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Maybe toroup could eapons She’d noticed that Sadie liked to ith a stake or an axe, but she’d have more reach with a stave orhim to the floor "Nice, Conrad!" Meredith cheered "You took hiuard there"

"Meredith, ith me," Jack said fro"

His face was blank, giving nothing away, and Meredith felt a trickle of unease She followed Jack across the warehouse floor, wondering what he wanted Was there so the others?

But when he’d led her to the other side of the warehouse--far enough, Meredith noted, that they had sorinned "You’re a natural I knew you would be"

Laying a heavy hand on Meredith’s shoulder, he looked steadily into her eyes "You’re ready," he told her "I want you to lead this group of vaht hand"

"When you leave the?" She was careful to keep the panic out of her voice If Jack left, what good would being with the other vampires do? How could she learn his weaknesses, find the cure for what he’d done to her?

Squeezing her shoulder, Jack so on with roup Once the others are ready to hunt under your leadership, I’ll go back to the lab If we’re going to elier numbers"

Meredith nodded It hest vampires was a difficult job And, usually, a hile one If it hadn’t been for Stefan’s death, and for the fact that Jack’s people were just as dangerous to huht have supported them In a lot of ways, they were hunters, like she had been Like she was

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 hat she had been waiting for

Jack looked at her searchingly "Do you knohere Damon Salvatore is? I know that Stefan was your friend"

This is a test Meredith was sure of it Jack knew that Da 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 ht 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 sree to be hidden "They’re strong and hard to kill, and they hate vaht beside hi back on his heels "That’s a proble past the Pack?" Meredith thought If she really wanted to help hiest?

Go after Bonnie She shuddered at the idea It would work, probably Zander and the Pack would trade Da to estion, not even to win Jack’s trust

"Most of thee 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, whichnow If Jack wanted to go against the Pack for Damon, he’d have to wait "I’d lure theed in battle, go after Daroup They’ll protect each other rather than fight for Da," Jack said "Thatrasping against his stubble Giving her a brief nod, he began to turn away

"Wait," Meredith said, her heart thu her breathing and pulse through ht them to shield their true natures frouess how iaular vaoing to kill all of them And then on’t have any competition"

"I like the sound of that" Another lie that’s true The hunter in Meredith bea 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 sloink "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 eed "No cure," he said "This is e are Forever"

HeMeredith sed hard "Is it true that we’re invulnerable?" she asked, trying to sound cal 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

"Coh he’d rabbed her by the wrist and pulled, alh the warehouse door She had to race after hih 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