She Came From the Forest (James and Tera: book 1)

21

We had eventually caught up with Sage and the rest after the run in with Kurt. After hanging out at the cafe and walking back to the vehicles, I told them to just go on home. I wanted to go with Tera back to her house to talk with her Dad about what happened earlier.

We rode in silence. We weren't exactly in the talking mood, her especially. I could feel her intensity just from holding onto her on the back of her bike.

We pulled into the yard and headed up the steps on the porch. Tera opened the door and I followed behind her inside. "Dad." She said loudly.

There was no answer to her call. We waited a few seconds but heard nothing but the sound of the door creaking when I pulled it shut. "Where is he?" She asked herself.

"Maybe he's out somewhere?" I suggested.

She shook her head. "He's been gone since yesterday." She said. "He said he was going out to get something last night and never showed. I thought he'd be back but this morning he was gone still."

"Can't you call him?" I asked. I'm pretty sure as old as he is he carries a cell phone around.

She reached into her pocket and pulled out her cell phone. She dialed a number and I heard it ring a few times before being sent to voicemail.

I heard her growl, and her eyes lit up. "You bastard." She whispered.

"Tera?" I asked. "What's wrong?"

Her teeth clenched. "He's left us." She growled out. "I didn't notice until just now. His presence is nowhere near. He's out of my range, which means he's left really far."

My heart dropped. He left? How could he leave us in this mess with just the two of us? She's alone, and I'm not much of a help either unless I can use that blade that Flower gave me to stab him in the back, because God knows I can't do it facing him.

"What now?" I asked grimly, knowing the one answer that was obvious.

She closed her eyes and her head hung. We both knew it would have to come down to it, and we both didn't want it. She didn't want to fight anymore. She wanted to live a normal life as if she were human. And me, I didn't want her to get hurt in trying to do so.

Suddenly, an idea hit me. "Wait a sec." I said, reaching into my pocket and pulling out my cell phone. I dialed the number and heard it ring a few times before Mom picked up. "Mom, I'm gonna go see Flower so it will be a little while before I'm home."

"She's not home." She said on the other line. "I called and got worried when she didn't pick up last night, so I went over there and she was gone. She hasn't picked up since yesterday and hasn't been home for that matter of fact."

I grunted, trying to keep it to where Mom wouldn't bear and ask what was wrong. "Okay. Thanks Mom." I said and hung up.

I shook my head. "This doesn't make any sense." I whispered, frustrated. "Why now? Why do the two people who could possibly be of help have to be gone?"

I was angry. I was frustrated. I was worried. I had all of these emotions inside of me and I had no idea how to get rid of them. I didn't want to risk her health or her happiness. I don't want her to go or to fight and get hurt, or her hurt him and regret it later.

All these emotions running wild inside of me, feelings I'd never felt before in such a way. Was this what it was like to care so much for someone like this? For a relationship? For someone you...

I felt my hands shaking from anxiety of the unknown. I couldn't deal with this. If I can't, then I'll just explode. That didn't sound like such a bad idea at the moment.