Love Conquers All Evil

by Mary Abshire

  "Uh, guys," she said, her gaze pointing to something in the garage.

  Cold air blew in from the open door. I rubbed my hands over my arms. Maybe I did need my jacket after all.

  "Someone is pulling into the driveway," Dani said.

  I squeezed by her to peer outside. Alan stood on the driveway with a phone pressed to his ear. A beat-up truck crawled toward the house.

  Alan twisted around to face me. "Recognize the vehicle?"

  "Yeah, it belongs to a priest. His name is Paul," I said.

  My positive attitude dropped a notch. Why would Paul come to visit on Christmas Eve? Didn't he have services to prepare for?

  Alan relayed the information on the phone as he ambled inside the garage. I stepped back and bumped into Drake.

  "Is Anthony with him?" Drake asked.

  "I couldn't tell," I replied.

  He swiped the hat from his head. "Paul isn't alone. I can hear multiple heartbeats. And two doors just closed."

  Dani stepped away, holding her arms close to her chest. "Let me guess, we're not going shopping."

  Drake and I exchanged glances. We couldn't leave in case the priest had information for us. Yet, I didn't want to keep Dani around so she could listen to our conversation.

  Alan stepped inside, jingling metal keys in his hand.

  I turned to face him. "Would you mind taking Dani to the mall? We can catch up with you in a little bit."

  "That's a great idea. That way you won't see me buying gifts," Dani said.

  "I'll reimburse you," Drake said, his gaze directed at Alan.

  "Sure," Alan said with a slight smile as he faced Dani. “I'd like more time alone to learn more about this lovely woman.”

  Their lusty thoughts made me want to laugh, but I also didn't want to hear them. I looked away from the two.

  "Call us when you arrive and we'll meet you." Dani pecked me on the cheek.

  "Don't wander off," I said.

  She stepped into the garage. "I won't. He has the cash."

  I chuckled as they walked out. They passed Paul and Anthony as the two priests headed toward us. I inhaled a deep breath, dreading the wave of nausea that would come with the priests, and fearing their visit was not a happy one.

  "Please, come in," I said, stepping out of their way.

  Paul unbuttoned his coat as he strode inside. "Jessie, I came to see how you were feeling. I stopped by the hospital after Conner informed me you were there. The nurses said you checked out yesterday."

  Anthony shut the door behind him. With a smile on his wrinkled face, he came to stand next to Paul. "I say, you do look quite healthy for someone who was recently stabbed."

  My eyes veered to Drake, wondering if I needed to explain how he managed to get me released from the hospital.

  "Gentlemen, we were on our way out. Is there something we can help you with?" Drake asked.

  "Of course, I won't take much of your time. I have a service starting in two hours, but I had to see for myself you were all right," Paul said.

  "I'm well, thank you." And oddly enough, I didn't feel queasy from standing so close to the priests. No tingle, no stirring, no nothing.

  "And did you have some help in your recovery?" Anthony asked, his eyes lifting to Drake.

  "I take care of those I love," Drake said.

  Anthony chuckled. "Yes, yes, you do."

  "I appreciate your concern. I am fine," I said, hoping the two would leave soon so I could catch up with Dani.

  Anthony's gaze turned to me. "Jessie, I wanted to let you know that I spoke with two old friends of mine about your soul-catching ability."

  My heart pumped an extra beat or two. I glanced at Drake. “Ready for the bad news?”

  “It's not bad. Can't you hear his thoughts?”

  I faced Anthony and stared deep into his eyes. The man's mind was blank to me. I couldn't hear anything, not even a buzz.

  "As it turns out, both my friends agree what you are doing is good. By sending souls to Hell, you are cleaning up the Earth, in a sense." Anthony smiled, showing more wrinkles around his mouth.

  Cleaning up the Earth? Well, that was a new way of stating my gift. Then again, it sounded like I performed community service.

  "What about recruiting for the devil? We still don't know what his plans are, or what he is doing with the souls I send to him."

  "And we may never know that in our lifetime," Anthony said.

  Paul shoved his hands in his coat pockets. "I believe you are one of God's creatures, just as much as anyone. And by sending souls to Hell, you are serving God's purpose. Look at it this way, if the Almighty had a problem with your ability, he would've let you know by now."

  I stared at Paul, my mind blank and at a total loss for words. The priest had a different view I had never heard before and it actually made sense. From the little time I'd spent in churches, I'd learned we were all God's creatures, good or bad. Did the bad receive punishment from God? I had doubts. In my experience, the wicked got away with their crimes for far too long. Why would God allow so many innocents to die at the hands of a single person? If the penalty for their crimes was damnation, then yeah, the wicked got what they deserved in the end. And if I could accelerate their travel to the fiery underworld, then perhaps I was furthering His goals with my ability.

  The angel, Nicodemus, had told me to have faith. Maybe I needed to listen to him.

  "I suppose God would have a plan if the devil was recruiting souls for a battle," I said. The thought of a massive evil army continued to worry me. So far, I had sent less than a hundred souls to their eternal damnation, a miniscule amount compared to the population roaming the Earth. I could easily send more. But was it worth it? By cleaning Earth of evil souls, was I also setting up the possibility for a big, badass war of good versus evil?

  "God always has a plan," Paul said with a warm smile. "Sometimes it takes a while for results, but have faith, he will prevail."

  God sent an angel to rescue me from Hell. The price paid seemed high to me. Yet, I had to believe He had a reason for sparing me, since He easily could've let me rot.

  "Is there anything new with the investigation?" Drake asked.

  "Glad you asked. That was another reason why I came to visit." Paul looked from Drake to me. "Do you recall seeing anyone before you were stabbed?"

  "No, it happened fast. Alan found me. He said he picked up traces of multiple demons," I said.

  Paul's eyes grew. "More than one?"

  I nodded. "Yeah, but he didn't see them either."

  Paul narrowed his gaze. "Conner told me he didn't find anyone besides you and the dead clerk behind the counter."

  "Alan left before the police arrived. He's a werewolf and had to change to call the police for me."

  "He wouldn't be responsible for destroying the security equipment, would he?" Paul asked.

  I inhaled a deep breath. Yes, Alan had destroyed evidence that could've helped us find the killer or killers, but he'd done it in an effort to save my life. "I can't confirm or deny his actions since I was unconscious."

  "You do realize—"

  "Does Conner have any suspects in mind yet?" Drake asked, crossing his arms.

  Paul gave a shake of his head. "No, but he told me the story Jessie gave him and asked if I believed it."

  "What did you say?" I asked.

  Paul smiled. "I said love is the most powerful emotion and I believed you were a truthful person."

  Drake and I faced each other. As I gazed into his eyes, I recalled the feeling of despair, loneliness, and ultimate hopelessness when I thought he had died in the plane crash. I hoped I never had to go through a situation again where his existence was in jeopardy.

  Anthony gently smacked Paul's shoulder. "I think we have taken enough of their time."

  "Thank you for the information," I said to Paul. "I'm not giving up on finding the demons responsible for the murders."

  "If I learn of any new information, I will let you know," Paul said.<
br />
  "Drake, Jessie," Anthony said. "Merry Christmas and God bless."

  "Merry Christmas," Drake and I said, a second apart.

  "Have faith, Jessie," Paul said.

  As he turned to leave, a quiver ran through me. For a brief moment, his voice sounded eerily similar to Nicodemus's. I shook off the feeling.

  The two men were out the door within seconds, leaving Drake and me alone in the kitchen.

  Drake shut the door, keeping his hand on the knob. "I noticed two details during their visit."

  "I couldn't hear their thoughts and I didn't get sick," I said, crossing my arms. "Your blood has mixed with mine and altered me."

  "Your new makeup is not necessarily bad. So you can hear most thoughts, but not a priest's. You're not missing much there. You can now stand next to the Anthony and Paul and not look deathly ill. So far, the positive aspects outweigh the negative."

  The negative factor being the taste for blood. If that was the only thing I craved, I wouldn't mind the new Jessie. But if my yearning was for human blood…The idea made my stomach queasy, not to mention it flat out seemed wrong.

  "I hope my changes are temporary, even if most of them are good. I really don't want to survive off of—"

  Drake gently gripped my hips, then tugged me to his body. "Stop worrying about it. We'll work through any changes together."

  Staring at his kind face and loving eyes, my worries drifted away. Drake's strong love and devotion gave me confidence. No matter what, he'd always help me. I loved my noble vampire.

  I kissed his lips. "We better go. Dani can spend money so fast we could end up bankrupt."

  Drake snatched his hat from the counter. "Do you need your jacket?"

  "Nah, I should be fine," I replied.

  Within minutes, we were driving out of the neighborhood. Drake cranked up the heat in the car even though he'd covered most of his flesh, leaving only his face exposed. As usual, I stayed warm without the need of extra layers.

  A quick glance at the time showed it was already early afternoon. We had just enough time for shopping and dinner before the big meeting. Leaning back into my seat, I realized Drake hadn't spoken much about the get-together.

  "What time are we meeting Troy and Gabe?" I asked.

  He veered his eyes from the road briefly. "Nine o'clock."

  The late hour gave us plenty of time for shopping, dinner, and a little relaxing.

  "If I asked you to stay home, would you?" he asked.

  I shot him a fierce glare. "Are you crazy? You couldn't tie me to the bed. I'm going to the meeting with you. Why would you even ask me that?"

  "Well…it might turn bloody."

  Gloom washed through me. I really hoped to avoid a battle between Gabe's pack and Alan's.

  I inhaled deeply. "Is there any way to avoid bloodshed?"

  "There is always a way," Drake replied. "The question is, can both parties come to an agreement without wanting to kill each other?"

  "And what would your answer be?"

  Drake hesitated before his gaze met mine. "No, I'm afraid I will accept nothing less than Gabe's dead body before leaving tonight."

  For a few seconds, my breathing stilled. Drake wanted blood—no, he wanted death.

  I swallowed hard. "If Troy doesn't give you what you want, what will you do?"

  The corner of Drake's lips twitched. "He will grant me my request. I don't have any doubts."

  His confidence was as solid as the road underneath us. While I loved his willingness to defend me, I also feared he could get hurt. I wanted my vampire in one piece, one big loveable, squeezable, man-sized piece of heaven.

  "Promise me you will be careful," I said.

  Drake glanced at me. "For you, I will be."

  My anxiety level decreased slightly until my thoughts pondered over what role Alan had to play in Drake's plan. Would Alan have to give up his trucking company? I'd hoped Drake wouldn't pursue that route. I opened my mouth to ask, but stopped short when he turned into the entrance of the mall, then braked fast.

  I braced my hand on the dashboard. "Shit." Shopping at the mall on Christmas Eve might not have been a good idea after all. Cars were at a standstill.

  "Maybe we should find a parking spot near one of the restaurants." I pointed in the direction where three restaurants were located.

  Drake tightened his grip around the wheel. "Considering our options, I think we might have to, if we can get there."

  The other choice would involve spending endless time trying to find a spot closer, which would be next to impossible. Our best option was to walk a few blocks in the cold.

  Cars crawled, stopped, and then inched forward. The slow movement and hard brakes drove my temperature up a notch. I cracked open the window and let the cool air inside, easing my warm blood. Fifteen minutes later, we finally reached the second restaurant. Drake found an empty spot and filled it immediately.

  From the parked car, Drake and I trudged our way through snow and ice between cars until we reached the entrance of the mall. I opened the glass door and a gust of warm air hit us. The smell of heat and dirty shoes drifted in my nose, making me hold my breath for a few seconds. Like the couple in front of us, we stomped our shoes over the black mats before passing through another set of glass doors.

  I stepped to the side and turned to face Drake. "Do you have your cell?"

  He removed his hat. "Yes. Give me a minute."

  While he removed his gloves and unbuttoned his coat, I glanced around the crowded mall. The packed bodies reminded me of the bumper-to-bumper traffic outside. Worse yet, the cries of babies echoed, stinging my ears. The child's play area nearby was filled with little ones running wild, while parents stood on the outside, chatting. A woman with a stroller walked so close to me she nearly ran over my toes. I'd picked the wrong entrance to come in.

  But something else captured my attention. The tiny hairs on my arms twitched and the aroma de demon lingered in the air. Not only were humans shopping, so were other supernatural creatures.

  "Here," Drake said, handing me his phone.

  I quickly located Alan's number, then dialed it. Holding a finger to one ear and the phone to my other, I waited for Alan to answer.

  "Hello," Alan said.

  "Where are you?" I asked.

  "Uh…" He paused. "American Eagle."

  "Stay there, we're on our way to meet you," I said as I walked toward one of the directory stands.

  "See you soon," Alan replied.

  I stopped in front of the directory, then handed the phone back to Drake. "He said they are at American Eagle."

  "What kind of shop is that?" he asked, returning the phone to the inside pocket of his leather jacket.

  "Clothing. Dani likes to shop there."

  I scanned the map and found the location of the store. Judging from the "you are here" red dot, we had quite a walk ahead of us.

  "Come on." I gripped Drake's hand and wedged my way through the crowd, skirting the slow-moving traffic. A few purses hit my arm and bags brushed against my leg, but amazingly, I made it through without anyone firing off a derogatory comment.

  Still holding onto Drake, I pulled him into the shop. Alan and Dani stood halfway near the back, their gazes pointed on an article of clothing on the wall. Alan must have sensed me coming. He turned and smiled.

  "Welcome to the circus," he said.

  I chuckled. "Yeah, I don't think I've ever been around so many supernatural creatures in one place at a single time." The mixture of demons and werewolves overwhelmed me. My skin itched and perspiration threatened to pour out of me. Add crazy humans wanting to grab last minute gifts and it truly was like a visit to the circus.

  "What do you think of that jacket?" Dani asked as she pointed to it.

  The jean jacket with a soft inside lining looked like it would be cozy in warm weather, but not thick enough to withstand winter in Alaska. Spring maybe, but not winter.

  "It's cute, but I doubt it would keep you warm out
side with the freezing temperature," I said.

  "That's what I'm afraid of. I'm finding plenty of jackets and not enough winter coats to select from."

  "Did you look at Penney's?" I asked.

  "Not yet," she replied. "We only made it to a few shops."

  The bag in Alan's hand indicated otherwise. "Well, I see you found something."

  "Oh, just a couple pairs of jeans and shirts. Nothing fancy," she said.

  I saw the name of the store on the small bag and knew she was right. The shop sold inexpensive clothes that catered to teens and young misses. So she hadn't spent too much money, yet. But we still had several more hours of shopping left.

  "Find any good deals anywhere?" I asked.

  She stepped around Alan. "I saw a few. In fact, I want to get your opinion on something."

  "Sure," I said. "Show me."

  Dani led the way out of American Eagle and back into the mass of bodies. We walked side by side with Drake and Alan in tow. We passed a few shops when one in particular snatched my attention. I grabbed Dani's arm and tugged her inside.

  "You know I have to stop here," I said with a wide grin. Hot Topic was one of my favorite stores. The dark, comedic, and sexy attire appealed to me. I especially loved the t-shirts.

  Dani's eyes scanned the items on display. "Hey, I'm always willing to browse in here."

  "Jessie," Drake said, and I turned to face him. "We'll wait here."

  I nodded at him. Heading deeper inside the store, I scanned the clothing and jewelry on sale. Dani stayed close by.

  "Tell me about Alan," she said. “Tell me you didn't sleep with him. On second thought, tell me you did and how good he was.”

  I stared into her bluish-gray eyes. Her dirty thoughts drifted into my head too easily. I really didn't want to hear them. Focus, Jessie, focus.

  "He is so nice and gentlemanly," she said. "What's wrong with him?"

  I grinned. "There's nothing wrong with him."

  She lowered her head and gave me a pointed glare. "You hang out with vampires and demons. What is Alan?"

  "He's a werewolf, an Alpha, in fact."

  Her face drew a blank. "Is that bad?"