But could someone please tell her why doing the right thing hurt so damn much?

* * *

The moment Kylie hit the edge of the woods, she started running, wanting to outrun the living, breathing ache in her chest. In a few seconds, Della was beside her.

"You okay?" Her feet thudded in rhythm with Kylie's own footfalls.

"No," Kylie answered, and ducked beneath a tree limb.

"Where are we going?" Della asked a few minutes later when Kylie turned and headed in the opposite direction of their cabin.

"I want to run," Kylie said.

"Okay." Della stayed beside her.

They ran and ran. When Kylie spotted the fence at the end of the Shadow Falls property line, she stopped and dropped to the ground. Curling her arms around her bent legs, she rested her forehead on her knees. Her lungs worked overtime as she fed them wood-scented air that still carried the scent of rain.

Della, not even winded, sat beside her. The sounds of the forest surrounded them-a bird stirred in the trees, some unnamed creature shuffled in some underbrush not far away. But mostly Kylie heard her own heart racing, sending gushing sounds through her ears.

"Your heart's still beating fast," Della said.

"I know." Kylie kept her face down.

"He was telling the truth."

Kylie knew Della was talking about Derek. "I know."

"I tried not to listen, but it was impossible. I considered moving farther away, but then I wouldn't be doing my job as shadow."

Kylie raised her head. Her gaze went to the fence and she realized where they were. Just through the barbed wire were the dinosaur tracks. And the creek where Lucas had kissed her. She let herself think about it for a second, because thinking about Derek hurt.

Then she looked back at Della. "You listen in on my private conversations, but then you don't share."

"Share what?" Della sounded clueless.

Kylie raised an eyebrow. "What happened while you were at home? I know you were lying. So does Miranda."

"Oh, that." She pulled a long blade of grass from the ground and started tying it around her finger.

Kylie thought Della wasn't going to answer, and then ... "I went to see Lee."

Kylie suspected that Della hadn't stopped caring for her ex. Not that Della had admitted to it. "And?"

"He's practically engaged to another girl. His parents are pushing him to make it official. They like her." The pain in Della's voice matched the pain Kylie felt for Derek.

Kylie hugged her knees. "I'm so sorry."

"Don't be," Della said. "It's for the best. He could have never accepted me being a vampire."

"Doesn't mean it doesn't hurt." And damn if Kylie didn't know that for a fact.

Della hesitated. "She's a hundred percent Asian. Not a mishmosh like me."

"He said that?" Kylie really disliked this guy.

"Not exactly, but he said his parents had pushed him to date her. And I know they didn't like me because I'm half white."

"You need to move on," Kylie said.

"I already have." Della tossed the grass back to the ground.

It was a lie, but Kylie didn't think calling Della on it would do any good. Kylie leaned back and stared up at the trees. The moisture from the recent rain soaked into her clothes, but she didn't care. The coolness felt good in the Texas heat. A blue jay flitted from one limb to another in the tree. Kylie's emotions seemed to be doing the same.

She studied the bird, so happy, so innocent and trouble-free. Della released an exaggerated breath, as if she were still thinking about Lee.

"Steve likes you," Kylie said.

"No, he doesn't."

"Yes, he does." Kylie glanced at Della. "I saw him looking for you today when we were in the dining hall. You should go for it."

"If he likes me, he'll come to me."

"I don't mean throw yourself at him. Just be nice. Make yourself more approachable."

"I'm approachable," Della said.

About as much as a rattlesnake, Kylie thought.

Della picked up another blade of grass and then lay back on the ground beside Kylie. Their shoulders almost touched. "It's not easy."

"Believe me," Kylie said. "I know."

They lay stretched out on the damp ground for several long minutes without talking. The sun leaked light through the trees and created shimmering golden shadows throughout the woods. Through the leaves, Kylie saw the sky painted in an array of stormy-looking clouds in a variety of colors. Her mind went round and round and somehow landed back on Derek.

"I can't believe he brought Ellie with him." The idea of having to see Derek with Ellie made Kylie's chest tighten.

"Yeah, that'll be tough. I mean, if I had to see Lee with his girlfriend, I'd end up killing someone."

"No, you wouldn't." Kylie sat up, pulled her hair over one shoulder, and removed a few clinging twigs. "You'd do exactly what I'm going to do."

"What's that?" Della sat up.

"Pretend it doesn't hurt, and hope like hell that one day it doesn't anymore."

"Nope. I'd rather kill someone." Della stood and dusted off the wet grass that clung to her backside. Then she looked down at Kylie. "So does this mean you're actually going to give Lucas a real chance?"

Kylie stood up and gave her own butt a few swipes to dislodge most of the grass. "Maybe. If it's what he wants, too."