by Mary Abshire
"Lunch date and you have a deal." The words flew from my mouth.
Drake's head whipped my way. "Jessie—"
"Deal. I'll expect a call." Jeremy smiled at me as he stepped aside. The three men backed into the alley, but stayed close to Jeremy.
Drake's grip tightened around my arm as he nudged me forward. My arm became numb while we walked quickly toward the car. Clearly, he was not a happy camper. When we reached his vehicle parked near the curb, he opened the door for me and released his grip. I dropped into the seat and sighed in relief as the pain in my arm ebbed.
Drake sat motionless in the seat, holding the keys between his fingers and staring straight ahead. If I didn't know better, I would have said he'd seen a ghost. But it wasn't fright that was on his face. No, it was wrath sucked in and held.
"It's just a lunch date," I said in a soft voice, aiming to ease the hostility bottled up inside him.
"I don't trust demons," he responded in a deep, ominous voice.
"You trust me."
"You are different. Besides, we have an arrangement."
"His arrangement is with me, so there's nothing for you to fret over."
He put the key in the ignition and started the car. "You are my worry." He gunned the engine.
Unsure how to respond, I sat back in my seat with my mouth shut. Drake whizzed out of the spot and proceeded on a path through the city.
At least ten minutes passed without a word spoken between us. I stared out the window and pondered what my lunch date with Jeremy would be like. Would there be more kisses? More flirts? What should I wear?
As if I'd been dreaming, I snapped awake and noticed we were outside the city. Few cars passed by and I couldn't find any pedestrians on the street. Drake zoomed into an alley. Halfway down, he pulled off to the side and cut the engine.
"What are we—" Before I could finished, he'd exited the car. I looked out the rear window and watched him. He was walking toward the street. Was he so angry that he'd leave me alone in an alley? I slid the seatbelt off and left the security of the car. I ignored the foul smell in the air from the nearby dumpsters as I rushed to catch up with him. "Drake, wait!" I reached him as he turned the corner onto an empty sidewalk. "What are you—"
Before I could finish, he wrapped his arm around my waist and whirled me back into the alley. In a flash, his concrete body pressed me against the wall.
"Dr—"
He covered my mouth with his hand. "Shh." Cool air from his mouth brushed over my cheek.
Icy chills spread through my body. Goose pimples formed on my arms and legs. Something was wrong. My gut instinct told me this wasn't Drake I sensed, even with his body touching mine. I met Drake's dark eyes and nodded.
Drake withdrew his hand from my mouth. With his body pressed against mine, his energy flowed into me, invigorating me while therapeutically relaxing my nerves and muscles. Aroused, I didn't want to move away from him.
I moved my lips near his ear. "Let me look." His long hair tickled my lips.
Before I lowered my chin, he pressed his lips to my neck. The gentle touch sent a tantalizing thrill from my breasts to my groin. When he tenderly rolled his tongue along a small area of my neck, I froze. My heart sped and I wondered what he'd do next. He wouldn't hurt me. I knew that. Was he seducing me? If so, it was working. He grazed the tips of his two pointed teeth along my throat. Fuck, it felt so good. I had a total nipple hard-on with a body temperature increase of at least ten degrees.
Drake stepped back from me. He gripped my arm and thrust me toward the sidewalk. "Follow him, but do not get near him."
Lusty thoughts swirled in my head as I stood on the sidewalk. His touch left me flabbergasted, tingly, and excited. One minute he was arousing every bit of my body, and in the next, he was forcing me to work. How strange was that?
I shook my head in an effort to clear my mind, but it didn't help. I was foolish to think he was getting intimate with me. He was a vampire. Being that close meant one thing—he wanted blood. He could have bled me dry. But I knew he wouldn't. So why did he lick my neck and touch me with his fangs? Confused and still titillated, I inhaled a deep breath of air and headed down the sidewalk.
Letting my goose bumps lead the way, I searched for the blond-haired vampire. I found him two and half blocks straight ahead. He walked with two women, one on each side, and with his arms wrapped around them. From a distance, he looked like a long–haired pimp holding onto his whores. Realizing there were two lives in danger, I proceeded with extreme caution.
I reached the first stoplight and glanced over my shoulder. Drake's red and white taillights glowed as he backed out of the alley. Relief patted me on the back knowing he'd catch up with me soon.
A short block from Alexander, my body quivered. I rubbed my hands over my arms, hoping the effort would add some warmth. It didn't help. I was just as cold inside as I was on the outside.
As I strolled down the sidewalk, I kept glancing around, looking for Drake's car. At the last stoplight, some idiot blew their horn, and Drake sped by, turning down the street in front of me. I'd assumed he'd circle around and come up behind me again, but I hadn't seen him yet.
I followed Alexander until he turned the corner between two buildings. While he was out of sight, I quickly considered my choices. I could continue and let the cards fall where they may, or wait for my back up, wherever Drake was. I kept going.
My heart quickened as I reached the corner where Alexander had turned. I slowed my pace and glanced down the alley. Lights from the buildings shone down, casting shadows from the trash bins. Silence ruled. Though I didn't see any movement or hear any sounds, I knew he was near. His presence bubbled under my skin in the form of a new round of goose flesh. Staring down the alley, I debated if I should continue. I'd come this far, so it seemed only fitting to keep going.
Acting drunk, I sauntered down the alley. I kept my head tilted down, stumbled left, and then swayed toward the right. The putrid stench of garbage passed through my nose, and I wanted to barf. Cold and nauseated, I gripped my arms and kept staggering.
A car door slammed, and I flinched. Heart quickening, I took another step forward, and then another. The silent hum of an engine echoed in the alley, but only for a few seconds and then it was gone. I reached a connecting alley on the side and saw it was empty. My icy flesh warmed while I breathed in the toxic smell of car fumes.
A pair of bright lights raced toward me. My heart jumped as I back-stepped toward the building. The car screeched to a stop in front of me. I recognized the model and relief swelled within me.
The door swung open for me, and I ran toward it.
"He's gone," I said as I settled into my seat. "He just left."
"Did you see which way?"
"No, but his car was here." I pointed.
Drake turned down the adjoining alley and followed it to the street. Glancing both ways, we realized we reached a conundrum. Drake turned left.
"How long ago?" The car hummed louder as he pressed his foot on the pedal.
"Not long." I scoped out the side streets on my right.
After driving on the same road for several minutes, Drake made a right turn. He drove a few blocks and then doubled back. Dread settled upon me fast with the realization we'd lost Alex.
"He had two women with him." My stomach tightened. I wanted to puke. I looked at Drake for comfort, but he turned his gaze away from me. The silence between us spoke volumes.
"Will he kill them?" I almost choked on the words.
"No."
"How do you know?"
"From what I have seen, he usually feeds from them and releases them."
"So they're like snacks."
Drake glanced at me. The dismayed look on his face gave me the answer.
Nausea churned in my belly. I lowered the window and let the night air brush over me for several blocks.
Drake steered the vehicle onto the Interstate. During the drive, I closed my eyes and wondered if I had
accomplished anything thus far. Dear diary, I went to a couple bars, got groped by a bouncer, nearly got stalked by a Sid Vicious lookalike, ran into a hot demon—who later ran into my vampire friend—brokered a lunch date with the demon, had fangs near my jugular, and last but not least, followed an evil vampire with two women and lost them. Regrettably, I didn't find one thing positive.
"We'll find him," Drake said, breaking the long silence.
Staring out the window at the big city, I replied, "Yeah."
Resolve built within me. Although we had a lot of territory to check out, at least we were on the right path and we had found Alexander. We'd find the evil bastard again and I'd send his soul where it belonged. Yes, I'd lost him the first night, but I still had plenty of time to find him again. And I would. I'd claim his soul and send it straight to Hell. Oh, yes. I would.
Chapter Ten
I stepped from my bedroom, clean, dressed and well-rested. My mind felt clear and my level of energy was above normal. If I had to guess, the good night's sleep—or rather, morning's sleep—I'd had played a big role in my current state of being. After all, I'd gone to bed in the early a.m. hours, then woke up around two in the afternoon. That was a lot of sleep for me. My body was going to have a horrible time adjusting back to normal working hours upon my return home. I'd worry about that later. After I woke up, I'd showered and donned a fresh set of clothes. Now, I was ready to face the world.
The condo was quiet as I walked down the hall. To my surprise, Drake's door was open. I stopped and peered inside. A small hallway led into the dark room. A faint light glowed from somewhere inside. Curious, I entered the room with silent steps.
A fully covered bed sat three feet past the door. In the back, near the long curtained window, I found the source of the light. Drake sat at a desk, staring at a computer.
"Did you sleep well?" he asked before I'd made it past his bed.
"I did, thank you very much. How about yourself?" I continued toward him. His chipper mood was a pleasant surprise.
"I don't sleep much." He slowly twisted to face me.
I stopped a few feet from his desk and crossed my arms. "Why is that?"
"I don't need to. Younger vampires need rest for their minds. It helps keep them alert. As we age, our senses sharpen to a fine point, and we no longer need rest as much."
I nodded and was glad to get a genuine answer. Eureka, I'd made progress.
Peering past him, I spotted the open laptop on his desk. The sports team on the monitor was easily recognizable.
"Is that the Chicago Blackhawks website?" I glanced near his keyboard and saw Jeremy's crinkled card lying there. "That's my card." I quickly swiped it off the desk.
"I wanted to do a little research on your new acquaintance."
"Uh-huh." I eyed him suspiciously. "Find anything good?"
Drake scooted back, then stretched his arms over his head. His shirt opened wide. I couldn't resist peeking at his chest. "It appears he has been with the team for a couple of years. And he has been suspended a couple of times."
"For what?"
"Instigating. Fighting."
Those two words said enough. The man appeared to be all smiles, but he was very direct and easily spoke his mind. He also had a muscular frame to support any fighting habits. I was willing to bet the boney nose was a result of such.
"Did you feel his presence in the club before he approached you?" Drake twisted to face me.
My eyes focused on his bare chest. Although the lighting was poor in his room, I could see plenty. His exquisitely buffed chest with sparse dark hair that traveled down past his navel enthralled me. I wondered what it would feel like to touch him and feel his solid torso. My pulse quickened at the thought. Shit, I hoped he wouldn't notice. I tore my gaze away.
"Yeah, I did." I swallowed. "His presence felt different, and I didn't recognize it right away."
Drake lowered his arms. "What did it feel like?"
"Hot."
"What about when he kissed you?"
"Uh, it was…" I looked around the room, trying to think of a good way to describe the kiss, but only one came to mind. "Hot."
Drake's gaze stayed fixed on me. His powerful eyes examined me with an acute awareness. Fearing I would fail his lie detector test, I stared back at him without blinking.
"I felt a fire burning in the pit of my stomach when he was near me," I added, hoping it would satisfy his interest enough so we could end the stare down.
"I don't think you should have lunch with him." His tone was flat.
"Do you want me to have dinner with him? Because I made a deal with him to have a meal. Just a meal. Nothing more."
"You have nothing to gain from meeting with him."
Why did he care about my deal with Jeremy? Was he jealous? I wasn't his girlfriend, or playmate, or…anything. He had no right telling me what to do. It irked me that he thought he could.
"You know what they say, keep your friends close and your enemies closer."
Drake shot up from his chair. I stepped back, surprised by his swift movement. My spine stiffened as his body inched closer and closer to mine. The memory from the previous night flashed in my mind.
"And what am I?" he asked.
I opened my mouth, but nothing came out. He had an unwavering look in his eye that wasn't threatening or intimidating, but rather filled with longing, demanding, craving. I had seen the same look the night before.
"Am I your friend?" he asked.
I looked down as I considered the question. Did I really think of him as a friend? Friends were honest. They trusted each other and shared everything. Okay, we shared a few personal stories, and we had been somewhat honest with each other—vaguely. We were heading down the right path. Weren't we? With certainty, I knew he wasn't my enemy. Part of me felt drawn to him. But did I trust him, especially after last night? Did I trust myself with him?
"Am I?" he asked.
Our gazes locked. I stepped back in an effort to create distance between us. He moved forward and I backpedaled. He continued toward me and I tried to keep away from him, but the wall eventually stopped me.
"What am I?" He stood an inch from me with our bodies nearly touching. He took a strand of my hair and played with it between his fingers. His lips twitched ever so slightly as if he enjoyed twirling my hair. I bit down on my lip, forcing myself to remain silent. "Tell me, Jessie," he said with a seductive voice that made my knees weak. He pressed his hard body against mine. Energy flowed from him into me, titillating a need from deep within me. Cupping my head in the palms of his hands, he brushed his cool lips over my cheek and near my mouth. "Am I the enemy?"
My heart rate accelerated while I breathed in a faint scent of cedar wood and rosemary. He was so close to me—too close. The temptation to touch him burned deep inside me. I couldn't. I shouldn't. But I wanted to, oh so badly. Then I looked into his dark eyes and clarity hit me like a cold splash of water in my face. Was he really jealous of Jeremy? Was he trying to prove he was better?
I placed my hand on his cool chest. "Stop. I know what you're doing, and it won't work." I pushed to back him up.
"What am I doing, Jessie?"
"I'm not some human you can play with or seduce for your pleasure. I'm here to do a job, not to get laid." Although a good fuck would be nice, a relationship with any supernatural creature was out of the question. Could I turn down a quickie? I really didn't want to ponder that as I stood so close to him.
Drake shook his head and turned away from me. "Is that what you think? Why not use you while you're here?"
To avoid a long, drawn out argument, I decided not to tell him what I thought about him and his kind. "We have a deal. Let's stick to it and go about our lives."
He halted a few feet away and remained silent with his back facing me. Seeing my opportunity to leave, I moved forward. As I took a step, Drake rushed toward me. In a blink of an eye, he had me pinned against the wall with his hands on my shoulders. His face loomed in
front of mine. Hungry eyes stared at me. Pointed teeth dripped from beneath his upper lip.
"Do you trust me, Jessie?"
My heart pounded. How could I say yes at a time like this? "No. I don't trust vampires, demons, ghosts, warlocks, witches, Weres…whatevers. And right now, you're giving me every reason not to trust you."
"Why, Jessie? Tell me why."
Staring into the depth of his eyes, I said, "Because my own mother trusted other witches and demons, and it led her to her death. She believed they were helping her become a powerful witch, but all they did was mislead her and use her for their own selfish gain. She knew she couldn't get away from them, and she feared they would one day come for me. To free herself and spare me from having to deal with such wicked creatures, she killed herself. Since her death, I spent my life away from people like you, and I'd have to say it's been a pretty good life. I don't want to end up like my mother."
I took in a deep breath and felt the weight of his hands loosen on my shoulders. Teeth retracting, Drake backed away from me. The tautness in his face slowly dissolved.
"I would never hurt you," he said in a gentle tone.
Yeah, like I believed that. I wasn't born yesterday. "If you want me to believe you, then you'll excuse me while I call Jeremy. I have a lunch date to plan."
Drake lowered his head. He looked deep in thought and didn't say a word. The silence cued me to leave. I headed for the door and he didn't stop me.
Chapter Eleven
I sat in a black iron chair outside the café with my legs crossed, sunglasses on, and arms draped over the metal armrests. The air was warm and muggy, providing a taste of summer. My spaghetti-strapped blouse and knee-length skirt kept my temperature level while I waited for my date to arrive. Perspiration hadn't started to build yet. Leaning back in my chair, I bathed in the rays. My skin would bronze nicely.
Reaching forward, I checked the time on Drake's cell phone. It read five p.m. Where the hell was Jeremy? We agreed to meet for an early dinner—no strings attached—in a public setting. He chose the location since he was more familiar with the city. With our agreed upon date underway, I was under no obligation to stick around. If he didn't show in the next five minutes, I'd get up and leave. Deal over. Done.
