by Mary Abshire
"A favor? Sure. What do you need?"
"I'm going to give you a number and I want you to call it and ask for Drake. Tell him to meet me at twelve fifteen at Rednofive and its imperative that he doesn't show up a minute before. Tell him to expect company. Can you do that for me?"
"Yeah. Sure. No problem. What's the number?"
I read the number off to her and asked her not to call me back or tell Drake anything more. I also told her to tell him not to contact me before our meeting. After she agreed, I let her know I'd call her in the morning.
My hands shook as I lowered the phone. Instead of relief patting me on the back, anxiety coursed through my veins with more potency than a drug. Drake would follow my instructions. The child would be in safe hands by the time he showed up. The only one in real danger would be me. I could handle it. I hoped.
I left the stall and stopped in front of the sink. The mirror reflected a frightened Jessie, not the real one that claimed evil souls. I couldn't let Jeremy see the terrified version of me. Pressing my lips together, I stared into my eyes. You have to do this. You have to act like the demon you are and get through this evening. Get to the meeting and the rest will work out. Remember Lila's cards.
I dried my hands on a brown paper towel while I focused on the here-and-now. One task at a time, I reminded myself. Phone in hand and chin up, I walked out, ready for my date.
Chapter Thirty
"That movie was horrible," I said as Jeremy started the engine. The lights on the dashboard lit up and glowed brightly. My attention focused on the digital clock in the center of the dash. It was a little past eleven. Our meeting was less than an hour away. I was getting more anxious by the minute. Pulse quickening, I snapped my seat buckle into the lock and settled into the leather seat for the drive back to Chicago.
He backed out the car from the parking spot. "It was a horror movie. They're supposed to be bad. They never depict reality."
His explanation sucked as bad as the movie. "Why do people enjoy watching some sicko hacking up people? And what idiot would think they could hide in a closet? That's so stupid."
"It's a made-up movie." He laughed.
I shook my head. "It's stupid. Give me The Shining any day of the week."
"The Shining?" He made a spitty noise with his lips. "How about Amityville or The Exorcist?" His eyebrows rose with excitement.
Repulsed, I tightened my grip over my phone and looked away from him. "They creep me out."
"Really?" he asked, surprised.
"I know where I'm destined to go when I die, but part of me still hopes there is a chance of landing somewhere friendlier." After I spent enough time with Drake, I seriously considered the possibility that I could rest peacefully somewhere besides Hell.
He tilted his head back as more laughter erupted from him. "What—like Mars?"
Annoyed, I crossed my arms. "So you don't think there is a possibility that your soul could go somewhere else?"
The laughter evaporated so fast it was as if the air had been sucked out of the car.
"No," he said firmly. "And you of all people should know that since you're sending souls to Hell."
"Just because I'm sending them to Hell doesn't mean that I have to go there."
"His blood is in your veins. He owns your soul and you can't hide from him."
"So what—I have his blood. It doesn't make me a bad person."
"Where did you get this from? Your dead boyfriend?"
Anger kicked my temperature up a degree. "Why does it matter? Maybe a warlock told me."
He snickered. "Warlocks don't know shit except for keeping their asses safe."
Exasperated, I threw up my arms. "How would you know?"
"I went to school with one and we used to fight a lot."
"Seriously?"
"Yeah, nice guy, but he didn't have much common sense. And he didn't fight fair. The only way he could win a fight was by casting a spell. Werewolves, on the other hand, have great instincts and know how to fight."
"You knew a Were?" I questioned in disbelief.
"I shared a dorm with a Were in college. We used to…" He paused as a barely audible "Welcome to the Jungle" played. He leaned back against his seat and shoved a hand into his pocket. Hurriedly, he withdrew his phone and ended the Guns N Roses song. "Yeah. Hey, Josh." Phone pressed to his ear, Jeremy turned and winked at me. "I'm on my way there now. I should be there in twenty minutes." He paused again, keeping one hand on the wheel and eyes on the road while he listened to Josh. "Sounds good. See you soon." He set his cell in a cup holder between the seats.
"One of the favors you called in?" I asked.
"Yeah, Josh is good friend. We're picking him up at his place. He's going to drive us to the club. Once I get the child, I'll give her to Josh and escort you into the club. Josh will take her to a hospital and drop her off."
"Do you think it is safe for him? What if he's followed?"
"He'll be fine. This is too public for vampires. They won't try anything. Even if they did follow him, they wouldn't dare try to stop him when he reaches the hospital. Too many people will be around asking questions."
My eyes widened. I'd forgotten her picture had been in the news and in the papers. The little girl should be easily recognizable.
"Does he know who she is?"
"I told him and I trust him. He's going to tell everyone he found her walking on a sidewalk."
I glared at him with suspicious eyes.
"It will be fine. He's the only human I know who can tell a lie as good as a demon."
"You make it sound as if we're bad."
"Sweetheart," he said, taking his eyes off the road. "When's the last time you looked in the mirror? I mean, really looked in the mirror."
"I disagree."
"Then you're fooling yourself."
"Are you telling me you're a bad person for saving a child's life and for helping me get rid of an evil vampire who has been murdering children for over a century? Is that bad?" My voice rose during the last part.
He turned on his signal and slowed for the stoplight ahead. When the car came to a complete stop, he faced me. "Jessie, I don't give a fuck about anything but you. I'm only doing this for you."
The firmness of his tone sent a chill through me. He knew how to frighten me, vex me, and make my insides quiver with lust. Worse yet, he knew how to do it all at the same time. At least he was up front with his motives.
Silence occupied the rest of our time until Jeremy pulled underneath an awning connected to a large condominium. He passed the entrance where a uniformed bellman stood and stopped next to the curb. Putting the car into park, he left the engine running and lights on.
"Stay here," he said before he pushed open his door.
He strode in front of the car and stepped onto the sidewalk. A man with short dark hair, dressed in jeans and a red polo, stepped out from the entrance. He was a few inches shorter than Jeremy and slightly leaner, but had enough muscles to make an impression. Smiling, the man extended his hand to Jeremy. I assumed this was Josh.
The two men shook hands, then chatted for a minute. I watched their lips, but couldn't understand them. Then Jeremy headed toward me and Josh strode in front of the car.
Jeremy hopped into the backseat while Josh settled in the front. Josh's eyes met mine and he smiled. Jeremy leaned forward between us.
"Jessie, this is Josh. Josh—Jessie."
"Hi," we both said at the same time.
Jeremy leaned back as the car accelerated into motion. "Go slow. I don't want to get there too early."
Josh followed Jeremy's instruction and reduced the speed of the car. He leaned back while he held a relaxed grip on the wheel.
"Thanks for doing this," I said to Josh.
He looked at me with an expression of shock. "Sure."
"It's okay. She won't say a word," Jeremy said. "Will you, dear?"
"No, of course not," I said.
Josh kept his eyes on the road and his
hands on the wheel. Solid muscles protruded from under his shirt and I wondered if he played hockey with Jeremy.
"Do you play with the team?" I asked.
"He's been with the team a year," Jeremy answered before Josh could speak.
"I was transferred from Tampa Bay," Josh added.
"Oh. Do you like it here?" I asked.
"I love it."
"How did you meet Jeremy?"
He glanced up into the rearview mirror. "Do you want to tell her or should I?"
Jeremy shrugged. "Go ahead, tell her."
"We were playing against each other, here in Chicago. Jeremy kept crosschecking members of my team into the boards and it really pissed me off. I finally had enough after he injured one of our players."
"The fucker had it coming to him," Jeremy said.
"I went after Jeremy and instigated a fight," Josh said.
"Really?" I asked in surprise with a hint of a giggle.
"Yeah, and I got him kicked out of the game," Josh added.
"No way!"
"But he didn't win the fight. I knocked out two of his teeth and broke one of his ribs," Jeremy said.
"Eww," I said, taken back by their gruesome roughness.
Josh chuckled. "Yeah, that's how we first met. The next time we met, my team beat his and we went out for drinks after the game."
"They won by one goal," Jeremy said, downgrading Josh's enthusiasm.
"A win is a win," Josh gloated. "Do you like hockey?"
"Yeah, I do."
"She's already promised to come to a couple of games," Jeremy said.
"Great. I'm sure Jeremy will get you some good seats…by the penalty box."
Smiling, I faced Jeremy.
"He thinks he's a funny guy. Don't let him fool you," Jeremy replied.
Ten minutes later, Josh exited from the Interstate. My anxiety kicked up a notch as I realized we were a few minutes away from our destination. I wiggled my foot to ease some nervous energy and quickly checked my cell for any response from Drake. I found nothing, but I had faith Dani followed my instructions. I hoped and prayed Drake would adhere to my request and not make an early appearance.
"Pull over for a minute," Jeremy said.
Josh found an opening near the curb and parked. Jeremy leaned forward, filling the space between Josh and me.
"When we get there, I want you to wait on the side with the car running. I'm not sure who will have the child, but I'll get her and put her in the car. Once you leave, Jessie and I will go into the club together. Notify me when you reach the hospital so that we know you are safe," Jeremy said to Josh.
"And after you leave, you'll be back to find me when I walk out with Alexander?" I asked Jeremy.
"Yes, I will find you," he said, providing me with a small amount of comfort. "I have a couple people already waiting."
"Your boyfriend must be pretty bad," Josh said.
I glared at Jeremy. What was Josh talking about?
Jeremy quickly spoke up. "He's a real deadbeat loser. After tonight, he won't bother her ever again. We can go now."
As Jeremy scooted back, I wondered what exactly he’d told Josh. The sneaky grin on his face bothered me. If he hadn't been forthcoming with his friends, how could I be sure he was telling me the truth about this arrangement?
Josh steered back onto the street after the last car passed by. I stared out the front window and clasped my hands firmly together. Fearful and more nervous than I'd ever been in my life, I prayed Drake would keep his promise to me—that I'd make it home alive and in one piece.
A few blocks later, the red sign from the club appeared, glowing in the darkness. May God have mercy on my soul.
Chapter Thirty-One
Josh turned the corner and stopped on the side of the club behind a luxury black sedan with darkened windows. The time on the dashboard showed eleven-fifty-seven, three minutes before our scheduled meeting time. Jeremy sat quietly while Josh tapped his fingers on the steering wheel. I was a nervous Nellie as I scoped the area for movements. When a man approached from the side of the building, my heart started to race.
"Two o'clock, one man…Asian, I think," I said.
The man sauntered from the darkness in a well-composed manner. He had a lean frame with short black hair, almond-shaped eyes, and pale skin that gave him a glowing, youthful look. The businesslike suit he wore appeared a little too big for him. As he drew closer, he kept his attention focused on our vehicle.
Jeremy exited the vehicle and left Josh and me to stare in silence. My gut tightened and a chill went through me. The Asian man stopped. I lost sight of him thanks to Jeremy's larger frame.
The time on the dash showed it was midnight. Anxious to get the deal over with, I pushed my door open.
Jeremy came toward me with a stern expression. The Asian man strode behind him. Approaching the two, I held my head high with my hand behind my back, hiding the phone. A wave of coldness brushed over me, warning me of the vampire, yet soothing my raised body temperature.
"Ready?" Jeremy asked.
Lips pressed together, I nodded.
We stopped next to the luxury sedan. Jeremy stood at my side.
"Where's the child?" Jeremy asked the Asian man, who looked barely twenty.
He opened the door and held it. Inside, innocent Samantha slept on her belly on the backseat. A stuffed cat poked out from under her arm.
"You will take her and leave. The woman stays with me," the Asian man said in a soft, yet firm and demanding voice.
"That wasn't the deal," Jeremy said in a deep voice as he stepped in front of him.
My heart thumped faster. "Just get her." I placed my hand on Jeremy's arm. Heat radiated from him, almost to the point of burning me.
"The deal was you get the child in exchange for the woman. Here is the child," the Asian said with his hand extended toward the open door. "I will take the woman to Alexander. Do you wish to terminate this deal?"
Jeremy lifted his hand in protest.
"No!" I snapped, and Jeremy jerked his head over his shoulder. "We're not terminating the deal. Jeremy, take her and go."
"I don't like this," he grunted from behind clenched teeth.
Yeah, I didn't either, but this was our chance to save the child's life.
"Please," I said. "Do this for me."
Jeremy hesitated, then bent and leaned his body halfway into the back of the vehicle. The child whimpered as he delicately picked her up. He backed out slowly, then spun around to face me. He held her tenderly with his hand on her back. Her head rested on his shoulder and the stuffed cat stuck out under her arm.
"That's a good look for you," I said, trying to ease the tension in the air before it sparked a fire.
He stepped closer to me. "This wasn't the plan," he said with a heated glare.
A breeze blew strands of the child's blonde hair in front of his face. Whimpering, she tucked her arm under her body.
"Get her out of here," I said softly.
"You owe me a kiss."
"Later."
"Now," he demanded.
I wasn't going to argue with him, not with a child in his arms and my life on the line. With a sigh of protest, I pressed my lips to his.
The kiss felt awkward and I started to back away. Jeremy stopped me. He cupped the back of my head, keeping my mouth upon his. With a snakelike movement, he slithered his warm tongue inside and grazed mine. A zing of warm energy flowed into me. Part of me wanted to deepen the kiss, but I held back. This was wrong. It was so very wrong. But when Jeremy stroked and played with my tongue, I lost all control. I savored each flick and rub and wanted more. Heat rushed through me. God help me, I was going to spontaneously combust.
"Enough." The Asian man slapped his hand on Jeremy's shoulder.
Jeremy let go of my head. I backed away and wiped the back of my hand over my wet mouth. His wide smile clearly revealed his satisfaction.
"Imagine the possibilities," he said.
"Go." I gestu
red with a tilt of my head.
The Asian man came to stand at my side while Jeremy got in his vehicle. The vampire's energy flowed over me in cold waves and, at the moment, it felt real good.
"Give me your phone," he said, holding his palm in front of me.
"Will you promise not to break it?"
He stared at me with lifeless eyes and zero emotion. I don't know why I bothered asking because his expression told me he would get my cell one way or another. Sighing, I put my phone in his hand.
He dropped it into his suit pocket. "We need to go now." He wrapped his cold fingers around my arm.
I went with him without any resistance. Besides, what good would it have done? Survival meant being smart and playing the game. So I was. As we walked by Jeremy's SUV, I waved to him and he nodded.
The Asian man escorted me to the club. His gentle touch surprised me. I appreciated it compared to the last two vampires I had dealt with. Maybe I'd actually get out of this without a broken bone.
We reached the entrance and the Asian nodded. The bouncer opened the door for us. A freezing wave of energy engulfed me the second I entered the club and I shivered.
"Cold?" the Asian asked, leading me through the maze of seats.
"Yes, very," I answered, teeth almost chattering.
"Scared?"
"No, I'm not scared," I said point-blank to his face. "It's his presence that makes me feel this cold."
The Asian brought me to a halt in front of a small booth. My stomach tightened. The evil creature sat so deceptively calm with his hands clasped together on the table. Noticing our arrival, Alexander turned to face us.
"Sit," he said.
The Asian man nudged me toward the empty bench across from Alexander. I kept my eyes secured on the evil vamp as I scooted across the seat. The Asian man sat next to me, too close for my liking. His leg touched mine and he leaned his arm behind me, giving the appearance we were some kind of couple on a date. Yeah, right.
"Hi. Welcome to Rednofive. Can I offer you a drink?" asked a chipper waitress dressed in black pants and a white button-down shirt. As she laid little square napkins on the table, Alexander placed his hand over hers. She paused and looked directly into his eyes. He instantly bewitched her.