She had known the FRU wanted her tested, but she hadn't believed they'd go so far as to contact her mom. And if they would go that far, what was next? Would her mom's refusal to have Kylie tested be the end of it? For some reason, Kylie didn't believe so.

* * *

When Kylie returned a few minutes later, Holiday and Burnett were waiting on the cabin porch.

"What's going to happen now?" Kylie asked.

Burnett frowned and led them into Holiday's study. "I don't know. I'm stunned that they did this. They called me to come in and talk about changing your mind. I told them that you'd already declined. Someone said you weren't of legal age and suggested they go through your mom. I pointed out that your mom wasn't supernatural and how that could lead to too many questions. I thought I'd convinced them it wasn't the route to take. But when I got back here, Holiday was on the phone with your mom. They must have called your mom the minute I left the office."

Holiday sat down on the sofa. Kylie joined her. When Holiday reached for her hair and twisted it into a rope, Kylie remembered the reason she'd come to the office in the first place. Her gaze went to Holiday's neck and she remembered the spirit's angry bruises. Fear for her friend took a lap around her heart.

"Lucky for us, your mom bypassed calling the FRU back and came straight to us," Holiday said. She met Kylie's eyes. "It's going to be okay," she said, obviously reading Kylie's concern.

"I hope so." Kylie slumped back against the sofa.

"You're still upset about what happened earlier," Holiday said.

"What happened earlier?" Burnett took a step closer.

"I didn't get a chance to tell you..." Holiday explained about Kylie's father telling her she was a chameleon.

Kylie waited for disbelief to appear on the vampire's face, or the you're a lizard response everyone else had given her. When Burnett didn't offer up either, suspicion settled in.

"What do you know?" she demanded.

His eyebrows pinched. "The word chameleon was mentioned in the documents I found about the test responsible for your grandmother's death."

"What did it say? Did it explain how I can have a human pattern and still be supernatural?" Kylie asked, annoyed he'd kept anything from her. Kylie saw Holiday frown as well.

Burnett's gaze went from Kylie to Holiday and concern pulled at his frown. "They didn't explain anything. One of the doctors used the word chameleon in his notes. It didn't make sense; as a matter of fact, I wondered if it was a typo. I didn't have the original documents. Just one doctor's notes made while referring to the other documents."

"But at least this proves it," Kylie said.

"Proves what?" Burnett asked.

Kylie gazed from Burnett to Holiday. "That this is what being a chameleon is. Having a pattern that says you're one thing when you're not. I mean, we know I'm not all human." She pointed to her forehead. "And yet my pattern says I am. Of course, it doesn't tell me squat about what I really am."

"I don't think we've proved anything yet," Burnett said. "Yes, I think somehow these two things mean the same thing. I just don't think we've proven what they mean, yet."

Holiday's expression said she agreed with him. "I've been thinking," Holiday said. "Maybe your ... pattern issues are somehow linked to you being a protector. I don't think there's ever been a part-human protector that we can compare you to."

"I hadn't thought about that," Burnett said. "That could be it."

"But what about the whole chameleon thing?" Kylie asked.

"I don't know," Holiday said. "I'm just saying it could explain your pattern issues."

Kylie's mind ran around everything that was said. The more she thought about it, the less sense any of it made. "I want to read those files."

"I'm sure by now the few files I was able to pull up have already been hidden."

"They killed my grandmother and got away with it, and now they're trying to do the same to me."

"The people who did that were either let go or have retired." His frown deepened. "I know that's how it looks and I agree you should decline testing, but I don't believe they would intentionally jeopardize your life."

"We don't know that." The firmness in Holiday's tone reminded Kylie of her mom's voice in maternal mode.

"Which is exactly why I've done what I have," he said. "Why I'm basically going against my oath to the FRU. I'm on your side. What else can I do to prove that?"

"Please," Kylie said. "I don't want you two arguing because of me."

"You don't have to prove anything." Holiday blushed with guilt. "I'm sorry. I just get so furious on Kylie's behalf."

"I know. I feel it, too." Burnett glanced at Kylie. "And we weren't arguing." He turned and focused on Holiday for a second. "This time we really were just discussing. Right?"

"Right." The slightest of grins appeared on Holiday's lips when she met his gaze.

Kylie grinned, too, even as emotion filled her chest. She was so lucky to have these people on her side. But her smile only lingered a second. "What will their next move be?"

Burnett exhaled. "Chances are they still may attempt to change your mind. Convince you that it's for a greater good. That's what I thought the plan was when I left."