Whispers at Moonrise

came from John’s lips but didn’t appear in his eyes. “It was a mistake that will not repeat itself.”
    “You’re just human,” Kylie said, but she didn’t say it with all that much confidence. And she studied his face to see if he reacted to the remark. He didn’t. She still had to stop herself from checking his brain pattern again.
    The scary thought was that if he wasn’t human, he was a chameleon. She recalled Red, who’d given his life to save her, telling her that he was the same thing that she was, only not born at midnight. So … Mario must be a chameleon, too. And if John was a chameleon, could he be in cahoots with Mario?
    She was overreacting, she told herself. Her feelings probably stemmed from the fact that he was the reason her stepdad didn’t stand a chance of getting back with her mom. However, she decided to ask Burnett to do a background check on dear ol’ John.
    Kylie’s mom moved closer. “John, can you give Kylie and me some time alone?”
    Here comes the scolding . Kylie bit her tongue and told herself she should be happy her mom decided to spare her the embarrassment of scolding her in front of her man toy.
    However, the man toy looked unhappy when he turned for the door. Kylie bit her tongue harder. But damn, this guy brought out the worst in her.
    The moment John walked out, Kylie blurted out, “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have said those things.” And she was sorry, not because she’d said them to John, but because she’d probably hurt her mom. That had never been her intention.
    “No, Holiday was right. Showing up here with him wasn’t the best idea. I just…” She blushed. “He makes me happy, Kylie. I can’t even explain it, but it’s almost the feeling I got with your real dad.”
    Kylie recalled something her grandfather said, that the humans who were blessed found themselves attracted to supernaturals. Her suspicions rose about John.
    “I wanted you to get to know him, because … because he’s important to me. And—”
    Dear Lord, this was hard to hear. Before she knew what she planned to say, she’d started talking. “Dad’s sorry about all this, too, Mom. If you brought John here to make Dad jealous, it worked. I know Dad hurt you, but if you still love him … he loves you.”
    Her mom closed her eyes as if searching for the right words. When she looked up, raw emotion shined in her eyes. “I did want your dad to see me and John, but I can’t … Your dad and I won’t be getting back together.” She took Kylie’s hand. “I’m sorry, baby. I can’t…”
    Kylie squeezed her mom’s palm. “I understand.”
    Her mom sighed. “Do you?”
    Kylie nodded. It still hurt like the devil, but she understood.
    Her mom sighed as if she was about to say something difficult. “Please try to see the good in John. He’s not the reason your dad and I broke up.”
    “I know.” That was all Kylie managed to say. She wasn’t sure she could ever see any good in John.
    Her mom bit her lip and made a funny face. “Now, about the question you asked. If John and I were … If we…”
    “Are having sex?” Kylie finished for her, because God knew her mom would be here all day trying to say it.
    Her mom blushed. “I’m an adult and I’m capable of making that kind of decision. You’re young and…” Her eyes widened. “You aren’t … you haven’t…?”
    “No, Mom. I haven’t,” Kylie said. “But I will someday, and I don’t want you to have an aneurism when you find out.”
    Her mom looked horrified. “I won’t. As long as you’re thirty.”
    Kylie rolled her eyes. “Mom.”
    “Okay, twenty-nine.” She paused. “You know, it hurts to see you grow up.”
    “I know; it hurts to see you grow up, too.”
    Her mom’s brow wrinkled with confusion. “What?”
    “I could say it hurt to know you’re having sex, but I thought you’d prefer the euphemism.”
    Her mom chuckled at the same time a cold entered the room, a familiar cold. Daniel? A quick glance around the room told her he couldn’t manifest. But she knew he’d tried.
    Her mom smiled. Then she reached over and hugged her. “I swear, sometimes when I’m with you, I can almost feel your father here.”
    “Me too,” Kylie said, and wondered how much her mom could really feel.
    The chill in the room grew colder, but oddly it came with a hint of anger and frustration. Had her dad overheard the conversation and was making his opinion known about the whole sex-with-John