by K. C. Blake
Jack risked another quick look at the back of the auditorium. Billy stood near the exit. He nodded once at Jack before using the door. That was it. He walked out, and Jack experienced a claustrophobic rush of panic. Was Billy going to wait outside for him? Was he ready to come home? Did he need to talk to Jack about the changes warping his body and mind? Or was he going to disappear again?
Forgetting about wanting to see Silver graduate, Jack ducked out the side door and raced around the building as fast as he could without using vampire-speed. His heart pounded so loud he could hear it. Arms and legs pumping, he ran until he made it to the parking lot. Quickly he scanned the area. No sign of his brother. He was too late.
Billy had vanished into the dark night. Out of breath, Jack bent over, hands on his knees as he struggled to regulate his breathing. Heavy emotions clogged his throat.
“Looking for me?” Billy asked over his shoulder.
Jack jumped and whipped around, uncertain if his brother was there to finish him or just to talk. Billy looked good... for a werewolf. He hadn’t shaved in at least a few days, and there were dark purple circles beneath his eyes, but he was in one piece. That’s what counted. Relief flooded Jack’s senses.
“You came,” he said in a dumb statement-of-the-obvious.
“Yeah. I was in the neighborhood.”
“Are you ready to come home?”
Billy’s mood immediately darkened. “Can’t.”
“What are you talking about? There isn’t a full moon anymore. You’re fine now, right? We can find Jersey and kill him before you morph again.”
“You don’t get it.” Billy shoved his hands into the pockets of his jeans. He shifted from foot to foot, full of untamed energy. “The moon doesn’t matter. I can’t be near you. Even now I’m thinking about ripping your throat out.”
The vehemence in Billy’s tone made Jack take an awkward step backwards. “But you should feel like your old self again. What’s going on?”
“I don’t know!” Billy snarled at him, flashing teeth that still appeared to be a bit too sharp. “Every time I get close to you I want to kill you, and I’m afraid I won’t be able to control it for very long. I need to go.”
Billy did a one-eighty and maneuvered around cars in the parking lot until he was on the other side. Now he could cross the football field, take a few back roads, and disappear into the great wide open. It was possible this would be the last time that Jack saw his brother. That’s why he kept his eyes on Billy’s back, unblinking, afraid to miss a single second.
When Billy reached the fifty-yard line, he stopped. Jack’s breath caught. Hoping that Billy had changed his mind and was going to return home, Jack waited. His hands balled into fists as he silently prayed for a miracle. He wanted to run to Billy, talk fast and try to convince him that going home would be the best thing, but Billy didn’t like to be pushed about anything. So Jack waited.
Slowly, Billy turned and beckoned to Jack with one hand.
The sound of applause made Jack hesitate. His gaze swung to the brick building, the auditorium. Silver was inside, probably wondering why he’d left. They could be close to her name now. He didn’t want to miss her graduate... but he couldn’t leave his brother hanging. If he hurried, he could make it back in time. She would understand. She knew how much family meant to him.
Mind made up, Jack sprinted across the parking lot. He wanted to use his vampire-speed so he could make it back in time, but he couldn’t risk being seen. The Reigns weren’t the only hunters in the vicinity tonight. If one of them saw him run, they would kill him before he could convince the hunters that he wasn’t a vampire. Running between a slew of parked cars, he made it to the field in less than a minute. He started walking once he hit the artificial grass.
Billy waited impatiently, tapping his foot and looking around as if he was expecting trouble. When Jack got close enough to hear him, Billy spoke in a gruff tone. “I would tell you that you’re far too trusting and need to work on your gullibility issues, but it’s too late for that.”
The smile evaporated from Jack’s face. “What are you talking about?”
“I didn’t come here tonight to see you graduate, moron. A friend of yours asked me to lure you away from your bodyguards.”
“Friend?” It had to be Jersey. Jack stiffened and made a vain wish that someone would bring him the magic rock so he could end this now. If it was possible, he would kill Jersey with his bare hands. Somehow he was going to free his brother and Silver. She could go to college, and Billy could have his life back.
Billy gestured to someone over Jack’s shoulder.
The sound of rushing wind met Jack’s ears and briefly disturbed his hair.
He turned, and his anger was replaced by cold fear. It wasn’t Jersey. Blaine had used vampire-speed to cross the field and reach Jack before he could figure out it was a trap. Blaine had returned to finish their last fight. Jack glanced around, wondering if Blaine had brought another crowd of vampires to watch. There didn’t appear to be anyone else around. Jack relaxed a bit. If Blaine was the only vampire he had to fight, he could take him, no problem.
Jack made light of the situation, forcing an easy grin. “Where’s your entourage?”
“Dead. Or don’t you remember seeing that beautiful brunette creature destroy them all? No matter. I should have taken care of you alone. Bringing an audience was my undoing. If I hadn’t been showing off for my friends, I would have heard the hunter before she drove a stake through my chest. If I see her again, I’ll have to give her a lesson in anatomy. She missed my heart by a mile.”
Jack didn’t bother to tell the Albino Vampire that he wouldn’t see Isobel again because Jersey had taken care of her. Instead he asked, “When did you start hanging out with werewolves?”
Blaine shrugged his thin shoulders. “One does what one has to these days.”
“You’re a traitor to your own race. When the other vampires hear about you playing with dogs, they’re going to tear you to pieces.”
Billy growled an angry protest at being called a dog, but they both ignored him.
“The vampires won’t be miffed with me, not once they hear my explanation. You see, I want the war to happen, and I want to lead my race into battle against Jersey Clifford and his kind. Once we destroy the mutts, we’ll take over this entire planet. Worthy humans will be turned and others will be kept on farms as our food source.”
Jack shook his head, astounded. “You’re dreaming. The war isn’t going to happen because I’m taking Jersey down. Nothing you can do can stop me, but I’d like to see you try. I honestly would. I’ll stake you, and I won’t miss your heart.”
Blaine grinned. “Then let the games begin.”
Jack and his opponent moved simultaneously. To the naked human eye they would be a blur of color, but Billy could see them. Although werewolves couldn’t move as quickly as vampires, they had keen eyes. Billy laughed aloud before abandoning Jack to his fate. He took off in the direction of the goalposts. Jack wanted to chase him, but first he needed to destroy the Albino.
Blaine had learned a few moves. He dropped down, whipped around in a circle with his legs, and knocked Jack’s feet out from under him, but Jack was only on the ground for a second. Leaping up, he punched the Albino in the face. They traded fast and hard blows.
Silver screamed Jack’s name, and he glanced her way. She was running toward him with her mom, dad, and Ian in tow. Each of the hunters had a weapon in their hands. Relief made Jack smile. It was going to be okay. Blaine was outnumbered, and the fight had ended before it truly began.
“You’re going to get it now,” Jack said.
Blaine shook with silent laughter.
“What’s so funny?” Jack asked.
Blaine reached behind his back. “Your brother told me how to kill you.”
Before Jack could put a single thought together, before he could think about running or ducking, Blaine lifted a gun and shot him. It was an odd world. Werewolves w
ere using knives and vampires had guns.
Blaine pulled the trigger four times. Each bullet struck Jack’s upper body, tearing through tissue, muscle, and organs. Everything seemed to slow down. His body jerked with each hit. He dropped to his knees, unable to breathe as his lungs filled with blood.
He heard Silver scream, but it was a distant sound.
Blaine used vampire-speed to get away from the sprinting hunters
Then his friends were there like a tiny miracle. Silver wrapped her arms around him as Andrew and Ian tried to figure out what to do next. They talked about hunting both Blaine and Billy down. Jack struggled to speak. He wanted to beg them not to hurt his brother. It wasn’t Billy’s fault that he’d been turned into a vicious werewolf. The only thing Jack managed was a tortured groan.
Time began to move faster, and terrible pain hit Jack. He cried out and dropped onto his back. He writhed in agony on the ground. Silver yelled for her mom and asked, “What’s wrong with him?”
The pain was excruciating. He couldn’t talk, think, or breathe. Fists clenched, he tried to tell Silver it was okay even though he knew he’d be lying. He didn’t want her to be scared. Vanessa grasped the front of his shirt and tore it open. Buttons flew through the air. She and Silver gasped at the same time. Whatever it was, it was bad.
Andrew and Ian stood over Jack and stared down at him with grim expressions. Vanessa looked to her husband. In obvious defeat, she told her Andrew, “I don’t know what to do.”
Ian said, “They’re silver bullets.”
Silver began to sob uncontrollably, and Jack had to see what was upsetting everyone so much. Using his last ounce of strength, he lifted his upper body off the ground and took a long look at his exposed chest. Angry red lines seemed to be drawn on his skin, making his flesh look like a road map. As he watched, the lines grew longer. If one stab from a silver knife could make him sick, four silver bullets were going to kill him. There wasn’t a doubt in his head.
Ian pushed the girls out of his way. He knelt beside Jack, shiny blade in his hand. Without a comforting word or a stern warning, he sliced into Jack’s flesh. Jack threw his head back, banging it against the ground, and opened his mouth on a loud scream.
Silver begged her mom and dad to stop Ian, but they ignored her.
“Those bullets need to come out now,” Ian said before cutting deeper.
Jack wondered if his uncle was trying to save him or finish him off. To keep his mind off the pain, he tried to make a mental list of the reasons Ian might want to kill him and the reasons he might want to keep him around. One side of the list was a lot shorter than the other. Jack passed out. His last thought was for Silver. He hoped she’d be okay without him.
******
Chapter Twenty-Six:
THE FIRST VAMPIRE
“Am I dreaming?” Jack asked. “Am I dead?”
In the woods again, he had walked for what seemed like an hour before finding another living, breathing person. With their back to him, the black-robed figure did not respond to his questions. It was possible they hadn’t heard him. From that angle Jack couldn’t tell if it was a man or a woman. He just knew it wasn’t Silver because she wasn’t asleep. She was still outside the school, hovering over him as his uncle operated in the middle of the street.
Jack repeated the question, louder this time. “Am I dreaming, or did I die?”
The figure slowly revolved, and Jack forgot to breathe. Jersey Clifford’s pale blue eyes twinkled beneath the low-hanging hood. The head werewolf looked like a picture Jack had seen once of the Grim Reaper. Lifting both hands, palms up, Jersey replied, “You cannot die unless I kill you, and even then you won’t stay dead for long. Haven’t you figured it out yet, Jack?”
“Figured out what?”
Jersey shook his head and clicked his tongue. “Such a shame. You were the most brilliant student I have ever had the pleasure to teach. Alas, it seems that since I’ve left the school your education has fallen short.”
Jack remembered what Jersey had done to his brother, changing him into a werewolf, and a new burning rage surfaced. His fists clenched, but he didn’t raise them. He wanted to kill Jersey Clifford. Unfortunately they were in a dream. There wasn’t anything he could do to the werewolf on this side of reality. Why bother trying? It might sap his energy and keep him from healing.
“If I could kill you right now,” Jack said, “you’d be so dead.”
“Why the hostility? I thought we were becoming the best of friends.”
“Are you kidding me? After what you did?”
Jersey shrugged. “I forgave you for taking the life of my assistant. Pagan was family to me. Why can’t you offer me the same consideration?”
“You changed my brother into a werewolf and sent him to kill me.”
Jersey didn’t confirm nor deny the charge. Smiling, he looked up at the faux sun. Talking in a quiet tone as if he was conversing with a family member while sitting on the porch, sipping lemonade, he said, “You must have missed the sunlight when you were a vampire. I’ve often wondered how you found the strength to survive such a nasty lifestyle.”
Feeling insulted and in no mood to defend himself to a smelly werewolf, Jack stared off into the distance. He had no intention of saying another word to Jersey. The head werewolf could talk to himself. Jack didn’t care. Nothing could make him speak to his former teacher again. He tried to tune him out, thinking about Silver instead.
Jersey went on. “I realize you were brainwashed into believing that vampires are superior to werewolves, but I think you’re clever enough to weigh the advantages and disadvantages of both. Surely you can see that werewolves are stronger and smarter than bloodsuckers.”
It wasn’t going to work. Jack started walking again. Somehow he would find a way to wake up before Jersey drove him to insanity. He focused his attention on the pretty trees and the warmth of the sun. It was a beautiful day in the world of dreams.
Jersey appeared at his side in a flash. Unable to take a hint, the werewolf continued to talk without a filter. “While vampires are only allowed out at night, werewolves can go outside no matter the time, and we don’t have to drink blood. That is a definite advantage.”
Jack clenched his teeth until his jaw hurt. He wanted to verbally rip the head werewolf apart. A hundred vicious things he could say rolled around in his mind, but he kept them to himself. No way was he going to talk to Jersey Clifford. He wasn’t even going to acknowledge the man’s presence.
Jack continued to walk.
Jersey began to sing off-key as loud as he could.
That’s it! Jack had to find a way to wake up. He didn’t care if Ian was tearing into his flesh. Physical pain would be a blessing compared to the mental anguish of dealing with Jersey. Desperate to wake up, he screamed as loud as he could. The abrupt noise caught Jersey off guard, and it shut his mouth for the moment at least. Birds scattered into the air, exiting the nearby bush they’d been hiding in.
Other than that, nothing happened. Jack balled up a fist and hit a thick tree trunk. Pain shot up his arm. Even though he was dreaming, physical sensations seemed all too real. He held his injured hand against his stomach, hopped around, and cursed like a drunken sailor. Little by little, the pain lessened until it vanished completely.
He glanced down at his hand and was surprised to see unblemished flesh. The skin should have been bruised at least. Jack stood still for a moment and squeezed his eyes shut. He willed himself to wake up.
Jersey’s amused voice intruded on his thoughts. “That was quite a show.”
“Shut up!” Jack couldn’t take it anymore. He looked around, but he didn’t see Jersey anywhere. Had the werewolf discovered a way to become invisible in Jack’s dreams? “Where the hell are you? Show yourself, you coward?”
“I’m not hiding. I’m up here.”
Jack shielded his eyes from the bright sun with one hand and looked up. Jersey sat perched in a tall tree. It would have been amusing if it had be
en anyone other than Jersey. He straddled a thick branch. His feet kicked at the air like a happy child enjoying the freedom of being that high up. Jack wondered if he could pick up a rock and throw it, knocking the werewolf out of the tree.
Tired of trying to ignore Jersey, he asked, “What do you want from me? Seriously. Just tell me, and get it over with. What the hell do you want from me?”
Jersey jumped out of the tree and landed on his feet next to Jack. “What do I want? That’s simple. I want you to put two and two together and not come up with a six. I want you to get on the same page with me. Can you do that?”
“Whatever. I am so over your games.”
“What do you think I want from you?”
“You want me to embrace my destiny and fight you in some big showdown. I guess that’s why you did what you did to Billy. Well, you’re going to get your wish. I hate you more than I’ve ever hated another person in my entire life.”
Jersey kept his stare blank, but his Adam’s apple bobbed as he swallowed. It didn’t escape Jack’s notice. For some reason Jersey didn’t like the fact that he hated him. Good. Jack hoped the werewolf choked on the knowledge.
He added, “Since I can’t kill you here and now, I think I’ll leave. Don’t follow me. See ya.”
Jack tried to walk away, but Jersey appeared in front of him. The robe had vanished, replaced with a modern black suit. A bright red triangle stuck out of his breast pocket. “What happened to your curiosity? I have been waiting for you to figure out the truth for an eternity, and you still don’t have a clue. I am extremely disappointed in you.”
“Boo-hoo. Get out of my way. I’m leaving.”
Jersey stepped aside and swept the air with his arm, motioning for Jack to go. However, as Jack passed by, Jersey asked, “Haven’t you ever wondered why you? Out of all the people in this world, why were you chosen to fight me? Why were you reborn again and again?”