Love Conquers All Evil

by Mary Abshire

  "I apologize for making a mess in your home," he said, his voice soft and friendly.

  "Don't worry about it," I said.

  Drake took the towels, then dropped them in the sink.

  "Jessie, I'd like for you to meet Paul. He is a good friend of mine. He's from one of the local churches," Anthony said.

  I assumed if Paul was a good friend of Anthony, then he probably knew what Drake and I were.

  Paul extended his hand to me, over the counter. "It's nice to meet you."

  Smiling, I kept my hands at my sides. "You'll have to forgive me for not shaking your hand. After I shook Anthony's, I ended up spewing my guts in his bathroom."

  Paul took his hand back. "Oh, no problem." His blue eyes studied me with fascination, as if I were a piece of artwork.

  Okay, the man made me feel awkward. Did Anthony not tell him I was half-demon? Or did he know? And what was the reason for the close examination?

  Drake came to my side. He wrapped an arm around me. "Do you want some coffee?"

  "Yeah, sure."

  He kissed my temple. "I'll fix it for you."

  Paul leaned on the counter, covering his mouth with his hand. His eyes never wavered from me.

  I shifted my gaze to Anthony. Wrinkles etched his forehead and the corners of his eyes, which gave him an aged look. His bushy brows, a mixture of brown, but mostly gray, were in serious need of a trim. He sipped from his cup, then set it on the counter.

  "I brought Paul over to meet you because he is somewhat special. I've known him for many, many years." Anthony rubbed his forehead, then turned to Paul. "How long has it been?"

  "I was fifteen when we had our first sessions." Paul smiled.

  "Oh yes, yes. I remember now," Anthony said before he drank more of his coffee.

  My stomach churned. I took a few steps back, hoping the increased distance between us would lessen the hot flashes and intestinal rolls.

  Anthony lowered his mug. "His parents brought him to me when the psychiatrists wanted to commit him to a mental facility. They didn't have a good understanding of his gift."

  I leaned my back against the counter and crossed my ankles. "His gift?"

  "Paul receives visions. After we had several sessions together, I helped him to think outside the normal realm," Anthony said.

  Drake handed me a cup of coffee. Smiling, I gladly took it from his hands. He stood next to me, leaning against the counter, too.

  "Since I met Anthony, I have learned a great deal about this world," Paul said. "I came to realize humans are not the only creatures walking around on Earth. Like most people, my parents had me believe that those who are not human are bad or evil. With Anthony's help and support, I broke through that belief system and learned to decipher my visions. If my parents hadn't brought me to him, I would have ended up in an institution."

  "It's true, sadly. With God's help, we worked everything out. And now Paul is a respected member of several communities. He's been able to share the word of God with witches, warlocks, werewolves, and even demons. He is one of the few men I trust." Anthony lifted his cup to Drake and gave him a nod.

  "Mind if I ask why you decided to become a priest?" I asked Paul before I sipped some coffee.

  "When I reached my last year of high school, I had no idea what I wanted to do. My older brother had gone to work upstate and he encouraged me to move in with him, but my parents wanted me to go to college. So, I prayed to the Lord for guidance. The message I received was to trust my heart and beware of temptation."

  "Someone told you this in a vision?" I asked.

  "Yes, it was a voice in my dream. Sometimes a person will show up, but that time it was a man's voice." I drank more coffee while he continued. "During one weekend, Anthony and I met with a young witch who had tampered with some dark spells and gotten into trouble. She was a very lovely young woman. But she was in so much trouble that the community wanted to brand her and send her away. I made it a personal mission of mine to help her." He took a deep breath and clasped his hands together. "Over the course of several weeks of helping the witch, I was tempted in ways I never imagined. Once again, Anthony saved me with his words of encouragement and advice. In the end, I helped the witch get back in good standing in her community and I managed to walk away with a pure soul. I realized then that I loved working with Anthony and helping others, human and non-human. So, I decided to go to seminary and become a priest."

  Wow. What did one say to that? "Sounds like you found your calling."

  He chuckled. "That's one way of putting it, yes."

  "Not to sound rude, but why are you here at such a late hour?" I asked, waving my nearly empty mug in front of me.

  "Paul came to visit me earlier in the afternoon. He has some information and I want him to share it with you," Anthony said.

  I exhaled a worrisome breath. A priest in a vampire's home coming to see a demon couldn't be good.

  "I received a visit from an angel. He gave me a message and showed me an image of someone who could help. When I woke up, I immediately picked up the phone and called Anthony."

  I looked at Drake. The corner of his mouth twitched. He knew something I didn't know.

  "What?" I asked.

  "The angel gave Paul an image of you, Jessie," Anthony said.

  "Excuse me?" I straightened and eyed the two with skepticism. "Why would an angel stick a picture of me, a half-demon, in your head?"

  "The latest stabbing victim was an active member of my church. I prayed for an end to the murders. The angel who visited me said you have to help," Paul said.

  Was he for real? He seemed to have his wits about him. Anthony obviously thought he was of sound mind. I had no reason not to believe either one of them.

  "I don't understand." I set my cup on the counter behind me. While I had planned to try to figure out who was behind the murders anyway, I had one question I needed to ask. "Why would an angel say I have to help?"

  "What I am about to tell you, I have told only Anthony. Nobody else knows. It must remain a secret," Paul said.

  "Okay. No problem."

  Paul took a deep breath, lifting his shoulders slightly. "The angel told me a demon is stabbing people and murdering them to collect souls so the spirits cannot go to heaven. He said only you could release them. Only you can send the demon's soul to Hell."

  My jaw dropped. "Me?" I stared at him, thinking I'd misheard him.

  A demon took good souls to prevent them from passing on? A chill snaked through me. Whoever was murdering good people had to be stopped. But how could I stop an evil demon? No, better yet, how could I release the souls the demon stole? I turned to Drake.

  "I told them we can work on this when I get back." Drake gazed at me with his warm, loving eyes.

  I shifted my attention to the two holy men. "I want to help you. I really do. I think the person who is murdering all these people deserves to go to Hell. But honestly, I don't know how to release souls. I'm sure Anthony must have told you where I send them after I catch them."

  Paul nodded. "Yes, he told me. But my visions and messages are never wrong. The angel said you could release them. Maybe you don't know now, but when the time comes, you will know what to do."

  "I'm waiting on a couple calls from good friends of mine who may have opinions on Jessie's abilities and this latest development," Anthony said, scooting the mug away from him on the counter. "Before, we questioned why Jessie would need to send souls to Hell. The question is still valid, but I think it's interesting that we now know an angel wants this demon's spirit to go to Hell. Clearly, God is aware of Jessie's ability and finds her useful."

  I rubbed my forehead. "I will help out any way I can. I'm not sure how to release souls, but like you said, maybe it will come to me."

  "Thank you, Jessie," Paul said. "I appreciate your willingness to help. If I hear any more news, I will let you know. I'm in touch with a local police officer who stays connected to one of the Anchorage policemen. They believe it is the s
ame person murdering people and they don't have any leads. As much as I'd like to tell them what I know, it would only hinder their investigation. It would potentially ruin my standing with the communities as well and I don't want that."

  "He's right," Drake said. "If he told the police an angel spoke to him and said a demon was stabbing people, they would think him mad. The media would create a scene, which would only impede the investigation. If he believes you can stop the person, we have to keep the information to ourselves."

  "Well, we know it's a demon. So, is it someone from here or Anchorage?" I turned to Paul.

  "That I don't know. I have to be very careful with the questions I ask," Paul said.

  "Maybe I can help there too. I went to the local meeting tonight and met a couple members. I could ask around and see if anyone knows anything."

  Paul's eyes lit up. "That's a great idea. You could probably find out more than I could in a shorter amount of time and without any suspicion."

  Drake crossed his arms. "I would prefer that any questions wait until I return. Since we are new, I want to be with Jessie and make sure she doesn't put herself in any danger."

  A smile formed on my face. Drake—my lover, my protector. Always looking out for me. Always.

  "We will hold off until you return. That won't be a problem." Anthony scooted off the stool. "Thank you for the coffee."

  Paul rose. "Yes, thank you for inviting us into your home."

  The two grabbed their coats from the chair.

  "If you find out any more news, you don't have to wait until Drake comes back. You can still call me," I said, stepping around the counter as they zipped their jackets.

  Anthony slid a black hat over his head. "I will let you know if I hear of anything new."

  "It was nice to meet you, Jessie." Paul slipped his hand into a bulky glove. "You look exactly like the picture the angel implanted in my head. I'm so glad Anthony knew you and introduced us."

  I didn't know how to respond. An angel placed my likeness in a man's head. How weird was that? "It was nice to meet you, Paul. We can catch the demon and put a stop to his killing. I'm sure of it."

  Drake led the two men up the stairs where they slid on their boots. I stayed behind, at a distance, to keep the nausea at bay as much as possible. After they left, Drake strolled down the stairs.

  "How am I supposed to release souls from a demon?" I asked, arms outstretched. "And the fact that there is a demon stealing souls so they can't go to Heaven is frightening." A chill ran down my spine every time I thought about it. For someone to kill another, then rip their soul from their body, stopping them from going to Heaven, was downright cold and heartless. Who could do such a thing?

  Drake passed me and headed for the living room. "You, of all people, know there are evil creatures in the world." He stopped near his coat, bent over, then dug inside the pocket.

  "Yeah, but…" I still had a difficult time comprehending why someone would do such a cruel thing.

  Drake walked toward me. "What's the problem? We find out who is behind the murders and stop them."

  "We can't just kill the person. If you kill the body, the souls will be trapped."

  "So how can the souls be freed without killing the body first?"

  I shook my head. "I don't know." If I did, I wouldn't have asked the question myself.

  Drake strolled past me. "After you took Alexander's soul, he tried to get out. I had to choke you to stop him."

  I followed him into the office. "Yes, I remember well."

  He tugged the chair from under the desk, then sat on it. "And the werewolf tried to get out of you, too."

  "Yeah…" I stood at his side. "I'm not sure I'm where you are going."

  He set his phone on the desk, lifted the screen of his laptop, then pressed the power button. "What I am thinking is that if the spirits you took wanted to get out, they could. But you stopped them."

  "With help from you and Jeremy."

  "Maybe the spirits needed a little…push to get them out. Maybe the demon is holding them in. You need to force them out somehow."

  "Like fighting the demon?" In a way, it made sense. I doubted I could talk to the demon and convince him or her to spew out all the souls. After taking the time to steal them, the demon sure wouldn't want to give them back.

  "Maybe, and that is why I want you to wait until I get back. I don't want you asking questions and getting into trouble. The demon responsible for the murders is very dangerous. Your soul is just as valuable as any human’s. No, I take that back. Yours is more valuable. You absolutely cannot tell anyone about your ability."

  Well, thankfully, I hadn't. "I told Donnie and Gail I could sense evil spirits. I never told them I could send souls to Hell."

  "Good. If I were you, I would avoid discussing it altogether." He began typing on the keypad. His fingers created a soft tapping sound. "In fact, stay inside and don't go anywhere while I'm gone."

  I wasn't about to argue with him, especially since Gabe was in town. And for the time being, I avoided mentioning our prior conversation before Anthony and Paul showed up. Perhaps Drake had forgotten about it. I hoped.

  "What are you doing?" I asked.

  "Checking the Anchorage papers for any clues." He stared at the screen. "In a short while, it will be time for you to call your friend."

  "Already?" I leaned over and searched for the time in the upper right corner of the screen. "Twenty minutes. That gives me just enough time to change into comfortable clothes and brush my teeth." I headed for the door.

  "Don't take too long. We still have a matter to discuss," he said, and I paused at the doorway. He gazed at me with a playful smile and a brow cocked. "Did you think I would forget?"

  "I'll be back," I said in a monotone voice before leaving him.

  Damn, I'd hoped he might have put it aside in his mind, but no such luck. Well, if I took my time, maybe I could still avoid having to tell him. I'd call Mark, and delay it more. But could I avoid telling Drake all day long? I grinned as I descended the stairs. With a little loving, anything was possible.

  Chapter Eleven

  My hair brushed over my shoulders as I ran up the stairs. I'd lost track of time while I dried my long locks, changed into comfortable nightclothes, then watched a few minutes of television. The late night news revealed no leads in the investigation of the latest stab victim—no surprise there. I wondered if Drake had uncovered any information during his search online.

  Reaching the top of the stairs, I turned the corner. Light spilled into the small hall from the office. I walked briskly inside.

  Drake glanced up from the screen. "You're late." His tone and frown revealed his displeasure.

  "Sorry. I was checking out the local news. They have no leads, just as Anthony and Paul had said."

  Drake picked up the phone sitting on top of my notebook. "You should call before he thinks something is wrong."

  I sat on Drake's knee, then took the phone from his hand. A quick glance at the clock on the screen showed I was five minutes past my scheduled calling time. "I'm not that late." I flipped open my notebook, found Mark's number, then tapped it on the phone.

  Drake wrapped his arms around my torso, delaying me before I hit the call button. As he squeezed my body to his, he nuzzled the back of my neck. "I know you are avoiding me." He kissed my ear.

  Yes, I was. I so did not want to tell him about Gabe because I knew how he would react. Taking a deep breath, I lifted the phone to my ear.

  Mark answered on the second ring. "Hello?"

  "Hey there, it's me."

  "I'm glad you called. I spoke with Dani earlier in the day and she sounded miserable. She said the apartment complex is evicting her if she doesn't come up with rent within the next two weeks."

  "Well, don't worry. Drake and I have come up with a plan."

  "Don't give him details," Drake whispered into my ear. "Just tell him I will contact him late tomorrow night."

  "What kind of plan do you ha
ve?" Mark asked.

  "Drake is going to call you late tomorrow night. Don't tell Dani anything."

  "What time will he call? I'll need to have my spell ready."

  Drake murmured the time in my ear.

  "He will call you at midnight," I said into the phone.

  "Am I going to find out what is going on?" Mark asked.

  "He will tell you when he calls you."

  "Please, tell me you aren't coming here. I don't think it's safe," Mark said with a hint of worry in his tone.

  "No, I can't go back," I replied in a gloomy voice. Although I'd lived in Indianapolis a little over three years, I missed the mid-sized city. More importantly, I missed my friends.

  "Stay wherever you are, and be safe. I will do whatever I can to help Dani," Mark said.

  "Thanks, Mark. Drake will call you at midnight. Take care."

  "Bye, Jessie."

  I rose from Drake's lap and set the phone on the desk. "I think he suspects you are going to be there."

  "It's fine if he does."

  "So why not tell him when you will be there?" I leaned my rear against the desk.

  "My friend is going to meet me. I didn't want Mark to get any wrong ideas. I know he is your friend and you trust him, but the less communication we have, the safer we will both be."

  Ah, he had a point. By taking Dani away and bringing her here with us, someone would most likely return to Indy and question what happened to her. If they suspected Mark knew something, his life would be in danger. The less Mark knew, the better off he would be.

  I glanced at the laptop. The screen showed an article from an Anchorage newspaper.

  "Did you find anything about the murders?" I asked.

  Drake leaned back in the chair and clasped his hands behind his head. "From the various news reports I read, the attacker stabbed some of the victims in the back and others in the front."

  "The demon stabbed people in the back?" I asked for clarification. The murderer was a cold-hearted coward.

  "It appears so. One regular consistency I found is that the demon stabs the victim multiple times. One victim had seventeen stab wounds, another twelve, another fifteen."