"Are you still assisting him?" Burnett's question hung in the air as if the answer would decide something.

"Depends on what you mean by assisting. Am I trying to go against you to cause Kylie any harm? No.

But am I still keeping a watchful eye on her and answering the concerns of her worried grandfather? Yes."

"The same worried grandfather who had planned to kidnap her?"

"My grandfather wasn't behind that," Kylie said before Hayden could answer. "And I don't want you to send Hayden away, either. Please, Burnett, do this for me."

Burnett looked at Kylie. "I don't know if I can work with someone who doesn't know where his loyalty lies."

Kylie rolled her eyes. "You mean like you and the FRU?"

Burnett's eyes tightened. "My loyalty has always been to protect you."

"But you still work with them, too. Because as you say, you see the good the FRU does. Well, Hayden is the same. He wants to protect me, but he understands my grandfather has good intentions. Why can't you accept this?"

Burnett frowned, but Kylie could see her point had hit home. "I will take it under consideration and discuss it with Holiday."

Hayden nodded, his expression saying he wouldn't beg to stay on. Not that Kylie blamed him for not wanting to plead, but she didn't have so much pride that she wouldn't. Her life would just be easier with Hayden here, and it would help with her connection with her grandfather. She really, really needed Hayden.

"My rules, however, still stand," Burnett continued. "No matter what I decide with Mr. Yates's future at Shadow Falls," Burnett said, focusing on Kylie, "you are not to run off to see your grandfather. You will have shadows, and if I have to personally guard your cabin every night to prevent you from going against the rules, I will."

Kylie nodded, accepting she'd have to earn his trust back.

Burnett shifted his attention back to Hayden. "And if I choose to let you stay on at Shadow Falls, I will expect you to abide by my rules and help me keep Kylie in check. And assist me in learning how to cope with a rogue of your own kind.""If you decide I can stay on, I'll consider your offer," Hayden said, the edge in his voice stating he obviously hadn't warmed up to Burnett's demeanor. Not that Kylie could blame him. It had taken her a while to warm up to the vamp. Until she learned how much he cared. "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 colorful 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. She didn't think they would kill each other. Then again, she could be wrong.

But she was suddenly too tired to try to stop them.

Her knees wobbled and her eyes grew heavy. She had to sit down before she fell down. Ignoring the two arguing men, she walked across the room and plopped down on Hayden's sofa.

Feeling a chill wash over, she hugged herself. She was so tired it took a minute to realize the cold wasn't just a natural reaction from being exhausted. It also took a second to realize the men had stopped arguing and were staring at her.

Kylie ignored the men to deal with the spirit. "Not now," she muttered, and stared right at the coffee table in front of her, not wanting to have to face the ghost and her nonsense talk of murder. And not really wanting to face Burnett or Hayden, either.

"Not now, what?" Burnett asked.

"Nothing," Kylie said, and the ghost stepped in front of her. Her pale pink dress hung heavy, soaked in blood. Lots of blood. At least it looked like blood.

Kill or be killed. The spirit's words wiggled through Kylie's mind.

Kylie leaned back and looked the spirit in her cold dead eyes. Right now, I'll have to go with "be killed." I'm just too tired.

"Are you ready to go back to your cabin?" Burnett glanced around as if aware they had a visitor, but he couldn't see her. Not that he really should be able to see her ghost, but he had been able to see Hannah, Holiday's sister, so Kylie wasn't sure.

"Can you see her?" Kylie asked.

"See who?" Hayden asked.

"A ghost," Burnett answered Hayden.

"Shit!" Hayden mouthed, and took a step back.

"No, but I can feel her," Burnett said, and his concerned gaze stayed locked on Kylie. "You're not going to pass out, are you?"

"I don't think so," Kylie answered.

"Good. Are you ready to go back to your cabin?" Burnett asked again.

"Yeah," Kylie said. As she went to stand up, she saw Hayden's phone on the coffee table. Recalling she wanted to call her mom, she picked it up and shot Hayden a glance. "I'm gonna borrow this," she told him. "I left mine with my granddad."

Hayden frowned. "Just don't call my girlfriend like the last time you borrowed my phone."She moved over to him, ignoring the spirit who she felt standing by the door, and hugged Hayden.

Maybe she shouldn't have, because he stiffened. What is it with men and hugs? she wondered.

"Thank you," she said, pulling away.

"Yeah," he answered.

She glanced at Burnett. He looked upset, as if she'd just hugged the enemy. "You know, the problem with you two is that you are too much alike."