Real Vampires Know Size Matters (23 page)

I realized the room had gone completely still when I started playing the opening notes. I did a few flourishes just because I could. Sienna and Ray grinned and high-fived each other. They settled down again when I began to sing.

I imagined how Jerry and I could sing to each other like the two lovers had done in the play I’d seen on Broadway when I’d lived in New York decades ago. I did put my heart into the song. I always had. Music meant as much to me as it did to Ray and I was glad it showed. When I finished, everyone clapped and I ducked my head, embarrassed.

I’d gotten so carried away by the music, I’d almost forgotten there was anyone else in the room. I hoped it would work that way Halloween. It would help me get through the performance in front of a crowd.

Ray laughed, sliding onto the bench next to me to go through a sheaf of other music. He was beside himself with my musical ability, talking a mile a minute about possible tunes. I wanted him to slow down and let me think. I had some ideas and needed to hit the Internet, to look up songs that might work with my own agenda. When I whispered a possible song title, Ray called Sienna over to discuss it with her, picking up his phone to find a demo on YouTube.

I glanced up and saw Aggie’s sneer. She was furious. She mouthed, “Show-off.” I nodded and smiled, stroking the keys in a little musical taunt. Why not? If you’ve got it, flaunt it. I should have known better.

Eleven

I
woke up the next evening with my schedule buzzing in my brain. I would head to Ian’s as soon as possible but I wasn’t going to spend much time there. I had to hit my shop and check on inventory and see if I could scrounge up a costume for Halloween in case my mother didn’t come through.

I didn’t have time to worry about my new vampire and had left her in Danny’s capable hands. He knew not to let her be alone with mortals and was strong enough to physically control her if she got a bad case of bloodlust. Still, I did need to check in on her. Of course I’d see her at rehearsals. Another piece of my double-stuffed night.

I rolled out of my comfy bed and smelled coffee. Yes, Valdez was in the apartment and making his own meal. We needed to talk. Sure, she had some creepy creatures around her, but if Mel had bought the breakup story, then I could hope she would back off with the threats. At the very least, with her reputation to think about, the woman wouldn’t come at me with an audience. I could see the headlines: “Life coach melts down with own life in chaos.” Talk about bad for business. Maybe Rafe didn’t need to be around me as much as he thought he did. I slipped on a robe and walked into the living room. I wasn’t prepared for the scene I interrupted.

Lacy and Valdez were stretched out on the couch and in each other’s arms. Naked. Okay. I knew they were a couple but I really, really didn’t want to see them making it. I turned on my heels and jogged back into the bedroom. Seriously, where were my bodyguard’s shifter senses that he hadn’t heard me wake up and come in? I could have been staked in my sleep. Voodooed to hell and gone and he’d never have noticed. I slammed the bedroom door.

“Glory?” Rafe tapped on the door a minute later.

“I’m busy.” I got out my laptop. “I have some research to do. Go on about your own business. Pretend I’m not here. That’s what you were doing anyway.”

“Shit. I’m sorry.” He opened the door. He’d pulled on a pair of jeans.

I didn’t want to see his bare chest, but it was way too fine to ignore. Lacy had been all over it. At least they hadn’t been in cat form. The thought made me want to puke.

“Don’t be sorry. You have a life. I’m glad. Tell Lacy I’m okay with it. Go on, take care of your lady.” I opened the laptop and turned it on, pulling a pillow under it for a cushion. I leaned back against the padded headboard. Nice. Maybe I’d get one similar to it. Very comfortable. If I came into some extra money, I could redecorate. This bedroom was feminine in lavender and cream. Lily must have picked out everything. I typed in my password.

“Glory, look at me.” Rafe moved to the side of the bed. “Lacy’s gone. She didn’t like the way I threw her across the room when I realized you saw us together.”

“Gee, Rafe. That was a little extreme. Is she all right?” I looked again. How could I not? The way those jeans dipped low, the zipper not quite done up? Oh, God, but I remembered how we’d been together . . . Shifter blood is so hot. And Rafe made love so fiercely. I dragged my eyes away when I saw heat flare in his eyes.

“She’s a cat. She landed on her feet.” He moved around the foot of the bed. “We’ll be fine. She just needs time to cool off.”

“Send her flowers.” I relaxed, glad I hadn’t ruined things for him.

“Lacy’s not into flowers. If I can get hold of some bluefin tuna, she’ll forget all about that interruption.” He sat beside me on the bed, making the computer slide off my lap. “You okay? I was supposed to be guarding you. Won’t happen again.”

“No,
I’m
sorry.” I bumped my shoulder against his arm. “This bodyguard thing has put a crimp in your social life. You and I have been done for a while now. I’m glad you have someone. Lacy’s nice.” His hand was dark against the white sheets. I itched to pick it up. To prove I could and it wouldn’t mean anything? That would be plain stupid.

“Yes, she is. I was lucky to find her. Can’t say it’s going anywhere long term but we’re having fun.” He grinned, like he was remembering that fun. Then he got serious again. “You know Blade showed me how much he loves you by swallowing his pride and feelings about us and asking me to take care of you. For the first time, I can see you two together and understand why you stick by him.”

“Good. You’re my best friend, Rafe. I want you two to get along.”

“I’ll try. But when he starts ordering me around, you know I don’t take it well.” He kissed the top of my head. “You and I had better get going. I’m showering while you do your research. Then I guess we hit Ian’s first. Right?”

“Right.” I leaned back. Rafe showering. I watched him stride to the bathroom. The bad boy dropped his jeans and kicked them away just before he hit the door. Reminding me of what I’d given up? Of course.

I sighed and fell back on the bed. Lucky Lacy. If she played her cards right, she could have Rafe forever. The girl wasn’t getting any younger and her mother had been dropping by the shop regularly lately, reminding her of that fact. Not that Mom-Cat wanted her daughter hooked up with a shifter. No, she had eligible were-cat males lined up. Lacy’s affair with Rafe was probably her way of sticking it to her mother. I could relate to that.

I got comfy with the computer again. Music. I was very familiar with what Ray and Sienna considered retro. I’d lived with that music. The fifties had been a fun time. I could go back a lot further but knew the rockers would be confused by it. It didn’t take long for me to pick out two songs that I hoped would be crowd-pleasers on a Saturday night. I sent the links to Ray and Sin then got up and dressed, glad I’d showered the night before. By the time Rafe was ready, I was good to go, the voodoo book and my laptop in my tote again.

The ride out to Ian’s was fairly quiet after we made a stop at a twenty-four-hour copy center near the University of Texas. I wasn’t about to just hand over a voodoo book to Ian MacDonald. Jerry’s distrust of the man and my own experiences with him made me more than reluctant to do that. I told Rafe Ian had tried to talk me out of messing with voodoo.

“He’s right, Glory. I can turn around right now. Even that book gives me the creeps.” Rafe was driving his SUV. It was one of those big black powerful cars that men liked. We could probably go off road if we had to. Rafe would enjoy that.

“I want Mel to stay away from Jerry. If this potion will do the trick, then I have to try it.” I’d called Sienna before we’d left and she’d told me Aggie was with her, bragging that she hadn’t bothered to go to work. I wondered what Ian would say about that. I didn’t have long to wonder.

Ian greeted us at the door. “Your Siren sister didn’t show up today, according to my guards. Know anything about that?”

“She’s not my sister. And I’m not Aggie’s keeper either. I don’t know what she did today.” I walked in, Rafe close behind me.

“Do I have to call the vampire council and tell them she’s in breach of our contract?” Ian closed the door. “They can throw her in the clink.”

“The coffin, you mean.” I set my tote on Ian’s massive glass coffee table. “She probably didn’t show because she’s starting a new job that pays enough to get you off her back. Guess she decided to quit here and send you a check every week. She should have notified you though.”

“That’s not how our agreement works.” Ian stalked over to his bar and poured a drink. It was a synthetic blood with alcohol. “Want one?” He ignored Rafe. He had always treated my bodyguard like a piece of furniture, and nothing had changed.

“Sure. Why not? Rafe? I’m sure Ian has something without blood.” I was determined to nip this elitist attitude in the bud.

“Scotch if you have it.” Rafe grinned, happy to goad Ian into treating him as a guest.

“Why the hell not?” Ian pulled out a bottle of good Scot’s whiskey. “Seems the servants are determined to take over these days.”

“Pour us all some of that, Ian. I learned in Scotland that vamps can drink it straight. As long as we don’t get carried away. You’re working with Bart O’Connor. He told me you two hit it off. He’s done experiments to prove a little can’t hurt us.” I smiled, happy to teach Ian something for a change.

“Yes. Sharp guy. He didn’t mention this. Good to know.” Ian filled three glasses, bringing one of them to me. “Down the hatch.” He clinked his glass against mine. Apparently Rafe was supposed to pick up his own from the bar. He didn’t hesitate.

“Cheers.” Rafe sipped. “Excellent.”

“Yes, it’s from my family’s distillery. I just didn’t think I could enjoy it again. Thanks, Gloriana.” Ian took a drink, a look of satisfaction on his handsome face. “Well, now. I guess I owe you some help with this potion. Show me that book.”

“You can look at it from there but I’m not about to give it to you. I’ve copied the page you’ll need. You won’t believe all the ingredients in this potion. Really weird ones too. I started a search on the Internet but finally gave up. They aren’t things you’ll find in a supermarket.” I pulled the book out of my tote and held it up. “The recipe we need was marked with a slip of paper.” I handed him the copy.

“This is ridiculous. Let me see the book, Gloriana. What do you think I’ll do? Steal it?” Ian snatched the copy but stayed close.

“I don’t know, Ian. Wouldn’t put it past you.” I stuffed the book back in my tote. “If you aren’t up to this, say so. I heard there are a few Energy Vampires setting up shop out at the old site. Maybe I can connect with them.”

Ian frowned and glanced at the recipe in his hand. “No, you don’t want them to get hold of something like this. You’d never see it again.” He sat in a leather chair and gestured for us to sit. “I’ll play by your silly rules. I have to admit you intrigued me with your phone call and here it is.
Periplaneta americana.
” He grinned and looked up at me. “Hate to burst your bubble, Gloriana, but that’s the common cockroach. You probably have one or two on hand yourself.”

“No! Gross.” I leaned forward. “I should have looked that up. I’d had such a hard time with the other stuff that I quit before I got to that. Anything else common there?”

“Well, Old Man’s Beard is commonly referred to as tree moss. That’s easy enough to find around here.” Ian gestured to the French doors that led to his deck. It had a view of the lake and the woods surrounding it. “And I’d assume Mother Nature’s Tears to be rainwater.”

“Can’t believe I didn’t put that together.” I felt like smacking my forehead. “But Ian, there are some exotic insects there too. I did find those on the Net.”

“Yes, I see. I’ll have to check with my suppliers. I can have the bugs here tomorrow night if they are in stock.” He stood. “Come to my lab and let me see if I have everything else. You sure this keeps people away? It could be quite handy. Like a bug zapper for people.” He looked distracted as he strode down the hall.

“Only without frying them.” I hurried after him.

Rafe wasn’t letting me out of his sight. “Be careful, Glory. Remember what this guy has done in the past.” He nodded to a guard stationed next to the lab door.

“I know. He’s out for himself. Always. But if you’ve got something he wants, you’re golden. Right now, he’s interested in me because I have Olympian powers.” I smiled at Rafe before I followed Ian. “Don’t worry, I’m always alert around him.”

“Son of a bitch!”

Rafe and I glanced at each other then ran into the lab.

“Sir? Has there been an intrusion?” The guard shouldered us aside, his gun out while he did a sweep of the room. He hurried to Ian’s side.

“You told me no one had been here today.” Ian’s face was flushed. Obviously the fact that he was holding two broken beakers in his bleeding hands had done that. The smell of his blood dripping to the floor brought my fangs down and probably flushed my face too.

“What happened, Ian?” I fought my fangs back where they belonged.

“Thompson, why don’t you tell us?” Ian threw the beakers to the tile floor where they shattered. “What the hell happened here?”

“I, I don’t know, sir. She said she’d left something undone here. Just stayed a minute.” Thompson backed toward the door when Ian snarled.

“She. I don’t have to guess who
she
is. Were you fucking Aggie, Thompson? Is that how she persuaded you to let her into my lab? You and she both know this room is off-limits. To everyone!” Ian’s eyes bulged, a vein throbbed in his forehead and we all stepped back this time. I’d never seen him so out of control. I pressed against Rafe in case Ian forgot we weren’t the enemy.

“No, no, sir. She came in just this once. She needed to clean up a spill, she said. Claimed you’d texted her about it. One last order before she quit.” Thompson gasped when Ian grabbed his throat and threw him against the wall.

“You know I can read your stupid shifter mind, don’t you?” Ian thumped the man’s head against the wall, making a hole in the Sheetrock. “Idiot! She played you. I hope that blow job was worth it. You’ve just lost your job and are a heartbeat away from losing your life.”