Inheritance (The Dark Gifts) (26 page)

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.

Her prey exited the gas station.  Shana’s haunches drew up ready to spring.  This time the fates worked in her favor.  The attendant stood outside the door, her back to the parking lot, turned a key in the lock, and disappeared around the corner of the building.  The moment she was gone, Shana moved.  She raced across the small lot, leaping through the air to land on the young dark-haired woman.  As they fell to the ground, she shifted and became human.  Mid scream, she wrapped her hands around the woman’s throat and squeezed, silencing the noise.  In seconds, she had her in the car and drove off to find some place more secluded.  Now she had clothes and a car, if the Jag was any indication of the woman’s wealth, she also had money.  It was time to get out of this blasted country.  Time to head where she’d find older, wilder, and more dangerous help than she’d ever find here.  It was time to go home.

***

Shad jumped as his pocket buzzed.  Pulling out his cell, he sighed when he read Gramps across the caller id.  Flipping it open, he said, “Yep.”

“Where are you?”

“Just crossed the Indiana line.”

“And?”

“Nothing.  We’re following, I think.  Can’t tell for sure.  We’ve only run across one set of prints.  They’re in a vehicle now.  Tracks lead up to an oil stain and broken glass.  We’re just guessing they even went this direction.”

“And they haven’t called either of you?”

“No, Gramps.  And they aren’t going too.  They don’t want either of us involved in this mess.”

“
Harrumph
.”

“Where’s Heather?”

“Asleep in the back seat.”  Shad answered as he glanced in the rear view mirror.

“You keep her with you.”

Shad sighed again, but did not answer.  He was fully aware his grandfather no longer trusted him.  He had good reason not to.  If he found them, the only thing he’d try to do, is help them escape.  With or without Heather’s help. 

“You hear me boy?”

“Got it.”

“Call me if you find anything.”

“Yep.”

The line went dead.  Shad closed the phone and dropped it on the front seat beside him. 

Fuming, he glanced over at Ashley curled up in a fetal position in the corner.  He needed to talk to her alone, but getting rid of Heather for two minutes was impossible.  She took the whole babysitting thing much more seriously than they’d counted on.  Sarah hadn’t called, he didn’t need to lie about that, but he thought he knew where she was going.  She was a smart girl.  She’d know staying in the states would be dangerous.  If the authorities were searching for them around the Mexican border, the safest place to go would be Canada.  Where in Canada was a different story all together.  It’s a big country, with many places to cross over.  Luck alone, would aid in finding her, and once he found her, they would leave together.  Without Heather.

***

Jason stared at the pre-paid cell in his hand.  Pete and Sarah would flip out if they knew he was even considering calling Ash, but for very different reasons.  Sarah’s arguments were valid.  Although she trusted them both, she didn’t want them brought into this.  They were already in trouble with their family, and probably the law as well.  Anyone with half a brain would be watching them.  Letting them know where they were was asking for trouble for everyone.  Ashley’s smiling face flitted through his mind.  Glimpses of the wind in her hair, the sun dancing across her luscious dark skin, the way she looked at him, drew his attention from the phone in his hand.  “Shit,” he said and shoved it in his pocket.

Sarah was right; it wasn’t fair to involve them in this.  Even though he had nothing to do with Thomas’ death, the others were on his shoulders.  He wasn’t looking at prison time; he was looking at a death sentence.  Leaning against the car, his head lowered.  As much as he wanted to see her, he had to face the fact that he’d never see her again. 

“Are you ready?”  Sarah asked

Jason’s head snapped up.  “Wow, I didn’t hear you come back.”

No longer the happy young girl he remembered, Sarah’s eyes had dark circles under them.  Her  facial expressions, once smiling and bright,
were now set in constant anger and worry.  “Sorry.  You seemed pretty far away, where were you?”

Jason shook his head.  “No where really.  Just thinking.”

A pained look crossed her face before being replaced with emptiness once again.  “Don’t think.  Don’t reason.  It hurts too much to do that.  We have to do it this way, Jase.  It’s the only way to save everyone.”

“I know.  I don’t like it, but I know.”

The ringing bell over the gas station door signaled Pete’s exit.  Both their heads turned and watched him walk to the car with a large brown paper sack in his arms.  “Okay, this ought to last us for today anyhow.”

Sarah nodded once, and entered the car.

Pete searched Jason’s face.  “What’s going on?”

“Nothing.”

“I don’t like what I’m seeing in her.”  Pete whispered.

“I don’t either.  It’s like she’s broken now.”

“We need to help her.”

Jason shrugged.  “She doesn’t want our help.”

Pete rustled through the bag and pulled out a farmer’s almanac.  “Full moon tonight.  Guess we better find some place isolated to go to ground.”

“We’ll be fine.  I don’t think we need to worry about that anymore.”

Pete placed his hand on Jason’s shoulder and hissed.  “You and I will be fine, but she’s new at this, and she’s never turned before when she’s already in a rage.  All these other times we’ve shifted, there’s been no full moon.  Mark my words, she
won’t
be fine.  We need to get her some place safe, and we need to prepare to keep her that way.  What do you think she’d do if she ends up killing people, Jason?  On top of all this other crap, you think her mind would handle that okay?”

“Shit.”  Jason stretched and looked up at the sky.  “This nightmare never ends.”

Pete shoved the bag in Jason’s hands.  “Get over it buddy.  This is life now, and we’re the only ones that can handle it.  We have to protect her now, not just from everyone else, but from herself.”

Jason shoved the bag back into Pete’s arms.  “Shut up, and get in the car.  Do something useful and make me a sandwich.”

Pete grinned as he opened the car door.  “I’ll make you a freakin sandwich, and then I’ll get out the road map and try to find someplace close.  We may have to drive a few country roads, but there's bound to be some abandoned houses around.”

“You do that.” 

As the car turned onto the highway, two men watched from the garage attached to the gas station.  “Did you smell that?”

“Yep.”

“Two Alphas traveling together?  You ever heard of such a thing?”

“Nope.  But I ain’t never heard of a female either, and that chick is definitely one of them.”

“You better jump in the truck and follow them.  Make sure they leave our territory.”

“And if they don’t?”

The taller grease monkey spit on the ground.  “Well if they don’t, I guess they’ll get good look at how we deal with encroachers.  Boss ain’t going to like this one bit.  Hey!  Don’t just stand there gawking, get after them.”

Sarah looked around and shook her head.  From appearances, the small run down house hadn’t been occupied for many years.  Way out in the middle of nowhere, both Pete and Jason had assured her it was necessary to isolate themselves from everyone.  She wasn’t sure she believed them, but they’d pitched such a fit that in the end she’d decided it was better to be safe than sorry. 

It had been twenty-four hours since Shana had shifted to human form and Sarah had no idea where she was.  Kicking the wood post in front of her, she growled under her breath.  She hated not knowing where the woman was.  If she didn’t accomplish anything else, she would kill her.  Fulfilling her mothers’ last words was the only thing that meant anything to her now.

“Wake up.”  Jason said from the doorway.

Sarah’s glanced over her shoulder.  “I’m awake.”

“Well how about you answer me then?”

Her mouth drew to the side as she turned to face him.  “Okay, I’m awake now.  What did you ask?”

His eyes narrowed, but a smile fought to gain access to his lips.  “That’s hard for you isn’t it?”

“What?”

“Admitting you’re wrong.”

Closing her eyes, she arched her back and stretched.  Losing the battle against her face, she broke into a smile.  “What was it you asked?”

“Yeah, go ahead.  Ignore it, but you know I’m right,” he laughed.

“I’m not admitting to anything,” she smiled.

His face grew serious.  “I’ve missed that.”

“Missed what?”

“Your smile.  What she did to you has changed--”

“Don’t.”  She shook her head.

Exhaling, he moved to where she sat.  “Sarah, I--”

She looked away into the woods.  “Don’t, Jase.  Just leave it.”

“Fine.  Consider it left.  Pete and I are going to shift and scout the woods.  Just to be on the safe side.  Want to come with?”

“Nah.  Thanks though.  I’ll just wait here.”

“Might be fun.”