Inheritance (The Dark Gifts)

by Willow Cross

  ***

  A gasp exploded from the back seat. “What? What is it?” Jason asked.

  Sarah’s face looked ghostly in the rear view mirror. “She’s in wolf form. I just felt her shift.”

  Turning in the front passenger seat, Pete asked, “Can you read her? Where is she? Can you tell what’s going on?”

  Closing her eyes, she drew forth the power within her. Sending out her essence, she insidiously wove her way into Shana’s mind. Quietly, carefully, she entered and began searching her thoughts and recent memories. Another gasp escaped her as she saw hundreds of wolves prowling the quarry. The emotional response alerted Shana to her presence.

  “What do you think you’re doing? You think I can’t feel you in here? Feeling nosey, hun? Well here’s a memory for you to chew on!” Shana laughed.

  Sarah stood outside her parents' cabin. A fire blazed in the small yard in front. Shana laughed maniacally as two large men drug her mother and father from the house. “You should have listened. I warned you, but you just wouldn’t listen.” Shana said.

  Sarah’s mother brought her hands up, pleading, “Please. You don’t have to do this. We sent them away. There’s no reason--”

  “You sicken me. I can’t believe you’re my own flesh and blood. How did you get so disgustingly weak, anyhow? What would Daddy think?”

  “Shana, I beg you, let her go. It’s me you’re angry with, she didn’t--” Sarah’s father implored.

  “Shut up, Rod. This isn’t about us. This is about what’s best for the pack. When you’re gone, we’ll take care of the abominations and then it will be over.”

  As her parents struggled to break free, several men joined the two captors. Wrestling them to the ground, they tied their legs and arms to stakes. Sarah’s father remained stoic. He looked at his wife and said, “We did the right thing.”

  “I know,” she answered.

  “I love you.”

  One solitary tear trickled down her face. “I love you too.” Then turning her head in Shana’s direction, she said, “You’ll not win this. No matter whether we live or die. My children will find you, and when they do, they’ll kill you.”

  Shana laughed as she kicked the woman’s face. Blood sprayed from her mouth before running down her chin. “Sure, sis. Whatever you say. Take this to your grave, okay? When I’m done ripping your boy to shreds, I’m going to feast on that fat baby girl. She’ll make a nice snack.”

  Stepping back, she said, “Get it over with, they nauseate me.”

  In unison, the group transformed. Sarah watched as bit by bit, her parents were torn to shreds.

  Tears streamed down her face as she withdrew from Shana’s mind. “J-Jason, I’m gonna be sick.” Before he could slow down and pull over, her stomach retched and she vomited between her knees.

  “What’s wrong? What happened?” Jason said as he stopped the car on the side of the road.

  Unable to speak, Sarah screamed. Over and over, her raged consumed her in waves of pure unadulterated hatred. She beat on the back of the seat, pounding with all her might. While Pete and Jason watched in disbelief.

  “Sarah, get a hold of yourself!” Jason yelled as he opened the back door and crawled in beside her.

  The screaming stopped and her arms dropped to her sides. Breathing raggedly, she wiped the tears from her face before turning to look him in the eyes. “I swear to God, Jason. On my life, I swear I will kill that witch if it’s the last thing I ever do.”

  “Can you show me what she showed you?”

  “Yes, but not right now. Drive fast and get us out of here. When we get someplace safe I’ll show you everything.”

  She had a look on her face he’d never seen before. A fearsome, ferocious look. One that might easily scare the devil out of hell. Jason didn’t ask anything further. Returning to his seat, he sped off toward the Missouri line.

  “Jason, I--” Pete, cut off by the quick side to side movement of Jason’s head, became quiet. Occasionally, he‘d glance over his shoulder. Sarah’s stricken face almost glowed in the darkness. Even in this mood she was beautiful, but something was different. Whatever she saw has changed her. She doesn’t look like my Sarah anymore.

  Chapter Twenty-four

  Barely visible red and blue lights flashed up ahead in the distance. Parked along the side of the main road with the headlights off, their preternatural eyesight allowed them to watch as two uniformed officers paced in front of their cars. From this distance, the two looked like miniature action figures. “So much for a quick getaway. We took too long.” Pete said.

  Jason exhaled loudly creating a large spot of steam on the window. “Well that’s it then. Every exit out of the county is blocked. I don’t know what to do.”

  Still silent in the back seat, Sarah paid no attention to the men up front. Shana remained in wolf form, and although she wouldn’t enter the woman’s mind, Sarah kept close tabs on her location. She’d already made it to the next town and prowled around houses apparently searching for something.

  “Sarah? Hey, wake up back there.” Jason said.

  “Hmmm.”

  “Sarah!”

  Her head snapped up and she glared at his reflection in the rearview mirror.

  “Geeze. What do you want to do? They got every exit locked up tight.”

  Turning her head, Sarah gazed at the row of trees lining the road. “Yeah, that’s what she’s doing,” she muttered.

  “What are you talking about?” Pete asked.

  Glazed eyes darted back to the mirror. “I can see her wandering around houses in Damascus looking for something. Clothes, she’s trying to find clothes.”

  Jason nervously ran his hand over the steering wheel. “Aww crap.”

  “You can’t be serious. What if we can’t find clothes? How are we supposed to take important things like money with us?” Pete responded.

  Glazed eyes focused, and a wicked grin settled on her mouth. “It only makes sense. No one will question three dogs running across open lands. What are you chicken?”

  Shaking his head, Pete answered, “Three wolves, especially one as big as he is, will get noticed. And that still doesn’t help with the money situation. What about a vehicle when we get there? Think this through.”

  Jason glanced at his watch. Three more hours until daylight. “We don’t have enough time. We might be able to make it to Clinton by then, but chances are we’ll get caught when the sun comes up. We’ll be too obvious during the day.”

  The tick tick of Sarah’s fingernails clicking against each other filled the vehicle. “Turn around and head to Pete’s. We’ll stay there till night then head out. As long as we travel by night, we should be able to get pretty far away. That’ll give me time to get in touch with Liz.”

  “Are you crazy? We can’t get in touch with Liz or anyone else! There’s no explaining this situation. Anyone we tell will be in danger, and that’s if they don’t call the loony bin to pick us up.” Jason said.

  “No way, Sarah. Jason’s right, you can’t--”

  “The hell I can’t. I’m running this show now and we’re doing it my way. You’ll both do what you’re told, or take off and go your own way. I’m calling Liz and that’s final. We don’t have anyone else and we’re going to need help.”

  Gritting his teeth together, Jason started the car and leaving the head lights off, turned them around and headed back to Pete’s house. Sullenly staring ahead, Pete wondered if he’d ever see his Sarah again.

  ***

  Sarah slammed the phone on the receiver. “Damn! She’s not answering. Where could she be? She doesn’t go anywhere without that cell.”

  “Maybe she’s not answering because she doesn’t know this number.” Pete answered.

  Sarah began pacing the living room floor. “No she’d answer. I wish I could remember her mom’s number. She’d know where to reach her.”

  “You need to eat and get some sleep. You’ve been up all day and you won’t be able to run tonight if
you don’t get some rest. It’s almost time to wake Jason.”

  Glancing at the clock on the mantle, Sarah answered, “Can’t sleep. I have to talk to her. She could come here and get everything we need, then meet us up the road. That way, no one would know she had anything to do with us. I know I know her mom’s number. I’ve called there a bunch of times. I just can’t pull it out of my head.”

  “Why don’t you lie on the couch and relax. Maybe it’ll come to you then. You’re probably just trying too hard.”

  Closing her eyes, her head moved from side to side. “Maybe you’re right. I am really tired.”

  “I’ll go wake Jason. You lie down and rest. We’ll make sure you get up in time to eat before we leave.”

  Nodding, she stretched out on the couch, closed her eyes, and promptly drifted off to sleep.

  ***

  Red eyed and yawning, Sheriff Taylor repeated his question to Shad. “Where are Sarah and Jason Masada?”

  Taking in a deep breath, Shad’s cheeks puffed out as he exhaled. “I’ve told you a hundred times. I have no idea where they are. I dropped Sarah and Pete at her house and went home. Ask my grandfather or my sisters. Ashley was with me all night.”

  The grey haired man rubbed his face. “Son, this is serious business here. Murder, jailbreak, these kids are in cahoots and big trouble. You don’t want to be involved in something like that.”

  Trying to maintain his temper, Shad answered, “Sir, I swear I don’t know anything about any of this. If I did, I’d tell you.”

  A light knock on the interrogation room door drew their attention. Officer Severs opened the door. “Boss, can I have a word?”

  Taylor glanced at Shad and shrugged, before rising. “Stay right there young man, this ain’t nearly over.”

  When the door closed, Shad’s eyes wandered around the tiny room. Barely more than a closet, it held a table with a chair on each side. A small video camera stood on a tripod in the corner. Leaning towards it, he looked directly into the lens and said, “You people are a bunch of idiots. I don’t know where they are. If I knew where they were, I’d be with them.”

  ***

  Severs handed his boss a fresh cup of coffee. “Thought you’d be needing this.”

  “Thanks,” he said taking a sip.

  “The grandfather’s out there. He says arrest him or let him go. Claims the boy was home before the break. He’s pretty hyped up. Talking about big money attorneys, racism against American Indians, and law suits.”

  “Yeah. We need that right now.”

  “Getting anywhere?”

  “If he knows something, he’s not singing.”

  “You think he’s telling the truth?”

  “I don’t know. He appears to be, but you never know with his kind.” Stretching, he looked down the short hallway to where an old Indian man stood glaring at him. His head snapped back to Severs. “Cut him loose. I need to get some sleep anyhow. Tell him not to leave town. In fact, tell all of them not to leave town.”

  “Will do, Sir,” Severs said as he opened the door to the small room.

  Taylor took a step toward the old man down the hall, then thinking better of it, pivoted and went the other direction.

  ***

  Shad glanced over his shoulder. He couldn’t see anyone, so if anyone were listening, they were well hidden. Leaning into Ashley’s ear, he whispered, “They’re everywhere. They’ve called in state and county.”

  Ashley nodded. “Dispatch came over the scanner and told them to leave two at the house and start going door to door. They must be fairly certain they’re here somewhere.”

  “I don’t know how we’re going to help them, if we don’t know where they are.”

  “Well the car at the end of the road would keep us from doing that anyhow.”

  Shad snickered and glanced over his shoulder again, half expecting to see Heather glaring at them from the front porch. “Gramps doesn’t trust us now.”

  A pained look came over Ashley’s face. “I know. He just doesn’t understand. Jason and Sarah are different. Way different.”

  “We used to be like that too. How many times have we said, ‘A dog’s a dog’?”

  Gazing at her feet, she answered, “How many Jasons and Sarahs have we killed? Do you ever think about that now?”

  “I try not to.”

  ***

  Sarah held out a small pink purse to Jason. “So put this around my neck, then you shift. We’ll still have to steal clothes and probably a car, but at least we’ll have money then.”

  “I don’t like the idea of stealing from people. It’s just wrong.” Jason answered.

  “Oh for Pete’s sake, Jase. Do you like the idea of going to prison better?”

  “I’ve got some cash. It’s not much, but we can at least leave payment for the clothes. After we get far enough away, we can draw out more.” Pete interjected.

  Jason’s eyes moved between the two. “Have either of you ever heard of grand theft auto?”

  A chuckle erupted from Sarah. “Are you kidding me? They think you’re a serial killer, Jason. Do you really think stealing a car is going to make the charges any worse than that?”

  His face grew red as jaw muscles tightened. “I’m just saying--”

  “Enough. We should have left an hour ago.” Sarah turned and left the living room. In less than a minute, she returned in wolf form. Jason stared at her for a moment, before placing the purse around her neck.

  ***

  Like ethereal shadows moving through the surrounding darkness, the three raced against the rising sun. Never speaking, thoughts quiet, they focused on the land ahead and watched for telltale signs of human presence. They’d been lucky so far, if it continued, they’d reach the Missouri border before dawn.

  Sarah kept close tabs on Shana, she had crossed the Illinois border a short time ago. Regardless of what the other two wanted, the path she’d chosen would lead straight to her. The manhunt for her brother no longer a concern, she set her mind on the woman who’d sentenced her parents to death. When morning came, they’d find clothes, a vehicle, and make up lost time. By this time tomorrow, Shana would be dead. She’d see to it.

  ***

  Just outside Wilshire, Ohio, Jason, Sarah, and Pete sat in a small secluded bar. Best known for its deep-fried pizza, it seemed a dismal cold place to Sarah. They ate quietly and watched the other patrons, hoping no one would recognize them.

  Earlier that day, a news bulletin came over the car radio stating Jason and Sarah Masada were wanted in connection with the death of their uncle. They were believed to be headed for Mexico in a stolen truck. The announcer claimed that pictures of the two could be seen on any television station or the radio station’s website. The FBI had become involved and charges against the two were rapidly piling up. People were instructed to call authorities at once with any information. Considered armed and dangerous, the public was warned not to approach them in any way.

  Jason sighed and pushed his plate back. “That was good. I was starving.”

  Sarah glanced up from her food and smiled. “I couldn’t tell. I bet the waitress is expecting a big tip after serving you five pizzas.”

  Grinning and patting his belly, he replied, “Man’s got to eat. You about done, Pete?”

  “Mmmhmm,” Pete muttered, mouth full of food. Swallowing hard, he drained the last of his tea. “If we ever get back through here again, we need to stop here. Who’d of ever thought anyone could figure out a way to make pizza better?”

  “Okay boys, belch, fart, go to the bathroom--whatever you need to do--and let’s get going. We’ve been here for over an hour. We shouldn’t stay in any one place too long, someone might recognize us.”

  Jason rose and pulling a twenty from his wallet, dropped it on the table.

  “Uh uh,” Sarah said.

  “What?”

  “That much will get you remembered. We don’t need that. Five will do.”

  Shoving the bill in his pocket, he
dropped a five and went to the register. Pete stood and stretched. “Glad we found some wheels. I don’t think I could run after a meal like this.” Glancing over his shoulder, he noticed a new update on the TV.

  The announcer spoke in monotone, “Authorities have reported the stolen vehicle was discovered just outside of Henderson, Texas. Police have cordoned off the area, and are searching with air support and canine units. A ten thousand dollar reward has been offered for any information leading to the apprehension of the two. Once again, here are their pictures. Please keep in mind, they are considered dangerous. Do not approach them. Stay tuned for more updates.”

  “Time to go,” Sarah whispered as she rose and slowly headed for the door.

  Pete stepped in line behind her keeping his head down.

  The engine of the red Cavalier revved, and they sped off down highway 224. “This is getting to be too difficult. Our faces are plastered all over the place. We can’t keep chasing after Shana, Sarah. We’ve got to find a place to lay low.” Jason said.

  “At least they think we're heading the other direction. Thank God someone stole that truck. But you’re right. Revenge will have to wait.”

  Leaning forward from the back seat, Pete stuck his head between the two. “I’m thinking Canada sounds pretty this time of year.”

  “They’re watching the borders for us already, we won’t ever get across,” she answered.

  “They are looking for people, not wolves.” Pete said.

  Sarah nodded. “Okay, get the atlas and find the smallest town close to the border. We’ll ditch the car there and cross.”

  “Want to catch an interstate or keep to the back roads?” Jason asked.

  Pete clicked on the overhead light and scanned the Ohio map. “We can take 127 north. That’ll get us into Michigan.”

  Jason nodded. “Watch for the sign. I don’t want to miss it and have to turn around.”

  Leaning back in the seat, Sarah closed her eyes. “Michigan’s good. We’ll head straight up and crossover in the least populated area.”

  ***

  Watching, waiting for a chance to take down her prey, the white wolf licked its muzzle. Several days had passed since she’d been able to revert to human form. East coast travelers were wary and paid close attention to things around them. Several times, she’d found a woman close enough to her size for the clothes to fit, but someone always got in the way, and what she really needed was a vehicle. She felt Sarah in her head frequently now, just on the outskirts of her mind. Close enough to see where she was and what she was doing, but never close enough for Shana to seize her mind and overpower her. Cold, brutal rage emanated from her now. Hair on the white wolf’s neck prickled and stood up. It had been a mistake to show Sarah her parents’ death, a mistake she wouldn’t make again.