Inheritance (The Dark Gifts) (33 page)

“You’re the only thing out here trying to get me alone in the woods.”

“Ahhh, well, I’m just trying to help you.  To keep you safe.”

“Sure you are, and I am the Queen of Sheba.”

Just outside the glow of the fire a figure appeared.  Still half in shadow, it moved meticulously around the outskirts of the camp. 
“I find it odd for you to be here all by yourself.  What are the four of you playing at?”

“Look buddy, you’re the only one playing games here.  How many countries have you followed me across?  How long have you stalked me?”  Sarah watched his face as he moved into the lighted area.  The dancing flames cast odd shadows over his face, but his eyes glowed with a strange luminescence.  Almost hypnotic in their appeal, she lowered her gaze to his mouth.  Brogan had already warned her about glamouring, and she wasn’t about to be taken in.

His actual voice was just as seductive and alluring as the voice projected into her mind.  Stopping by the fire, directly across from her, he persuaded, “Come closer.  I won’t hurt you.  You have my word.”

Sarah licked her lips and took a deep breath, wondering if this sensation was similar to what her pack felt when she gave an order they didn’t want to obey.  Remaining seated, she crossed her legs, and folded her arms across her chest.  “I think I’m close enough, thank you.  What are you doing here?”

His lips slid open, revealing a perfect white smile.  Handsome was hardly the word for the man.  Even gorgeous was an understatement.  His short blond hair surrounded his head like a halo, and even through the jeans and button down shirt he wore, she could see bulging muscles.  “We’d be quite a team you and I.  Together, we could have almost anything our hearts desire.  What is it you desire?”

A vision of Shad smiling down at her immediately entered her mind.

“Ahhh.  So that’s it.  Just a boy?  Surely you can do better than a boy.  But you’re young yet.  You have much to learn.”

Realizing that her fingers had begun nervously tapping against her arm, she quieted her body and continued staring at the man.

“Still so nervous?”  He asked looking around.  “Where are the others?”

“Wouldn’t you be nervous if you were alone with a vicious killer?”

He laughed before once again peering into her eyes.  “But I am.  You are certainly a match for anything I could do.”

This was it.  Exactly what she’d been waiting for.  Uncrossing her legs and arms, she leaned forward and nearly hissed, “Oh I probably am.  That’s why you’re still over there.  It would take me less time to change and rip out your throat, than it would you to get to me.”

She watched his eyes dart back and forth around the circle, waited for his mask of friendliness to dissolve, and as his body became a blur, called to her brother.  Before he could reach her, two snarling wolves and the old man appeared through a mist in front of her.  Fire, burning blue and bright, leapt high around campsite.  He had nowhere to go.

Backing away, he moved as far as the diameter of the fire rimmed circle would allow.  “You’re smarter than I gave you credit for, old man.”

“That’s ‘cause you don’t know who I am.”

“Who are you?”

“None of your business.  We’re the ones gonna do the questioning here.  Who are you, and what do you want with my pupils?”

The vampire crouched.  Crimson lips pulled back revealing long white fangs.  “You have no power over me,” he hissed as he eyed the two wolves.

“Maybe not, and maybe so.  You keep eying them youngsters.  You might be able to take the other one, he’s a bit scrawny.  But this big ole boy here?  Well, that’s a fight I’d pay money to see.  You ain’t got a chance and you knows it.”  Without taking his eyes from the snarling vampire, Brogan said over his shoulder, “Now, Sarah.”

Sarah dug her fingers into her knees as she forced her mind into the vampire’s.  Pushing hard, she shoved against the barriers he threw up to drive her out.  Once through, visions flashed one after the other.  He was twenty-three, two hundred years ago.  After his turning, he gladly returned to his home and wiped out his entire family, even his younger siblings.  So many human faces suffering in attack after attack, and each one he reveled in.  Dealings with other vampires, death, destruction, annihilation followed wherever he roamed.  Evil incarnate. 

She finally touched on more recent memories and thoughts.  He first saw her in Toronto, and had been following ever since.  His intent had been to capture her and take her to another higher-ranking vampire.   A deep underground fortress full of tunnels, a group of people cloaked in black, unadulterated hate for another good-looking dark haired man, and then, unbelievably…her best friend.  One of the main reasons she joined Brogan’s cause.  Liz.

Recoiling from his mind, Sarah gasped for air.  Dizzy from the shock, she tried to gain control before she fainted. 

“
That’s not possible,
” Jason protested.

Over his shoulder, Brogan asked, “Did you find out what we needed to know?”

Still trying to regain composure, she answered, “No.  I don't--I think so.”

Brogans voice steadied her.  “Sarah, yes or no?”

“No.”

“Then get back in there and find out what's going on.”

Once again, she grasped her knees, and through sheer force of will, reentered the vampire's mind.  Latching onto the previous image of Liz, she followed her through a secession of his memories, until his last memory was of a truly terrifying, scraggly haired vampire ordering a large group of vampires to find Liz, and kill her.  Releasing her hold on his mind, she covered her face with her hands.

“Done?” Brogan asked.

“Yes.”

“Good,” he nodded.  “Jason, kill him.”

Lowering his head, Jason crouched ready to pounce. 

The vampire echoed his movements.

Slowly moving forward, Jason had a direct open path.

Moving to the side, the vampire struggled to keep the campfire between them. 

Without being told, Pete began to move in the other direction.  Both wolves leapt at the same time, bringing the vampire down with a crash.  Pete yelped as a dull thud sounded and he flew through the ring of blue fire.  Jason, heavier and stronger, maintained an iron grip on the vampire’s neck.

“Kill him!”  Brogan yelled.  “Rip his head from his body!”

A sickening crunch filled the air as the head was torn from its body.  All around them, the blue flames began to extinguish.  Sarah ran to where Pete lay, wounded but breathing.  “Are you okay?  What can I do?”

“I’ll be all right.  I think I broke a couple ribs.  Just let me lay here for a bit.”

Moving slowly, Sarah positioned herself so that he could rest his head in her lap.  Gently running her fingers through his coat, tears slid down her cheeks.

“Well now, that worked out just right.  Jason, take care to not swallow any blood.  Rinse your mouth out.  I’m not sure what vamp blood’ll do to a werewolf.”

Jason tossed the severed head into the fire, before moving to a large bucket of water.  Standing over it, his body shimmered and became human.  He cupped his hands and began rinsing and spitting.  “Ugh!  This tastes disgusting.  You might have warned me about killing him.”

“Consarnit.”  Brogan muttered as a black staff shoved deep in the ground began to pulsate with light.

“What?”  Jason asked.

“Better get changed back, boy.  We got company.”

Ignoring the uneasiness encompassing them, knives drawn and ready, Shad and Ashley sped through the trees toward the sound of snarling wolves.  Whatever they were fighting, it sounded as though they fought for their lives.  Shad winced as he heard a loud yelp, and hoped it wasn’t Sarah. 

Other than the twigs and brush under their feet, the forest had grown quiet.  Reaching out, he touched his sister’s arm motioning for her to slow down and remain quiet.  In the distance they saw the faint glow of firelight.  Silent and ready to attack, they slipped unseen to the edge of the clearing.  Hovered over a five gallon bucket, a naked Jason shimmered and shifted.  Sarah, face covered in fear, sat on the ground well away from the fire, with Pete’s head in her lap.  Along with an old man they’d never seen before, the three watched the trees as if waiting for something.

“Sarah?”  Shad called out.

Sarah jumped, not only at the mention of her name, but from the voice that called to her.  “Shad?” 

“
Ouch
!” Pete exclaimed as his head hit the ground.

Sarah glanced down at her wounded friend.  “Oh shit!  Sorry!”   Not bothering to wait for a reply, she raced to the outskirts of the clearing arriving just as he stepped into it.  Without any thought to who or what else was out there, she bolted into his arms, wrapping her legs around his body.

Immediately his arms encompassed her and he felt her hot tears shower his face and shoulder.  Her body shook as she sobbed in his arms.  “It’s okay, I’m here now.  You shouldn’t have left me.  Did you think I’d let you go off alone?”  He whispered, still holding her close against his body.

“I-I…how
?”  She stuttered.

Jason quickly returned to human form, slid on his boxers, and headed towards them.  Ashley flashed around her brother and ran to meet him.  Although not nearly as theatrical as Sarah’s greeting, theirs was just as tender.  Sliding her arms around his neck she planted a kiss on his chest, then raised her lips to meet his mouth. 

His hungry mouth took her breath away.  Heart thudding heavy in his chest, his raw voice choked, “You shouldn’t be here.”

“Where else would I be?  There’s nothing for me anywhere else.”

Unnoticed, Pete had slipped away and returned fully dressed to stand stoically beside Brogan.  “This is just freaking perfect.”

Brogan placed his hand on Pete’s shoulder, giving him an understanding squeeze.  “It’s how it was supposed to work out, boy.  Fate does what it wants, and hearts have no choice in the matter.”

Even though it pained him to watch, he could not take his eyes from Sarah and Shad.  “Did you know they were coming?”  He asked softly.

“I had a notion they would.  Didn’t know if they’d have the gumption to make it though.  Sure didn’t think they’d get here this soon.  We all have our part to play in this
, son.  Each and every one of us.”  Taking a few steps forward, the old man’s voice boomed above the quiet reunion.  “That’s enough of that.  Ya’ll get in here where it's safe.  You’re mighty close to them trees, and we don’t know what’s out there runnin around tonight.”

Hand in hand, Sarah and Shad joined the others in the confines of the campfire.  Not wanting to let go of her, he offered his hand to the old man.  “Shad Garcia, nice to meet you.”

Brogan shook his hand, saying, “I knows who you are.  Yer a might early, but I’ve been expecting you.”

Jason’s head snapped in his direction.  “What do you mean you’ve been expecting them?”

Eyes twinkling, Brogan answered, “Well, what ya think I had you boys put two tents up for?  The three of you been sharing rooms for weeks.  Had to have one for the girls and one for the boys.  There ain’t gonna be no lollygagging on my watch.  No siree.  You bunch is gonna behave like the nice young people you are, and that’s all there is to it.”

Amazed, they looked questioningly at each other.  Except for Pete.  Dejected and solemn, he took a deep breath and attempted to hide his feelings. 

***

Shana whimpered and cowered in the corner, waiting for another blow from the angry thing in front of her.  He laughed mercilessly at her new demeanor.  “Awe, poor thing.  And just a few minutes ago you had so much to say.  You’re very arrogant, even for a wolf.  Really, you just don’t quite cut it.  Haven’t you heard the rule?  If you are ugly, you must be nice, and it’ll work.  If you’re pretty, you can get away with being a bitch.  However, an ugly woman cannot get away with it.  Someone should have taught you that.”  He laughed and took another swipe at her with his leg.

She heard and felt the impact to her head at the same time.  Hard as she tried to keep it in, another yelp escaped her.  He was enjoying this way too much.  The more pain she showed, the more he seemed to enjoy it.  Having learned her lesson earlier, she remained silent and refrained from begging him to stop.

Tall and lean, the vampire had a haggard appearance.  Stringy blond hair hung to his shoulders.  His hands resembled talons, ending in long yellowed nails sharpened to a point.  Thankfully another vampire entered the room, drawing his attention away from her.

“What is it Brennan?  Can’t you see I’m busy?”

Bowing before him, Brennan answered, “I apologize for the intrusion, Master.  The explosives are in place and we need to evacuate.”

“We have time yet.  Just a few more minutes with the dog, and then I’ll be ready.”

“Yes, Master.  I will relay the message.”  Brennan rose and scurried from the room.

“There you see?  You have kept me from an extremely important task.  See how useless you are?”

Shana shrank as far back in the corner as it would allow.

Moving to her, he knelt on one knee, and lowered his hand to her head.