by K. C. Blake
******
Chapter Sixteen:
MORE REVELATIONS
Jack watched old movies by himself until it got close to dawn. He went outside on a whim, sat on a plastic porch chair with a cup of hot cocoa, and waited on the sunrise. The sky seemed to hold at least a million twinkling stars. It was beautiful and peaceful. The horizon was painted with a variety of pastels. His mind drifted back to his time with Cowboy, Lily, and Summer. Minutes before sunrise they would be dragging themselves home after a long night of clubbing.
His heart twisted painfully, missing them.
Jack closed his eyes and took a deep breath. He could smell the heat of the oncoming sun. It lightly burned the inside of his nostrils, but it was a pleasant sensation. He used to dream about watching the sun come up. Now he could get up early every morning if he wanted to, and he could savor every moment just in case Jersey killed him in the end.
Billy’s car roared up the driveway and parked next to Jack’s pretty blue sports car. Although Jack had wanted time alone to enjoy the sunrise, he was glad to see Billy home in one piece. Instead of strolling into the house, Billy sat on the chair next to him and said, “Didn’t expect to see you up this early.”
Jack grunted in response.
“Have you talked to Silver?” Billy asked.
“No. Why?”
“Just wondering how mad she is at you.” Billy shook his head and chuckled. “Man, you don’t know anything about women. I thought vampires were supposed to be chick magnets. What happened to you?”
Billy was just teasing him, but Jack wasn’t in the mood. “Whatever.”
“Teenage girls all over the country would be so disappointed. They watch those movies and read those books with the brooding vampires that want to bite them but vow to die for them instead. Why don’t you sparkle?”
Jack turned halfway around in his chair, prepared to let his brother have it, but Billy was laughing so hard that he fell out of his. His butt landed on the concrete. That made him laugh even harder. He was carrying on like a schoolgirl at a slumber party.
“You are such a jerk,” Jack said, his own mouth rising at the corners.
They laughed for a few minutes.
Billy wiped his eyes with the backs of both hands while he tried to stop.
“Did you see any action tonight?” Jack asked.
The laughter died. All business now, Billy stood up with a scowl on his face. “I’ve been staking out a house full of werewolves. There are at least ten of them coming and going at all hours.”
“You shouldn’t be hanging around there by yourself. One of them could smell you. Take the Reigns with you next time.”
“How did I ever survive without you here to tell me what to do?”
Billy went inside, and Jack followed. Going straight to the kitchen for a quick snack, Billy grabbed some stuff out of the refrigerator and took it to the bar. He slapped a sandwich together in record time.
“I’m serious, Billy. If one of them figures out you’re nearby, they could be on you before you know they’re coming. They’ll rip you apart. You need help.”
“Yes, mommy.”
“Don’t get smart with me.”
Billy took his sandwich and cold beer to the living room. He grabbed the remote, switched on the television, and collapsed on his favorite chair. Jack stood in the doorway, hands on hips. Short of manually turning off the television and yelling at his brother, there wasn’t anything he could do.
In seconds Billy had the sports channel on. There was a scoreboard on the screen, highlighting the best games of the day. Billy devoured his food and watched the news while Jack waited. He forgot all about the sunrise. There were more important things on his mind now.
It seemed like forever until Billy was done eating, but it was probably no more than ten minutes. He finally flicked the television off. Stretching in the chair, arms over his head, he arched his back and his gaze drifted to the doorway. A scowl drew his brows together when he noticed Jack staring at him.
Billy sighed. “Guess we’re not done arguing, huh?”
“No, we’re not done. Thanks for noticing.”
“I’m sorry I called you mommy. You’re actually more like a nagging wife.”
Jack dropped onto the couch. “I’m glad you brought that up. How is Mary, by the way, and why haven’t I met her yet?” Although he was worked up over it, worried for Billy, he tried hard to keep the volume down. “She’s stalling. You do get that, don’t you? I’m right about her. She’s a werewolf, a vampire, or a shifter. She’s something supernatural, and you’ve got to know that by now.”
“Mary is a very busy woman. She’s been working long hours.”
“If you won’t introduce me to her, maybe I’ll go to the hospital and find her. I’ll take some silver and holy water with me. Then we’ll see who’s right about her.”
Billy jumped to his feet and jabbed the air between them with a rigid finger. “You are not going anywhere near her. Do you understand me? You screwed up your love life. Don’t mess with mine. You are not going to show up at her work and make a jackass out of yourself. She won’t want to be with me anymore if she thinks insanity runs in my family.”
“If you don’t want me to go, I won’t.” As soon as Billy began to relax, Jack added, “But you have to bring her here during the daytime. I want to see her. If I don’t meet her in the next few days, I’m going to the hospital.”
“Keep butting into my love life, pal, and you will go the hospital... by ambulance. You get me?”
“I’m not afraid of you.”
“Then you’re a bigger idiot than I thought you were. I’m serious. Mind your own business or else.”
Jack bit back an angry retort. Fighting with Billy wasn’t getting them anywhere. He was going to have to approach the problem some other way. Somehow he was going to meet Mary. Maybe he’d ask Silver how to approach the woman without scaring her off—if she wasn’t a creature—and without turning Billy homicidal. That would give him something to talk to Silver about at least.
Billy headed for the stairs, ready for bed. He stopped in the doorway and said, “Oh yeah. Forgot to tell you. I saw a friend of yours, I think.”
“A friend? Who? Where?”
“I saw a vampire with long, white hair tonight.”
Jack leaped off the couch so fast that he struck his shin on the coffee table. Pain shot up his leg. Grimacing, he hobbled over to Billy. “Where did you see him? Did he see you?”
“He was hanging out with the werewolves at that house I told you about.”
If that one werewolf hadn’t told Jack he’d found out about him from Blaine, Jack wouldn’t believe it. Blaine had always been such a snob, especially when it came to werewolves. Now he was hanging out with them, trying to use them to kill Jack. What was the world coming to?
******
As evening arrived, Jack found himself outside of Silver’s house. A silent voice called to him, beckoning with a seductive siren song. He couldn’t resist it. Since losing Silver, he didn’t know what to do with himself. He didn’t know which way to turn, which way to go. Somehow he had to make her understand about Isobel. He had to fix it so she’d want to be with him again.
But he couldn’t make her love him.
Jack watched the house from the field. He didn’t want to be seen, especially not by Silver’s parents. If he caught sight of her, he planned to approach with caution. The last time he’d seen her, she’d wanted to take his head off. No reason to make her mad enough to try it now.
A cool breeze disturbed his hair. He hunched down behind overgrown grass, wondering how long he should wait for her. He wasn’t feeling very well. Air seemed to get harder to find by the second. Breathing through his mouth, he waited. The house remained still, no one coming and no one going.
Jack wished he had thought to bring binoculars.
Nearly an hour passed without a sign of life anywhere. The sun had nearly disappeared. Only a fraction of light
remained, enough for him to see movement in the bushes near the porch. A shadowy figure emerged. Jack didn’t have to get close, didn’t have to use his nose to know it was a werewolf.
The werewolf went up the porch steps, and it peeked through the windows. It tried the doorknob. After a few minutes it jumped off the porch and ran behind the house. The front door popped open and Andrew Reign stepped out with a rifle in his hands. When he didn’t see anything, he went back inside. The door closed.
Jack used vampire-speed to get behind the house without being seen. He stopped at the edge of the house and peeked around the corner. The werewolf had vanished. Jack had a bad feeling about this. Where had it gone? What was it up to?
A voice behind him said, “Tell me something. Do you always spy on your friends?”
The English accent gave away the intruder’s identity. Jack turned to find Ian Carver. The new acting-principal of Jefferson Memorial stared at him with an accusing glare. “Why are you spying on the Reigns?”
Jack didn’t know whether to lie or tell the truth. His mind stopped working. He just stood there, mouth open, nothing to say.
Carver didn’t have the same problem. “Since you are out here sniffing around Silver’s home, I assume you have those reports finished.”
“Yes, sir.”
Carver’s face relaxed into an easy grin. “Well, I’m bloody glad to hear it. Keep up the good work. Only ten more reports to go and you’re home free.”
“I’ll do whatever I have to in order to graduate on time.”
“Glad to hear it.” Carver slapped a hand on his back but didn’t remove it. Instead, he grabbed a piece of Jack’s shirt and used it to steer him around the house to the front porch. The man was a lot stronger than he appeared. Carver added, “It would be a shame for you to leave without a pleasant hello to the Reigns. Don’t you agree?”
Carver pushed the door open without knocking. He only released his tight grip on Jack’s shirt once they were inside the family home. Andrew came out of the kitchen, a towel between his hands. He finished drying them before tossing it to a nearby chair. “What’s going on?”
Carver replied, “I caught this young fellow sneaking around outside.”
Jack braced himself for Andrew’s infamous anger to explode. Silver’s father had never liked him. He was going to go ballistic. Jack looked around for the man’s shotgun. Now that he was in a new house, where did he keep it? Behind the door? Under the sofa?
Before Andrew could say a word, his wife entered, wearing a pleasant smile. “Jack is welcome here anytime. He knows that.” Andrew gave her a dirty look and she reminded him, “It was Jack who gave us this land. It was a very generous gift.”
“Doesn’t mean he should be skulking around like a common thief,” Andrew said.
“What’s going on?” Silver asked the question from the top of the staircase. All eyes went to her. She smiled. “Jack.”
She started to run down the stairs. He imagined her throwing herself into his arms with tears of joy running down her face. They would make up and everything would be great, but she stopped halfway down. A frown drew her brows together as if she’d just remembered their last fight.
Vanessa said, “Jack is visiting.”
“Is that what they call it on this side of the pond?” Carver put in.
Vanessa glared at him, and he shut his mouth. It was amazing. The woman should bottle whatever it was she had inside of her that put the biggest, toughest men in their places. She could make a fortune. Her smile returned, and she rested a hand on Jack’s shoulder. “It’s good to see you. Come into the kitchen. I’ll fix you a slice of homemade bread.”
She led the way, and the men reluctantly followed.
They sat at the kitchen table with Andrew and Vanessa close together. Carver sat on the other end with Jack in the middle. Silver took her time in joining them. Jack didn’t think she would bother, since she was obviously still mad at him, but she did. Vanessa gave him a thick slice of homemade bread, already buttered.
Andrew asked, “Why are you here, Jack?”
Silver stood in the doorway. “Why don’t you tell him why Ian Carver is here first?”
Jack sat up straighter, his full attention on Silver’s parents.
“What difference does that make?” Andrew asked in a gruff voice.
“What difference does it make?” Silver gawked at her dad as if he’d lost his mind. She went on a rant, using her hands to emphasize her points like a mime on an acid trip. “Are you kidding me? We’ve been keeping a huge secret from Jack. It’s ruined my relationship with him. I could hardly even look at him.” Her eyes settled on her dad. “Maybe that was the whole point. Was it? You didn’t want me with him in the first place, so you get me to keep a family secret. Was that the plan, Dad?”
Father, mother, and daughter started trying to talk over each other. Andrew warned Silver to watch her tone with him. Silver continued with her accusations. Vanessa played peacemaker as usual. During the whole noisy episode, Ian Carver sat in stone cold silence. His eyes were on Jack like an eagle watching his prey.
Uncomfortable at first, Jack shifted in his chair. Then he reminded himself that he used to be a vampire, afraid of nothing. Why was he letting a high school teacher get under his skin?
Jack took matters into his own hands. He pinned the teacher with an equally piercing gaze and asked, “Why are you here? Who are you really?”
A hush fell over the entire table as they waited for Ian Carver to answer the question.
“I am a hunter, Jack.”
It wasn’t what Jack had expected to hear. His money would have been on the obvious, another werewolf. He shook his head in amazement. “How many hunters does one small town need?”
“He’s here because of you,” Vanessa said in a soft, calm voice. “He’s here because I called him.”
“You called him?” Jack blinked. “Why?”
Silver answered that one. Standing beside his chair with her wide blue eyes fixed on his face, she said, “There were so many vampires and werewolves coming after you that we got scared. You’re good in a fight, but all it takes is one mistake and you die. So mom called Ian. He’s been watching over you.”
“I’m sorry,” Vanessa said. “We should have consulted you about it first.”
“But you would have said no,” Silver pointed out. “We just wanted you to be safe.” Her cheeks flushed hot pink. “I wanted you to be safe.”
Why? She’d admitted to being confused about her feelings for him. She had told her best friend she wasn’t in love with him anymore. Why did she care if he got killed? Was it a friend thing? Did she want to be friends now?
And why did Ian care if he got killed? When the teacher had come to his house, he’d sensed there was something about him, some connection. He’d seen real concern in the man’s eyes, but only for a brief second. Then it was gone.
“They called me because I knew your father,” Carver explained.
“Did you hunt with him? Were you partners?”
“Not exactly.” Ian smiled. “I am your uncle, Jack. John Creed was my brother, my half-brother. We had the same mother, different fathers. It’s a long and sordid story.”
A thousand questions crossed Jack’s mind so fast that he didn’t know which one to ask first. There was so much he didn’t know about the man who’d raised him. He settled on, “What was my father like when you were kids?”
Ian chuckled. “Always right. Always on the move. He was probably the best hunter this world has ever seen.”
“How good could he be? He died.”
“It happens to the best of us eventually.” Ian nodded at Silver. “She was right. It only takes one mistake.”
Jack turned to Vanessa. “Why didn’t you tell me I had an uncle? And what about Billy? Does he know about this?”
“No.” Regret filled Vanessa’s eyes. “Ian was in another country when your parents died, so we took Billy in for a short time until he could take care of h
imself. I didn’t tell Billy about Ian because John and Ian weren’t even speaking to each other. I didn’t know if Ian would be willing to come here to help out, and I had lost contact with him. He was tracking a group of vampires, but I had no idea where.”
Ian filled in the missing pieces. “Your father and I didn’t actually meet until we were teenagers. He was a hard man to get to know. I developed a grudging respect for him over the years. I think… hope… he felt the same. We kept in touch for a while through the phone and mail, both snail and email. Then something happened that drove a wedge between us.
“We fell in love with the same beautiful young woman. In the end she chose your father. Truth is I couldn’t get over it, no matter how hard I tried. She was the love of my life, and John knew it. He resented me. We resented each other.”
Jack interrupted. “Are you talking about my mother?”
“Yes.” He shrugged it off. “John and I hadn’t spoken in years. In fact the last time we talked you were only six years old. It doesn’t surprise me that he didn’t mention the bloody fact that I exist. When Vanessa tracked me down, told me they had died and that you were in danger, I had to come. Think what you will of me, but I’ve always had a strong sense of duty and honor. Even though I didn’t personally know you, I knew I had to protect you… for your mother’s sake, one last tribute. But it’s more than that now. I have come to genuinely like you.”
Jack found that difficult to believe. “If that’s true, then why do you look at me with such loathing then?”
“I apologize for that. I didn’t realize I was even doing it.” He shrugged. “You remind me of my father sometimes. You have the same eyes. It’s disconcerting.”
“Why did you make it so difficult for me at school when I asked you to let me into your class?”
Ian sighed. “I wasn’t trying to be difficult, son. I wanted to help you. I’m afraid Hardwick made his feelings known about you from day one. He would have thrown a fit, and I couldn’t risk my position at school.” Ian leaned over the table, and his eyes narrowed on Jack’s face. “Speaking of Hardwick, do you have an idea who might have killed him?”
