Dark Heritage Trilogy

by Hoffman, Samantha

  When Cory bumped a chair, the resulting scraping sound was like a gunshot going off in the total silence. A light switched on upstairs, up on the second floor landing. Tabitha had chosen my old bedroom as the stage for our final showdown.

  I sighed and headed for the stairs, taking them two at a time. There was no use pretending we weren’t here when Tabitha clearly knew we were. I was tired of hiding anyways and just wanted to get this over with. When I reached the landing with Finn right on my heels, he motioned for Cory to stay silent and out of sight. Hopefully we could use Cory to our advantage—Tabitha didn’t know about him, which made him a huge asset to us.

  Cory stopped in his tracks, hanging back in the darkness of the hallway. I entered the room, noticing that everything had been pushed off to the side, making room for Tabitha’s center stage. Alan and Susan were holding each other on my bed, wide-eyed with terror, shaking from head to toe. Their eyes were locked on Jessica, but they flickered briefly to me, before going back to their daughter.

  Jessica was standing in the center of my old room, clutching a teddy bear in her trembling hands. Beth was behind her, a long serrated knife pressed against her throat, just hard enough to indent the flesh without drawing blood. But one tiny slip and that knife would have no problem cutting into the skin.

  Beth smiled when she saw me, but there was no trace of the young girl left in her expression—it was pure Tabitha. The look in her eyes was manic, like she was losing her grip on reality. She was no longer grounded, and that made her even more dangerous. She was far from predictable, and that made her even harder to fight. There was no telling who or what she would be willing to destroy as long as it got her the revenge she so desperately needed in the end.

  “You came,” she said flatly.

  “You don’t sound surprised,” I said, looking from Jessica to Alan and Susan and back again.

  “I’m not surprised,” she said offhandedly. “I know how much you care for these people, even though they’ve never given you a reason to. I knew you would never let them suffer, especially after I put this little brat on the phone with you. That was all you needed, and you came running like a precious little lapdog.”

  “Let them go, Tabitha. This is between you and me, nobody else. Let Finn take them to safety, and we can get this over with.”

  Tabitha cocked her head, studying me with a grim smile on her face. “Oh, Ronnie. You’re so naïve it hurts. You really think I’m just going to let them go? Especially when I know how much hurting them will hurt you?” She pressed the knife harder against Jessica’s throat, making her squirm and whimper. Tears ran down her face and snot leaked from her nose, making it hard for her to breathe. “I learned from our last fight. This time I have leverage.”

  “Tabitha, you want a fair fight, don’t you? A real chance to see which of us is the stronger one?”

  “Hmmm, nope! I don’t need a fair fight,” she sneered as she said the words, “to know that I’m better than you. I would have already destroyed you if it weren’t for Annie. You can’t beat me, Ronnie. I didn’t call you here to fight—I called you here so you could watch your family die before I completely destroy you.”

  She won’t fight me. She’s scared she won’t beat me in a fair fight, so she’ll settle for breaking me first. Then it’ll be a piece of cake for her to sweep in and take me out. I won’t be able to focus if anything happens to any of them…

  “If you won’t fight fair, I won’t either,” I warned her.

  She laughed. “You expect me to believe you’d fight dirty? What are you going to do? You don’t have it in you to—”

  “Cory, this is your only chance to save Beth.”

  He stepped into the room, and I saw Tabitha freeze. For just a second, her features softened, and the knife relaxed against Jessica’s throat. As fast as it happened, Tabitha was back in control and all traces of Beth were gone once again. That split second was enough to make me wonder if Tabitha was just pretending to be stronger than she was. She had to have used up an incredible amount of power during the exorcism in an attempt to keep her hold on me. How much could she possibly have left?

  If Cory could distract her, I might be able to get in there and force her out.

  “Beth, I know you’re in there,” Cory said, bringing his hands up as he stepped forward. He kept his eyes locked on Beth’s, never looking away for a second. “I know you don’t want this. You’re better than that. I know you’d never willingly hurt someone—you don’t have it in you.”

  “You don’t know anything,” she hissed, sounding more like Beth and less like Tabitha.

  “I know you’re angry and confused,” he said, stopping an arm’s length away from her. “I know you miss mom and dad, and I know you feel hopeless over what happened to them. I know, because I feel the same way right now, when I look at you. I see a little girl, lost and unsure of how to move forward. Beth, you have to let the past go. You have to keep moving forward.”

  “I can’t!” she screamed. “Mom and Dad are gone, Cory! They’re gone and they’re never coming back!”

  He took a deep, shaky breath. “I know that,” he said gently. “And if you don’t stop this right now, you’ll be gone, just like them. And you won’t ever come back. Mom and Dad are gone, but we’re not. We’re still here, Beth, and we still have each other. Don’t take that away from us.”

  Beth’s hand dropped down to her side, freeing Jessica. She didn’t hesitate before running over to me, hugging me around my legs. She buried her face in my thigh, muffling her cries. I stroked her hair, trying to calm her down. Alan and Susan climbed off the bed, looking warily at Beth, inching their way over to us.

  “I—I don’t know how to stop her,” she said slowly. “She’s too strong. She—”

  Beth’s entire body shuddered, and I saw a change come over her, one that I recognized all too well. “That’s enough of that,” Tabitha said, back in control once again. She looked at me and frowned when she saw Jessica with me and out of her reach. Her face twisted into a snarl, and I pulled Jessica behind me while Finn took a protective stance in front of Alan and Susan.

  I didn’t like the way Tabitha was looking at me, like I had just stolen a priceless possession from her. Her hand that was holding the knife began to twitch, tapping against her leg with a slow, steady rhythm that left a tight knot in the pit of my stomach. “Finn, get Alan and Susan out of here. Now.”

  Alan stepped forward. “Ronnie—”

  “Go!” I shouted, narrowing my eyes at him. “You’ll just be in my way. Take Jessica, too. Leave this to me.” I looked down at Jessica and unwrapped her arms from around me. “Jessica, you have to go with my friend.”

  “No, I wanna stay with you!” she cried.

  “I have something I have to take care of, but I’ll be outside in a little bit. Go with Dad,” I said, nudging her toward him. Before she could refuse me again, Finn scooped her up and shoved Alan and Susan toward the door. Jessica started to scream once she was out of my sight, but I couldn’t worry about her now.

  The moment Finn left the room—dragging Alan with him—Tabitha switched her grip on the knife, shifting it until the tip was pointed at me. Before I could even blink, she lunged at me, slashing blindly at my face with the knife. I jumped back, leaning away from the knife. The blade went over my head, missing my face by mere inches. I could hear the blade slice through the air as it whooshed by me.

  Tabitha’s arm overextended and she fell forward. I slammed my elbow into her back, driving her straight to the ground. She hit the floor with a thud and rolled away, getting to her feet slowly. She tried to straighten her back but winced and folded in on herself, brandishing the knife back and forth to keep me and Cory at arm’s length. With her waving the knife around so wildly, it was impossible to approach her.

  Cory moved around, trying to come up from behind. She whirled on him, slashing at the air. She turned, backing herself into a corner, making it impossible for either of us to get behind her.
She was forcing us to face her head on, which was impossible to do with that knife in her hand. I moved a step closer, eyeing the knife warily. I’d felt that kind of pain before—it had even been inflicted by Tabitha—and I wasn’t eager to repeat the experience.

  The pendant at her throat began to glow, and I could feel the power in the air. It was like an electrical charge, sending tingles down my spine and causing the hair on my arms to rise. Goosebumps dotted my arms, and I shivered as the feeling of strength and power washed over me. “Cory, we need to end this now!”

  I didn’t have to tell him that though. He was more experienced with his powers than Beth was. He knew what was coming, and he knew what that kind of power was capable of. But he didn’t know how to stop her, and he looked to me.

  Reaching out, I grabbed his hand in mine, entwining our fingers together. My power flowed outward, drawing his with it. His power was as blue as the sky on a clear day, and it melded with mine. Together, they spread out, creating a shield of power around us—one that Tabitha would be hard pressed to break through.

  She tried anyways, wasting what little power she had left. The ball of pure energy gathered between her hands, twisting and writhing like a ball of live snakes. It exploded away from Beth’s hands with such force that it slammed her back against the wall hard enough to dent the material behind her. She crumpled to the ground as her energy hit our shield with a sound like thunder.

  Our shield absorbed the energy and held, but the force of the hit sent us flying backwards. I hit the ground and slid to a stop at the wall, banging my hip against the wooden trim around the bottom. Cory hit my computer desk and toppled over it, crashing to the ground with a dull thud and a quiet moan. He got up on his hands and knees, shaking his head as if trying to clear it.

  I got to my feet with a groan, trying to ignore the burning pain in my hip. Tabitha was rubbing the back of her head, and I noticed her fingers were stained red. Her eyes were faded and looked unfocused, and I worried that the blow to her head was dangerous enough to seriously impact Beth. Would it weaken Tabitha’s control over Beth or would it make it harder for her to come back to us?

  Blood trickled from Beth’s mouth where she had bitten her lower lip. Tabitha wiped it away with a trembling hand, never once taking her eyes off of me. Her breathing was harsh, her tiny chest heaving with each deep intake of breath. The hand holding the knife was shaking so badly it was a miracle she hadn’t dropped it yet.

  Cory was slower to get to his feet, and he had a gash across his forehead that was freely bleeding. He pressed his sleeve against his forehead, wincing in pain at the contact. “New plan,” he said breathlessly.

  “Yeah, new plan would be nice,” I said, trying to think quickly. I stepped back, moving closer to Cory. “You have to get through to Beth somehow. If you don’t, Tabitha is either going to take Beth with her when I banish her, or she’ll kill Beth just to make a point.”

  “I don’t know what I can do!” he said exasperated.

  “You need to hold her down for me while I draw out her soul.”

  “Draw out?”

  “Like poison from a wound.”

  “How do I get close enough when she’s got that knife in her hand?”

  “I’ll get her focused on me. That’s where most of her anger is directed. When she’s coming at me, get behind her and—”

  Tabitha laughed, finally regaining her breath. “What are you two whispering about over there?”

  “Go for it,” he said.

  She threw herself at us with a wild shout. I shoved Cory out of the way, but wasn’t quick enough to avoid a cut on my bicep. I grabbed Beth’s wrist, holding Tabitha tightly to my chest, refusing to let her go. She was unable to pull away and she couldn’t maneuver the knife into a dangerous position. I had her trapped. She could struggle all she wanted to, but Tabitha wasn’t in her own body—she was in the body of a twelve year old girl.

  Cory moved to my side. He grabbed Tabitha’s chin, forcing her to look him in the eye. “Beth, I know you’re in there,” he said slowly. “You just showed us there’s still some part of you in control. Come back to me, please. Don’t let things end like this. Don’t let yourself end up like mom and dad.”

  Tabitha glowered at us. “It’s no use,” I said. “We’ll have to force her out ourselves. Hold her for me.”

  Tabitha thrashed in my grasp, trying to break free as Cory took my place. One of his forearms went around her throat, and she began to choke as he tightened his hold. Her body jerked as she tried to free herself, but Cory was too strong for her. She went still when I reached out and cupped her face with my hands.

  Power flowed from me into her, burning its way through her body. My power found its way to Beth’s core, where Tabitha’s power was festering, rotting her away from the inside out just like a disease. I latched on to her, our powers intertwining. She pulled away, trying to flee, but I clamped down, cutting off Tabitha’s retreat. This was it—no more running or hiding. Tabitha’s reign of terror was almost over.

  I began to draw Tabitha out, slowly, inch by inch. She struggled and fought, refusing to go so easily. After a second, she stopped moving, and we were locked in a vicious stalemate. I would pull at her and she would pull right back, reclaiming the ground I had just gained. She was still too powerful for me to fight on my own.

  Beth, I need your help…

  She was there in an instant, by my side and ready to fight for herself. I felt her presence come to the forefront and she began to forcibly push Tabitha’s soul from her own body. With Beth’s help, I could feel Tabitha weakening as she was removed more and more from Beth. She had spent too much of her remaining energy in a desperate bid to cling to me in the infirmary, and now she had nothing left to give. With one final pull, Tabitha was no longer attached to Beth.

  Beth collapsed to the ground, sobbing while Cory cradled his younger sister. He held her close, hugging her tightly and refusing to let go of her. She clung to Cory for dear life, trembling from head to toe.

  Tabitha was nothing more than a spirit, nearly faded away until she was translucent. She glared at me, trying to escape from my hold over her. But it was useless, and she knew it. She had just enough power left to linger here, but not to do much else. She wouldn’t be a danger to anyone ever again. It looked like she had finally accepted that she would never beat me, and it had to be killing her inside.

  Ronnie…she said, sounding weak and quiet, like the ghost she was. Please don’t let me go…she pleaded desperately.

  “I’m sorry,” I said miserably. “I wish it didn’t have to be like this—you know I don’t—but you drove me to do this. You have nobody to blame but yourself,” I said, choking as tears burned at my eyes and my words caught in the back of my throat.

  You think you won, don’t you? she asked, sneering at me. You didn’t. You may have gotten rid of me, but I’ve left my mark on you. I may be gone, but a part of me will always be with you—influencing you—even if you don’t know it. If you’re not careful, you’ll end up a monster,” she taunted.

  “I will never end up like you,” I said defiantly.

  Go to hell…she hissed, eyes blazing with open hatred.

  “No, that’s where you’re going!”

  Her spirit was teetering between worlds, one foot in this life and the other in the Outer Planes. I gave her spirit one final, violent shove, banishing her soul for good. She only had time for one strangled cry that sounded far too much like my name for comfort before disappearing in a flash of light.

  Just hearing it had my stomach in painful knots. I knew that no matter how long I lived, I would never forget the way my name had sounded—a mixture of hatred, helplessness, fear, and something else entirely. It was insane of me to think that she loved me at all, but that final word had sure sounded like it.

  I looked around at what was left of my room—scorch marks were burned into the floor and the wall, the desk was busted from where Cory had hit it, and blood stained my bed and the
floor—and I felt strangely numb. It was finally over with. Andrew was gone, Tabitha was gone…what was I going to do with myself? I had no purpose now. Would the Council see no further reason to keep me around? My mind flashed back to that file I had found so long ago and my throat tightened. Was there going to be a noose with my name on it?

  It was strange. Here I was, surrounded by destruction, with no family, possibly facing my own death, and I couldn’t bring myself to feel anything. There was no fear, no anger, no happiness, and strangest of all…there was no relief. Not even a little. There was nothing but a blank spot in my chest that was unable to register anything.

  I looked over to find Beth still sobbing into Cory’s chest, her hands grasping his shirt so tightly I thought it might rip. “Beth, are you okay?” I asked quietly, surprised by the lifeless, flat tone to my voice.

  She sniffled, turning a tear-streaked face to look at me. She was back to looking young and vulnerable—not like a knife-wielding maniac. The change was like night and day, but there was still a hint of pain in those eyes. She would never be the same after what had happened.

  “I’m okay,” she hiccupped and wiped her face with her sleeve. “Is she really gone?” She was wide-eyed with fear at the thought of Tabitha returning.

  “It’s over,” I assured her, putting my hand on her shoulder. “Tabitha’s spirit is gone for good. Nothing can bring her back. This nightmare is officially over.”

  “You sound relieved,” Cory said, his voice dripping with sarcasm.

  “Sorry, I’m not feeling a whole lot right now,” I said quietly, staring at the spot from which Tabitha had disappeared from forever. “It will sink in eventually. Honestly, I’m thankful for the numbness right now.”

  “Why?” he asked.

  “I still have to debrief the Council, learn my fate and yours, and get my arm tended to. Then I need a good night of sleep—the first I’ll get in months. I can freak out in the morning. There’s no time for it right now.”

  “What’s the Council going to do to me?” Beth asked solemnly.