Love Conquers All Evil

by Mary Abshire

  In the midst of my peacefulness, something warm touched my cheek. Along with the warmth, a zing of power penetrated my skin. With it, strength and liveliness flowed through me. The energy spread up to my head and down my neck, enlivening me. I woke up from my slumber. To my surprise, Alan was sitting on the bed beside me. I rubbed my eyes to make sure I was truly seeing him.

  "I'm sorry if I woke you," he said, his voice soft and just as warm as his touch.

  My heart danced to a happy tune, realizing I wasn't dreaming. The Alpha appeared healthy and strong. His brilliant green eyes and kind smile were a welcomed sight to see. He wore a button-down shirt with the sleeves rolled halfway up his muscular and tanned arms. Near his neck, a gap in his shirt revealed a tiny portion of his dark tattoo. I'd seen it once when we swam together. The mesmerizing design stretched down his neck, his torso, and farther. I never did find out exactly how far it went.

  "It's okay. I needed to get up." I sat upright and found my phone near my pillow. The digital numbers showed that it was late afternoon. I'd actually slept for a couple hours.

  "Have you been here long?" I asked him.

  "Not long at all. The men updated me before I came to check on you."

  He gazed at me in the way a lover regards his mate. He'd tempted me once to have an intimate relationship with him, but I couldn't. From day one, my heart belonged to Drake.

  "It's good to see you, but you didn't have to come all the way from Phoenix," I said.

  "I came because I wanted to see you. It's been awhile." He seized a strand of my hair, and twirled it in front of me. "You changed the color. The highlights make you look older."

  I chuckled. "Yeah. Drake suggested I dye all of it. I argued the VETOV would expect that. So we compromised."

  "Smart man. But you already knew that, didn't you?"

  I grinned. "So you came from Arizona to see me?" With all the men sitting in parked cars on the street, they could handle protecting me from Gabe with no problem or any assistance from their Alpha. So why had he decided to visit?

  Alan rose slowly. His large frame towered over me. "Drake asked me to come. I told him I already had made arrangements to check in with you, so it wouldn't be a problem."

  I let out a puff of air. Guess I shouldn't have been surprised. I had broken a promise to Drake. "So you're my babysitter now?"

  "I understand his concern for you. Gabe managed to kidnap you once. And from what I heard from my men, a friend of his almost managed to abduct you. Your life is precious, Jessie. You have to be very careful."

  In plain English, he was my babysitter. Alan couldn't say no even if he wanted to. After Drake saved his life at my request, Alan became indebted to him.

  "I'm sure once Drake returns home, you can—"

  The sound of my phone buzzing interrupted my train of thought. I stared at the number on the screen. "Speaking of Drake…" I pressed the phone to my ear. "I'm home."

  "Is Alan there?" Drake asked, his voice stern.

  "Yes, he is." I lifted my eyes to the Alpha. "Do you want to talk to him?"

  "No, not right now."

  "Did you ask him to come here and watch over me?"

  Shaking his head, Alan meandered toward the recliner in the corner.

  "He volunteered," Drake replied.

  Volunteered? Whatever. I couldn't get angry because I loved Drake too much, and I had made a very bad decision in leaving the house. I had endangered my life, which irritated him. So I shouldn't let it bother me if Alan stayed at my side until Drake returned home.

  "He said he was on his way to Eagle River to meet with the pack leaders to work out a deal to get Gabe," Drake said.

  Uh huh, right. I decided to change the subject. "Is Dani there yet?"

  "Yes, she is here. She's…sitting down."

  Sitting down? The way he said it sounded strange. "Drake, what's wrong?"

  "She was a little excited to see me," he replied.

  "Excited?"

  "She said she has been having nightmares. After I calmed her, I explained I was taking her away from Indy and bringing her to you."

  He what? I shot up from the bed. Vampires only had one way of calming humans. "Drake, tell me you didn't tamper with her mind."

  "I had to, Jessie. She was hysterical."

  In the background, I heard Dani's voice. Though I couldn't make out her words, simply hearing her revved my heart. I hadn't spoken to my best friend in five months. I longed to have a conversation with her.

  "Can I talk to her?"

  "Hold on," Drake replied.

  I glimpsed at Alan. He sat in the recliner with his legs crossed, very Wall Street businessman-like.

  "Jessie?" Dani asked.

  "Dani, how are you?"

  "Oh-my-God! Oh-my-God! Is it really you? Please, tell me I'm not dreaming," she said so fast I had to laugh.

  "You're not dreaming. I asked Drake to bring you to our new home."

  "Where are you? Do you know how worried I've been about you? Do you know how much stress I've had to deal with? I lost my fucking job. I thought you were dead. Couldn't you have called me?"

  I waited until she finished ranting. "I'm sorry. I really am. The VETOV is looking for me and I didn't want to put your life in danger any more than it already was."

  "I'm your best friend. You could have given me a note or something to let me know you were at least alive."

  She sounded angry. I couldn't blame her. She had every right to be.

  "I'm sorry, Dani, but I couldn't risk it," I said with sincerity.

  "You're a fucking bitch for turning your back on me," she said, her voice choppy, as if she was on the edge of crying.

  I dropped my jaw. In the three years we had lived and worked together, she never had called me a bitch.

  "But I still love you," she said, her voice quivering. "You're the only person in my life who listened to me and helped me." She breathed heavily into the phone, then sniffled.

  Dani's emotions were a combination of anger and sorrow. I'd never seen or heard her so upset. I'd hurt her by not contacting her. In a way, it reminded me of how I'd hurt Drake.

  "You're going to be all right, Dani. We'll work through our problems. I promise to make it up to you. Once you get here, we'll start over. Everything will work out. You'll see."

  "I have nothing here. I'll go wherever you want me to, except Hell. I don't care that you're half-demon, but I'm not joining you there."

  I chuckled. In a snap, the spunky Dani I'd known and loved had returned.

  "Chill out, girlfriend. Everything will be fine."

  She sniffled more. "Promise me you won't ever freak me out like that again."

  I hesitated to answer. Some things were out of my control. "I'll do my best not to freak you out, but no promises."

  She half-laughed. "Jessie…there's something I need to tell you."

  Uh-oh. From my experience, whenever someone said that phrase, it usually meant the person had something bad they needed to get off their chest.

  "Can it wait until you get here?"

  "No, I can't wait anymore," she replied.

  I stiffened, bracing myself for the dreadful news. My eyes met Alan's and he smiled, easing some of my tension. "Okay. Give it to me."

  "I keep having these horrible dreams," she said.

  I quickly recalled Mark had mentioned them. "Go on."

  "You die, Jessie."

  Her words sent a chill crawling down my spine. I froze, unable to speak.

  Alan stood up. "Ask her how." The werewolf had remarkable hearing, better than Drake's.

  "Do you know how I die?" I asked.

  "No. In my dream I feel a sharp pain in my back and I see blood on a floor around you. I've had the same fucking dream at least once a month. I wish it would go away because it makes me sick when I think about it." Fear, disgust, and worry were all emotions embedded in her rough voice.

  "Don't think about anymore. I'm fine," I told her. "Okay?"

  "Please, be
careful. You know my dreams don't lie," she said.

  Though I hated to admit it, she was right. In the years I'd known Dani, several of her dreams had come to fruition. She had one of being in a car accident. Two months later, during winter, a truck hit her and she slid off the road. One time, she dreamt about our barbeque pit catching fire. We laughed at the time, until we had a huge party in early fall and the damn thing blazed so badly that for fifteen minutes all our friends had to gather water from the retention pond to douse the flames. From another vision, she said I would fall and a truck would hit me. As predicted, a few weeks later I walked out for lunch and a truck knocked me off my feet. Fortunately, it was nothing serious. Clearly, Dani had some psychic ability deep inside her brain.

  "Yeah, I'll figure something out." I wished her dreams held no validity, but they had thus far. "Can you hand the phone back to Drake?"

  Alan sat next to me, shaking the bed slightly.

  "I tried to get more details about her dream, but I did not find much," Drake said. "From the flashes I gathered, she sees you on the ground and with blood around you. She is very worried."

  "So you calmed her down because of the dream," I said, but it sounded more like a question.

  "Yes. She was frantic about making sure you knew."

  My best friend was in misery because of a stupid dream. I wished I could ease her discomfort. Although I couldn't, I knew someone who could. She had mentioned she wanted it to go away. Drake could make it happen. I disliked the idea of him touching her mind, but she needed help and he could easily get rid of her distress.

  "Is there a way you can…make her forget about it?" I asked.

  "Are you asking me to?" Drake asked.

  Alan shook his head. "You don't know enough about her vision. Are you sure you want it removed so soon?"

  I sucked in a deep breath, torn between wanting to ease my friend's strain and wanting to learn more about her dream. Alan had a valid point. Maybe removing it could wait a little longer, so we could learn more, if possible. "Not now, but maybe later."

  A faint smile formed on Alan's lips.

  "It is an option, if you want me to," Drake said.

  "I'll think about it more when you get here, which reminds me…what are your plans?"

  "Our flight leaves tonight. We have a small layover in Chicago. Our arrival time in Anchorage is around two-forty A.M."

  My heart leaped with joy. My lover would be home, in my arms, in little more than twelve hours, and my best friend would be with him. Let the countdown begin.

  "Call me when you're in the air," I said.

  "You can be sure I will," he said. "I know Alan will guard you with his life. I expect nothing less."

  My gaze jumped to Alan.

  "He has my word," Alan said with a single nod.

  "I'll hold him to it," Drake said. Amazing how his vampire hearing could pick up sounds and voices from a distance, even through the phone.

  "I'll talk to you soon. I love you," I said.

  Before I finished getting the words out of my mouth, Ryan strolled into the room with a serious look on his face. The stocky werewolf was one of Alan's right hand men and a close friend to Jeremy. A smile touched my lips when our eyes met. Then he approached Alan with fast steps.

  "Be with you soon," were Drake's last words.

  Hearing silence, I lowered the phone.

  Ryan stopped at Alan's side. "We received a call from Troy, the leader of the pack Gabe is in. He's on the line now and wants to set up a meeting."

  I leaned forward and shot a puzzled expression at Alan. Had I heard Ryan correctly? The leader of Gabe's pack wanted to meet with Alan? Oh, I had to find out more.

  Chapter Seventeen

  I followed Alan and Ryan upstairs. Six large men waited silently. One of them was holding a cell phone. Another one sat at the island in the kitchen with a laptop propped open in front of him. The other four stood in various spots with their arms crossed. None of them looked familiar to me. I wondered if Frank, Tom, and Dan had left. All eyes stared at Alan as he took the phone.

  "This is Alan Vandett," he said, sounding very professional.

  Ryan approached me. "How are you doing, Jessie?" His voice was a soft whisper compared to Alan's.

  "I'm fine," I replied softly.

  "When Alan told me you needed help, I jumped at the chance."

  Ryan was such a sweetheart. I threw my arms around him and gave him a big hug. "Thank you."

  He squeezed me gently, then stepped back. "We'll get Gabe. You can be sure of it."

  "There certainly are enough men here. I had no idea Alan would send so many."

  "They are all loyal to Alan. They won't say a word about you, nor will I. Most of them don't even know a thing about you."

  I trusted Ryan, and certainly Alan. I didn't doubt the men's loyalty to the Alpha for a minute. Besides, I had too many other worries on my mind.

  "Did Alan tell you anything about my situation?"

  Ryan half shrugged. "Only about Gabe. Nothing more."

  Then he didn't know Drake and I were hiding from the VETOV, unless Jeremy had told him. Speaking of the demon…

  "Have you spoken to Jeremy since July?" I asked.

  Ryan slipped his hands into the front pockets of his jeans. "He called me a couple times. I thought he sounded a bit depressed. I haven't heard from him in a few months, but he's probably on the road with the team."

  I let out a heavy sigh and looked away from him.

  "Is everything all right between you two?" Ryan asked. "Every time I asked about you, he changed the subject."

  "We had a bit of a falling out. I don't talk to him anymore. If you don't mind, could you keep your visit here a secret?"

  "Sure." Ryan nodded. "I'm sorry things didn't work. You and I both know he has a bad temper, but he cared very much about you. He would have done anything to win your heart."

  I chuckled. Ryan described him perfectly. Jeremy had attempted time and time again to win me over. He even offered to give up his career and run away with me. But I loved Drake. I couldn't give up what my heart desired.

  "It's up to you to keep him in check now," I said.

  Ryan grinned. "Oh no, that demon has big enough balls to take care of himself."

  I laughed softly. Ryan was dead right. Jeremy might have been upset about our parting, but he had the ability to bounce back fast.

  Ryan looked over his shoulder. Curious, I stepped sideways to see around the bulky werewolf. Alan stood near the center island with his gaze on the laptop. The discussion concerned a place and time for a meeting. Stepping around Ryan, I moved closer to Alan.

  "That sounds fair. No one in either pack is permitted to join us." Alan glanced up and winked at me. "I will see you at seven." After a short pause, he set the phone on the counter.

  The house was silent with the exception of a small buzz from the refrigerator. Everyone waited for Alan's next instruction.

  Alan shifted his gaze to me. "Troy would like me to meet him at a coffee house so we can discuss business."

  "Business?" I asked with one of my brows hiked up.

  "We contacted him and he returned our call. He made no mention of Gabe or you. Neither did I. For all purposes right now, he believes we are meeting for business," Alan replied.

  "Do you think he will be angry once you inform him you expelled one of his pack members and you want retribution for his betrayal?" I asked.

  "I'm not sure how long he has been a pack leader, but he should be able to control himself. I do not see him as a threat right now," Alan said.

  Ryan stepped around the counter, into our view. He crossed his arms and his muscles bulged under his shirt. "Do you want us to at least follow you, or stay nearby in our vehicles as a safety precaution?"

  "Wait. Why can't I go with you? I'm not in a pack and I'm not a werewolf. So, can't I show up too?" I asked.

  Alan's lips formed a playful smile. "I see no reason why you can't join me. The agreement was no one
within our packs may come."

  Clever man.

  Alan turned to Ryan. "As for precautionary measures, follow, but maintain distance. I suspect he will have his members spread out also. From the map,"—his eyes lowered to the screen and he pointed at it—"it appears there is a small shopping area across the street. I recommend waiting there."

  Leaning against the counter, I wondered what all of us were going to do for the next several hours. Alan's men had to be hungry. They probably wanted a good place to rest and clean up too. While Drake's home could accommodate some of Alan's guards, the house couldn't hold all of them. Plus, if they made a mess, I feared Drake wouldn't be happy.

  "Alan, maybe we could find somewhere to eat and the rest of the guys could find a hotel to rest up or shower," I said.

  A smile formed on his face. "That is a great idea. We don't need everyone with us, do we?"

  "I can contact a couple hotels and get rooms booked within a half hour," Ryan said. "But I suggest we leave a few men here to watch the house. We can take shifts."

  Alan gave Ryan a single nod. "I will leave you with the arrangements." He stepped closer to me. "Where did you have in mind for an early dinner?"

  All eyes turned to me and I suddenly felt pressured to come up with answer. I half shrugged. "I haven't been here long enough to know of any good places."

  "I can find a place," the man sitting in front of the laptop said. He moved his fingers quickly on the keypad.

  I backpedaled. "It doesn't matter to me where we go, but I need to change."

  "You don't need to wear anything formal," Alan said.

  I paused, standing near the dividing line of the kitchen and living room. Laughter wanted to escape me, but I wouldn't allow it. "You're right. Wearing a skirt and heels in knee-high snow is probably not a good idea."

  A broad smile spread across Ryan's face while one of the men let out a chuckle that quickly morphed into a cough.

  "We'll leave when you're ready," Alan said, ignoring everyone else and keeping his gaze on me.

  I dashed down the stairs, then returned to the bathroom. Post haste, I changed into a nicer blouse, straightened my hair, and added a touch of makeup. Twenty minutes later, I ascended the staircase, sliding my cell phone and some money into the back pockets of my jeans. Drake had left me quite the stash of cash in the dresser drawer.