"The pizza in the main house was still warm," Burnett said. "Are you sure she's here?"
"I'm certain," Derek answered. "And she's upset about something, too."
Not seen or heard, but still felt, Kylie thought. How odd was that? Her aunt started patting Kylie's hand as if the gentle touch would convince her. But Kylie was beyond convincing. "Please let me go," she told her aunt. But her aunt held on.
"Is she in danger?" Burnett growled.
Derek closed his eyes as if internally trying to touch her emotions. When he opened his eyes, he looked at Burnett. "I don't think so," Derek answered. "She's frustrated and I sense ... loneliness. And ... she's feeling ... something ... something like being torn between two loyalties."
Tears welled up in Kylie's eyes. Leave it to Derek to always get her emotions right. She knew her grandfather and aunt cared about her, knew they only wanted what was best for her, but how could she not make herself visible to Burnett and Derek? Why did she feel as if doing so would be seen as disloyal to her grandfather?
She'd tried to play by their rules, she had. But enough was enough.
Burnett looked around and Kylie would swear he looked right at her. "Are there others here?"
"I'm not sure," Derek said. "I can only sense Kylie because..." He didn't finish, but she knew the answer. He could sense her so well because he loved her.
Burnett stood a little straighter. "Mr. Summers, I need to speak with you. Now!"
"How do you know he's here?" Derek asked.
"If Kylie's here, he's around." Burnett shifted his vision back and forth. "Show 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 though she was 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. "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 I came 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 she 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."