SETH (Book Four)

FORTY-THREE

Seth and I walk up to the residence, and as calm as I try to be, I have the urge to kick down the door and see my daughter.

Before my hand could grasp the doorknob, I heard a screeching scream coming from inside. My heart sank when I listened to it, and lifting my leg, I kicked the door and ran upstairs.

"Poppy!" I cried out, stopping at the top floor to find everyone in the hallway, including Liam and Lilly with little Ramsey. I was surprised Jordan was also here, worried.

"Wow, so how was it?" Ares wiggles his brows at us. "Did you two get freaky?"

"Ares, don't," Seth growls at him. It's good that he warned him because I would like to smack Ares in the face. He may be an MMA fighter, but I've dealt with more prominent men than him. When no one did it, Jordan slapped him on his head.

"Ow!" Ares hiss at her.

"It's not the time to joke, you ass."

"Jo, Ace. Knock it off," Thea warns as she hands her son to Rex, then crosses her arms. "Children are present here."

"Sorry." Jordan and Ares said in unison.

Now that I look at Jordan and her presence here. She is fully dressed and ready for her work at the high school Effie attended. Jordan has been coming here every day for a while now, and I can see how much she wants to spend time with her friends and more time with Ares. I heard about her being one-sided for him. I don't know what is keeping her from confessing?

It's not my business to interfere, but I considered her one of my important friends. I can be a bit worried for her.

"Terry," Effie came to me first, holding Zara. "I know you and Seth wanted some privacy since you been away for a week-"

"What happened?" I asked sternly, cutting her off. I didn't mean to lash out at her. The anger inside was directed toward me for not being there for my daughter.

"We don't know what happened," Claire spoke out, Don by her side, rubbing her arm as little Leo stood in front of her. "The girls and I were preparing breakfast, and I asked Leo to get Poppy to come down. Then we all heard a scream. Leo came down, looking pale, had asked us for help, and now, Poppy won't speak to us and lock herself in the room."

I slowly walk toward Seth's room and place my ear on the door. I can hear muffles and sobs on the other side, and listening to my daughter in sorrow breaks my heart.

Lift my hand and softly knock on the door. "Poppy? Sweetie, mom's here."

"Mom?" I hear her call out to me.

"Yes, I'm here," I pull on a small smile, relieved. "Everyone here is worried that you're not coming out from the room. What's wrong, baby?"

"I...I...I had a nightmare."

"Tell me what happened?"

The sounds of her sniffles and mumble continue. "My nightmare showed me that being with you was all a dream in reality. I...I woke up back in the darkness. Back at the Order."

She paused, and my hands were curled into a fist. "Then what happened." I need to know what kind of nightmare she had. The experience she had when I wasn't at the beginning of her life.

"Mama Eva, she told me to dress up nice because of a party she was hosting. I wore a nice gown and had my hair up neatly tied, and I had makeup on," Poppy's voice starts to stutter again, like before." Then...then at the party the...the guests wore animal masks. The r-room grew dark as a spotlight shone above me a...and Mama Eva had left me in the center. I... s..saw red eyes...around me. T...they were coming close, their h...hands weren't hands at all but c...claws. I-I w...was surrounded. No escape. Then...Then... I... s...saw y...you. I...I cried out f...for you, but my v...voice has n...no sound. You just g...gave me o...one look and l...left me."