~BOOK 4/PART ONE~ Paranormal: The Battle's Only Just Begun (Multi-Bandom FanFic)

Chapter 21

Jack sat up on his elbows, his eyebrows knitting together. "What stuff?"

"I told you I'm helping Patrick out, and if getting these stupid faction leaders to sign this goddamn treaty is going to help him, then so be it."

He brought his hand up to his head and wiped away the sweat that had beaded on his forehead. He swallowed the lump that formed in his throat, the dream - better yet, nightmare's - effect still shaking him up.

Jack sat there in the bed and looked around, taking in his surroundings. The room was old-fashioned, decorated with antique pieces of furniture and garnished with photographs dating as far back as when photographs first were invented. He stared at the smiling faces, wishing he could relate to such a feeling of being part of a family. All he'd ever known was the group of rogues who helped him survive. They called themselves a family, but they weren't a family. They didn't love each other like this group did. Jack envied their closeness.

"Bathroom's down the hall if you want to clean yourself up," The one with the scruffy, ginger beard informed him, bringing him out of the daze he'd fallen into. He believed his name was Andy. "You better be quick though, Patrick's getting ready to go right now and when it's time to go, it's time to go."

"Got it," Jack replied, nodding his head in understanding. The three vampires exited the room Patrick and Pete were kind enough to let him stay in overnight, the third member of the group who didn't speak closing the door behind them. He let out a sigh and swung his legs over the edge of the bed, setting his feet down on the ground and pulling himself up.

He made my way over to the window and peered outside, seeing Patrick and Rachael standing in the driveway. He couldn't hear what they were saying, but from the looks of it, Rachael seemed frantic, shaking her head and gripping onto Patrick's upper arms. There was an obvious disconnect between the two of them, as if they were fighting or arguing.

Jack bit his lip and pulled himself away from the sight, feeling like an intruder even though he was feet away and deaf to the words being exchanged between the two. The lycan left the room and followed Andy's directions to the bathroom, where he closed and locked the door behind him. He approached the sink and clung onto the sides of the small porcelain bowl, hanging his head and trying to not think about the dream he'd just had.

He couldn't help it, though. It was just so real, so personal. What if that was his mother? What if she was trying to send him a sign?

Jack shook his head and blocked those thoughts out of his head, turning on the faucet and rubbing his hands under the cold, running water. He got myself cleaned up and ready for the day, walking down the stairs to see the four vampires gathered in the foyer.

"...these are the people you need to visit and these are the requests they want," Patrick explained, poking a piece of paper that Pete held in his hands, "I want you to either fulfill their requests or try to get them to change their minds and be okay with receiving something a little more realistic, okay?"

"What's going on?" Jack inquired, attracting all of their attentions.

"Patrick can't come with us," Pete answered me, "So he's giving us directions."

"Why can't he come with us?" The lycan made his way down the rest of the stairwell, joining their little group. Pete pointed to the office that came off of the foyer and Jack's gaze followed his finger to see Rachael on one of the couches, lying on her back with her head tilted to the side and her hands in different places. One was placed on her stomach and the other was dangling over the edge of the piece of furniture. Her eyes were closed and she looked a sickly pale color. "Oh my god, what happened? Is she alright?" He asked worriedly.

"We're not sure," Andy told him.

"That's why I'm staying here and you guys are going out and talking to these people for me," Patrick tacked on, taking the list out of Pete's hands and giving it to Jack, "Maybe you guys will have better luck than I had. In fact, I know you will, as long as you follow my directions exactly. I know these people and to get through to them, you need to be like them. That's why I suggested Andy should talk to Lily, Joe and Pete to Harrison, and Jack, I was hoping you could talk to Bruno."

Jack chuckled nervously. "You want me to talk to Bruno?"

"Well, he likes you better than he likes us, so..."

"You might think so, but I'm pretty sure I'm on the same level with him as you guys are," He objected, shaking his head.

"Jack, you're Kenya's sibling. You have an advantage over Bruno that we don't. He's head over heels for that bitch...I mean, her, and if you tell him that this isn't something Kenya wants, I'm almost ninety percent sure that he's going to change his mind."

Jack glanced down at the sheet of paper and read Bruno's request. "He wants you to leave?"

"Exactly. If and when Kenya regains her memory, and she finds out that her best friend is nowhere to be found because her mate sent her away, she's going to be furious. And I'm sure Bruno wouldn't want to make Kenya more upset than she already is, so just...tell him that and maybe get him to change his request." The vampire slipped his hands into his pockets and heaved a sigh. "It's worth a shot, right?"

"And if he says no?"

"Then I guess we're leaving once this war's done with," Patrick replied dismally, "So if you want us or Pete to stick around, you better do your best and try to convince him to think a little differently." Jack glanced over at Pete who shrugged his shoulders, wordlessly showing that he agreed with his friend.