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  Handyman for Hire

  N. E. Conneely

  Copyright © 2017 N. E. Conneely

  All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher or author. Requests for permission to copy part of this work for use in an educational environment may be directed to the author.

  * * *

  This book is a work of fiction. References to historical events, real people, or real locales are made fictitiously. Other names, characters, places, and incidents are the product of the author’s imagination, and any resemblance to actual events, locales, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

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  Handyman for Hire

  Also by N. E. Conneely

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  Handyman for Hire

  Logan opened the fridge. One pint of blood and an extra-bloody steak. He lifted the cover on the tiny freezer. Empty.

  He slammed the door shut. “Damn it.” His tongue brushed against his now oversized canines. Sure, Michael had saved his life by turning him, but being a vampire wasn’t exactly fun.

  An envelope with angry red letters on the front fell off the counter. He snatched it out of the air and returned it to the stack. It was yet another reminder of his situation. No one wanted a handyman who could only work nights. His family wouldn’t speak to him. He couldn’t go out in the sun. His next shipment of blood didn’t come in for more than a week. Oh, and unless he figured out a way to buy more blood, he was going to die, likely at the hands of the cops as they killed him to stop him from draining some poor person.

  He tugged at the fridge door, knowing it would look the same but hoping he had somehow missed a bag of blood. The door was still empty, three shelves were still bare, and his bag of blood and steak looked lonely.

  Sure, vampires assisted new vampires, but mostly they wanted you to come live with them at some big house in the city, where they could keep an eye on you. It wasn’t like they had to live in the city, but most of them did, and the only nearby coven that would support vampires in his situation was in Atlanta. Logan wasn’t the big city type. He’d done his time, learned about his new species, and gone home. That last part hadn’t really gone as planned. Home was supposed to be welcoming, make him feel like nothing had changed.

  The normal, life-as-it-had-always-been feeling had proven elusive. Stores closed before he woke up. People he’d known his entire life looked at him oddly and talked behind his back. Just last week, a woman he’d known his entire life had been whispering to her friend when he walked past them in the grocery store. Thanks to his more-sensitive-than-human ears, he’d heard every word. “You see him. I knew him when he was human and a baby. Why, I can still remember…” And with that he was the topic of yet another conversation.

  It wasn’t that they intended to be rude or annoying. It wasn’t even that they were prejudiced. It was simply that vampires didn’t turn people very often. There were rules against it. So as rare as it was for a vampire to turn someone, it was even less common to know a person before and after being turned. He was an oddity.

  Too bad being the primary topic of the town’s gossip for six months didn’t pay. Then, he wouldn’t be worried about his next meal.

  He sighed and looked around. The one room shack he was currently calling home was barren. There was the tiny kitchenette, not that he cooked, and the mini fridge, the twin bed that doubled as his couch and the one chair that had been here when he moved in. There was a door that led to a small bathroom, but it only contained a few toiletries and a single towel.

  Logan sat down on the bed. He’d sold everything but his tools and truck, hoping the money would get him through the lean times until things turned around. That money was gone, and there was no sign of his luck improving. He scrubbed his hands over his face. If he sold the tools, he couldn’t take any jobs. At that point, he’d have to move in with a coven.

  And if that happened, he might as well ask for someone to kill him. He wasn’t cut out for all the socializing or being stuck in the city, and all the stuff that came with it. Just thinking about it made him feel restless.

  He pushed off the bed and walked out of the house. Outside, the cool night air flowed around him, making the trees rustle. There was no moon tonight, and the stars were alone in the sky.

  As he walked, he told himself he wouldn’t go to that place. Not again. It didn’t help.

  That didn’t stop his feet from taking him to the cemetery, past rows of headstones, and to a grave with two glow-in-the-dark flowers that were softly shining purple and pale blue. Logan sat on the damp grass and rested his head against the cold stone.

  “It should’ve been me. I know I’ve told you that before, but it’s no less true. I don’t know how to do this, be this. You would. You’d be asking friends if your hair looked good and putting special lights in the bathroom so you could see yourself in the mirror.”

  He closed his eyes. His fingers began stroking the granite.

  “I’d like to think you’d visit me, just a few times a year, and find a man—a man who’s far better than me. Someone good enough for you. The two of you would settle down. You’d have a couple of kids. Name one of them after me, and bring them out so we could meet. But that’s not what happened.”

  Logan felt the impact, heard the screech of metal as it bent. The pain. Lola’s blood. Cold hands. Whispered words. Sharp teeth and drinking something thick and salty.

  “I’m so sorry. I’m so sorry,” he whispered. He sat there, skin as cold as the stone, and wished it had been different.

  The rumble of an engine slowly invaded his thoughts. As it grew closer, he could hear a soft puttering. The car needed some work.

  He’d kept their car in good repair. Changed the oil on time, maintained the brakes, topped off the fluids, and even recently replaced the wipers. It hadn’t done a bit of good.

  The grumbling car rounded a bend, its headlights ruining the peaceful night. It puttered up the incline—smoke billowed out from under the hood—sputtered, and died before it coasted into a parking spot in front of the graveyard.

  Logan stood up and moved back into the shadows of the old oak tree. The scent of coolant drifted over to him.

  The driver’s side door opened, and a woman popped out. “No, no. You can’t be dead.” She lifted the hood, and more smoke billowed out. Her fingers grabbed the edge of the hood.

  Logan crept forward. She was short. The top of her head would just come to his shoulder, but she was solid, muscular. Her hair was pulled up in a ponytail, giving him a clear view of her profile. Even in this low light, he could see her pert nose, smooth skin, and sad eyes.

  Letting go of the hood, she turned and walked into the graveyard. She sat down right next to the glowing flowers and heaved a sigh. “I hope you don’t mind. It’s been a hell of a day—well, year—and I need a minute.”

  He froze, not sure what to do. Was she talking to him? No, her eyes were fixed on the headstone. Logan relaxed but didn’t move.

  “The stone looks new, and those dates don’t even account for thirty years, so I’m guessing things didn’t go how you planned either.” The woman huffed. “I’m sorry. I forgot to introduce myself. I’m Nicole.” She pretended to shake hands. “It’s nice to meet you, Lola.”

  Logan wondered if he should leave, but it didn’t seem right. Not many people traveled this road, and she could be alone until morning.

  “I’ve driven past this spot a hundred times. I don’t know when these flowers appeared, but I’ve looked at them and w
ondered who would leave glow-in-the-dark flowers. It’s sweet.” She rested her head against her hand. “Every time I drove by I told myself I’d stop, at least learn your name. It never seemed like the right time. Sorry about that. Just because you’re dead doesn’t mean you’re unimportant.”

  There was a long pause, and Logan hoped she would keep talking.

  “I know we just met, but would you mind listening for a little bit? Thanks.” Nicole closed her eyes. “I’m supposed to be at my parents’ thirtieth anniversary party. First, I was late leaving the house. Then, I hit traffic. Now this. My phone is dead, so I can’t even call for help.” She tapped her fingers on her thigh. “The worst part is my parents won’t even be surprised. Just another one of Nicole’s misadventures.”

  She sighed. “Not that they’d believe me, but I had an appointment for the car last week. When I showed up, they told me they’d double-booked and the next opening was tomorrow. I don’t drive much so I figured that would be fine. Guess not.”

  Her fingers stopped moving. “I really couldn’t help being late. Somehow, water had leaked out of one of those big two-gallon containers. All the flooring in the pantry is ruined. I was trying to get it somewhat dry and arrange for repairs. It’s not the type of thing that can be put off. I don’t want the subfloor to rot. And, of course, no one can even come give me a quote for two weeks.”

  “I … I just wanted to be on time. Try and show them that I’ve got my life together. They’ll just remember that I got stranded on the way to their anniversary party.”

  For the first time since he’d become a vampire, Logan could see a way to help rather than being useless. Now, he had to keep from frightening her. He slowly walked forward until he thought she would be able to see him. “Nicole, is it?”

  She yelped, jumped up, and skittered back. The smell of pine filled the air. Her skin started getting thick, barky ridges, and she turned a bit gray.

  “Sorry!” He held up his hands and took a deep breath. “I’m sorry I startled you. My name is Logan. I was here visiting Lola when you pulled up. I hid because—well, it isn’t important. Anyway, I want to help. Is the party close by? I can look at your car, maybe fix it, or I could drive you.”

  Nicole took a deep, ragged breath. “Why were you hiding?”

  He shifted his weight from one foot to the other. “I come here to be alone. To be close to her. I thought you’d leave and never know I was here.”

  The ridges receded into her skin, the color returned to a pinker shade, and the scent of pine faded. “Where’s your car?”

  “At my house, about a half mile from here.” Logan tipped his head to the left.

  Nicole chewed on her lip. “Swear on the earth you mean me and my family no harm.”

  “I can’t. The earth doesn’t recognize my kind.” He smiled, showing off the canines. “But I can promise I have no intention or desire to injure you or your family in any way.”

  “Thank you.” She started walking to her car. “Could you take a look?”

  Her words were quiet. As a human, he wouldn’t have been able to hear them. Logan followed her. “I’m sure it’s fixable, but maybe not something I can do tonight.”

  Nicole nodded. “But I’m going to hope you can because I really want to get to the party.”

  He leaned over the engine, took a deep breath, and promptly sneezed. “To start, you’ve got a coolant leak.”

  “That’s not too bad, right?”

  His eyes darted over to her before returning to the engine. “Doesn’t look like your coolant cap is the issue, but I’d need the engine to cool off before I could get close to it.” He knelt and looked around under the car. Being a vampire did have a few perks. Thanks to his superb night vision, he could see a small puddle of coolant. Logan stood up and gave the rest of the engine a quick look. “I’m guessing you’ve got a broken radiator. It’s fixable, but not something I can do without parts.”

  She came up next to him and peered into the engine though to her eyes it had to be darkness. “You’re sure you can’t do anything tonight?”

  “No, not tonight.”

  Her shoulders hunched, and her head sagged. “They’ll be so sad.”

  Logan really hoped he didn’t regret this. “But I can drive you.”

  Nicole stared at him. “Are you sure?”

  “I want to.” And he really hoped it went better than the last trip he’d taken with a woman. “I can’t leave you out here anyway.”

  “I feel like I’m taking advantage of you.”

  Reaching out, he gently touched her shoulder. “You’re not. Now, think it over while I get my car.”

  Nicole nodded.

  “I’ll be right back.” Logan turned and took off, trees blurring as he ran.

  Helping Nicole wasn’t particularly smart. He had half a tank of gas in his truck, two dollars in his wallet, and no money coming in. Using some of that gas to give her a lift was foolishness, but he couldn’t resist—not after the way she’d talked to Lola.

  Tonight, it didn’t hurt to think her name. He didn’t hear her laugh, see her smile, feel the warm blood on his hands.

  Logan darted into his house long enough to grab his keys. Then, he was in the truck and rolling down the road. All thought of that night and Lola faded as he neared the graveyard. He could see the car, but not Nicole. Had something happened to her while he’d been gone?

  Logan pulled into a parking spot and hopped out. He turned his head, trying to hear her breath or her heart beating. Instead, soft words floated on the night air.

  “As a child, being an adult seemed like the best thing. So much freedom, and you can eat anything you want.” Nicole snorted. “That’s not how it works, though. It’s frustrating, painful, and difficult. The good times are fantastic, but the lows . . . they are low. I guess you’ve seen just how low it can get. I’m sorry.”

  Logan cleared his throat. “Are you ready?”

  “I’ll try to stop by again.” Nicole stood, dusted off her pants, and walked over to the truck. “You’re sure you don’t mind? I can pay you for gas.”

  “I’d appreciate that.”

  Nicole nodded and grabbed her purse from the car. Logan held the passenger door open for her.

  “Thanks.”

  Logan nodded, zoomed around to his side, and got in. “Where to?”

  “Down Clear Creek,” she pointed at the road, “then a right onto 52. After that, it's two miles down the road on the right.”

  He backed out of the parking spot and onto the road. Logan wasn’t sure what to say. Finally, about a mile down the road, his curiosity got the better of him. “When I startled you, something happened to your skin. What was that?”

  “Oh, I’m a dryad.”

  “Tree spirit.” His eyes darted in her direction before returning to the road. “Well, you’re the first dryad I’ve met.”

  “You’re not the first vampire I’ve met.” He could hear the smile in her voice. “Though you may be the youngest.”

  “What makes you say that?”

  “The way you move. Fast then slow. It’s like you want to look human but forget.”

  He slowed down for a sharp turn in the road. “Being a vampire hasn’t worked out so well.”

  She turned in her seat so she could watch him. “Why not?”

  “Lots of stuff.”

  Nicole tipped her head to the side. “Tonight, you’re my hero. The least I can do is listen.”

  “Fine then.” Logan huffed. “I’m living a country song. My girlfriend of three years died the night I was turned. I spent six miserable months at the vampire compound in Atlanta learning all about the new me. By the time I got home, I’d lost all my clients. The funeral and keeping up with my old place ate through my savings. So I’m broke, my business is failing, and I’ll live for a really long time.”

  It was over a minute before Nicole spoke. “I’m sorry.”

  “Don’t be,” Logan said wryly. “Tonight, I met a pretty girl and go
t to be her knight in a mud-splattered pickup truck. Best day I’ve had in a year.”

  “Thank you.”

  He flipped on the turn signal and rolled to a stop. Three cars whizzed by. He turned right. “Don’t mention it.”

  “I stuffed a twenty in your cup holder before you got in the truck.”

  “That’s too much.” He felt around until he found the money. Thrusting his hand at her, he said, “Take it back.”

  “No.” She shook her head. “I was going to give you that before I knew about your troubles. I’m not taking it back now.”

  He sighed. “I’m not going to win this one, am I?”

  “The turn is just up this hill. And no.”

  Logan dropped the bill in the cup holder. “Fine, but I want to earn it.”

  She rolled her eyes. “You did. You’re driving me to my parents’ house.”

  He ignored the eye roll as he turned onto a gravel driveway. “At the graveyard, you said you had a wood floor with water damage? I can fix it.”

  “First, you can fix my car, and now, you can replace flooring?” Skepticism laced her voice.

  Logan shrugged. “I’m a handyman, jack of all trades. Like I said, I lost all my clients while I was learning to be a vampire. Now, I can’t find anyone who needs a handyman who can only work nights.”

  “What’s your hourly?”

  It hurt his pride, but he told her the truth. “Used to be pretty good, but these days, fifteen dollars plus supplies.”

  Nicole frowned. “That hardly seems fair—oh, park anywhere. My parents will want to thank you. How’s twenty, and if you do good work, I’ll add a bonus? I know for a fact the guy I called was going to charge me almost fifty an hour.”

  Logan turned the truck. It bumped onto the grass and stopped beside an SUV. The house was well-maintained with white siding and green accents. Big holly bushes and a willow tree completed the cozy look.