Jack let go of her shoulder and tucked his hands into the back pockets of his jeans. “So, if you’re going to be my second-in-command here, you need to prove that I can trust you, Meredith.”
Meredith nodded again. This was what she had been waiting for.
Jack looked at her searchingly. “Do you know where Damon Salvatore is? I know that Stefan was your friend.”
This is a test. Meredith was sure of it. Jack knew that Damon wasn’t in Europe.
But nothing she’d ever said to Jack would make him think she cared for Damon. She tried to think back over any conversations they’d had about the Salvatore brothers, back when she’d thought Jack was a human, and a hunter. Stefan had mattered to her. But, even if she’d fought side by side with Damon, he’d never been her friend.
“I think Elena and Bonnie would have hidden him with the Pack,” she said, her voice steady. It would have been a smart move if it was true, and if Damon would ever agree to be hidden. “They’re strong and hard to kill, and they hate vampires. But they’d protect Damon; they’ve fought beside him before.”
Jack nodded thoughtfully, rocking back on his heels. “That’s a problem,” he said. “Any ideas?”
“About getting past the Pack?” Meredith thought. If she really wanted to help him, what would she suggest?
Go after Bonnie. She shuddered at the idea. It would work, probably. Zander and the Pack would trade Damon for Bonnie in a heartbeat. But she wasn’t going to make that suggestion, not even to win Jack’s trust.
“Most of them can change no matter what the moon’s like,” she said instead. “But some of them need the full moon, and all of them are weaker when there’s no moon at all. That’ll be the best time to attack them.” It was true, which made it the best kind of lie, and the moon was waxing now. If Jack wanted to go against the Pack for Damon, he’d have to wait. “I’d lure them out with a false attack and, once the Pack is engaged in battle, go after Damon with another group. They’ll protect each other rather than fight for Damon.”
“Interesting,” Jack said. “That may be useful.” He rubbed a hand across his cheek, his ring rasping against his stubble. Giving her a brief nod, he began to turn away.
“Wait,” Meredith said, her heart thumping. “I wanted to ask you something.” She focused on slowing her breathing and pulse through meditation, the same way Jack had taught them to shield their true natures from others. She couldn’t let Jack guess how important this was to her.
“What’s our end game here?” she asked first. “We kill vampires—regular vampires. Is that all there is to it?”
Jack smiled. “We’re going to kill all of them. And then we won’t have any competition.”
“I like the sound of that.” Another lie that’s true. The hunter in Meredith beamed approval at the idea of killing all the vampires. “But what happens then? When all the vampires are dead?”
Jack’s smile widened, and one of his eyelids dropped in a slow wink. “One step at a time, my dear.”
Across the warehouse, there was a scuffle and a shout as Nick got Conrad in a headlock, swinging him around.
“Is there a cure?” Meredith asked, her eyes fixed on the fighters. She kept her voice level, but Jack smirked.
“Do you miss the little human hunter you used to be?” he asked. “You’re better now, Meredith, and you know it.”
“I like to know everything,” Meredith said stolidly, not letting out a flicker of emotion.
Jack shrugged. “No cure,” he said. “This is who we are. Forever.”
He might be lying. Meredith swallowed hard. “Is it true that we’re invulnerable?” she asked, trying to sound calm and businesslike. “There’s no way to kill us? If I’m going to be in charge, I need to know our weaknesses.”
She glanced at Jack casually, trying to gauge his reaction. He looked thoughtful, his lips pursing, but not suspicious, she thought.
“Come on,” he said, suddenly, as though he’d made up his mind. He grabbed her by the wrist and pulled, almost yanking her off her feet and through the warehouse door. She had to race after him, across the gravel parking lot and through the thin scattering of trees and waste ground beyond, and then across the highway.
“Where are we going?” Meredith gasped. Jack kept running, his hand like a vise around her wrist, tugging her onward. The sound of rushing water filled her ears, and they finally halted on a bridge, the river flowing down below.
“The others won’t hear us here,” Jack told her, his voice low. “No one else can know.” His eyes were steady on hers, searching, his hand still around her wrist. Meredith could feel her pulse pounding beneath his fingers. She nodded, her face earnest. You can trust me.