Holiday looked at Burnett as if waiting for him to answer the accusation.
“You were out sick,” Burnett said.
“I got hit in the head. But I was fine, I told you I was fine. I remember the doctor had to come here once to take care of you when you were knocked on your ass by a ghost. Nobody took away your right to work a case.”
“I don’t assign cases just because someone wants to work it. And I was not knocked on my ass.”
“I got a trace of the guy.”
“So did Chase, he was out the night when the vampire set off the alarm.”
“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 br**sts 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 number. 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.