Chapter 15
“Hey sis.” Adam walked past her. “Come on, we’re all going on the Ferris Wheel.”
Tessa’s feet rooted to the spot as she looked up at the rickety looking thing. “Think I’ll pass.”
“Don’t like heights?” Jared stopped next to her so close their arms were touching.
“Not since I fell off the roof.” Tessa snorted. She had loved the Ferris Wheel when she was little, but she was afraid she would embarrass herself with a total freak out if she did go up there now.
“What the hell were you doing on the roof?” Jared walked her over to a ticket booth.
“Fixing a leak so Gramps didn’t try to get up there by himself.” Tessa stood to the side out of the way of others getting in line for ride tickets still looking up at the old thing that had seen better days. “You guys go ahead.”
Jared took the tickets he purchased grabbing her hand. “Trust me.”
“I really don’t think I can do this.” Tessa shook her head glancing again at the large round death trap going around and around.
Getting in line behind Damon and Nicole, Jared turned around looking down at her. “I will not let you fall.” He smiled down at her, his eyes sincere. “You will be safe with me. I promise.”
Tessa stood forever staring into his gorgeous eyes. It seemed like she had waited her whole life to hear those words. She gave him a small nod afraid to open her mouth and start blubbering all over him. He had so far seen her cry more than anyone in her whole life.
“That’s my girl.” He wrapped his arm tight around her and it felt so right.
They were the next in line. “If something was to happen can you jump and land without hurting yourself?”
Jared chuckled. “Honey, I could do a back flip and land like a cat.”
“Holding someone?” Tessa squeezed his hand as the ride operator motioned them forward.
Helping her up onto the seat he sat down and wrapped his arm around her pulling her close. “It would be like we were one.”
Grinning, Tessa liked the sound of that. “Well, I hope so because if I die on this thing I’m coming back to haunt you.”
Jared laughed loudly before his eyes zeroed in on her. “You are a treat honey.”
She didn’t want her heart broken again, but sometimes you had to throw caution to the wind and say the hell with it and take the chance. Turning away embarrassed, she looked out over the fairgrounds spread out around them. The lights twinkled in different colors making everything look magical and romantic. “It’s beautiful up here.”
“Yeah, beautiful.” Jared replied staring at her.
Tessa turned to look at him, her blush blooming across her cheeks. Suddenly the Ferris Wheel took off again with a jerk. Grabbing hold of Jared she practically jumped on his lap. Her stomach was tingling, but she wasn’t really sure if it was from the ride or the vampire holding her tightly in his arms. Adam and Nicole had both looked back at them a few times waving, but Tessa just smiled not comfortable letting go of Jared.
The ride started slowing down and it was their turn to stop at the top. Gripping the bar tightly Tessa looked over. Everyone went on with their fun while they were stopped at the top of the Ferris Wheel. The wind kicked up making their basket sway, sending Tessa right back into Jared’s arms.
“I won’t let you fall Tessa.” Jared whispered into her hair.
“You’re going to make it hard for me to stay away from you.” Tessa pulled back looking into his eyes. He had honest eyes….beautiful eyes.
“That’s the plan.” He chuckled.
“We hardly know each other.” Tessa replied not even realizing they were moving again.
“Oh, but that’s the fun part Red.” Jared leaned closer taking a deep breath. “I hate to see you afraid of a relationship with not just me, but with anyone because of Oat.”
Tessa snorted at his nickname for Otis. “Yeah, I need to get over that.”
“Definitely.” Jared replied, playing with a strand of her hair his eyes still staring into hers. “You ever been kissed at the top of a Ferris Wheel?”
Her mouth suddenly dry, she licked her lips shaking her head. “No.” she whispered.
Jared’s hand slipped behind her head cradling it in his large hand. “Good.” His mouth slammed down on hers. “Umm, you taste like cotton candy.” He whispered into her mouth before diving deeper.
Tessa was lost…she knew it…accepted it and the really scary part was she really liked it. She was so lost in the kiss it took her a second to realize he was pushing her away and another second to realize why. Screams reached her kiss fogged brain. Grabbing the rail she looked over to see people running and screaming in all different directions.
“Stay here!” Jared leaped out of the basket grabbing the rail beside them.
“What do you mean stay here?” Tessa felt panic set in. “Where in the hell am I going to go?”
“F*ck!” Jared cursed looking from the panicked crowd below to her.
“Go!” Tessa demanded. She knew he was torn. “I’ll be fine. Go!” Damon dropped down to another rail scaring the crap out of Tessa.
“I called in reinforcements.” Damon shouted and with that both men jumped into the crowd below.
“Tessa!” Nicole yelled down at her. “I’m coming down.”
“Oh my God!” Tessa turned to watch Nicole, not as bravely as the warriors, make her way down to her basket.
Climbing in, Nicole took a deep breath. “Even though I know I won’t splatter that scared the hell out of me.”
“What is going on?” Tessa looked over the edge trying to find Jared, but there was so much panic she couldn’t see him anywhere.
“Half-breeds.” Nicole also looked over the railing.
Nicole and Tessa both screamed as they watched Adam, Jill and Steve jump past them to the ground. “No!” Tessa screamed the protest, but it was too late. They were lost in the maze of screaming masses.
“Oh shit.” Nicole’s head popped up. “We got a problem.”
Tessa looked over to where Nicole was looking and gasped. A large half-breed was jumping from basket to rail making his way up, two more followed. Tessa looked around for a weapon, but there was nothing. Toeing off her shoes, she grabbed one, reared back and let it loose as hard as she could, hitting the closest half-breed in the head.
“Good shot!” Nicole took her shoes off doing the same thing, but her throwing had a lot more power behind it almost knocking him off balance.
He stopped, looking up at them with a loud growl. His eyes landed on Tessa and he grinned. “There!” He pointed right at her as the others looked up moving faster.
“Dammit!” Nicole stood up making the basket rock dangerously. “Come on!” She started to climb out of the basket.
Tessa grabbed the back of the basket and the railing to steady herself as she stood. “You might not splatter, but I will.” She followed the way Nicole had gone, but she couldn’t reach the rail.
“Come on Tessa!” Nicole looked past Tessa and the look in her eyes told her she was about out of time.
Looking down Tessa saw others had followed suit and was throwing shoes and whatever else they had at the three half-breeds climbing quickly up the Ferris Wheel, but it was only pissing them off and not slowing them down at all.
“Just go!” Tessa demanded. “Get out of here.”
“Grab my hand dammit.” Nicole reached down, their fingertips touching. “Jump!”
Tessa did, surprised when Nicole grasped her hand.
“I am going to swing you up and you better grab on tight.” Nicole yelled.
Saying a prayer Tessa felt herself being lifted so fast her eyes closed, but then popped open looking for something to grab on to. Glancing down she screamed. “Watch out!”
Nicole looked under her in time to see the half-breed reaching for her foot. Bringing her leg up she let loose with a kick straight down to the top of his head knocking him down a few feet. “Go! Go!” Nicole swung to the other side of the rail climbing up.
Surprised at how fast she could climb Tessa kept close to Nicole trying not to look down. The thought of all the scary movies she had ever watched and bitched at the actress being an idiot for going up to the top of a building or in a house…she now understood. There was no way she was going to go down.
“You’ll pay for that bitch!” The half-breed snarled making a leap toward them.
“Damon!” Nicole screamed at the top of her lungs when the half-breed landed on her legs, quickly crawling up her body. Hanging on with one hand Nicole back elbowed him in the face.
His howl of pain turned into a growl of outrage. “You’re going for a ride bitch.”
Tessa reached around clawing him down the face. “Get off her!”
His grip tightened around Nicole’s stomach trying to pry her from the rail, but her grip was true and strong. His fangs elongated as he reared his head back to strike at her neck.
“No!” Tessa screamed trying to kick him off Nicole without losing her grip.
Damon landed on the opposite rail grabbing the half-breed by the hair stopping the fangs inches from his mate’s neck. “You will die for that breed.”
The half-breed hissed at Damon, his eyes a deep burning red. “F*ck you warrior!”
Damon looked at Nicole for a split second then gave a slight nod. Tessa watched Nicole’s grip tighten on the rail as she leaned her chin into her chest slowly then with lightning speed she whipped her head back butting the half-breed in the face. Surprised at the attack his grip on Nicole loosened enough for Damon to get a grip on him and pull him away, tossing him in the air and away from them as the breed had wanted to do with Nicole.
Before Tessa could breathe a sigh of relief she felt a hand on her foot. Panicked, she looked down meeting the mismatched eyes of another half-breed. Lifting her other foot she kicked down feeling accomplishment until he looked back up at her, his eye flashing red, his mouth curled in a nasty snarl.
“Ah crap!” Tessa tried to pull herself up and away from him, but he caught her leg again giving her a rough tug. Her hand clawed at the rail, but it was useless, she was going down.
Her shoulder rammed a basket as she tumbled down, her arms grasping at anything, but only catching air. Her thought process at that moment went to the moment Jared had said he would keep her safe. She could even hear his voice and his face was so clear in her mind it was startling. Where the hell was he?
Pain like she had never felt before gripped her head. “Where you think you’re going?” Another half-breed caught her by the hair.
Tessa’s scream of pain echoed throughout the fairgrounds. Tears of pain soaked her cheeks as nausea pushed to the back of her throat. She lifted her hands to the hands clinging to her hair trying to take some of the pressure off. He shook her by the hair causing Tessa to scream even louder.
She couldn’t believe he hadn’t pulled her hair out by the roots. Deep down she wished he would just to stop the excruciating pain. Suddenly the pressure was taken off her scalp when strong arms grabbed her around the waist tossing her into one of the baskets.
“Watch out!” Tessa shouted seeing movement behind Jared. The half-breed who had held her by the hair fought his way from Sid and threw himself at Jared jumping on his back. People still on the Ferris Wheel near where Jared and the half-breed fought screamed, their baskets swayed dangerously. Tessa was too frightened to scream, it was frozen in her throat. She watched in horror as the half-breed pulled out a thick silver chain trying to wrap it around Jared’s neck. With no thought to her own safety she tried to grab it before it could make contact with Jared.
“Get back!” Jared shouted at her as he punched the breed in the face repeatedly hissing when the chain made contact. “How the f*ck do you kill these bastards?” Jared grabbed the breed around the throat.
Adam was climbing up toward them. “Stab them in the heart.” He shouted to the warriors.
Jared didn’t question the kid, he caught the double edged knife Sid tossed him sinking it deep into the half-breed’s heart. “Son of a bitch.” Jared eyes opened wide as the half-breed dropped dead. Tossing him away he threw his body in front of Tessa as a gunshot went off.
“Guess I forgot to tell you we have a heartbeat.” Adam cringed.
“Ah, yeah.” Jared snarled. “You left that important information out.” He had never heard of a half-breed having a heartbeat.
“Tessa Pride!” A male voice bellowed throughout the fairgrounds. Another gunshot went off. “Tessa Pride! Come out...come out wherever you are.”
Looking over the railing Tessa watched half-breeds fall in behind a large man who was walking toward the Ferris Wheel. Chills like she had never felt before chased up and down her body. Jared pushed her back further in the basket.
“I know you’re here, but if you want to play then I can play too.” His voice boomed across the suddenly quiet fairgrounds.
Tessa saw a familiar figure being pushed toward the front of the group. “Gramps!” Tessa cried out almost falling out of the basket.
Jared cursed, grabbing her around the waist to hold her back. The large half-breed’s eyes zeroed in on the movement, on Tessa. “There you are.” His smiled turned to evil glee. “Come on down here Tessa.”
Looking up at Damon something passed between the two warriors, but all Tessa could do was stare in horror at her grandfather who looked so frail and frightened. “Please Jared.” She struggled to get away from him.
“Don’t even try it warriors.” The half-breed in charge and the one calling for Tessa growled. “I will kill him with no remorse.”
“What do you want?” Jared snarled down at him.
The half-breeds cold laughter echoed throughout the grounds before his mismatched eyes shot to Tessa. “My mate.”