by Mary Abshire
"A little tired," I yawned.
"We don't have to get up, unless you need to eat."
The kisses continued while his stiff cock pressed against my thigh. While I enjoyed his stimulation, I needed to know the time. I tilted my head to get a glimpse of the clock. Two-thirty-three p.m. glowed in bright red.
Drake's hands cupped my breasts as he kissed my ear. "It's early. We have plenty of time—"
"Time," shot out from my mouth as I lifted my head. "Shit."
I rolled over. How could I forget? I had to meet Jeremy at four. That left me with an hour to clean and dress, and another half hour to get the meeting. Oh, and I had to fill Drake in. I could do it. I pushed my sore body off the bed.
"Where are you going?" he asked in surprise. He seized my arm and I spun around. Knees buckling, I fell back on the bed.
"I have to meet Jeremy at four at a place called Rockit on west Hubbard."
"You don't have to meet him." The tone of his deep voice reflected his disapproval.
"I agreed to meet with him. We still need his help. I know you don't agree, but my time is running out here."
I stood up. My legs wobbled and the room spun out of control. Maybe I wasn't all right. I clutched my head and sat on the bed. The room was spinning so fast that I fell sideways.
"Jessie!" Drake caught me before I tumbled over.
"I'm okay. Just…had…head rush." I breathed deeply to try and calm my head and regain clarity.
"You are not going anywhere. You need more rest from the blood loss."
"No. I can do this." The dizziness had disappeared. I forced myself into an upright position. "I just need to slow down."
"Call him and tell him you can meet with him another time. He can wait."
"I can't."
"If it is the money—"
I laughed, interrupting his sentence. "Money has nothing to do with it. I have a job I have to return to in Indianapolis. I have responsibilities."
"I can take care of you."
A long pause. Had I heard him correctly? He would take care of me? Was this a long-term commitment?
"No," I said.
"No?"
"No."
"Why?"
"Because I'm not giving up my life. I'm not giving up my friends or my responsibilities."
"But you will give me up." A soft bitterness slid from his voice.
I inhaled deeply. "No, I don't want to give you up."
"Then where do we go from here?" A tempered calmness returned in his voice.
"I clean up and meet Jeremy. We finish what we came here for. I go home and…"
"And?"
"I don't know. Maybe you could find a place in Indy and settle down for a while. If you have any suggestions, I'm willing to listen."
He raised my hand and kissed my fingers. "I will think of something because I am not giving you up. Ever."
I smiled with content filling my soul. Maybe this would work out. It was worth a try. Seeing him at ease, I stood up and strode my naked body to the bathroom.
****
Rain poured down in big, heavy drops and bounced off the road. I sat in the backseat of the cab tapping my hand on my thigh. The cab driver, a foreigner, drove at an unusually slow speed, unusual for Chicago. Maybe the rain had something to do with it. Since I doubted he would understand me if I complained, I sat mute. After checking the time on my cell phone, I had five minutes left before I was due to meet Jeremy. It appeared I would be the one late this time.
The cab driver pulled in front Rockit and I waited a minute before getting out, hoping the rain would slow down. When it didn't, I paid the cabby and made a mad dash to the door. As it turned out, a pleasant smiling greeter saw me coming and held the door open for me. The cool air from the restaurant mixed with the rain over my arms gave me a slight chill until I saw Jeremy sitting in a booth. I headed down the pathway toward him.
The restaurant had a Country Western feel with dark wood trim and old-fashioned mirrors decorating the brick walls. Burgundy-colored booths lined the walls and rock music played, adding a modern feel to the place. In a way, it reminded me of the Hard Rock Café, but with country decorations replacing music memorabilia.
Jeremy welcomed me with a wide smile long before I reached the table. I slid into the cushioned booth across from him. "Sorry I'm late."
"Traffic?" He reached for the only glass on the table.
"Rain."
He gave a nod before he sipped the brown liquor.
"What's good here?" I asked as I opened the plastic coated menu lying in front of me.
"Everything." He set the glass down, then leaned to the side and waved to a waiter.
"Any recommendations?"
"Not from me. If I recommend it, you won't try it. So I'm letting you choose your own."
"Smart man."
"Smarter than most." He devilishly grinned.
"Can I offer something to drink?" The young dark-haired waiter asked. He had a pleasant smile and a set of white teeth that beamed.
"She'll have one of these," Jeremy said.
The waiter hesitated and looked at me for approval. I pressed my lips together and nodded, then he went on his way.
I returned my attention to the menu. American cuisine was their specialty. The last meal I had was a hamburger so I overlooked all the sandwich options. Seafood tempted me. I loved seafood. I made my meal selection as the waiter appeared with my beverage in hand.
"Find what you want?" Jeremy asked.
"Yes, I'm ready," I answered, accepting the drink from the waiter.
"I'll have the meatloaf, well done," Jeremy said.
The waiter repeated the order, then looked at me.
"I'll have the crab cake, please."
"Excellent selection. It's one of our specialties," the waiter complimented with a warm smile. Jeremy glowered at him. Could the man be anymore rude? The waiter left without another word.
"Well that was uncouth." I unrolled the burgundy-colored napkin and set it over my lap.
"He was flirting." He took a swig of his drink.
"I'm a free woman."
He lifted his brows. "Are you?"
I didn't answer. Instead, I smiled mischievously, then took a sip of my liquor. Def Leppard's “Pour Some Sugar on Me” played on the sound system. I set my glass down, then rocked my head to the classic rock song.
"Good song. Love to with you," Jeremy flirted. "Although I'm sure you taste sweet enough as is."
I ignored his insinuation, but supplied him with a grin. The man made my temperature rise with his brutal candor and handsome looks. He was the perfect demon, if there was a definition. And he seemed to know what buttons to push with me. Maybe having the same type of blood was the reason.
"So tell me, how is Betty Boop?"
I took another sip of my drink. "I imagine she's not doing so well."
"And why is that?"
"She wasn't cooperative. She didn't answer Drake's questions."
He shrugged. "So what happened to her?"
"Drake took care of her. She won't be a bother anymore."
Jeremy shook his head. I couldn't decide if he was glad or upset with me for my involvement. Maybe it was both.
"Tell me about this family business." He sipped more of his drink.
I hesitated and peered at the snake tattoo on his arm. I don't know why, but the tattoo mesmerized me.
"Care to tell me or do I have try other methods to get you to talk?" he said, jarring me from my hypnotism.
I glanced up and saw his caramel eyes fixed on me. Could I lie to him? I considered it for a millisecond and then realized he'd see right through it.
"We're looking for this man named Alexander."
"Your cousin."
"Yes. He's a bad man, a very bad man."
He leaned forward over the table. "Uh-huh. What's he done?"
"Oh…you know…" I took a drink, then set my glass down. "Murdered children."
"What?"
"The murder on the news with the missing child—"
"That was him?" His upper lip curled.
"Yes. Veronica killed the woman. Alex took the girl."
He lowered his head and glared at me. "And you know this…how?"
"Veronica admitted to killing the woman."
"That's fucked up." He leaned back, picked up his drink, and took a gulp.
"That's why I need your help. I need to stop Alex."
"What about Drake? He's the dead one. Let him handle it."
"Drake is going to destroy him."
"If he's going to destroy him, why are you involved?"
I inhaled deeply, delaying my response. I really didn't want to tell him about my ability. But what choice did I have? What reason would any demon have for working with a vampire?
He slid his arm over the table and the snake on his arm captured my attention again. But I caught myself and looked away in an effort to avoid its hypnotism.
"Let's just say…I have a connection to the spirit world and I'm needed to make sure he reaches his destination." I swigged some more scotch, hoping it would settle my nerves.
He covered my hand with his, then rubbed his thumb over mine. Instant heat ignited and traveled along my arm. "Jessie, speak English."
I sighed. "I'm sending his soul to Hell."
He stopped moving his finger, but the heat remained. I glanced at my hand and wondered if I had some kind of burn mark.
"You're telling me the truth," he said rather than asked.
"Yes."
His lips parted. Nothing came out, though. I stared at him, waiting for him to say something. Then the waiter appeared with our plates of food. I slid my hand away from Jeremy's grasp.
The waiter slid my plate over the table in front of me. My eyes enlarged at the sight of the overly plump crab cakes. I peeked at Jeremy's plate as the waiter set it down. Two large slabs of meatloaf with two portions of mashed potatoes topped with dark gravy and green beans covered his plate. Before the waiter turned to leave, I asked for a glass of water. Jeremy ordered two more scotches.
Business aside, I picked up my fork and prepared to dive it into one of my crab cakes. I glanced at Jeremy. He was gulping the rest of his scotch. The bone in his neck bobbled with each swallow. He winced as he set the glass down.
"How do you do it?"
I cut a portion of my food, then took a bite. The delicious crab melted in my mouth. If I could survive on seafood alone, I would be one happy little demon.
"It's not important how. All you need to know is that I can do it."
He cut into his meatloaf. "I've never heard of a demon that could do such a thing." He shoveled a heaping portion into his mouth.
"I'm not looking to advertise what I do."
The waiter returned with our drinks. As he set a glass of scotch on the table, Jeremy quickly snatched it and poured the brown liquor into his mouth. With an attentive eye, the waiter turned to me. I smiled as I accepted the glass of water from his tray. After he set the other glass of scotch next to my plate, he asked about our meals. Having confirmed for both of us that we were satisfied, the waiter promptly left us.
"Okay," Jeremy said, holding the nearly empty glass in his hand. "Let me see if I have this right. You came here with a vampire looking for another vampire that is murdering kids so you can send his soul to Hell."
I pushed another bite of crab cake into my mouth. "Mm-hmm."
"Did I mention that I was in love with you?"
I choked and dropped my fork. It clanked on my plate.
"Are you okay?" Jeremy shot from his seat.
I waved one hand, gesturing for him to sit, while I reached with my other for the water. His remark surprised me. I knew he had an interest in me, okay, maybe more than that, but this threw me for a triple loop. I appreciated his help and, yes, he was a damn attractive man, but my heart went to Drake.
He returned to his seat while I sipped my drink. After downing half the glass, I cleared my throat.
"You should know that Drake and I are involved."
Jeremy stopped chewing and glared at me. "Involved?"
"We're a couple." I took another bite of my buttery crab with a portion of rice pilaf.
He swallowed the food in his mouth. "Why on earth would you want to fuck a dead man?"
His voice was so deep and harsh that it left me feeling degraded. I nearly choked again. The glass of scotch was near my hand. I considered picking it up and tossing it in his face.
I regained my composure. "I'll fuck whoever I want to fuck. And quite honestly, I've had the best sex with Drake that I've ever had."
He snorted. "Then you obviously haven't had sex with a demon." He shoveled more food into his mouth.
My heart pounded while my temperature skyrocketed. Clenching the fork in my hand, I imagined thrusting it into his eye. The demon was beyond rude. The way he continued eating his food as if nothing else mattered infuriated me even more. Did he even have any feelings? Did he care about anything other than himself? Maybe Drake was right. We didn't need his kind of help.
I dropped my fork on my plate. The clanging noise interrupted Jeremy's chewing. I sat back against the booth, then threw my napkin on the table.
"Wait," he mumbled. "Just wait a minute." He gestured for me to stay while he finished chewing.
Frowning, I crossed my arms. I'd had enough of his derogatory comments. One more and I'd leave without looking back.
"I think you're making a big mistake with him, but I'm not about to let you walk away from me."
"How do you plan to stop me?" Anger clipped my words.
"By helping you. You want this cousin," he said, waving his fork over his plate. "I think he deserves to go to Hell, so I'll help you find him."
He had my attention. I'd stay a little longer and listen.
"Please, eat." He pointed his fork at my plate of food.
I let out a big sigh, then moved my napkin aside. My elevated temperature hadn't dwindled, meaning my fury held strong. Yet, he'd said he'd help find Alexander, so I stayed.
We sat in silence for several minutes while we ate. Every so often, our eyes met. To my surprise, he cleaned his plate. I couldn't. The rice pilaf and additional crab cake was too much for me. Without even asking him, I slid my uneaten cake onto his plate. While he gobbled it, I relaxed in my seat and sipped on my scotch.
"Why are you interested in Drake?" Jeremy asked as he pushed his empty plate aside.
The question took me by surprise but didn't infuriate me. I opened my mouth to answer, but found myself at a loss for words. I didn't know how to explain it. My mind was on overload trying to get all the words together to fit in an answer.
I shook my head and shrugged. "Because he cares. He doesn't kill. He wants to see justice done. He's been to hell and back and he wants to make things right. Because he believes—"
"That if he turns a wrong into right, he'll go to Heaven?"
"He believes it's worthwhile to do the right thing and to stop the evil in this world."
"How noble," he said with thick sarcasm. "But the world is full of evil and that will never change."
I crossed my arms. "If you could change or stop it, would you?"
"That is a very good question, Jeremy. I would love to hear the answer," Drake said as he magically appeared at my side, then sat next to me.
I regarded him with a look of puzzlement. "How did you…?"
"It's raining, love."
For shits and giggles, I glanced over at the windows. Rain still poured down from the dark clouds. Chance of sunlight peeking through—zero.
Why didn't I feel him here? Or had I? I quickly recalled the moment I entered the restaurant. A cool air swept over me, but I dismissed it as the air conditioner. Come to think of it, there were people at the bar when I walked in. I should've been more observant.
I faced him. "How long—"
"Long enough." He turned his attention to Jeremy. "I think you owe her an answer.
"
Jeremy half laughed. "I should have known."
Drake took hold of my hand under the table and gently squeezed it. "It's not proper to keep a lady waiting."
Jeremy glared at Drake. Pure hatred seeped from the demon's eyes. His face turned a light shade of red. Heat radiated from him while he rubbed his thumb and forefinger together. He turned his attention to me. "What you are doing is worthwhile."
"I don't believe that answers her question," Drake said.
Jeremy clenched his jaw, sending a ripple over his cheek. "I'll help you out. No—" He sharply cut himself off as he pointed his eyes on Drake. "I'll help Jessie."
I sighed with relief. The answer satisfied me enough to call our meeting a success. Did it really answer my question? No, but it would suffice for now.
"It's imperative we find Alexander," I reiterated to Jeremy.
"Our deal still stands," he said with his attention fixed on me.
"Great." I nudged Drake to get up, but he didn't move. I wanted to leave the restaurant before the two quarreled.
"Do you think the child is still alive?" Jeremy asked.
"Veronica wouldn't tell us," I said. "I tried to get the information out of her before I sent her soul to Hell. She still refused to answer."
Jeremy looked at Drake. "What do you think?"
"I don't know. He typically kills them. The more time that passes, the odds of survival lessen."
Jeremy placed his hands together on the table with his fingers threaded between each other. "How long does he feed from them? How long can one survive under such…" He paused, grimacing. "Circumstances."
Drake tightened his grasp on my hand. "It depends."
"On what?" Jeremy shrugged.
The two were in a stare down again. The situation was spiraling out of control. The centers of Drake's eyes were swelling. They would never shake hands and be friends. I didn't expect them to.
I bumped my shoulder into Drake's. "I think we should go."
He scooted off the seat and rose. I followed, then stood next to him.
"What?" Jeremy leaned back and extended his arms out. "Doesn't the lady get an answer?"
The words “fucking asshole” almost shot from my mouth. "I don't need one."
"Maybe you do." Jeremy moved his hands behind his head and threaded his fingers together. His tight shirt defined the muscles in his arms and chest beautifully.
