Real Vampires Know Size Matters (18 page)

Valdez frowned. “Sure, I guess so. Let me get on it.” He got up, pulled out his cell and strode to the kitchen. We heard him talking to someone.

“I do need my own bodyguard. I usually travel with one but had done without while I was staying with Ray. He has a whole crew.” Sienna stood in the hall doorway. “I’m going to finish getting ready if I can blast Aggie out of the bathtub. I dread seeing Ray again. I’m still so mad at him.” She turned and disappeared into the bedroom.

“It’s a full house, isn’t it?” Jerry sniffed. “Aggie in the tub, she said?”

“Yes. She’s still hung up on water. It’s a Siren thing.” I told him about our latest fight, including my mother’s manipulation.

“I hate to say it, but you might be better off in Olympus right now.” Jerry stared into my eyes. “Mel is capable of anything.”

“No. I’m not going to Olympus. Once my mother gets me there, I have a feeling I’d have a serious problem getting back.” I sighed and snuggled up against him. I still hadn’t told Jerry about the zombies. Since he hadn’t mentioned them, I had to assume he’d shifted here and come in through the roof. Still, I was surprised he hadn’t smelled them when he’d landed. “I hate for you to leave, Jerry.”

“It’s for the best. Now, if you’re sure you won’t go, then I had a couple of ideas to keep you safer while I’m gone. Lily’s apartment is ready upstairs. Her new furniture was delivered today.” Jerry pulled a key out of his pocket. “Here’s the key. I told her she can’t move in yet. You and Valdez can stay there until I get back. Mel won’t know where you are and you’ll have some peace and quiet. How does that sound?”

“Like heaven.” I snatched the key. “Thanks, Jerry.” I kissed him. “Lily won’t get mad?” I knew his daughter had been counting the nights until she could have her own apartment.

“I’m paying the rent, so she can wait a few days.” Jerry kissed me again. “I explained the situation. She understood.” He pulled me to my feet when Rafe walked into the room.

“I’ve got a man meeting us down in the shop in twenty minutes. He’ll stick with Sienna so I can take care of Glory. That work for you?”

“It’s perfect.” I glanced at Jerry. “You said you had a couple of ideas. What’s the other one?”

“I’ll tell you upstairs.” He stared at Rafe. “We’re going to apartment three B.” He tossed Rafe a key. “Meet us there in five minutes, Valdez. We need some privacy.” Jerry pulled me to the door.

“I don’t take orders from you, Blade.” Rafe didn’t look happy.

“Did you miss the part where I said I’d pay you?” Jerry wasn’t cracking a smile. “Or is this a favor to Glory?”

“It’s a favor. You don’t owe me jack.” Rafe stepped closer.

“Calm down, both of you. I appreciate the favor, Rafe. Jerry, you don’t need to pay him but thanks for offering. Rafe is doing this out of friendship. I’d say shake hands but I know better. Now let’s go, Jer.” I pulled Jerry up the stairs. We stopped at the third floor and he pointed out Lily’s new apartment. Privacy. I wasn’t fighting it. I waited until he’d unlocked the door of 3B and we were inside the freshly painted apartment before I asked the burning question.

“Okay, Jer. What else did you do to keep me safer?”

“I called Mel. Told her you broke it off with me. That I’d come home reeking of sex with her and you didn’t buy my memory-loss story.” He stared down at me. “I’m lucky it didn’t go that way.”

“Luck had nothing to do with it.” I slipped my arms around his waist. “Why did you tell her that?”

“To get her off your back. I figured she would leave you alone if she thought we weren’t together anymore.” He pulled me tight against him. “Trouble is though she said she wasn’t buying it. I cursed her. Told her she’d ruined my life with her shit and that I never wanted to see her again.”

“I’ll bet that didn’t go over well.”

“It was the truth. Then I added that you were moving on to someone without baggage. Told her I was taking a few days in Miami to fix the mess she’d made there in my hotel.” He rested his chin on my hair. “I hope that’ll give her something to think about. That she’ll leave you alone. She’s got that seminar you mentioned right here in town so she can’t follow me to Miami.”

“That was a good idea.” I rubbed his back. “I hate the fact that you goaded her, Jer. But if she believed you, I shouldn’t be on her radar at all.” I kissed his skin where his collar was open over his throat. I could see his pulse and kissed my way to it. “Don’t worry about me, I’ll be all right.”

“There’s one more thing you can do, Gloriana, while I’m gone. It should help keep you safe.” He pushed me away and looked into my eyes. “I hate this like hell, but it’s the best way to go.”

“What?” I didn’t like the way he was staring at me, so solemn. His mind was blocked too, though I really shouldn’t have tried to probe it. I could have pushed through the block, but didn’t.

“You and Valdez. I want you to act like a couple while I’m gone. Throw Mel off. Show her that you really
have
moved on.” He smiled but it was a sad fake. “Like you did when you pretended to be with Caine. Only I don’t think you have to flash a big engagement ring this time.”

“I doubt she’d buy that. It’s too soon, Jerry.” I shook my head.

“You know Valdez won’t mind the charade. Hell, he usually can’t keep his hands off you anyway.” Jerry rubbed my shoulders, pulling me close again. “Of course I hate like hell to imagine you two together. But there’s no better way to convince her that you and I are history.”

“Rafe’s even willing to go back to dog form for me, Jer. To fool Mel into making a move during the day. That’s how loyal he is.” I wanted Jerry to know how much this would cost Rafe. “To pretend to be lovers again . . . That’s really not fair to him. He’d do it, no doubt about it. But it’s a cruel joke.”

“I can take it, Glory. I have my own woman now. And Blade’s right. It’s a great way to keep Mel from making another move on you.” Rafe stood in the doorway. I guess we’d left the door ajar. “You did say five minutes.”

“You heard.” I knew my face was red. “Sorry. Jerry had this crazy idea that Mel would back off if you and I were having a wild rebound affair.”

“Works for me.” Rafe grinned.

“You don’t have to enjoy it too much, Valdez. Besides, I know Gloriana is committed to me. I trust her completely.” Jerry had me snug against his side.

“Well, then.” I was actually at a loss for words. I’d waited literally centuries to hear Jerry say those words. “So that’s what we’ll do. Play the game and hope Mel buys it.” I walked Jerry to the stairs. “We’re going to the roof, Rafe. I’ll be back in a few.”

“And don’t come looking for her.” Jerry growled as he followed me up the stairs.

“Got it.” Rafe was grinning as he shut the apartment door.

“Take care of yourself. Don’t fly too long.” Up on the roof I held on to Jerry, wishing he didn’t have to go. It hadn’t been that long ago that he’d been drugged.

“I’m fine. I’ll lay over in one of my safe houses. You know I’ve made this trip many times. I have the route well laid out.” He smiled and brushed my hair back over my shoulders. “Take care. Don’t leave Valdez’s side. I don’t particularly like the bastard but he’s good at what he does. If he gets carried away with this fake relationship, you know what to do.”

“I can turn him to stone in a heartbeat. But he won’t push things. He takes good care of me.” I pulled Jerry’s head down for a final kiss. “I love you. Hurry home.” I watched as he shifted into a black bird and took off. He blended into the night sky, his final squawk his own good-bye to me.

I looked over the ledge down to the alley. No sign of the zombies tonight. Did that mean Mel had believed Jerry’s tale of our breakup? It was a good sign anyway. I was smiling when I found Rafe setting his duffel bag in front of Lily’s door.

“Nice digs. He doesn’t stint when it comes to his daughter, does he?” Rafe opened the door and stepped inside. “Two bedrooms. What does she need with two bedrooms?”

“I don’t know but I’d love to foist Aggie on her. I need a plan for just that.” I wandered into the kitchen and opened the refrigerator. Fully stocked with premium synthetic blood. I helped myself to my favorite flavor, AB negative. What a treat.

“Do the two women get along?” Rafe looked in vain for human snack food in the empty cupboards. “We need to go shopping.”

“Does anyone get along with Aggie? Do her a favor and go shopping in my kitchen.” I sat on the black and white print couch. The living room was done in a contemporary style. Black and white with touches of red. There was a fluffy white flokati rug on the refinished hardwood floor. I loved it, even though I’d always been more into antiques and the retro look. There was something about everything being brand-new that appealed to me. A fresh start. What a concept.

“Actually though, the two
are
pretty friendly. Two contrary females. I’ve seen them with their heads together more than once.” I drank my blood, sighing with pleasure. “Make a shopping list, Rafe. We’ll hit the grocery store too. Aggie made me realize I haven’t been giving her enough food money. I need to see what things cost now.”

“Don’t let her guilt-trip you, Glory. The woman’s taking advantage of you all the way around.” Rafe stood by the door. “We need to go. I’ve got to meet that new guard, bring him up to speed on Sienna’s needs and take care of some things. Remember?”

I got up reluctantly. Break over. I drained the bottle, rinsed it out and set it aside. We’d start a recycle bin up here. Lily should learn to do that. I followed Rafe out and locked the door. I had a serious case of apartment envy. My feet dragged as I headed downstairs to my noisy, cramped and tired old place.

When we got to my door, I heard singing. A duet. Somehow I had a feeling this was not going to turn out well.

Nine

When
I opened the door, Sienna and Aggie glanced my way but didn’t stop singing. Sienna was playing her guitar while Aggie tapped out a beat on my coffee table. It was a familiar tune, a hit that had been playing on the radio recently.

I couldn’t believe it. A happy sing-along? Obviously Aggie had decided to use Sienna to launch a singing career. And Sienna? She grinned and winked when Aggie took a solo turn. Hmm. So maybe Sienna thought she could stick it to Ray if she brought Aggie along to their rehearsal. She must have heard that he hated the former Siren. Aggie had tortured Ray and me when we’d first met. She’d almost sacrificed us to save her own skin when she’d been in trouble with Circe, a goddess who hated vampires on general principle. I’d sort of moved past it. Ray never had, nursing an urge for revenge almost to the point of obsession. And what Ray despised, Sienna now loved.

The song ended and they both laughed, obviously pleased with their sound. Who wouldn’t be? They both had tremendous voices, clear and powerful. The harmony had been spot-on.

Rafe clapped. “Amazing. You two sounded great together. What brought that on?”

“Just a little experiment. Aggie mentioned she used to sing for a living. I wanted to hear her. Some voice, huh?” Sienna tapped Aggie’s knee. “Those men didn’t stand a chance.”

I just stared. Did Sienna not get that Aggie had used her song to bring men to their
deaths
? I thought we’d made it pretty clear earlier. I guess the rocker didn’t care. Her recent experience with Ray must have made her so down on men that Aggie’s taking out over a million men had seemed like a public service.

“Thanks, Sin. Coming from you, that’s quite a compliment.” Aggie managed to sound humble. “You really think I have a shot?”

“Oh, yeah. We’re going to make it happen.” Sienna handed her guitar to Rafe when he stuck out his hand. “You’re going to the club with me tonight, Aggie.”

“That’ll be interesting.” Rafe grinned. “What’s the plan?”

“Shop first. I know Glory needs to check in down there and Aggie should have some decent clothes for her new singing career. Then I’m taking her to my practice with Ray. I think Aggie would make a great backup singer.”

“Backup?” Aggie started to argue but stopped when she saw my frown. “Well, I guess it’s a good place to start.” She grabbed her coat. “I’m used to being a solo act, Sin. I was hoping to start checking out places on Sixth Street, trying for my own singing job. A night gig of course. I can’t give up my day job at Ian’s. Yet.” She wrinkled her nose. “He won a judgment against me. If I default, the vamp council will lock me up in a coffin in Damian’s basement. Can you believe it?”

“That’s a little extreme. Are they serious, Glory?” Sienna gathered up her own coat and purse.

“As a heart attack. She’s got years to go to pay off Ian unless she comes into some big bucks.” I looked around my crowded place. Aggie wasn’t the only one who needed big bucks. Worn chairs, drapes, kitchen table. I’d given up on an area rug after Boogie had upchucked his fifth hair ball. Since my last fledgling vampire, Penny, had left her cat with me, I’d learned to deal with having a few kitty calamities. Any way you looked at it, compared to Lily’s new place, mine was a dump.

“Don’t audition anywhere else yet, Aggie. I’m going to see what I can arrange. We pay our backup singers pretty well. You could probably give this Ian whatever he says you’re working off each week and still have money left over.” Sienna laughed when Aggie lunged, throwing her arms around her.

“Honey, you have no idea how desperate I am to be free of that egomaniac.” Aggie pushed back, tears in her eyes. “I never see him anymore, thank the goddess. Instead, he leaves me lists of things he says I do wrong every day. He wants his towels folded a certain way. I should bleach his jockey shorts.” She got an evil grin. “Did that, even his black silk ones.”

“Bet he loved that.” I had to admit that Ian could be a real bastard.

“The latest list told me to scrub the grout in his bathroom with a toothbrush. If I did, it would be with the one he uses on his own stupid fangs.” Aggie danced around the room, singing a song she must have made up on the spot. It featured four-letter words and invited Ian to shove his lists.

“I guess we’d better make this happen then. And won’t it be fun, singing together?” Sienna put her hand on Rafe’s when he set her guitar in its case. “Do you mind bringing that along? We may do an acoustic number. Though how Ray and I can still go on together when I don’t want to see or speak to that bastard ever again is beyond me.”