Claiming the Evil Dead

by Mary Abshire

  A tear rolled out of my eye and I quickly rubbed it away before Jeremy could see it.

  "Where's your bathroom?" I asked, voice choppy.

  "Around the corner by the stairs. Give me your phone." He held his palm out in front of me.

  "No." I stepped past him. "I'll be fine."

  I slid the phone into the pocket of my jeans before I reached the bathroom. I flipped on the light, then quickly shut the door. My heart ached for Drake while guilt pressed heavily upon me. Covering my face, I slid my back down the door until my ass hit the tile. Tears flowed and I couldn't stop them. I'd hurt him. I knew I had. He was going to say the L word.

  Teardrops coated my face and slipped into my mouth. Fluid built in my nose, making it difficult for me to breathe. Face buried in my hands, I bawled. For the first time in my life, I'd met someone who accepted me, cared for me, and showed me love and passion. And what did I do? I chose to deceive him. I shouldn't have gotten involved with him. I shouldn't have let myself fall for his charisma. I should have stayed focused on the job he had paid me to complete. Damn it, Jessie. I cursed myself.

  After I had sobbed in misery long enough, I wiped my wet face and regained control of my breathing. Damn it all to hell. There was a frightened girl in the hands of a vampire. Someone needed to stop the evil fuck from hurting any more kids. Even if I couldn't claim his soul, someone needed to stop him. I could do this. I would do this.

  I rose from the floor, then stared into the mirror. I looked hideous. The invisible writing on my face said tired, sick, and an emotional train wreck. I needed sleep, if only for an hour.

  Determination spread through me as I splashed cold water on my face. I had a child to save and an vampire to destroy. Those were my top priorities. After I dried my face, I headed for the door. Hand on the knob, I inhaled a deep breath. Get the girl. Stop the evil vamp. Forget the rest.

  I opened the door. A nap first, then I'd be ready.

  Chapter Twenty-Nine

  "Wake up, sleeping beauty," Jeremy said. "Or shall I kiss you to wake you up?"

  Warm air brushed over my cheek, tickling me. I opened my eyes and instinctively jerked my hand up to my face. Jeremy was bent over me and I accidently smacked his chin. He straightened as he stepped away from me.

  "Sorry!" I said.

  "No harm done," he said with a smile.

  Jeremy stood in front of me, shirtless and with unzipped jeans. The bulky muscles in his arms stole my attention, as did the ripple of muscles covering his abdomen. Light brown hair sparsely covered his chest and a thin line ran down from his belly button. He was an innie.

  "I thought you might want to freshen up before we leave. The shower is upstairs if you want to use it. I promise not to peek, for long." He brushed a towel through his wet, spiky hair.

  "Thanks, but I'll pass on the shower. I just need to change and freshen up." I fought the temptation to stare longer at his divine chest and reached for the garment bag with my dress.

  He tossed the towel over his shoulder. "I'll show you where the bathroom is."

  Jeremy led the way up the staircase, then curved to the right at the top. Unlike the level below us, this floor was one big hall leading to several rooms. He led me down the hall and into a half empty bedroom. A laptop and printer sat on a wooden desk along the wall. Beige curtains with cream-colored sheers hung in front of the window. One tall lamp stood near the side of the desk.

  "Is this your work room?" I asked as I followed him to the back.

  He flipped on the light as he stood outside the door. "Yeah, but I don't spend much time online. Hockey keeps me busy."

  I strode past him into the white bathroom, then hung my dress on the shower curtain rod.

  "The towels are clean. I have a maid that comes every week and cleans the house. My bedroom is at the end of the hall if you need me."

  "This is fine. It shouldn't take me too long," I said, fighting to keep my eyes above his bare chest.

  "Yell if you need anything." He grabbed the doorknob and shut the door as he backed out.

  I pushed in the button on the knob to lock him out, then stood in front of the mirror. Aside from my lack of makeup and the slight puffiness under my eyes, I didn't look too bad—not bad for someone who was deceiving their lover and spending time with another man. God, I hated myself. I should've told him the truth. Would it have changed anything? Probably not, but at least I wouldn't have guilt bearing down upon me.

  After I took some time to clean and dry myself, I slid my new black dress over me. Tugging the sides, I straightened it out until it felt comfortable. The sleek garment fit nice and gave me a boost of confidence.

  The muffled sound of a vibration drew my attention to the floor. I picked up my jeans, then dug inside the front pocket. I withdrew my phone and dropped my jeans. The display showed I had a new text.

  Curious, I pressed the button to read the full message. It was from Drake. Please talk to me, it read. There were other messages before it. The first one read, Think about what you are doing. I scrolled to the next. Will he protect you?

  I sat down on the toilet lid and re-read the messages. A wave of anguish flowed through me and I swallowed hard, fighting the urge to break down and cry all over again.

  "Jessie?" Jeremy called out from behind the door.

  "Yeah," I answered, my voice a little shaky. "I'm almost ready. Give me five minutes."

  It took all my willpower not to respond to Drake. Every part of me wanted to let him know I still cared about him and all would be right in the world after tonight, hopefully. But I held back. I gathered my clothes, opened the door, then shut off the light.

  "Jeremy?" I called out as I headed for the hall.

  "In the kitchen," he yelled, voice distant.

  I descended the steps, then proceeded to the kitchen.

  "So what's the plan for the next five hours?" I asked as I approached the room.

  "First, dinner. Then a movie." Dressed in a tight black t-shirt and jeans, he stepped out of the kitchen and into the dining room.

  I set my neat pile of clothes and phone on the table. "I think this should count toward our deal."

  "That wasn't part of our agreement," he protested with a mild laugh.

  "Exactly. It wasn't, so this date falls into our original agreement of two weeks worth of dates." I stood with one hand on my hip.

  He moved closer and had a playful grin. "If this is one of those dates then I'm not holding myself back."

  His expression and the way he referenced our agreement made me regret mentioning it. I really wasn't in the mood to flirt. And I definitely wasn't in the mood to put up with his sexually charged attitude.

  "Care to change your mind?" he asked, one brow standing higher from the other.

  "No, I'm not," I answered, hiding the uncertainty of my decision behind a tight mask. Then I reminded myself that sooner or later, I was going to have to fulfill the agreement. Why not start now? I needed a good distraction from thinking about Drake.

  Jeremy's lips curved into a tastefully wicked grin. "Smart, very smart. Are you ready?"

  "Yes, I just need my shoes." I scurried into the living room and sat down on the sofa. After I slid on my shoes and buckled the straps, I returned for my clothes on the table. "Ready."

  "Stop," Jeremy ordered, and I froze before I reached the dining room.

  "What? What's wrong?"

  Jeremy strode toward me with his bulky arms at his sides. His eyes traveled the length of my body and I thought I had a spot or rip in my new dress. I glided my hands over the dress, searching for a tear. Jeremy stopped in front of me. He reached forward with his tattooed arm and touched my bare shoulder. A warm surge of heat penetrated my skin.

  "You…look…beautiful," he said, gliding his fingers down my arm. Intense heat followed his fingers. Swallowing, I detected another heat growing from within me. Damn him for tempting me.

  "We should get going." I stepped around him, then gathered my clothes and phone from the
table.

  "I told you, I'm not holding back," Jeremy said.

  I strode toward the stairs where he waited, keys in hand. "I heard you the first time." I speculated which would be more difficult—fighting Alexander or resisting Jeremy's advances.

  "Just making myself clear," he said before he descended the steps.

  I followed behind him to the main level. Reaching the entryway, he rounded the corner.

  "Where are we going?" I asked, following him down the hall behind the stairs.

  "I'm driving."

  We passed another large living area that was empty and stopped at a door in the back.

  "You have a car?" I asked as he opened the door.

  He hit a button on the wall. "Of course."

  The garage door squealed as it ascended. Evening daylight rolled into the garage from the bottom up. Jeremy strolled down a short staircase to the black SUV sitting idle in the middle of the spacious garage. Yellow lights flashed and a loud chirp echoed.

  I hopped into the shiny vehicle and tossed my clothes on the back seat. The rich smell of leather overwhelmed my nose and I almost sneezed.

  He started the engine. "Buckle up." As he shifted the gear into reverse, he gazed at my legs, specifically where my dress had drifted up my thigh. The moment I noticed my exposed flesh, I crossed my legs and tugged my dress down.

  "This is quite a nice vehicle," I said as he backed out of the garage.

  "Are you saying your boyfriend doesn't have as a nice car as this?"

  "He did have a nice car, but he recently wrecked it trying to save my life," I shot back.

  Jeremy responded with silence. I was pleased.

  I stared out the window while Jeremy maneuvered through traffic and got on the Interstate. The sun dipped behind the tall buildings and I wondered what Drake was doing. I knew with my sad heart that soon he would comb the city, searching for me. If he found me, he'd rip Jeremy into shreds and Jeremy would defend himself, igniting Drake into a ball of flame. Two men would go down because of me. How did I get into such a mess in less than a week?

  I glanced at the sign ahead of us. "I thought we were going to dinner and a movie?" I asked, noticing he was taking the exit to Indiana.

  "We are."

  "Then why are we heading out of the city?"

  "Your dead boyfriend will be looking for you in the city. I'm not taking any chances of him catching us and spoiling our plans."

  One hand gripped the wheel while the other rested on the divider between the seats. Leaning sideways, he rubbed his chin with his free hand while his eyes lingered over my legs and then back to the road. His persistence amazed me.

  Thirty minutes later, Jeremy took the first Merrillville exit. I straightened in my seat, anxious and curious to find out what Jeremy's next move would be. From the Interstate, he drove through the city, making several turns until we reached our first destination. My eyes lit up as he pulled into one of the few vacant spots on the lot.

  "I hope you like Japanese," he said, cutting the engine.

  "Who doesn't?"

  I grabbed my cell, then pushed open the door. Jeremy reached the front of the car before me. He extended his hand as I drew near him.

  "I feel a little over dressed," I said as I took his hand.

  "Sweetheart, you look perfect." He lifted my hand and kissed it. Why did I have a feeling this was going to be a long night?

  Holding my hand, Jeremy proudly led the way to the entrance. As he opened and held the door, a wave of chatter rushed out to meet us. I stepped into the darkened restaurant and inhaled the scent of steak cooking. My mouth salivated. A few feet from the door, a thin Asian woman stood behind a podium. She had black hair pinned in a bun above her head. She greeted us as we approached her.

  "Table for two, please," Jeremy said.

  The hostess, with a smile frozen on her face, gestured with her head for us to follow. Jeremy rested his hand on the center of my back, then nudged me. Heat from his hand warmed my skin, even through my dress. The temptation to brush his hand away popped into my head, but I knew he'd exert more effort into trying to touch me.

  As we passed through the crowded restaurant, flames jumped up high from the center of one of the tables. The cook dressed in red with a tall chef's hat smiled while patrons clapped and cheered.

  The hostess stopped at a table with two seats left, then gestured for us to sit. As we filled the vacant spots, another Asian woman emerged and placed menus in front of us.

  "Drink?" the waitress asked.

  "Sake," Jeremy replied.

  "Sake," she repeated with a girlish tone.

  "Yes," Jeremy confirmed. She bowed her head before she scurried away in her silky floral gown.

  I slid my phone under my thigh to keep it out of Jeremy's sight and out of the way. If Drake tried to contact me again, I feared Jeremy might snatch my cell. At the same time, I wanted to be ready in case he did try to reach me. I should at least let him know I'm okay. At the very least.

  Holding the menu in front of me, I scanned over the selection. "What's good here?" I asked for the sake of asking.

  "Everything."

  With a wicked grin that spelled trouble, he slid his hand underneath my dress, then rested it on my knee. I bit my tongue while I read over the menu, desperately wanting to forget about the heat warming my leg.

  "Ready to order?" asked the waitress after she set our drink and little oval glasses on the table. Her accent was thick, but I couldn't decipher it from Japanese, Vietnamese or any other Asian language.

  "You order first," Jeremy said. He removed his hand from my knee, then took care of filling our glasses with the white liquor.

  I set my menu on the table. "I'll have the seafood platter, please, with fried rice."

  "And you sir?"

  "The same." He handed me a child-sized glass of Sake and I took it.

  "Thank you," the waitress said, or at least I think that was what she said. She collected our menus before she disappeared.

  I glanced around at the couples sitting at the table. Most were smiling and engulfed in conversation. Watching them, I wished I could be that happy.

  "I think we should have a toast," Jeremy said, bringing my attention back to him. "To us."

  "There is no us," I replied in a flat tone.

  "To tonight then."

  I nodded, then he clinked his glass with mine. Together, we gulped the watery fluid. The horrible taste made me cough. I held my hand over my mouth while I coughed again.

  "It tastes awful," I said.

  He chuckled as he took the glass from my hand. "It does, but it will ease your worries for a little while." He refilled our glasses and handed mine back. "Ready?"

  "This better not make me sick," I said as I took the glass from his hand. "I'd hate to puke in your nice SUV." Considering I was an emotional wreck and I hadn't eaten much all day, the odds were working against me.

  "It shouldn't, but if you feel sick, make sure you vomit outside of my car."

  "Thanks, dear." I clinked my glass with his, then gulped the foul-tasting drink.

  The waitress reappeared with glasses of water, bowls full of soup, and salad dishes. As she set them on the table, Jeremy unwrapped the white paper napkin containing the utensils. Slightly dizzy, I sipped on my glass of water.

  "Have you been here before?" I asked.

  "I have, with a date." He poked around at the salad with his fork, then crammed it into his mouth.

  As I watched him chew, I started to see him in a different light. The strong, attractive man had everything going for him—money, heart-thumping good looks, a bad boy charm, and a good job playing for a national hockey team. He could have any woman of his choosing. Yeah, I bet he had plenty.

  "I would imagine you don't have many free nights alone."

  He wiped his mouth. "No, I don't. What about you? Got a boyfriend back home in Indy?" His brow inclined.

  I picked at the salad with my fork. "Not really. Friends are nice. Other
relationships get…complicated."

  "Like the one you're in now." He set his fork on the dish, then leaned back in his chair. "It won't work out. You know that. Right?"

  His pointed gaze left me feeling hollow. I laid my fork down on my half-eaten salad. My appetite had dwindled. "I'd rather not talk about it."

  I hid my face from him. The alcohol had suppressed my troubled mind up to this point. Now, reality strangled my heart and I wanted to run away from everyone.

  "Sooner or later, you have to face the facts."

  He slid his hand back on my knee. Bile rose in my throat. I had to get away from him before I really got sick. I reached under my thigh for my phone.

  "I need to use the restroom," I said, pushing my chair back over the carpet.

  "Are you all right?" He grabbed hold of my hand and gently squeezed it.

  "Yes, I just need to go." I stepped back and his hand slid away. Turning, I headed back toward the entrance.

  I found the bathroom and hurried inside. Two women stood near the sinks. The dark red bathroom had four stalls, two with the doors closed. I passed the ladies and headed into an open stall. After securing the lock, I leaned my back against the wall.

  My heart pounded as I thought about Drake and what Jeremy had said. I didn't want to believe Jeremy. Drake cared for me. He wanted me. Those were the facts. Our relationship had been working out fine until I decided to follow a demon to capture Alexander.

  Tears bubbled up in my eyes. I didn't want to go back to Jeremy, except a little girl's life was in my hands. If his plan worked out, he'd get the little girl as soon as he handed me over to Alexander. One life saved. Then he'd come back for me. Not a bad plan. But what if something went wrong? What about a backup plan?

  I bounced my head on the wall behind me. There had to be a backup plan to save my ass. In my heart, I trusted only one man to save me—well, two, but the other was in Pittsburgh. Sniffling, I lifted my finger under my nose and noticed my cell phone was in the palm of my hand. I held it in front of me and called Dani's number.

  "Hello-Hello," she said in her usual cheerful voice. "What's going on, girlfriend?"

  "Dani, I need you to do a favor for me."