Shifters Rule (Rule Series)

by K. C. Blake

  “I wish you would marry me,” he said.

  “We’re friends, William. Don’t ruin it.”

  “We can be married and still be friends.” He knelt before her. “I want more. I want to call you my wife.”

  “Everything is perfect the way it is. Leave it be.”

  Desperation twisted his features. “We cannot live like this forever. I want to marry and have children. If you don’t want those things, I need to find someone who does.”

  The disembodied voice added, “He was wrong. By this time he had already been with me for over a decade. The boys never wanted to travel to the village. That was an important part of the spell. They didn’t remember each other, didn’t remember their families, nothing. Time remained frozen. Every day and night was like the ones before. Perfect.”

  .

  *****

  .

  Jack saw Lovely and Alexander walking under the midnight sky. The boy pointed out stars to her and shared the names of them. Every once in a while she giggled and snuggled closer. Facing each other, their laughter mingled. It was an intimate scene even before they kissed.

  “Do you ever want more from me?” she asked, probably remembering what William had said to her.

  He shook his dark head. “I have everything I want right here.”

  A blissful smile graced her face. “You are right.”

  Howling interrupted their moment, and Lovely shuddered.

  “What’s wrong?” Alexander asked. His arms went around her, tight. “Are you cold?”

  “I am never cold with you by my side.”

  His eyes narrowed.

  She repeated his question. “What’s wrong?”

  He slowly shook his head. “I don’t know. Something about that, what you said, troubled me. It sounded like a poem. Something about it is bothersome.”

  From above Lovely said, “I had to be careful in every word I whispered to him. Once in a while Alexander got a faraway look on his face as if he was remembering his brother, his past. Although my life with them was perfect, fear kept me from truly enjoying it. Without meaning to I had made my cursed life better and worse at the same time.”

  .

  *****

  .

  Back in the parlor, she poured tea for William. Jack was getting dizzy again from all the jumping around. He squeezed his eyes shut for a long moment and took deep breaths. When he opened them again, he found her dancing with Alexander. William was gone. It was night. They were still in the parlor. Music filled the room, played by an invisible orchestra. Jack noticed how she used her powers. The boys seemed ignorant of the fact that she was a faerie.

  The unseen narrator said, “The king had meant this place to be torture, but I loved it. It was the best thing to ever happen to me. I never wanted it to end. I was happier here than I’d ever been at home. Once in a great while my popette would even visit me. Everything was wonderful... then something happened, something we hadn’t considered. It destroyed my... everything.”

  The scene changed.

  .

  *****

  .

  William and Lovely were in the parlor again, their usual place to enjoy each other’s company. Sitting on the floor, William was fixing an unstable wooden chair while Lovely played the harp in the corner. For a moment they looked like an ordinary married couple, together for decades.

  The room darkened as if a storm overpowered the sun. The darkness grew. An eerie presence settled on the cottage, filling it. Something was wrong.

  William’s hands clenched. In pain, he bent over until his forehead touched the floor. A tortured groan rumbled out of him.

  Lovely’s hands froze on the harp strings. “William? What is wrong? Are you injured?”

  She jumped off her tiny stool and dashed across the room to him.

  The groan turned into a growl. William raised up on all fours, threw back his head, and howled. He was changing into a werewolf in the middle of the day. It wasn’t possible, yet it was happening.

  Lovely screamed when she saw his golden eyes and sharp teeth.

  “This was the first time I’d seen William change. He always left the house before it happened. I think he left to protect me. This day was different. There was an eclipse. Not being from your world, I didn’t even know it was possible. Day and night got confused long enough for my world to be shattered forever.”

  As soon as the words began to fade so did the light. A nearby door slammed against the wall. Alexander was awake, thinking it was his turn with Lovely.

  William lifted his head, snarling.

  Alexander hissed, flashing his fangs at the werewolf.

  The two men, drenched in superhuman strength and out of their minds, ran at each other. They collided in the center of the room. Lovely stood in the corner, pleading with them to stop. Tears filled her eyes. Alexander pressed forward, trying to bite William.

  William reached up with one hand and scratched Alexander’s face with invisible claws.

  Alexander collapsed on the spot.

  William jumped through the window and ran to the woods. Broken glass hit the floor. Tiny pieces caught the sunlight as it returned, sparkling like diamonds.

  Lovely ran to Alexander and dropped on her knees beside him. “No! Alexander, I love you. Don’t leave me.”

  Sunlight infiltrated the room.

  His body turned to dust.

  Lovely screamed.

  When William returned a few minutes later, he found Lovely sobbing in the center of the room. A pile of ashes covered the floor in front of her knees. Her hands were dirty as if she’d scooped up the ashes to try to put Alexander back together. Lifting her head, she sent an accusing glare in William’s direction. “You killed him.”

  “I know.” The words were said without an ounce of remorse.

  “I loved him,” she cried.

  “I know that, too.” William shrugged. “And that is why I am leaving you. If you wish to stay here forever and mourn his loss, do so. It means nothing to me. Stay here. Be alone.”

  Her limbs trembled. As if realizing she couldn’t stand living alone again, she rushed to William. Forcing a smile through the tears, she grasped at his clothing and pleaded. “Don’t go. I can love you. We can marry. It’s what you’ve always wanted. I will marry you, and it will be just the two of us.”

  An insane light danced in his eyes. “But I do not love you. I never did. Alexander was right. I only wanted you because he did. Now that he’s gone, I am going to seek my future elsewhere.”

  “You can’t leave me here alone. You can’t.”

  “Watch me.”

  He walked out, slamming the door behind him.

  Lovely crumpled, going to her knees again.

  “I was still trapped because I didn’t kill Jersey. Although I fell in love with one boy with my whole heart, I failed to kill the other. For the next few months I suffered through daily visions, visions of a bizarre future. After writing them down I put a spell on the diary. I also put spells on the stone and on the dagger charm. Then I used a spell to be certain that those things would go to the right family. Before hanging myself, I used a powerful spell that would reincarnate you and me over and over again until I could get my happy ending.

  “Alexander and I have lived several lives, each more satisfying than the last. Jersey always kills us before we can marry. You have to kill him to stop the curse. Kill him now.”

  .

  *****

  .

  An explosion knocked Jack off his feet.

  When he opened his eyes to look around, he was back in his living room. The flames in the hearth slowly died, and the diary rested near his left knee. He grabbed it with both hands. Perhaps if he ripped the pages to shreds this nightmare would end.

  Red-haired Lovely appeared nearby, her body nearly transparent. “The diary cannot be destroyed.” Was she reading minds now? “There is a spell of protection over it. It cannot be broken as long as we walk this earth, you and I.”<
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  “That stupid thing is going to outlive us all,” Jack said from his position on the floor. “Isn’t it?”

  “It will turn to dust after you and I have our happy ending.”

  He blinked. “Are you kidding me? Haven’t you learned anything from your mountain of mistakes? Things are never going to work out for us. It’s not in the cards. We will never be happy.”

  As difficult as it was to believe, this woman was Silver. He knew it for a fact now. The two of them were being reincarnated again and again as they searched for an elusive happy ending. The curse she’d put on them would never end... unless he did something to make it end.

  He asked, “When is this going to be over? What do I have to do to keep from being reincarnated again?”

  “Jersey must die.”

  “I’m already trying to take care of that.”

  “After he’s dead, you and I must marry.” She paused at length, stern expression, before saying, “Be prepared. Once Jersey dies you will probably lose your special powers. You won’t instantly heal. You will truly be mortal.”

  “How long do we have to stay married? I mean, what if one of us gets hit by a bus the day after we say ‘I do?’ Is it still going to count?”

  Lovely smiled wistfully. “A single hour as your wife will be enough to satisfy the spell.”

  That was good to know. A plan began to form at the back of his mind. He pushed it aside so he could think about what he’d just seen. The events of Jersey’s former life with Lovely took a second trip through his head. Questions formed. As long as he had the faerie’s attention, he should probably learn some things.

  Jack stood and said, “Jersey told me you were his wife.”

  “Another lie,” Lovely said. “I have never married. William went insane after he killed Alexander. He probably doesn’t even remember the details of our lives together. It was so long ago. If I wasn’t a piece of myself living through the diary, I probably wouldn’t remember either.”

  “He told me he killed you.”

  “I am sure it pleases him to think so, but I died at my own hand.”

  Jack frowned. “How did you choose Silver’s family?”

  “It was a vision. Once I was done, once I had used every spell I could think of, I took my own life. It was the only way out. I had to die so I could be reborn and share a life with you.”

  “So, Jersey was William and I was Alexander. Is that right?”

  “Yes.” Her eyes, Silver’s eyes, stared up at his face with a true and abiding love shining in them. “You were the first vampire.”

  “But that doesn’t make any sense.” Jack glared at her. “I died. I turned to ashes. So why are there vampires in the world? Did someone curse another boy?”

  A sad smile touched her mouth. “You were free to come and go. I had used a spell to keep you from wanting to visit the nearby village, but I later learned it hadn’t worked. There were other women. You bit them, turned them. I had no idea until after I died.”

  Jack thought about Isobel and the janitor. They were the first people Jersey turned into werewolves. His hands shook with rage. He shoved them into his pockets to keep the apparition of Lovely from seeing the tell-tale sign of anger. “You did this to us. The blood of the innocents, those turned into vampires and werewolves, all of it is on you.”

  She nodded. “It is true. I am at fault, and I am sorry.”

  “You’re sorry?” Jack threw his hands into the air. “Well that makes it okay, doesn’t it? I guess I don’t mind getting killed every twenty to thirty years as long as you’re really sorry.” He wanted to kick something. “Damn it! Why couldn’t you just leave it alone? This whole thing is your fault, and you keep making it worse while trying to make it better. Give up already. Put a stop to this. End the spells and let me go.”

  Lovely shook her head. “I can’t.”

  Stubborn had to be the girl’s middle name. This woman was definitely Silver, another version of her, but still the girl he’d fallen in love with. She was going to dig in her heels and keep the mess going for an eternity.

  “My brother is a werewolf now because of you.”

  She misunderstood. “Forget William. He doesn’t care about you.”

  “I was talking about Billy. It’s your fault he’s a werewolf. If he dies, I’ll never forgive you.”

  Her face crumpled. “I’m sorry.”

  “Stop saying that! It doesn’t help.”

  Tears filled her eyes. Her fists clenched. She screamed, “I’m sorry!” The house shook and she vanished. He picked up the diary and scowled at it. He wondered how much of his past Jersey actually remembered. Maybe Jersey needed to take a trip back to the past. It might be good for him to get a whiff of reality.

  .

  *****

  Chapter Fifteen:

  MY FATHER, THE LIAR

  .

  .

  An hour after Lovely’s visit, Jack’s fever returned with shocking intensity. He spent the next few days in bed, unable to communicate with anyone. Frustration mounted. Every time Silver hovered over him, silky curtain of honey blond hair within his reach, he wanted to tell her about Lovely’s visit. But he couldn’t speak. His throat felt like it had been scraped raw with a cheese grater. The only sound it seemed capable of producing was an occasional moan.

  When he finally recovered, he chose to confide in Vanessa first. He hoped the woman would have advice on how to break the news to Silver. It was morning. Vanessa came to check on him per her usual routine. She picked up the blanket he’d tossed during the night. Smiling, she placed it on top of him and asked, “Can I get you some breakfast? You need to eat. It’s been days since you’ve had anything substantial.”

  Vanessa helped him sit up. She plumped the pillows behind his back before turning to leave. Jack grabbed her arm above the wrist and said, “Don’t go.” His voice came out a raspy whisper. He cleared his throat and tried again. “I have to talk to you. It’s important. It’s about Silver.”

  She pulled the desk chair closer to the bed and sat on it. She leaned forward, hands clasped in her lap. “What about Silver?”

  “I almost burned the diary.”

  She paled. “You did what?”

  “It was an accident. Anyway, no worries. It’s fine. It wouldn’t burn. Lovely appeared and rescued it. Then she took me back to the past and showed me how it all started.”

  Vanessa gaped at him for several seconds before motioning for him to continue.

  Jack told her about visiting the past in detail. He didn’t leave anything out. The painful truth slowly sank in, and her expression turned bitter. He ended with, “It was Silver who cursed Jersey. Silver started this whole thing.”

  Vanessa hopped off the chair. She paced the room, back ramrod straight. It was an odd thing to watch. He’d seen Silver pace a hundred times, but Vanessa didn’t seem the type. Now her calm exterior broke. Tears filled her eyes, and she shook her fist in the air. “Not my daughter! I am not going to lose her to this mess. I can’t believe it. Silver is Lovely? She wrote the diary? We can’t let her find out. Not now. Not ever.”

  “I have to tell her.”

  “What? No!” Vanessa returned to the bed, only this time she sat next to him on the mattress. Patting him on the chest like a mother trying to soothe an upset child, she said, “I am begging you not to tell her she used to be Lovely. It would kill her.”

  “I promised not to keep any more secrets from her.”

  “I don’t care. If Andrew was still with us, I would say go ahead, but he’s not. He’s dead. He was killed by a werewolf, and she created them.”

  “Well, she didn’t mean for them to become monsters.”

  “Semantics. If you tell Silver she was responsible for creating werewolves, she will blame herself for Andrew’s death. Don’t you see? Silver is strong, yes, but everyone has a breaking point. She loved her father so much. This news will destroy her.”

  Jack clamped his lips shut. She was probably right.
Silver continued to reel from her father’s unexpected demise. Knowing it was her fault might push her over the proverbial edge. He certainly didn’t want to hurt her. Maybe sometimes a lie was better than the truth.

  “I won’t tell her,” Jack reluctantly said.

  “Promise me.”

  “I promise. I don’t want to hurt her any more than you do.”

  Vanessa smiled, relieved. “I’ll get you something to eat.”

  He touched a hand to his throat. “Water. I need water. I’m thirsty, not hungry.”

  “I’ll bring you both and you’ll eat.”

  Jack withheld a protest. He closed his eyes, resting. He just needed a few minutes. The door closed behind Vanessa. It didn’t take long to realize someone else had entered the room as she was leaving. His eyes popped open to find Ian standing over him, arms folded across his wide chest.

  “You’ve proved your point,” Ian said. “I get it. You’re human. So you can get better now. I won’t kill you as long as you remain mortal and don’t hurt anyone.”

  Good news. Jack pushed himself into a higher sitting position. His eyes remained on Ian as he wondered if he could trust what he was hearing. The man seemed sincere. It would be great to have a werewolf-burning hunter on his side. Having Ian working with him instead of against him could prove to be the advantage they needed. Perhaps the three of them could win this war

  “I was wondering if your burning touch could take Jersey out. Maybe Silver and I wouldn’t even have to fight him.”

  Ian shook his head. “I already considered that angle, and I talked in depth to Vanessa about it. The diary is crystal clear. Either you have to use the magic rock or Silver has to suck his soul out. I am not even a footnote in the journal.”

  “The diary isn’t always right.”

  Ian sat in Vanessa’s vacated chair and said, “Not to change the subject, but there’s something important I should have shared with you before now. I hope you will be able to forgive me for keeping it to myself for this long.”

  A cold, wet hand formed a fist in Jack’s stomach. He leaned forward without realizing he was doing it. The secret had to be big for Ian to be this nervous. With his next breath trapped in his throat, Jack waited.