That's the rule for humans. Supernaturals can survive on much less. Now get up and let's get started.

"I don't have my sword."

Ahh, but if you get up, you'd see it's already here.

Kylie remembered Holiday saying it wasn't possible. "A ghost can't move objects."

I didn't say I moved it. I said it was here.

"So who's moving it?" Kylie asked.

Don't pretend that you don't know. The same ones who delivered the sword to you. The death angels.

Kylie's breath caught. "So they want me to kill Mario?"

Well, I haven't spoken to them directly. She leaned in. Frankly, they make me very nervous, but as for killing Mario, it would appear that way, now, wouldn't it?

"And you?" Kylie asked. "What do you want? The same thing?"

You know, I've tried to figure that out myself. But every time I get close to the answer, it's as if it moves farther way. Why is that? She sounded genuinely puzzled and vulnerable.

Kylie recalled the ghost grieving over her son. Maybe she wasn't all bad.

Kylie sat up and saw the clock. "It's two in the morning. You really want me to get up?"

I don't think you can fight reclined in your bed. I'd have you gutted before you ever raised your sword.

Okay, the spirit was bad after all. However, her words had Kylie crawling out from under the covers.

She spotted the sword at the end of her bed. And she also spotted Socks, his little feline face barelysticking out of the dust ruffle.

"Okay ... where do we begin?" Kylie picked up her sword.

Put on a white gown. Or something white, the spirit said.

Kylie looked down at her black nightshirt. "Why?"

Don't you want to die in white?

Kylie's heart stopped.

The spirit laughed. You are so easy to tease. Put on white because how else will you know if you're cut and bleeding?

Kylie put the sword back down. "I'm not sure I want to play."

The spirit laughed again. Don't fret. I'm just going to mark up your gown. I can't actually cut you.

Though the latter is a much better teaching tool.

Kylie relented and grabbed a white shirt and pair of boxers. They went into the living room. Kylie's sword glowed a bright yellow.

They had just started to spar when Della shot out of her bedroom, eyes aglow, and looked at Kylie holding up the sword.

"I'm just going to practice a bit," Kylie said.

"In the middle of the freaking night? With a freaking glowing sword?"

Kylie nodded. "You drink blood, I play with glowing swords."

Della wrapped her arms around herself as if cold. "You've got company, don't you?"

Unable to lie, Kylie nodded.

"Oh, hell!" The vamp went back into her room, slamming the door behind her.

That girl had some serious issues.

Kylie frowned. "Not as many as other people I know," Kylie said to herself. "Now, let's do this and get it over with."

The next fifteen minutes were the hardest Kylie had ever fought. She used every technique she'd learned from Lucas, but this woman didn't abide by the normal techniques. She fought dirty. And was proud of it.

Every time the spirit's sword came in contact with Kylie's body, a red mark would appear on her white shirt or boxers. Every time Kylie's sword made contact with the spirit's body, she would show an open wound and blood. Of course, the ghost only had one little scratch on her upper left arm. Not a lot of damage considering Kylie's clothes were covered in red marks.

It only made Kylie feel more vulnerable and less capable of facing a real battle. A battle that Kylie sensed was her destiny. A battle with Mario. A battle she very well might lose.

After a few minutes, the spirit started spouting orders, much like Lucas did. Move this way, hold her sword this way. Move quicker. Never lose sight of her sword.

Kylie finally got the hang of it and actually blocked some of the spirit's blows. But all that stopped when the front door to her cabin cracked open and then was knocked off its hinges.

The wood panel landed with a big clunk on the floor.

Before Kylie got a good look at the cabin's intruder, Della's door hit the floor with the same sharp noise.

The vampire rushed out, her eyes glowing bright green and her fangs fully extended.

Chapter Thirty-three

The intense cold faded with the spirit. Kylie stood, feet apart, body tense, her sword poised to fight. She looked from Della, all fangs and fury, to the front entrance.

Confusion had Kylie holding her stance. Burnett stood atop the downed door, his eyes brighter than Della's. Behind him was an army of Shadow Falls campers: Lucas, Derek, Chris, and Jonathon. All of them stood mesmerized by the glowing weapon.

"Holy shit." The words came from Chris and Jonathon. While Jonathon had seen the sword, he hadn't seen it glowing.

"You don't repeat what you've seen here!" Burnett snapped.

Kylie lowered her sword and breathed, hoping air would lessen her adrenaline.

What the hell was happening now?

She met Burnett's gaze. "What's wrong?"

He looked around. "Who's here?"

"Just the spirit," she said.

Chris and Jonathon stepped back.

Derek, accustomed to the whole ghost issue, stayed where he was. So did Lucas. She noticed the were's bright orange eyes, as if he was prepared to fight. His gaze stayed trained on her.