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

of me. His hands reached up and grabbed the curtain, yanking them open. Both myself and the tiger jumped and moved away from the window. Hiding in the shadows of the room.

In other words your fairy that was supposed to protect you will be punished for not saying why he was protecting you. And as for getting me to protect you, only you can summon me to come. Only you, Ulrey doesn't know that.

Understanding immediately Sierra gave Caedman a quick nod and returned her attention to Ulrey.

"A seeker is one that can see and open the doors to different realms. The others have been waiting just as long as we have for another seeker to be born. Their interests are to take over these different realms so they can be the almighty gods." He took a deep breath then turned to face me. A low growl come from the tiger, warning me of danger. At least that's what I took it as. "The window I see in front of me is tall and full glass. The window you see, is a door. If you touch it, it will open for you and anyone else in the room with you. You can travel from this realm to the next by these doors." The tiger growled louder now, making her cover her ears.

What she had heard from Caedman was not a growl at all but words. Tell her everything, Ulrey. Now!

"Alright Caedman, enough. Sierra there's one thing that your tiger wants me to tell you. It's important to know this," she could see by the pain on his face that whatever it was, wasn't good. "You'll be taken away from here to live some place else. Some place where no one knows who you are. You won't be able to see your family or friends again. Being a seeker is a great gift but also a curse. I'm sorry Sierra." The tears were forming around the rims of her eyes. Wrapping her mind around what he'd just said. She felt herself falling, not caring about hitting the ground. Nothing would hurt worse than knowing she will never see anyone she loved again.

"But you asked for my help to find Travis." She whispered with her hands cradling her face. Caedman didn't say anything just nudged her hands but she didn't release her hold. "I can't do this." Sierra cried.

"We will find him and take care of him." She figured he tried to reach out to her but the tiger stood in front and growled. She felt the movement of him as his fur brushed against her hands.

Do not trust these fairies. They are not what they appear to be.

His voice was stern and almost threatening now but still she couldn't look up at him.

"Caedman, I'm not going to hurt her." This time she heard the growling as well. "Fine. Sierra, you have no choice, you've been chosen by God to do this. You can run and hide but your still what you are." Ulrey sighed, did an about face and left the room.

Caedman curled up on the ground and never left her side. "I can't do this to them. I can't just disappear without a word. It's not like me at all. And Travis, I can't not see him again." She spoke through her pain. Brushing her hand up and down his fur. The sounds coming from his throat sounded like purring. She was pouring her heart out to him and crying, and he didn't deserve any of it. "I'm sorry Caedman." Sierra put her head on his chest and closed her eyes.

She woke to find herself not on the floor at all but on the soft comfortable bed. Sometime during her slumber, she was moved. But by whom? That she doesn't have an answer to. Sitting up and swinging her legs over the edge, that's when the pain truly hit her. Not from the injuries she has sustained but from her heart. Tears fell silently down her face.

Please don't cry my dear.

The thoughts of the tiger's entered her mind. But she couldn't shake off the feeling of losing everything.

"I can't sit by and let them hurt Travis." Whispering these words, she felt her heart break.

You love this fairy, don't you. Then you should know that he's changed sides. He's partnered up with Richard. You can't change him once he's switched sides.

"I do love him with all my heart. I can't sit by and do nothing. I have to get him back." Sierra looked into the tigers eyes. Searching for a way to what she wanted.

If you believe you can change him then we mustn't waste anymore time sitting around. We need to leave now. Stay here and let me seek out our best route out of here.

"Thank you Caedman." She stood, taking one step and hugged the giant tiger. Wrapping her arms as far as they would go around his neck. Lets just say they don't go to far. With the tiger's mouth right next to her ear, she could hear his breathing. Long slow breaths. A calming feeling enveloped her. With the sense of calm all around her, she stepped back and let the tiger go. He stepped out the door and disappeared.

Turning around in circles, she too was looking for a way out. Remembering Ulrey had opened the curtains last night and explained about the window she saw. That would be a way out but would it be wise to use it. What would be on the other side? That was the question that terrified her. Not knowing what she would encounter on the other side.

She started pacing the floor around her room and finally finding herself sitting. Starring at the ground trying to formulate a plan where she could get Travis out safely and make him see reason. And also try not to get herself killed in the process.

My dear, we have to leave now. There is no one around and it's making me nervous not seeing anyone. But time is of the essence. Stay by me and don't no matter what you hear or see leave my side.

Not quite understanding, she nodded anyway.

She walked along the wall with it on one side of her and the tiger on the other. Completely boxed in and safe. She guesses. With every thought running through her head now as to what she is going to do when the time comes. How am she going to convince Travis that she love him but can't be with him? Instantly feeling the pain of thinking this way, she locked it up inside and concentrated on the task at hand.

The hallway seemed to stretch on for miles and still there wasn't a soul in sight. Ha ha. Do fairies even have souls? That's one thing she's going to have to ask but later. It's amazing how everything seems to have humor in it when your risking your life. She suppressed a giggle, holding her breath so it wouldn't escape.

The first doorway they came to, she glanced into. Taking a second glance, she saw something that couldn't be really there. Her mother was sitting on the edge of the bed, laughing. Sierra stopped in her tracks and starred. This couldn't be real.

Caedman noticed her stop and nudged her to keep moving. Tears formed around her rims and she had to mentally shake the image out of her head. Keeping her head low as they continued walking. The next doorway they come to, she didn't look in. Afraid to see yet another member of her deceased family sitting there doing something they'd normally be doing if they were alive.

"Sierra, come and give me a hug." Her father's voice rang out from behind her. Turning around at this, she stood frozen. Looking into the face of her father and seeing him smiling, holding his hands out and waiting for her embrace. This all took her breath away.

She had wished for this day forever. Wanting to run into his arms and hold him tight but she couldn't move. Don't fall for the fairies tricks, my dear.

The moment she turned back around and glanced over her shoulder, her father had disappeared. Ending up closing her eyes, she couldn't face her fears. These tricks were unfair and cruel. Why would they do this to her? If she is that important to them then why? Taking a deep breath, she pushed herself forward again and didn't look or listen to anything again. No matter how much it hurt her, she needed to focus on the task at hand.

Finally they came to a door at the end of the hallway. It was slightly ajar and the tiger peeked around to see. Nodding, she followed him out and into the forest that lined the building. There were screams and cries coming from the building she has just left and to be honest she felt ashamed. But she couldn't turn back around, her legs just wouldn't let her.

The minute she stepped outside, she knew she was somewhere new. Maybe a different realm. But god was it beautiful. Looking up and basking her face in the rays, she saw a sight she had never seen before. There were two sun's shinning. One was a deep shade of red, right overhead and shinning the brightest but the other one was just as big and blue. Hm...a blue sun. Interesting. Turning around in circles to get a better perspective of where she was and noticing that the building we'd just come out of was no longer there.

"Did we just go through a doorway?" Sierra questioned. She know it was a stupid question and all but still, she had to ask.

"You are now in my world, my dear." The sound of his voice had her confused. She thought she could only hear him in her head, in her thoughts. But no standing in front of me was a man, she didn't recognize. He was very handsome and huge. His hair was long and black, coming down to the middle of his back. His eyes, the deepest brown were the most beautiful eyes she had ever seen. She couldn't take her eyes off him but at the same time felt foolish. The foolish part was because as he stood in front of her he was naked. Her eyes wondered up and down, stopping in a few places a little longer than necessary.

He smiled when she finally looked up at his face again. Smiling herself and feeling the need to say something. But what? That was the real question. "Um...Caedman."

"Yes my dear." Oh him calling her that was making her heart do flips. Think Sierra, think.