Jared

Chapter 17

“Come on!” Nicole climbed out of the basket. “Get on my back.”

“Get on your what?” Tessa stopped cold.

“Tessa get on my back before I knock you out. We need to get out of here. Damon and Jared are in my head screaming for me to get us out of here.”

“But my grandfather.” Tessa looked back down trying to find him.

“Is fine. Sid and Adam have him in a safe place.” Nicole turned to look at Tessa her eyes black as night. “Now come on. We need to get out of here.”

Knowing she was right Tessa didn’t hesitate any longer. Climbing on she wrapped her legs around Nicole’s waist with her arms wrapped around her neck without choking her.

“I’ve never done this before with someone on my back so hold on tight.” Nicole waited until Tessa’s weight was settled on her back.

“Oh. My. God.” Tessa closed her eyes as they jumped, her stomach staying back up in the basket. They hit the ground hard, Nicole hissing out a moan. “Are you okay?”

“Yeah, just twisted my leg. I’m fine.” Nicole grabbed her hand pulling her between booths toward the woods.

Making their way into the wooded area Nicole stopped holding her finger to her lips as she scanned the field they had just run through. Tessa bent over hands on her knees trying to catch her breath.

“You have anything on under your hoodie?” Nicole asked, but her eyes narrowed on something Tessa couldn’t see. When Tessa just glanced at her in confusion Nicole grabbed her arm. “Come on Tessa, snap out of it. Do you have anything under the damn hoodie?”

“Yeah why, what’s going on?” She tried to keep the fear out of her voice, but she was really scared now and couldn’t hide it.

“We’re being tracked. Take off your hoodie.” Nicole pulled them deeper into the woods. Tessa did as she was told quickly handing Nicole her hoodie. “I want you to run as far as you can and hide.” She slipped Tessa’s hoodie on.

Thinking of all the scary movies she had watched, Tessa frowned. Splitting up never bode well for anyone in those damn movies she swore she would never ever watch again. Then again maybe they would save her life. Why in the hell did she keep thinking of scary freakin movies?

“You sure we should split up.” Tessa rubbed her arms as the cool night air seeped into her bones, her thin tank top doing nothing to keep the coldness away. Then again it could be fear that was making her shiver.

“No.” Nicole breathed out in a rush. “But Damon is not answering me at the moment and I can’t carry you. My leg isn’t healing as fast as I thought it would and hurts like hell. They’re tracking your scent so if I wear your hoodie I am praying they’ll follow me. Once I lose them I’ll come back and find you. I’ll give a whistle so you know it’s me.”

“Please be careful.” Tessa wanted to totally freak out and have a full blown panic attack, but fought those feelings. She had to be strong. They would make it through this. “How close are they?” Tessa felt like eyes were watching them right now.

Nicole’s stricken expression was answer enough. “Go!” She pushed Tessa as she took off in a different direction.

Tessa didn’t hesitate, she took off as fast as her legs would carry her. Jumping fallen logs, rocks and anything else in her path, Tessa felt the sting of brush and limps cutting into her flesh. If the ones chasing them smelled her blood it was going to be over, at least for her. Being more careful Tessa tried to miss low hanging limbs and thick brush, but it was almost impossible.

Spotting a large tree Tessa stumbled toward it grabbing onto its thick trunk like a lifeline. Turning she placed her back against it trying to get her breathing under control. Glancing down at herself she cringed. She was a bloody mess and her feet felt like a thousand bee stings. Throwing her shoes didn’t seem like a good idea now.

Turning her focus away from her injuries, she tried to calm herself enough to listen. The only sounds coming from the area was rustling leaves above, small scampering sounds of wildlife going on with their nightly doings and her shallow gasps of nervous breathing. Swallowing was a chore, her throat raw from breathing the cool air. Taking a peek around the tree she didn’t see anyone coming, nor did she hear heavy sounds of footsteps. Sliding slowly down the tree she sat on the cold damp ground. A wispy fog swirled along the wooded ground casting a creepy feel to the air. She had never felt more vulnerable in her life than she did at the moment. Spotting a large log next to her she reached over rolling it to her. Kneeling, she picked it up deciding it could make a weapon, at least it was something.

Standing she took a few practice swings before leaning against the tree to wait….wait for what was the scary question. Hearing motion a few yards away from her, Tessa held her breath, closed her eyes in fear as she clutched her weapon with a white knuckle grip praying she lived to see another day.

********

The fight between warriors and half-breeds lasted a whole ten minutes before they started running away in different directions. He hadn’t even been able to get his hands on Sparkles. Before he could even get close three half-breeds had come at him at the same time. Now looking around warriors were all that was left.

“Shit!” Jared stomped over to make sure everyone was in one piece.

“Where’s your grandfather?” He asked Adam who was holding his bleeding arm.

“Over there.” Adam nodded where Jill was standing guard in front of the older man.

“I can’t get a read on Nicole.” Damon came over his eyes black as midnight, strain evident on his face.

“Go.” Duncan told them before ordering warriors to help humans who had been hurt or were still stuck on the Ferris Wheel. “I got it covered and I’ve sent some of the guys out to follow the half-breeds.”

“Where’s Tessa?” Adam had been walking toward his grandfather when he heard Damon. “Wasn’t she with Nicole?”

“Take care of your grandfather.” Jared jogged past him. “I’ll find her.”

Adam nodded, looking older than his eighteen years at that moment. “Okay.”

“At least someone trusts me.” Jared smirked.

“Don’t be too hard on her dude.” Adam called out. “She hasn’t been able to trust many people. Trust is kind of hard to come by for both of us.”

Jared didn’t respond as he fell into a dead run beside Damon. He knew to follow Damon because a mated male could find his mate anywhere at any time, even if he couldn’t read her. They made their way far into the woods when the scent of honeysuckle filled Jared’s senses. Damon had stopped looking around. Nicole dropped out of a tree in front of them wearing the hoodie Tessa had worn.

“Are you okay?” Damon lifted her face to his.

“I’m fine. Someone was tracking us so I wore Tessa’s hoodie to draw them away. I was getting ready to back track to find her.” Nicole looked proud of herself.

“She’s not here. You left her alone?” Jared frowned, an uneasy feeling in the pit of his stomach.

“No.” Nicole pointed toward the direction she left Tessa. “I hurt my leg jumping with her off the Ferris Wheel. I knew I couldn’t carry her and get away so we split up.”

“F*ck!” Jared took off in the direction Nicole pointed.

********

Tessa had never prayed like she prayed now. She just hoped the big guy was listening and not too busy. She was no challenge to a vampire, half-breed or pure blood and she knew it. The log she held may or may not do damage, but she wasn’t going to just lie down. She was a red head with attitude. Heavy footsteps crunched through the fallen leaves and brush that littered the wooded area. They were coming closer at a slow pace before stopping and then starting again. It was starting to drive her a little crazy. She knew it wasn’t Nicole because she hadn’t heard a whistle, not even a damn bird, just the crunch of brush.

Knowing whoever the footsteps belonged to was just behind her hiding place, she slowly lifted the log. Moving only her eyes she glanced at the ground beside her tree knowing that a foot was the first thing she was going to see. Sure enough the tip of a foot came into view and without thought she swung the log with everything she had.

The loud crack of the log hitting a solid form filled the woods along with splinters and broken pieces of bark as the dead log exploded. Tessa turned to run, but stopped at the cursing of a very familiar voice.

“Son of a bitch!” Jared grabbed his stomach, bending over in pain. He may be immortal, but that didn’t mean he was immune to pain.

Tessa turned, her hand flying to her mouth in horror. “Oh, my God. I’m so sorry.” She rushed to his side. “Are you okay?”

“No, I’m not okay.” Jared growled at her. “What the hell do you think you’re doing?”

“Why didn’t you tell me it was you?” Tessa shot back not liking his tone. “I was trying to save my ass. I thought you were whoever was following me and Nicole.

“That wasn’t going to stop them Tessa.” His glaring was as angry as his tone.

“It stopped you.” Tessa snorted.

“This isn’t a game Tessa.” Jared hissed.

“I didn’t say it was…Jared.” She mocked. “What’s your problem?”

“What’s my problem?” Jared stalked toward her making her take a step back. “What’s my problem?”

Opening her mouth she closed it really quick deciding that maybe a nod would be in her best interest since her mouth seemed to get her in trouble most times. She had never seen this side of him before, didn’t like it.

“My problem, Red, is that you don’t trust me.” Jared’s breath tickled her face he was so close. “And it pisses me off. Is that plain enough for you?”

No, not really, she thought, but kept that to herself. “I trust you Jared. I don’t understand why you’re so angry.”

“What did you take from them?” He raised his eyebrows at her waiting for an answer.

At first she was confused, but then her eyes widened when it dawned on her. “I was going to give it to…..”

“Bullshit!” He backed up, rubbing his hand down his face. “We are going right now to get it. Do you understand?”

“Yeah, I understand.” Her voice raised a little, her attitude starting to match his. It wasn’t like she actually hid it from him. Well at first she did, but then things just got crazy and well, she might as well save her breath because he wasn’t going to believe her.

“I really don’t think you do understand.” Jared turned and started walking away expecting her to follow. “We could have possibly helped your brother and the others sooner if we would have had that vial of stuff they are shooting them up with. You had no right to keep that from me….from us.”

“I’m sorry I shouldn’t have….” Tessa started to apologize, but he cut her off.

“Damn right you shouldn’t have.” He didn’t even turn back around, just kept on walking.

She kept quiet after that. It didn’t matter what she said at this point. He wasn’t going to believe her in the foul mood he was in and she was trying to keep up with his pace without falling down, but she was slipping more behind his fast pace. The ordeal of the night was starting to catch up with her and she was freezing. Crossing her arms, she rubbed her hands up and down trying to take the chill out of her bones. Her dozen of scratches were burning and her bare feet were on fire. The adrenaline was wearing off and the pain was setting in.

Jared stomped through the woods more pissed than he’d been in a long time. After finding Tessa in one piece his worry became anger in the blink of an eye. Why her trusting him meant so much to him he didn’t know, but it did. Glancing back to make sure she was still behind him he stopped. She stumbled, but righted herself. Pain flashed in her eyes as they made contact with his, but she looked quickly away trying to hurry her steps. Looking down at her feet he saw she wore no shoes.

“Where in the hell are your shoes?” His hissed question echoed through the trees.

Shooting him a dirty look Tessa continued toward him. “Probably at the bottom of the Ferris Wheel. I threw them trying to slow them down when they were climbing toward us. Obviously that was as effective as the log.”

Grabbing her arm as she went to pass him he frowned. “You’re bleeding.” He pulled her arm away from her body looking at the scratches.

“Really? You don’t say.” Sarcasm dripped off that one word. Pulling away roughly she hobbled past him. “Just get me home Jared. I’ll give you the vial and then you can be on your way.”

This time when he grabbed her he swooped her up only to set her right back down on a fallen tree. When she started to move he grabbed her thighs holding her still. “Stop!” Jared’s tone was more concerned than angry.

Trying to peel his hands off her thighs she kicked out almost hitting the sweet spot between his legs. “I’m fine. I just want to go home.” Her teeth chattered, clearly indicating that she was far from fine.

Cursing under his breath Jared ripped his shirt off and pulled it over her head. Grabbing her foot again he started to peel the sock off, but her hiss of pain stopped him. Blood wept through the cotton. Some of the sock was embedded in a few of the cuts. “Why didn’t you tell me dammit?”

“When….between accusing me of things or yelling at me?” Tessa snorted keeping her arms inside his shirt trying to shake the chill off. Jared stood scooping her up. “Put me down. I can walk.”

“Shut up Red.” His words were spoken with affection more than anger as he carried her out of the woods into the clearing.

“You shut up….” She whispered, feeling exhausted and not in the mood to fight anymore.

Jared grinned over her head. It was almost impossible to stay mad at her. No other woman ever stood up to him like this woman and he liked it…a lot.