by Mary Abshire
"Dani, can you just stop telling people about my ability? Please?" I pleaded calmly since arguing wasn't getting us anywhere.
"Yeah. No problem," she said sharply. "And don't worry about me asking about your ability again." She stormed past me, then out of the room.
The urge to yell curse words pressed upon me. I bit down on my lip to keep quiet. Had I chosen different words, perhaps our conversation could have ended better. I really needed to take a class to improve my communication skills
I returned to my desk and stared at the computer screen. My desire to work had evaporated since I'd pissed off my best friend. I wanted to be honest with her, but I didn't want my secrets revealed. I also didn't want to risk losing her.
My cell phone buzzed on my desk. Jeremy's name appeared on the screen. Reluctantly, I picked up the phone.
"Hello." I rose from my chair and headed back to the break room.
"Hello, love of my life," Jeremy said in his usual playful tone.
"I'm at work, Jeremy. What do you want?" The room was still empty. I headed toward the back window in case someone popped in.
"Well, aren't we grouchy today? What's the matter? Start your period?"
"Fuck you, Jeremy." I snapped. Panic shot through me and I swung around, hoping no one heard me. To my relief, the no one was in the vicinity.
"If I had a dollar for every time—"
"Whatever." I stopped him. "What do you want? I'm having a bad day, and I still have a lot of work to do before I leave."
"I wanted to give you our flight schedule. I'm leaving early Friday morning and should arrive around ten forty-five. Our flight from Indy to Phoenix—"
"Phoenix?" I blurted out, surprised. "I didn't realize we were traveling so far away."
"Their headquarters is in Phoenix and that's where the challenge is on the holiday."
"Okay," I said while staring out the window at the view of downtown.
"Everything is arranged. All you need to do is check in at the American Airlines ticket counter. The plane leaves at twelve-fifteen and we will arrive around three-thirty. Ryan will pick us up from the airport and take us to our hotel."
"Is it a nice hotel?"
"Very nice. It's called the Biltmore. Ryan's pack leader is paying the bill, so we can live it up while we stay there. I hear it has several nice pools, a spa, and fitness facility."
"When do we get back?" I asked, already wishing for that day.
"Monday afternoon. Our flight from Phoenix leaves late in the morning."
I spun to see if anyone was near. Seeing I was alone, I asked, "What happens if the Alpha doesn't win?"
"He will win."
"What if he doesn't?"
Heavy breath sounded over the connection. "We get you out of there and never look back."
My stomach knotted. "Jeremy, I don't think that will work. If we run, he'll pick up our scent. I'm not a genius in werewolf matters, but I'm betting he could track us down easily."
"I'll take care of it. Don't worry."
The knot tightened in my gut. His words were not instilling confidence. "Oh, so you want me to trust you like last time?" Regret was taking hold of me. I shouldn't have agreed to go.
"This is my chance to prove to you that you can trust me, so yes, you need to trust me when I say don't worry, I will handle it."
I leaned my forehead against the window. His steadfast confidence didn't ease my worries. If he was wrong, we could both end up mauled to death, or worse, running for our lives for God knows how long. Just when I thought the day couldn't get worse, it did.
"Is there anything special I need to bring with me?" I asked, lacking any excitement in my tone.
"Just your beautiful self."
I could visualize a smile on his face.
"All right. I need to get back to work. I'll see you on Friday."
"Bye, darling."
I ended the call, turned to leave, and nearly bumped into Mark.
"Jesus!" I blurted out.
"Sorry. I didn't mean to startle you."
I put my hand over my racing hart and waited a few seconds for it to calm. "How long have been standing there?"
He lifted a shoulder. "Not long. I came in to get a snack and saw you. Is everything okay?" He eyed me with suspicion.
Part of me wanted to vent my troubles and clear my conscience. Maybe Mark would understand me. But our friendship had just begun. He might have a sympathetic ear, but I didn't know him well enough to trust him with all my problems and fears. Not yet.
"I'm helping a friend, but I'm having doubts about it," I told Mark, suddenly weary.
"Is there anything I could help with?" he asked, somewhat hesitant.
I shook my head. "No, but thanks."
"Is he…?"
"A demon? Yes. And not my boyfriend."
"Oh." He arched his brows slightly.
"It's a long story. Maybe I'll share it one day with you." I headed for the door.
"Jessie," he said, and I gave him my attention.
"Can I see your phone?" he asked.
I drew my brows together as I looked at him curiously. Why did he want to see my phone?
He shortened the distance between us, then reached for the device. "May I?"
I handed it to him and watched as he held it in front of his face. His tapped the screen with his bony fingers. He had the hands of a pianist and his nails were extremely short.
"Here." He handed the phone back. "If you need to talk or just vent at any time, call me."
His name and number showed on the screen. I smiled. "Thank you, Mark."
"Anytime," he said, then strolled out of the room.
I returned to the window. The sun shined bright in the blue sky. Few people walked on the sidewalks. Traffic flowed smoothly. Life outside appeared peaceful. The change of scenery helped ease my worries, even if only for a little while.
My phone vibrated in my hand. Drake's name and number appeared on the screen. My heart jumped. Would he still be mad at me? I really hoped my day wasn't going deeper into the toilet.
I lifted the cell to my ear. "Hello."
"Jessie, please don't hang up on me," he said, his words edged with panic.
I hadn't expected such a response. I didn't know what to say, so my mouth hung open.
"We need to talk," he said.
"Okay." My thumping heart was ready to burst from my chest. Fear blossomed as I wondered if he wanted to break up with me since I refused to end my deal with Jeremy. I turned my back to the window and leaned my rear against it.
"I am deeply sorry if I made you angry the other night." His voice was soft and sincere.
I wanted to melt in his arms. "I'm sorry, too. I didn't intend to rile you." This was good. We were talking like normal. We would work through this. Our relationship would survive.
"Jeremy always has that effect on me," he said. "Have you received any more details about the challenge?"
"Yeah, actually, I just got them. The challenge is in Phoenix, and we're staying at a hotel called the Biltmore."
"Are you still planning to leave Friday?"
My boss walked into the room. He glanced at me before he approached the snack machine. Crap on toast, I had to end our conversation and get back to finishing my reports.
"That is the plan," I replied. "Listen, I have to run. I'm at work."
"Be careful, love."
Hearing him call me love made my knees weak. Damn, I missed him.
The line fell silent. A touch of sadness pressed upon me. I wished we could've said a few more words. I wished I'd had the chance to explain about the deal. Lately, it seemed as if there was no time for words because time was passing too quickly.
"Jessie, how is my report coming?" my boss asked.
I took a deep breath. "I'm working on it."
"I need it by four," he said.
"I'll have it ready." I strode back to my desk. It was official—time was not on my side. The Rolling Stones had it wrong.
Traffic crawled on the interchange. It didn't matter which lane I was in since none of them moved to my liking. A police vehicle had sped by earlier in the far left side of the road. If there was a car accident ahead, my twenty minute drive home would easily double since everyone had to pause and peek at the scene. I never braked to look. If the crash didn't involve me, why bother? I had places to be and things to do. The news could provide the details later. Get out of my way, nosy drivers.
Annoyed by the turtle pace I was forced to drive, I placed my elbow on the side of the door and rested my head in my hand. Dani pressed the buttons on the radio, searching for a station. The quick switch from country, to rock, to rap, to discussion drove my headache to a higher level, but I stayed mute. I didn't want to start another argument, especially since she was angry with me. She hadn't spoken a word since our heated discussion in the break room.
Part of me felt the need to apologize for what I'd said earlier. The other part of me said I should give her time to cool down. If I told her the truth now about what I am, she would probably kick me out. No need to add fuel to the fire.
Following a long wait on the interstate, I finally managed to drive us home. Dani had spoken a few words to vent her frustration and I agreed with her each time. The tension between us seemed to be fading. Our problems weren't over, but at least we were starting to talk normal again.
I turned onto the parking lot and slowed while I searched for a spot. A large truck took up the parking spaces in front of the door to our apartment.
"Looks like we might have new neighbors," I said.
Dani stared at the movers as they unloaded furniture from the truck. "I guess so."
I parked on the side facing away from the building. Dani exited the car before I had the key out of the ignition. I sighed and pushed open the door. Maybe she wasn't done being mad at me after all.
The door to our apartment building was propped wide open. A woman with blondish-brown hair carried a large box in her arms and strode inside. Dani stood in the grass and was talking to a young woman I didn't recognize. She had long, dark hair with amber highlights. Her attention shifted as I approached.
Dani turned to me. "Jessie, this is Ashley, one of our new neighbors."
Ashley offered her hand and smiled. I accepted her greeting.
"Nice to meet you," I said as a slight zing crawled up my arm.
She held a grin and didn't say anything.
"Are you sure you don't need any help?" Dani asked.
"Thank you, but we're almost done," Ashley replied.
The woman who had gone inside with a box earlier reappeared from the building. She was a little shorter and curvier than Ashley was. She headed straight for us.
"Hello," she said as she came to a stop next to Ashley.
"Jennifer, this is Dani." Ashley gestured toward Dani, then pointed to me. "And this is Jessie. They're our next door neighbors."
Jennifer extended her hand. Dani shook it first. When I touched her, the same zing I'd felt from Ashley hit me again. Needless to say, we didn't shake hands for long.
"Are you both from Indy?" Dani asked.
Ashley curled her arm around Jennifer's waist. "We are. We had an apartment downtown, but the rent was outrageous. We decided to move away from the city, but stay within the boundaries."
"Have you lived here long?" Jennifer's gaze darted from Dani to me.
"I grew up here," Dani said. "Jessie moved here a couple years ago."
"Oh?" Ashley said. She appraised me with curious eyes. "And where did you move from?"
"Different places," I replied, and left it at that.
Ashley and Jennifer were not typical humans. The surge of energy when we shook hands told me plenty. They were supernatural. If I guessed right, they knew I wasn't human, too. Until I knew more about them, I wasn't going to divulge personal information.
"I have an idea…" Dani's tone and bright smile revealed her excitement. "Why don't you come over to our place and have dinner with us? I'm sure you're exhausted from moving."
"Dani," I said a bit loudly. They all looked to me. I lowered my voice. "Maybe they would prefer to come over after they have had a chance to settle in." It was a subtle suggestion, one I hoped Dani would catch.
Dani turned to Ashley and Jennifer. "If you want to come over another time, that's fine, too. I thought you might want to come over and relax for a while before you get too busy unpacking."
Damn it, she didn't take my hint. Her outgoing and nosy personality was in full control, and it seemed I had no way of stopping her.
Our two new neighbors smiled at each other. Ashley nodded, then they both faced us.
"We would love to join you, if it's not a problem," Ashley said.
I bit my tongue to keep from arguing. It wouldn't have mattered what I said. Dani would have found a way to convince them to come over, and they seemed as if they wanted to visit regardless of anything. A feeling in my gut told me they were curious to learn more about me. I too wanted to find out more about them, but I could've waited.
"Oh, it's no problem," Dani said. "Do you like spaghetti?"
"We love it," Ashley said.
"Great," Dani said. "Is six-thirty good?"
"It's perfect," Ashley replied.
"All right. We'll see you then," Dani said, then headed for the entrance to the building.
Sighing, I walked behind Dani. I really didn't want our new neighbors to step one foot into our personal living space. Their energy was similar to that of a warlock's, which suggested they used magic and spells. That type of energy meant one thing. They were witches. And now they were my neighbors.
What a week I'd had. I gained a warlock co-worker this week. Now witches were moving in next door. The chance of my demon identity staying hidden would be impossible.
Dani opened the door to our apartment. I followed her inside, then secured the locks. I was heading toward the hall, but before I'd made it half way across the living room, Dani stopped me by grabbing my arm.
"Hey, what do you think of them?" she asked.
I half shrugged. "They seem nice." Even though they're witches.
"Will you help me cook later?" she asked.
"Sure. Until then, I'm going to rest for a bit." My brain needed a time-out to calm my headache.
"Great. I'll check our website and e-mail for any new investigation requests. I'll wake you when it's time." She disappeared down the hall.
I strolled into my dark room and shut the door. The ache in my head was growing. I plopped down on my bed and hid my face in my hands. Why was life throwing me these curve balls?
Witches, fucking witches. I didn't trust them at all. My mother wanted to be a witch. She once trusted other witches. They used her and drove her to commit suicide. To say they were one of my least favorite supernatural creatures was a mild understatement.
If Drake were around, he'd comfort me. He'd assure me everything would be okay. And even better, if Drake were with me, we'd have sex all night long. I needed Drake.
I crawled back on my bed until I reached the pillow. Then I closed my eyes. I wished I knew more about all supernatural creatures instead of the basics. Since I stayed away from them most of my life, I didn't know full details about them. Keeping out of sight had been good in some ways, but bad in others. Now that I was encountering more of them, I needed to know the good, the bad, and the ugly. But first, I needed sleep.
****
Dani woke me shortly after six. The catnap had perked me up and eased my headache. But what I really needed was a drink. Liquor—and lots of it— would drive away my worries and frustrations, for a little while anyway. With company due to arrive soon, I left the tranquility of my room and swallowed an imaginary kindness pill to help me deal with my new neighbors.
In the kitchen, I found a large pot and a small one on the stove. I stopped in front of the burners. Water boiled in the big pot and the smaller one sat empty. A jar waited on the c
ounter. Without asking if she needed help, I twisted the knob for the burner beneath the little pan.
Dani entered the kitchen. "Do you recall the inquiry I sent to the Burgess home?" She sprinkled salt into the water.
"About the big house near downtown?" I twisted the lid on the jar and it popped open.
"Yeah, the house where slaves and whores were murdered."
"Sure, I remember." I poured the sauce into the pot.
"The owners are going to let us investigate it in a week or two."
Dani avoided eye contact with me. Although we were talking, it seemed she was still upset.
"Oh, that's good," I said, trying to sound chipper.
She dumped the hard pasta into the boiling water. "I'll have to call Lester and Kyle to see when they are available."
"How many people died in the house?" I asked before I added garlic and a few special seasonings to the sauce.
Sometimes I had difficulty sending evil souls to Hell. If the soul belonged to a cruel person who'd murdered a large amount of people, that spirit often fought going to Hell. The vampire I claimed in Chicago was a prime example. He’d killed for centuries and had a particular interest in children. I nearly choked to death trying to prevent his soul from escaping. But if the evil spirit belonged to someone who killed a few, they tended to flow down my throat with ease. Whenever we were going on an investigation, I liked to prepare for the soul I would encounter.
"No one knows. There aren't any records proving people died in the house," Dani said, stirring the pasta.
I frowned while I stirred the sauce. I hated showing up and not knowing how evil the spook was. "How do we know the owners are telling the truth?"
She tapped the plastic spoon on the pot. "There are articles from people claiming they saw ghosts—not the same ghost, but multiple ones. The current owners have seen many, too."
"And they still live there?"
"I would. They're just ghosts," she replied frankly. "Wouldn't you?"
I wouldn't live with spirits running wild. Hell no. Once I sent them to Hell, sure, I could live in the home.
"I wouldn't live there if the spooks were causing problems. Some of them are nasty," I said. In truth, they all were. I had yet to meet a good spirit, and if I were to guess, it was because the good ones ended up in Heaven.
