by K. C. Blake
Jack didn’t know what to say. Everything that came to mind felt wrong to him. If he told her he was sorry about the turn downs she’d been getting, she would think he was lying, and maybe it would be a lie. On the other hand, if he told her that maybe it was for the best, pointed out how she could go to a local college so they could see each other, she’d think he didn’t care about her. That would spark a new argument, so he kept his mouth shut.
A few minutes ticked by in silence.
Silver smiled at him, an encouraging sign. “Anyway, I was in a bad mood that day, and you shouldn’t eavesdrop on people. No one ever hears anything good when they do that, and you’re worse because you sneak into a person’s thoughts. Don’t do it again. Not to me. Okay?”
“Will you promise to be totally honest with me about how you feel from now on?”
“Yes.” She stuck her hand out. “Do we have a deal?”
“Deal.” He shook her hand.
She leaned in and kissed him, a light touch on his mouth. “After I say goodnight to the folks, I’ll meet you downstairs.” She got out of the car, but she stuck her head in through the open window. “Park the car away from the house. I don’t want my dad to shoot you.”
Unable to bear being apart from her for more than ten seconds, he nodded.
She ran into the house, and he ditched his car out in the field. Jack walked instead of using his supernatural speed. He wanted Silver to have plenty of time to get ready. Plus, he wanted to patrol the area before turning in for the night. He wanted to make sure there were no werewolves lurking about.
Not a single one.
Jack let himself into the house, careful not to make noise. He tapped the bottom stair to open the trapdoor. Once he was inside, he shut it. He went down another level and stepped into the bedroom he and Silver used as their secret meeting place. She was already there.
They lay side by side, holding hands as they drifted off to sleep. There’d been enough talk for one night, and he was exhausted. Jack found himself sinking into sleep almost as soon as his head touched the pillow.
He met Silver in his dream…
… only this time they weren’t alone.
******
Chapter Eighteen:
A NEW TEACHER
A disturbing electrical current pulsated around them. The black velvet sky covered the woods like a dark blanket without a visible star in sight. A bolt of lightning traveled from one end to the other. Violent thunder rumbled above their unprotected heads. Silver latched onto Jack’s hand at the first crack of lightning.
“What’s going on?” she asked. “Are you doing this?”
“Of course not.” He had a bad feeling he knew who was behind the change in atmosphere.
A shadowy figure emerged from the distant line of trees, proving him right. Jersey wore the long coat from Jack’s memory. Was it a sign he meant to kill them now?
“Get behind me,” Jack told Silver in an abrupt voice. He stepped in front of her, blocking her from their shared enemy. To Jersey he said, “I wasn’t expecting to see you here. What’s up?”
Jersey smirked. “I told you I could invade your dreams any time the urge struck me.”
“And the urge struck you now… why?”
Jersey shrugged. “I was bored.” He leaned against a tree, crossing his legs at the ankle. “Couldn’t sleep. I was hoping we could talk about literature for a while.”
Disturbed by Jersey’s announcement, Jack asked, “You were awake? How did you get here then?”
With a grin, Jersey said, “The line between what I can and cannot do is almost nonexistent, but I think I will hold close to my secrets a while longer. So tell me, what have you been reading lately? Anything interesting?”
Jack restrained himself from rolling his eyes. Jersey’s obsession with what he liked to read was getting tiring. He decided to humor his former teacher. As long as they were talking about literature, Jersey’s favorite subject, he would probably remain in a mellow mood. Jack strained to remember what he’d read last. It had been a while since he’d picked up a book other than Lovely’s diary.
“Lord of the Rings,” he said.
Jersey nodded. “Good. Tolkien was a master. Not many can truly appreciate his style. They enjoy the movies but don’t take the time to read the original text. He invented his own language, you know?”
“I know.”
“What did you think of the book? There was a war in it, same as The Illiad. I suppose you blame the gods for that battle as well.”
The words sent Jack back to his first meeting with Jersey. The teacher had asked him who was to blame for the war in The Illiad. Jack had put the blame on the gods. That comment had caught Jersey’s interest. Their entire relationship had been born from a sarcastic remark.
“I think the war in the story of the rings was definitely the fault of the mortals. They craved power, but it wasn’t just the greedy humans at fault. There were also the elves, wizards, and other various things chasing the power of the ring. I think there’s plenty of blame to go around in that particular story.”
“Perhaps.” Jersey shook his head and his eyes lost some of the amusement. “It saddens me how much you’ve changed in the past few months.”
“What do you mean?”
“When you talk about literature now, you go through the motions, say what I want to hear, but there’s no joy in it. You’ve lost your love of the written word, haven’t you?” Jersey scowled. “Or maybe it’s just me that you have outgrown. Is that it? Are you weary of our conversations already?”
He was, but the admission could drive Jersey to do something crazy like build an army of werewolves to take over the world.
Jack shrugged. “Talking to you isn’t the same now. You aren’t my teacher anymore. You aren’t even really here. The only time we get to discuss books is in my dreams, and I kind of like to use them for other purposes.”
A lazy grin spread over Jersey’s face. His eyes went to the part of Silver he could see peeking around Jack’s frame. “Yes, I am sure you and Ms. Reign have more important matters than books on your minds. Aw, to be young and in love. I remember it well.”
Silver decided she had stayed behind Jack long enough. She pushed him aside and stepped forward. Unleashing her fiery temper, she said, “Jack and I are sick and tired of your games. If you want to talk to Jack, why don’t you come see him in person?”
“Why would I want to do that?”
“Coward!” She shook a finger at him and yelled. “You are the biggest coward I have ever met. Come back and face us so we can get rid of you, you jerk.”
Jersey’s pale blue eyes burned like twin flames. He abandoned his relaxed stance to approach them. “You think I have to come for you in person? Didn’t you tell her about the power I wield in your dream world, Jack?”
Jersey lifted his hand. He was going to use his power to attack them, maybe even kill him. Silver had pushed him too far. Jack grabbed her, tried to get her behind him again, but she pushed him aside. There was no reasoning with her when she got like this.
Jack waited for the invisible hand to close around his throat. Last time Jersey had choked him without touching him. He waited, but nothing happened.
An odd look crossed Jersey’s face. A painful glimmer haunted his eyes. For the first time since Jack had met the man, Jersey seemed to be at a loss for words. He obviously didn’t know what to do next. Taking a step backwards, he prepared to exit, but the significance of what had just happened hit Jack like a speeding train.
“You can’t hurt us,” Jack said, dumbfounded. “You were trying to hurt us just now, but you can’t.”
Jersey shook his head with fierce jerks. “No.”
“Yes.” Silver flashed Jack a grand smile. “He can’t hurt us because we’re together. Don’t you get it? When he attacked you in your dream last time, I wasn’t there. The diary says something about us being able to withstand anything if we’re together. This is what Lovely meant.”
>
“Not true.” Jersey tried to deny it again, but they weren’t listening.
Silver continued. “Look at the evidence. I wasn’t here and he hurt you, but now he can’t. We can destroy him. Together. We can do it.”
Jack nodded and smiled at Jersey. For once they had the upper hand. It felt incredible. An ear-splitting boom of thunder shook the forest, and lightning hit a nearby tree. It went up in flames. The sudden noise and fire startled them. Silver grabbed Jack’s arm above the wrist. They exchanged concerned glances, no longer sure Jersey couldn’t find a way to harm them in the dream.
“I may not be able to use my power against you here,” Jersey said. “However, I can still kill you in the real world, and that’s where it truly matters. I can take your lives like that.” He snapped his fingers and vanished.
Silver gasped.
A burst of sunlight drove the darkness away, and the thunderstorm disappeared like it had never been. The sun shone down on them, caressing their skin with new warmth. Silver let Jack’s arm go. She took a few tentative steps forward, cautious as if she expected Jersey to pop up again. She said, “Maybe he’s wrong, and we do have a powerful protection from him in the real world too.”
“I guess anything is possible.”
“We should wake up before he finds a way to return and come after us,” Jack said. “We humiliated him. He’ll want revenge.”
“He wants to kill us, and he isn’t going to wait much longer. We need a plan.”
“We don’t have the magic rock anymore, and I have a feeling he isn’t going to wait for you to grow up so you can develop your power. How do we destroy him? Any ideas?”
“Just one.”
“What?” Jack blinked at her. “Tell me.”
She held a hand out. “Come with me, and I’ll show you.”
He reached out and took her hand.
They woke up simultaneously.
******
The first thing Jack was aware of was the feel of her hand in his as he surfaced from deep sleep. The second thing was the sound of a soft sigh coming from her side of the bed. He lifted onto his elbow and watched Silver leave the other world behind to join him in this one. It was extremely intimate. He quietly enjoyed the moment.
Her eyes fluttered open, and she smiled at him. “Do you still miss him?”
“Who?”
“Jersey Clifford, the psycho.”
“After the way he just acted? Are you kidding me? I don’t miss him at all.” Jack asked, “What did you mean you wanted to show me something? What is it?”
“Hmm?” She looked confused.
“In the dream, right before we left it, you told me you wanted to show me something. Remember? It had something to do with destroying Jersey. You have a plan. Don’t you?”
She bolted upright, almost knocking her head into his. “That’s right. You need to come with me. Now.”
She didn’t give him a chance to respond to her abrupt demand. She was off the bed and out the door in the blink of an eye. He followed, curious to see where they would wind up. He followed her down the long hallway.
In less than a minute they were in Jersey’s study. It was an odd place to discuss Jersey’s downfall. Every time Jack entered the room he experienced a strong sense of nostalgia. It made him think about his father and losing him. He wasn’t sure why.
He put his hands in the air. “Well? What’s the big plan?”
“You need to learn how to suck souls out. I might not be able to take Jersey’s soul, but I think you could… if you practiced enough.”
There was that word again.
“But you didn’t want me to try it. You made me swear I wouldn’t ever use the power again.”
“No.” Silver sat on the edge of Jersey’s desk. “I didn’t want you to work with Isobel on it. I didn’t want her to teach you because I was afraid it might be dangerous. But you don’t need her. I’ll teach you how to do it.”
Jack shook his head. “You told me the night we first met that you couldn’t teach me to suck out souls.”
“That was when I thought you had to be born with the ability or be a full-fledged werewolf. Now that we know you’re capable of it I can teach you.”
“But I thought you could only take a soul when your opponent is in wolf form. I can’t morph into a furry beast, so how can you show me?”
Silver sighed. “Remember how Isobel kept telling you that you were the exception? I think she was right. You and I are the exception together. I know it.”
“Are you sure this is going to work?”
“If Isobel can teach you, so can I.” Her hands went to her hips. “Do you doubt it?”
He wouldn’t dare. “What did you want to show me?”
“I want to show you how to do it.”
While Jack was wondering how in the world she was going to ‘show’ him how to suck souls, she went to the center of the room and explained, “Don’t try too hard. That’s the biggest mistake you can make. It’s the difference between gently plucking a rose and ripping out weeds. The task needs a soft touch. That’s probably why I’m better at it than the werewolves. They don’t understand subtlety.”
Isobel hadn’t told him to use a gentle touch.
Silver added, “You can practice on me.”
“No way.” He folded his arms in defiance. “I am not going to try to steal your soul. I might go too far and accidentally hurt you.”
“I wasn’t asking you to take my soul.” She closed the distance between them. “The first step is to get used to touching someone’s soul. Look into my eyes. Focus. Reach out to me with your soul. You don’t need to use negative emotion for this part, not with me. Just reach out and touch me.”
Her voice had dropped to a seductive level.
Jack stared into her beautiful blue eyes. He concentrated on getting closer to her. Within a brief amount of time he felt himself sinking, but it wasn’t an unpleasant sensation this time. Drawn to her, his soul moved faster and faster.
This was different than his mock battles with Isobel. Instead of finding himself in a Hell-like location, he was standing in a field of clouds. There had been an abyss between him and Isobel, but Silver stood a few feet from him. Her skin glowed, and her eyes shimmered. Were they in Heaven?
She spoke, and her voice had a melodic quality. “Can you feel my soul, Jack?”
He nodded.
She asked him, “What does it feel like?”
Jack considered the question carefully. Even though he had been inside of her mind before, hearing her thoughts as if they were his own, this was far more intimate. Their souls melded together. Everything about her became a part of him. Euphoria had him practically floating.
It was like her soul came in layers. At first he sensed her general personality: sweetness, tenderness, and a fierce independence. The second layer enveloped him. It housed her obsession with becoming a lawyer. He experienced her deep need to achieve this dream, and he finally understood her motives. Her dream wasn’t taking her away from him. She actually wanted to share it with him.
Another layer gone.
Next, the love she had for the people in her life surrounded him. It was a tangible thing. There was the strong affection she had for her father. Although she argued with him constantly and didn’t show proper respect at times, she looked up to him. Then there was the way she felt about her mother. They were at odds a lot because Silver was fighting to be her own person. This emotion confused her at times. She felt simultaneously drawn to get closer to her mother but also a strong urge to put distance between them.
Trina, her best friend, had a small place in her heart too.
Like a footnote at the end of a precious piece of writing, he found a surprise.
He smiled in awe. “You love me.”
“I tried to tell you. My feelings for you were never in question. When you jumped into my head, I was having a bad night. I was angry and confused and didn’t know what to think. If I jumped into your he
ad at the wrong moment, I’d probably think you didn’t love me either.”
“I understand how you feel about being a lawyer now.”
Her eyes widened. “You do?”
“Yes. And I want you to be happy. I want you to do whatever it is you need to do to have the life you want.”
“I hope you really mean that… because I got an acceptance yesterday. It’s number four on the list of my top schools.”
His heart missed a beat. “That’s awesome. I knew you could do it. Good for you.”
He was proud of her but sad for him at the same time.
“You aren’t worried about me leaving anymore?” she asked.
“You’ll come back to me.”
The certainty in his tone surprised them both. He was even more stunned to realize he actually meant it. No matter how far she went, no matter how long she was gone, they would be together in the end. It was destiny.
“What was it like when you touched Isobel’s soul?” she asked.
“It was dark and twisted, and we battled in a Hell-like place.”
Silver nodded. “I guess I never warned you about that. The place you battle depends on the werewolf’s personality. The strongest and most powerful werewolves fight you in a place of fire. Weaker ones sometimes will battle you in more familiar surroundings. One time I actually had to take on a werewolf in a shopping mall type location.”
“Shopping mall?” Jack laughed. “What were you fighting? A Paris Hilton werewolf?”
Silver glared at him. “Not funny. It might sound stupid, but that werewolf was extremely hard to kill. And speaking of hard to kill werewolves, what are you going to do about Isobel if she comes back?”
“You don’t have to worry about her. She has the rock now, so I doubt she’ll return. If she does, I’ll tear her head off.”
Silver stared at him for a long moment before asking, “What about the werewolf trap? Aren’t we going to try to get information out of her? We still don’t know if she’s working for Jersey. We could use the trap to find out about the rock.”
