Drake the Defender

by Rhiannon Neeley

  Grace slowed the ‘Tang as she entered Deer Run. She didn’t want to take the railroad tracks too fast. Driving over them any faster than twenty miles per hour could jar the teeth right out of your jaw. She crossed the tracks and turned right on Main Street for the length of one block, then a left and she was back at the office.

  Inside the Sheriff’s office, Grace hesitated just inside the door, and with eyes closed, she sighed. Cool air blasted from the A/C sending chill bumps over her skin. Heaven must be air conditioned, Grace thought.

  “It’s about time you got back,” Dot said from behind her desk.

  Grace opened her eyes, took one look at Dot and immediately pressed her lips tightly together.

  “Billy Ray and Daniel done been here for hours, drinking up my coffee and they ate every one of them corn muffins that Joe sent over from the bar.” Dot rapped her pen on the desktop. “And I been wanting to hear what all is going on. What happened up there on Salt Lick?”

  Grace bit the inside of her cheek, willing herself not to open her mouth.

  The phone rang. Dot picked it up. “Sheriff’s Office.”

  Grace took the opportunity to duck into her office and close the door. She let out a breath she didn’t realize that she’d been holding. Thank goodness for the phone call. Otherwise she would not have been able to keep from laughing. Dot Crager, the dispatcher for the Sheriff’s department, was known for her constantly changing hair color, but this week’s selection took the cake. Dot’s hair was maroon.

  Grace shook her head and sat down at her desk. She opened a drawer, grabbed a pad of paper and started jotting down notes about the crime scene before she forgot them. The double murder was going to be the major gossip around the county and Grace did not want to miss any evidence. It was, after all, election year. Come November, she needed all her fence posts in a row, or else. Grace didn’t relish the thought of having to tag and bag her own evidence if both Junior and Arnie were laid off, and she knew that Harry Shepherd, her Deputy, wouldn’t want to either.

  Grace’s hands started to shake again. She stopped writing and lit a cigarette. Lord, I hate the politics of this job, she thought.

  Just then, the door opened and Dot stuck her maroon head in. “Don’t forget them boys is in the other room,” she said, wagging a finger. “You want some lunch?”

  “Yes. I sure do,” Grace said. “Call down and tell Joe to have a burger ready for me in, oh, about twenty minutes. I’ll be done with the boys by then.” She hoped anyway.

  “I’ll tell him.” Dot started to close the door.

  “Dot?” Grace stubbed out her cigarette in the heavy stone ashtray on her desk.

  “Yeah?”

  “Love your hair.” Grace smiled.

  Dot grinned and patted her ‘do. “I just thought I’d try it.” With a wink, she closed the door and Grace was left to herself.

  Grace’s stomach let out a rumble. She could already taste that burger. She shoved away from her desk and with pad and pen, opened the door that led from her office to the interrogation room.

  Billy Ray and Daniel looked up.

  “You boys look like a deer trapped in headlights,” Grace said, slapping her pad down on the table where they sat. She noted the crumbs from the corn muffins in front of both of them. Dainty, they were not. “Alright boys, I’m aching for lunch. Let’s get this over with,” she said, sitting down at the table. She propped her elbows on the tabletop and parked her chin in her hands. “What did this ‘Federal Officer’ look like?” Grace was anxious to get this part over and done with, have some lunch, then check into the report on those missing twin girls from last month. A boy had disappeared too, but she had an idea he was a runaway. Even if the bodies were those of the missing girls, Grace had no idea how they were going to identify them, since wherever you touched, the corpses crumbled. That was going to be the question of the week.

  * * * *

  Drake Raven hadn’t realized how tired he must have been. Having slept through breakfast and then on the road, he was now experiencing hunger to the extreme. The burgers frying on the grill in the kitchen of the Bar made his mouth water and his stomach clench like a fist. It was one o’clock and Drake had only been awake for two hours. He wasn’t over the “grumpy” stage yet.

  Sitting at the bar, he sipped his cup of coffee and stared at the television screen, not really seeing it. In his mind, he was envisioning a certain blue-eyed blonde named Grace, wearing only a bra and thong, lying in the middle of his king-sized motel bed. That picture made him feel a little less grumpy and his leather pants a little bit tighter.

  The bartender topped off Drake’s coffee cup. “Burger’s ‘bout done,” he said, then disappeared back into the kitchen.

  Drake twirled his cup on the bar top, waiting. This was the only place he figured he could go for the moment. Joe’s Bar was where he met Grace a couple of days ago. He wasn’t sure why he thought he’d find her here in the early afternoon but there wasn’t much else to do in this little town that he could see. That’s why he’d checked into a motel thirty miles away, before he had to get off the interstate. When he’d been here last time, he noticed that Joe’s Bar seemed to be the only game in town.

  Drake and his brother Holt had come down into these mountains to rescue their cousin Dirk. Dirk had gotten himself in deep and John, head of the Unkindness of Ravens, had sent them to help Dirk out. And to kill a few bloodsuckers while they were at it. They did their job—saved Dirk and his girl, Casey, and managed to wipe out three more vampires in the bargain. Chalk up three more kills to the Unkindness. That was their mission. Kill the vampires. Save the world. Drake still had trouble believing he did this for a living—even though he had lived it ever since he was born. His father had been a vampire hunter, as was his father before him. The lifestyle suited Drake perfectly. He got to wear whatever he wanted, travel all over the place. It was like living in his own personal movie and he got to be the hero.

  Drake took another sip of coffee. He noticed Joe, eyeing him from the kitchen doorway. Drake smiled widely and winked. Joe disappeared from sight.

  Drake grinned to himself. Some people were a little put off by his smile. The fangs he’d had bonded to his teeth—upper and lower—tended to give the straight-laced type a bit of a scare. Drake—unlike the other Ravens—never hid his smile. He kind of liked being thought of as dangerous. In the vampire world, he fit right in.

  And there were a lot of women who liked to take a walk on the wild side.

  Drake noticed that when he had met Grace, his toothy smile hadn’t put her off at all. He remembered the shadow of desperation in her eyes that night. Maybe that had something to do with it. Still, Drake had caught something in her personality, something that “clicked”. He’d bet she was a nice girl with a great heart.

  Joe parked a plate with a half-pound hamburger in front of him. “There you go.”

  “Thanks,” Drake said. He picked up the burger, having to use both hands because it was so huge, and bit in. Savory flavor filled his mouth.

  It was too bad he only knew Grace’s first name. He couldn’t even look her up in the phone book. After he ate, he’d drive around some and see if he spotted a little red mustang.

  * * * *

  Grace was getting tired. She felt like she’d already put in a full day’s work and it was far from over. She hadn’t eaten yet, her uniform still felt like it was sticking to her, even with the A/C, and sitting here with Billy Ray and Daniel was not her idea of a good time. Especially when she was trying to get them to describe what the man they had seen looked like, and all Billy Ray wanted to do was grouse about the alleged wolf that had taken down his precious cow. “Boys,” she said, closing her notepad. “I’ll get back in touch with you about this man you say you saw…”

  “You act like you don’t believe us,” Billy Ray said, leaning back in his chair.

  “I believe you,” Grace said, standing up. Her stomach growled. “I’ve got a lot to do today and someday—I�
�ve got to get my lunch.” She pushed the chair in to the table. “You all go on home and I’ll give you a call by four o’clock if I need something else.”

  “Sheriff?” Dot said, poking her head through the door. She only called Grace ‘Sheriff’ when there were other people around.

  “Yes, Dot?” Grace turned to her. Am I ever going to get that burger? She wondered.

  “Two things,” Dot said, holding up two fingers. “Rogue called. Said he wanted to know what happened to you this morning. You were gone when he got up.”

  Shit, Grace thought. She’d promised Rogue last night before they went to bed that she would fix him a breakfast of bacon and eggs this morning and wake him up to eat it before she left for the office. She’d done neither. “Call him back, Dot. Tell him that breakfast just became supper. He’ll know what I mean. Tell him I’m going to try to be home around six.”

  Dot nodded. “I’ll call him. The other thing is—Harry called on the radio…”

  Grace reached down to her radio that hung from her belt and turned it back on. She’d turned it off while talking to the boys, knowing Harry would handle just about anything that came along.

  “…and he had some news,” Dot continued. Her eyes got wide. “They found a car up on Salt Lick. Nobody in it.”

  “Yesss,” Grace said.

  “Well, its got Ohio license plates on it.” Dot’s eyes got bigger.

  Grace grit her teeth. Man, I need a break here, she thought. Either that or some really hot sex. Just to calm my nerves. She waved a hand at Dot. “I’ll get in touch with Harry, but right now I’m heading for Joe’s to get that burger before I pass out from starvation.”

  Grace finally extracted herself from the office five minutes later after hustling Billy Ray and Daniel out and promising to fill Dot in on all of the details of the double murder—which Grace really had no intention of doing since it was under investigation. She’d just tell Dot part of it, keeping certain details to herself until this whole thing was solved. Grace decided to walk the three blocks to Joe’s. Fresh air might do her some good, even if it was ninety degrees.

  As Grace walked, she thought about her stress level. Maybe this job was getting to be too much for her. Or maybe, remembering her thought a few minutes ago, I do need an orgasm or two…or three. Lord knew she hadn’t had any in a while. Some really sizzling sex with a hard muscled bad boy might be just the tonic she needed to get her through this latest jangle of her nerves.

  Grace tucked her hands in the back pockets of her pants. She continued her daydream as she walked. Yeah, she thought. Someone like Drake.

  Drake looked like trouble from the get-go. Tall and lanky, with black spiked hair, he could make a mountain panther look tame. Dressed in leather that hugged him like a glove, Grace had been shocked when he had sat down at her table and bought her a beer. And that smile—the man had fangs. Grace felt a thrill chase up her body, just like her dream, as she thought about what it would feel like to be bitten by those dangerous fangs. Bitten in places better left unmentioned. Grace shivered, a rush rolling through her at the thought. Shivering, in ninety-degree heat? Where are these urges for danger coming from, she wondered.

  “Get a grip,” she said under her breath, heading around the corner of Joe’s for the side door. “You can’t be thinking about your lack of sex when…” Grace stopped dead, her hand on the doorknob ready to open it.

  A black car was parked, nose-in to the side of Joe’s. Grace didn’t recognize it and she knew most everybody’s vehicle in the whole county. She didn’t know this one.

  She released the doorknob even though her stomach was pleading loudly for her just to go in the bar and feed it, and walked toward the black four-door sedan. She walked around behind it, taking notice of the license plates. Ohio. Hmm. She meandered around the driver’s side, glancing through the windows. Nothing in the seats. Nothing visible anyway. At the front fender, she noticed some scrapes in the paint. Interesting, she thought. She moved to the front corner of the driver’s side and crouched down.

  The parking light lens cover was broken, only one small shard of amber plastic still held in the socket.

  She keyed her radio. “Harry, you there?”

  Static.

  “Harry?” She glanced up at the sky as a cloud passed over, throwing her in shadow.

  “I’m here.” Harry’s voice came over the radio.

  “Harry, I need you at Joe’s Bar. I’ve got a suspect car here. Black sedan. Ohio plates. Scrapes on the front fender. Broken parking light lens.”

  “I’ll be there soon’s I can. Stay safe.” Static crackled again.

  Grace called in the license plate numbers to Dot as she ran her finger over the sharp edge of the broken lens. Dot said she’d call her back as soon as she tracked down who the car was registered to. Grace signed off.

  Slowly, Grace rose to her feet. She looked toward the door of the bar with a sinking heart. Dammit, she was so hungry. She unsnapped the strap that held her gun in the holster as she slowly started walking toward the door.

  With a frown, she admitted this was just not her day.

  Chapter Two

  The burger was so good, Drake was glad there was no one else in the bar to watch him eat it. He wolfed it down so fast that he ordered another. The bartender/cook, whose name he found out was Joe, eyed him when he ordered the second burger. Drake just flashed him a smile, emphasizing his incisors, and asked Joe if he had something stuck between his teeth. Joe said no, he didn’t, then retreated back to the kitchen.

  Drake tapped a rhythm on the bar top. He was getting antsy. “Hey Joe,” he called out.

  Joe came to the doorway of the kitchen, wiping his hands on a towel.

  “You know a nice looking blonde named Grace that drives a red Mustang?” Drake asked.

  Joe stiffened. He looked past Drake toward the door.

  Drake immediately went on full alert. He didn’t like the look on Joe’s face. There was someone or something behind him. Whatever it was, he could tell from Joe’s body language that it wasn’t good.

  Drake swung around on the barstool and came face to face with a gun barrel. His gaze moved from the black iris of the gun barrel to a pair of cornflower blue eyes. There was not a shred of desperation in those eyes now. He turned on his lady-killer smile. “Well, hello there, Grace.”

  * * * *

  Aw, damn, Grace thought. It would have to be him.

  She didn’t let the gun waver, but kept it pointed directly at his chest. “Turn around Drake.”

  “You remember my name,” he said.

  “Turn around, please, and face the bar.”

  “Since you asked so nicely,” Drake said. He twirled around to face the bar, then looked over his shoulder. “Now what?”

  “Stand up, put your hands on the bar and spread your legs,” Grace said.

  In a split second, he was in the position. He wants you to pat him down, she thought. She let her eyes drop lower. The black leather pants hugged him like a lover. Grace had never seen such a nice ass on a man. Her hands began to tremble. She took a deep breath. Where is Harry?

  Suddenly, her radio crackled to life. “Sheriff Shanley, this is base.”

  Dot’s voice. Grace had almost jumped out of her skin. She took one hand from her gun and keyed the mike. “Go ahead base.”

  “That plate comes back to a Drake Raven, 1535 Ravencrest, Rock Haven, OH. Do you need a description of the subject?”

  No. She didn’t. She could describe him down to the last detail after that first meeting because his devilish smile had haunted her off and on ever since. She had even dreamed of him. Such dreams… “Don’t worry about the description, Dot. I’m looking right at him. Just run his priors. See if there are any outstanding warrants.”

  Drake glanced over to Joe. “I smell something burning,” he said.

  Joe, who had stood frozen in the doorway to the kitchen, sprang to life and disappeared just as a wisp of smoke drifted through the top of the do
orway.

  “Good grief,” Grace said. Keeping the gun on Drake, she called out to Joe. “Everything okay back there, Joe?”

  “Just burnt the burgers. It’s alright.”

  Grace sighed. There went her burger. She looked back to Drake, who was still gazing at her over his shoulder. His smile was gone, his look replaced with one of pure heat. “You can put the gun down,” he said. “I’m not going to run.”

  Grace shrugged. Her arms were getting tired. Where the heck was Harry?

  Joe came back from the kitchen. “Fire’s out. You doing’ okay, Grace?”

  “Fine Joe.”

  “Grace?” her name crackled over the radio. Harry this time.

  “Where the heck are you, Harry? I’m standing here holding a gun on a suspect.” Harry had better have a good reason for taking his time because she was hungry and beginning to get grouchy from lack of food.

  “I ain’t gonna make it Grace. You’re gonna have to handle it,” Harry said. His voice sounded strained, even through the static.

  “What’s wrong?”