"Is everything okay?" Her mom stepped up to the table, obviously picking up on the tension.

Kylie waited to see how John decided to play this.

"It's fine," John said. "We were just talking." He stood up. "I guess it's time to go." They started walking, but the fear for her mom built higher with each step. Kylie couldn't let her mom leave with this man-not without a warning.She reached for her mom's arm. "There's someone I want you to meet."

John turned.

"Can you give us a minute?" Kylie sent John a look that dared him to intervene.

He hesitated but then said, "I'll wait by the car."

Kylie watched him walk out, wishing he'd keep walking right out of her mother's life.

Her mom looked around. "Who do you want me to meet?"

"Mom, I know you're not going to like what I have to say, but John scares me. I'm worried about your safety."

"Scares you?" her mom asked. "I don't understand. What has he done?"

"I don't trust him. He gives me the creeps. And I'm a good judge of character."

Hurt flashed in her mom's eyes. "So am I, young lady. Sorry you don't like him, but I do."

The hurt in her mom's eyes vibrated in Kylie's chest. "I just want you to be careful and not let this thing move too fast."

Her mom scowled. "This is because you want me and your dad to get back together."

"First," Kylie said, now feeling annoyed, "Tom's my stepdad. Second, yes, I did want you to get back together, but this isn't about that."

"It has to be, young lady, because John is the sweetest man I know." She leaned in and kissed Kylie's cheek. "Now, please accept the fact that your stepdad and I are not getting back together." She left. Kylie stayed, fearing what she might say to John if she had to face him again at the car.

"Are you okay?" The masculine voice came near her ear.

Kylie's first thought was that it was Derek. He always knew when she was in emotional trauma. But she quickly recognized the deep, sexy voice. The voice of the person whom for the last week she'd tried to beat to smithereens with a wooden sword.

She turned around. "Yes." Then her pent-up anger crowded her chest and she knew what would help.

"Do you want to go practice?"

"Now?" Lucas asked.

"I need to burn off some aggression."

"On me?" He half smiled.

"Not ... Do you want to practice or not?" she snapped, in no mood for humor. Face it, someone had sent her a sword to learn to fight-and if they expected her to fight, then they obviously meant for her to stay alive. And she planned to stay alive to protect her mom from creeps like John.

Yup, staying alive sounded like a good idea.

"Sure." His blue eyes filled with concern. "Let me tell Burnett." His gaze didn't move from her face.

"What happened?"

"I don't want to talk," she said. "I want to fight."

* * *

Thirty minutes later, Kylie had already broken one sword without Lucas having said anything about loving her, how beautiful she was, or about them making out in the grass.

He made her go through some stretching exercises, insisting he could see the tension rolling off of her.

It wasn't rolling off of her, it was rolling around inside of her. Fear for her mom's safety chopped away ather sanity, fear for Lucas and what would happen to him if the pack completely turned against him ate at her peace of mind.

"You still don't want to talk?" he asked as their swords banged against each other.

Yes, but I just don't know what to say. "No," she lied, changing her stance and managing to get her sword past his, and then tapped the tip against his chest.

"You are getting good." He stared down at the sword pointing at his heart.

She pulled back to let him get his footing. In a few seconds, they were back to sparring when she felt the cold wash over her.

Too good. The student is besting the teacher. You need a new teacher.

Kylie glanced at the ghost standing there with her sword. Who else can teach me?

Me, of course. But no pansy stuff fighting with wooden swords. You must learn to fight with a real weapon.

Kylie's heart raced, remembering her main fear. Am I going to die?

The ghost sighed. That is up to you.

How sad was it that she preferred to take the word of a murdering spirit than that of her father? But the fact remained that she wanted to live.

"You ready?" Lucas asked.

Kylie faced him. "One second." She looked back to the spirit. Do you know my father?

Her question left her lips at the same time the spirit vanished.

Facing Lucas again, Kylie held up her sword and the sparring resumed.

"Do I need to teach him a lesson?" Lucas asked as his sword clashed again hers.

"Who?" she asked.

"Your mom's boyfriend." Lucas blocked her sword.

"No, I need to stop him," she said. If she didn't die first.

Then she felt a fire burn in her belly. She wasn't going to die. She was going to fight and win. And Lucas had to do the same, she realized.

"You're getting gutsy," Lucas said, but suddenly she lost her focus and his sword got around her and tapped her shoulder.

Kylie looked at the sword's point. "That wasn't a death blow. You can't count that as a win."