hurt her, Kylie saw her vulnerable streak and it ran even wider than Miranda's.
Finally alone, Della and Kylie stood there staring at each other. Kylie spoke first. "I'm sorry, too. I didn't mean to disrespect your culture. I really just freaked out."
Della nodded. "I get it. Didn't get it at first but ... I do now." Della sighed and a smile touched her lips. "You loved it, didn't you? The blood.
It was good."
Kylie wasn't proud of it, but she admitted the truth. "It was awesome."
Della touched Kylie's arm. "But you're still warm."
Kylie nodded. "And if I am vampire, wouldn't I already be cold?"
"I don't know," Della said honestly. "Maybe you just haven't changed yet. But you're about to."
Kylie remembered Della telling her that turning had felt like boiling water running through her veins.
"I'll be here for you," Della said as if she'd read Kylie's mind. "To help you through it. If it happens. You won't have to be alone. I think I remember most of what Chan did to help me."
"I know you will." Kylie tried to smile. Right then, she spotted Miranda staring at them from across the room, looking like a lost puppy.
Kylie felt bad asking her to leave. "So will Miranda. She will be there for me. And she'd be there for you, too. I really ... really wish you two would stop fighting."
Della shrugged. "She's just so good at pissing me off."
"And you her," Kylie defended Miranda.
"Yeah, but she's not like you. You seem to know what I'm feeling, always manage to say the right thing." Della's brow crinkled as if in thought. "It's almost as if you're an empath. You know, like Derek and Holiday and you can read emotions?"
"No," Kylie said, but deep down she couldn't help wonder. Hadn't she always been good at reading people? Like with her mom, she'd always sensed the distance her mother kept between them, knew there was something keeping her mom from bonding with her completely.
"Is everything okay?" The familiar female voice came from behind Kylie.
Kylie and Della looked over at Holiday.
"Yeah," Kylie and Della said at the same time.
Holiday gave Kylie's arm a squeeze. "We need to talk about what happened tonight, and we will just as soon as things calm down."
Kylie nodded and while Holiday's touch offered a small amount of comfort, she couldn't help but wonder if Holiday hadn't touched her just to check her temperature-to find out if she'd changed into a vampire. "Later, okay?" Holiday asked.