Page 10 of Prey

Just the words left me in a place I couldn’t ever remember being. My hands gripped her shoulders and I groaned at the frustration I felt. Why wasn’t she saying anything helpful? “Tessa,” I said, shaking her. “Talk to me God dammit.”

“I…can’t,” she whispered. “Hunter…I can’t.” The crying was stopping as something altogether baffling began to happen to her state of mind. Whispering left her mouth and it almost appeared as if she were talking to herself. A crazed laugh came through and she shook her head, shrugging out of my grip as the sobs quickly replaced it.

I reached for my phone, knowing I needed to call the police. She needed an ambulance. Doctors. “You’re in shock. I’m going to get you help. Maybe one of the cops can get you to tell them what happened.”

Her head shook and she used the sleeve of the robe to wipe her nose. “No one can,” she managed. “It’s an amazing trick, really. It makes perfect sense why they’re such a mystery.”

“They?”

Tessa went to speak, only to close her eyes. “Forget it.”

“No. I want to know. Who hurt you? If you were raped, we need to get you help.” My voice had softened and I noticed her mouth had twisted.

“No one raped me, Hunter.”

My head shook and I pointed to the mattress. “Something obviously happened. If you weren’t raped, then you have to be hurt. Are you dressed under the robe? I want to see.”

White came to her knuckles as she grabbed at the collar of the cotton, holding it together tightly. “I’m not hurt. The blood doesn’t belong to me.” Even though I got the impression she was lying, I continued.

“You hurt someone?” The rush of words had her shaking her head. “Fuck, you’re being so difficult. Why can’t you tell me? You were begging that we needed to leave when I arrived and now you want to pretend nothing happened. You were a damn train wreck not even a minute ago.”

Tears overflowed and I threw my hands up, stepping back. My teeth clenched and I forced myself to keep going. “Tell me this. If you won’t reveal this person—”

“Can’t,” she burst out as a sob broke through.

“Okay.” I lowered my head, breathing deeply through the irritation. “If you can’t reveal this person, is it because you’re afraid they will hurt you again?”

Silence.

“Tessa, are you afraid they’ll come back?”

Silence.

Dark hair spun as she went to the closet and threw the doors open. She reached on her tiptoes and pulled out new sheets, laying them on the dresser as she swept through the door and into the restroom. A wet washcloth was in her hand and she leaned over the mattress, beginning to scrub out the stains.

“Go ahead and go to bed, Hunter. I’m getting tired and I’ll be doing the same here shortly. Let’s just forget this ever happened.”

“Forget?” Shock filled my tone and I took a step back. “You were always so strong. I’ve never known anyone to back you into a corner this way. And you have me. Do you think I can’t protect you from this person?

Tessa’s eyes rose to mine and her face grew pale. “No, Hunter. Even you can’t protect me. Goodnight.”

A response. A reaction. Nothing would come as I stared at her in utter astonishment. The surprise didn’t last long. I surged forward, pulling her from the bed and carrying her to my room. The robe flew up past her knees as I tossed her on my mattress.

“I can’t protect you? You don’t think so? I reached under my pillow, pulling out one of my guns. It was habit. Something I’d picked up years ago. It made me feel safe after what I’d been through and seen.

I placed it on the dresser, opening the top drawer and pulling out another. The heavy thud was replaced with another from the second drawer. And then the third. By the time I made it to my closet, I didn’t have to move a thing. A rifle case rested against the bottom wall, courtesy of my mother earlier that day, and case after case of handguns sat along the top.

“Tell me again that I can’t protect you. Say it, Tessa! I’ve killed plenty of times before. I’d do it again in a heartbeat if it meant stopping someone from harming you. That shouldn’t even be a question in your mind.” I sat on the edge of the bed, reaching out to touch her face. “You have to know that.”

As her eyes searched mine, I watched her shut herself off.

“How can you kill something that can’t be…” she trialed off.

“That can’t be what? Killed?”

Her eyes snapped up, but she stayed quiet.

“If that’s the case, then let me think.” As crazy as it sounded, I didn’t dismiss the possible answer. I knew Tessa. She’d been terror-stricken and was still in shock. Whatever she couldn’t speak of affected her more than she could even show. I took a deep breath and stretched out on the bed, pulling her down beside me so I could hold her in my arms. “Everything can die. It’s all about finding the right way to make it happen. Give me time. If there’s something that can be done, no one will try harder to find the solution than me.”

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