Taken at Dusk by C. C. Hunter

her on my shift, I swear I’ll be all over your wolf ass.”
    “Nothing’s going to happen.” His blue eyes grew darker, and around the edges, Kylie saw flecks of burnt orange, which meant anger.
    Kylie couldn’t help wondering if that was targeted at Della or—
    “Fine.” Della stormed inside. But not without slamming the door so hard, the porch shook.
    Kylie met Lucas’s gaze. He still looked half-pissed.
    “Let’s take a walk,” he said.
    Kylie recalled how he’d stiffened earlier when she’d taken up for Derek. Was he angry at her, too? The thought of hurting him when he’d risked his life to save her made her stomach clutch. He didn’t deserve that, not that she’d meant to hurt him. But neither did Derek deserve to be blamed for trying to help her.
    He started off the porch and looked back.
    His eyes were a brighter orange now. Kylie remembered a time she would have freaked out at seeing an angry werewolf. Heck, she remembered a time when she hadn’t believed werewolves existed, angry or not.
    “You coming?” Lucas asked.

 
    Chapter Nine
    She could say no, but she didn’t want to. She followed him. The sun hung low, but its light clung to the sky. However, once they moved into the woods and under the umbrella of the trees, the remnants of daylight faded into dusk. They walked without talking.
    She remembered the dead bird and the ghost’s announcement that someone else was out there. Fear brushed against Kylie’s neck. Almost as if she could feel the hot breath of something evil on her nape, she reached up and tried to brush away the sensation. Everything seemed to grow darker.
    “Should we be going into the woods?” She heard a rustle and looked to her left. And she walked right into Lucas’s back, unaware that he’d stopped. He turned and she saw him lift up his face as if to sniff the air.
    “You’re scared of me?” he asked.
    Even through the dimness she could see anger in his expression.
    “No. I’m scared of … other things.” She didn’t know what to call them.
    “Scared Derek will hear you went off with me?” His tone came with accusation.
    “No.”
    He swung back around and commenced walking again. She matched his steps. He stopped abruptly and faced her again.
    “I said I’d be patient and I will, but I won’t be made a fool of.”
    “I didn’t make a fool of you,” she insisted.
    “You stood up for Derek.”
    “I just stated the facts. You were wrong to blame Derek.” Her throat tightened again. She’d been fighting tears all day, and this time when they crawled up her throat, she was helpless.
    She turned away, hoping to stop them before he saw. But when she reached up to swipe away the first tear, he caught her hand. How he could have moved in front of her without making a sound was unnerving.
    He let go of a deep breath. “I didn’t mean to upset you, it’s just…”
    She tried to tell him it wasn’t him making her cry, but the concern in his tone had the knot in her throat doubling in size. The next thing she knew she was against his chest, her tears and almost silent sobs being absorbed by his pale blue T-shirt and his extra warm chest.
    His arms were around her and she felt his cheek resting on top of her head. She felt safe. Safe and something else. She felt cherished. The way his arms held her, the way every inch of him embraced her—she wanted to stay here. Savor it.
    “I’m sorry,” she muttered, her face still buried against him. “I shouldn’t be sliming up your shirt.”
    “Is it over?” His words tickled the top of her head.
    “Is what over? My crying?” She wasn’t ready to give up the wall of muscle or having his arms around her. Nor was she ready to let him see her all red and splotchy.
    “No. You and Derek.” His tone deepened, and she sensed it was hard for him to even ask the question.
    “Yeah.” She nodded her head against him.
    His arms tightened around her. She almost sighed because it felt so good.
    “Then you’re