Catching an Evil Tail

by Mary Abshire

  I left the bathroom in the hotel-supplied white cotton robe. The bedroom door was shut, and the room quiet. Nothing had changed. For a brief moment, I wondered what Drake and Kuri were doing. Drake had almost severed Kuri's head to save me. That had to put a kink in their relationship.

  Feeling too tired to put on nighttime clothes, I kept the robe on and took a spot on the right side of the bed. I closed my eyes and, in little time, memories of the previous day flooded my mind. Drake and I were wrapped in each other's arms. We were happy and content. Then I'd stepped out of the room and found Kuri. Everything had changed.

  A soft tap on the door woke me from my light slumber. "Come in," I said as I sat up. I backed up against the pillows and headboard.

  Drake entered the room and shut the door behind him. Fearful of what the immediate future would bring, I inhaled a deep breath.

  He leaned against the dresser and folded his arms over his chest. "How are you feeling?" His gaze fixed on my scraped-up legs.

  "Fine," I replied. "Tired and sore, but I'll be fine."

  He studied me and I said nothing. Maybe it was the exhaustion weighing heaving upon me, but all I could do was stare back at him. I had so much in my head to tell him, but I didn't know where to begin. For once, I wished he could've read my mind.

  "I have a confession." He stepped away from the dresser and lowered his arms.

  "Oh?" My heart sped and I swallowed nervously as he drew near.

  "I have spent most of my vampire existence working for the VETOV." He paused and raked a hand through his brown hair, pushing it away from his face. "My focus has primarily been on investigating and monitoring vampires." He paused again and simply stared into my eyes.

  "Okay," I said, wondering where this conversation was heading. So far, nothing he'd said sounded like a confession.

  "What I'm trying to say is…I haven't been in a relationship with a woman for a long time. And I've never been in love until I met you."

  My breath hitched. This was not what I expected our discussion would be like. I thought he'd be angry with me, confirm our relationship was over, and agree to go our separate ways after meeting with the VETOV, if I survived. I never thought an eight-century-old vampire would be confessing he'd never been in love before.

  He continued. "I thought I was doing the right things, gaining your trust, trying to make our relationship work." He sat on the bed, but kept his distance from me. "But I failed, and I don't know how to fix it between us."

  I stared into the dark eyes I loved. "I was angry with you for not telling me right away about Kuri and the meeting with the VETOV. After you told me, I wasn't sure you would protect me in front of the others or where your loyalties would lie if they wanted me dead."

  Drake looked down at his hands. "I regret I did not inform you sooner. It was a mistake."

  After hearing his confession and recalling the night's events, I knew I'd been wrong about him, so very wrong. "I'm sorry too, Drake."

  He lifted his head. Pained eyes turned to me. "Do you love him?"

  "No!" I said faster than a bolt of lightning, knowing exactly who he was referring to. "No, I do not." My firm gaze held his attention.

  Love was not an emotion I held for Jeremy. Sure, the demon had a hot body and tempted the demon part of me in all the wrong ways, but I didn't feel love for him. He was too arrogant, too bold, too dominating. From the day we had met, his intentions were clear—he wanted me to have sex with him. How could I love a man knowing that his goal all along was to get me in bed with him? I cared for Jeremy, but my heart and soul yearned for another. Both pulled me to Drake.

  "But you need him," Drake said.

  "I need him because he's going to teach me how to fight. He's been a fighter since before Christ…well, his spirit has. And because of his ability—"

  "You feel safe with him."

  "Well…yes."

  Drake rose, then paced in front of the bed. "The demon would not hesitate to destroy us. He proved that tonight. He waits to make his move so he can claim you as his. I don't trust him, and I never will."

  "Maybe we can't all be friends, but we need to figure out a way to make this work because I'm scared. Thanks to Mr. Asian out there, your group of vampires thinks I'm dangerous. If they want me dead, then I need to defend myself. And if something happens to you, I want Jeremy watching my back. I am not going down without a fight."

  He stopped pacing. "You want me to forget about tonight and still bring him?"

  I slid my legs off the bed, then stood to face him. "Yes."

  Shaking his head, he started pacing again. "Kuri wants him dead. He will not allow Jeremy to go with us."

  I cursed Jeremy for making this difficult. Had he kept to himself and not attacked Kuri, we wouldn't be in this situation.

  Drake came to a halt in front of me. His face tightened. "Why did you kiss him?"

  "To seal our deal. That's all. He's going to train me up until the time we leave, and go with me to the meeting. I have to let him live with me during the training…" I lowered my head and slid my hands into the pockets of the white robe. How was I going to say “I have to dump you” without meaning it? Was there a way?

  "And?"

  I met his dark eyes. Not a single ounce of me wanted to do it, but I had to. Damn it, I had to. "He wants me to dump you."

  "Dump me?" One of his brows rose.

  "Break up with you. Say we aren't together anymore."

  "And you agreed with a kiss?" His eyes bore down on me.

  My heart suddenly weighed a ton. Nothing I could say would change the damage I had done. Tears filled my eyes. I closed them, then nodded.

  I heard a click from the door and opened my eyes. Drake was leaving.

  I collapsed on the bed and buried my face in the pillow. It was stupid of me to make the deal and agree to dump Drake. Stupid with a capital S. I could have said no. I could have not kissed Jeremy. I could have waited and talked to Drake. Had I done everything right, I wouldn't be alone. I wouldn't be afraid for my life and crying over the man I longed to be with.

  Tears fell over my cheek as I rose, then strode into the living room. The suite was empty and quiet. I grabbed my cell phone from my bag and dialed Sean's number.

  "Jessie?" Sean said, yawning. "Are you all right? What time is it?"

  "It's around five-thirty your time."

  Another yawn. "Is something wrong?"

  "I have a question I need to ask you." I paused, then asked, "Have you ever been in love with a woman, only to have that woman dump you, but not mean it?"

  "You woke me up at five-thirty in the morning to ask me this?" he asked groggy voice.

  Before he could complain, I sat down on the sofa and explained everything that had happened in the last two days—everything from my kidnapping, to Drake saving me, finding out about my meeting with the VETOV, not trusting Drake, making a deal with Jeremy, claiming a wolf's soul, and disappointing Drake. After thirty minutes of non-stop talking, I fell silent.

  "Are you awake?" I hoped my conversation hadn't put him to sleep. I didn't have the energy to tell him everything again. I twirled my long hair between my fingers.

  He cleared his throat. " I'm going to take some time off and come visit you."

  "Now isn't a good time. I have to leave in two weeks to meet with the VETOV."

  "When is the meeting?"

  "I'm not sure. I don't have all the details from Drake."

  "Is he there with you now?"

  "No, he walked out after I admitted that I agreed to break up with him."

  Sean sighed. "If he loves you, he'll be back. Love holds a special power, but don't abuse it."

  "That's it?" I asked, annoyed by the short answer. "That's your advice?"

  "Yes, and you need to get some rest. Give me a call when you return home. I want the details of your trip and you can fill me in on how things are working out."

  "All right." I groaned. "Get some sleep."

  I lowered the phone an
d watched his number flash on the screen. His advice gave me hope that Drake would return. Now, my big concern was what kind of mood he would be in. Had I officially ended our relationship?

  My thumb slid over my contact list. I thought of calling Dani, but I didn't want to wake her. Besides, I'd see her later in the day. I still needed to sit down and have a chat with her. Scrolling down farther, I saw Mark's name and number. The warlock from work said to call if I ever needed to talk. Well, this was as good a time as any. I dialed his number.

  "Hello?" Mark said, voice soft and scratchy.

  "Mark? It's Jessie. I'm sorry if I woke you."

  "Jessie?" His voice perked up. "Where are you? Is everything okay?" He yawned.

  "I'm fine…or maybe not. I sort of need to talk and you said—"

  "And I meant it, too." He cleared his throat. "I'm listening."

  With a wave of relief settling over me, I told him everything that'd happened over the weekend. I emphasized how I screwed up my relationship with Drake—not that I wanted myself to look bad, but I needed to hear a response from a man's point of view.

  "And I thought I had problems," Mark said once I fell silent.

  I chuckled. "So what do you think? Did I really screw up or what?"

  "Well, doing what is right and what you feel are not always the same thing," he said, and the words reminded me of something Sean would say. "If I were him, I would do everything to win you back."

  "Really?" I asked.

  "I was in love once."

  Intrigued, I said, "Oh, do tell."

  "I left her when I left home." He sounded gloomy, and I felt bad I'd asked for details.

  "I'm sorry."

  "We were together for four years. I loved her with all my heart. We both made mistakes and worked through them. I tried to convince her to come with me, but she refused to leave that lifestyle. So, I made a choice. It hurts to think about it, but I know I made the right decision."

  I leaned my head against the back of the sofa, thinking about Sean's words, and Mark's real-life love story. Love was indeed powerful and destructive. Had I hurt Drake badly enough that he would make a choice to take me or leave me? The thought filled me with dread.

  "So you think he'll come back?" I asked.

  "Definitely. He just needs time to think."

  "Thanks for listening to me," I said, and yawned.

  "Getting tired already?"

  "I've had a long day and night." I grumbled. "And I have a flight to catch later this morning. Speaking of which, any chance you could pick me up at the airport?"

  "Sure. What time?"

  "Three, I think. I can call you later after the plane lands."

  "Sounds good to me. I'll wait to hear from you."

  "Thanks again. I owe you."

  "I'll send you my bill."

  I smiled as I set the phone on the coffee table. Mark turned out to be a pretty decent guy. Every time I thought about him giving up his past for a better future, a somber feeling pressed upon my heart. It only lasted a few seconds. Respect and pride quickly lifted my spirit. He would fight through thick and thin to survive, and so would I. Guess we weren't too different.

  Yawning, I stretched my arms over my head. My flight home didn't leave until eleven forty-five, giving me plenty of time to rest and eat breakfast. I expected Drake would stay out, since the sun wouldn't rise for a few more hours. I had no idea how he was getting to Indy, but I was certain he had a plan.

  Body sore, I ambled toward the bedroom. I shut the door behind me, removed my robe, and crawled beneath the covers. The cool sheets soothed my skin as I nestled underneath them. I closed my eyes and made a wish for Drake's loving body to surround me.

  ****

  Lips touched my cheek while cool hands caressed my arm, tickling my skin. I remained motionless, lying on my stomach and enjoying his delicate touch. A hand skimmed over my shoulder and another gently shifted my hair to the side. He kissed the tip of my ear, down my neck, and to my shoulder. I smiled when his tongue glided along my heated flesh.

  "I love smelling you." Drake kissed my neck. "I love touching you, tasting you. I can never get enough." He planted kisses on my shoulder and back while he skimmed his hand down the side of my body, under my outstretched arm.

  "I won't stop you," I said as I opened my eyes. A soft glow from the light on the nightstand lit up the room.

  "Every bit of me wants you, body and soul. I want to be with you, Jessie. I want to take care of you and love you. I want you to be happy."

  I rolled over to face him. He lay under the covers with me, shirtless, but still wearing pants. I snuggled up to him and threaded my fingers through his hair.

  "You make me happy." I reveled in the softness of his hair and the feel of his body next to mine.

  He slipped his hand around my neck. "I'm going to prove to you just how much I want you. I'll convince the VETOV to wait so you can train with Jeremy. I will defend you, and we will walk away from them, together. I'll even pretend we're not lovers, but I need something from you in return."

  My heart drummed when he pressed his lips to mine. Sean and Mark were right. Drake truly loved me. He’d come back.

  After he ended the delicate kiss, I said, "Tell me what you need."

  "I want your love. I want you to say you feel the same way I feel for you. I want to know that you love me with your heart and soul. Can you do that?"

  Heat within me rose, spiking my temperature. Every thought in my head screamed, yes, do it. There wasn't a single ounce of me resisting.

  I gazed deep into his dark eyes. "I love you, Drake. I want you and only you, if you'll have me. Heart and soul, I love you and only you."

  Dark eyes filled with love and devotion. "I will have you, all of you."

  His strong lips claimed mine and drew me into a deep, passionate kiss. Ecstasy bloomed within me as our tongues lovingly and greedily stroked each other. My soul danced while my heart cheered rapidly. He was mine.

  Chapter Twenty-Eight

  "Ugh." I struggled to speak as Ryan squeezed the air out of me.

  "Oh, sorry." He chuckled and released me from his bear hug. "Sometimes I forget my own strength."

  We stood near one of the entrances to the airport, saying our goodbyes. The rumbles of low-flying planes thundered in the skies. Beads of sweat bubbled on the back of my neck from the few minutes we'd been standing in the heat.

  "You're a good guy, Ryan. Stay that way," I said.

  "Or you'll come get me?" he asked. "Maybe I should be bad." A smile spread across his face.

  "Thanks for everything." I smiled.

  In a way, he was like a brother to me. He'd intervened at just the right moments when I was with Jeremy, saving me from a lifetime of regret. I would miss Ryan dearly.

  "It was a pleasure." He kissed my cheek. "Don't let him fool you," he whispered in my ear.

  I was tempted to ask him which person he was referring to, Jeremy or Drake. I'd wager on the former.

  "Get your paws off my woman," Jeremy barked, but I could tell he was teasing.

  His color had improved some, but he still looked a bit pasty and un-rested. The dark splotches under his eyes revealed plenty. From experience, I knew healing from a broken neck was not any fun.

  "Brother, it's always good to see you," Ryan said, lifting an arm.

  "Likewise." Jeremy embraced him in a man-hug. "I'll give you a call soon."

  I gave a pat on Ryan's back. "Take care of yourself."

  After he finished his hug, he waved to me. "You do the same. Call me if you ever need anything, or just to vent your frustration with Jeremy."

  I laughed. "You'll be hearing from me soon."

  Jeremy grumbled as he placed his hand in the small of my back. "Come on. Let's get inside." He nudged me toward the door.

  I tugged on the handle of my luggage. "Do we need to check—"

  "I took care of it early this morning. We just need to pay for our bags," he said as we strolled through the ope
n doors.

  We stepped inside the noisy airport and a rush of cold air washed over me. I closed my eyes and delighted in soft breeze. The check-in lines were long, but I didn't care. At least we were in air-conditioning. Once I found our line, we parked and waited.

  "Did you hear anything about Alan?" I asked.

  "Ryan spoke to him briefly. He called to make sure you made it back safe."

  "Really?" I asked, shocked my safety crossed his mind when he was knocking on death's door.

  We moved up in the line. "Ryan told him you were fine."

  "Is he well?"

  Jeremy shrugged. "I didn't ask."

  I held onto hope that Alan wouldn't hold a grudge against me for asking Drake to save him. If I had known the trouble my decision was going to cause, would I have done the same thing? The answer was a definitive yes. In my opinion, saving his life was more important than not appearing weak to his pack. Besides, anyone who truly knew Alan knew he was far from feeble.

  After a fifteen-minute wait to get through the line, we checked in our luggage and headed for security. Once again, we waited like cattle in a herd. Ten minutes later, we passed through the metal detectors. By the time we made it to our gate, the plane had already started boarding.

  Energy within me swelled and my pulse quickened as we headed to board the plane. Drake and I had worked out our problems. Yes, we still had challenges, but we'd get through them. Our love made us strong. As if that weren't enough to fill me with happiness, I couldn't wait to get home and see Dani. I missed my best friend.

  The joy of returning home also brought anxiety. I had a lot of work to do before jetting off to a grand vampire gathering. I expected training with Jeremy would be difficult and tiring, yet survivable. Then, I worried about meeting the VETOV. There was no guarantee, even with Drake and Jeremy's help, that I would survive. It terrified me. For the time being, I pushed the fear aside and focused on the positives in my life.