Page 16 of Bewitched By the Werewolf
Since there aren’t a lot of visitors in town yet, it’s easy to pick out Tess’s truck and trailer parked in the farthest spot away, nearest to the forest line. Unlike the few other campers here, her trailer isn’t pointed at the lake with lounge chairs and canopies. No, the front of her trailer is facing the forest beyond. There are plenty of open spaces where she could have had better access to the lake or facilities, but she chose to be all the way in the back in the least popular spot. Most people coming here for vacation don’t like that spot because it doesn’t get good sunlight and is the farthest from the sandy part of the beach where others like to swim and play.
I don’t think this female is here on vacation or to view the blood moon like she told Dottie and Donna. There’s just something about everything I’ve heard about her so far that has my hackles up and I just know she’s going to be trouble.
I park in the regular parking lot near the public bathrooms and picnic area, walking through the campground towards her site. It’s a much friendlier and less aggressive approach so I won’t freak her out. I adjust my gun on my hip and my badge on my belt so they’re easily visible.
The area is quiet with the lack of campers, and the crunch of my boots on the fallen leaves is louder than it should be. I circle the back of the trailer and check if I can see or hear anyone inside. There’s no sound coming from within the silver trailer but that doesn’t mean she isn’t in there. Rounding to the front facing the woods there is still no sign of folding chairs, a bar-be-cue or campfire. No canopy or table. It’s as if she rolled up, parked, unhooked and that was it. Highly unusual.
There are no lights on inside that I can see but it’s still light out and the windows are darkly tinted. I knock, loudly, and wait. Nothing. I knock again, same as before. Still no answer.
“Hello? Is anyone in there?”
Silence.
“Tess?” I try, hoping if she hears her name she may come out.
Still nothing. Huh. Where could she be? I look closer around the trailer for any sign she was here. I spot small boot prints in the sandy dirt pointed in the direction of the forest. Maybe she’s one of those hiker types. Doesn’t like lounging around and gets enjoyment out of long hikes in the woods.
Should I wait for her to return, or go after her? I contemplate this for a moment. The polite thing to do would be to wait or return later. However, there’s just something about this female and her unexplained presence in town that has me on alert. I think I want to know what she’s doing out in the forest.
Making sure no one’s around, I lean in towards the trailer and take a long deep inhale trying to find her scent. There’s practically nothing. I have to inhale a few more times but all I get is the tiniest scent of apples. Nothing concrete I can follow. I’ll have to rely on my other senses to track her then. Shouldn’t be too hard. Humans are notoriously loud and clumsy, shouldn’t be too hard to track her.
I turn and inspect the footprints again then set off into the woods in the direction I believe she went. I’m going to find this Tess female now and get rid of this feeling that won’t go away. I just know she has something to do with it, and I’m going to find out why.
Her trail of impressively light footprints leads me directly into the woods. There is barely any disturbance to the foliage on her path, no broken branches or flattened bushes to createa path. As a matter of fact, if I wasn’t looking for it, I probably wouldn’t even see it. Which only makes me that much more suspicious of this female. The average person wouldn’t care if they left a trail. Only someone trying to remain unseen would conceal their presence so well.
She may be good, but I’m better. I can hear soft sounds of fabric rustling against leaves and rubber soled boots scuffing on bark. It sounds like she’s climbing. Maybe she is a shifter. I still can’t smell her, or anything else beyond the scents of the forest. Leaves, grass, moss, water, a little decay from the fallen leaves slowly decomposing on the ground in the moist dirt.
I continue following the slight impressions from her steps and the sounds of movement I’m assuming are her. I don’t immediately see her, which surprises me, but her movements draw my eyes upward to where she sits straddling a large tree branch at least ten feet off the ground. I take a little consolation in the fact she doesn’t immediately spot me either. At least I was being as stealthy as her.
Planting my feet in a wide stance I put my hands on my hips, near my gun and badge, and look up at the female dressed in tight black pants and matching leather jacket. She’s definitely not dressed for hiking. Shockingly vibrant red hair flows over her shoulders and down her back, a striking spot of color in the middle of the green forest. She’s pretty, and obviously capable since she got herself up that tree. But that doesn’t take away the fact she’s a stranger in town and when I get that strange awareness again in the back of my mind, I just know I’ve found the source.
“Whatcha doin up there?” I call out to her. She finally notices me and whips her wild red hair around to look at me.
I expect to see shock, surprise, guilt, or embarrassment at being caught in the tree, but she just smiles at me, not in the least bit concerned with my sudden appearance.
“Hi there. I was just bird watching. Thought I saw a yellow beaked long feathered horn bill. Very rare.” She looks up into the tree and peers around the branches. “I think I scared it off.”
Shrugging, Tess swings one leg over the branch so they’re both on the same side and effortlessly jumps, landing flat on her feet on the forest floor. Her balance is impeccable for a jump from that high, especially for a human. Because that’s what she has to be. Even from this far away I should be able to scent her but when all I smell is old dirt, I know she’s not a shifter. Her scent must just be odd for a human. A very pretty and unnerving human.
Chapter 9: Tess
In my line of work, I tend to attract law officials. It’s part of the job description. Inevitably, wherever I go, our paths cross one way or another. Usually when I’m breaking and entering where I shouldn’t be. Sometimes with them pounding on my trailer door, telling me I need to leave. Considering I was just walking through public woods and not doing anything illegal or suspicious (other than climbing a tree, which in my opinion in a forest isn’t suspicious) I wouldn’t have guessed this would be where the local police would find me. The town map I found in the library with property lines says I’m on public land, so I have every right to be here. I haven’t even done anything warranting attention yet. Unless talking to locals is against the law here. I highly doubt it, but this town is tiny and may very well be a cult, who knows.
I only know the tall, broad-shouldered, dark-haired man standing in front of me with his hands on hips and narrowed eyes focused directly on me, is law enforcement because of the shiny gold badge clipped on his belt. He doesn’t look angry, hasn’t pulled out his cuffs or called me Miss Rowland, so this isn’t official business. Maybe he was just taking a stroll through the woods and spotted me? Unlikely, but a girl can hope.
When he appeared practically out of nowhere, he almost scared the shit out of me, which is hard to do. I have very keen hearing and vision, but I was preoccupied installing the last of my night vision cameras. It’s not technically illegal to mount them in a national forest, but it’s not exactly allowed either. It’s a grey area and that’s where I live.
I spewed out the first lie I could think of that would explain my presence in a tree. Bird watching seemed as believable as anything else. Mister hunky sheriff seems to accept it, so I guess I’m now also an amateur bird watcher on top of eclipse aficionado. Even though the yellow billed long feathered horn bill is an imaginary bird I made up, I’m sure he doesn’t know that. Doesn’t look like they type to go bird watching, looks more like a rodeo kinda guy. Just put a cowboy hat on his head and he’d be one hot farm boy, well man. He is definitely all man.
I act as casual as possible and approach the officer. His face remains flat and unamused. So, he’s one of those types, huh? Guess my usual flirty persona won’t work on this guy.
“Bird watching huh? Didn’t know there were any birds of interest in this forest.”
“Oh sure, they fly right through here on their mating migration. Fascinating animals.”
“And is that what brought you to town? Birds?” He cocks his head, now looking down at me.
He’s a tall man, even for me and I’m not short. Handsome, in that brooding stoic way that makes you want to slap him just to see if it gets a reaction. Square jaw line and messy black hair with eyes a deep shade of grey, that in the shadows look almost black. The day-old scruff on his chin looks like permanent growth and only adds to his looming appearance.
