Catching an Evil Tail

by Mary Abshire

  Jeremy sat by the window this time. He buckled, then lowered the shade halfway. The demon needed more rest and I wouldn't interfere. He stretched out his legs and leaned back. First class did have its benefits—more legroom, comfortable leather seats, and space.

  "Maybe you should take a nap," I said as I stuffed my purse under the seat in front of me.

  "And miss time with you?" He shook his head. "Never."

  I grinned, not at all surprised by his statement. Death wouldn't stop him from trying to get to me, which, in a way, was frightening in and of itself.

  While we waited for the plane to take off, I fished the book from my purse. It was a romance I'd purchased from the used bookstore before I'd left home.

  "Did you talk to Drake?" Jeremy interrupted me before I finished the second page.

  I lifted my head. "Yes, we talked this morning." I shut my book, keeping my finger between the pages. "He'll be in touch in a few days with the details."

  "Did you tell him everything?"

  I hesitated, considering the right words to say. As part of our agreement, he wanted me to break up with Drake, which I had. But my deal with Jeremy didn't specify how long we had to remain separated. A little detail the demon hadn’t caught, and I wasn't going to bring up, yet. After the great sex Drake and I had earlier, we discussed getting back together as soon as we returned home from our meeting with the VETOV. Jeremy wouldn't like it, but my plan was not a breach of our agreement. Still, if I wanted to avoid adding additional conflict to our already-intense relationship, keeping my intentions a secret would be in my best interest.

  "I told him you were going to live with me, and train me to fight."

  The corner of his lips curled into a smile. "What did he say?"

  "He walked out on me." It wasn't a lie. He had walked out on me.

  "That's it?" He eyed me suspiciously.

  "He came back later." I shrugged. "We talked more and agreed to break up." Again, not a lie.

  The flight attendant interrupted our conversation. She gave the typical spiel on what to do in an emergency. After she finished, the plane prepared for takeoff. I twisted around to face Jeremy.

  "He agreed to break up?" he asked, obviously skeptical.

  "Well, yeah." I sighed, anticipating the start of an argument.

  "No. No way." He shook his head. "I don't buy it for a second. He wouldn't give you up that easily."

  I folded the corner of my page and set the book on the side of my leg. "Do you want to call and ask him?"

  He laughed. "Yeah, like I would believe him."

  "Then what? I'm telling you the truth. I wouldn't breach our deal." I crossed my arms.

  "No. You wouldn't. You're too smart for that."

  "Then we don't have a problem. Do we?" I questioned with a pointed glare.

  He took a deep breath. "Prove to me you broke up with him."

  "What?" The single word came out in a soft yet harsh tone.

  He sat up in his seat and leaned forward. "Let's take a visit to the bathroom."

  My temper rose. "Fuck you, Jeremy. I'm not having sex with you to prove anything. Just because I broke up with him doesn't mean I'm interested in you. I kissed you to seal our deal. There's nothing more between us."

  "I can change that."

  "Yeah, right," I mumbled.

  "You kissed me at the party and liked it. You kissed me when I tucked you into bed Saturday morning and I know you enjoyed it."

  I clenched my jaw. Why did I have a feeling he’d committed all our kisses to memory? And why did I suspect he would continue to mention them as if it would change anything?

  I shrugged. "So what? I kissed you because I was drunk Saturday. The other kiss was to close our deal."

  "Okay," he said, brows high. "Kiss me then."

  "Kiss you again?"

  "No harm in kissing, if you really did break up."

  He stared at me, waiting for my reaction. I really didn't want to kiss him, but I needed him to believe me. And technically, Drake and I had broken up, albeit temporarily. In my heart, my love was for Drake and nothing could change that.

  "Fine," I said, unfolding my arms.

  The plane rounded a curve for the runway. Engines revved up as Jeremy crowded my face. As the plane accelerated, I slid my hand around his neck and joined our lips.

  From the moment our lips connected, our tongues entwined in a heated passion. His energy rushed into me, warming my insides and fueling me with a longing for more. The plane lifted off the ground and the kiss intensified, becoming needy and consuming. If I didn't stop soon, I knew I might not be able to at all. When he slid his hand onto one of my breasts, my defenses went up. Three things happened at once: I removed his hand, broke the kiss, and nudged him back.

  "Enough," I said.

  "Just a little more. I promise it will be worth it." He lowered his gaze to my chest.

  I returned to facing the seat in front of me. "No. And you can't change my mind."

  He fell back into his seat with a soft groan. "You're such a tease. The least you could do is give me a blow job."

  I laughed. "Go jerk off in the bathroom. My lips will never touch that."

  Jeremy shook his head as he stretched out his legs again. "I'm going to make a liar out of you one day."

  Ignoring him, I picked up the book again and found the page with the creased corner. He wanted proof I'd broken up with Drake, so I gave it to him. Did he really think I would have sex with him now that I was free? He was a sneaky demon with only his best interest at heart. Sure, he made my insides tingle with desire, but I didn't love him and never would. Drake had captured my heart.

  We kept quiet for the rest of the plane ride. I read my book while Jeremy fidgeted in his seat. He stared out the window, watched me read, then flirted with the flight attendant. As long as he didn't bother me, I didn't care what he did. When the pilot indicated we were preparing to land, Jeremy finally spoke.

  "Are you going back to work tomorrow?" he asked.

  "Yes. I have to."

  "I'll hit the road in the afternoon and try to reach your place by six."

  That left me with a full day without him. I silently cheered.

  "So we'll start training right away?" I gathered my purse, then dropped the book inside it.

  "We'll have to. Two weeks isn't nearly enough time, so every minute will count," he said. "What time do you go to work in the mornings?"

  "I get up at six and start work at seven-thirty."

  "We'll train until three—"

  "Three a.m.?" I asked, shocked.

  "Three hours of sleep should be plenty for you. If you want to learn how to fight, then these are my rules."

  With a heavy sigh, I turned away from him. He’d warned me I would hate him. He was right. Surviving on three hours of sleep per day would be a major challenge.

  "Are you going to talk to Dani?" he asked.

  I nodded. "Yeah, she deserves the truth. And I can't hide anymore, especially now that you're staying with me, or us, and we'll be leaving for Europe in two weeks. If she wants to kick me out, I suppose now would be the time."

  "You can live with me if she kicks you out," he said with a hearty grin.

  The plane began its descent. Lights above our heads flickered and soft dings alerted us to look at the signs.

  "I'll take that into consideration," I said, while thinking pigs would fly before I took him up on that particular offer.

  The plane landed with a soft bump, then cruised down the runway. We stared out the window, watching the other planes and carts go by. The plan finally rolled into one of the vacant terminal spots, then stopped. I gathered my purse as the attendants prepared for us to leave. Anxiety returned, but I held it back. I had too much to do besides worry about the challenges I had to face.

  Jeremy and I were one of the first off the plane. As I walked up the long walkway, the warmth and humidity reminded me I had indeed returned home. I wished I had worn shorts instead of jeans, but m
y scratched and bruised legs were nasty eyesores.

  Past the door, we strolled into the cool airport. I clutched my purse and stopped off to the side.

  "So, I'll see you tomorrow then," Jeremy said.

  "Yep."

  "Do I get a kiss goodbye?" The corners of his mouth curled with the question.

  I stepped back. "You had one earlier, and that's it."

  "Oh, come on." He whined like a little boy, his arms outstretched.

  I waved my hand. "See you tomorrow, unless you change your mind."

  He lowered his arms. "Not a chance."

  Yeah, I didn't think so. Smiling, I spun around and left him.

  As I headed for the baggage claim area, I called Mark to let him know I'd made it back into town. The warlock said he'd pick me up within fifteen minutes. I had just enough time to grab my luggage and find my way outside to the customer pick-up area.

  For the longest time, I waited in front of the conveyor. The stupid machine spit out luggage, but not mine. Patience growing thin, I crossed my arms and tapped my foot on the shiny floor. Nearly ten minutes later, my bag rolled into view. I snatched it, then tugged it behind me as I left the pleasant air-conditioned airport.

  Parked cars blocked my view while thick diesel fumes made me want to choke. I walked along the edge of the sidewalk, holding my breath and looking for a spot where Mark could pull over. I'd nearly reached the next set of exit doors when I heard a car honk. I turned and saw Mark getting out of a dark sedan. I headed toward him.

  "Hey there," I said, glad to see him. I tugged my bag down from the curb.

  Dressed in loose jeans and an oversized t-shirt, he strolled to the back of his car. "Just one?" He propped the trunk lid.

  "Yep." I shoved the handle down.

  He snatched the bag from me before I could lift it.

  "Thanks," I said, and smiled. Such a gentleman.

  After he loaded my bag, we hopped into his Toyota. The car was clean and had one of the little air fresheners dangling from the rearview mirror. It smelled like fresh linen.

  "Thanks for coming to get me. I appreciate it."

  "Glad to help." He pulled away from the pickup lane. "How was your flight?"

  "Fine. I am so glad to be home." I leaned back in the seat and stretched my legs.

  The air conditioner was on high and felt good against my heated skin.

  "Did your boyfriend show up this morning?" he asked, peering at me from his glasses.

  "Yeah, he did, and we broke up."

  His eyes grew and held an expression of surprise. "Oh, I'm—"

  "It's okay," I said. "It's temporary so I don't breach the deal I have with Jeremy. Once we come back from Europe, Drake and I are getting back together."

  Shaking his head, he leaned back in his seat and gripped the steering wheel. "It sounds complicated."

  "It is." I sighed.

  After a short drive, Mark dropped me off at the entrance of my apartment building. The thin warlock was kind enough to carry my bag to the sidewalk for me. Before he left, I gave him a twenty and thanked him again for all his help. He smiled and told me the bill for his advice was in the mail.

  I strolled into the apartment with my luggage rolling behind me. Dani came out of the kitchen and stopped at the edge of the living and dining room. Her eyes sparkled, and she had a wide smile on her face. I let go of my bag and set my purse on the coffee table. Grinning, I rushed toward her with my arms outstretched.

  "I'm so glad to be home." I hugged her tightly. "I missed you so much."

  Dani squeezed me back. "Girlfriend, I worried about you all weekend. I had a horrible dream something bad happened to you. I almost called."

  She’d had a dream about me? How odd was that? I took a step back. "Dani, we need to talk."

  She took a deep breath. "You just got home. Can it wait?"

  "I've put it off long enough. I need to get this off my back."

  Her brows lifted. "Is it that bad?"

  "Sit." I pointed toward the sofa.

  Dani sat down in the middle. She curled one leg under the other. I sat down near the edge and twisted sideways to face her.

  She clasped her hands in her lap. "Please tell me you aren't moving out."

  "No. Not unless you want me to."

  "Why would I want you to? You're my best friend. We're going to argue at times. All friends do."

  "Well, you may change your mind after what I tell you."

  Her eyes narrowed. "Is it Nick? I know he likes you. I won't be mad if you slept with him. Hell, maybe we can talk him into a threesome."

  Part of me wanted to laugh. The other part of me feared she was serious. Knowing Dani, it was probably the latter. I took in a deep breath and smelled something wonderful cooking in the kitchen.

  "It's not about Nick, and I never slept with him."

  She smiled. "I'd still—"

  "Dani," I said, and she shut her mouth. I really didn't want to hear the rest of what she was about to say. "I need to tell you something about me, and I hope you can keep it a secret, for my sake."

  She widened her eyes. "Oh, blackmail material, sure…" She grinned and crossed her arms. "I can keep a secret."

  I hesitated for a moment, but I knew telling her the truth was the right thing to do. So I took a deep breath, then laid it all out on the table. I revealed I was a half- demon. I told her about my mother and the journal. I told her about Sean, Drake, Jeremy, Mark, and the witches next door. The entire time I was talking, she sat as still as a mouse with wide eyes and she never interrupted. When I finished, she just stared at me.

  "You're telling me the truth, aren't you?" she asked.

  I marveled at how calm she seemed. "Yes, and I'm telling you because I love you, and I don't want to hide it from you anymore."

  "So, your boyfriend is a vampire. And Jeremy is a demon."

  "Yes." I'd held off telling her about the VETOV and how Jeremy was going to stay with us while he trained me. One thing at a time.

  She twisted around and faced the blank television. Body still, she stared blindly ahead.

  "Dani?" I began to think I'd freaked her out so much that she was going into shock.

  She looked at me. "Are they…dangerous?"

  "Jeremy and Drake? Not really, but they can be toward each other." I inhaled deeply. "If I thought they were dangerous, I wouldn't let them walk past the front door."

  "And Mark…he's a warlock?"

  "Yes, but he doesn't want anyone to know. It's very important you don't say a word."

  She blinked. "Jennifer and Ashley are witches?"

  I nodded. "Yes. We need to be very careful around them. They are not to be trusted." I had to remain firm on that point. Dani tended to trust too easily.

  She turned and stared ahead again. Her distant reaction worried me. I reached over, rested a hand on her shoulder. She turned to face me.

  "Are you okay?" I asked.

  She shook her head. "I can't believe we've been living together all this time…"

  Dread crept up within me. Maybe she wasn't as open-minded as I had thought.

  "I'm sorry I didn't tell you before. I didn't want anyone to know, human or non-human. Most of my life, I've been trying to stay hidden. Then Drake found me. I stayed with him in Chicago to help him. Then I ran into Jeremy. He wanted me to help his werewolf friend—"

  "Werewolves?" She stared at me, eyes wide. "You know werewolves, too?"

  "I do now," I replied. Unfortunately. "My point is, I can't keep hiding. I can't pretend I'm normal like everyone else. When we first met, I didn't want you to think I was a freak and kick me out. I wanted you to like me for who I am, not what I am."

  "So…you went to Chicago to help Drake and you went to Phoenix to help Jeremy? Help them do what?"

  I took in a deep breath and hoped this wouldn't freak her out more. "I catch souls and send them to Hell."

  Her eyes stared right through me.

  "In Chicago, Drake destroyed this evil vampire
, and I claimed his soul. In Phoenix, I took the soul from a bad werewolf."

  "You send souls to Hell?" Her eyes were as wide as saucers.

  I nodded. I really hoped I didn't need Drake to manipulate her mind and bring her back to normal.

  "How long have you been doing this?"

  "Well, since college."

  "Have you done it when we go on investigations?"

  I lowered my head. "Yes. I hated lying to you. I really did." I lifted my gaze. "I'm deeply sorry."

  She looked away from me. "Wow. I mean…wow."

  "I hope you can find it in your heart to forgive me. I'm not going to lie to you anymore. I promise you that," I said, adamant.

  She sat quiet, which was unusual for her. I waited patiently for her response, hoping for forgiveness and ongoing friendship.

  "I always believed in supernatural beings, but I never thought"—she shook her head—"I never thought I would be living with one." She stood and walked around the coffee table.

  "Where are you going?" I asked as she headed for the kitchen. I watched her, not knowing what to do. I couldn't tell if she was okay, angry, or in complete shock.

  "I made dinner for us. It should be done."

  I got up and followed her. "So…are you okay with me still living here?"

  She stopped in front of the oven and slid on a mitt. "Yeah, why wouldn't I be?"

  Now I was in shock. "I thought you might be angry with me," I said. "I lied to you."

  She removed a glass dish from the oven, then set it on the stove. After she slipped off the oven mitt, she pulled the foil back from the dish. The delicious aroma of meatloaf drifted to my nose. A pang of hunger made my stomach grumble.

  "I understand why you didn't tell me right away. It all makes sense now." She met my eyes. "And you're right, I probably would have freaked out at first. In the three years we've lived together, I've come to know you're a good person. You wouldn't hurt anyone."

  "You're not the least bit angry?" I asked, stunned, yet pleasantly surprised.

  She grinned. "I can't be. Not now."

  Her willingness to accept what I was and could do blew me away. Something had to be wrong.

  I placed my hands on my hips. "You're not going to start filming me and put it on YouTube, right?"

  She grinned. "I hadn't thought of that. Now that you mention it—"