Saved at Sunrise

yourself.”
    Kylie heard her grandfather move in beside her.
    “You belong with us, child. Just let them leave,” her grandfather said.
    His invisible shoulder brushed against hers. Even angry at him, his touch, and the
     tenor of his voice reminded her of her father’s. The ties binding them to each other
     could not be denied. But what about her ties to Shadow Falls? “I can’t,” Kylie said.
    “Let them leave and we will talk about this in a rational manner later,” her grandfather
     offered, and she could hear in his voice that he tried to temper his mood.
    “I am being rational,” she said. Her aunt’s hold on her hand tightened and Kylie had
     to fight not to jerk away.
    “No, you are not,” he said.
    Suddenly, Kylie’s own mood was beyond tempering. Maybe he hadn’t actually lied to
     her when he’d claimed it had been the FRU, but no doubt he had planned to get her
     away so she wouldn’t know who had arrived. Since when did he feel he could decide
     who she could and couldn’t see?
    The answer came no sooner than the question whispered across her mind. Since she had come here. She hadn’t missed how limited her connection to the outside world had been since
     she’d arrived. No phone. No computer. And it wasn’t just her. The chameleon lifestyle
     encouraged isolation.
    “No.” She touched her aunt’s hand. “Release me.” She spoke slowly but in a tone she
     hoped they understood was serious.
    “Do as she asks,” her grandfather said and he sounded defeated. Kylie had only blinked
     when his image started appearing before her eyes. It wasn’t like a ghost materializing.
     It was somehow different. As if the air parted and he was pulled back into the world.
    Her aunt released Kylie’s wrist and she felt a slight tingling in her feet and she
     looked down and watched as her feet and legs became visible.
    “Wow,” Derek said. Lifting her face, she saw him stare at her, and fought the urge
     to throw herself into his arms.
    Glancing at Burnett, she saw surprise appear in his eyes as well. His gaze met hers
     briefly, then he focused his attention on her grandfather who stood protectively at
     her side.
    “Why have you come here?” her grandfather asked, his tone dark and menacing. Immediately,
     she knew his stance was out of protection for her.
    “Kylie’s life is in danger, and if I can find you, so can the rogue who’s after her.”
    “It is not the rogue who I fear the most,” her grandfather said, leaving little doubt
     he considered the FRU, as well as Burnett, the biggest threat.
    “You are letting the past blind you from seeing the truth,” Burnett said. “Yes, the
     FRU would like to test Kylie, and some of us have decided not to let that happen,
     but it is Mario and his team who have already killed trying to get to her.”
    “I will protect my own,” her grandfather said, his wide shoulders drawing tighter.
    “How? By turning invisible? Do you not know that Kylie has already been taken hostage
     by this man, and she’s discovered that Mario is a chameleon just like you and that
     means he knows about your trick? And if he knows about it, that makes you all the
     more vulnerable to him.”
    “I know this,” her grandfather said, sounding defensive.
    “Then you should know enough to be scared. Mario has not spent the last fifty years
     hiding as you and your friends have been moving from one place to another. He’s been
     killing the innocent. He has taken the powers you have and mastered them to slaughter
     others. Even his own grandson died at his hands in front of Kylie because the boy
     defended her. If Mario will sacrifice his own blood, he will think nothing of killing
     his own kind.”
    “Wait,” Kylie said, trying to keep up. “How do you know Mario is back?”
    Burnett glanced briefly at Kylie. “He has been spotted.”
    “Spotted by whom?” her grandfather asked, disrespect coloring his tone. “The FRU?
     Like we would believe them?”
    “I see that you have reservations,” Burnett said, his words slipping from thinned
     lips pursed in what appeared to be anger. “But you must understand—”
    Her grandfather’s face grew red with fury. “You dare to ask for my understanding?
     What I understand is that you and your kind killed my wife. Because of you, I never
     knew my son. What I understand…” he pounded his chest with his fist, “is now you wish
     to do the same to my granddaughter!”
    Kylie saw Burnett try to hold