Whispers at Moonrise

way you treat your teachers?” Hayden Yates asked.
    Della, being Della, didn’t back down. “If they go sneaking around in the shadows, dressing like some criminal, then yeah, that’s the way we treat ’em.”
    Kylie held up her hand to Della, hoping to calm her, not that Kylie felt all that calm. Her power was on full alert, her adrenaline set on high.
    “Since when is taking a walk sneaking?” He used his teacher’s voice.
    “Since you sneaked up on us,” Della smarted off.
    Logic lessened Kylie’s adrenaline. “I … we … You scared us,” Kylie said.
    “I wasn’t scared,” Della snapped.
    Mr. Yates frowned. “Next time, try saying hello instead of attacking when someone walks up.”
    “That was hello,” Della said. “If we’d attacked, you’d be bleeding … or dead.”
    “We overreacted,” Kylie intervened, and then remembered that she didn’t particularly like this guy. He seemed to be somehow secretive and his dark clothes and concealed face seemed to confirm it. However, Kylie’s manners and respect for authority mandated she behave a certain way. “We apologize.”
    “We do?” Della asked sarcastically.
    Kylie motioned for Della to start walking.
    Della shot the teacher another frown before turning around. And the moment they were several feet ahead, Della whispered, “I don’t like him.”
    “Me either,” Kylie said, yet she couldn’t put her finger on why.
    “You think he’s working with Mario?” Della asked.
    “No. I … don’t know,” Kylie said. “Let’s not jump to conclusions.”
    They arrived at the clearing where the office and dining hall stood. Kylie noticed the lights were on in Holiday’s office. Then she noticed the dead silence. Not a bird or even the wind dared to make a sound. The fact that Della had stopped walking and her eyes glowed bright green told Kylie she wasn’t imagining the sense of danger. Someone was here.
    “Everything’s fine,” a voice, a strange voice, spoke behind them.
    Both Kylie and Della swung around. The man, in his early thirties, wore a black suit. A quick check of his pattern told Kylie he was vampire. The way he held out his hands, palms exposed, told her he wasn’t looking for trouble. Then again, he was a stranger and on Shadow Falls property. Who the hell was he?
    “It’s okay.” His at-peace stance had little effect on Kylie, and even less on Della.
    “I’ll be the judge of that.” The glow from Della’s green eyes spotlighted her extended fangs.
    The man pulled his suit coat back and flashed the badge attached to his belt. “I’m Agent Houston, FRU, a friend of Burnett’s.” The way he said “friend” seemed to mean something, though Kylie wasn’t really sure what. “Burnett asked me to stand in for him while he went to pick up a suspect.”
    “Stand in for him for what? Suspect for what?” Della asked, or more like demanded.
    The agent’s gaze shifted to Kylie, as if he knew she’d understand. And she did. Burnett had brought his man to watch over Holiday, and obviously he’d gone looking for Blake. But understanding didn’t make this stranger her ally. Sure she trusted Burnett, but the badge Agent Houston had just proudly flashed did him more harm than good when it came to her.
    “I can’t go into details,” he said, “but you’re going to have to trust me. Kylie knows.”
    Trust? Not likely, Kylie thought, but when his heartbeat didn’t appear to be lying, Kylie looked at Della. “He’s telling the truth.”
    “I know,” Della said as if annoyed, but the color change in her eyes said she’d backed down. Or she had until she had Kylie alone, and then no doubt she’d verbally bludgeon Kylie for information. Della didn’t like to be in the dark.
    “I’m going in to see Holiday.” Kylie looked at Della.
    “She’s popular this morning,” Agent Houston said.
    Kylie looked to the window and saw a male figure. “Who’s in there?”
    “One of the new teachers,” Agent Houston answered.
    Kylie tensed. “Hayden Yates?” She looked at Della. How had he gotten ahead of them? Della’s expression matched Kylie’s.
    “No,” the man said. “A Collin Warren. He said he was the new history teacher. Is there a problem with him?” The agent’s voice deepened as he took a small step toward the office.
    “No,” Kylie said. “He’s fine.” But right then, footsteps echoed from down the path.
    “You expecting someone?” the agent asked.
    “Not really,” Kylie said, but