by Mary Abshire
Jeremy grabbed my hand before I sat. "Trust me, Jessie. I'll fight to my death to protect you."
I believed he would do it, too, just as Drake said he would die to protect me.
"I don't doubt you." Even though his reasons for helping me were for selfish gain, they were as solid as stone. "I'm going to clean up." I slipped my hand from his, then snagged my purse.
"Can I help?" he asked with a naughty grin.
The demon brought a smile to my face. "No. I'm quite capable."
"Well, if you are feeling down, I can change that."
"I'll pass." I headed down the hall.
"Don't be surprised if I check in on you."
I strolled into the bathroom, shaking my head. Jeremy's intentions were well and good, though they were more for his personal satisfaction than to help me. The demon never stopped trying to bed me.
After shutting the door, I locked it. I trusted him to protect me, but I didn't trust him when I was in the shower.
Chapter Three
Heat woke me. The back of my neck and entire body was damp with perspiration. I kicked the sheet off my legs and tossed it away from my arms. The fan above blew air over my exposed limbs while I rested half-asleep. The soft breeze was nice, but failed to cool me. I thought it strange that heat radiated nearby. Realization came to me in a snap. I opened my eyes and sat up. The demon in my bed was the source of my elevated temperature.
"What are you doing in my bed?" I asked, anger clear in my tone.
Jeremy was lying on his side, facing me. "Watching you sleep."
"I didn't invite you."
The corner of his lips curled. "Since when has that stopped me?"
"Will you get out, please?" I asked in a calmer voice.
He sighed. "It's more comfortable in here."
I wanted to push him out of my bed, but it would've started an argument. I needed sleep. Wasting time on Jeremy would delay my rest, so I twisted around to the window and lied back down. Daylight peeked in around the edges of the curtains. Outside my room, voices mumbled. It didn't take me long to ascertained Dani had the television on. I closed my eyes and let out a deep breath. I didn't want to get up and face the world yet.
Warm fingers glided from my shoulder to my elbow. Not giving him the satisfaction of a response, I remained motionless. Then the bed jiggled. Jeremy's body touched the back of mine and he draped his arm over me.
I opened my eyes. "What are you doing?"
He nuzzled near my ear. His warm breath caressed my neck. "Keeping you company."
I shoved his arm off me, then rose from the bed. "Thanks, but no thanks."
No matter how many times I rejected him and brushed off his advances, he still persisted. Any normal person would've given up by now, but not Jeremy. I walked around the bed, heading for the closet. Since he wouldn't leave, I would. So much for sleeping.
"Where are you going?" he asked.
"I'm going to dress and find something to eat." I flipped the light switch, then scanned through my clothes.
"Oh, come on. You can lay here with me for a while."
I tugged a t-shirt from a hanger and twisted around. He sat on the bed, shirtless and in his boxers. "No offense, Jeremy, but I've spent every minute outside of work with you. I need a break."
Not just a break from him, but from fighting as well. My muscles were sore and my entire body ached. I'd broken more bones during the last week than I ever thought possible. Maybe he could handle the constant battle for dominance, but not me.
Holding the shirt, I snatched a pair of shorts and a bra from the dresser. As I headed for the door, Jeremy leaped out of bed. He ran in front of me and brought me to a stop.
"Is it so difficult for you to spend time with me?" he asked in a mild tone.
I stared into his temperate eyes. "No, that's not it."
"Then why can't you stay and just talk for a while?"
I took a step back. Was he serious? He wanted me to stay and chat? I thought we'd spent plenty of time talking since he’d come to stay in my apartment.
"Is it Drake?" he asked.
I shook my head. "We broke up, per our arrangement."
"Did you? Because you act like you're still in love with him."
"The deal we made didn't specify I had to stop loving him," I said. Nor did the agreement specify how long we had to break up. A minor technicality I planned to cash in on after meeting with the VETOV. "Drake has my heart and I won't deny that I love him."
Jeremy shook his head and stepped around me. "Why can't you give me a chance? Just one chance."
I whipped around. "A chance for what? I'm not in love with you, Jeremy." Damn it, why couldn't he see the truth? I denied him every time. I flat out told him I was in love with Drake. What more did he need to realize I would never shack up with him?
"What does Drake have that I don't?"
I gazed into his caramel-colored eyes as I thought about his question. Both men were strong, stable, willing to protect me. The differences—Drake was dead, and Jeremy lived and breathed. I trusted Drake. Jeremy—I didn't completely trust. Unlike Drake, Jeremy put his own interests first. If Drake saw someone getting beat up on the street, he would stop to help the person, whereas, Jeremy would walk by.
"You know what he has that you don't," I said. "Compassion."
Jeremy took my face into his hands, warming me instantly. "Give me a chance and I will prove I am a compassionate person."
I stared deep into his eyes. What I saw frightened me. All the teasing was good and fun, but the man's love for me ran deeper than I had imagined. He was set on obtaining my heart. I hoped he wouldn't end up dead because of it.
I slid his hands away from my face. "Jeremy—"
"I'm just asking for a chance to prove I am compassionate person." His tone was deep and somber.
Part of me feared what would happen if he proved himself. Would it change anything between us?
I thought about Drake. My heart ached for him. I'd confessed my love to him. It wasn't conceivable for me to let him go. Yet, I didn't have eternity. I had a human lifespan. And at some point, I wanted the dream—a house and kids. Drake wouldn't grow old and he couldn't give me children. Would those little details throw a kink in our relationship one day? Would our love last?
Jeremy's request wasn't a difficult one. Perhaps we both needed to learn a lesson. He needed to learn about himself and our future relationship. I needed to confirm my undying love for Drake.
"All right," I said. "I'll give you a chance."
His face lit up with a soft smile. "Thank you."
"Now if you'll excuse me. I still want to dress and find something to eat."
I headed for the door and reached for the knob.
"You won't be sorry, Jessie."
I stopped before I twisted the handle. A chill crawled down my spine. For a second, I wondered what if Jeremy was right. I shook off the thought. In my heart, I’d made the right choice with Drake. Jeremy needed to realize it.
I left without saying another word.
****
Jeremy drove wearing a pair of dark shades. Cold air graced my skin as it shot out from the vents on the dashboard. Although his vehicle had tinted windows, the sun beamed through the front like a laser. I'd forgotten my sunglasses and purse at home and berated myself repeatedly. Squinting from the bright rays was not helping my tired eyes one bit. I twisted in my seat to face Dani in the back.
"What are you doing?" I asked.
Head down, she toyed with the recorder in her lap. "I'm setting this up for later. Lester left our last investigation on here and I don't want to record over it."
"Is he meeting us at the Burgess house?"
"Yes." She looked up at me. "Kyle can't join us. He said he couldn't get off work."
I hadn't told Kyle or Lester, the other two members of our paranormal team, about my soul catching ability. My plan was to spring it on them during our investigation. While I thought they would handle the knowledge with care, I was s
till a bit anxious. I didn't want them to treat me any differently.
"Did you tell them about me?" I asked, wondering if she had kept her word and not blabbed my secret to anyone. She had a talent of sharing information about people.
"No. I didn't tell them."
"But…" I prompted.
"No buts. I didn't say a word to them." She grinned.
"Then why are you smiling?"
Over the three years I'd lived and worked with Dani, I'd witnessed her wicked ways. She had a blunt and straightforward personality. As such, I’d hesitated to tell her I was a half-demon soul catcher. But keeping my secret hidden became too difficult, especially when supernatural creatures kept popping into my life, like our warlock co-worker and the witches living next door to us.
"Don't you trust me?" she asked, childlike.
Jeremy coughed. I held my tongue, stifling the laughter bubbling up inside of me.
"I told you I would keep it in the vault, and I have," she said.
"All right. I believe you." I'd find out soon enough if she'd fibbed.
Dani flipped the small screen closed and set the recorder aside.
"You're not going to film me sending souls to Hell, right?" I asked her.
She sighed loudly. "I wish you would change your mind."
"Sorry, I have no desire to be on YouTube."
"Can you imagine the money we would make?" Her eyes lit up. "We would never have to work at a desk job again."
"Dani! Don't get any ideas." I pierced her with a stern gaze.
The thought of me on the Internet sending souls to Hell terrified me. There wouldn't be anywhere on the planet I could hide from humans or non-humans.
Jeremy glanced in his rearview mirror. "Dani, if a video of Jessie ever showed up, you could count yourself as good as dead, and Jessie too."
The happiness drained from her face.
"He's right. Vampires already think I'm a risk to them. Imagine what other creatures might think," I said.
Dani shook her head. "I would never do anything to endanger your life, or mine."
"Is that the house?" Jeremy asked.
I twisted to the front window. Among the crumbling houses stood a large three-story house. Scaffolding on the side suggested renovations were under way. New siding covered the top half of the home. A plastic barrier covered the bottom half. With new siding, dark green shutters, and trim, the house stood out.
"That's it," Dani said. "The owner said to park on the street."
I caught sight of a stocky man leaning against his car on the opposite side of the road. "Looks like Lester beat us here."
Jeremy parked near the curb a few houses down. He removed his shades, then tossed them on the dash. "Ready?"
Instead of answering, I pushed open my door.
Lester crossed the street as we stepped onto the sidewalk. Hand shielding my eyes, I scanned the area. Many homes had small yards with overgrown grass in front. Weeds poked through the cracks in the sidewalks. On many houses, chipped paint clung to the wood and plywood covered the windows. I wondered if the owners had abandoned the homes. Traffic from the nearby interstate created a continuous ruckus. In the distance, metal hit metal with solid clacks.
"Are there train tracks near here?" I asked, squinting from the bright sun.
"Yes," Dani said. "In fact, the basement had a tunnel leading to the railroad." She tossed the strap of the recorder over her shoulder. "The owners at the time used it to sneak slaves into the house."
"Is the tunnel still intact?" I asked.
"No. It was filled in a long time ago."
Good. I didn't want to chase down any souls in a dark, musty tunnel again.
"Hey, guys," Lester said as he joined us.
"Hi, Lester," Dani and I replied a second apart.
"I heard over a hundred people were murdered here," he said. His eyes held curiosity.
I whirled around to Dani. "A hundred?" I hoped Lester had exaggerated. If he was right, sucking down the evil soul might be difficult and painful. After claiming a werewolf's soul in Phoenix and having my insides ripped to shreds, I longed for a smooth catch.
"There are no records of the people who died," Dani said. "We know people did, but the number is a big mystery."
Trepidation filled me. I didn't like mysteries. "So it could be twenty or two hundred."
"Well…it's probably more than twenty," she replied as if twenty wasn't a big number.
"Is there a problem?" Jeremy asked.
I shook my head. "No, it's just…the ones that have killed a lot and did it in a cruel manner are the ones that fight back the most. Like Alexander."
Thinking of Alexander brought a sour taste to my tongue. The evil vamp had killed for centuries and had taken a liking to children. Drake had decapitated him, and when I claimed Alexander's soul, the evil vamp had fought me. Even after I swallowed him, sending him to Hell, he tried to escape out of me. I won in the end, but almost suffocated in the process.
"Who's Alexander and what do you mean they fight back?" Lester asked. Pinched brows appeared above his glasses.
"She'll explain later." Dani tugged Lester's arm. "Come on. They're expecting us."
Jeremy studied me with questionable eyes. "Are you okay with this?"
"Yeah, I'll be fine." My voice lacked confidence, but I knew everything would be all right. "You can see them when I catch them, right?"
We started walking toward the house. "I saw the souls when you touched them. Not before."
Drake had told me the same thing once. I wondered if Dani would see them too. Part of me wished she wouldn't be able to see anything. It would relieve my worry of her filming me.
"If you see me acting like I'm going to throw up, just squeeze my throat," I said.
Jeremy gripped my arm and stopped me. Eyes full of unease bore down on me. "Jessie, I'm not going to endanger your life over a soul. It's not worth it to me."
"Trust me." I rested my palm on the center of his chest. His heart thumped vibrantly under my hand. Heat from his body felt just as intense as the sun beating down on my bare arms and legs. To my amazement, sweat didn't gush from him. "You won't be hurting me. Besides, I'm asking for your help."
He grazed his fingers over my forehead, brushing my bangs aside. "I'll help you. But if I have to make a choice, it will always be for you."
A shiver ran through me. Jeremy's concern was genuine. To find one man with such strong feelings was incredible. To find two was beyond my comprehension, yet both Drake and Jeremy fit the bill.
"Hey!" Dani yelled. "Are you coming?"
"We better go," Jeremy said.
Side by side, we headed toward Dani. She waited for us near a metal fence. Lester was already standing on the front porch, out of the sun. The three of us followed the sidewalk and climbed a short flight of steps. Lester knocked on the green door as we came up beside him.
The door swung open so fast my heart jumped an extra beat. Two slender men stood in the doorway. Both had extremely short blond hair and wore tight jeans.
Dani stepped forward, hand extended. "Hi, I'm Dani Rossler."
"Yes, we spoke on the phone," said the shorter man on the left. He smiled, and dimples formed on his face. "I'm James, and this is my roommate, William."
After a brief introduction, James and William granted us entry into the foyer. An icy chill gave me goose flesh. Hairs on the back of my neck sprang up. Both were signs indicating an evil presence in the home.
I glanced around in the entryway while Dani chatted with William and James. The large home was beautiful with real hardwood floors, wooden walls, and decorative trim. A set of stairs off to the side led up to a second floor. Opposite the staircase was a long, thin table with decorative art on top. Large rooms connected both sides of the hall. From the little I could see, sheets covered the furniture.
"You'll have to excuse our mess. We are in the middle of remodeling," William said.
"We want to preserve the historic home, but moder
nize some of the features," James said.
"We won't disturb anything," Dani said.
I grinned. "Anything living."
Dani and I exchanged glances. She flashed me a smile.
James picked up a set of keys from a bowl on the table. "We'll be gone an hour to an hour and a half. The stairs to the basement are in the kitchen, down the hall and on the right."
"Is the basement where you see the most activity?" Dani asked.
"We see women walking around the house," James replied. "But in the basement we have had things thrown at us."
"I saw a man beaten and stabbed and a woman raped," William said with a look of disgust. "It was horrible. I try not to go down there much."
While seeing rapes and murders reenacted by ghosts were frightening sights to behold, what bothered me more was the mention of objects flying. These ghosts had to be pretty angry to pick up physical objects and toss them.
Jeremy's hand rested in the center of my back. He nudged me aside. "What do you think?"
"I think this spook could be difficult. But on the positive side, my physical strength is ten times greater than his spiritual muscle. Once I get the spirit in me, I may need your help to keep him on his path."
"His?" Jeremy arched a brow.
"Well, I assume it'll be male. They usually are. And they said they saw women raped. So, I assumed it was a man." To my recollection, amongst all the evil souls, I'd only sent two female souls to Hell before.
"I'll give you a call when we're done," Dani told the two homeowners as they walked out the door.
"Good luck," they told us. William shut the door behind him, leaving the four of us in silence.
Lester clapped his hands. "Two gay guys living in a haunted home. Now I've seen everything."
"I saw the way you were eyeing James," Dani teased. "You might want to be careful. I think William could take you."
"His scrawny ass couldn't take me anywhere," Lester joked.
Dani held a wicked expression. "So you admit to looking at James. I never would have thought you had homosexual tendencies."
Lester opened his mouth to respond. Before he could get a word out, I stepped between the two. "Guys, as much as I enjoy this conversation, we need to get moving and find some ghosts."
