Real Vampires Hate Skinny Jeans (11 page)

“Damned students and their stupid ’speriments.” But he did start to stagger down the dirt path.

“What are you up to, Alesa?” I’d stayed downwind of both of them. Not that I was breathing, but I didn’t want the stench clinging to my hair or clothes.

“Giving you a chance to strut your stuff, vamp girl.” Alesa gave me a toothy grin. “Now concentrate. Stare at this stink weed and turn him to stone.” Alesa waved at him.

“Are you nuts? I’m not a demon.” I gaped at her. “I could never…” Turn someone to stone? If only I could. It was an awesome power. The best defense possible. I did stare at the man. Easy target, barely moving, obviously under the influence of something. Was it possible…?

“Didn’t say you were a demon. Know you aren’t. You should be so lucky. But while I was stuck in you, I did a Glory gut check.” Alesa shuddered. “And I thought hell could be a pit. Amidst all your gooey goodness I found some interesting tidbits, hints of some stuff just lying around, waiting to be used.” Alesa’s fangs appeared. “How dumb can you get? Honey, you want your guys to respect you, you need to pull up a little of your inner badass from time to time.” She nodded toward the man who’d decided he’d done five bucks’ worth and was headed back to his bench. “This statue thing is a perfect way to show you can kick butt.”

“I don’t believe… Surely if I could…” I shook my head. Alesa just stared at me, daring me to give it a go. What did I have to lose? This was probably a trick. Alesa would watch me try it then laugh her ass off. But I whirled around, glared at the poor man who’d made it halfway home and thought,
“Freeze!”

He stalled in mid stumble. I held my breath, then ran up to him.

“Hello? Can you hear me?” He still didn’t move. I poked him in his filthy jacket sleeve but he lost position abruptly and staggered a few steps, collapsing against me.

“Eww, yuck.” I pushed him away. “Well, that was an epic fail.”

“Not really. More like a five-second freeze. You lost focus. Try again.” Alesa stood behind me, her hands on my shoulders. “Keep your mind on your business. Don’t get distracted by his stench.”

“’Less yer buyin’ me some booze or passin’ me the moolah, take yer ’speriments somewheres else.” The man patted his pockets. “If someone hadn’t stole my knife, I’d show ya what happens when ya mess with Jimmy Flint.” He coughed and sputtered, obviously about to spit right at me.

“Freeze!” I yelled out loud this time, staring at him hard. His mouth froze before he could cut loose.
“Freeze, freeze, freeze,”
I thought furiously as I stepped closer and moved my hand in front of his eyes. He never blinked.

“I did it!” I couldn’t believe it. Had I really had this power all these years? Even Jerry couldn’t freeze people. And this guy was solid. I poked him gingerly. Yep, as solid as I’d been the times people, most of them higher on the paranormal pecking order than I’d ever hoped to be, had turned me into a statue. This was freaking amazing.

“Yep. You’ve got the power. Now step out of range. He’s going to spit when you thaw him, no doubt about it. Let me go ahead and take him out and hell can have him. According to my demonic rolodex, Jimmy Flint was one bad dude before he pickled his think tank.” Alesa rubbed her hands together, obviously more than happy to put this man down like a rabid dog or something. “Sending him below to his just reward could win me some points with Luc.”

The idea made me sick to my stomach. Or was that the stink in the air? Bad dude or not, I wasn’t allowing murder and Alesa knew it. She made a face and stepped back, muttering about “gooey goodness” again.

“I think living on a bench in his condition is a pretty good punishment for the here and now. And you know I’m not going to let you take out anyone. Not if you want my help with that pregnancy.” I had to say it, just to make things crystal clear.

“Yeah, yeah. Why do I even bother?” Alesa leaned against a tree. “You want to know how to thaw him out, agree to take me dancing with you tonight. No last-minute excuses.”

Blackmail. Of course it was in the demon repertoire. And
I
had
been trying to figure out how to stall her until another night. “You said all I have to do is lose focus.” I turned my back on the guy. “That should do it.”

“Not when he’s in full statue mode, vamp girl.” Alesa smiled. “Look at him. Before, he wasn’t concrete yet. Now it takes a special technique to thaw him. You want it? Let’s make a deal.” She put her hands on her hips and hummed a popular dance tune.

I checked back to be sure. Too bad but she was right. My “’speriment” was still solid. “Fine. I’ll take you to the club. I’m sure you can find some poor sap to dance with you.” Yes, I had an attitude, but being saddled with a demon again, new power or not, was working on my last nerve. “You look like a pregnant dominatrix. I bet that works as some perv’s fantasy.”

“Why, Glory, you do say the sweetest things.” Alesa actually did look pleased and even added chains to her boots and a spike through one eyebrow.

I turned to the project at hand. I had a statue, his nasty three layers of coats blowing in the chilly breeze. How was this possible? I couldn’t resist. I raised the man’s arm, testing to see if it fell. It didn’t.

“Any idea what I could be? Why I can do this?” I didn’t look at Alesa, still fascinated by what I’d done. Raise his foot, it stayed. In control, he would have fallen over.

“Damned if I know. Come on, quit playing with him. Just stare into his eyes and think ‘Thaw.’” Alesa stomped over and poked my back. “Hurry. I should’ve used more of your hairspray. This night air’s doing a number on my hair, making it go flat. In Texas, I think I should have big hair. Am I right?”

I couldn’t argue with that. Loved big hair myself. Playing with him. That finally got through to me and I thawed him before we got out of there quickly. I did make sure Alesa dropped the five dollars she owed him in his lap.

“Waste of money. You erased his memory,” Alesa whined as we headed to the shop.

“Are you honest about anything? Never mind.” Of course
she wasn’t. But she had been right about this power that could turn people to stone. “Seriously, any idea what I could be, Alesa? If I’m not a demon?” This really worried me.

“I’ve known lots of creatures with the freeze trick, even some ancient vamps. No telling what other untapped powers you’ve got.” Alesa glanced at her wrist and was suddenly sporting a Cartier tank watch. “Eleven o’clock. Is that what you’re wearing?” She grinned. “Hey, I just had a thought. Pawn shops. I can pawn stuff like this.” She held up her wrist. “And I can create an endless supply. It’s a demon thing. We have a treasure trove. Stuff we’ve stripped off the losers who end up down there when their tickets are finally punched. You know how they say you can’t take it with you? You wouldn’t believe how many people think they can.” She laughed merrily, but, trust me, a demon’s merry laugh will make your hair stand on end. Big hair, but think Frankenstein’s girlfriend.

Finally she gasped and wiped her eyes again. “Problem solved. As long as Luc doesn’t cut me off, I’m good to go for funds here.” She sighed. “Best head to your place and fix my makeup. I left my luggage there.”

I wanted to scream. “Made yourself right at home, didn’t you? I don’t recall giving you a key.”

“Demons don’t need keys. Or invites. We do as we please. And I want us to be pals.” Alesa gave me her best smile, full fanged. I’m sure in hell it played well. Me? I wanted to puke. “This was a good time, Glory. Playing statues with you. I think there are more powers I could teach you. We’ll be like sisters, you and me. Money or not, I’m moving in. I don’t mind sleeping on your couch. Compared to the rack I’ve got downstairs with Luc, it’s pretty cozy.” She slipped her arm through mine.

“You’ve lost your mind.” I was still freaked by the fact that I could, yes, turn people into stone. She thought I had more untapped powers? What could they be? I was desperate to know. But not so desperate that I was willing to act like her sister.

“Try to keep me out. Need proof I can do what I want? Just wait.” Alesa clung to me and I couldn’t get away from her. Demonic power pushed us back to the shop where Erin assured me she could close by herself. Then we headed upstairs.

“Stop this, Alesa. Let me go.”

“Fine. Just call your little friends and get this evening going.” Alesa plopped on the couch, listening in while I did call Flo, then Jerry. Somehow I would enjoy being with my friends and keep them away from Alesa. I knew it wasn’t going to be easy. But I couldn’t wait to tell everyone about my new power, maybe even show it off.

Wait a minute. That was demon thinking. A power like that was better reserved for an emergency. Hopefully, I’d never even need it. Yeah, right. With
my
life?

N
-V
was packed, the usual situation on a Saturday night. Trey, Penny’s boyfriend, let us in and directed Alesa and me toward the balcony where Flo and her party waited.

“Alesa, you know I’m not taking you up there.” I smoothed down my black dress which was short to show off my legs and cut low to show off my cleavage. I know how to make the most of what I’ve got. Alesa still had on her black leather and got some admiring looks despite being obviously pregnant.

“Like I’d want to hang with
your
friends. The action’s down here anyway.” She smiled at Trey. “Can you set me up at the bar?”

“Sure.” Trey didn’t smile. He knew exactly what Alesa was by smell. He was a shifter and he gave me a look, like what was Penny’s roommate doing running around with a demon? “Jack, the bartender, will take care of you. Enjoy the band.”

“Maybe you could dance with me on your break.” Alesa made it sound like a command as she snagged a sharp fingernail on his black N-V T-shirt.

“And maybe not.” Trey nodded toward the door. “My girl will be here any minute. She gets my dances.”

“Right. Penny is at the football game with her parents.” I tugged Alesa away from Trey. “Hands off this guy, Alesa. Trey, tell her where I am, but, if her parents are with her”—I made a face—“good luck with that.” Penny’s mortal folks had no idea their daughter had been turned vampire the previous spring. We’d been doing a lot of lying and juggling ever since. Nothing new there. It’s called blending. We were surrounded by mortals now and I’d downed a bottle of synthetic at the apartment before we’d come so I could keep my fangs under control surrounded by all the warm, rich blood I could smell everywhere. It was working so far, but I was ordering more synthetic as soon as I got to the bar.

“Having a little thirst issue, Glory? Come with me to the bar and we’ll get you that drink. They have the stuff with alcohol for you fangers?” Alesa had her arm hooked through mine again. It was driving me crazy that she thought she could actually act like my friend.

“Hush. Remember where you are, Alesa.” I glanced at the mortals around us. “And of course they have stuff that I like. It’s Rafe’s club. He caters to us.” I jerked away from the demon, risking the kind of scene she’d relish. I felt eyes on me and looked up at the balcony. Yes, Jerry was up there and he’d already headed for the stairs. I sensed another presence and turned. Rafe was working his way around the edge of the large room toward us. He gave me a nod, frowning when he noticed Alesa’s hold on me. Thank God for friendly faces.

“What the hell are you doing here? And still bugging Glory? I told you to leave her alone.” Rafe dragged Alesa away from me.

“Like I listen to you.” She waved at the vampire bartender and ordered a shot of tequila.

“Not happening. No alcohol with a baby on board.” I signaled the bartender for my usual blood with alcohol.

“Doesn’t hurt my kind.” Alesa smirked. “Take the stick out of your butt, Glo.”

“You claim what you carry is part shifter.” Rafe’s hand came down on the bar. “Play by the rules while you’re here. We don’t serve alcohol to pregnant women.” He gave his bartender a look. “Give her a bottled water.”

“Well, you’re no fun. For that, you have to dance with me.” Alesa put on a pouty face.

“Not in this lifetime.” Rafe turned his back on her. “Glory, Blade and I want to talk to you. Come to my office.”

Jerry was right behind him. “Yes, we’ve got something for you there.”

“What is this, an intervention?” I was familiar with those, but not for myself. Well, not recently anyway. In Las Vegas, I’d needed one for my gambling problem. Back then Rafe had been in dog form as my bodyguard. He and a few vamp girlfriends had done the deed making me cut up my credit cards and sending me to a program when I’d lost control at the poker tables. I’d be forever grateful.

“Do you
need
an intervention? Why are you still running around with that creature?” Jerry glanced from me to Alesa, who smirked like she knew a secret. “And what have you two been up to? Gambling?” He leaned close to whisper in my ear. “Ripping out throats in dark alleys?”

“Jerry! No and hell no!” I put my hand on his chest then glanced at Rafe. Both of them looked so good to me. Safe havens. I was grateful for their strength, not to mention loyalty. And then there was the obvious… If I ever needed another twelve-step program it would probably be for a sexual addiction. These men were just about irresistible, each in his own way. Jerry had that rugged, battle-worn look that always made me want to soothe his hurts while he soothed mine. Then there was Rafe, who was 100 percent Latin lover.