Chapter 231

Joseph’s POV

“I can’t believe you are actually getting married!” Anna cooed as she wrapped her arms around me.

Bernard patted me on the back with an admiring grin on his face.

“So, what does that mean for you? Are you moving here full-time with her?” Bernard asked, narrowing his eyes at me. “We could use you here full time. This place is a mess without you.”

I knew that was his main concern, having Tessa live here and not be a blood slave. There would definitely be challenges, but as long as we were together, I knew I could keep her safe. I refused to let what happened with Ryan happen again with her. Our lifestyle wasn’t going to be easy, but I was willing to make it work regardless of what it took.

But I shook my head.

“No, actually she got a job offer in New York City. Part of why I came here was to talk to you about it,” I told them.

Anna gasped at the news and Bernard’s face fell.

“You are moving to New York?” Bernard asked, his tone going flat. “Full time?”

“It’s only an hour's drive to here. I can commute, if need be,” I assured him. “I’ll make it work. I’m not abandoning you guys. I was thinking of coming here a certain number of days a week.”

“Really? Like, split your time between here and New York?” Anna asked, wide-eyed. “Would Tessa be okay with that?”

“I don’t see why not. She doesn’t want me to abandon you guys either. In fact, she will probably be coming here with me a lot. She adores you guys, and she adores this village. Even if not everybody here adores her,” I admitted.

Bernard nodded, looking relieved.

“Well, I’m happy for you,” he said in return. “As long as we still get you as well, you have my blessing.”

He gave me a pat on the back and Anna gave me another hug. In the typical Anna fashion, she wanted to have a celebratory dinner and she invited both Nathan and Carter along with a few close friends from around the village.

We talked and ate, and I was able to announce my engagement. I felt a little bad that Tessa wasn’t there with me when I announced the news, but I’m sure she will understand.

By sunrise, I was exhausted, and I couldn’t keep my eyes open any longer. I knew it was too early for Tessa to be awake, so I made a mental note to call her in the evening when I woke up. I slept solidly all day and by the time the sun was setting, I was wide awake and ready to conquer the day.

I couldn’t wait to hear Tessa’s voice.

But when I called her, her phone went straight to voicemail. My stomach tightened when I called her again. Same thing.

What the hell?

Why was her phone off?

That nasty gut feeling I felt all week slammed into me and somehow, I knew something was wrong.

Calm down, Joseph, it could be nothing. Maybe she was out, and her phone died.

Even as I said those words in my mind, I knew it didn’t feel right. I shook the thought out of my mind and focused on my work for the day. I busied myself around the village, helping in every possible way that I could, but my mind kept flashing back to Tessa and the worry that consumed me.

By the time morning fell, I decided to call her again.

When I got her voicemail immediately, my heart plummeted into my stomach, and I thought I was about to get sick.

I knew I wasn’t going to be able to stay there any longer knowing that something could potentially be wrong. I wasn’t going to be able to calm myself unless I knew for certain that she was going to be okay.

I have texted her numerous times yesterday and today, but still no response. Not that I was expecting a response considering her phone has been since yesterday.

As evening neared and I wasn’t able to get any sleep, I knew I had to get back to the city. I told Bernard and Anna that I was leaving early, and I explained to them that I thought something was wrong with Tessa.

They didn’t argue or make me feel bad about leaving. I quickly packed up my car and I was on the road within the hour.

I took out my phone once I got on the road and decided to text Tessa one last time.

Me: I’m worried, Tess. I’m heading home now. Please tell me you’re okay…

I managed to get to Tessa’s apartment before the sun fully rose and I wasted no time getting inside. I was thankful she gave me a key to her apartment because something was telling me I was going to need it.

I rushed into her apartment. Her scent was lingering, but it was faint. I knew before going into her bedroom that Tessa wasn’t there, and she hadn’t been for a while. At least since yesterday.

A nervous knot formed in the pit of my stomach as I searched around her apartment. I honestly wasn’t sure what I was going to find based on the fact that she wasn’t even there to begin with. But I was hoping I would get some kind of clue as to where she had taken off.

But there was nothing.

I decided to call her again knowing that it was pointless. Her phone was off; it didn’t matter how many times I called her, she wasn’t going to see it and she wasn’t going to answer.

“This is Tessa, please leave a message and I’ll get back to you,” her voicemail box said leaving me feeling hollow inside.

“Hey, Tess. I’m worried. Where are you?” I asked into the voicemail just before hanging up and pacing back and forth.

I ran my fingers through my hair, trying to calm my rapid heartbeat.

Another thought surfaced in my mind, and I scrolled through my contacts until I reached Ruby’s name.

I pressed the call button and put my phone on my cheek.

After the 6(th) ring, Ruby’s groggy voice sounded on the other end. I knew I was early, and I felt bad for waking her, but this was too important.

“Hello?” Ruby said, sleepily.

“Hey, sorry to bother you, it’s Joseph,” I said trying not to sound panicked.

“Professor?” She asked, seemingly confused.

“I’m not a professor anymore,” I reminded her.

“Oh, right… sorry,” she murmured. “Is everything okay?”

“I don’t really know. You don’t happen to know where Tessa is… do you?” I asked. “Her phone has been off since yesterday and I’m worried.”

“Her phone’s off?” She asked, sounding a bit more awake now. “That’s odd…”

“So, you haven’t seen her?” I asked, I physically felt my heart crack in half.

“No, I haven’t. Not since the party,” she admitted. “She told me she was going to her father’s house to tell him about your engagement in person. I told her to be careful…”

Panic rose in me like bile.

“She went to her father’s farm?” I asked, suddenly unable to breathe. She hadn’t told me she was going to her father’s farm. If she had mentioned it, I would have told her that I didn’t want her going alone.

“Yes,” Ruby confirmed. “I wasn’t sure if it was a good idea either. But she kept saying he’s her father and he would never hurt her.”

“When did she leave?” I was trying hard not to raise my voice, but my emotions were getting the best of me.

“Yesterday morning,” she answered. “Why? Do you think something happened? She texted me when her father picked her up at the train station and she said she was safe. But I haven’t heard from her since. Should I be worried?”

“For right now, no,” I told her, trying to keep myself calm. “I’ll let you know when I hear from her.”

Before she could say anything else, I hung up the phone and instantly called Carter.

“Hey, man. What’s up?” Carter asked.

“I just got back, and Tessa isn’t here. Something’s wrong. She went to see her father and I think something might have happened,” I told him. “I might need some backup. I don’t know yet. I’m going to the farm to assess the situation. If something happened to her—” my voice trailed, not wanting to think about anything bad happening to her.

“I’ll let Bernard know,” Carter said without hesitation. “Don’t worry, dude. I’m sure she’s fine. Just breathe.”

“I can’t lose her,” I said, brushing my fingers through my hair. “If he hurt her…”

My words were cut off as the door of Tessa’s apartment swung open, and I whipped around to face the intruder. It was a man I didn’t recognize; he looked scared though. He was a scrawny man with large glasses and his eyes practically bugging out of his head.

“Joseph?” Carter said on the other end of the line when I abruptly stopped talking. “What’s going on? Are you okay?”

I was seeing fucking red.

Who the hell was this guy and why was he breaking into Tessa’s apartment?

Then I saw the glimmer of silver in his hands and realized it was a gun. I wanted to laugh because normal human guns don’t injure vampires and this guy reeked of human. He lifted the gun just as I gritted my teeth and lunged at him.

I was stopped by the explosion of the gun and then the piercing feeling of the bullet. I gasped and was taken down immediately. I heard the sound go off again and I dropped the phone beside me.

I could hear Carter yelling my name; no doubt hearing the gunshots.

Normal bullets don’t usually cause this much damage or hurt. But as soon as the bullet plunged into my stomach, I knew for certain that these weren’t normal bullets.

Silver.

Pure silver was the only thing that could be used to hurt or even kill vampires. Well, that and fire. We aren’t fireproof.

I gripped my stomach where the bullet was when I lifted my fingers to my eyes, I saw blood.

It was obvious that this guy had never shot anything in his life; he was missing vital organs with each shot he took. His grip was shaky and there was clear fear in his eyes.

I looked up at the guy who gave me a weak and terrified smile before he pointed the gun at me one last time, and then everything went black.