Paw Prints (Book One in the Trails Series) *BEING EDITED-NEW VERSION WILL BE LONGER*

~Chapter Twenty-Six~ Arrows and Notes

Marielle set down her purse and walked slowly into the house, her eyes scanning every corner-just as they always did.

"Paul?" She called, walking into the kitchen. No one there. "Paul, are you there?"

Maybe his boss is making him work late. Marielle thought. The spark of hope died instantly. Paul had been off of work today. He had been home alone, without her to protect him...

Screw it. Marielle snapped inside of her head. Paul's a strong man. He can protect himself.

She walked by the knife drawer and paused. She didn't know what was going on, if Paul wasn't answering, so she opened the drawer and pulled out a knife-the one she used to cut meat.

"Paul, this isn't funny!" Marielle yelled, her voice staying surprisingly steady. Fear was clawing at her stomach like an angry animal, waiting to escape and destroy her. But she couldn't let that happen. Not until she found out what happened to her husband.

As Marielle walked cautiously into the living room, she noticed what time it was.

4:07.

Marielle stopped in her tracks, staring at the clock. The hand holding the knife fell limply to her side.

Oh my God. I didn't-the kids got home an hour ago...excluding Sparrow, thank goodness...but-that means-

No. She couldn't let that horrible thought cross her mind. Maybe they were outside in the back, doing something completely innocent. There was no reason for her to be worried...right?

Marielle knew that trying to convince herself was like trying to convince a rock to move itself. She knew very well that the Trackers had finally found them.

"Kayla? Lyss? Christie? Julia? Please?" She whispered. "Please please please respond!" She wailed, her heart contracting.

Marielle held her knife at the ready and stalked into family room, looking to the side to put off the inevitable-just a little longer.

When she heard no noise-no call of greeting, no joyful cheers, none of the sounds that she usually got-she knew it was over.

Looking up slowly, she steeled her heart against what she knew was coming.

But when she scanned the room, she saw no signs of a struggle. It was left as neat as it had always been, except for a few dents in the couch and the chairs-suggesting that one of her family members had sat there.

Marielle let out a sigh of relief, allowing herself to relax for a moment.

Then her guard went back up. If they weren't in here, or in the backyard-as she could see it through the large patio doors-then where were they?

As soon as Marielle took a step into the room, she felt something whiz past her ear. Blood spattered the wall as an arrow stuck into the bookshelf on the other side of the room. Marielle touched a hand to her ear and winced. When she pulled her hand back she saw that her fingers were red.

The arrow had nicked her ear, and done a good job of it. Marielle knew this was no accident. She raced into the room, keeping her head ducked in case someone decided to shoot another arrow-this time actually aiming to hit her.

Once the reached the arrow her eyes widened. There was a note tied to it.

Marielle reached out a shaking hand and pulled the arrow out of the wall. She untied the small string holding the piece of paper in place, then she unwrapped the note, her fingers fumbling.

Marielle's breath caught in her throat as she read the note.

Marielle,

I will first start off by saying that this is simply your fault. You went against my warnings, you ran from me for years, my dear. You knew from the start that your fight would end in a terrible way.

So I inform you that my agents have taken your family hostage-at least, all that we could find. This means that you will not see them...unless you're under the impression that you can infiltrate our headquarters and take them back, which you cannot do.

The only way you will get them back is if you join us again. You are a valuable addition, Marielle...and my previous offers still stand. All of them.

I will await your reply. Until then, your family will be kept...safe. I hope they have strong will power, my dear, otherwise they won't be lasting long.

Alex

Marielle's heart jumped into her throat. So I inform you that my agents have taken your family hostage-at least, all that we could find. She read over this sentence at least six times. What if-but she couldn't even think about it. She couldn't.

Shaking, Marielle walked over to the couch and dropped down on it, placing her hands over her eyes. What if they had found Sparrow too?

Ten minutes later, she heard the lock on the door click. She jumped to her feet and ran to the door, pulling it open before the person on the other side could.

Sparrow stood in the doorway, her purple-blue eyes glowing with happiness.

She won't be happy for long... Marielle thought, staring at her youngest daughter with wide eyes. Then she shook her head. Sparrow didn't have to know yet. It could wait.

Marielle wrapped her arms around Sparrow and pulled her close, tears rolling down her cheeks. "Thank God you've come home, my baby." She whispered in her daughter's ear. She felt Sparrow laugh. "Why wouldn't I?"

Marielle didn't answer, she just hugged her closer. She had lost her husband and four of her daughters-but that wasn't everything. Not yet.

She still had Sparrow, and she would do whatever it took to keep her safe. Even if she got herself killed, that girl would live. She didn't care about her Tracker roots anymore. She cared about what her husband would have wanted.

She cared about her daughter.

Family. The only family she truly had left. That's all that mattered now.