by Mary Abshire
"Go ahead. Jeremy and I need to talk."
The cheerfulness drained from her and she almost frowned. She pointed a finger at me. "You owe us one game."
"Okay," I said. "Later."
"I'm holding you to that."
I nodded, then she left with Lester.
Now that I was alone in a public place with Jeremy, it was time to figure out his reason for visiting. I searched for a place to sit. Bruce was managing the crowded bar. Not a single stool was vacant and all the tables appeared occupied.
Jeremy tapped my elbow. "Over here."
Two people stood near a table by the window. As they walked away, Jeremy and I claimed the spot.
Sitting, I crossed my legs and straightened my skirt. If I'd had a clean pair of shorts to wear, I would’ve, but laundry hadn't been done in a week. I berated myself for not cleaning clothes sooner. Jeremy sat across from me. He glanced at my legs as he dug into his back pocket. He had a habit of eyeing my body, which was exactly why I hated wearing skirts around him. He withdrew his wallet, then set it on the table.
Nick appeared with a bright smile on his face and a towel in his hand. He was Bruce's second-hand man and the man of Dani's wet dreams. "Hey, Jessie. How are you doing?" he asked as he wiped off the table.
"Hi, Nick. I'm doing well," I said, cheerful and glad to see him. The Mark Walberg lookalike always added a beat to my heart.
After he finished cleaning the table, he rested his hand on my bare shoulder. "What can I get for you?" His fingers were cool, and the touch sent tingles over my skin. If I had to guess, the coolness came from holding icy beer bottles.
Jeremy's gaze settled on Nick's hand. The demon frowned.
"The usual, a couple of rounds to get us going," I said.
"Shall I start a tab?"
"Yes." Jeremy withdrew a card from his wallet, then handed the card to Nick.
"Be right back," Nick said before he walked away.
Jeremy shoved his wallet back in his pocket. The disapproval of Nick's touch was written on his face.
"Nick is a nice guy. Dani likes him," I said before Jeremy could say something rude. Although I was sure he'd speak his mind anyway.
"Uh-huh. Come here often?"
"I used to." I shrugged. "We would come in here in the early morning hours after completing an investigation. They didn't mind us showing up late. Since I left Chicago, I haven't gone out much to bars or nightclubs."
The memory of searching the nightclubs in Chicago left a bad taste in my mouth. Especially the memory of when two vampires forced me to leave with them, and then put a gun to my head as I sat in the back seat of their car. Drake crashed the vehicle and saved me, but I'd lost my desire for barhopping after that.
Nick reappeared with six shot glasses wedged tightly in his hands. The clear liquid jiggled as he set the drinks on the table.
"Can I get you any popcorn?" He wiped his hands on the towel tucked in the waistband of his jeans.
"We're fine," Jeremy said before words could come out of my open mouth.
I smiled. "Thanks, Nick."
"Yell if you need anything." He left for a nearby table.
Jeremy scooted three glasses toward me and moved the other three in front of him. He picked up one, then leaned his elbow on the table and waited for me. "To us."
The man's persistence amazed me. I lifted a drink.
"No, not us. To freedom." The fourth of July was next weekend. Toasting to freedom seemed appropriate.
He smiled. "To freedom."
We clinked our glasses together, and then swallowed the vodka. Wincing, I smacked the empty glass on the wood table. The intoxicating fluid shot my temperature up within seconds.
Jeremy grabbed another glass and lifted it. "Ready?"
I picked up another shot.
"To long-lasting friendships," he said.
I arched a brow. This was so unlike him. "To long-lasting friendships."
After another toast, we downed the alcohol in one gulp. My throat burned slightly. Jeremy picked up the last glass. Lightheaded and excessively warm, I considered holding off on the third shot.
"To evil fucks who deserve to be in Hell," he said.
My internal warning detector pulsed. To long-lasting friendships? To evil fucks who deserve to be in Hell? What on earth swam around in his mind?
I couldn't refuse this toast. After I repeated his words, I clinked my glass against his and tossed the liquid into my mouth. In a few minutes, my mind would float like a balloon in the clouds, but the buzz wouldn't last long. Courtesy of my demon blood, my body would quickly break down the alcohol content in my system. I'd return to a sober state of mind again within minutes. The same would happen to Jeremy, if not sooner since he was a full-blooded demon.
"Thanks, Jessie," he said, sounding genuinely thankful.
I scrunched my eyes at him. "For what?"
"For letting me stay at your place. For putting up with me. For punching me, and bringing me back to life."
I laughed. "Are you all right?"
He slid his hand over mine. "I've never been better."
He caressed an area near my wrist with his thumb. Slowly, heat mushroomed up my arm from his touch. His energy flowed into me, warming and tickling my insides. I looked at my hand. As if it were foreign to me, it disobeyed my will to move. I shifted my gaze to his arm. The snake tattoo with its open mouth, dripping fangs, and red tongue always intrigued me.
"Do you remember our last kiss?" Desire lurked within his eyes.
The heat started to trickle up my neck and down my chest. I started to feel very uncomfortable and attempted to withdraw from his touch.
"Stop it," I said.
Jeremy squeezed my hand, keeping me in his grasp. "Do you remember our kiss?"
I could've tugged harder and yelled at him, but I didn't want to cause a scene or look like some drunk idiot in public. So, I played along. "How can I forget? You were holding that innocent child in your arms," I said, soft, charismatic, and alluring.
He grinned widely. "You liked it. I could tell."
Okay, I'd had enough of him, his touch, and his flirts. I changed my tone to a more serious one. "After we kissed, I sat down with Alexander and he told me he'd return me to you once I gave him some answers, a quick fuck, and a sip of my blood. Funny, I don't recall you mentioning those details as part of your plan to help me." Yeah, I was bitter, and he more than deserved the verbal slap in the face.
He removed his hand, taking his heat with him. "My plan was to find you before he had the chance to touch you. I never wanted you to get hurt."
"I'm not your property, and it wasn't right for you to bargain with my life."
Clenching his jaw, he shifted his gaze toward the window. "You don't trust me, do you?"
"No," I said flatly. "I don't."
Eyes full of remorse found me. "Let me make it up to you—prove that you can trust me."
Shaking my head, I looked away from him. I had real doubts that I could ever trust him. My mother, God rest her soul, warned me in a journal not to trust other supernatural creatures. To date, I trusted only two—Sean, a warlock who took care of me after my mother's death, and Drake, a vampire. And learning to trust Drake took time. The fog cleared from my mind when I realized the vampire saved lives instead of taking them. Glancing at Jeremy, did I see the same compassion in him? He did save a child's life for me. Yeah, for me.
"I don't know, Jeremy."
"Please, give me a chance," the demon pleaded.
"What are you doing here? Honestly, why?"
"I didn't lie to you. I was thinking of you—"
"And you want me to give you another chance?" I interrupted before he could say anything about his blowjob again.
A hesitant smile tugged at his lips. "I have an old friend in need, and I'm hoping you—"
"Hey, you two. Coming back to play with us?" Dani appeared with a gleeful smile and glassy eyes.
Jeremy turned to the window with his ey
es downcast.
"Sure, Dani, we're coming," I said.
Her smile widened before she spun around and left.
Sighing, I pushed my chair back and stood. I wanted to hear the rest of his reason for visiting, but I'd have to wait.
"We'll finish this conversation later," I said, then stepped back from the table.
Jeremy gently grabbed my wrist, stopping me from going any farther. "I want to make a deal with you, for your help."
My eyes grew wide, and my heart jumped. I never thought in our lifetime he'd come to me for help. A deal? Oh yeah, I was interested.
Chapter Three
Jeremy and I headed back to my apartment when the bar shut down. Dani decided to ride with the guys, so I was alone with the demon. I'd hoped he'd come clean and explain what kind of deal he had to offer, but he hadn't yet. In fact, he'd been silent, dangling his wrist over the steering wheel and rubbing his chin with his other hand. He stared out the front window with a distant look in his eyes. The gray and black snake tattoo on his arm was in full view, and I marveled at it. I don't know why, but it reminded me of him, sneaky and vicious.
"Thanks for helping me win a game of pool," I said, hoping to start a conversation that would lead him to fessing up.
"What?" He looked at me, brow wrinkled.
Clearly, he'd been lost in his thoughts. "The pool game. Thanks for—"
"Oh…." He stretched in his seat, and the leather moaned from his movement. "My pleasure."
Of course it was. After all, he'd had his hands all over me, trying to teach me how to play. Typical of him. If he didn't touch me, I'd know something was wrong.
An eerie feeling grew inside me as he continued driving in silence. He'd always been lively, talkative, and full of spunk. I'd never seen him so lost in his thoughts.
"The others will probably stop and get something to eat," I said, trying to get him to talk.
"Mmm," he mumbled, keeping his eyes on the road.
I waited a minute longer in silence. The demon either wasn't taking my hints or was blowing me off. It was time to be direct.
"You said you had an old friend who needs help?"
He faced me with a blank expression for a split second, blinked, and then reality seemed to hit him. "I went to college with him. We shared a dorm room."
"Who is he?"
"His name is Ryan." He took his eyes off the road and glanced at me. "He's a werewolf."
"What?" My voice rose in surprise. "A werewolf?"
"His pack leader has an issue he wants to resolve. Have you ever heard of Vandett?"
"The trucking company?"
He nodded. "Yeah."
"I see the trucks all the time on the interstate."
"Ryan's pack leader, Alan Vandett, owns and runs the company."
"Are you serious?" I asked. "Aren't they the largest trucking company in America?"
"There is no competition. Werewolves own and operate all the trucks. Whenever a company competes, the werewolves step in and take over."
"Holy shit." I couldn't believe it. A werewolf sat behind every semi on the road, well, ninety percent, at least. I finally understood why those men seemed so big and hairy.
"How does this involve you?" I asked, more curious now than ever.
"It doesn't." He spun the wheel, steering the SUV into the apartment complex.
Confused, I shook my head. Why would he tell me about his friend and the trucking company if Jeremy wasn't involved in some way? "You lost me, Jeremy."
He parked next to my car and killed the engine. I slid the seatbelt off as Jeremy reached up and clicked the overhead light on.
"Ryan called me a couple weeks ago. He said his pack leader is frustrated with one of the drivers. The guy is a real scumbag."
"A truck driver?"
"Yes."
"So why doesn't he fire the guy? He's the owner." The answer seemed easy to me.
"The evil prick has been raping and killing women for the last twenty years. He served three years in jail before his lawyers got the conviction overturned."
I inhaled deeply. The picture of this driver was not a nice one in my mind, but again, the owner could've fired the werewolf to get rid of him. It wouldn't stop the wolf from his illegal actions, but it would get him out of the owner's hair, so to speak.
"I don't like the idea of this evil fuck roaming the streets, but again…why doesn't Ryan's leader just terminate the wolf?"
"For starters, the fucker is on the road all the time, so he brings in a ton of money for the company. And that's how he's able to get away with his crimes. He stays in one place for one night, picks out a woman of interest, rapes, murders, and then gets back on the road."
I pressed my lips together and shook my head. "The owner won't let the wolf go because he brings in a lot of money?" It was more of a question. "I'm not liking the owner. To hell with the money."
"Ryan's pack leader doesn't believe terminating the guy would stop his evil ways."
I agreed. If the scumbag had raped and killed women for the last twenty years, losing a job wouldn't stop him. In fact, it might make him want to kill more with all the new free time he'd have.
"So what does the owner want to do?" I asked.
"I'm getting to that. Do you know what a challenge is within a pack?"
I shook my head. "No. I'm afraid I don't know much about werewolves." I'd stayed away from other supernatural creatures most of my life.
"This guy thinks he's all high and mighty and challenged Alan Vandett. Alan is an Alpha. If a werewolf challenges the Alpha and wins, they get full control of the pack. In this case, he would be getting full control of more than a pack."
My eyes widened. "Oh my God," I said, stunned and revolted. "A killer would be in control of the company."
"You see my friend's problem."
The issue was as clear as spring water. And it explained Jeremy's toasts at the bar.
"Does Alan think he can beat him?" I asked.
"Ryan says he can. I believe him."
"Then there really isn't a problem if the Alpha can win. Right?"
Jeremy shifted his gaze to the front window. "Alan wants to make an example of the guy to the top leaders in the company."
An uneasy feeling stirred within me. "Oh." I could think of nothing else to say.
He turned, and his caramel-colored eyes met mine. "After Alan kills him, he wants his soul sent to Hell."
The brightest, most colorful metaphors popped into my head, and I wanted to spit them at Jeremy. "You fucking told them about me?"
"I trust Ryan. I've known him for ten years. Werewolves are very loyal."
"That's no excuse!" I shouted. Fuming, I rushed out of the car and slammed the door behind me. With long strides and my heels tapping fast on the pavement, I headed for my apartment.
"Jessie, wait," Jeremy called out. His hand gripped my arm, and he spun me around to face him. "Let me finish."
"No! I've heard enough. You have no right discussing my ability with anyone." I shoved his chest to get him away from me.
He let go of my arm and stepped back, placing his hands in the air. "I want to make a deal with you. I'll make it worth your while if you help."
I glared at him sharply. He knew I kept my soul-catching ability hidden and wanted it to stay that way. How dare he reveal my secret and ask me to use it to help his friend's leader. The mere idea of going after a creature with claws and sharp teeth made me nervous. He was beyond crazy asking me to help a werewolf. No way was I chasing tails to claim a soul. No fucking way.
"No!" I said vehemently.
"Please, Jessie?"
"Read my lips, N.O. No!" I turned away from him and opened the door. The thin, green carpet in the hallway muted my fast steps as I headed for my apartment.
"Jessie, you're not giving me a chance to explain," he said in a soft voice behind me.
I withdrew the silver key from my pocket and unlocked the door. "I've heard enough."
"Your
expenses will be paid. You don't have to look for the guy."
Turning the knob, I hurried inside my apartment. "That doesn't make it any better. I'm not doing it."
Thirsty, hot, and furious, I knew only one thing could ease my stress. I strode past the living and dining rooms, then into the kitchen. I stopped at the sink and slapped my key on the counter. Bending, I swung open the cabinet and grabbed an unopened vodka bottle. It was the expensive kind Dani and I saved for a special occasion. Screw the specialness.
"I'll be there with you the entire time." His calm voice offered zero comfort.
"Don't you get it?" The plastic snapped as I twisted the lid off the glass bottle. "I'm not going. I won't do it. No. No. No!"
Cap removed, I lifted the bottle to my lips. Sweet Jesus, the liquor tasted delicious as it flowed over my tongue.
"Tell me what you want, and I'll give it to you."
I swallowed and lowered the bottle. Staring into his eyes, I said, "I want you out of my life."
"I… I can't do that." He took the bottle, pressed it to his lips, then sucked down several big gulps.
I ran the back of my hand over my mouth. "Then I'm not going."
He handed the bottle back to me. "How about we forget the dates? All you will owe me is five games."
Gaping in shock, I held the neck of the bottle in my hand. I couldn't believe he wanted me to claim a werewolf's soul in exchange for dates.
"Jeremy," I said, trying desperately to subdue my anger. "Just how is this supposed to get me to trust you?" I leaned against the counter. "You didn't tell me important details when I met Alexander—"
"You didn't need to know, and I wasn't going to let him hurt you."
I swigged more liquor. "You are constantly trying to get in my pants—"
"You're the woman of my dreams. How many times do I have to say it?" He took the bottle and lifted it to his lips.
"You tell others about my gift when they have no business knowing."
He handed the liquor back to me as he swallowed. Only a quarter of the liquor remained. "I trust them. Once you meet them, you'll understand."
I pressed the bottle to my lips and closed my eyes. As the fluid poured into me, I had a revelation. If Jeremy was desperate to appease his friend and this Alpha, then he'd agree to release me from more than a week and half of dates. And if I could wipe my slate clean of him, he wouldn't bother me with Drake.