Shadow-Land by Heather Parsons (best books to read for teens .txt) 📕

he was doing. Or proclaimed to be doing.

Her smile was growing but she shook her head from side to side. Moving her eyes up to where she did see the window and busting up laughing again. When she managed to look up again both curtains were securely closed and Jake was gone.

"This is strange what Jake has told me. Sierra you do not see that window over there?" She heard Ulrey voice and looked up at him. Her face was bright red from laughing so hard and here he was asking her the same thing as Jake did. This time she tried harder not to laugh while Jacob pulled the curtain opened. "Do you see the window Sierra?" His voice seemed smoother now.

"Sorry I don't see what you see." Sierra was doing good so far. Without looking over to where Jake was she would be able to keep a straight face. Knowing that, that wouldn't last long but still she tried at least.

"You're not even looking. Please humor me." He pointed over to the window and she turned to look one last time. Holding her breath to keep from laughing, she simply shook my head no. "Show me where you see the window." Ah no.

She slowly stood up, her sides hurting bad and walked over to the window. She stood on her tip toes and pointed. While keeping her body out of view of this invisible window they were taking about. "The tiny window is just...ha ha ha ha....sorry. Above my fingers. Ha ha ha.." This time I fell to the ground. The position I was in, trying to show them the window without being in the view of anyone else was the beginning of the end for her. Tears streaked down her checks from laughing so hard. She knew it wasn't that funny and for no one else to see it should have sent up red flags. "So what does it mean that I can see it you both of you can't?" Sierra kept her face as straight as possible.

"I don't know Sierra. But rest assure I will find out. Just stay within the walls and out of sight. That means no more opening windows, dear. I'll come back with an answer soon." This time before Ulrey left he waved to her. Strange yes, different most definitely but nice also. She waved back and he disappeared.

"Your gift is very unique and very powerful. Sierra walk with me, will you?" Jake reached his hand out for hers but something didn't feel right. How would he know about her so called gift and the leader and chief Ulrey not? There was something fishy here and her gut is saying to stay where she is. On automatic response, she yawned.

"Maybe some other time. I'm really tired right now." Making her feet lead her to the bed and lying down. She pulled the covers over her and closed her eyes. Within minutes she hear Jake leave or not. Opening her eyes again, she saw him standing over her. With one hand over her mouth and the other restraining her arms.

Sierra tried screaming but it didn't work. Muffled by his huge hand so she tried biting him, this didn't work either. He wasn't going to get her out of here without a fight. She started kicking him, letting her legs and feet reach around and pull him to one side. With his hand slightly off her mouth she screamed as loud as she could. Trying with all her might to get someone's attention then the lights went out.

TWENTY-SIX:

Serenity

THE entire building went pitch black, even the window that had the sun shinning through it was dark now. One minute she could see everything around her and the next, nothing. Sierra knew Jake was still here because she could feel his grip tightening. Squeezing whatever feeling she had left right out of her hands.

Her mouth he had covered with a part of his arm. Putting much more pressure on it than needed. Struggling to free herself, wiggling side to side to breath. His arm covered more than just her mouth, her nose was covered too. With her breaths coming in and out slower now because of this, her head was becoming light as a feather.

Each time she felt herself slipping away, she fought back. The voice in her head was screaming, loud and clear but only she could hear what it said. No this can't end this way. She was not giving up. She knew no matter how many times I'd repeat this nothing would come of it. No one would help her. Hell no one had heard her when she was able to scream so definitely no one would come now. But that didn't silence her mind, begging and screaming for help.

A loud growl sounded from right outside her door. The grip Jacob had on her loosened. Let her go!

Scaring myself she managed to turn her head to the side, hearing that voice loud and clear but all she could see were eyes. Glowing yellow eyes. Sierra should be terrified, everything was telling her, she should be but for some reason, she was not. Feeling comfort from this large animal instead. Listen wisely young fairy, release her and no harm will come to you.

This took her by surprise, even though it was still dark in this room, she didn't see anyone's mouth move. Or anyone speak these words. Looking between Jake and this animal and shaking her head. But as strange as it was she was more scared of Jake and what he wanted with her than anything else. Jake on the other hand started shaking, his entire body. Quickly he released her and backed away. Wise choice.

She tried following him with her eyes but he disappeared in the dark.

She turned her head back to the eyes and saw them coming closer to where she was. Pulling herself up, she turned her entire body towards the stalking creature. She reached her hand out, shaking like a leaf and let the animal come to her, stroking it's head against her hand. It was amazingly soft and very thick.

"Thank you for helping me." She stroked his head over and over. Feeling the fur in between her fingers.

Your quite welcome my dear.

The voice was calm and echoed in her mind.

"May I?" Sierra asked, wanting to feel what kind of animal she was touching. Closing her eyes as she did this to get a better perspective of what he could possibly be. It's not like she could see anyway, so why not. Right? A simply nod of it's head was all the response she needed. Putting both hands on each side of his face and exploring. The ears were big and come to a slight point at the top but had fur all around it. Storing that in her memory, she went on from there. Sierra continued on like this, each time storing it in memory for later. Until her finger nicked something sharp, teeth maybe or a really big tooth. Just feeling this tooth outside of his mouth made her jump back. With everything stored in her memory, the only animal she could come up with was a....

Her eyes shot opened at the gasps she heard from the fairies passing by her room. She looked down at what they were starring at and saw the white tiger. He was magnificent He was sitting in front of her with his head on her lap but she didn't feel the weight of it at all. Such a big cat sitting this close to her should have scared her but instead she felt protected.

"Caedman (pronounced Cay-man) where did you come from?" Ulrey looked down at the tiger and then at her. Shaking his head but also smiling. Her eyes went straight back to looking at the tiger. He lifted his head slightly, starring her in the eye then placed it back down. Whatever that meant, she haven't a clue.

It seemed that the lights come on when Ulrey entered the room. One by one. Blinking at the brightness of them. "Sierra what happened in here and where's Jake?" She shook my head then looked around, noticing items were strewn around the room. Slowly she lifted herself up and off the bed, to walk around. Her legs and arms were soar from the struggle with Jake. Her wrists were bruised and starting to show. Pulling the sleeves of her shirt, she didn't want anyone to see them.

"Jake," Sierra whispered looking around to see where he'd gone. Caedman the tiger, walked along side of her, staying within reach. As if it was an automatic response, she reached down to pat his head every few minutes. A low growl came from deep in his throat each time she touched him.

"Sierra this confuses me. This tiger has only been loyal to one other. And now it seems like he's that way with you as well. That could only mean one thing. Sierra your a seeker." He said that in more of a question than a statement and she watched Ulrey's face as he spoke. Understanding what he was saying was a different story. Seeker. Hmm. "I can see you don't understand so let me explain. Every, well I can't say every because it hasn't been, but three hundred years ago, there was another seeker. We were sent to protect him by God. Romal was a great man, very wise and loyal." Not so loyal.

Sierra took a chance and glanced down. Was she seriously hearing the tiger's thoughts? Shaking her head, she couldn't be, could she? "This tiger standing by your side was his protector." She guess her looking down wasn't seen by him. "When Romal chose greed over doing what was right, he lost everything. Including his life. We haven't had another seeker until now." Ulrey started pacing in front of her. Making her really nervous about what he was going to say next. But when he kept silent, she knew she would be the one to say something.

"What is a seeker? I don't understand what your saying." She sat down on a chair by the tiny window but even thinking about it didn't change the mood she was in. A thought entered her mind and she couldn't stop it before it slipped out her mouth. "What about Travis?"

"He will be sent to protect someone else. This is no longer his responsibility. If I would have known about you before, I would have never sent Logan. You would have always had the tiger with you." He stopped pacing and come to stand in front