Shadow-Land - Heather Parsons (bill gates book recommendations TXT) 📗

air and cutting in. The blood dipped off freely as she watched in horror. Suddenly there were hands around her waist pulling her back. And for the love of god, she couldn't look away from his face. What was wrong with him? Who was he? These questions came and left just as quickly, leaving a hole where her heart had once been. Tears streamed down her cheeks while she was being pulled away.

Once Sierra felt the cool air on her neck, she knew she was outside. Not looking at anyone or anything but the door she had come out of. Hearing what sounded like a loud angry growl came from inside then several people screamed. The door she was starring at was now being pushed open and crowds of people rushing out. Pushing and tripping over each other to get out. The screaming only got louder as the door stood open.

Whomever was holding her lost their grip and she found herself walking back inside. Like something or someone was pulling back. Her legs moved on their own without a thought being processed to tell them to do that. She pushed and fought her way back to the dance floor. She wanted to see what was happening. Sierra needed to see Travis but all she found once she got back were the two people she didn't want to. Looking all over, she tried searching for him.

"Sierra, listen to me. Travis is safe. We won't harm him but you have to do something for me to insure that." Richard paused to see her reaction. Sierra nodded, scared to death to what that might be but also reminding herself it was for Travis. "You have to come with me and you have to come now." He reached his hand out to her. Sierra should have known better as her hand touched his. His grip was a lot tighter than Travis' and different. The touch of his skin always creeped her out, it was colder than most and he always looked so pale.

"I'll go with you but I want to see Travis first." This demand wasn't as strong as she would have liked it but still she said it anyway. Looking up from the ground to meet his icy cold stare and also seeing him smile. That smile alone told her he was getting what he wanted most and that was her. Sierra hated him even more now.

"Right this way, darling." He lead the way out the back door with her trailing closely behind and Janice following. Sierra didn't look at her because of fear. She'd always been the mastermind behind whatever Richard did.

Sierra shivered when they walked over to a van parked in the alley way. The rear door was open and inside laid Travis, bound up and very still. Sierra risked moving closer to him just to see if he was still breathing. "Nope, this is as close as you get." Janice reached out and grabbed my shoulder, stopping me dead in my tracks. "Now you've seen him, move away." Her voice was harsh and she pulled Sierra back. Sierra tripped over something, maybe her own feet and fell on the hard concrete. When Sierra starred down at what she tripped over, she gasped. It was a body of one of the security men - the same one she saw earlier at the front door - bleeding profusely from a head wound and several other wounds. "Your boyfriend did that." She laughed and then sighed. Starring up at her, Sierra saw her looking at Travis. The longing in her eyes for him was so clear and defiant. She wanted to scream and tell her he was mine, that she couldn't have him. But the fall she had just taken had all the air in her lungs escape.

Once she was back on her feet and still starring in Janice's direction, she tried taking a deep breath before saying anything. "Why did you do it?" My voice was strong this time and that itself shocked her. She did manage to look away while saying this and her eyes caught movement in the back of the van. Travis was coming too. Watching she saw him pull himself up into a sitting position and stare at her. The look terrified her, it was like he didn't know who she was.

"Lets go my darling. There are many things we need to talk about." Richard reached out for her hand again, grabbing it tightly and bringing it up to his lips. She watched Travis' face to see what reaction he'd have to Richard touching her but there was no reaction at all. He didn't even look like he cared. So she was on her own and damn it, she was not going to let him forget this.

"Let's get one thing straight, right here and now!! I'm not your darling and if you ever touch me again!! I swear, I'll kill you myself!!" Sierra screamed right in his face, meaning every word of it. Pulling her hand away from his and standing back. The look on all their faces was nothing but humor. Laughing at her, even Travis. And that hurt worse than anything else. What was wrong with him? Why wasn't he helping her?

She took one more step back. Fatal mistake. Stupid, stupid, stupid. Suddenly there was a sharp pain emanating from her head. Feeling the blood streaming down her neck and losing her vision. She crumbled to the ground, the hard, wet concrete was the last thing she remembered.

A day later.....

SIERRA woke in a soft white bed. Opening her eyes she took in her surroundings. The room she was in looked very familiar and the more she looked, the more she realized why. This was her old room in her parents house. The smell of roses and lavender hit her nose first, then the smell of death. She wanted to scream as loud as she could but honestly what good would it do. No one would be able to hear her and the one person she wanted to hear her, didn't care. Remembering the events that took place that brought her here, made her cry. How could she be so dumb as to believe Travis would ever love her?

Just thinking about him made her scream and she did as loud as she could. The screaming only made her head hurt that much more but it didn't stop her. She sat up, curled herself up and placed her head on her knees. Sierra thought of everyone she was going to miss - of course omitting one - praying to live to see another day. Also she thought of her parents and Simon, they didn't deserve what happened to them. As much as she disliked her brother, she still wish he was here. Maybe he would help her.

As she was deep in thought the door to her room opened and in walked Richard. Cringing and pulling the blanket around her, she watched his every move. He shut the door behind him and to her it looked like he'd locked it as well. The chances of him turning around and walking out without doing something to her were slim.

"I'm so sorry Sierra. Janice really shouldn't have hit you. How's your head?" He took steps closer and she pushed herself further away. "All I'm going to do is check your head." His hands reached down closer to her head and she swatted them away. "Sierra we can do this the easy way or the hard way. Your choice." He growled at her.

"My choice, huh. When have you ever given me a choice?" Sierra growled right back. Knowing it won't get her anywhere but still. "Don't touch me!" She jumped off the bed while he took steps closer to the door. She knew she wouldn't be able to get out that way anyway so she didn't even try. The window looked like a good enough distance and she had never jumped or even thought about it before. So she wasn't sure if she did survive now. Sierra reached out for the handle of the window sill and opened it. The cold air hit her back making her shiver. Turning her back on him, she started climbing out the window.

"Sierra don't!" He screamed and just before she have both feet on the window sill, he pulled her back in. Landing on top of him was bad enough but having his arms around her waist was painful. "Are you trying to kill yourself?" He was angry and she was in tears.

"It would be better than being here with you." What she really wanted to say was because Travis doesn't love her anymore and she had given herself to him then yes she do.

"Well that's just wonderful. I save you from your boyfriend last night and this is the thanks I get. I should have just let him eat you." Richard said. What the hell? Eat me? He released his arms from around her waist and she sat up. What he'd just said made no sense. What am she to believe that Travis is an animal - she meant - a real animal? Shaking her head not believing a word he was saying.

"If you want to go back to him be my guest. I won't stop him next time." He sat up then pulled himself to stand up over her. His hand reached down and took hold of her arm, pulling her up. Still in a daze, she couldn't stop him from touching me. "Come sit." He pulled her over to the bed when she didn't move myself. Looking straight ahead and trying to focus on his next words. Honestly she don't know how many actually took place or not but she did try. "The last time I saw Travis, he was running away from your house. So think about for a minute. Who do you think killed them? And Simon knew about him too, so again I ask you. Who do you think killed him? Everyone that has known anything about Travis has been killed. I'm trying to prevent it from happening to you." He sighed, taking in a deep breath and letting his words sink into her brain.

"Your wrong." Sierra whispered, he has to be. Doesn't he? Travis would never do anything like this to her. He loves me or at least he says he does.

"Believe what you want." He picked himself up and left. This time she didn't watch him leave. Sitting on the edge of the bed, she felt her world crashing down on her.

Sierra too picked herself up off the bed and walked to the door. It was unlocked and slightly opened. Stepping outside it, she looked down the hall and saw the