Claiming the Evil Dead

by Mary Abshire

  "His persistence is troublesome."

  "Yeah, but I agreed to the deal and I aim to keep it."

  "If there's anything I can do…"

  "There is. Kiss me again." I grinned.

  He pressed his strong lips to mine and flicked my tongue. In an instant, my tired, homesick body was fueled with energy. Heated, needy energy.

  "Hey, you two in the living room!" Dani yelled from the dining room table.

  I pulled my lips away from Drake, then glared at her.

  "Can you at least wait until we're gone?" She smiled with glee.

  Drake planted a kiss on my ear. Then my neck. A shiver ran through me and I yearned for more of his loving kisses.

  "I think you better go soon," I said.

  "Yeah, yeah," she mumbled as she rose. She closed the cardboard lid of the pizza box.

  Drake released me from his embrace, then sat on the sofa. He placed one arm over the back and spread his legs. He looked right at home and comfortable.

  I stood with one hand on my hip in the middle of the room, waiting for my trio of friends to clear out. Dani ran from the dining room and darted into her room.

  "Are you sure you don't want to come with us?" Kyle asked as he drew nearer.

  Lester walked behind him. "Bring your friend. We'll have fun."

  "No thanks." I had my own version of fun and it was going to be in the bedroom with Drake. "But let me introduce you. Drake, this is Lester. He's part of our paranormal team." I don't know why I mentioned it because he probably already knew it, but there it was.

  "Hi, Lester," Drake said with a bow of his head.

  "Howdy," Lester replied.

  "Howdy?" I sardonically asked.

  "It's a fair greeting," he defended.

  I shrugged. "Whatever."

  Dani came around the corner from her room with her black purse clutched under her arm. "I'm ready."

  Kyle and Lester strode to the door talking about the gaming convention coming to town. Dani flung her arms around me and gave me a hug. I squeezed back and she grunted. God, it felt good to be at home again. I’d missed her.

  "Don't do anything I wouldn't do," she whispered. The woman never stopped harassing me.

  "You know I will," I replied, and she chuckled.

  "Bye, Drake," she said on her way to the door.

  "Goodbye, Danielle."

  She stopped with her hand on the doorknob. Body stiff, she slowly turned and met me with a hateful glare.

  "Uh, she doesn't like to be called that. Only her mother calls her that name."

  "My apologies," he said in a genuine tone.

  "Sorry, Dani. Blame me. I didn't warn him."

  She held up her finger. "One time. Just one." She left and shut the door behind her.

  Relief washed over me now that I was alone with Drake. We could spend quality time together, talk, watch television, and hopefully have sex later. I locked the deadbolt on the door, then sat next to him on the sofa.

  "What did she mean by that?" he asked.

  "She makes a onetime exception for calling her by her given name. Any more times and she'll chew your ass out."

  "Chew my ass out?" he asked, his brows pinched in confusion.

  One might think an eight-century vampire would be versed in modern day vocabulary, but not Drake.

  "Yell at you. Curse you. Trust me, you don't want to make her mad."

  His lips curled on one side. "I can handle her. I have ways."

  "And I'd prefer you keep those ways to yourself when you are around my friends," I said with a firm tone.

  "As you wish." He sounded glum.

  I snatched the television remote from the coffee table, then pressed a button to increase the volume. A repeat of the X-Files was playing and I so enjoyed watching the alien conspiracy show. If supernatural creatures existed, why not aliens?

  I leaned on Drake while we both stared at the TV. Neither of us spoke for several minutes. As time drifted, I started to wonder if something was wrong. Granted, this was our first extended time together since we got rid of Alexander and I wasn't entirely sure what to think or say. After we returned to his condo from doing our dirty deeds, we cleaned up and hit the road in his sleek Audi to reach Indy before dawn on Monday. I fell asleep during the drive back, so we didn't get to talk about things, such as why I deceived him. After he dropped me off, he went his way and didn't call me until Wednesday night. The conversation had seemed distant at times. I suspected he was angry with me for what I'd done. I couldn't blame him. But when he stepped in the apartment, it was as if nothing had happened. There were no ill feelings between us. Maybe it was all an act. I don't know. The silence was driving me mad.

  "Drake." I gazed at him. His caramel eyes hypnotized me and I forgot what I wanted to say. "Um…thanks for returning my phone." I swallowed hard. That wasn't what I wanted to say.

  He reached behind my head and entwined his fingers in my hair. "It was a lucky find."

  I was half tempted to ask how he retrieved it, but after seeing one of the decapitated bodies in the alley, I make an educated guess how he obtained it.

  He caressed the nape of my neck with his cool fingers. Little tingles slivered down my spine.

  "I think we should talk," I said, remembering what I really wanted to discuss.

  "I'm not mad at you," he quickly replied, as if he could read my mind. "I was…for a while. Then Dani called me and everything changed. When I got the message, I understood and I trusted you."

  "I never wanted to hurt you or mislead you. I hated doing it. It tore me apart. I thought you would despise me for what I did."

  He took my hands into his. "You are different from anyone I have ever met. I have spent centuries on my own or with a partner, tracking vampires that should be brought to justice. I have never met a woman, much less a half-breed demon, so domineering, so in-control, and yet passionate and willing to make sacrifices. I am not accustomed to working with someone of your nature. Meeting you, working with you, loving you has been…" His eyes strayed past me.

  "Difficult, challenging, a pain in your ass?" I provided for him.

  "Challenging and worthwhile." He smiled. "And I am willing to change my priorities. I want to spend more time with you."

  "I don't want you to change. I like you the way you are."

  "I am not going to change," he lightly chuckled. "I will simply rearrange a few items in my life."

  I drew my brows together. "I'm confused."

  "I am going to take some time off from my regular duties so I can enjoy spending time with you."

  That I understood and my heart jumped. "Like a vacation?"

  His grin widened. "An extended vacation."

  "Does that mean you'll be moving to Indy?" Excitement pitched my voice up an octave. Could I handle a vampire as a boyfriend? Oh hell yes.

  "I am looking for a condo or apartment downtown. Maybe you could help me find a place?"

  "I'd love to. I work downtown. I could call around a check out places during my lunch or after work." I couldn't get the words out fast enough.

  "That would be helpful." His eyes lowered and a grim expression came over him.

  I swallowed hard, afraid to ask what troubled him. "So…what's wrong?"

  "I have to leave for a week or two and I want you to come with me."

  I drew in a deep breath of air. "Drake…I can't." I hated the thought of being away from him, especially now that we were making up, but my responsibilities were here. I didn't have the luxuries he had, or the time.

  "I thought you might say that," he replied, eyes downcast and with a dreary expression.

  "Where are you going?"

  "I have to meet with the members of VETOV. They want a full report about Alexander's demise."

  "Oh." My eyes flashed wide. "That group you work for."

  "I have not told them about you and I plan on leaving you out of this all together."

  "Thank you," I said, glad he was leaving me out of the equation.
I didn't want others in the supernatural world to know about me. I liked my human lifestyle, except for paying taxes. "If you're not going to mention anything about me, why did you ask me to go with you?"

  "I thought you might enjoy a real vacation in Europe."

  "In Europe?" I said excitedly. Damn. Now I really wanted to go.

  "I thought I would show you around when I was done meeting with them."

  "Ohhh, Drake…I'd love to go, but my boss would fire me if I left for a week or two. I don't have that much vacation time."

  "I could take care of that," he said, hinting at a mischievous smile.

  "No. That wouldn't be right." Oh, but it was tempting, very tempting. Why was I always playing by the rules?

  He pressed his forehead to mine. "You make it so difficult for me to leave." The dark centers of his eyes enlarged.

  I glided my hands up his solid chest. "So you have to leave, give them a report, and then you'll hurry back here and spend time with me. A lot of time with me?" We brushed our lips together, encouraging, tempting.

  "That is my plan." His nostrils fanned slightly. "You smell heavenly."

  "Burnt roses?"

  "Soft, delicate roses."

  "I'm going to be a very lonely girl when you're gone. But I'll be the happiest girl in the world when you return." I gently touched his enticing lips.

  "Don't worry. I'm going to give you enough love before I leave to keep you satisfied while I'm gone."

  He gave soft kisses to my chin and neck. Desire rose quickly. My nipples pebbled and the need between my legs lit up faster than a matchstick. My body begged for more of his cool touch. I longed to feel his flesh next to mine and feel him inside me. How on earth could I survive a couple weeks without him?

  "Drake," I breathed out with my head tilted back, enjoying his sweet nibbles on my neck. "I might have to go with you to Europe after all."

  He pressed his lips to mine and all my worries and doubts faded away. I was in heaven.

  The End

  www.mary-abshire.com

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