“Wow. It’s only been like an hour. News travels fast, doesn’t it?”
Kevin’s lips pulled back in a vicious snarl, but Tabitha was unmoved by his anger. “You have no idea what damage you’ve done to our reputation. The Council’s have been working tirelessly since our exposure to assure the people of the world that we’re not to be feared. And in one single act of stupidity, you’ve undone all of our hard work and efforts. You’ve painted us as monsters!”
“We are monsters. At least, some of us are, right? I mean, last I checked, most of your victims aren’t exactly willing,” she said, surprising me.
Kevin looked taken aback, but Marcel interrupted. “Kevin feeds from the stores saved in this Compound, like all vampires in the area do.”
“Does he?” Tabitha asked innocently. “I’ll bet if you were to drag the lake, you’d find more than one body hidden in the murky depths. Young, beautiful women in the prime of their lives. Most of them look a lot like Holly, don’t they Kevin? I’ve seen their ghosts. I’ve spoken to them about their experiences. None of them died willingly, that’s for sure.”
Kevin snarled and leapt from behind the table, flying over it so quickly he was little more than a blur. He slammed into Tabitha’s chest before she could even react, and he dragged her down to the ground, pinning her below his bulky body. His fangs were buried in her throat before she could scream, angrily tearing at the flesh with his saw-like teeth.
As quickly as the attack started, it was over. Kevin paused mid-bite and pulled away slowly, as if he wasn’t sure he wanted to. When I saw the furious look in his crimson eyes, I realized that he hadn’t stopped of his own accord. Tabitha was using her power to control him, and he was helpless to fight her. She had power over the dead, and he was technically dead. Now he was no more than a puppet in her very capable hands. She could make him do anything she wanted to.
Even kill himself.
Tabitha flicked her wrist lazily, and he straightened until he was standing upright. Another wiggle of her finger and his back cracked as he bent over backwards, balancing on his toes until his hands nearly brushed the ground. I could see the pain in his eyes, and the horror in Marcel and Lisa’s. Kevin let out a noise I had never heard anyone make before—like a cross between a scream and a moan. That sound sent shivers down my spine, and even though I hated this man with every fiber of my being, I still felt uncomfortable watching his suffering.
“Veronica!”
The sound of Marcel’s voice snapped Tabitha out of her power hungry state, and she let her hand fall idly to her side. Kevin collapsed to the tiled floor, where he lay curled up in a ball, gasping for air like someone who had just nearly drowned. His eyes had stopped glowing red and returned to their normal icy blue-gray shade, but the fury in them remained.
“You will hang for this,” he managed to choke out between gasps.
“If I die, I’m taking you with me,” Tabitha hissed. One hand was clenched at her side, and the other was pressed against her neck to stem the flow of blood that dribbled down her throat, harsh red against the paleness of her skin. It had begun to soak into the collar of her shirt, and it clung to her heaving chest. Even though her hand was shaking, her voice was strong and steady. There was no trace of fear in her as she faced Kevin, and at that moment, I finally realized just how powerful and strong my little sister was.
Kevin’s hand was shaking as he wiped blood away from his mouth with the back of it. He looked over his shoulder at the other council members behind him. If he was trying to gauge some kind of reaction from their impassive faces, he was going to be out of luck, because they were giving absolutely nothing away. They were calm and collected, like their co-council member hadn’t just been ousted as a murderer, like no attack on my life had just taken place.
I didn’t understand how they could be so nonchalant about this. Someone had just tried to rip my throat out! Right in front of their eyes! And they weren’t even flinching. They were just staring back impassively from their position above me, and none of them had even made a move to help me. After everything I’ve done for these people…they’re not even going to protect me!
The warm anger that had been simmering in the pit of my stomach burned red hot in an instant. My blood ran cold in my veins as I stared at these people who I thought were at least trying to be on my side. I had never been more wrong about something. They were never on my side, but I had deluded myself into believing they were because thinking of the alternative was just too much. But now I knew…
These people were going to have me killed the second I stopped being useful to them. If they were already planning to have me killed, why would they step in when Kevin tried to do it for them? This way they didn’t have to get their hands dirty, and they would still be rid of their little problems. Kevin and I would both most likely be gone, and they could start over with a more cooperative council member.
And best of all, their precious reputations wouldn’t be ruined in the process. They would get to retain their image of the do-good helpers people thought they were, and nobody would know the truth, that they had nearly let a young girl be killed. They had stood idly by while I had been bitten by a vampire for the second time that day, and I was going to make sure everyone knew it. I would destroy their reputations, and then I would destroy them, just like they had nearly done to me.
Getting a little dark there, aren’t we?
Tabitha’s gleeful voice jolted me back to the Council meeting room. The anger began to ebb from me, slowly at first, until I was back to my normal self. The shame I felt was nothing compared to the fear at the thought of where my mind had just gone. And it wasn’t the first time it had happened either. There had been times in the past where my thoughts had been a little uncharacteristically dark for me, but I had always pushed them to the back of my mind, and they had never come with such frequency before.
Is this because of the hold Tabitha has over me? Is her darkness taking me over from the inside out?
No, she answered. This darkness is all you, Ronnie. It’s always been a part of you, but your eyes have finally been opened, and now you see the way people treat you. You’re finally beginning to see why our father and I turned away from the light a long time ago.
I won’t give in to it, I said, trying to ignore the wobble in my voice. It won’t consume me.
It already is, she whispered. Can you feel it coming for you? If you’re not careful, it’ll swallow you whole.
I refused to give her any more of my attention, instead choosing to focus on the Council members. They were still staring at me, and now that I looked at them without being clouded by my anger, I could tell they weren’t completely apathetic about my pain and suffering. They were merely looking for the best course of action to take regarding the shit heap Kevin had just made for them.
Marcel was trying to remain calm, but he still had a slight frown on his face and his forehead wrinkled with concern. Lisa was much harder for me to read, but her gaze was focused on Kevin instead of me. “Well this is one big mess, isn’t it?” she asked, glancing over at Marcel. “What do we do about this?”
Marcel shifted his eyes away from me. “Kevin, we’ll have to contact the High Council and inform them of this. I’ll be very interested to hear what they have to say about this serious offense. And of course, Ronnie’s claims will have to be investigated as well. If we find any truth to what she’s said here today—which I’m sure we will, judging by your violent reaction—your fate will be left up to the High Council to decide. But even if her claims are false, I can assure you…you will not be coming back.”
Kevin shuddered, and Tabitha instinctively took a step back. The wound in her throat was still bleeding, and even though she was putting on a brave front, I could tell she was still scared of more pain to come. And if it was true that Kevin would be left to the mercy of the High Council, there was no telling what he might do if he was backed into a corner. If he snapped, I would be the first person he went after
. My life would depend on how fast Tabitha could cast her power over Kevin, rendering him a puppet once more.
“Ronnie, we’ll discuss your recent behavior when we reconvene. For now, return to your room, and do not leave this compound again. We’ll send for you when we have this matter straightened out. Hopefully we’ll be able to contain the damage you’ve caused us before it gets any worse. You’re dismissed.”
Without another word, Tabitha turned and fled from the Council meeting room. The doors swung shut behind her, sealing away the madness of the Council meeting, allowing her to breathe deeply and begin to relax. What are you going to do now? You’re confined to the Compound until this all gets sorted out.
You’re only confined if you respect their ruling, and I don’t. All this will do is make me change up my plans a bit, she said as she dug through my pockets. She produced a small, cheap cell phone and began to sift through the short list of contacts I had. I waited breathlessly as I wondered what she could possibly be doing with my phone and the few people I had listed there. When she hovered over Alan’s recent entry, my heart dropped to my stomach.
Tabitha, what are you doing?
Just wait and see…
She hit the call button and held the phone up to her ear. Tabitha, please don’t do this, I begged as the phone began to ring. They have nothing to do with us, just leave them alone! Please. What can you possibly want with them?
I want to make them all suffer, because I know it will make you suffer. And you can watch.
“Hello?”
“Alan, it’s me,” Tabitha said, softening her voice from its usual sharpness.
“Ronnie? Why are you calling? What’s wrong? Has something happened with your sister?”
“Nothing is wrong. I just wanted to let you and Susan know that everything’s been taken care of. My sister is gone for good, and you can all come home now.”
Tabitha, stop!
“That’s great news, Ronnie. I’ll let Susan know, and we’ll be back in town by tomorrow morning.”
“I’m sorry for any trouble I’ve put you guys through. I’m just glad it’s all over now.”
“It’s not your fault, Ronnie. But, how about you com over tomorrow morning and we’ll all have a late breakfast? Jessica would love to see you, and we can talk things out and see what happens next. I’d like for you to come back home. Your room is just the way you left it.”
“Breakfast sounds great,” Tabitha said with a smile. “I’ll see you then.”
“Take care.”
“You, too.” She clicked the end call button. Her grip on the phone tightened until it creaked and her knuckles turned white. That was easier than I thought it would be. Tomorrow I’ll have breakfast with your perfect little family, and I’ll decide what to do then. Maybe I’ll kill them all, or maybe I’ll torture them first. Or, what do you think about me killing them and taking the little girl? I could use her as an insurance policy to make sure you behave.
Tabitha, if you harm any of them in any way…there will be no coming back from it. You’ll officially be a lost cause, just like our father was. You’ll end up in a dark place and you won’t be able to return. Are you prepared to go down that road?
Tabitha chuckled unpleasantly. My life has always been meant for the darkness, and nothing could have ever changed that. I’ve always known this is where my life would end up, with nobody to rely on but myself. This was always the path my life was meant to take.
Tabitha, you sound like a whiny emo kid right now. Those people wallow in their misery and self pity because they think nobody is there to help them. But I’m here for you. Always. If you just let me—really let me in, without the anger and hostility—I know we could fix this. Just give me a chance.
…you just don’t give up, do you?
No, I’m every bit as stubborn as you are.
It doesn’t matter. I already gave you a chance—more than one. You betrayed me and you threw those chances back in my face. I’m not going to waste my time just so you can do it all over again. I don’t think I could take it. She turned and headed down a nearby hall, away from our room.
Tabitha, where are we going?
Shut up and you’ll see.
She took two more turns, leading us to a brightly lit section of the Compound that somehow looked nicer and cleaner than the rest of it. She walked slowly past a row of doors, stopping briefly to peek in through a door here and there. She was obviously looking for one room in particular, but I had no idea what she was up to aside from that. I didn’t even know what part of the Compound this was, but I had a guess that whatever she was looking for was very important.
Tabitha, it’s getting late. It’s dinner time, and everyone is probably wondering where we are.
You think so? The only people who care about you are a little busy right now. Tanya and Holly are still in the infirmary, Finn’s locked up at the moment, and Ezra’s pissed off at you for being a rude little bitch, she said gleefully. None of your friends will be missing you any time soon.
She stopped in front of the second to last door on the left hand side of the hall. There were black words on the door that I couldn’t understand, but Tabitha seemed to know exactly what they were. She tried the handle, and when it turned easily in her hand, she shook her head lightly and entered a dimly lit room. She closed the door behind her and waited for a breathless minute to make sure nobody had followed her or seen her go in.
When she turned, I saw the strangest room I had ever been in—even stranger than the morgue!
A small bed was pushed up against the far wall, and an ordinary pine dresser was beside it. A table in the corner nearest to the door had chemistry equipment scattered across its surface, ranging from beakers to test tubes, microscopes, and scientific instruments I didn’t have names for. Some of the vials held strangely colored liquids, some of which smoked while others bubbled.
A shelf that took up the entire wall on our other side was filled with strange oddities, all of which made me uncomfortable just to look at. There were jars of what appeared to be eyeballs, aquariums with all different kinds of brightly colored lizards and frogs, and even what looked like a pair of crumpled fairy wings hanging off the end of the highest shelf.
“This is Lisa’s personal room,” Tabitha said quietly. “That’s why this area is so much nicer than all the other ones, because the Council members stay here. Along with people like your precious Annie. They get much nicer living arrangements because they think they’re better than we are. They don’t know how wrong they are.”
Annie doesn’t stay in a place like this. Her room is down the hall from mine. She’s way more humble and down to earth than the members of the Council. And I don’t appreciate you mocking her every time you mention her. She’s a wonderful teacher and she’s done so much for me.
Tabitha snorted, and that was when it clicked.
You’re jealous of her, I thought. I can’t believe it. You’re jealous of her.
I am not!
Yes, you are. That’s why you always put her down like that. Why would you be jealous of Annie? She’s as much a prisoner here as I am, and I know you don’t envy me for that. She’s not any more well liked around here than you or I. What could she possibly have that you would want?
She has you…
Before I could say anything, she moved over to the table in the far corner and began to examine the contents of the beakers and vials while pointedly ignoring me. Her fingers gently glossed over a beaker of dark red liquid that bubbled dangerously, before skipping over a vial of light greenish blue liquid that emitted a cloud of black smoke that smelled faintly of cooked cabbages. She wrinkled her nose, and smiled as she came to the last vial on the table. It was the orange liquid that Lisa had shown us earlier—the liquid specifically designed to stop a werewolf in its tracks.
Tabitha, what are you going to do with that? Finn’s locked up and they’re not going to let you see him, no matter who you try to bribe or trick. You’re wast
ing your time.
She laughed sharply, surprising me. You really think he won’t break out to come see you the second he finds out about the Mayor? He’s probably already knocked out whatever guards have been assigned to him, and he’s probably waiting for you in your room. And I’ll be ready for him whenever he shows up. Then the fun can begin, and you’ll get a front seat to the whole thing.
Tabitha—
She shushed me and slid open a drawer on the underside of the table. A handful of metal syringes clanged around, and she plucked one from the front. The vial in her hand had a strange, plastic cap on the top, and she jabbed the needle through the plastic. As she filled the syringe, I tried to think of some new way out that I hadn’t tried yet.
Obviously brute force hadn’t worked yet, and even though the cracks were beginning to show in her shield more than ever, I wasn’t sure if I could afford to keep trying anymore. I didn’t think my mind could survive any more attempts that drew their power from the darkness inside of me. Already, it was having a negative effect on me, and it wouldn’t be long before I ended up embracing the dark instead of pushing it away.
Then I would end up like Tabitha, and nobody would be able to save me.
Chapter Fourteen
I begged her the entire way back to my room, but she wouldn’t listen. She just remained silent and my pleas fell on deaf ears. Nothing I said was going to get through to her if it hadn’t already, but I couldn’t give up. I couldn’t just stand back passively and watch her as she hurt my friends and destroyed my life. I had to make sure to make her life a living hell until she finally gave up this crusade against me.
When Tabitha opened the door to my room, an unwelcome site awaited us. Finn was sitting on the edge of my bed, bouncing his feet and fidgeting nervously. When he saw us walk through the door, he jumped to his feet and crossed the room in two large strides. Instinctively, Tabitha took a step back, but Finn scooped her up in his arms and held her tightly, burying his face in the crook of her neck and inhaling deeply.
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