Inheritance (The Dark Gifts) (8 page)

“You two need to settle down.  If they're already out there watching, it doesn’t do us any good to fight out here in the open and give them information.” The other man chimed in.

“Shut up, Pete,” both Mark and Shana said in unison.

“I’m just saying…if they can hear you guys talking, there will be no element of surprise.”  Pete shrugged and stepped onto the yard, also searching the trees for some sign of life.

“Oh my God.  You are all idiots!  Of course, they know we are going to kill them.  If they didn’t already know, then why did they leave the house?  Why are they hiding?  How am I supposed to work with a bunch of imbeciles?” Shana’s tirade went on as stomped back inside.  The two men looked at each other, shaking their heads.

“Do you think they're already here?” Mark’s jaw twitched.  His wide eyes remained focused on the woods in front of him.

Pete‘s head raised as he sniffed the air.  “Yes.  Even in her human form, I can feel her.  I can’t pinpoint where they are but they're here somewhere.”

“I don’t know about all of this.  This just don’t seem right to me.  Why is it such a bad thing for them to lead?  Thomas likes them, even with duct tape over his mouth he's having a fit in there.  If he were ten years younger, those ropes wouldn't hold him to the chair.”

Pete shook his head and spit, then with a muffled voice said, “Because she-bitch in there can’t run the show if the others take over.  When the Rashuck clan leader challenges Thomas, all hell is going to break lose.”

“He ain
’t going to challenge him until Jason is dead.  I wouldn't either if it was me.  That dude makes two of you, and you're the biggest in the pack.”  Swaying from side to side, Mark gazed at the black sky.  “I just don't feel right about this.  He's been our leader for a long time.  What if we are on the wrong side?”

Pete stretched his long arms and moved his head from side to side.  Several stifled cracks sounded as his neck and back popped. “What if?  Man, we are on the wrong side.  Have no doubt about that.”

Mark shuffled his feet and stuck his hands in his pockets.  “So what are we doing here then?  What are you doing here?  You know Thomas was going to make you second.  We all knew it was coming.”

“Yeah.  Well that don’t mean much now.  She's determined to combine the two packs.  Haven't you noticed?  Those standing in her way end up dead or missing.”  A rustling bush to his far right caught his attention.  Head tilted to the side, Pete watched until a small rabbit bounced from under it and hopped across the yard. 

“But Pete, if you don’t agree with this then you should--”

“Should what?  Go against Rashuk clan alone?  Aiden wants her.  He's always wanted her.  Thomas was a fool to think he'd be able to keep Shana on a leash.  Besides, this whole clan is full of
weaklings, old people, and women.  There's maybe twenty strong enough to fight.  Of those, ten are hunters, and they'll only listen to her.  Who's going to stand with me?  You maybe?  Or better yet, why don’t I just run on in there, rip her throat out, and end it?”  His words dripped with sarcasm.

Mark
’s eyes glittered with anger as he crossed his arms over his chest.  “Yeah.  Why don’t you?  A fine second you’d make.  Where’s your loyalty?”

Pete winced at the accusations, but remained silent.

Mark’s voice lowered to a whisper, “
You
should do something. 
We
should do something.”

Kicking at the rug in front of the door, Pete’s expression soured as he quietly answered, “There’s nothing to be done.  Whether we get killed by our own for not following orders, or the alphas get us, either way some of us are going to die. When they come for us, things are going to get bloody.”

The crescent moon hung low in the night sky.  Tiny pinpoints of light sparkled and danced across the sky like a curtain of glittering diamonds.  A warm breeze, unusual for that time of year, lifted Sarah’s hair and dropped it back to her shoulders leaving her with a sensation that ghostly fingers toyed with her.  Jason had retreated to the woods to concentrate on shifting into his stronger, savage alter ego.  As Sarah stood alone, watching her uncle's house in the clearing, images of the future flooded her mind.

A vision of Jason in wolf form, injured and bleeding in a woods.  Thomas, dead along the side of the road, naked and torn to shreds.  She saw herself, and her brother, in a place that looked foreign.  They ran past small dwellings with thatched roofs, many wolves following close behind.  Shana, surrounded by hundreds of wolves, sitting atop a boulder smoking and laughing.  The images flashed quickly before dissipating completely. 

Sarah took a deep breath and exhaled slowly.  If they did not rescue Thomas, they would die.  Leaving did not offer much comfort; those against them would hunt them down.  It was painfully obvious Shana thirsted for power.  She wanted total pack domination.  Now that Sarah had learned how to tap into her abilities, she could see Shana had manipulated events even as a child.  Shana could never be Alpha.  The most she could hope for was to mate with the new Alpha and lead through him.  That’s what happened with Thomas.  She had never made a connection with him, he was just a pawn in her quest to conquer and control the pack.

A soft rustle from behind caused Sarah to turn.  Jason was ready.  She could feel his wolf presence in her mind before she saw him.  When he was in Lycan form she could feel a telepathic link between them.  It had grown so strong that for brief seconds, she could see through his eyes, and experience what he felt.  The soft tinkle of laughter escaped her as he stopped several feet away.  She knew he was still worried he couldn't control his beastly side.  She sighed and returned to watching the house.  “
Can you hear me?
”

Jason grunted in affirmation.

“
We head straight to the front door and walk in.  The others should shift as soon as they see you.  They have no hope of taking you in their human form and they know it.  When they shift, I will take control.  I don’t think she'll change.  She knows she can’t fight me then.
”

“
I’m more worried about what she’ll do to you.” 
Jason answered.

Eyes wide, Sarah turned and stared at him.  “When did you learn to do that?”

“
I’ve been talking to you.  You just haven’t been able to hear me before now.”

“Oh.  Sorry, I guess it must be growing.”

“
I am fully sentient now.  The wildness is here, but not like before.  Don’t worry about me, just take care of yourself!”

Sarah turned to Jason and flung her arms around his massive fur covered neck, whispering, “They may have weapons, I can’t tell.  Be careful.  As soon as Thomas is free, he'll come to our aid.   I love you Jason, if I'm wrong about this…thank you for all you‘ve done for me.”  She turned, and straightening her shoulders, walked out of the trees.

They made it half the distance from the woods to the house before the front door opened.  Light spilled onto the porch and lawn.  One after another, the pack filtered through the doorway lining up across the front of the cabin.  Some stayed on the porch and others stepped into the yard, still remaining close to the house.  Shana was the last to exit the cabin.  Hands on hips, she glared at them.  “I don’t know why you’re bothering with this,
children
.  You're outnumbered.”

Jason growled, and raised his head to let out an ear-splitting howl.  In reaction to his challenge many of those guarding the house began to shift.  The Alpha had issued a challenge, most had no choice in the matter. 

As soon as they had completed their transformation, Sarah ordered, “To me.  Now.  All of you.”

Some fought the pull of her voice.  Others moved with reluctant obedience. 

Shana screamed, “Stop.  Stay where you are.”  It did not help her cause.  The control she held over their human forms dissipated when they were confronted with a direct order from an Alpha.

Jason snapped and growled at the others as they joined them on their side of the yard, getting them into line and preparing them to attack those that still guarded the cabin.

Jumbled voices faintly echoed in Sarah’s mind.  Bits and pieces of conversation, feelings of confusion and fear, even anger bombarded her senses.  Breathing deeply, she gained control and silenced the voices with a thought. 
Enough.  Silence.

Five stood against them.  Sarah smiled in anticipation of an easy victory, calling out to Shana, “Looks like you’re out numbered, Auntie dear.  We can do this the easy way, or we can do this the hard way, either way, we
are
doing this.”

“Oh yes, my dear, we are doing this.  And hard it shall be.  You have no idea with whom you are messing!” Shana called back.  She brought her arms out to her sides and bellowed, “It is time.  Come.”

Figures, small and large, crept from the trees closest to the rear of the cabin and moved to where Shana and the five waited.  They were all wolves. 

Sarah shook her head and laughed at Shana’s triumphant attitude.  “To me.”

The new wolves growled in reply and stood their ground.  Shana let out a maniacal laugh and voice filled with hatred, said, “Oh dear…I’m a terrible hostess.  Let me introduce you to our new friends.  This is the Savata clan.  I’m guessing you haven’t met them before.  You see, they come from a distance and are not part of our pack.  You are not their Alpha, dear.”

Sarah’s jaw dropped.  Not only had she not seen this coming, but she could not believe Shana would put her own pack in jeopardy.  Every single pack member would fight to the death on her orders.  If she continued with this, Sarah would be sentencing several of her own to death.

Shana’s mouth broke into an evil grin as she watched the realization of what was about to happen, break over Sarah’s face.  “Yes dear, you’ve guessed it.  If you order our pack to continue, some of them--possibly many--will die.  Take heart, it is past time for a good cleansing.  Some of those surrounding you are weak and should have never been given the gift of lycanthropy.  You'll actually be doing the pack a favor because only the strongest will survive.”

Sarah glanced at those around her.  She could feel shock emanating from them.  They had not known Shana’s entire plan.  A few whimpers issued from those next to her. 

Jason stepped in front of her and bellowed out a monstrous howl.  The five remaining immediately shifted and attempted to join their pack.  The Savata clan growled and snapped at the five, biting and pulling at their fur, not allowing them to escape the porch.

Sarah linked to Jason. “
I don’t know what to do.
”

Jason growled in reply, his body rippled with tension.  His mind was riddled with anger.  “
We do what we came to do.  We free Thomas.”

The pack joined him.  Moving forward and protectively pushing Sarah behind them, they made ready to attack. 

Sarah exhaled, resigned to what was about to happen and softly ordered, “Take them.”

Jason and the pack methodically advanced toward the newcomers.  Before they could make the trek across the lawn, several of the rival wolves leapt into action running full force into the leading members of the Masada clan.  Fur and bits of flesh and blood mingled in the air as the opposing sides made contact.  Fighting wolves covered the entire yard, teeth glaring and gnashing, shredding anyone they came close to. 

Horrified, Sarah watched the devastation of the brutal battle.  She stood steadfast, fighting an overwhelming desire to run, but knowing she could not leave her brother, or her pack, to face the ravages of the vicious Savata clan.  The bond that held them to her, also held her to them. 

Time seemed to decelerate until everything appeared to take place in slow motion.  Several of the larger wolves attacked Jason, at least four if she counted correctly.  Rolling and leaping through air as they fought, their gaping maws tore into his flesh.  Some danced around each other searching for a breach that would provide a quick kill.  Jason shook his attackers off with such force two flew head over tail
, yelping in pain.  He spun.  Snarling, his massive jaws ripped into the throat of a brown wolf in front of him.  Flipping his head to the side, its neck snapped and it fell limply to the ground.  Jason's head flew back and a triumphant howl echoed through the trees.  Blood dripped from his flanks, shoulders, and muzzle. 

From different points of the battle, Sarah heard whimpers and yelps from her wounded brothers and sisters.  Even in the midst of the conflict, Sarah was surprised her mind would think of them that way.  Her brothers and sisters…her family.  She was home.  This was her life now.  If she were going to keep it, she needed a course of action to end this confrontation quickly. 

Sarah closed her eyes and concentrated.  Her senses clicked into overdrive.  The air, infused with the metallic scent of blood, burnt her nose.  She heard the fighting move closer and felt the pressure of a body against her legs.  Someone had returned and closely guarded her.  No, not someone--several, she could feel them moving, circling around her.  Sarah kept her eyes closed and continued to focus.  Something Shana said stuck in her mind,
“You are not their Alpha.”
   Shana was right, but Sarah knew she wasn’t just any ordinary Alpha.  She was strong enough to usurp the power of a male and that was not supposed to happen.  If she could create a link with the Savata Alpha, she might be able to stop this.