Freedom From the Evil Dead Read online

  "Have faith, Jessie."

  I wanted to have faith, but his promises held no value against the VETOV. He couldn't change my mind, and I couldn't change his. Our time together was decreasing fast. I couldn't continue to cry and be sad. If he was going to leave soon, then I wanted to cherish every minute in his loving arms with his bare flesh against mine.

  "I will return. You have my word." He tightened his embrace.

  I grazed my lips up to his. "Make love to me, Drake."

  He gently kissed me. "What about your dinner?"

  Food was far from my mind. "It can wait. I want to show you how much I love you." My efforts might not persuade him to stay, but I was going to try.

  A smile started to form on his face. "I know how much you love me, but you can still show me. I never tire of your love."

  Having said enough, he lifted me up in his arms, then carried me downstairs to the bedroom. With each step he took I thought about a way to keep him chained to the bed. Surely I could find a way to keep my vampire lover from leaving.

  Chapter Two

  Three years later

  Heat from the vents kept the windows from fogging while I sat in my Mercedes, watching the auto shop Kyle worked at. I parked across the street, far enough not to be noticed, but close enough to see who came and went. Snowflakes half the size of a baby pea trickled from the sky. The late March weather was typical for Indianapolis. A month ago, I had to drive through eighteen inches to stake out his place of business. The little bit of snow currently falling was much easier to deal with.

  Kyle stepped out of the building and spoke to someone inside. He hadn't changed much from the last time I'd seen him, over five years ago. He kept his hair short, wore jeans and a leather jacket. His earrings glimmered when a light hit them just right. He still lived alone and worked at the same place. After following and watching him for the last thirty days, I was confident he didn't have a vampire tracking him.

  A growl from my stomach reminded me it was time for dinner. The clock showed five minutes past six in the evening. All the fast food joints would be busy. I'd wait to grab a bite to eat later.

  Kyle strode down the sidewalk, then around the building to the flat lot. He settled into his old red Toyota, revved the engine, then backed out of the parking spot. After he passed by, I straightened in my seat and shifted the gear.

  "Where are we going tonight, Kyle?" I said to myself. "Let me guess, take-out from your favorite Asian restaurant, then home." The routine was all too familiar. He'd done it at least twice a week. I could never handle that much Chinese food.

  I followed him at a distance like I normally did. Out of habit, I consistently checked my mirrors to make sure no one was following me. Kyle stopped to get food as I had predicted. I waited in the drugstore lot across from the small restaurant. After he picked up his order, he continued to his apartment. I parked on the side of another unit. As he entered his building, I cut my engine and leaned back.

  I took a deep breath and reached for the phone lying on the passenger seat. Nervous energy flowed through me. I'd been hesitant to contact him after two weeks of surveilling him. Now it seemed I was more tentative. Why? I couldn't figure it out. Perhaps it was because we hadn't spoken in over five years. Maybe because I hadn't had any contact with anyone I trusted in the same amount of time. It could also be possible that I feared putting his life in danger. Drake hadn't contacted me in three years, three months, and sixteen days. If my biggest supporter, lover, and protector couldn't reach me, then I doubted anyone I knew was safe from the VETOV.

  My hand shook slightly as I held the cheap cell phone. The last thirty days had revealed nothing out of the ordinary. The people he interacted with were mostly customers and coworkers. At the grocery store, he acquired a few onlookers but they were either old or young women. His tattoos and piercings had often attracted attention. By all accounts, he appeared safe to contact. Yet, fear still drilled deep into my mind.

  I suppressed the worry and dialed his number. The digits were already listed in the phone. I'd entered them a few weeks ago when I first thought about contacting him.

  The phone rang three times before he answered. "Hello?"

  Holding the cell to my ear, I opened my mouth, but nothing came out.

  "Hello?" he asked.

  I pressed my eyes shut. "Kyle."

  There was silence, then he said softly, "Jessie?"

  My heart raced and I opened my eyes. I said the first words I could think of. "How are you?"

  "Is it really you? I…I…fuck me," he said.

  I didn't know if I should laugh or cry. Both were on the cusp of happening.

  "It's really me. I can't talk long," I said.

  "Where are you?"

  "I happen to be in town for a few days. Can you meet me alone somewhere?"

  "Yeah, yeah. Just tell me where."

  "Remember that barn we investigated years ago during the summer. There were the raccoons—"

  "Yeah." He chuckled.

  "Can you meet me there in three hours?" The barn sat on a piece of land at least a mile from the closest house. It was the most secluded spot I could think of. And I wanted to give him time to enjoy his dinner before making the hour-long drive.

  "Sure. I can meet you there," he said, his tone laced with a hint of excitement.

  "Great. I'll see you in three hours from now."

  "Jessie?"

  I paused. "Yeah?"

  "I've missed you."

  My heart swelled. We'd once been lovers—nothing special, just good friends and great sex. But that was in the past.

  "I miss you, too. See you soon."

  I ended the call, then started the engine of the vehicle. Before I backed out, I sat still to allow my nerves to calm. I'd contacted him and would meet him face to face shortly. It had been so long since I'd talked to a friend. Too long. The urge to cry besieged me. I pressed my lips and fought back. I'd spent enough nights shedding tears. The time had come to step out of hiding. And if the coast was clear with Kyle, then I would try to find Dani.

  I drove out of the apartment complex with a sense of joy flowing through me. Kyle couldn't offer much help, but at this point in my life, I'd take any I could get. I couldn't wait to see my friend.

  * * *

  I arrived at the old, weather-beaten barn earlier than expected. What could I say? I was anxious. I hadn't seen Kyle in over five years. I needed to make sure the area was safe. We had a lot of catching up to do.

  I parked in the back and left the key in the ignition. Carrying my small backpack, I surveyed the area. The cold weather kept the bugs from buzzing. Above me, the dark sky was clear. Stars sparkled and a quarter of the moon shone brightly. Although I wore a thin long-sleeved black shirt under a black vest and jeans, I was comfortable in the cold climate. My demon blood kept me warm.

  I pried the door open and it squealed horribly. I remembered the awful sound from the first time I'd visited the haunted place. With a large enough gap, I slipped inside the building.

  The stench of rot and gasoline hit me so fast I covered my nose with my arm. Thankfully, I hadn't stopped to grab a bite to eat before I arrived. If I had, I would've expelled it. Gaps in the ceiling gave me enough visibility to walk the center of the barn. I surveyed the rest of the inside and it appeared not much had changed from my last visit. More wood planks were missing from above and on the sides. I spotted the source of the fuel smell—four large gasoline containers near the door. I wondered if someone was going to torch the old building. No raccoons were in sight, which was a bonus. I was ready to fight a vampire, but not a furry, four-legged creature.

  I dropped my bag, then withdrew the knife from the side. I pressed a small button and the sharp blade shot out with a clicking sound. I felt confident I wouldn't need the weapon, but better safe than sorry. I tucked the blade back inside the casing, then hid the knife in the pocket of my vest.

  With time to kill, I sat on the floor and rummaged through my backpack.
I found a protein bar and ate it. I wasn't hungry much anyway. The excitement of meeting Kyle had taken my appetite away, not that I had much of one to begin with. I'd lost weight over the last three years while I waited for Drake. Food didn't appeal to me, yet I knew I had to consume something to stay healthy and strong.

  While I chomped on the small bar, I flipped through the pages of my notebook. Drake had given me names and contact information for the people he had trusted. I'd considered reaching out to them many times. The big problem was that I didn't know if they were vampires or not. My lack of trust in the bloodsuckers had escalated when Drake failed to show at each of the meeting places he'd scheduled. Since I was unsure about the people on his list, I decided to avoid them. My odds of surviving were better without them.

  Scrolling down the names, I saw Alan Vandett, the Alpha I'd helped in Arizona years ago. Alan had assisted Drake and me with a werewolf problem when we were living in Alaska. I'd almost called him a few months ago. But the last news I'd read revealed he'd married and produced two children. For a while, I had thought he and Dani would stay together. But my best friend had never been the type to stick with the same man for more than six months. Regardless, the fact that he had a wife and kids now made me less inclined to contact him. There was no way I could put his family in harm's way.

  Lights shone through the spaces in the walls, capturing my attention. I tucked the notebook back inside my bag, then stood. The low hum of an engine and the crunching of rocks on the road indicated someone was approaching. I peeked through one of the gaps. The vehicle curved, then stopped. It was a red sedan.

  I withdrew my cell from my left vest pocket, then checked the time. The late hour showed I had twenty minutes before my meeting. Tucking the phone back inside, I watched the car. When Kyle pushed open the door, my heart leapt.

  My pulse raced. I took a few steps back to calm myself. I'd waited so long to talk to someone, an old friend I could rely on, a buddy I could trust. Now that the time had arrived, I didn't know what to say. Where would I begin?

  The barn door squealed as Kyle tugged on it. He stepped inside and headed toward me.

  "Jessie?"

  I moved to a spot where the moonlight spilled into the barn. "It's me."

  He moved toward me slowly. "You look so…different."

  I ran a hand through my shoulder-length locks. "I've had to change my appearance. But I'm still the same person."

  He came to a halt a few feet from me. "Fuck me."

  I couldn't help but chuckle.

  "What happened? Where have you been?" he asked.

  I tossed my arms up slightly. "Everywhere. And nowhere."

  He shook his head. "Screw it." He rushed forward and threw his arms around me.

  The tight hug surprised me. It fueled my heartbeat and gave rise to the sadness I'd suppressed. I'd waited so long just to talk to someone I trusted. Tears threatened to spill from my eyes. He felt good against me. He felt real. I missed the comfort of a good friend. I squeezed him to show just how much I had missed him. Something hard within his leather jacket pressed against me, but I quickly dismissed it since I was too overwhelmed with emotion.

  "It's so good to see you. I missed you," he said as he slackened his arms.

  I sniffled and took a small step back. "I missed you, too."

  He touched my cheek. His fingers felt cold, yet soothing to my heated skin. "I always wondered what happened to you. Dani told me you were with your vampire boyfriend and you were happy."

  My heart stalled. "You spoke to Dani?"

  "Yeah, she moved back here a few years ago. Then she met a guy, and took off." He lowered his hand.

  I stared at him, confused. "When?"

  "When did she move back, or when did she leave?"

  "Both."

  He lowered his gaze as if he were in deep thought. "Let's see…she left after she got fired. She was gone a while, then she returned. I think that was four years ago. She didn't stay long. This guy she met seemed to have a big influence on her."

  My breath hitched. "How long did this guy hang around her?"

  He shrugged. "Not long. She was here maybe a few months. I'm not sure where she met him, but it seemed like she left with him after a few weeks."

  Four years ago, Drake and I had been living outside of Fairbanks, Alaska. We'd moved there from Eagle River. While staying in Fairbanks, Dani had informed me she was with Alan. Then we lost touch. She must have broken up with Alan and then returned to Indy. Interestingly, Drake had sensed the presence of other vampires in Fairbanks. He'd insisted we move again. That's when we drove to Canada. I swallowed hard, wondering if a vampire had wormed a way into Dani's life.

  "Do you remember what this guy looked like? The one she ran off with?" I asked.

  He shook his head. "I wish I did, but I can't see his face. I've thought about her plenty of times. I wish I had a way to contact her."

  Panic seized me upon hearing his words. "You can't remember what he looked like at all?"

  He stared at me. "No, not at all."

  Kyle had a good memory. Most humans did except the elderly. For him not to recall any details made me suspect a vampire had visited him.

  I took a step back. "So, you don't have any way of reaching her?" It was more of a question.

  "No." He reached into his leather coat. "But I was told to give you this." He withdrew folded paper, then handed it to me.

  "Who gave this to you?" I asked before I opened the document.

  "I don't know. I was instructed to give it to you."

  I stared deep into his eyes. He held no hint of emotion. His calmness troubled me. Something was definitely…not right.

  I opened the paper. It was a black and white photograph. As I held it under the moonlight, I saw the picture with more clarity. My eyes widened and my heartbeat kicked into overdrive. Dani was lying on her back in a pool of dark blood. It covered her arms, neck, and torso. Her eyes were looking up into space. Feeling nauseous, I covered my mouth with my hand.

  "No," I said. "No."

  My best friend was dead. I couldn't believe it. I didn't want to. If I had to guess, a bloodsucker from the VETOV had found her and questioned her. I was willing to bet she'd told them Drake and I had been in Alaska. But we moved again, so they missed catching up with us. Perhaps it pissed them off, so they killed her to send a message to me. The bastards murdered her.

  My eyes filled with fluid. I lifted my gaze to Kyle. His face was void of any sadness, anger, or any sentiment. Had they gotten to him too? I hated to think someone had tampered with his mind, but my gut instinct told me otherwise.

  "Have you seen this?" I asked him.

  "No. I was told not to look at it."

  The picture fell from my fingers while tears rolled down my cheeks. I stepped back. Panic, fear, rage, and grief competed for superiority. Contacting Kyle had been a mistake. The VETOV had tinkered with his mind. He wasn't safe, and neither was I.

  The crunching of gravel gathered my attention. I peered past Kyle and saw something approaching. But when he reached inside his jacket, I shifted my gaze.

  He withdrew a silver object. "I was told to call a number if you ever showed up."

  I looked closer at the item in his hand. The small gun fit perfectly in his grasp. I hadn't recognized the object until he pointed it at me.

  "I'm sorry, Jessie. I don't know who it is, but I had to call. He told me I had to make sure you didn't leave. I don't understand why I'm doing this. It doesn't make sense to me."

  This time, I saw confusion in his eyes. His tone also reflected his concern. He'd been commanded to fulfill an order and he had to obey.

  I swallowed my grief. It could surface another time. At the present, I needed to escape and try to save his life. But how could I do both when my opponent was a vampire?

  Silence brought my attention to the walls. Whoever Kyle had called was close. We had to leave.

  I backpedaled toward my bag. "Kyle, come with me," I whispered.


  His hand shook. "Don't move. Please. I don't want to hurt you."

  Before I could take another step backward, a vampire rushed inside. He grabbed Kyle by his throat, then lifted him off his feet. His movements were practically a blur until he stopped. The bloodsucker was tall with short dark hair and an average build. I'd never met or seen him before.

  "Move and I'll crush his throat," the vampire said.

  My options were limited. The vampire could kill Kyle in a flash. I didn't want my good friend to die. It wasn't his fault we were in such a bad situation. He was only human and the evil vamp had taken advantage of him. Even if I tried to run, the bloodsucker would catch me. In a matter of seconds, I knew what I had to do. I'd fought one of them before and won. I could do it again.

  "There's no need to hurt him." I slowly slipped my right hand into the pocket of my vest. "I'm here. I'm the one you want."

  He grinned and showed his pointed canines. "I told the others this would be easy."

  Gripping the handle of the blade in my pocket, I took a step forward. My finger was over the button to release the blade, but I wouldn't push the trigger yet.

  "He's fulfilled your commands," I said. "Right?"

  Kyle choked. He was trying not to struggle. I had to act fast before he dropped the gun.

  The vampire set Kyle on his feet. "Yes, he has served his purpose. Good boy." He kept his hand wrapped around Kyle's throat.

  Drake had told me once that after a vampire released their command on a human, verbally or not, then the person was free to act on their own. I'd hoped the bloodsucker's acknowledgment would suffice to allow Kyle to act. With his help, we had a chance of surviving. The gun wouldn't kill the vamp, but it would give us time to finish the job. At least, that's what I hoped.

  I looked at Kyle. "Shoot him. Shoot him now."

  Kyle's eyes widened. He quickly aimed at the fucker next to him, then fired his weapon. The pops were loud and came out fast. I flinched each time. The vamp jerked when a bullet hit him, but he didn't let go of Kyle. After the third snap, the vampire growled and shoved Kyle into the air. Another bullet came flying out as Kyle flew backwards. He smashed against the rotted wood walls, then landed somewhere outside.