by C. C. Hunter
“I went with you to the scene and I saw what he did to that couple. I told you I wanted to work it. And besides, you barely know Chase. He hasn’t even been here a week. You trust him more than you trust me?”
“I never said I don’t trust you. He has certain gifts that make him an asset.”
“What, like a penis?” Della crossed her arms.
“Excuse me?” Burnett asked, shock widening his eyes.
“I’ve done everything you’ve told me I had to do to make the FRU. And you’ve sent me only on one case. One!” Della tried to keep her voice from cracking with emotion. “You are constantly bypassing me and sending either Lucas or Derek. And now it’s Chase. Why are you trying to stop me?”
Burnett glanced at Holiday almost as if expecting her to help him.
She didn’t speak up and that reminded Della of what Holiday had said earlier. “Is it because I’m a woman? You think I can’t do this because I’ve got breasts? Well, let me tell you, my breasts aren’t that big and what I lack in upper-body strength, I make up for in smarts and spunk.”
“It’s not because you’re a woman.” He glanced at Holiday again, and when she didn’t jump to his defense, he growled. “It’s not!”
Della heard his heart flutter to a slight mistruth. Not a whole lie, but … “Your heart just skipped a few beats, buddy!”
Burnett glanced at Holiday again, as if asking for her to intervene, but she remained silent. She obviously knew Della was right. Burnett wasn’t being fair. He’d been passing her over and choosing guys to do the job.
“Why don’t you think I can do this?” she asked again. “If not because you’re a male chauvinist pig, then tell me what it is. Tell me what I need to do to meet up to your standards!”
“I’m not … It’s because I don’t want to see you hurt.”
“And you think I’ll end up hurt because I’m a woman,” she said.
He raked another hand through his hair. “I care, damn it. I care about everyone here, but you’re … different. You’re special. And maybe, just maybe, there’s a tiny part of it because you are a woman, but that’s not really it. I just care.”
His words went right to her heart. Her chest felt tight. A weak part of her wanted to hug him. But more than his affection, she wanted his respect. “But that’s not right.”
“And you’re stubborn,” he said. “I’m scared that stubbornness can backfire on you. And I know it can backfire because I was just like you when I was young.”
Holiday rocked back on her heels and smiled as if completely content with the way this worked out.
Della had to swallow to keep the emotion from her throat. Everyone had always said Burnett was partial to her, but all she’d seen was him being a hardass. Then again, maybe that was just tough love. But he was still being a hardass and she didn’t like that!
“I’m not nearly as stubborn as you,” she told him. “And caring about me isn’t a good enough reason to stop me from accomplishing my dream. Don’t you think Holiday cares about you? She hasn’t made you stop working for the FRU.”
Burnett laced his hands behind his neck and squeezed. And without a shirt, the motion showcased a fine set of muscles and chest. Holiday was a lucky gal to have him. Of course, Della also knew he was lucky to snag Holiday.
“Let’s compromise,” he said. “You work on your stubbornness and I’ll work on my issues. How’s that?”
She nodded. “But I want to be on this case. I keep seeing her, the victim, in my head. Dead. I need to find who did this to her.”
He frowned. “Victims, there were two of them.”
“I know,” Della said. “But for some reason I keep seeing her. Let me help work this case, please.”
“I’ll consider it.”
She wanted to say that wasn’t good enough, but a warning look from Holiday changed her mind. Della turned to leave and then she swung back around. “Thank you for” … caring … “compromising.”
Holiday rubbed her hands together, a smile shining from her green eyes. “Why don’t you two just hug and get it over with? The moment’s begging for it. The emotion is right.”
“That’s okay.” Burnett and Della answered at the same time.
They both laughed, and while they didn’t hug, Burnett reached and grasped her shoulder. It was, Della thought as she walked off, as comforting as a hug.
As she approached her cabin, the sky clung to a hovering darkness. Only a few stars flickered above as if the hour had already chased them away. In the distance the sounds of the new day rang out. A few crickets chirping, a bird fluttering its wings, getting ready to do its morning flight. The warm feeling of affection she’d gotten from the visit to see Burnett filled her chest. Or it did until the dad-blasted panty perv flew down and landed right in front of her.
“So do you believe me now?” he asked, his confident smile downright infuriating.
She took a step back, realizing he stood a little too close. “I believe that you are more annoying than a mosquito trying to drink my dinner.”
“Ah, come on. You like me a little bit. I can tell.”
“You’re nuts. Loco. Living in la-la land. I don’t like you, not even a little bit!”
“Then give me a chance to change your mind.”
She felt her mouth drop open. “Why?”
“Because I’m not all bad. Because I think we have more in common than you think.”
“What do we have common? Oh, wait … do you think you’re a pain in the butt, too?”
He grinned, his teeth showing white beneath his lips. “You see, that’s part of what we have in common.”
“I don’t see shit,” she insisted, and tried not to stare at his mouth.
“I meant, we’re both smartasses,” he said. “We’re both vampire. We’re both tough as nails.”
His compliment caught her off guard and she didn’t have another smartass comment to offer him.
He took advantage of that momentary befuddlement. He stepped closer and let his gaze whisper over her. She felt it, too. Slow and an easy like a soft breath against one’s skin. “We’re both kind of hot,” he said, his voice deep and low.
“I don’t think…” you’re hot. She stopped in midsentence, knowing it would have been a lie and he would have heard it. She had to think fast. “You think you’re hot. Why am I not surprised? And for the record, I don’t consider myself—”
He pressed a finger to her lips. “You are hot. You got that whole ‘don’t mess with me’ attitude going. Which just makes a guy want to mess with you.”
“I wouldn’t recommend it.” She moved his finger from her lips and released it before she was tempted to snap it in two. What kind of game was he playing? And why had she let him play it at all?
“Hey.” He reached for her.
She held up one hand. “Do me a favor and just stay out of my way or I’m gonna squish you like that pestering bug you remind me of.” She slapped her hands together. “And I’m gonna enjoy it.”
Della got another headache during math class. Aunt Flo finally decided to drop by for her monthly visit. Between classes, her temples throbbing, Della went back to her cabin to get her tampons. While she walked, she thought about seeing Chan the night before. Had she imagined it? If not, what was he doing here in Texas? Yeah, he came here often, but he usually called her when he did. She thought about his reasons for not calling her back. Too busy? In trouble? But why would he have come here if he didn’t want to talk to her? She pulled out her phone. Finding his message from last week, she listened to it again.
Hey … just thought I’d call you. Hadn’t heard from you in a while. You tired of that prison yet? Wanna come join me and have some fun? Anyway, it’s not important, but call me when you get a chance.
Deciding to try again, she dialed his number.
It went to voicemail. All of a sudden, she remembered a message Chan had sent her months ago on a friend’s phone. She did a few swipes and found the text and the numbe
r. Angry at herself for not remembering earlier, she called it.
It rang twice. “Yeah,” a deep voice answered.
“Hi, I’m Della Tsang, Chan Hon’s cousin. Is this Kevin?”
“I don’t know anyone named Chan Hon.”
Yes, he did. She could hear his lie. And he hadn’t denied being Kevin. “This is his vampire cousin,” Della said, thinking he might think she was human. “Are you Kevin Miller? He used your phone once to send me a text.”
Silence filled the line. Finally he spoke. “You’re the one who goes to that fancy school. I was there with Chan in Texas when you got the virus and Chan took care of your ass. You’re the half-white one, aren’t you?”
He sounded like he was going to hold it against her. With a name like Kevin Miller, wasn’t he white? “Yeah, I’m trying to contact Chan and can’t reach him.”
“He moved to Texas.”
So it was Chan at the gate. She knew it.
“There’s a whole group of them who joined the Crimson Blood gang. Up in the Houston area.”
Della groaned inwardly. Chan had joined a gang? So far, he’d avoided joining one because he knew they could get him in a whole lot of trouble.
Della hadn’t heard of the Crimson Blood. Not all gangs were bad, but most of them were. And with a name like Crimson Blood, it didn’t sound good.
“Do you know exactly where this gang is?” Della asked, wondering if that was what Chan had called her about last week. Guilt wiggled through her chest. If she’d called him back then, maybe she could have talked him out of it.
“No, since I’m already with a gang, I didn’t pay attention.”
“Could you ask around?” Della asked. “I’d be grateful,” she added, realizing how stupid that sounded the moment she said it. Vampires didn’t care about grateful—especially those in a gang.
He chuckled. “What does grateful do for me?”
Okay, so maybe she could spin this her way. “It never hurts to have someone who owes you a favor. If you’re ever in Texas.”
He hesitated. “I do get to Texas a lot.”
“Then it could be a win-win.”
“You do know paybacks can be hell,” he said.
“Yeah.” But if she could find Chan she’d gladly pay hell.
He exhaled. “I’ll see if I can’t find the time.”
“Thanks.” She hung up, now more confused than ever. Since Chan had come here last night, he’d obviously wanted to see her. So why wasn’t he answering her calls?
All sorts of answers formed in her head. He’d lost his phone. He couldn’t afford to pay the phone bill. She’d have to find a way to see him. But how?
Wednesday morning at campmate hour, everyone stood in front of the dining hall. Della had actually slept. The flashes of the dead girl popping in her head had lessened and there had been no more feathers or feeling of ghosts. Which made Della certain that the whole thing hadn’t been connected to her, but to Kylie. She was, after all, the ghost whisperer.
Maybe Della just wanted to believe that, but until something proved her wrong she was going to let herself believe it.
Chris walked up with his silly-looking hat. “Well, today we have no special meet-ups.”
Which meant no one was paying blood to choose someone special.
“Surprising.” Chris shot Chase a cold stare. Chase just stared back, as if he didn’t give a flip how Chris felt. Both being vampire, you’d think they would have found enough common ground for a truce.
That thought reminded Della what Chase had said about them having a lot in common. Not that it was true.
The blond vamp cleared his throat and pulled two bags from his hat. Then he pulled one name out of each. He started pairing up campers. Della tensed, waiting to see who she’d be joined at the hip with for the next hour. Sixty minutes could seem really long if you were stuck with someone totally lame. Chris’s gaze went to her.
Chris exhaled, adding a bit of drama to the moment. “Della, you get to spend an hour with Jenny Yates. Our new chameleon chick.”
Della relaxed. She hadn’t really gotten a chance to talk to Jenny since the girl had donated a pint of blood along with the others to get her out of meeting Chase.
As she started over to Jenny, Derek stepped beside her. “Be nice, could you?” he muttered.
Della scowled up. Lately, the fact that everyone seemed to think she was a rude bitch bothered her.
“Damn,” Della snapped. “I guess that means I can’t suck all her blood and give her to the weres to use as a chew toy.”
Derek shook his head. “You know what I mean.”
She’d spent a good hour talking to Derek yesterday about her uncle, and her aunt. And getting pissy with him wouldn’t help her cause, but Della couldn’t help it.
“Yeah, I do know,” she said. “You think I’m such a bitch that I’d hurt her on purpose.” She left Derek and walked over to Jenny, trying not to let others’ opinions annoy her. She recalled again that old saying her mom taught her? “Sticks and stones can break my bones, but words can never hurt me.”
Her mom was wrong. Words did hurt. And you couldn’t take words back.
“Did Derek rig this?” Jenny asked as Della approached her.
“Rig what?” Della asked.
“Us being together?”
“No,” Della said. “You just got unlucky.” She started walking away from the crowd, Derek’s comment still stinging.
Jenny just arched a brow and followed.
“You okay?” Jenny asked when Della didn’t speak.
“Fine. You want to just go to my cabin?” Della asked.
“Sure.” Jenny looked back at Derek. “What did he say to you?”
Della frowned. “For me to be nice.”
Jenny made a face. “I don’t get why he thinks it’s his job to take care of me.”
“He likes you,” Della said. And he thinks I’m a rude bitch.
They got to the trail, away from the crowd. The morning air felt fresh and crisp. Jenny kicked a rock and watched it bounce into the brush. “Steve likes you and I don’t see him going around making people be nice to you,” Jenny said.
“I’m not here because Derek made me.” All of a sudden, Della caught what else Jenny had said. She stopped walking. “How do you know Steve likes me?”
Jenny shrugged. “Everyone knows Steve likes you. It’s super obvious by the way he looks at you. Like everything about you is the most fascinating, amazing thing he’s ever witnessed. I’ve seen him just hear your voice across the room and he completely tunes everything else out and looks for you. It’s so sweet.”
Della exhaled and wished she didn’t think it was sweet.
“Don’t you like him?” Jenny asked.
“Don’t you like Derek?” Della countered, thinking the girl would get the message that some things were too personal to ask.
“I do, but I’m sort of scared. And you?”
Della hadn’t expected her to answer, and now to be nice she had to reciprocate. “Ditto.”
“Wow, I didn’t think you were scared of anything.”
Della wanted to take the confession back. But it was too late. She arrived at her cabin and dropped down on the porch. “I guess I’m not a tough as you think.”
“No, you’re just human. Oh, well, not human, but just … normal.”
Della cut her eyes at Jenny. “Normal is boring. I want to be successful. Accomplished.” I want to show Burnett that I’m good enough to be in the FRU.
“I’d love to be normal.” Jenny sat beside Della. “Then everyone wouldn’t stare at me all the time.”
“You’ll get used to it. Kylie did.” Della reclined back on the porch. “But I agree, it totally sucks, but we don’t get to choose what we are or what we look like.”
“What is it you don’t want to be?” Jenny asked.
“I wasn’t talking about me.” But the word “vampire” popped into Della’s mind. And how many times had she wished she looked
more like her dad—just thinking it would have made him happier? But that was only part of it.
“Right,” Jenny said in disbelief.
Della huffed. Then for unknown reasons she decided to let her guard down a little. “I don’t want to be weak, and I don’t want to depend on people. I want to be able to take care of myself, and to be totally fine on my own.” A slight wind blew and a few leaves from a silver maple fluttered to the ground. “But it’s not all that easy. Sometimes it’s really hard to be so distant from my parents, and I’m not talking about physical distance either.”
Another wind stirred a few more leaves free. “Derek told me that he’s helping you look for an uncle and maybe an aunt. Is that the reason you’re looking for them?”
Della frowned at the thought of Derek talking about that, but she supposed she couldn’t complain. “Part of it, but don’t mention it to anyone else.”
“Oh, don’t worry.” Jenny paused. “What are you going to do if you find them? Will you leave here and live with them?”
“No,” Della said. “It would just be nice to have family who understands me.”
“I know what you mean,” Jenny said, and it had Della remembering there were still issues between Jenny and her real parents. She supposed she and Jenny had a lot in common.
Silence hung in the air.
“Derek kissed me,” Jenny blurted out.
Della looked at her, happy to move her thoughts away from Steve, and her parents. “And?”
“And what?”
“A kiss always comes with a story. A kiss is never just a kiss. Did you like it? Did you slap the crap out of him? Did it come with tongue? Did it make your toes curl? Did it stop at just a kiss?”
Jenny grinned. “Isn’t there a rule about not kissing and telling?”
“That only counts with guys,” Della said. “Girls can tell things.” She grinned back. “And don’t worry, I wouldn’t tell anyone.”
Jenny paused. “I told him he shouldn’t have done it, but then I didn’t stop him while he was doing it. So I guess I liked it.” She sighed. “And when he kissed me, it was as if … everything looked different. Beautiful.”
Della had heard that before, from Kylie, but she didn’t think Jenny would like hearing that.