Sebastian's hand touched her knee, but she hardly felt it, hardly felt his presence. First the files, then Chelsea and now... the Carters. How could this be happening?
“Sherri Kole just called...” her mom's voice cracked as she paused. Tabitha could hear the tears in her eyes and that just made Tabitha's own tears spill over. “She said it wasn't an accident. The car rammed right into them and whoever the driver had been had run off.”
Tabitha shook her head. This couldn't be happening. Not the Carters. Tabitha pressed a hand over her eyes and nodded. “Alistair,” she whispered.
Silence and then, “No… The Kole’s went out there as soon as they heard and investigated. They’re almost positive it wasn’t Alistair. It’s not his type of MO. He wouldn’t kill them with a car crash. The police are searching for Jonas right now. We can only hope he's still at home. Are you still with Sebastian?”
Tabitha nodded and glanced to Sebastian whose eyes had gone dark. A murderous sort of dark that told her Alistair wouldn't get away with this. “Yeah.”
“You have to find Chelsea and then... and then you need to get home, so we can recuperate and figure out what to do. I have a bad feeling Alistair isn't going to stop with just the Carters.”
When Tabitha didn't answer, her mom's voice became more persistent and urgent. “Tabitha please, promise me you'll do this. The Carters are dead. The Carters. I'm doing what I can, and I know everyone else is too. We can't fight this. Brenda was... I went to high school with Brenda. And middle school. We grew up together. She... Tabitha, she was my best friend.”
Her mom's voice fell, and Tabitha bit her lip, closing her eyes. Her heart hurt so bad. Hurt for Jonas, and for the Carters and for her mom. Tabitha couldn't imagine losing Chelsea. How did someone deal with the pain of losing their best friend? Her mom was in pain. She'd lost another loved one. And it was all Alistair's fault. all his fault for wanting revenge and being selfish. For being a monster.
Tabitha's jaw set, and she gritted her teeth, opening her eyes, the decision made. “I'm sorry Mom. You shouldn't have to deal with this. Sebastian... and I will make this better. I'm going to fix this.”
A pause and then her mom whispered, “Be careful.”
Tabitha nodded and without another word turned her phone off. She set it down on the dashboard and stared at the road ahead. Just a few more minutes until they reached the Berkley house. Chelsea had to be there. She had to be alive. The Carters were dead... she couldn't lose Chelsea too.
“You ready to do this?” Sebastian whispered, his hand still on her knee.
Tabitha took a deep breath and nodded, wiping the tears from her face. There would be time for crying and mourning later. For now, Chelsea needed her help and the Carters needed vengeance.
Mrs. and Mr. Carter wouldn't want Tabitha sitting on her butt crying while not only their son but their entire beloved community of Moirai, everything they loved so much, was in danger. She pushed back tears and closing off her heart. No crying, no remorse. Just action.
“Keep driving. We get Chelsea and then we get Alistair. He can't... he can't be allowed to live after what he did. He killed the Carters. They were my friends Sebastian.”
He nodded as he put the car in drive and hit the gas, speeding across the bridge. If Alistair was out killing the Carters than who had Chelsea?
Sebastian took the bend in the road sharply and drove like a madman up to the run down, yellowing house that overlooked the only swamp in Rosewood full of moss and weeds and old willow trees. He put the car in park and they both got out, Tabitha grabbing her bag of weapons. Setting it on the front of the car, she unzipped it and yanked off her leather jacket. With precise, practiced movements she grabbed her sash of stakes, clipping it over a shoulder, the other end resting on her hip. She clipped her belt of daggers and more stakes around her waist over the sash and grabbed one of the stakes, ready for a fight.
Sebastian opened the trunk and pulled out a few stakes of his own, tucking them into his belt buckle and then pulled out the twin swords of silver along with the harness and sheaths. He shut the trunk with a snap and held them out to her. “You're a natural with these. I want you to have them,” he said.
Tabitha glanced up at his eyes. Those murky eyes that looked just like the green swampy water that the Berkley house overlooked. Then she glanced down at the swords and took them with almost greedy hands. She wanted those swords. She'd wanted them from the moment she saw them at the bottom of the trunk in his backyard. “Thank you,” she murmured, the smallest of smiles on her lips, despite the situation they were in.
He dipped his head and took the sheaths back, turning his finger in the air, indicating for her turn around. She did and let him pull the straps over her shoulders, his hands meeting at her stomach. Tabitha leaned into him, not caring how inappropriate it was for the situation at hand and curled her fingers around his, helping him clip the strap around her waist at her stomach. The swords felt heavy and yet oddly familiar on her back. A comforting weight that meshed well with her sash and belt of stakes. “Ready?” he asked.
Tabitha nodded, pulling the swords free from their sheaths from either shoulder. “I'm not leaving without Chelsea,” she promised.
***
Sebastian took up the front while Tabitha watched his back as he pushed the creaky door open. The inside of Berkley house had been made creepier and more sinister with all the Halloween decorations that had been left up for years at a time. There were black streamers and fake spider webs mixing with real ones. Fake blood slashed across the walls and Tabitha sucked in a breath, withholding a scream when she came face to face with a dummy’s legs. She clutched her chest, remembering how one of the stupid teenage boys from her school had hung him up by his neck right above the stairs for the upcoming Halloween party.
“This is quite the setup you guys have here,” Sebastian whispered.
A small sheepish, almost proud smile raised Tabitha's lips, and she shrugged, gripping her swords. “It's not too bad. The tourists get a kick out of it.”
“I bet they do.”
They fell into silence as Tabitha scanned the bottom floor and Sebastian gestured for her to follow him up the stairs, holding a finger to his lips. He must have heard something. She met his eyes in acknowledgement and followed him up, avoiding all the creaky, weak steps. After a few years of volunteering to help set up the place for Halloween night, she had memorized which part of the steps made noise and which didn't. They crept up the stairs, the eerie silence deafening. Tabitha shivered when her eyes caught sight of more fake blood and cobwebs. A giant plastic spider that looked a little too real in the darkness of the house hung in the corner of the stairs. all the curtains were drawn, blocking out the evening sunlight and making it feel like a Halloween night when vampires and ghosts and werewolves came out to play.
They got to the second floor and Sebastian latched onto her wrist, stopping her. He pointed to down the corridor to the right and then to his ears. He definitely heard something. Then he pointed to the left, indicating her to go that way. Tabitha nodded, and they split up. They both kept silent as they went in opposite directions and Tabitha opened one door after the next, trying to keep them from shrieking or creaking too loudly until she came to the last one. The one where the big hoorah was set up every Halloween. The boys called it the Murder Room and they got more and more imaginative when it came to what to put in there every year.
Scowling Tabitha opened the door slowly and peeked inside. There were remnants of fake blood all over the walls from Halloweens past. Tables and noose's that people had forgotten to take down or put away. The curtains on the windows were torn letting in a few strands of light and in the center of the room was the big black table that was usually full of more fake blood – usually ketchup when they ran out of the store-bought stuff – and a poor helpless plastic torture victim. But today there was no plastic victim. No today a real, flesh and blood girl was tied to the table, sobbing and struggling against her ro
ped bondages.
“Chelsea,” Tabitha breathed. Relief froze her in place and all she could do was stare. And then Chelsea sobbed and craned her neck, her blue eyes meeting Tabitha. “Oh my gosh, Tabitha. Tabitha,” she cried. Her voice kicked Tabitha into gear. She sheathed her swords and rushed over, undoing the ropes around her friend's wrists and ankles. Barely free Chelsea lunged up and pulled Tabitha into a hug, her whole body shaking.
“Some girl grabbed me while I was leaving the house. She's a psycho Tabitha. How did you find me? I was so scared,” she sobbed, it all coming out in a rush.
Tabitha squeezed her tight. She never wanted this for Chelsea. Never wanted her to get involved. “Shhh, it's ok. I'll explain everything once we get out of here. Did she hurt you?” she asked as she pulled away, clutching Chelsea's shoulders.
Chelsea shook her head, and Tabitha helped her get off the table. “I... I don't think I'm ever coming back here.”
Tabitha shook her head, holding her close and helping her out of the room and toward the stairs. “You don't ever have to, I promise.”
They were headed down the stairs when Sebastian shouted her name. Chelsea froze, her eyes wide with pure terror but Tabitha just shook her head and wrapped her friend in another hug. “It's fine. Just Sebastian. He came with to help me find you. Go... go to his car and lock the doors and don't come out no matter what you hear.”
“Wh–what?” Chelsea stammered as Tabitha pulled away from her. She squeezed her friends’ shoulder, already looking over her head at the top of the stairs. “Just go Chelsea, ok? Go.”
She nodded, squeezed Tabitha into a hug one last time and then rushed down the stairs. Tabitha didn't move until she heard the front door slam shut. Then she unsheathed her swords and rushed up to join Sebastian, ready for some revenge. Whoever had taken her friend was going to die tonight. She rushed into the only open door in the right corridor, ready for a fight and came skidding to a stop as she entered the room.
Sebastian stood there in the middle of the room, his sister Emmeline in front of him.
Chapter Thirty-Six
Sebastian couldn’t believe this was happening. Of all the idiot things his sister could have done… Anger bubbled up inside him and he felt the need to ring her neck. No, actually, he felt the need to hunt down Alistair and snap his neck for turning his sister into the wretched, twisted person that now stood in front of him.
“You,” Tabitha accused, pointing a sword of Sebastian’s sister.
Sebastian raised his hand in front of Tabitha. He knew he wouldn’t be able to stop her, but he also couldn’t let her kill his sister either. Emmeline folded her arms and bit her lip. Sebastian could have sworn he saw a flicker of guilt in his little sister’s eyes as she met Tabitha’s gaze. “Tabitha, I’m sorry but this had to be done. Al wanted to send a message. No one is safe. He can get to anyone and everyone you love.”
Tabitha’s lips twisted and her eyes glinted with a murderous rage. She gave Chelsea a shove toward the door. “Get out of here Chelse,” she growled.
“Tabitha…” Chelsea squeaked, her frightened eyes glancing between the three of them.
“Chelsea, I said leave! Run to the car. Now,” Tabitha shouted, shooting a glare at her best friend.
Chelsea flinched at Tabitha’s loud voice but didn’t question her again. She fled from the abandoned house, leaving just the one hunter and two vampires.
The tension in the room was practically palpable. Sebastian’s body tensed, ready to pounce between the two girls when one of them struck. And one of them would strike. Most likely Tabitha. Tabitha pointed her sword at Emmeline once again. “I promised your brother that if I ever saw you again, I would kill you. I always keep my promises,” she growled.
Emmeline’s lips formed a pout, and she put her hands on her hips. “Then come at me. All I hear from Alistair is how big and bad you are. How powerful and important you are. I’m sick of it! I’m sick of his obsession with you. So just come and get it over with. I bet I can take you.”
“Emmeline, please,” Sebastian shouted, stepping between them just as Tabitha lurched forward. He held his hands up and shot a glare at his sister. “You’re making it worse.”
“Stop trying to protect me Seb,” Emmeline snapped, glaring right back at him. “I’m not the innocent little girl you remember. Let me fight my own battles.”
“This is one battle you will lose.”
Her gaze darkened. “You really think so little of me?”
“No, I’m just giving the facts. Tabitha will kill you.”
“You got that right,” Tabitha snarled and took Sebastian by surprise. She shoved him away while Emmeline distracted him and lunged for his sister. Her silver sword swiped through the air and caught Emmeline in the cheek. Emmeline stumbled back with a hiss. Blood welled up and dripped down her cheek as she hit the wall behind her and raised her hand to touch the blood. A murderous rage crossed her face, and she let out a snarl right back.
Emmeline leaped at Tabitha and swatted one of her swords away. Tabitha threw a punch and got Emmeline in the stomach. His little sister was too fast though and recovered quickly. She managed to wrestle Tabitha’s second sword from her hand and the metal clattered to the ground a few feet away from the girls. Tabitha pummeled Emmeline to the ground and suddenly the were wrestling. Sebastian didn’t know what to do. He couldn’t let his little sister hurt Tabitha… But he couldn’t let Tabitha kill Emmeline either. Loyalty between blood and love warred within him.
The only thing that convinced him to act was when Tabitha produced a stake from the back of her belt and had Emmeline pinned to the ground. “This is for my father,” she growled. She plunged the stake at Emmeline and Sebastian acted on instinct. Murderer or not, Emmeline was still his sister. He’d already lost too much of his family and he couldn’t stand to lose the only sibling he had left. Sebastian appeared behind Tabitha and hooked one arm around her waist. He jerked her off his sister and kept her pinned to his chest with both arms wrapped around her. Even when she fought and screamed at him, he kept ahold of her.
Emmeline blurred to her feet several feet away.
“Please Tabitha,” he murmured in her ear loud enough for just her to hear. “Let her go. Give her a warning and let it go. We have more important things to do right now.”
Tabitha didn’t spare him a glance. “Let me go Sebastian! She deserves to die. You’re blinded by your love for her. She’s a lost cause. Let me finish her,” she screamed, grabbing at his arms to try and pry them off her.
Sebastian didn’t budge. His jaw clenched. He should have known better than thinking he could talk Tabitha out of this. While she struggled against him, he met his sister’s wide green eyes. “If you want to live Em, I suggest you leave. Stay and I will let Tabitha go,” he warned.
Hurt crossed her face at his threat but then she disappeared in a blur. Once he was sure she was gone, he slowly unwrapped his arms from Tabitha’s waist. Tabitha jerked away from him and spun around, disgust wrinkling her face. Something like pain flashed in her eyes but was quickly masked by anger. “I can’t believe you did that,” she spat, jabbing a finger at him.
Sebastian ran a hand through his hair. This evening wasn’t going at all how he had planned. They were supposed to be on a date right now. Having dinner and a normal, fun time together. And instead he’d screwed everything up. “Tabitha, I’m sorry, but I can’t let you kill my sister.”
“Why not? She deserves it,” Tabitha snapped, stalking away from him to grab her swords. “She has you so fooled. I can’t believe you would fall for her victim act.”
“She is a victim, though. Alistair has turned her into this person, can’t you see that?” Sebastian shouted right back, gesturing at where Emmeline had been seconds ago.
Tabitha turned on him, both swords now in hand. She was a fierce sight to behold. Any other time he would have wanted to grab her and kiss her senseless but the murderous rage in her eyes sort of killed the mood.
; The pain he had seen earlier reappeared, and she shook her head. “You don’t get it do you? It’s not that. I can understand wanting to defend your sibling no matter what they’ve done. Trust me, Sebastian, I get it! I would do the same for Derrick or my sisters but… it’s the fact that you chose her over me. You sided with her over me… You locked me up. Held me back. Your sister murdered my father, and you still see her as the victim. At some point,” she said, tears shining her eyes, “you stop becoming a victim and start making your own choices and I have a feeling Emmeline has been making her own decisions for a long time.”
Sebastian’s heart ached, seeing tears in her eyes. He’d never seen her cry before… Look so broken and the fact that he had been the one to do that to her hurt more than he could say. Swallowing, he took a step forward, reaching out for her. “Tabitha, I’m sorry,” he whispered.
His fingers skimmed her hand, but Tabitha pulled away. When she met his gaze, there was no admiration or love or excitement in her eyes. Just anger and emptiness and pain. “I don’t want your apology Sebastian. Just drop me and Chelsea off at my place,” she whispered.
“Please…” he murmured even as she shoved past him and headed for the door.
He stood there for several seconds, giving himself a minute to regain his composure. Tabitha was just emotional and that made her unreasonable. She would come to her senses and understand his side of things. He just needed to give her space. Taking a deep breath, he turned and walked out of the haunted house where he found Tabitha standing by the passenger door. Chelsea sat in the back. Tabitha wouldn’t even look at him as he walked around to the driver’s side and they both slid into the front seats of the car.
Sterling Silver: (Sterling Hunter 1) Page 20