Vampires Rule (30 page)

Finally, he knocked an angel statue over, and
it shattered into a million pieces.

This time it took more than fifteen minutes
for him to calm himself. When he reverted to human form, he sank
down in the pile of debris and cried. Now Jack felt truly sorry for
the man. He couldn’t help it. Jersey hadn’t asked to be made into a
werewolf. Jack wished he could speak to Jersey now, but he reminded
himself it was only a memory, so communication was impossible.

Jersey returned to the hallway and sat next
to Pagan’s body, but he didn’t touch her. Instead, he quoted
poetry. “When we two parted in silence and tears, half broken
hearted to sever for years, pale grew thy cheek and cold, colder
thy kiss. Truly that hour foretold sorrow to this.”

He smiled down at her. “That was Lord Byron.
Of course if you were able to speak, you would nag at me to talk
like a regular human being. You never understood I am not even
close to being human. Once upon a time I called heaven my home. I
was an angel.”

“
Is he using angel as symbolic?” Silver
blinked. “Or does he actually believe he’s an angel with the wings
and halo and the whole ten yards?”

Jack grimaced. “He says he lost his wings
when he came to earth.”

“
You knew he was this delusional and you
didn’t tell me?”

“
I only just found out. Anyway, I agreed
to kill him. What more do you want?” Jack sarcastically said,
“Okay, so he’s cuckoo for cocoa puffs.”

Jersey lifted Pagan into his arms and started
up the stairs. Everywhere he went, Jack and Silver appeared in the
background, watching him in silence. Jersey took Pagan outside. He
dumped the body on the ground before going to the tool shed for a
shovel. A few minutes later he struck the hard earth with the
blade, whistling as he dug a big hole.

Jack shifted from foot to foot, uncomfortable
watching Jersey grieve for the only true friend he’d had. Silver
watched Jack instead of Jersey. Jack could tell what she was
thinking. She was afraid Jack had changed his mind about killing
Jersey, but she couldn’t be more wrong. Seeing the way Jersey was
suffering made Jack want to put him out of his misery more than
ever.

Jersey scooped the body up and dumped it into
the hole. He leaned on the shovel. His eyes went up to the stars
for a moment. “Dear Pagan, I know you never understood a word I
uttered, and you hated poetry with a fierce passion, but allow me
one more. I want to send you off with flowery prose the way you
deserve.”

He folded his hands in front of himself and
bowed his head as if in prayer. “I tell you hopeless grief is
passionless, that only men incredulous of despair, half-taught in
anguish through the midnight air beat upward to God’s throne in
loud access of shrieking and reproach.”

Jersey raised his head and smiled. “That was
Browning again. Elizabeth, not Robert. I never cared for him.”

He threw a shovelful of dirt on her face.
“Goodbye, my sweet. Rest well knowing I will feed your bloodthirsty
nature soon. Perhaps I will even bury your murderer beside
you.”

****

Jack and Silver found themselves back in the
classroom. They let go of the comb at the same time, and it fell
back into the drawer. She glanced at the clock, and Jack’s gaze
followed. It was almost time for their next class. No doubt Jersey
would have another substitute in his place. He was out there
somewhere plotting his revenge.

“That was useless,” she said. “We still don’t
know what he’s planning.”

“We can’t wait for him to attack. We need
bait. I’ll draw him out and then use the rock.”

“You can’t.” Silver folded her arms over her
chest. “Jersey will be waiting for an attack. You saw him. He’s
freaking crazy. You won’t get anywhere near him now, and I don’t
want you to try.”

“I don’t think we have a choice anymore. He’s
going to try to kill us. It’s only a matter of time. We need to be
prepared.”

The door opened, and Jersey Clifford stepped
inside, a box in his hands. He wore the familiar amused expression
they had come to know and dread. It grew when he saw their shocked
faces. He approached his desk, and they retreated, walking
backwards, hand in hand. He set the empty box down and scanned the
desk as if he expected to find something important missing.

For a split-second Jack thought he was still
in a memory. Then Jersey spoke to them.

“Good to see you, Jack. You as well, Ms.
Reign. Would you like to join us today, stay over to hear my
lecture on Shakespeare? It's going to be fascinating.”

Jack swallowed before answering. “I thought
we were moving onto Beowulf next?”

“Changed my mind. I want to talk about
betrayal, deceit, and murder.”

The growing lump in Jack’s throat refused to
be dislodged by simply swallowing. He was finding it difficult to
breathe normally too. Silver’s hand slid up his arm to grasp him
above the elbow. She pulled him towards the door while addressing
the werewolf teacher.

“Jack was telling me he isn’t feeling very
well,” she said. “I was about to walk him to the nurse.”

“Really?” Jersey stared at Jack. A flash of
contempt touched his eyes. “I was hoping to hear your opinions on
certain stories. Pity you won’t be in class today. I wanted to talk
to you after class as well. It’s rather important.”

Jack reached into his pocket and fingered the
rock. He wondered if he moved vampire fast, could he touch Jersey
in time? Could he end the whole mess now?

As if reading his mind and hating the idea,
Silver yanked on him harder. “You were saying you felt like you
might throw up. We’d better hurry and get you to the nurse.”

“I think I’m feeling better.”

Her eyes pleaded with him not to be stupid.
She pulled on him again. “The nurse is a better judge on whether
you should be in class or not. Let’s go see her. Now.”

“You’d better go, Jack.” Jersey’s lips
twisted into an amused grimace. “The bell is about to ring. You and
I will have a chance to talk privately later. I promise you
that.”

Silver yanked him out the door. Once outside
the room, she whispered in his ear. “You are not going to try to
use that thing! No way in hell. Did you see his eyes? Let’s get out
of here before he kills us both.”

Jack listened to her, more for her sake than
his. He would kill Jersey later when they were alone. No sense in
putting Silver’s life in danger. They took each other by the hand
and ran down the hallway as fast as they could, darting around
curious students. They burst through the glass doors, went to the
car, and drove home at top speed.

Silver’s parents were on his side for once.
They told her if he wanted to use the stone to kill Jersey, he
should be allowed to do it without her interference. She sat in a
corner, arms crossed, and lips compressed for over two hours. He
was beginning to think she wasn’t going to speak to him again. He
went to bed alone that night, no visitors other than the cat.

Morning came too quickly. He got dressed but
skipped breakfast. Today was the day. It was Saturday, so he was
going to Jersey’s home to finish him off. Silver wanted to
accompany him, but her parents put their collective foot down, and
Jack agreed with them. She’d put her life in danger enough this
week.

When Jack reached the bottom of the stairs,
he found everyone waiting for him. They lined up to say goodbye as
if he was going off to war. He guessed it was close enough to the
truth. There was a very real possibility that he wouldn’t return,
but he didn’t want to think about that.

Vanessa hugged him and kissed him on the
cheek. “You be careful. I consider you one of my children
already.”

Andrew took his hand and pumped it twice.
“I’m not crazy about this plan, but you have my respect for trying
it.”

Silver’s parents went outside, giving the
rest of them privacy to say their goodbyes. Billy went next. He
embraced his brother warmly. Since rehashing the past they were
getting along better than ever. He whispered in Jack’s ear, “Are
you sure you don’t want backup on this?”

“I’m sure.”

Billy took a step back and said, “Okay. I
don’t need to wish you luck because you have good instincts. You’ll
do fine.” Billy grinned. “Of course you’ll be putting hunters
everywhere out of work.”

“There’ll still be vampires,” Silver
said.

“Yeah.” Billy rolled his eyes. “Until you two
figure out how to wipe them off the face of the planet.”

He clapped Jack on the back before vacating
the room. That left Silver. She and Jack stood in the foyer, toe to
toe. A million things went through Jack’s mind, things he wanted to
say to her in case he didn’t make it home alive, but he couldn’t
bring himself to utter a solitary word. It would be like giving up.
Besides, she would insist on tagging along if he showed even a
miniscule amount of doubt about this mission.

“Awkward,” she said with a wry smile.

He agreed with a quick nod.

Her arms snaked around his waist, and he
hugged her. They held each other for a long time, each reluctant to
let go just in case it was the last time. Her cheek rested on his
chest. She sniffed. He almost asked her if she was crying, but he
didn’t want to know. Tears might convince him to forget the
mission. If he decided not to go, Jersey would eventually come
after them. He might even kill Silver.

“I wish I could help,” she said. “I should
have worked harder to train. Maybe I would be able to suck his soul
out by now.”

“You might get your chance someday.”

She pulled away and looked up at him. Her
lips trembled, and her eyes glistened, damp. “Don’t say that. If
you can’t get close to him, if you think he suspects anything, then
run. Okay? I mean it. Run back here as fast as you can, and we’ll
stand against him together.”

Jack nodded. “Werewolves are strong, but
vampires are faster. Good thing I have a little of both. My powers
might not be up to his standards yet, but I think I can take him
even if it comes down to a big fight.”

A half-sob escaped her mouth. Her face hit
his chest again, and she grabbed onto his shoulders with both
hands. “Please come back in one piece.”

“Promise.” He kissed the top of her head.
“Stay out of trouble while I’m gone.”

She glared at him but kept her mouth
shut.

Jack left, but he turned around once to look
at Silver. They waved to each other as he headed to his brother’s
car. He got in fast, worried she might come running after him and
insist on joining the party. When he drove away, he looked in the
rearview mirror. He saw her shut the door. She was safe, at least
for now.

It didn’t occur to him to wonder why she’d
given up so easily.

Jack took the two-lane highway between their
home and town. He would have to drive fifteen minutes before he
reached a little offshoot that would eventually lead to Jersey’s
home. He slid his hand into the pocket of his coat. The rock was
heavy and smooth, a comforting weight in his pocket.

He pressed harder on the accelerator. He
couldn’t wait to confront Jersey. One way or another it would be
nice to have the whole thing over with. He would try hard not to
die. Silver needed him. He couldn’t protect her if he was dead.

He finally made it to the road, turned, and
drove down it at a cautious speed. The tires kicked up a storm of
dust. If Jersey was home, he’d see Jack coming from a mile away.
Jack tried to figure out a way to convince Jersey to relax long
enough to touch him with the rock. Maybe he could trip and fall on
his teacher with the rock hidden in his hand.

Billy had left his favorite sunglasses on the
passenger seat. Jack grabbed them without thinking. He wanted to
hide his eyes from the head werewolf. He slid them onto his face. A
spark of electricity shot through his fingers. “Oh no.”

He tried to put his foot on the brake, but it
was too late.

****

Billy stood in the living room, waiting for
Silver to close the front door. She hurried inside as Jack drove
away, and he asked her, “Are you sure about this?”

“I thought you wanted to get the werewolf
responsible for killing your parents?”

“I do. I just don’t understand why you all of
a sudden want in on it. Why don’t you wait here for the conquering
hero?”

With a sad look, she explained, “Jack is
going to kill someone he’s come to…I hate to say it... love... and
he’s doing it for me. You know how badly he wanted to use the stone
on the janitor. Once he kills Jersey, the janitor will be human.
Untouchable. If we kill him then, we’ll go to prison for murder. So
you and I are going to do the deed now, before he turns human, and
save Jack a lot of grief. We owe it to him.”

Billy wasn’t sure about this idea. Silver had
sent the guy a message to meet her in the field near the cemetery.
Even if the janitor showed, that didn’t mean they could take him in
a fair fight. Silver had admitted herself to losing the first fight
with the guy. What made her think she could take him on now?

“I have the weapons in your car,” Billy said,
shuffling from one foot to the other as second thoughts turned to
third thoughts.

“Let’s go then.”

“Maybe we should invite your parents
along.”

She made a face. “I don’t need their help.
Trust me. I probably won’t even need you. Let’s go.”

Jack sucked in a painful breath and returned
to his own body with a disoriented shiver. The car was off the
road, parked at an awkward angle. At least he hadn’t hit a tree.
The engine continued to rumble. He tossed the sunglasses aside,
still trying to get his bearings. He couldn’t believe his idiot
brother was helping Silver attack the janitor. They were both going
to die.