Shifters Rule (Rule Series) Page 8

  Idiot!

  Jack waited for Jersey to land next to him on the floor, but once again the werewolf disappeared. He was gone without a trace of evidence he’d ever been there. Jack grabbed the edge of the desk with his hand and pulled himself up. His uncle scowled at him from across the room.

  “That one is slippery,” Ian said. “I’ve never bloody seen anything like it. How does he keep vanishing? Any ideas?”

  “No.”

  “Why was he here? How did he get passed the anti-werewolf spells?”

  “How should I know?”

  Ian shrugged his wide shoulders. “He’s a friend of yours. It occurred to me you might have let him in. You haven’t exactly proven where your loyalty lies.”

  It was Jack’s turn to be stunned. “What? Why would I do something so stupid? In case you didn’t notice, he came here to attack me. If you hadn’t come in when you did, he probably would have killed me.”

  “Now that would have been a real shame,” Ian said sarcastically.

  Jack opened his mouth to tell his uncle where he could put his suspicions, but he didn’t even get the first word out. They were interrupted by a scream. It erupted from the hallway.

  “Vanessa!” Ian shouted.

  He turned and dashed from the room.

  Jack followed.

  They found Vanessa in the hallway a few feet from the study. She had a hand over her heart, and her face was flushed. Ian grabbed her by the shoulders. “Are you all right? Tell me what happened? Did Clifford do something to you?”

  She laughed. “I’m sorry. I just saw a mouse.”

  Ian’s eyes widened. “A mouse? You screamed because you saw a bloody rodent? Honestly?”

  She laughed until tears filled her eyes. “I am sorry. I don’t know what’s wrong with me. You should see the look on your face. You think just because I’m a hunter I can’t be afraid of a mouse?”

  Ian shrugged. “We all have things we’re afraid of.”

  He sent a glare Jack’s way.

  Jack shifted uncomfortably from one foot to the other. He looked away. His uncle was like a wild dog. It wasn’t smart to make eye contact.

  Ian put an arm around Vanessa’s shoulders and joined in on the laughter. The two of them turned, going upstairs together. Jack returned to the study and his search. He had to find the magic rock before Jersey grew even more powerful. Someone had to stop the head werewolf before he created his army.

  .

  *****

  Chapter Eight:

  BROKEN PROMISES

  .

  .

  A few days later, Jack took Silver on a date, a real date. They hadn’t gone out, just the two of them, in quite a while. Every time they set up a date, something happened to keep them from going. They’d been busy with one crisis after another. It was nice to be able to relax and take a break from the chaos.

  Silver didn’t want to go. Her mother insisted it would be good for her. Get her out of the house for a few hours. Vanessa whispered the words in Jack’s ear. It wasn’t a bad idea. If he could get Silver’s mind off her father for even a few short hours, it would be worth it. He would give anything to see her smile again.

  They went to a movie, a comedy with good reviews behind it.

  The two of them sat in the center of the back row in the darkened theater, patiently waiting for the movie to begin. Jack played with strands of Silver’s hair while she munched on butter-flavored popcorn. He watched every change in her facial expression, no matter how slight, totally fascinated. Every time he looked at her he was blown away by one major fact: this was his girl. She was the love of his life and they were finally together. Despite every horrible thing that had happened, they were together.

  He wondered if she realized she was the only girl for him.

  The promise ring rested against his chest beneath the black T-shirt. Dangling at the end of a long chain, he wore it day and night, constantly on the lookout for the right time to offer it to her. Was it the right time now? Should he ask her to be his forever?

  Jack turned away for a moment. Straw in mouth, he drank some of the cold soda in the hope it would calm him. His nerves tightened to the point of snapping. A thousand reasons not to give her the ring raced through his mind. Each one was valid, but he dismissed them all. It came down to the simple fact that he loved Silver.

  Nothing else mattered.

  He sucked in a deep breath before turning to face her. His hand stole under his

  T-shirt and traveled up to find the ring. Then he noticed the change in her mood. A single tear slid down her cheek. Her lower lip quivered. Any second the dam would break, and she would be crying in earnest. There wasn’t anything he could do to stop it.

  Jack released the ring, leaving it safely nestled against his hot skin. Using one finger, he wiped the tear from her face. Maybe a movie wasn’t such a good idea. Maybe he should take her to an open field where they could lie on top of his car and count the stars.

  She mumbled, “Sometimes I forget my dad is dead. Isn’t that crazy?”

  “I don’t think so. Sometimes I forget Billy isn’t waiting at home for me. Once in a while something happens and I think I need to go tell Billy. Then I remember I can’t.”

  “I half-expect my dad to come running into the theater with a shotgun, screaming at the top of his lungs. I’d be humiliated. It would be horrible. But I really wish it could happen.”

  “It’s okay. I get it.” He leaned closer and pressed his lips against the sweet curve of her jaw. He kissed his way up to her ear.

  “I don’t freaking believe this.”

  Her words smacked him in the face like a wet towel. A cold fist settled in his gut. Feeling queasy, he moved away from her, numbed by the venom in her tone. “Sorry. I was just trying to make you feel better. Honest.”

  She looked at him. Her eyes slowly narrowed. The truth of what he was saying seemed to dawn on her. She put three fingers on his chest, almost touching the ring, and pushed him with a jab of annoyance. “Not you. Them.” She gestured to the affectionate couple in the front row.

  With a grimace he said, “So much for promises.”

  Trina and Cowboy were sitting so close to each other not even a sliver of light could pass between their bodies. Cowboy held a piece of popcorn at her eye level. She opened her mouth like a trained seal, and he fed it to her. She giggled before returning the favor.

  Sickening. Jack couldn’t stand to watch the embarrassing public display. Jaw tight, he stared over Silver’s shoulder at an Asian family. They seemed happy. And that was what he’d wanted for Silver, a tiny bit of elusive happiness. Now their date was ruined. Her best friend had lied to them. His former friend was sneaking around behind Jack’s back, trying to insinuate himself into their lives in a sneaky way. The question was why? Why bother? If Cowboy’s plans were harmless, he would have simply picked up the phone and called. Jack hadn’t changed his number.

  Jack leaned closer to Silver and asked, “You want me to go down there and set Cowboy straight?”

  “Not yet. We’ll wait for Trina to go to the lobby. I know her. She won’t make it through half the movie without returning to the concession stand for some candy. She won’t let him get it for her because she’ll be too embarrassed to admit how much candy she actually wants. She always saves some of it for the next day. I’ll have a talk with her in the lobby while you get rid of him.”

  “What are you going to say to her? We’ve already tried once. She knows he’s a vampire.”

  Silver sighed. “I don’t know what I’m going to say to her. I’ll think of something. The main thing is for you to have a talk with your friend. Say whatever you have to, to get him to leave her alone.”

  “No problem.”

  He was lying. It was a major problem. Cowboy didn’t take direction well. He wasn’t going to appreciate Jack interfering with his social life. In fact, Jack feared Cowboy was only dating Trina to get revenge for Summer and Lily being dead. He might even be pla
nning on turning Trina into a vampire, replacing the other girls with her.

  It would break Silver’s heart.

  Jack had to stop it from happening. Short of killing Cowboy, he didn’t know how he would manage to get rid of him. Somehow he would. He had to for Silver’s sake.

  .

  *****

  .

  Silver didn’t enjoy the movie. It was obvious. Her narrowed eyes were on the lying couple more often than on the screen. She didn’t even attempt to finish her popcorn. She didn’t laugh once, not even a stifled giggle. The minutes passed slowly, masquerading as hours. Jack sat back, one foot resting on the opposite knee. He tried to give the movie a chance, but his mind was on Silver the whole time. He wished there was something he could do to bring the smile back to her eyes.

  “Here we go,” she said, straightening in her seat. She briefly looked at him, hiding her face from Trina when the girl walked past them. “I’ll keep her in the lobby as long as I can. Get rid of him.”

  Jack nodded. “You got it.”

  He waited for Silver to disappear through the doorway before standing. He hunched over, trying to keep out of everyone’s way as he went to Trina’s vacated seat. Once there, he stared at his old friend with awe. Cowboy was back. The two of them had parted enemies. Knowing Cowboy hated him bothered Jack more than he wanted to admit. Part of him missed his vampire friends. Two were dead. Cowboy was the only one left, but they couldn’t be friends again, not as long as Jack was human.

  Cowboy didn’t even glance in Jack’s direction as he spoke. “I was wondering when you’d come down here to talk to me.”

  “You knew I was here?”

  Cowboy tapped the side of his nose and turned a confident grin on Jack. “I could smell you the second you entered the theater. Good to see you, buddy.” He looked back at the closed door, just a glance. “I suppose your girlfriend is trying to talk some sense into Trina, huh?”

  “Why Trina? She isn’t even your type.”

  “Maybe I’ve changed.” He shrugged. “She’s pretty enough once you get past the weird way she dresses, and she’s a load of fun. Sometimes she sort of reminds me of Summer.”

  Jack wasn’t fooled. “You’re dating her because she’s Silver’s friend. The question is this. Are you doing it to get to me or to Silver? What is your game plan?”

  “I could tell you, but then I’d have to kill you.” Cowboy laughed. “Seriously, bud, get a grip. There is no great, mysterious plan. I came back to give you a hand because I hear you’re going to take on the big, bad werewolf. I want to help you do it, tip the scales in your favor. That’s all.”

  Right, and Ian had warm, fuzzy feelings for vampires.

  “I don’t need your help,” Jack said.

  He turned his face to the big screen, teeth clenched. He’d missed half the movie. Now two guys were fighting over a girl. He had no idea who any of them were. His mind returned to the problem at hand. Somehow he had to find out what Cowboy was up to. Cheap tricks wouldn’t work. Cowboy had invented most of them.

  Cowboy leaned close and whispered, “Do you ever think about the good old days when you and I were the best of friends? I do. Summer and Lily are gone. Nothing I can do about it. But you, you’re still very much alive, and it occurred to me we never got a last bit of fun in, a final battle with some shared enemy. I don’t know about you, but I need closure.”

  Cowboy seemed sincere so Jack asked, “What do you have in mind?”

  “I want to help you get rid of the head werewolf. It’s that simple.”

  Had Jersey sent Cowboy to bait a trap for Jack? Anything was possible. If Jack was smart, he’d walk away now, but curiosity grabbed him by the throat. He had to know if Cowboy was being honest with him. They’d been great friends at one time. Cowboy was right. Jack thought about the old days a lot. He didn’t miss being a vampire, not exactly. It was the old gang he missed, the tight friendships.

  “I want you to stay away from Trina,” Jack said.

  “Sorry, buddy. I like her too much to walk.”

  No way. The two of them had absolutely nothing in common. Jack frowned. “You aren’t planning on turning her, are you?”

  “Don’t know. I haven’t thought that far ahead. Right now we’re just having a good time, taking it day by day, or in my case, night by night.”

  Silver was not going to like this. He needed to do something fast. If Trina became a vampire, Silver would lose her mind. She’d be torn between hunting Trina down and protecting her from the other hunters. It would be a huge mess.

  “I’ll work with you against Jersey,” Jack said. “But only if you break things off with Trina.”

  “Are you serious?”

  “How much do you want closure?”

  Cowboy sighed. “I don’t know. I haven’t found a girl I enjoy hanging with since Summer died, but Trina is something special. It’s a lot to give up.”

  “There are millions of girls in the world. You’ll find someone else to turn.” Jack smiled wryly. “Besides, Trina talks a lot. She has a particular fondness for the word ‘intense’ in case you hadn’t noticed. Do you really want her yapping in your ear for the next century?”

  The smile left Cowboy’s face as he considered the question. “She does kind of overuse certain parts of the English language. Probably wear a guy down after a while. I’d have to kill her to shut her up, and then your girlfriend would come after me, and it would get messy.” His smile returned, bigger this time. He stuck a hand out. “You got yourself a deal, buddy. I’ll dump her if you agree to work with me one last time.”

  Jack reluctantly shook the offered hand. He suspected he’d just made the dumbest deal of his life. Cowboy tipped the popcorn box. Jack reached in, took a handful. Leaning back in the seat, he munched on the white stuff and checked the movie out. Now there was a whole different woman on the screen he didn’t recognize. She raced around her apartment with one shoe on and one in her hand. The audience laughed as she tripped over the ottoman and landed on the sofa.

  “What are you going to say to her?” Jack asked. “If you don’t make it good, Trina won’t let you go. She can be… stubborn.”

  “You know me, bud. I work best under pressure. I’ll think of something.”

  Jack didn’t doubt it. He had his own ideas. Cowboy wouldn’t welcome any of them. They were as different as potato chips and chocolate cake. Cowboy didn’t handle things the way Jack did. While Jack would try to let Trina down easy, Cowboy would more likely cut her off at the knees. He’d make her bleed. Jack didn’t like the idea of Trina getting hurt, but maybe she would have to be hurt in order to allow Cowboy to walk away.

  “I should have known.” Trina glared down at him. “Silver just cornered me in the lobby and tried to convince me to stop seeing Derek. I’m going to tell you the same thing I told her. Forget it. Butt out of my life or else. Got it?”

  A couple of people hissed at Trina and one of them shouted at her to sit down. She made a rude gesture in the direction of the audience. Her narrowed eyes remained on Jack’s face.

  “Derek?” Jack raised an eyebrow at his friend. “Was that your name before you were turned?”

  “Who can remember?” Cowboy shrugged. “It might have been.”

  Trina shouted, “Get out of my seat!”

  “You heard her, buddy. Hit the road.”

  Jack stood slowly. His eyes went to Cowboy to give him a silent reminder that they had a deal. Cowboy smiled up at him. Jack opened his mouth to offer a grain of wisdom, but Trina smacked him in the arm. He circled around her, lips firmly closed. There was nothing he could say anyway. Hopefully, Cowboy was going to stick with the plan.

  Silver was waiting for him in the lobby. She hurried over to him and asked, “Did you have better luck than I did?”

  “Everything’s cool. He’s breaking up with her.”

  “Are you sure you can trust him to do it? I thought Trina was going to dump him before, but she lied to us. What makes you think he’
s telling the truth?”

  “I offered him a trade.”

  Silver gaped at him. “Tell me you didn’t. I know he used to be a friend of yours, but things have changed. He’s still a vampire, and you’re a human dating a hunter.”

  A dumb question crossed his lips. “Do you want to go back in and watch the rest of the movie?”

  She winced. “Not really. I’m too upset to focus. Sorry. Can you just take me home? I really want to check on my mom.”

  In silent mutual agreement, they walked to the glass doors. Jack pushed one open for her. He followed her out. The two of them walked down the sidewalk to the parking lot, hand in hand. It didn’t matter to him what they did as long as they did it together. Some people would count their first date as a total failure, but he had a warm feeling in his chest. He smiled and squeezed her hand.

  .

  *****

  .

  Jersey sat behind a desk almost identical to the one he’d left behind in the mansion. In fact, the room resembled his mansion study down to the last detail. Pagan strutted into the room, swinging her hips with slight exaggeration. The tight pink mini stretched with each movement. She perched on the edge of the desk and crossed her long legs at the knees. Jersey handed her a present wrapped in flowery paper. Her pouting pink lips slowly turned to a smile.

  Jack watched from the doorway. After his date with Silver, he went back to his own house because he couldn’t hide out at Silver’s home forever. Being in his own bed again proved oddly uncomfortable. Unable to sleep, he had searched his room until he found something that belonged to Jersey. It was a tiny angel wrapped in cloth. He’d taken it home when Vanessa started throwing Jersey’s stuff out. No one knew he had it. Back then he’d still thought of Jersey as a friend.

  Jack was grasping it in his hand now, watching the scene with Jersey unfold.

  For a moment he was stunned at finding Pagan with Jersey. Then he caught sight of glittering green eyes and realized it was Blanca. For some reason she was having trouble holding the form. She was pretending to be Pagan for Jersey. No wonder Jersey kept his nasty little cat around. Blanca could pretend to be anyone. It was a safe way to play out fantasies.