Shifters Rule (Rule Series) (28 page)

“Then why don’t you kill me?”

Jersey
rubbed his chin and looked up for a second.
 
When his pale blue eyes returned to Jack, he said, “I haven’t killed you yet because your death isn’t enough for me anymore.
 
I want you to suffer.
 
Perhaps I should kill Silver while you watch.
 
Then I can take care of you.”

“You touch her and I will rip your ugly face off!”

Jack started to charge the head werewolf like an angry bull.
 
He didn’t get more than a few steps.
 
The lockers flew open and several books clobbered him at once.
 
Math books.
 
Science books.
 
The Biology books were the biggest. They knocked him off his feet.
 
His knees hit the linoleum, built on concrete.
 
The shock vibrated through his bones, threatening to shatter them.

He bit his lower lip to keep from crying out in pain.
 
The slightest groan would be a reward to
Jersey
’s ears.
 
Jack refused to give his enemy a single pleasant moment.
 
Somehow he was going to suck the werewolf’s soul out.
 
He had to—he had to save Silver’s life.

“Problem?”
 
Jersey
grinned.

He stuck his hand out and Jack grasped it firmly.
 
Jersey
pulled him to his feet with one smooth motion.
 
Jack locked eyes with the monster again, determined to rip his soul away, but Jack couldn’t even get close to it.
 
There were too many dark and invisible obstacles in his path.

Jersey
’s amused eyes seemed to be holding onto a secret.

Jack had a secret, too.

“You can’t take my soul, Jack.
 
This is a waste of time for us both.
 
Unless, of course, I decide to take yours.
 
We both know how fast that would be.”

“You keep talking, but I haven’t seen any action.
 
Kill me or return Silver!
 
Those are your only two choices.”

Jersey
laughed.
 
“Bloodthirsty.
 
You remind me of Pagan.
 
She wanted you dead the second we met.
 
In hindsight, I should have listened to her.
 
Perhaps she would still be alive.”

“I swear if you don’t tell me where you put Silver, you are going to be sorry.”

“Bold statement.
 
I doubt you have the skill to back it up.”
 
He raised his hand to silence Jack when Jack would have verbally ripped into him again.
 
“To show I am not an unreasonable man, you can have your partner back, at least for the moment.
 
Turn around.”

Jack spun on one foot and found Silver with Blanca standing behind her.
 
His former cat had an arm locked around Silver’s throat.
 
Jack shook his head.
 
He looked at
Jersey
.
 
“You told me you couldn’t resurrect her.”

“I didn’t.”
 
Jersey
shrugged.
 
“She doesn’t have a soul, you know.
 
She isn’t a werewolf.
 
She is trapped in your dream world, so naturally she is able to join us while we are on this side.
 
I’m afraid she isn’t happy with you.”

“You can say that again.”
 
Blanca’s arm tightened around Silver’s neck.

Silver struggled to breathe.

Jack flew at
Jersey
.
 
He hit him in the jaw with a hard right hook.
 
Two things happened at once.
 
Jersey
went down, and the school disappeared.
 
Jersey
couldn’t hold the illusion.
 
They returned to the field, directly in the middle of a bloody battle.

Blanca didn’t manage to make the trip.

Silver rushed at
Jersey
, ready to attack.

Jersey
moved fast.
 
His hand shot out, grabbing Silver by the throat.
 
He lifted her off her feet, but he spoke to Jack in a calm voice.
 
“I can break her neck.
 
Do you believe me?”

“Put her down!”
 
Jack tried to meet
Jersey
’s eyes, but
Jersey
refused to look directly at him.
 
It was a cowardly maneuver Jack hadn’t prepared for.
 
How was he supposed to take the beast’s soul when he couldn’t even try to find it in his eyes?

“Do you believe me?”
 
Jersey
’s hand tightened on her throat until she couldn’t breathe.
 
Her face began to turn red.
 
Jersey
’s voice remained calm, unaffected by Silver’s plight.
 
“If you believe me, get on your knees.
 
Pledge your allegiance to me, and I’ll allow her to live.”

“You told me you didn’t want me on your side anymore.”

“I changed my mind.
 
It occurred to me that death would be too easy for the two of you.
 
You need to suffer a few more years.
 
Then I’ll kill you when you least expect it.
 
I’ll wait until you’re happy and at peace.
 
Then you die.”
 
He glanced around at the carnage before adding, “It also occurred to me that you might be reincarnated as someone smarter next time.
 
Keeping you like this, young and stupid, may be in my best interests.”

Jersey
’s hand tightened on Silver’s throat.
 
Any second the sound of crunching bones would reach his ears.
 
Then it would be too late for him to save her.
 
There was nothing either of them could do.

Or so it appeared to those who didn’t know better, those who didn’t know Jack’s secret plan.

Jersey
’s face flushed with triumph.
 
“Get on your knees.”

With a defeated expression firmly in place, Jack fell to his knees.
 
He kept his eyes on the ground.
 
He couldn’t risk losing his patience at seeing Silver dangling in the air, couldn’t risk deviating from the plan.

“Who let my brother out?” Jack asked, hoping to steer
Jersey
’s thoughts away from Silver.

Amusement returned to
Jersey
’s eyes.
 
Ignoring the question, he said, “It’s your choice, Jack.
 
It’s always been your choice.
 
How much do you love her?
 
What are you willing to give up for her?
 
Your integrity?
 
Your freedom?
 
Your life?”
 
Jersey
lowered his voice.
 
“Swear your allegiance to me and I’ll let her go.”

“Let her go first.”

“You are in no position to offer a counter-deal.
 
Swear!”

“I don’t trust you.
 
Release her, and then I’ll do whatever you say.
 
You have my word on it.
 
And honestly, who is more believable here?
 
You or me?”

Tired of the game, or maybe just a little too sure of himself,
Jersey
shoved her away.
 
She fell backwards on the soft earth with a startled cry.
 
Her wide eyes were on Jack, silently begging him not to give in to
Jersey
.
 

“Swear your allegiance to me.
 
Or I will pick her up again and this time she’ll be dead before her toes leave the ground.”

“You made one tiny mistake,” Jack said.

Jersey
rolled his eyes.
 
“What?
 
What was my mistake?”

“You didn’t contain all of my allies.”

“Really?
 
Do you have friends in high places, Jack?
 
Because I can count your

so-called allies on one hand, and they are all extremely busy.”

Jack slowly lifted his eyes.
 
He removed a smooth black rock from his pocket and lifted it high so Jersey could see it before it touched him.
 
Perhaps fear would make the werewolf lose his cool.

Jersey
threw back his head and laughed.
 
“You found the substitute Blanca planted, and you think you have the real thing?
 
This is priceless.
 
I couldn’t have written a better script myself.
 
Blanca put a fake rock in your room per my orders.”

“I didn’t find it in my room.
 
Isobel gave me this one.
 
She handed it to me the day before yesterday.
 
It’s real.”

“Isobel is dead.”

A familiar female voice intruded from somewhere on the other side of
Jersey
’s huge body.
 
She seemed to walk in slow motion, a nightmare created for
Jersey
’s benefit.
 
The dark-haired girl spoke softly.
 
“Wrong again.”

Jersey
shook his head.
 
“It can’t be.
 
You’re dead.”

Isobel laughed.

Jack shrugged.
 
“I always cheat.
 
Remember?”

Jack jumped up and lunged at
Jersey
.
 
He managed to briefly touch the rock to
Jersey
’s chest.
 
A few dozen sparks shot out of it.
 
The werewolf knocked it from his hand.
 
The rock flew through the air.
 
Jack didn’t see where it landed because
Jersey
had him by the throat.
 
Like Silver, he was lifted off his feet until his toes were dangling high in the air.

“Let him go!” Silver yelled.
 
She beat her fists against
Jersey
’s back.

Jersey
dropped Jack.
 
“Let’s do this right.
 
It’s time to finish this war.
 
Try to take my soul before I take yours.
 
I dare you.”

Their eyes connected in silent battle.
 
On the exterior they were both calm, but deep beneath the flesh a violent war waged out of control.
 
This time there was no change in scenery.
 
They remained on the field.

It felt like being in quicksand.
 
Jack slowly made his way to
Jersey
’s soul, which was hiding behind several invisible obstacles.
 
Each one presented a new puzzle.
 
Jack couldn’t think straight.
 
How was he going to win if he couldn’t get close to the werewolf’s soul?

Jersey
tore his eyes away from Jack’s after several minutes, breathing hard.
 
He shook his head, obviously confused, and said, “I don’t get it.
 
Killing you should be easy, but I can’t find your soul.”
 
His eyes narrowed.
 
“Maybe you don’t have one.”

A grain of hope ignited in Jack’s heart.
 
Was it possible the magic rock had hidden his soul from the monster?
 
“Let’s try again.”

“Seems kind of pointless.
 
Perhaps the diary is wrong, and we cannot kill each other in this manner.
 
Maybe I need a pointy stake.”

“One of us is going to die tonight.
 
I guarantee it.”

“I can always toss you off a building.”

Once again they stared deep into each other’s eyes, searching for a soul.
 
It seemed harder this time.
 
Jack felt like he was on his mental knees, crawling across a poorly constructed bridge to the werewolf’s soul.
 
Even if he managed to reach it, he wasn’t sure he would have enough strength to take it.

And then Silver was there like the answer to a whispered prayer.

She grasped his hand firmly and together they pushed forward.
 
Within a short time they found it, Jersey Clifford’s soul.
 
It was a black thing filled to overflowing with evil deeds and dark visions.

Jack and Silver took hold of it.
 
Working as a team, they pulled on the slippery soul.
 
It refused to budge a solitary inch.
 
As if it was nailed to something tangible, it stayed put.

Jersey
quoted, “Though the day of my destiny’s over, and the star of my fate hath declined, thy soft heart refused to discover the faults which so many could find.”

He shouldn’t have been able to talk.
 
Jack couldn’t part his lips at the moment, let alone form words.
 
Jersey
was too strong.
 
It worried Jack.
 
Doubts flooded his mind.
 
Was it even possible for
Jersey
to die?

Silver squeezed Jack’s hand harder.
 
The slight movement gave him the encouragement he needed to continue pulling on
Jersey
’s soul.
 
Her presence gave him strength.

A light began to shine behind
Jersey
.
 
It was the brightest light Jack had ever seen, but it wasn’t an earthly light.
 
Somehow Jack knew it was there because of the rock.
 
He’d touched the magic rock to
Jersey
’s chest for a second.
 
It was enough.
 
The rock was killing
Jersey
, slowly.
 
Glowing inside of the light was a great love, unconditional in every way, and Jack wondered if the light had come for one of them because they were about to die.
 
The love touched him, reaching deep inside his body.