“She tossed her towel on her dresser and turned to the bed where shed left her PJs. Only it wasn't just her PJs on the bed anymore.
Lucas, eyes wide, sat on the foot of her bed, about four feet from where she stood completely naked.
She squealed.
He laughed.
She dashed for the towel.
Once she had it around her, she glared from a still grinning Lucas to the door. "I'm killing Della!"
He laughed again. "I'm afraid I might have to protect her for this one.”
“I...I'm sorry," Kylie mumbled.
"Don't you even try to talk your way out of me being pissed!" Burnett growled. "Not a word!"
"I just..."
"That's two words and I said not one!" he snapped, and he swiped his hand through the air for emphasis.
Kylie bit down on her lip, and wouldn't you know it that's when the tears started flowing. Big, fat, and fast tears. She sniffled and wiped her cheeks with the back of her hand. Her breath caught in her chest. But damn it. Why couldn't this have happened when she was alone?
"Those tears do not affect me, young lady!" He pointed a finger at her. While she couldn't hear his heart beat to the rhythm of a lie, she heard it in his voice.
***
"I just..."
"Did I say you could talk?" he asked. He did three more pacing laps, as if working off steam, before he looked at her again. "Where were you going, Kylie?"
When she just looked at him, he bit out, "Answer me."
"You said I couldn't talk.”
“Sometimes this just happens,” Kylie said, much calmer now that she had a sneak preview of his
comeuppance.
“Just happens?” Burnett bellowed out. “Are you freaking kidding me! If you have sex, you use
protection. It’s that simple. This shit doesn’t have to happen! This is nothing but carelessness. It’s
irresponsible. It’s unforgivable.”
“Burnett!” Holiday rolled her eyes at Kylie and frowned. The fae knew exactly what Kylie was up
to now.
But Kylie wasn’t finished yet. “Maybe we should put a rule in place. Any male who impregnates a
girl should be neutered.”
“Enough,” Holiday snapped.
“Actually, that’s not a bad plan!” he growled.
“Burnett!” Holiday said in a stern voice. “Shut up before you embarrass yourself more than you
already have.” When the vampire looked at Holiday, she continued, “Kylie didn’t buy the pregnancy
tests for Miranda. She bought them for me.”
Kylie flopped back against the seat again, enjoying the look of disbelief on the vampire’s face a
little too much. “Would you like a name of a good doctor who will schedule your little snip-snip
operation?” she bit out.”
“She remembered when they were kids and he'd caught the rock that the bullies had thrown at her. At six, she'd considered him a hero.
At sixteen, she considered him a heartbreaker.”
“She cut her eyes to the woods and whispered, "We're not alone, remember?"
"I don't care who hears it. I love you!" His voice rose louder this time.
She frowned. "Nothing's changed."
"Everything has changed," he said.”
“Oh, I brought you something." Her mom pulled a bag from her purse. "I know how you like T-shirts," she said.
Kylie couldn't help but think, My mom went to England and all I got was a T-shirt, but she smiled and pulled it out of the bag and then chuckled when she read the script across the front: My mom went to England and all I got was this T-shirt.
"Perfect," Kylie said.”
“I love you," he said, his voice almost musical with happiness.
She shot him a scowl. "Isn't saying that a bit dangerous considering these aren't wooden swords and the ends aren't even taped?"
He laughed.”
“You'd better be careful, they are going to revoke your vampire license if you get any more romantic and mushy."
"Don't worry," Burnett said, his eyes pinched as if serious. "I can still be a jackass, and kick ass, when it's called for.”
“Nana used to say whenever you start feeling like the world is taking a bite out of you, bite back by counting your blessings.”
“Then maybe it's time to change that." Della sat back in her chair.
"Change what?" Kylie asked.
"Come out of the closet. You know, like...'I'm gay and here to stay.' You'd need a different slogan, but maybe, 'I'm a lizard and if you don't like it, I'll eat out your gizzard.'" Della chuckled. "Okay, it needs some work, but you get what I mean.”
“Derek's the nicest guy I know. He would never...you know."
"He better not...you know!" Hayden bit out.”
“Be patient? That's all you've got for me?" Steve complained ten minutes later.
Kylie glanced up at Perry, circling them as they sat behind the office, and then frowned at Steve. "I don't know why everyone thinks I'm the love guru.”
“I became blinded by what I thought I needed to do. I was wrong. I was stupid. But not for one minute did I ever stop loving you. And that's why I deserve to be forgiven.”
“But I can tell you this, Mr. James, I refuse to be treated with disrespect."
"Disrespect?" Burnett growled.
And then everything went to hell.
Burnett and Hayden exchanged colourful verbal blows. According to Hayden, Burnett was a prick, and according to Burnett, Hayden was an overconfident jerk who had lied.
She didn't know if she felt confident the tension wouldn't elevate to physical blows, or if she was simply too tired to care anymore. If they broke each other's noses, so be it.”
“This isn't fair. I tell you guys everything. I don't hold back anything."
"Believe me, I know," Della said. "I know more about you and Perry's relationship than the law allows.”
“We just hide from the people we love. Sad, isn't it?”
“Della pretty much told him the same thing. And she gave him hell. The kind of hell only Della can dish out. Told him he was a piece of monkey shit and that he should go have himself castrated.”
“So I guess this just means all guys are pieces of shit!”
“It was going to be a very long and bat-shit crazy night.”
“Did you want me to stay?"
Kylie's yes and Lucas' no chimed out at the same time.
"Sorry," Lucas said, not sounding sorry as he looked at Della. "But I need Kylie's full attention to teach her, and you would just distract her."
"Right," Della said in a tone of complete disbelief.
Lucas frowned at the vamp.
"Okay," Della said. "I'll just mosey along.”
“Burnett fidgeted. She had never seen Burnett like this. He looked like a kid who needed to go to the bathroom.”
“As Kylie buried her head on the camp leader's shoulder, she heard Burnett scold, "I thought I told you to wait at the camp."
Kylie felt Holiday tense at the reprimand, and then she raised her head. "And I thought you knew I don't follow anyone's orders."
"Does anyone listen to me around here?" Burnett asked, his frustration making his tone sound almost comical.
"Obviously not," one of the FRU agents said, and chuckled.”
“This doesn't make sense."
"I know," Kylie said. "And that seems to be the theme song of my life right now. Not a damn thing makes sense.”
“ I mean . . . who was it that said if the door is locked, find a window. If the windows locked, well . . . break it. If it won't break then find a freaking sledgehammer and make a new one. ”
“My feet are always cold. I'm a vampire," he said in a teasing voice, almost as if he was trying to chase away Holiday's somberness. "And if I remember correctly, you complained about that last night." He slowed down and slipped his arm around Holiday. "Marrying you doesn't scare me a bit. It's the best thing that could ever happen to me. I'd never run out on you. I'll be the first one to the church.”
“What are we even doing out here?" Burnett asked, seemingly getting more frustrated the longer he considered things. "The orders were to wait until tomorrow. Why do I give orders around here if no one listens to them?”
“Be forewarned,' the vamp said, 'if I learn that there's anything romantic happening here, I'm sending him packing...less a few body parts.'
Kylie's mouth dropped open. 'Romantic? Oh, please, he's old. He's as old as you.'
Burnett's brow creased. 'Which is my point.' His frown deepened. 'Not that I'm *that* old.”
“She simply stood there and waited for him to show her the next move. And hoped it only involved sword fighting and not seduction.”
“The thought that came to mind was a phrase her Nana had often said when she'd found herself in a bad situation. She was up shit creek without a paddle.”
“Kylie turned and the spirit of the murderous woman stood beside her. 'You did this, didn't you?'
'Why would I burn up my own phone?' Derek asked.”
“Games were being played, that was all, and games of which he was largely ignorant and wished to remain so.”
“The inner revolution will not be televised or sold on the Internet. It must take place within one's own mind and heart.”
“Winter has arrived in North London. Snow has settled.
The white snow looks beautiful and covers everything my eyes can see, yet beneath the incomprehensible beauty, the snow freezes greenery which struggles to breathe.
Green leaves freeze from existence as children scream go faster to fathers who push them along in upside down bin lids, as they make the most of their schools being closed.”
“Footmen stood stiffly with trays laden with foaming goblets and plates filled with tiny delicacies, such as sautéed scallops, salt cod and caviar on potato pancakes, basil palmiers, and roasted brie with gooseberries.”
“Dear God
Please take away my pain and despair of yesterday and any unpleasant memories and replace them with Your glorious promise of new hope. Show me a fresh HS-inspired way of relating to negative things that have happened. I ask You for the mind of Christ so I can discern Your voice from the voice of my past. I pray that former rejection and deep hurts will not color what I see and hear now.
Help me to see all the choices I have ahead of me that can alter the direction of my life. I ask You to empower me to let go of the painful events and heartaches that would keep me bound. Thank You for Your forgiveness that You have offered to me at such a great price. Pour it into my heart so I can relinquish bitterness hurts and disappointments that have no place in my life. Please set me free to forgive those who have sinned against me and caused me pain and also myself. Open my heart to receive Your complete forgiveness and amazing grace. You have promised to bind up my wounds Psa 147:3 and restore my soul Psa 23:3 .
Help me to relinquish my past surrender to You my present and move to the future You have prepared for me. I ask You to come into my heart and make me who You would have me to be so that I might do Your will here on earth. I thank You Lord for all that’s happened in my past and for all I have become through those experiences. I pray You will begin to gloriously renew my present.”
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