Nikki. There are things in there you wouldn’t understand. Some of it’s dangerous.”
“Like what?”
“Just promise me.”
“Okay, I promise.”
“Thanks. Did you happen to call and check on Brian?” he asked.
“Yeah, I don’t know where he is. He isn’t answering.” Worry clouded my brain again.
“I don’t know where he is either, but I’m sure he’s fine,” he tried to reassure me. “Nikki, I need to make a couple phone calls. If you want, I’ll call you back later.”
“No, I think I’ll try calling Brian again. I’ll see you at school tomorrow.” I said, glad that I had found Adam safe. Now I was ready to put my mind at ease about the other one.
“I’ll be there. Goodnight, Nikki.”
“Goodnight.”
I called Brian’s number two more times, but he never picked up. I looked over at the clock. It was getting late. Maybe he just didn’t feel like talking to anyone. I would take the Wrangler out to his house early in the morning and check on him, I decided. I clicked off my bedroom light, put on my pajamas, and sat down in the chair at the window I propped my elbows up on the windowsill. I listened to the stillness and wondered what had watched us, and if whatever it was, was still out there.
HE HAD BEEN watching the little house on the dirt road when the vehicle drove by. He had come in the hopes of catching a glimpse of the woman and boy who lived there, but the house was dark. No one was there. He still sat there, hidden in the shadows of the forest, hoping that maybe they would come back soon. He had been there for quite awhile when he saw the light blue Jeep roll past him.
He spotted the boy in the passenger side and caught a small glimpse of the girl driving. A fresh wave of anger flooded him and his body covered in a silver mist as the animal pushed his way into his mind.
The Jeep was heading to the house at the end of the road, the one he had been in charge of. The wolf took over his body as he watched it disappear around the curve.
He sat for a moment, playing out different scenarios in his head. If he followed them, he would have to wait until the boy left and hope that he wouldn’t be caught. Not an easy task as he was certain that the boy had noted his presence as they passed him. He had caught the shine of golden eyes that sparkled in the moonlight when he had looked in his direction.
There wouldn’t be any way to reach the girl, he decided, not on this night. Better to try another day when the boy wasn’t around. It would be much easier that way.
The glow of red taillights reappeared for a moment before they turned another curve. They would be at the house soon, and then the boy would be in the forest with him. He sighed, which came out as an aggravated snort through his muzzle.
The silver wolf stood up and turned to run. He would need a bit of a head start. After all, the boy was fast, too—and if there was one person that he didn’t want to confront, it was Adam.
SIX
I WOKE UP the next morning in the chair by the window. It was early. The sun hadn’t quite risen yet, but the sky seemed to be getting lighter.
Dummy, I thought crossly, you could have at least crawled into bed.
I ran down the staircase and grabbed the keys to the Wrangler. I was ready to yell to Mom that I was going to run down and check on Brian, when I realized she wasn’t up yet. I scribbled a note and left it on the table as I ran out the door.
I pulled up in front of Brian’s house. Anita’s car was still gone, but the truck was still in the same spot it had been in the night before. I ran up the steps and pounded on the door. When Brian opened it, still in his pajamas, he looked startled.
“Nikki? What’s wrong?” he asked as he grabbed my hand and pulled me inside.
“Are you feeling better?”
“Yes,” he said, looking at me as if I were insane. “Nikki, what’s wrong? It’s not even six-thirty in the morning. You’re in your pajamas. You don’t even have shoes
“Like what?”
“Just promise me.”
“Okay, I promise.”
“Thanks. Did you happen to call and check on Brian?” he asked.
“Yeah, I don’t know where he is. He isn’t answering.” Worry clouded my brain again.
“I don’t know where he is either, but I’m sure he’s fine,” he tried to reassure me. “Nikki, I need to make a couple phone calls. If you want, I’ll call you back later.”
“No, I think I’ll try calling Brian again. I’ll see you at school tomorrow.” I said, glad that I had found Adam safe. Now I was ready to put my mind at ease about the other one.
“I’ll be there. Goodnight, Nikki.”
“Goodnight.”
I called Brian’s number two more times, but he never picked up. I looked over at the clock. It was getting late. Maybe he just didn’t feel like talking to anyone. I would take the Wrangler out to his house early in the morning and check on him, I decided. I clicked off my bedroom light, put on my pajamas, and sat down in the chair at the window I propped my elbows up on the windowsill. I listened to the stillness and wondered what had watched us, and if whatever it was, was still out there.
HE HAD BEEN watching the little house on the dirt road when the vehicle drove by. He had come in the hopes of catching a glimpse of the woman and boy who lived there, but the house was dark. No one was there. He still sat there, hidden in the shadows of the forest, hoping that maybe they would come back soon. He had been there for quite awhile when he saw the light blue Jeep roll past him.
He spotted the boy in the passenger side and caught a small glimpse of the girl driving. A fresh wave of anger flooded him and his body covered in a silver mist as the animal pushed his way into his mind.
The Jeep was heading to the house at the end of the road, the one he had been in charge of. The wolf took over his body as he watched it disappear around the curve.
He sat for a moment, playing out different scenarios in his head. If he followed them, he would have to wait until the boy left and hope that he wouldn’t be caught. Not an easy task as he was certain that the boy had noted his presence as they passed him. He had caught the shine of golden eyes that sparkled in the moonlight when he had looked in his direction.
There wouldn’t be any way to reach the girl, he decided, not on this night. Better to try another day when the boy wasn’t around. It would be much easier that way.
The glow of red taillights reappeared for a moment before they turned another curve. They would be at the house soon, and then the boy would be in the forest with him. He sighed, which came out as an aggravated snort through his muzzle.
The silver wolf stood up and turned to run. He would need a bit of a head start. After all, the boy was fast, too—and if there was one person that he didn’t want to confront, it was Adam.
SIX
I WOKE UP the next morning in the chair by the window. It was early. The sun hadn’t quite risen yet, but the sky seemed to be getting lighter.
Dummy, I thought crossly, you could have at least crawled into bed.
I ran down the staircase and grabbed the keys to the Wrangler. I was ready to yell to Mom that I was going to run down and check on Brian, when I realized she wasn’t up yet. I scribbled a note and left it on the table as I ran out the door.
I pulled up in front of Brian’s house. Anita’s car was still gone, but the truck was still in the same spot it had been in the night before. I ran up the steps and pounded on the door. When Brian opened it, still in his pajamas, he looked startled.
“Nikki? What’s wrong?” he asked as he grabbed my hand and pulled me inside.
“Are you feeling better?”
“Yes,” he said, looking at me as if I were insane. “Nikki, what’s wrong? It’s not even six-thirty in the morning. You’re in your pajamas. You don’t even have shoes
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