Love Conquers All Evil

by Mary Abshire

  The young lady operating the cash register had long, coppery hair and wore heavy eye makeup. She popped her gum as she handed the customer a receipt. A young man with dyed black hair and a thick layer of dark eyeliner circling his eyes stood at the end of the checkout lane. Black paint coated his fingernails.

  "Got any coupons?" the cashier asked.

  "No," Drake said.

  After the belt inched forward, creating space, I unloaded the groceries from my cart. Between Drake's goods and mine, he was easily looking at a three hundred dollar grand total—not that it bothered him.

  Having emptied my cart, I pushed it aside and stood near Drake. He wrapped his arm around my waist, then brought me closer to his side.

  As the cashier passed our groceries across the laser detector, she glanced at me. "You new here?"

  "I'm visiting for a while." My gaze drifted to the nametag on her apron. "Have you lived here long, Gail?"

  "Born and raised," she said as the beeps continued with each scan over the glass. "Where are you from?"

  "Chicago." Yes, it was a small lie. I couldn't exactly give personal information to a stranger I just met.

  "Really? I've always wanted to visit there. It looks like a nice city."

  "Chicago doesn't get as cold as it is here. And I don't believe I saw as much snow either," I said.

  She chuckled. "Yeah, but you get used to the climate real fast."

  I imagined I would, given that my temperature remained elevated due to my demon blood. The cold air felt pleasingly good against my heated flesh. Refreshing too.

  I glanced at the man packing our goods. He smiled innocently at me. When his eyes veered to Drake, the smile quickly disappeared.

  "Our group is having a meeting tomorrow night," Gail said. "At the Alaska Star. You're welcome to come. The meeting starts at seven and usually lasts an hour. Some of us go out for drinks afterwards."

  I assumed our group consisted of the local demon community. Without a doubt, she sensed my demon energy just as I sensed hers. "Where is the Alaska Star?"

  She rang up the last item, then glanced at the register. "It's off the North Eagle River Loop. Your total is $306.79."

  The total came close to what I had predicted. Although I lacked cooking skills, I knew enough about prices. After all, shopping was a hobby of mine.

  Drake withdrew his wallet from his coat, then handed her several bills.

  "Wow, I haven't seen this much cash in a long time," she said. "Most people pay with their cards."

  Yeah, well, most people aren't on the run from vampires either. I simply smiled at her instead of responding.

  She handed the long receipt to me since Drake had already pushed one cart away. "It was nice chatting with you. I hope you stop by tomorrow night."

  "Thanks for the invite. My name is Jessie."

  "Nice to meet you. I'm Gail, obviously,"–she pointed to her tag—"and that's Donnie."

  He gave a single nod.

  "Stop by tomorrow night. I'll buy you a drink after the meeting."

  A free drink? How could I say no? "You can be sure I will show up."

  She laughed as I pushed my cart away.

  "Be careful out there, Jessie," Donnie said, his voice soft.

  "No worries. I'm in good hands." I passed him, then rushed to catch up with Drake.

  Freezing air slammed into me as I dashed out the exit. The cold temperature was a welcome relief and cooled me instantly. Drake stood at the rear of the car, loading the groceries. Gripping the handlebar of the cart, I trudged through snow and ice to get to him.

  "Sorry to keep you waiting," I said.

  Drake hurried as he packed bags into the back. A scarf covered his face from the nose down. Seeing his urgency, I piled more bags into the back, then slid a few over the seats when the mountain of plastic bags became too high. After shoving the carts into the corral, I hopped into the vehicle.

  "I think we are stocked up for a while," I said as I buckled my seatbelt. Warm air blasted from the vents.

  Drake backed out from the parking spot, then headed out of the crowded parking lot. Traffic moved slowly, even though the roads had been cleared and layered with tiny salt pellets. After a few miles, he tugged his scarf away from his mouth. "Are you going to their meeting?"

  "She offered to buy me a drink afterward. They seem nice, so…" I shrugged. "Why not?"

  "Watch your back around them, and other demons." He gave me a warning glare.

  I waved my hand in the air. "I can handle them. They can't be any worse than Jeremy."

  Drake frowned. Okay, maybe I shouldn't have brought up the demon that had made my life difficult many times. Yet, as much as we argued and had our problems, Jeremy really was a decent man. He taught me how to fight, he protected me, and in the end, he walked away—leaving me to live the life I wanted to live with Drake. Part of me missed the horny demon at times.

  "Just remember, there are diabolical demons far worse than Jeremy," Drake said.

  "Yeah…" I inhaled a deep breath. Drake had walked the Earth longer than I had. His experience dealing with different supernatural creatures surpassed mine, so I heeded his advice. "You're right. I'll be careful."

  "I can follow you…if you want."

  Eyes lowered, I said, "That might be a good idea."

  Drake reached over, then brushed the hair aside from my cheek with his gloved hand. "If you would prefer that I stay home, I will. I want you to have your freedom."

  While I felt comforted by the fact that he wanted me to have some independence from him, I honestly felt insecure in my new surroundings. Yes, I wanted to get out, make new friends, try to lead a normal life, but I had to be cautious, especially with a serial killer walking freely. "For now, it's probably a good idea to stay close."

  Drake's lips formed a warm smile. Clearly, my decision pleased him.

  When we reached the house, we found the driveway cleared of snow. "Hey," I said, shocked.

  "I called to have the snow shoveled for us," he said as he drove toward the garage without the SUV skidding. He stopped a few feet from the door, reached up to the device clipped on the visor, then pressed it.

  "I see you found the opener for the garage door too," I said. After falling on my rear yesterday in an effort to get the door up quickly, I sure didn't want a repeat.

  "It was in one of the drawers," he said as he drove into the garage.

  After he parked the vehicle, we dashed back and forth from the car to the kitchen, bringing in bags. Once we had everything inside, we spent more time filling the cabinets and the refrigerator. By the time we finished and the counters were clear, my stomach growled so loud the neighbors a mile away could've heard it.

  "I will start dinner for you while you clean up," Drake said.

  "What's on the menu?"

  He gripped the band of my jeans, then tugged me to his solid body. "How about steak with a serving of mashed potatoes, and a vegetable on the side?"

  Smiling, I placed my hands over his chest. Farther south, the hardness of his cock pressed against me. "You really know how to please a woman."

  He kissed my lips. "I know what this woman wants and I aim to satisfy her. Now, go clean up and let me fix your meal."

  We smooched one more time. I started to walk away, but before I made it two steps past him, he slapped my ass. I paused, struggling with my willpower. The man made me crazy with desire. I wanted to turn around, strip his pants off, and take him into my mouth. Taking another step, I decided shower first, food, and then sex—lots of it.

  Skipping down the stairs and heading for the bathroom, thoughts of Dani and Mark popped into my head. I wondered if Mark had replied to my posting. Maybe I'd have time to check before dinner.

  After bathing, I stepped out from the shower, wrapped a towel around me, and sauntered into the closet connected to the bathroom. Drake had lined up his clothes on one side and hung mine on the other. For the most part, the closet looked bare, too bare. I'd have to talk him i
nto taking me shopping, especially if I got a job.

  I strolled from the closet and headed for the bedroom. Stopping at the dresser, I pulled out drawers until I found my nightclothes. Drake wore pajamas most of the time to help keep him warm while I wore a t-shirt and shorts, or panties, or just a shirt, or nothing. I had a few sexier items, but since I had to eat dinner, I opted for a matching cotton outfit.

  Upon my return to the bathroom, I towel-dried my hair. It had a bit of frizz, but I didn't bother adding any product to it. After I ran a comb through it, I headed back upstairs to check on Drake. By the time I reached the second step, the aroma of meat cooking stirred my hunger. I hurried up the rest of the way.

  "The food smells delicious," I said, strolling into the kitchen.

  "Ten more minutes and it will be ready." He flipped over the steak in the pan.

  The meat sizzled and popped. I glanced at the thick slice lying in the pan. Green, red, and yellow peppers surrounded it. My stomach roared.

  "That looks really good." I rubbed my hand over my belly.

  "Have a seat." He pointed to the stools with the fork in his hand.

  I ambled around the center island. Ten minutes would give me plenty of time to get online and check in the forum. "I'm going to log onto the laptop real fast and see if Mark responded."

  Drake nodded while he poked at the steak again.

  I dashed into the office, eager to find out if Mark had replied to my message. Sitting in the leather chair, I flipped up the screen. Though I doubted I'd find anything new since his message was two months old, I still had the urge to check. I had to know. I mean…what if? The question made me jittery.

  Once the home page appeared on the screen, I logged into the forum, then located the discussion thread. I clicked on the link. The screen changed. My eyes lit up when I saw a new message had posted forty minutes ago. Pulse speeding, I dragged my finger over the keypad, then selected the hyperlink to read the reply.

  The message read, Partner, you must call me as soon as possible. Fear no evil. Indy Warlock.

  Chapter Six

  I leaped out of my chair, heart pounding. I stared at the screen and read the words again. Mark had responded. He'd actually responded. The fact he used the words Indy Warlock proved it.

  Drake ran into the room. "What's wrong? I can hear your heart beating fast."

  Swallowing, I pointed to the screen. "Mark replied."

  Drake moved to my side. He veered his gaze to the screen.

  "What do you think it means—'fear no evil'?" I asked.

  "Mark is a warlock, right?"

  I nodded.

  "He can cast a spell so nobody can hear him talking."

  "So I can call him and he can whip up a charm to hide our conversation?" Oh, how perfect. I wished I had known earlier.

  "Yes, he can."

  I braced my hands on my hips. "Why didn't you mention this to me sooner? I could have called him months ago."

  "The spell isn't that easy to cast. It takes time and he has to be prepared. He has to cast the spell as soon as he answers the phone or it won't hold."

  Okay, so maybe Mark needed time to research and get the ingredients. That made sense. Waiting to make contact was a good thing after all. Now I could call him and not worry about the VETOV listening.

  "What's the time difference between Alaska and Indiana?" I asked.

  "Four hours."

  Mark would be at home.

  "Your food is ready. Maybe you should call after you eat."

  "Of course." While excitement danced within me, I wasn't about to let Drake's hard work fixing my meal fall to waste. I closed the browser, then lowered the screen.

  As I followed Drake into the kitchen, my thoughts ran wild about Dani. I hoped she was safe and doing well. Guilt would plague my conscience if anything happened to her.

  Drake strode to the counter near the stove. "Do you have his number?"

  I scooted the stool away from the center island. "Yeah, I wrote all the numbers from my phone in a notebook before you tossed it." Dani and Kyle's numbers were secured in my memory since I spoke to them the most when I lived in Indy. But any others that I didn't use much, such as Jeremy's digits, I couldn't remember. Although I didn't plan to contact anyone from my old contact list, I kept the information in case I would be able to check on them later in life.

  Drake approached me with a plate full of food in his hands. The dish clanked on the counter when he set it in front of me. The pieces of meat, colorful peppers, mashed potatoes, and green beans roused my appetite.

  "You have outdone yourself," I said.

  He snatched a fork from one of the drawers, then handed it to me. "Let me know how it tastes. I saw the recipe this morning and wanted to try it."

  I stabbed a piece of meat, then placed it in my mouth. The tender morsel had a peppery, southwestern flavor. "Mmm…" I chewed and then swallowed. "It's really good." I gobbled another bite.

  Drake smiled. "Sometimes I wish I could enjoy food. But seeing you pleased is enough for me."

  While I took my time devouring my meal, Drake rinsed off the pans, and then loaded them into the dishwasher. The entire time, I thought about Mark's message. Question after question popped into my head. Did he still work with Dani? What had happened at my job? Was Dani still investigating haunted homes and sightings? Had she moved out of the apartment or gotten another roommate? With each new question, my anxiety rose.

  Drake dried his hands on a dishtowel. "Where did you put your new cell phone?"

  "It's in my purse." Holding my fork up, I swiveled around and scanned the living room for my black bag. "On the coffee table."

  "And your notebook?"

  "I think it's in the suitcase," I replied.

  He set the towel on the counter. "I'll get it."

  He left the room, but returned quickly enough with the pad and my cell phone in hand. He set both on the counter near me.

  "Thanks," I mumbled while I chewed.

  Drake reached for my plate and I slapped his wrist.

  "Wait," I said after I swallowed. The food on my plate would not go to waste. I speared the last of the green beans, then gave him a nod. He took the dish, then headed for the sink.

  I stared at the ugly cell phone on the counter and wished I had my old one where all I had to do was glide my finger over the screen or tap it. Sadly, Drake had to destroy our phones since they were traceable through carriers. In place of up-to-date technology with web access, we had outdated devices with prepaid minutes. Well, at least they worked.

  "Do you want something to drink before you call?" Drake asked as he loaded the last of the dishes into the dishwasher. "I bought wine, and your favorite vodka."

  He bought my favorite liquor? Oh, the man truly loved me.

  "Maybe I'll have some in a little bit," I said with a crooked smile.

  I scooted my notebook in front of me, then flipped through the pages, searching for my list of numbers. The thin book contained not only all the personal information on my friends, it had information Drake gave me about accounts, secret places, names of people, and their contact details in case we ever got separated. I also had my last will and testament noted, in case something ever happened to me. Upon finding Mark's number, I picked up the phone and punched in the numbers. My pulse accelerated at the sound of the ring tone. While I anxiously waited for him to answer, I left my seat and ambled into the living room.

  "Hello?" Mark said, and my heart leaped. His calm voice was a joy to hear.

  Drake was sitting in a recliner, watching me. I took a seat at the end of the sofa, closest to him.

  "Hello, partner," I replied with a wide grin on my face.

  "Jessie? Oh my God! It's really you. I knew you were alive. Knew it." He sounded overly excited.

  I chuckled.

  "Don't worry, nobody can hear us. I cast a spell bubble to block anyone from listening," he said. "Where are you?"

  My gaze shot to Drake. He shook his head.


  "I'm afraid I can't tell you, but I'm safe, and in good hands."

  "Who's with you? Drake or Jeremy?"

  "I'm with Drake. Jeremy went back to his home in Chicago. At least, I think he did. I haven't spoken to him."

  "Are the vampires after you?"

  "Yeah, they're after me and Drake. Things didn't work out well when I met with the VETOV."

  "I suspected as much. I think one of them is following Dani. I'm so glad you called. I'm starting to worry about her."

  Worry for my best friend pressed upon me. A vampire following Dani couldn't bode well for her. "What's going on?"

  "She told me a man had stopped her and asked a bunch of questions about you, but she can't recall a name or even a description of the person."

  I looked at Drake. He pointed a finger at his temple. The sign was enough to inform me that the fucker who'd visited Dani must have penetrated her mind.

  "I followed her a few times and saw a person, but I stayed at a distance. I haven't perfected the spell to become invisible. And even if I had, they probably would've sensed my energy."

  "Be careful, Mark," I said.

  "Oh, I am. Trust me. I have a couple of spells ready if any of them try to approach me, which they haven’t."

  Drake leaned forward, elbows pressed onto his knees. He clasped his hands together. "Ask him what the person looked like."

  "Mark, can you describe the person you saw?"

  "It was dark both times, and I only saw his back side. He had long dark hair, and was average in build."

  I recalled the members of the VETOV from when I'd met them. Both Nassar and Ramon had lengthy dark hair.

  "Was he alone?"

  "I didn't see anyone else around."

  "Ask him about his clothes," Drake said. "What was he wearing?"

  I relayed the question to Mark.

  "Uh…jeans and a long-sleeved shirt, I think."

  "Ramon," Drake said, straightening his back. "Nassar always wears a long jacket."

  "Do you know who it is that's watching her?"

  I let out a sigh. "We have an idea."

  "Jessie, I'm really worried about her. She said she's been having bad dreams about you. She believes you are alive or she wouldn't be having the dreams. The first several months after your disappearance, she showed up at work looking deathly sick. I still don't think she's getting any sleep and she's irritable every time I talk to her."