by Mary Abshire
I hesitated to touch him, but so far, he'd done nothing to harm me. He hadn't done anything to help me either.
I shook his hand. "I send souls to Hell. I don't keep them."
"Of course. My mistake," Troy said. "Would you like a seat?"
"Thanks, but no." I moved closer to Drake.
Gabe stood on Troy's other side and pointed at Drake. "The vampire tried to hurt my girlfriend."
I rolled my eyes. Why did I feel like I was back in kindergarten?
"Is this true?" Troy asked.
"Gabe touched Jessie. As she is my woman, I will take all steps necessary to protect her," Drake said flatly and much more adultlike.
Troy turned to Alan. "I thought Jessie was your girlfriend."
A feeling in my gut made me wonder if Gabe had misinformed him about me.
"Jessie is a friend, nothing more. She came to Phoenix during the summer to help me with a problem," Alan said.
Troy met Drake's gaze. "Vampires and demons typically are enemies."
"I'm half-demon," I said.
"Regardless," Drake said, dropping his hat and gloves on one of the brown metal chairs. "I'm here to challenge Gabe."
I jerked my head to face Drake. "What?"
"What?" Alan asked, echoing my question.
Troy snickered.
"He has no right to challenge me," Gabe said, his voice loud.
Drake unbuttoned his leather coat. "Most pack laws state vampires may challenge a werewolf if said wolf touches or makes a threat—"
Troy lifted his hand. "I know what the laws state." He turned to Gabe. "He has a right if she truly belongs to him."
"They could be making all this shit up," Gabe said.
A rush of heat raced to the surface of my flesh. "What kind of proof do you need?"
For several seconds, nobody said a word.
"Make him bite her," Gabe said.
I placed my hands on my hips. "That's it? You want him to bite me?"
Troy directed his gaze to me. "You are aware vampires devour demon blood."
"Yeah, but he can control it," I said.
Troy turned the Gabe. "Your call."
"Yeah, let's see him bite her and control it," Gabe said.
Piece of cake. I turned and found Drake laying his coat over the chair. When he finished, he stepped closer.
"Not too much, please. I have plans for later." I winked and pulled my long hair away from my neck.
Drake smiled before he claimed my lips in a kiss. His energy spilled into me, cooling my heated temperature. Enjoying the moment, I leaned my body into his. He sucked on my tongue and stroked it in the same loving way he had earlier. My body tingled with desire, wanting more from him, but hesitant to seek more since we were in front of others.
Slowly, he pried his lips from mine, then moved his kisses down my chin. His hand held the side of my face while the other wrapped around my back. Gentle nibbles excited me. My nipples ached and I yearned for him to touch me intimately. When I felt the pinch on my neck, my inner muscles clenched.
While Drake fed from me, I slid my hand between us and felt his stiff cock. Touching him encouraged me to set his erection free from his pants, but I doubted the wolves would've appreciated his greatness the way I did.
"I've seen enough," Troy said. "I can smell her arousal like a spring flower."
Drake rolled his tongue along my skin. The stroke of his tongue tickled and excited me more. Damn, I needed some loving from him soon.
He lifted his head while he slipped his arm away from my back.
"I'm not sure if we can make it home without stopping," I said softly.
He smiled. "Remember my request?"
Now? He wanted me to leave now? My fast heart suddenly felt as if someone had squeezed the life from it. I lowered my eyes and nodded. "Yes."
"Do you still wish to challenge Gabe?" Troy asked.
"This is bullshit," Gabe said.
"I do," Drake said, then nudged me. "Go with Alan."
Troy stood stiff while Gabe looked angrier than a wild animal with his lips curled and fists tight at his sides.
"You're going to let him challenge me?" Gabe spat.
"He has the right, since you touched her first," Troy said loudly.
Gabe shook his head.
"Are you choosing not to fight?" Troy asked.
The frustrated werewolf paced behind Troy and swung his arms in the air. "Motherfucker."
"Gabe?" Troy asked sharply.
He halted and turned to face us. "Of course I will fight. I will not look weak in front of my peers or to a vampire," he growled.
His pride was a weakness. I was willing to bet Drake had known it.
"Alan," Drake said. "Take Jessie to the car."
"Wait, what about our deal?" Troy asked, facing Alan.
"We have no deal," Alan said. "I came here to protect Jessie while Drake attended to another matter. I was merely a negotiator for Drake in his absence."
The Alpha growled and took a step forward. "You told me you wanted Gabe handed over."
Alan met Troy's sharp gaze. "Drake told me he wanted him. I was unaware he planned to challenge Gabe. Furthermore, I never agreed to anything with you other than meeting you."
The testosterone between these men couldn't have been higher. My skin itched so badly from their energy, I felt like I had poison ivy.
"Are we done now?" Alan asked.
"Yes," Troy said behind his clenched teeth.
Alan shifted his attention to me. "Ready?"
I gave him a jittery nod. Before heading away, I kissed Drake.
"Warm the car for me," he said. "I won't be long."
"Fucking bitch! I hope you die and rot in Hell," Gabe yelled.
I bit my lip, restraining myself from saying anything more such as good luck or be careful. Drake's strength outmatched Gabe's muscle. Clearly, the werewolf knew it too, based on his pacing and boisterous curse words.
"Go, sweetheart," Drake said.
With a deep breath, I left him.
Alan escorted me to the car. Tree branches scraped together while small snowflakes fluttered from the dark sky. I glanced over my shoulder, wondering if a werewolf watched us. I didn't see anything moving. Swiveling my head around, I spotted a pair of glowing eyes near the woods.
"Shit!" I stopped fast.
Alan gripped my elbow. "It's okay. He's watching. Keeping moving."
I took two steps, then halted when I heard a loud scream echo from the building.
"Come on," he said. Vapor from his breath floated away.
Hearing another loud scream, I flinched. "What's he doing?"
"What I would be doing if I were in his shoes," Alan replied.
Lacking a detailed description, I imagined Drake was showing off his power and strength in some horrific way.
"Did he give you the key?" Alan asked when we reached Drake's SUV.
I dug inside my pocket. "So if that was you in there, what would you be doing? Breaking bones, perhaps?" Curiosity got the better of me, wondering what he'd do.
"Breaking bones, slicing him up, anything to make him want death."
"Cutting him seems a bit extreme. Why not just kill him?" I asked before I hit the button to unlock the door.
"Too easy. Gabe kidnapped you and almost killed you. Drake will make him suffer." Alan opened the door for me.
Part of me disliked torture, but I understood the reason behind it. Would Gabe have shown me any mercy if it were the two of us? Had he in Phoenix? No was the answer to both questions. Fuck the werewolf.
I hopped into the vehicle.
"Drake won't be long. We'll meet back at the house," Alan said.
"Are you leaving?"
"Not yet. I'll wait so we can leave together." He tucked his hands into the pockets of his jacket.
"Thanks, Alan, for coming and…everything." I reached for the door.
"We'll talk later," he said before he backed away.
I shut myself insid
e, then started the engine. After turning the lights on, I cranked up the heat in anticipation of Drake's arrival.
As I waited for him, I considered how smooth the meeting had gone. Running into Gabe at the mall had actually been a blessing. Because Gabe had touched me, pack laws gave Drake the right to challenge Gabe. What a wonderful turn of events. And Alan no longer had to worry about handing over his company in exchange for Gabe. Could the day have turned out better? I enjoyed shopping with my closest friends and Gabe would no longer pose a threat to me. Merry Christmas to me.
With Gabe out of the way, Drake and I could focus on finding the demons responsible for murdering people. Then as soon as we could bring justice to them, life would return to a somewhat normal state. Dani and I could apply for jobs at the new tech company. Drake and I could enjoy our time together. Alan and his men could return home. Everyone would return to his or her merry lives. What a perfect ending to such a stressful year.
The minutes continued to tick by, so I turned on the XM radio and scanned through the channels until I found one with holiday music. I left the volume on a low setting and relaxed in my seat. Five songs later, Drake opened the door. He hopped into the driver's seat. He appeared unscathed and without a drop of blood on him. But then, he had his leather coat on. I couldn't see underneath it.
"Gabe will not bother you anymore," he said in a calm voice.
Curiosity made my thoughts swirl. I wondered what he'd done to the werewolf. Did it matter? Not really. Had he killed Gabe? I suspected he had, but I needed confirmation.
"Ever?" I asked.
"I hope you are not mad at me," he said.
I scrunched my eyes. "Why would I be angry with you?"
"I didn't let you send his soul to Hell."
Yeah, sending Gabe's soul to the underworld would've been nice, but the fact Drake killed him was good enough for me.
I leaned forward and planted a kiss on his lips. "I'm not upset at all. He's no longer a threat and that's all that matters."
Drake locked his mouth to mine and quickly took to sucking my tongue. My longing for him intensified, but I wanted him at home to fully enjoy our time together.
Pressing my hand to his chest, I tore my lips from his. "Let's go home."
"Do you think we can make it home?"
"I'll make it worth your while to wait."
A playful smile showed up on his face. "Do you realize how hard you just made me?"
I chuckled. "Drive. You're wasting time."
And with my command, he shifted the gear and we were off.
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Sleet mixed with the snow, forcing Drake to reduce his speed. After twenty minutes, the warmth of the car, along with a small cool breeze blowing in from my window, encouraged my drowsiness. I closed my eyes and dozed off. Sometime later, I heard a buzzing sound.
"Hello?" Drake asked.
Breathing in deeply, I opened my eyes and sat up. My chin felt wet and my neck ached from leaning my head on the door.
"Dani would like to talk to you," Drake said.
Nodding, I reached for the phone with one hand and wiped my chin with the other.
"Hi, Dani," I said, my voice hoarse.
"Is the meeting over?" she asked.
I cleared my throat. "Yeah."
"Are you okay? Was there a fight?" she asked, her voice panicky.
"I'm fine. The meeting went well." I glanced at Drake and he smiled.
"What happened?"
"Drake challenged Gabe to a fight." I took a glimpse in the mirror outside and saw a pair of lights in the distance. Alan's vehicle, if I had to guess.
"Drake got in a fight with a werewolf?" she asked, her voice laced with surprise. "Did he get hurt?"
I stretched out my legs under the dashboard. "No, he's fine. Not a scratch on him from the little I can see."
"What about Alan? Is he all right?"
I found it interesting that I never mentioned Alan fighting, yet she sounded concerned for him. "He's fine."
"Good. He's such a nice guy, and generous, and fun to talk to. I really like him."
I chuckled. "Yeah, well I think he might like you too."
"Really?" she asked, her voice elevated. "Did he say something to you?"
"No, but I can tell he is interested."
"Do you really think so? I'd so love to—"
"Can we talk about this later?" I glanced up and saw Drake smiling.
"Oh, yeah. Right. I forgot you weren't alone."
I chuckled. Yeah, I doubted Drake wanted to hear Dani's dirty words.
"We're on our way home. We should be there in…"
"Twenty minutes," Drake said.
I repeated the time back to Dani.
"Great," she said. "Hey, are we still going to that graveyard?"
I breathed in a long breath. From the upbeat tone of Dani's voice, I could tell she wanted to go. But I didn't. I wanted to spend alone time with Drake, locked up in the bedroom, celebrating the holiday and Gabe's demise.
"I'd prefer to stay home. It's Christmas Eve and so much has happened recently."
"It's up to you," she said, her voice less cheerful.
"If Gail calls, tell her we're not going."
"All right," she said. "Do you know if Alan is coming back to spend Christmas here?"
"Um, I think so. He's following us, so I assume he's coming to the house."
"Great! I talked his guard into stopping at a shop on the way to the house. I bought a gift for Alan and I want to give him," she said.
I hesitated to ask what she planned to give him. Curiosity gnawed at me, but I avoided questioning for details. "I'm sure he'll like whatever you got for him."
"I hope so. I'm not used to buying gifts that aren't related to sex."
The urge to laugh bubbled up within me, wanting to burst free. I bit my lip, restraining the laughter.
"I really owe you and Drake a huge thanks for getting me out of Indy. If it weren't for you two, I might not have met Alan," Dani said.
Not only would she not have met the Alpha, she might not have lived a happy life ever again. She could've ended up homeless. I hated to consider all the possibilities.
"Don't think too much about it. I'll see you soon," I said.
"All right," she replied, voice soft. "Bye."
I lowered the phone, then stuck it in the tray near the gearshift.
Drake glanced at me and grinned. "She likes Alan."
"Yeah, it would seem that way. I told her he's a werewolf. I think it made her more interested in him."
"Any idea what gift she has for him?"
"I'm not sure. The Dani from Indy would probably give something as a gag. But I noticed she's been acting different around Alan. She seems more…polite—not as in your face as she normally is."
"Since she doesn't know Alan well, maybe she wants to impress him," Drake said.
"Maybe." I shrugged. "As long as her gift doesn't have anything to do with sex, I think she'll be fine."
"I sensed Alan likes her. I think he will be pleased with any gift from Dani."
"I hope they become good friends with the time they have. I'm sure Alan will want to leave for Phoenix soon, now that the matter of Gabe is resolved," I said.
"Maybe he'll ask Dani to visit him."
"Considering she hates the cold and loves the sun, she'll jump on a plane in a heartbeat for him."
"More time alone for us," he said with a crooked smile. “More time for us to indulge our desires.”
I smiled. “Indeed.”
Questions filled my head about Dani and Alan while Drake steered through the freezing rain and snow. What if Alan and Dani became good friends and she left to visit him from time to time? What if they hit it off together? Would Alan be good to her? I believed he would, being the decent man that he was. Would he ever consider asking her to live with him if things worked out well between them? My thoughts wandered out of control with possibilities. I would miss Alan and Ryan when they l
eft, but I would greatly miss Dani if she ever decided to move. Yet, I wanted everyone to be happy.
Once we reached the city limits, I stared out the window at the pretty holiday decorations. Bright lights flashed and lit-up Christmas trees displayed the beauty of the season. A feeling of peace and joy settled within me.
Drake pulled into the garage later than originally planned. The damn weather always seemed to slow our progress. After sitting in the car for over an hour and a half, my rear felt numb and my bones were stiff. I stretched my arms and neck on the way to the door.
Drake and I were removing our shoes when Alan parked on the driveway. The lights from his vehicle shot straight into the garage, nearly blinding me. After he left his vehicle, he stomped his large feet on the concrete.
The door swung open and my attention shifted. Dani stood to the side with a wide smile on her face. Her bluish-gray eyes glowed with happiness.
"You finally made it," she said. "What took you so long?"
"Freezing rain and snow," I said as I stepped inside. I strode to the refrigerator, then opened it. Over half the groceries Drake had bought the other day were gone, but a few bottles of beer remained, along with condiments and cheese. We definitely needed to get to the store in a day or two. Finding nothing appealing, I shut the door.
"Hungry?" Drake asked. He'd already removed his hat and coat.
"No, more like thirsty," I said.
"Oh, I found your favorite in the pantry." Dani headed to the cabinet before I could get another word out. She took out a large bottle, then set the clear liquor I loved on the counter. "Want some?"
The vodka was my favorite. I nodded as Alan came strolling inside with his white socks clear as day on the vinyl floor. He closed the door behind him.
The plastic cap on the glass snapped when Dani twisted it.
"Mind sharing some of that?" Alan asked as his stripped his jacket off.
"Not at all," Dani and I both said at the same time. She laughed.
The phone on the counter buzzed. We all turned our eyes to the tiny device, which was my cell that I'd let Dani use.
"It might be Gail," I said as I reached for it. One glimpse at the display revealed I'd guessed accurately.
I lifted the phone to my ear. "Hey, Gail."
"Jessie?" Donnie's voice sounded shaky.