Real Vampires Hate Skinny Jeans (17 page)

“If you say so. Demon watch. Fine. But be careful.” She followed Ian down the hall, stopping once to glance over her shoulder. “I’ll wait outside while you examine the demon, Ian. No way do I want to see her naked.”

“She doesn’t want me to examine her. I may call for help. I’m sure you can handle her.” Ian winked at Laurie and she actually flushed. Hmm. Interesting.

I headed outside. “Rafe, got a handle on your anger yet?”

“What do you think?” He turned and leaned back against the wall. “I can’t have the woman I want, my worst nightmare has come back to haunt me, and I’m supposed to act
civilized
about it?”

“Gee, when you put it like that…” I stood beside him, careful not to touch him. I wasn’t about to encourage him to get closer now. “Anything I can do?”

“Get Alesa to admit this is a hoax?” Rafe laughed. “Right. Like that’s going to happen. Damn, I’m sorry you’re having to put up with her. I don’t know why she’s fixated on you. How’s Laurie working out?”

“Great. She’s actually got Alesa on the defensive.” I gave
in and touched his shoulder. “Relax, Rafe. You know this has got to be a big lie. Time will tell us the truth.”

“Well, that’s the problem. The longer I’m around her, the more insane this makes me. How can you stand having her in your apartment? I would have killed her by now. If I could figure out how.”

“Yes, that’s a problem. How do you kill a demon?”

“Good question. And about time you thought to ask it.” The voice came out of the darkness. Rafe and I both turned. He suddenly had a knife in his hand and I clutched my car keys like a weapon.

“Who’s there?” Rafe jumped up on the low stone wall, ready to rumble.

“Oh, get over yourself, shifter. I’m much tougher to kill than a mere demon. Lucky for you I’m not the one with the beef here.” Aggie strolled up a side path that had been carved into the cliff from the lake below. She was wrapped toga-style in a big white towel. Clearly she’d been skinny-dipping in the cold water, her wet hair slicked back behind her ears.

“Then why sneak up on us? You could have identified yourself sooner.” I reached up for Rafe’s hand as he jumped back to the terrace. “And what’s with the eavesdropping?”

“It’s how I learn the most interesting stuff.” Aggie grinned. “Though you two weren’t exactly spilling your guts. And talk about clueless!” She strolled over to a wrought iron chair and plopped down, crossing one bare leg over the other.

“What does that mean?” I swear she was flashing Rafe and enjoying his reaction. “Don’t you need to go find some clothes? It’s chilly tonight.”

“Doesn’t bother me. I’m a Siren. Water is my element. After a swim like I just had, I’m stoked.” She did rearrange her towel so she wasn’t giving Rafe such an excellent view. “Better, Glory?” She winked at me. “Now back to demons. The grapevine tells me you two, along with Blade and my dreamboat Israel Caine, took out Honoria not so long ago. Is that true?”

“The goddess the EVs worshipped.” Rafe glanced at me,
finally able to tear his gaze from Aggie’s peep show. “Yeah, we managed to take her down. What of it?”

“That bitch called herself a goddess, but she was nothing more than a three-headed demon. Lots of power, a great line of bullshit, but so not in the hierarchy according to my boss man.” Aggie looked skyward. “And he should know.”

“The Storm God.” I shuddered. My encounters with him had proved he was way too powerful to be taken out with a sword. “Come to think of it, you’re right, Aggie.” I clutched Rafe’s arm. “We know how to kill a demon. Whack off her head or heads as the case may be. Alesa has just one, even in demon form.”

“Finally she gets it.” Aggie smiled and stood. “A stab through the heart will do it too, but that can be tough. They don’t always have one where you’d expect it. And sometimes they have more than one, to go along with the head thing. Maybe Ian’s machine will help you find this chick’s thumper.”

“Good idea. I’ll have to mention it to him.” It was great to have hope, maybe a strategy to get rid of Alesa. But as long as she was pregnant…

Aggie stretched and her towel slipped to reveal one perfect breast. “Oops. I’d better get dressed now. Ian and I are going out after he gets through with your little problem.” She wiggled her fingers and headed for the door then stopped and turned. “Watch.” Suddenly her hair was dry, a golden tumble down her back, and she had on a stunning red dress, cut to show her curves. Her elegant designer shoes made my mouth water. As usual everything was expensive and fit her perfectly. “Siren magic.”

“Nice. So you sat around here naked just to toy with us.” I glanced at Rafe. It hadn’t been me she’d been playing with.

“Why not? I get my fun where I can.” She grinned at Rafe, her hand on the doorknob. “By the way, I gave Ian that blood sample yesterday, Glory. And you know how I hate needles. So you owe me.” She smiled and I shivered. “See ya tomorrow. Shoe shopping. I like to buy as well as make with magic. It’s a girl thing. I’m sure you understand, Glory.”

Understand? A Siren? Never in a million years. But she was right, I owed her for that blood draw.

“She’s sure a piece of work.” Rafe slung his arm around my shoulders as soon as she disappeared inside. “What’s this about blood?”

“A little experiment. I can’t imagine I could possibly… Tell you later.” I eased away from him. “Alesa. She’s the immediate problem. At least now we do know how to kill a demon, but we’re obviously not going to do it. Not while she’s carrying a baby.”

“Not everyone would have such qualms.” Rafe paced the terrace. “Granddad’s affair with a woman from the dark side was frowned on by both shifters and demons, especially when it had consequences. Apparently Lucifer didn’t want the baby since he was only half demon. And when Granddad made the mistake of bringing home my father? Hell, some members of my own family were all for making sure ‘tainted shifters’ never survived to adulthood. I’d have never been born if the purists had had their way.” Rafe’s voice was soft, but it was laced with a pain I’d never heard from him before.

“But any child, raised in a loving home…” I looked into his eyes.

“That’s what I have to think. I’ve never let my demon side dominate. And if Alesa has my child, I’ll make sure the baby becomes a solid citizen, no matter what I have to do.” Rafe ran his hand through his hair.

“I know you will, Rafe.” I hugged him, hoping it didn’t come to that.

“Ian’s ready for the ultrasound. Alesa wants Rafe in there. You can come too, Glory. As a witness, she says.” Penny stood in the doorway. She had put on scrubs and looked very much like the doctor she hoped to become one day. “The physical exam just confirmed what we already knew—that she’s pregnant and a grade A bitch.” Penny made a face then turned on her heel. “Follow me.”

Oh, God, but I wanted to shift out of there and avoid this
whole thing. I had no desire to see whatever was growing inside the demon. But I followed Rafe into the house and we both trailed Penny down the hall and into a bedroom that had been outfitted like an examining room.

“Here he is. My baby’s daddy, the worthless sod.” Alesa was gowned and draped so that only her stomach was exposed. Ian, who looked a little harried, stood next to her. A monitor was nearby and he was adjusting some knobs while he held a tool that he was apparently going to run across her tummy. Laurie had parked in a corner and she nodded as I walked into the room.

“Give it a rest, Alesa. Lie still and do what the doctor says.” Rafe sounded furious. I guess the stress was finally getting to be too much for him.

“Look. I don’t appreciate the attitude.” Alesa turned big eyes to Ian. “Tell him, Doctor. Stress upsets the baby and can cause premature delivery. I read it on the Internet.”

“I have no way of knowing what your normal vital signs should be, Alesa. Whether you’re under stress or not. For all I know, you’re getting off to this attention.” Ian glanced at Rafe, then me. “Penny and I have been trying to figure out how far along she is, as you requested. Maybe the ultrasound will give us a better idea.”

“Are you people
listening
to me?” Alesa raised up on her elbows. Her eyes were red and we could feel the heat. “I don’t have to submit to this. I can get the hell out of here right now.”

“You bolt and we’ll know for a fact that this was all one of your cons. Yeah, do us a favor and take off.” Rafe opened the hall door. “What’s the matter, Alesa, afraid of what the machine will show? I know you’re wearing a façade right now. That human coating is pretty thin. Can’t you put one around your baby? Or is it too ugly for us to see?”

“Shut up, just shut up.” She sniffed and a dark tear trickled down her cheek.

“Rafe, take it easy.” I moved to his side. “Let’s just do this
and get it over with.” Laurie had stepped closer and was obviously ready to jump in if Alesa tried anything toward me.

“Yes, that’s the plan. Lie back, Alesa. This gel is cold but will let the machine pick up the image of what’s inside you.” Ian squirted the substance on her stomach, then began to slide what looked like a long-handled computer mouse over her skin.

“
What?
There you go again. It’s a baby.” Alesa shuddered. “That
is
cold. Hurry this along. I hate all of you. Even hell wouldn’t have you.”

“There it is.” Penny adjusted the screen on the computer monitor. “We can take photos and print them out, you know. So you can have some to take home.”

“Swell. You can send out announcements, Alesa. We’re having a… What the hell is that thing?” Rafe leaned closer. “Two-headed hydra?”

“No, I think it’s more than one baby.” I glanced at Ian, who was very intent as he manipulated the mouse and watched the screen.

“She’s right. Just as I suspected. You’re carrying more than one child. Twins, Alesa.” Ian frowned. “Penny, turn the screen so that she can see.”

“Sure. What was I thinking?” Penny adjusted the screen so Alesa also had a view.

“Two babies?” Alesa’s voice wobbled. “It’s a miracle. A rare and wonderful thing. Luc will be…” She glanced around at us. “Never mind.”

“No, I want to hear what you were going to say. What about Lucifer? I thought he didn’t want you to have a baby. That this had nothing to do with him.” Rafe moved closer to the computer monitor and poked it with his finger. “Look at that screen, demon. It’s pretty murky in there, but I swear I see snouts, claws, demon markings. Not a sign of shifter whose babies look human in the womb or so I’ve heard. Tell me the truth, Alesa. Are those babies mine or not?” He grabbed her shoulders, pressing her down to the examining table. His own eyes were red now.

“Get your hands off her!” Suddenly Rafe flew through the air until he hit the wall and crumpled to the floor.

A glowing light filled the room with a pulsing heat. I heard a moan. Oh, that was me. Because I recognized that light and was instantly pulled back in time to a night that had almost been the end of me. I turned and gagged, grabbing an empty trash can as the last bottle of synthetic I’d chugged came roaring up and out. Ian dropped his probe and Penny screeched and crouched behind him, holding on to his legs as a man materialized next to the examination table.

Rafe, never one to be intimidated, scrambled to his feet with a shout but was knocked back against the wall again. A dark whirlwind roared through the room, tossing papers and twisting wires. Equipment fell with a crash and Ian cursed as he dove for his precious ultrasound machine.

“Luc! What are you doing here?” Alesa reached for him and he took her hands. He speared Ian with a glance that sent him sliding across the floor to land in a heap next to Rafe. Penny crawled under a desk and cowered there, her arms over her head as she muttered prayers and asked God to save her.

“Silence!” Lucifer was as scary as the hell he came from. No one dared disobey him and Penny shut her mouth with a snap. Smart girl. I could see her shivering and tears leaking from her eyes, wide with terror.

I’d always thought Luc was the most beautiful man I’d ever seen. Not that Lucifer was really a man. He was the Devil, made irresistible so he could tempt anyone over to the dark side. He used his looks just like he used his minions, his blond hair, turquoise eyes and perfect body tools of his trade. I’d never seen him in what was probably his true form. Did he have a snout and scales like his demons? The stereotypical horns and a tail like a cartoon character, all in scarlet? If he did, he was careful to never let that side of himself show.

Tonight he wore a white silk shirt, open over his sculpted chest and close-fitting cream tailored trousers that ensured Penny and I noticed he was well-endowed behind the zipper.
He swept his disdainful gaze over us then focused on Alesa. If he’d been capable of it, I’d say it was actually with some affection.

“I’ve had enough of this play of yours, Alesa. Come home. Have my children there, where you belong.” He pulled her up to a sitting position. “Twins. Not for millennia have there been twins born from one of my mates.” He wiped away the gel with a cloth, then smoothed his hand over her stomach. “Give me the photo, Doctor.” He glanced from the computer screen to Ian. “Now.”

Ian scrambled to his feet and righted the rolling cart with the keyboard on it. He started to say something, probably a complaint about the way Luc had knocked things over, but obviously thought better of it. Instead, he punched buttons and wiggled cords until a printer in the corner suddenly came to life. I sagged with relief and saw Ian do the same when he grabbed the printout and handed it to Luc.

“Here. You can see—”

“You’ve done your part.” Luc swept Ian aside with a nod and the doctor slammed against the wall again. I stayed absolutely still, trying not to call attention to myself.

“Is it really…?” Penny whispered.

“Lucifer. Yep.” I managed to find my voice and dropped the trash can with a clang. Fury suddenly wiped away my nausea and probably my common sense. “Lucifer! You mean this was all one of your tricks, a setup just to make me miserable? Oh, and Rafe, of course.”

“Tricks? Like anything I do is so trivial.” Lucifer raked me with a look that made me feel stripped and violated all over again. Oh, God. “I didn’t appreciate the way we parted the last time we met, Gloriana. But this game was all Alesa’s doing. I certainly can’t be bothered with ‘tricks.’ I indulged her out of fondness for her. You were not important enough to warrant my attention again.”