by Mary Abshire
Jeremy tossed his bag in the back before he settled behind the wheel.
"What time do we have to leave to come back here?" I asked.
"Six-thirty to seven." He backed out of the parking spot.
"You look like you could use a nap yourself."
He stopped to let the traffic pass before turning onto the road. "I'll nap if you do." He gave me a playful grin.
"I'll pass. Besides, I doubt I would sleep much."
I stared out the window as he drove out of the city and onto the interstate. The mid-day traffic wasn't nearly as bad as the early morning.
"I spoke to a friend of mine on the team. He's a demon and used to play for the Panthers before he got traded to the Penguins."
"Is he going to help us?" I assumed Jeremy asked for some type of favor.
"He gave me some information and names. That's why I need to make a few calls."
"I won't bother you," I said, yawning. The long drives and lack of mental stimulation were encouraging my lethargy.
Jeremy reached for the dashboard and turned on the radio. "Do you mind? It helps me concentrate."
I shook my head, then he increased the volume to the hard rock playing. The entire time he drove, he appeared in deep thought while he tapped his fingers on the steering wheel. Surprisingly, the loud music was a pleasant distraction to the endless worries I constantly thought about.
We reached his driveway and my Mercedes was parked on one side. I was glad to see it. A hot shower and change of clothes really appealed to me. Jeremy pulled his SUV into the garage, then shifted the gear. With his attention directed at the entrance to the house, he cut the engine.
"Wait here," he said, then shoved his door open.
"Jer?" I asked, confused.
He held up his palm up to me, then shut me in the car. I watched as he went inside. He pushed the door behind him, but it didn't close. As I waited for him to show up again, I recalled the lyrics to the last tune from the radio. It was a classic rock song from the 1980s. I hummed and patted my hand on my thigh. Suddenly, a cold breeze brushed over me and I chilled. I glanced at the top of the window and noticed it was low enough to allow cool air to enter. But the temperature outside wasn't that frigid. The hairs on the back of my neck twitched. Alerted, I knew something wasn't right.
I stared at the entrance to the house. Near the handle, I spotted a smudge of some sort. I hadn't recalled seeing it there before, but I hadn't really looked around much. Curious, I slid from the SUV, but left my door open. An icy wave washed over me and my pulse increased. I quietly moved around the vehicle, then stopped near the driver's side. Upon closer inspection of the mark, it appeared to be a bloody print of several fingers.
Black smoke drifted out from the house. The smell of something burning carried in the air. Glass shattered and I flinched. Heart pounding, I rushed to the door and shoved it open until it hit the wall. When a tall vampire dressed in a black leather jacket and jeans appeared from the smoke, walking toward me, I knew I was in deep shit.
I backed away slowly, knowing I couldn't outrun him. Besides, I'd rather face the enemy than not. The vamp sneered to show off his fangs. He had shoulder-length hair like Drake's. The dark color matched the hair on his face.
"I knew you'd show up," he said before he rushed toward me.
His speed outmatched mine a hundred times over. He gripped my throat and thrust me back against the SUV. Instinctively, I reached for his hand and tried to pry his fingers loose. He tightened his grasp and my oxygen supply decreased. Anger mixed with adrenaline gave me the will to fight back. I quickly raked my nails across his left eye and drew blood. He turned his face, growling. Then he thrust me against the vehicle. My head hit the glass hard and cracked it.
"Bitch, you're lucky I can't harm you. Much," he said with a devilish grin.
Although my heart thudded, I tried not to panic. He admitted he couldn't hurt me, so there had to be a plan.
"Where's…Drake?" I barely got the words out with his tight hold on my neck.
"Don't worry, you'll see him soon."
The vamp tightened his grasp and I started to choke. Using his free hand, he withdrew a phone from his pocket. I clawed at his fingers, trying to loosen them even if only a little so I could breathe. He tapped the cell, then held it to his ear. Struggling for air, I reached to claw his face. As fast as a snake, he bit my hand before I could scratch him. His canines sank deep into my flesh and I screamed in pain.
He sucked on the blood pouring from the gashes, then removed his fangs. "Yeah, I got her. Get here soon. She's being a problem," he said into the phone.
The second my hand was free, I balled my fist and lowered it to my side. Demon blood was like a drug to vampires and they craved it. Now that he'd had a taste of mine, I didn't want to tempt him to take more.
The vampire lowered the phone, then returned it to his coat pocket. He licked my smeared blood around his lips. "You're tasty. I may have to snack on you more before we get on the plane."
Clenching my hand at my side, I gasped for air. My head ached from lack of oxygen and hitting the car.
"Hey, fucker!" Jeremy yelled.
The vamp jerked his head over his shoulder. Jeremy rushed at him. Spots of blood dotted his cream-colored shirt. Still squeezing my neck, the vampire swung me around and then shoved me toward Jeremy. I crashed into him and we both fell backward.
"You can't save her, demon," the bloodsucker said.
Groaning softly, Jeremy pushed me up. "I need the bag in my car," he whispered in my ear before we made it to our feet.
My mind raced. Was he crazy? How were going to get past the vampire in front of us?
Jeremy slid his hand under my shirt, then grasped the waistband of my jeans, keeping me close to him. We both faced the angry fiend who was eyeing us as if we were his next meal. Slowly, Jeremy nudged me to the side. With his grasp on my jeans, we moved together.
"You saw what I did to your friend," Jeremy said as we took sideways baby steps. "I'm going to enjoy doing the same to you."
He placed his hand on my shoulder, then shoved me with all his strength toward the driveway. My legs scrambled to keep up as the force of his push propelled me out of the garage and into the sunlight. The vampire quickly caught up with me. He grabbed my wrist and brought me to a quick halt. I spun to face him. He scowled and released his hold of me. Smoke drifted from his hand while he shook it.
I stood in the sunlight, maybe two feet from the garage. If the vamp reached for me, his exposed flesh would burn, just as his hand had. Panting, I looked at Jeremy. He charged for the bloodsucker. The vamp spun and, a second later, Jeremy touched the vampire's arms. Flames flashed up and the vamp jerked free from Jeremy's hold. The vampire started waving his arms, trying to extinguish the fire. Jeremy moved out of the way and somehow managed to place his hand on the back of one of the vamp's calves. The quick contact was enough to ignite another fire.
The vampire twisted and flung his arms furiously in the air. Flames spread and intensified. Jeremy dodged the vampire, then opened the back door to the SUV.
"Watch out!" I yelled as the vampire moved toward Jeremy.
Jeremy stepped out of the way, then threw a kick at the vampire. He hit above the vamp's groin and the vamp backpedaled. Jeremy grabbed the bag from the SUV, then darted my way.
"Get in the car," he said as he ran to my Mercedes.
I dashed around it, then hurried to sit. Jeremy fell behind the steering wheel. He tossed the bag into the back, then reached under the seat.
"He called someone," I said as Jeremy straightened with the car key.
"That might explain how they got here."
He started the engine, then shifted the gear. Flames were devouring Jeremy's house as he sped down the driveway. The blazing vampire fell against the tail end of the SUV. As Jeremy reached the street, the car exploded. The large burst of fire and boom made me instinctively flinch.
"Fuck," I said.
Jeremy sped down
the neighborhood street. I looked back at the burning house. Debris fell while flames spread, consuming the structure. In the distance, I saw a black van. I twisted to the front, pulse accelerating.
"We could have a tail soon," I said, gazing in the outside mirror.
"I see it."
Sweat poured from Jeremy's face as he raced to get to the exit. He took the curves fast. I gripped the handle on the door. From the neighborhood, he turned onto a main street.
"Where are we going?" I asked as he flew through the traffic, dodging cars as if we were playing a game of Frogger.
"Get in my bag and get my phone." He wiped his arm across his forehead.
I squeezed between the seats, then dug inside his bag. Finding it, I gazed out the back window as I slid into my seat.
"I don't see the van."
He rounded a corner sharply and I smacked my elbow against the door. I dropped the phone.
"It's back there, but not for long," he said as a light changed red. He gunned the engine and turned another corner.
I braced myself against the seat divider. "This is dangerous. You could cause an accident."
"Where's the phone?"
I reached for it on the floor near my feet, then handed it to him.
He stayed focused on the road. "Enter 7729, then find Justin in the directory and call him."
After I wiped my bloodied hand on my jeans, I did as instructed. When the ringtone sounded, I held the cell to my ear.
"Tell him your name and that you're with me," Jeremy said. "Tell him an emergency came up and we need to meet him now."
As the phone rang, I noticed blood oozing from the back of Jeremy's head. "You're bleeding," I said.
"Hello?" asked the person on the phone.
"Is this Justin?" I asked.
"Yes. Who is this?"
I gave him my name and relayed the situation as Jeremy wanted. Justin cursed, then told me he'd send an address via text to Jeremy. He also said he could be there in twenty minutes. I thanked him, then ended the call.
"He's sending an address to you and he'll meet us there." I lowered the phone, then gazed out the back window.
"I haven't seen the van in a while. I think I lost it," Jeremy said as the cell buzzed in my hand.
A text message with an address appeared on the screen. I read the information to Jeremy.
"Get directions for me," he said, and I did.
The map showed we were a half hour from the destination. I informed Jeremy of the route and he quickly headed for the interstate. Both of us kept watchful eyes for the van, but we never saw it.
"Are you hurt bad?" I asked after a few minutes on the highway. The spots of blood on his shirt didn't look horrible, but the clot mixed in his blondish-brown locks worried me.
"I'll be fine." He quickly glided his gaze down me. "What about you?"
"The bastard bit my hand, but otherwise okay." My hand throbbed slightly, but it would be all right after I wrapped a bandage around it.
"You must have been followed somehow," he said.
"I've been on the run for over three years. I'm pretty good at hiding and detecting if someone is tracking me."
"How did they get to you in Indy?"
"They instructed Kyle to contact them if I ever showed up. And if I did, he had to detain me until they could get me." I opened the compartment under the dash, withdrew Kyle's gun, then showed it to him. "He used this to stop me from leaving."
Jeremy took a glimpse, then shook his head. "Humans are being used against us. The motherfuckers must be getting their information from people we know."
I considered his theory while I tucked the weapon back inside the compartment. Jeremy wasn't a hockey star, but he was a public figure. Any human working at the arena, even neighbors, could've been persuaded by vampires. The person driving the van that had been following us had to be human. A vampire couldn't tolerate the sunlight.
"Was the person who drove my car to your house a human?" I asked.
He nodded. "The corpse was on my dining room table."
A chill ran through me. Jeremy's guess was on target.
"This Justin—"
"He's a demon."
A touch of relief flowed through me. With what I'd been through over the last couple of weeks, I no longer trusted humans.
After a few minutes of silence, Jeremy started laughing. I scanned the area around us and couldn't find anything humorous.
"What's so funny?" I asked.
His laugher faded. "Those bloodsuckers really thought they would get away with you."
"Maybe they hadn't been informed about your gift."
He shrugged. "Fucking idiots."
"What happened inside?"
"One of them rushed at me as soon as I stepped in the dining room. He didn't last long. The other put up a fight and knocked the wind out of me. Broke a few ribs, but they're healed now."
How fortunate we were to have quick healing bones. The talent came in handy against enemies.
"That maneuver in the garage was tricky," I said.
He gave me a sly grin. "You know that's how I operate."
I ignored his innuendo. "And you had to get your bag?"
"I needed my phone. I couldn't protect you and try to get my bag. Since he was after you, I just gave you a little push so he'd follow. My plan worked, so why are you complaining?"
"I'm not complaining." I shook my head. "I just wished I would've known what you intended to do."
"I told you I needed my bag."
"Yeah, but I didn't think you'd use me as bait."
"It was a spur of the moment decision. I didn't have time to tell you." He flipped on his turn signal, then changed lanes until he reached the approaching exit.
Although I understood his logic, I still thought his tactic was dangerous. Demons were tricky and he certainly fit the description.
"So what's the plan when we get to Justin's?" I asked.
"The plan hasn't changed. I make a few calls and use his computer. You can clean up and change. We can order dinner at some point."
"Please tell me you aren't playing tonight."
"I have to," he said.
I gave him a big-eyed crazy look because that's what I thought he was for still wanting to be in the game. "Jeremy, going back to the arena is beyond stupid. They know we're together now. They know where to find us."
"I know, but I have to play in this game."
I shook my head in disgust. Although vampires couldn't control thousands of humans at once, they could slip into the minds of multiple people and cause trouble for us.
"Don't worry, you'll be safe," he said.
"And what about you?"
"Did you see how I handled them back there?" he scoffed. "I'll be fine."
I crossed my arms and looked away from him while he navigated through the downtown streets of Pittsburgh. Many of the multi-leveled houses looked old and worn. None of them seemed to have much of a yard, unless it was in the back. Parked cars were on both sides of the streets.
"Did that vampire say anything to you?" Jeremy asked, and I shifted my thoughts.
"He said he couldn't hurt me, much." I lowered my gaze as I recalled the events. They'd happened so fast. As recollection came to me, I lifted my head. "I asked him where Drake was and he said I would see him soon. And after he made the call to his buddies, he mentioned having a snack on the plane."
Excitement coursed through me. Although the vamp hadn't said much, he'd offered me hope. I twisted in the seat to face him. "The vamps following us know where he is," I said with a hint of elation.
Jeremy spotted the address for our destination. There was a small gravel road on the side. He turned and drove slowly until we reached the back of the property. A small detached two-car garage barely fit behind the house. The door was raised and a black sports car sat idle on one side. Jeremy stopped the Mercedes next to the vehicle, then cut the engine.
He met my gaze.
"If they know where Drak
e is, then we just need to capture one of them. You could question the vamp, make him talk," I said.
"Torture the bloodsucker for information," he said with a slight grin.
"Well I don't think a vamp will willingly tell you."
"And you're fine with this?"
The idea of torture disgusted me, but we were dealing with savage beasts. "Do what you have to do to fulfill our agreement."
He sighed heavily. "Capturing one of them won't be easy."
I smiled. "Oh, but you can handle them. That's what you said before."
Grinning, he shook his head. "All right. I'll see what I can do."
A sense of joy filled me. We had the start of a plan. Hopefully, we could work out the details and get our hands on one of the vamps. One way or another, I was certain Jeremy or I could force the bloodsucker to talk. I had no qualms about the method. I just wanted to find Drake.
Infused with hope, I looked forward to my next meeting with a vampire.
Chapter Seven
A warm hand touched my face.
"Time to wake up," Jeremy said.
I sucked in a breath before I opened my eyes and lifted my head. I was lying on the sofa with a blanket on top of me and a pillow behind my back. News played on the flat television several feet away. The volume had been turned so low I couldn't hear it. A laptop sat open on the rectangular coffee table within my reach.
"What time is it?" I swung my legs off the soft cushions.
Justin walked into the room. "Six o'clock." He was a good six inches shorter than Jeremy, and stockier. He wore jeans and a thin red sweater. His short dark locks were slightly curly. Dark facial hair covered most of his face. He sat in the chair near the end of the sofa.
"We need to go over the plan for tonight before we leave," Jeremy said before he dropped into the recliner next to me. He had changed his shirt and now wore a black short-sleeved one. It fit a little snug to his torso and arms. A backwards baseball cap covered most of his head and he almost looked like a muscled thug.
