Remembering something she had learned, she yearned to be visible again, and when she appeared, Derek just eyed her in a bit of amazement. She leaned in and whispered in his ear. "They're close by."

She took his hand and laced her fingers through his. Normally, Kylie wouldn't worry so much about facing the guards. Chameleons weren't known as fighters, but the feeling of fear that still pricked her skin said she shouldn't take chances. Not now, not when they were so close to escaping.

She leaned closer to his ear. "I'm going to make you invisible with me. You have to be very quiet, because while they can't see us, they will be able to hear us. You understand?"

"Wait? You're going to make me-"

She cut off his words by pressing a finger to his lips. Then, not really knowing if she could do it, she closed her eyes tight and thought of nothing but disappearing-and taking Derek with her.

Slowly, her legs started to fade, and then she saw Derek's hand start to shimmer. She heard his light gasp when he saw it, too. It didn't occur to her until right then that the whole invisible thing might not work the same for non-chameleons. What if this hurt him? She almost let go of his hand, but instead she listened to her gut and her gut said it was okay.

Dear God, she hoped her gut didn't let her down now.

As the vanishing slowly climbed up her body, she saw his arm completely disappear. She held tight to his wrist and felt him brush his thumb on the back of her arm. When she looked up into his eyes, she saw his gaze was directed at her mouth. He leaned in just a bit. Oh, crap! Thankfully, before his lips pressed against her, he was visually gone. And so was she. As she felt his breath on her lips, she shifted back just a bit.

"Can you hear me?" She breathed the words, her mind still on the kiss that almost happened. Why did it feel so wrong? She didn't need to be loyal to Lucas now. But she did need to be loyal to what felt right, and that almost kiss hadn't felt right. Maybe not all wrong, but not right, either.

"Are you okay?" she asked.

She heard his quiet reply. "Yeah. This is so cool."

Odd, how different people interpreted situations. The first time this happened to her, she'd freaked. Of course, she hadn't had anyone with her, or even known it was possible.

"Don't pull away from me or you'll become visible," she whispered. At least that's how she thought it worked. Oh, great. What if it wasn't that simple?

"Holding on to you is easy," he whispered, and he brushed his thumb over her wrist again. "I never wanted to let go of you."

"Now's not the time..."

"I know." A bit of guilt sounded in his tone.Kylie tried to calm her racing mind that darted between the almost kiss to the fear that turning him invisible could have done some damage. Thankfully, he appeared to be fine. Now she just prayed undoing this was as easy as making him vanish. God, she hoped this hadn't been a mistake.

"Now what?" he asked in a voice barely audible, and she felt his breath against her cheek. She shifted back.

"If I understand what Jenny meant, the guards walk the property. I can hear footsteps, and I'm assuming it's them now. They aren't too close, but it sounds like there are two of them. I'm hoping they will walk on by."

"Sounds like a plan."

It sounded like a shot in the dark, Kylie thought.

They stood completely silent and invisible. The footsteps drew nearer. Close.

Then closer. But they remained invisible. The sound of their breathing echoed too loud in the night air.

Kylie tried to listen to see if their own breaths sounded.

Derek must have shifted because the sound of a twig snapping filled the air.

Kylie stiffened and prayed it didn't give them away.

"Did you hear that?" one voice asked.

Kylie recognized it as one of the chameleons' voices. She didn't know him well enough to call him by name. Not that knowing his name would help right now. If he discovered them, they would probably call the elders. And just what the elders would do was beyond her.

"Who's here?" a different voice called out, and the footsteps drew closer. So there were definitely two of them.

"Speak now if you are one of us!" the second voice said, and moved so close to Kylie she could swear she could feel the warmth of his invisible body.

And that warmth left Kylie cold with fear.

Especially when the body materialized and stood within an inch of her. Derek's grip on her fingers tightened, telling her he was sensing her fear.

The redheaded chameleon guard glanced around and called out. "Hello? Is someone here?"

Chapter Six

Another set of footsteps filled the darkness, but this one came from behind them.

"It's just me," a feminine voice called out several feet behind where Kylie and Derek stood, invisible and silent.

Kylie recognized Jenny's tenor just before she appeared from the shadows. The girl had obviously followed them-to make sure they had made it. Kylie felt slightly guilty for doubting the girl in the beginning.

"Jenny Beth? What are you doing traipsing out in the woods at this time of night?"

Derek squeezed her hand and Kylie could only assume it was out of concern for Jenny. But her gut said that Jenny should be able to handle this. She almost said that to Derek, but remembered the other guard would hear her.

Jenny moved in a few more inches. "I couldn't sleep. I stepped outside for a quick walk and then ... I saw someone."