Real Vampires Have More to Love (26 page)

“He wants a bachelor party. It’ll have to be pretty close to the wedding. I’ll be here for a while yet.”

“Do you need my help? With the party?” I collapsed in the chair with relief.

“No, I’ll handle it from here. Thank God all he wants is poker and cigars. I’ll get Damian to bring some of that potent brew we had at his house. We’ll get the man roaring drunk and have a fine time.”

I heard a knock on my back door. “Sounds great, Jerry. I’ve got to go, someone’s here. See you when you get back.”

“Right. Take care.” He hung up without another word.

Hmm. Pretty abrupt, but we didn’t gush at each other, usually exchanging love words only in bed. I couldn’t stress about it. I walked to the door.

“Who is it?”

“Greg Kaplan. Let me in. We need to talk about your party.”

“Just a minute.” I hurried to shove the broken pieces of stool into the bathroom, leaving the one leg that would work as a stake under a soiled dress, then opened the door.

“What about the party? I thought you had my order all figured out. But the event’s now this Wednesday night.”

“Yeah, well, if you want good eats, you never should have played hardball with Westwood on the phone. Simon’s furious.” Greg strolled in, a shit-eating grin on his face. “What the hell were you thinking?”

I slammed the door. “I was thinking that Simon and Westwood would try to screw me out of my payoff for helping them. So I needed some of my reward up front.” I put my hands on my hips. “I’d think you’d get that, Greg. You’ve been around Simon long enough to know how he does business.”

“Yeah, he always comes out on top.” Greg frowned down at the stained dress. “That one’s ruined.”

“Yes, an accident. So what are you here for? To spank me?” I got between him and the table.

“Glory, Glory, that sounded like an invitation.” His eyes lit up, and he had a look on his face that seemed vaguely familiar. “If you’d been that much fun in New York, I might not have wiped your memory clean.”

“Get over yourself, Greg. Am I getting my car or not? I won’t do the video without one, and I want it up front.” I poked his chest.

“Oh, I brought you a car all right. A loaner.” He tossed a set of keys on the table. “The tow truck will be here later to haul away that piece of crap you used to drive.” He chuckled and sat in the only chair. “How long you had that?”

“Doesn’t matter. It will cost more to get it fixed than it’s worth, so it’s salvage now. I don’t need a loaner; I need a car that I can own, free and clear. I told Westwood that.”

“Westwood’s broke. He can’t buy you a pair of roller skates, Glo. And it’s Saturday night. Even Simon can’t get you a clear title on a new car until Monday.” Greg opened a bag he’d brought with him and pulled out a tortilla chip. He shoved it into his mouth and crunched. “Mmm. Don’t know how Simon makes these, but they taste like the real deal. Want one?” He held out the bag.

“No. Last time I ate some of Simon’s food I ended up unconscious.” I inhaled corn and listened to more crunching. Could I trust the food at Flo’s party? “It had better be okay at the party. No funny business.”

“With all those area vampires there? Simon’s a businessman. He’s counting on using this party to get his catering gig up and running. We’ll make big bucks on these snacks.” Greg ate another chip. “Don’t be paranoid, Glory. You want your party to be a success, you’ll get this stuff and serve it. Wednesday?”

“Yes, well, it’s when I could get the club.” I knew the ladies would flip if I brought out chips and salsa for vampires. Combined with a hot male dancer, it would be a party Aggie sure couldn’t top.

Greg smiled. “Get with the program, Glory. If Westwood calls for you to come do the video, you’d better show up, new car or not. If I can’t take back a guarantee from you on that, I’m afraid bad things will start to happen to those you love.” Greg crammed another chip into his mouth. “And we’ll blow off the p.r. opportunity. No snacks at your ladies’ night.”

“I don’t like threats, Greg. This is
my
deal. Leave my friends out of it.”

“Even Israel Caine? That fledgling vampire just left here. He’d be Simon’s guest at the energy vacuum pump right now if I’d had orders to take him out.” Greg laughed. “Caine never even saw me in that alley. You’d think he’d remember all the trouble you’ve had back there.”

“Damn it. Leave Ray alone.” I would call Ray the minute this creep left and warn him to keep his bodyguard with him. I assumed he still had Brittany, his shape-shifter, on the payroll.

“Go ahead and warn him. Warn the bride too. She was shoe shopping at the mall earlier. Two of our men tailed Florence into Nordstrom and would have had no problem getting her and her three pairs of shoes back to the compound.” Greg finished the last chip and crumpled the bag into a ball. “Seems she favors black patent for spring. Couldn’t decide on the pumps or the sandals so she bought both.”

A chill shuddered through me. “Richard will turn that compound into a wasteland if you harm one hair on Flo’s head.”

Greg smiled. “He could try. Note to Glory: Holy water doesn’t work on Simon or our goddess.” He aimed his bag at a trash can in the corner of the room and hit the shot. “Score!”

“The only scoring around here is the zip your team gets when it tries to harm my friends.” I slammed my fist into his nose and blood spurted. “Westwood and the EVs can kiss his billions bye-bye if any of my friends are dragged off to EV central.”

“Damn it, Glory. You broke my nose.” Greg glared at me, his hands trying to stem the blood flow.

“I’m making a point, Gregory. I want my new car, and I’ll come when Westwood calls. No car, no video. I’m essential to Westwood’s plans, and he’d better not forget it.” I grabbed Greg’s shirt and dragged him to the door.

“What the—” Greg gasped but kept his hands over his bloody nose. I think he was in shock at my sudden attack, because he didn’t fight me.

“And if one vampire gets so much as a twinge from any of the EV goodies, there will be hell to pay.” I opened the back door and used my foot on his backside to shove Greg out into the alley. “Ask your girlfriend, Aggie, about this. I’ve got a demon connection now, and I’m not afraid to use it.” I slammed the door and locked it.

“Demon connection is right, girlfriend. You have no idea how close a connection it is.”
The voice in my head laughed until I wanted to tear my hair out.

“Would that demon connection be me?” Rafe grinned at me from across the room where he’d obviously come in from the shop side.

“You’d better believe it.” I ran to him and wrapped my arms around his waist. “You have any idea how glad I am to see you?”

“No, why don’t you show me?” He leaned down to kiss me, his mouth hot and dangerously knowing.

I indulged myself for a long and satisfying moment until Rafe pulled back.

“Now tell me what that was all about. Kaplan threaten you?”

I slid out of his arms. “Worse. He threatened Ray and Flo.” I rummaged among the dresses on the table for my cell phone. “I’ve got to warn them.”

“Do that.” Rafe frowned down at the broken stool leg on the table. “What happened here?”

“Ray found out about you and me. Didn’t take it well.” I hit speed dial for the rock star and got voice mail. I left a message for him to call me back. “He might not return my call. I wonder if he brought Brittany with him. We should call her.”

“I’ll do it. Come here first.” Rafe pulled me into his arms again. “How badly did he take it?” He glanced at the stool leg. “He didn’t hurt you, did he?”

“No, but I wouldn’t recommend you get alone with him in the alley anytime soon.” I leaned my head against his chest and listened to his strong heartbeat. “It was horrible, Rafe. He was hurt, furious. You remember how he was with me.”

Rafe’s arms tightened around me. “Hell, yes. He ran around naked in front of you every chance he got. Tried everything to get into your pants. Never did, though, did he?” There was a world of satisfaction in those words.

I leaned back. “As far as you know.” I shoved and put my hands on my hips, then remembered that my panties were still on the floor in the corner of the room where I’d tossed them. Wouldn’t that be fun to explain. “Let me make things clear. I am my own woman. I can sleep with whomever I please.” I still held the cell phone, too aware of the man I’d talked to earlier.

“So Caine got to you.” Rafe wasn’t smiling as he dug out his own phone from his pocket. His jeans were snug enough to make me lick my lips. Ridiculous to notice that right now.

“I felt sorry for Ray.”

“Now that’s okay.” Rafe’s grin was back. “Poor pitiful rock star. I can work with that.”

“Call Brittany.”

“Got her on speed dial.” Rafe pulled out his phone.

Rafe and Brit had been an item once but had parted in L.A. and not on such good terms. Both shape-shifters, Brittany thought I took advantage of Rafe’s loyalty and worked him way too many hours. The fact that she’d been right had ramped up my guilt and left us on not great terms either.

“Isn’t that convenient.” Oops, my jealousy was showing. Better deflect. “Anyway, remember, Ray’s supposed to sing at your club Thursday. If he doesn’t because you two get into it over me, Nadia will be pissed.”

Rafe pushed me against the back door. “Might be worth it. Caine’s arrogant, called me a dog. Always wanted me in my place, which in his world was at his feet or on the floor. It wasn’t easy doing my gig knowing you were sharing his bed.” He pressed his body against mine, his breath hot against my cheek. “I wanted to be the one holding you through the day.”

“Rafe.” I slid my arms up around his neck. “Nothing happened between Ray and me. You know that, don’t you?”

“Things happened, all right. Just not what Caine wanted.” Rafe lowered his head and kissed me tenderly. “So I’ll steer clear of the bastard. Cause
I
got what
I
wanted. Plan on getting it again too. Real soon.” He kissed me again, this time with a hunger that could have headed toward something more if there hadn’t been a knock on the door from the shop.

I tugged on his hair, the soft curls much finer than the Labradoodle fur he’d worn. “Got to get that.”

“Yeah. And we need to warn your friends. We’ll continue this later.” Rafe eased back.

I took a breath, then walked to the door and opened it.

“Glory, I’m swamped out here. Can you give me a hand?” Erin was flushed, and I could see she had a good half dozen customers roaming the shop with items in their hands. Good business.

“Give me two minutes to make a phone call.” I smiled and slammed the door, then hit the speed dial for Flo. Voice mail. Left a message for her to call me. Same for Richard. I just hoped they were together and practicing for the honeymoon again. I heard Rafe on the phone with Brittany. He was telling her about the EV threat, so she was here and on Ray guard duty. Okay, then. I opened the door again and stepped into the shop.

“Hold up, Goth Girl. Step away from the black. Try on this silk blouse. It’s definitely your color, and think how shocked your parents will be when you wear it at home on spring break. Daddy tight with the purse strings since you pierced everything? Play it smart. Go home and pretend you’ve seen the light. Take out the safety pins, put on colors and watch Daddy melt. After he raises your allowance, come back and buy this!” I took her arm and steered her to the Goth girl’s dream, a black satin cape and thigh-high black leather boots studded with silver.

“Blue?” She looked uncertainly at her friend, who was even more pierced than she was.

“I’m gagging.” The friend was no help.

“If you hate it, after the break, have it dry-cleaned, and I’ll buy it back from you.”

That got her attention, and she decided to try it on, and two other colorful blouses. I could hear her muttering about her dad stroking out when he saw her, obviously an added incentive.

Two hours later, I had rung up six sales and convinced three students that I was psychic. Okay, so I used my mind reading to help things along.

I moved in on another student who was fumbling through the blouse rack. “You’re student teaching kindergarten this semester, am I right?”

The girl gasped and looked at her boyfriend. “How did you know?”

“Guess I overheard something. Anyway, you look fine if you were planning to teach Serial Killing 101. But you’re scaring the little kiddies.” I dragged her to the skirts. “Try one of these print skirts. And ballet flats instead of combat boots.”

“I like her in black.” The boyfriend was obviously not on board. But then he probably had trouble seeing her through his guy-liner and mascara. I could have told him a fresh tube would take care of his clumping problem.

“I bet you’ll also like her when she’s hired next year and earning a paycheck. Am I right?” I smiled and assessed him. Slacker. The girl could do better. I handed her three skirts to try on and herded her toward the dressing room. “He’s not going to class, Stacy. Check him out. This guy will never graduate or work, as long as you will.”

“How did you know my name?” Stacy was wide-eyed and glanced back at eyelash boy, who was deep into the vintage comic books.

“You’ve been in here before. It’s on your credit card.”

“Oh. How do you know so much about Rod?” She held up the print skirt, then grabbed a red blouse to go with it. Definitely getting with the program.

“Gut feeling. He’s reading comics. When’s the last time you saw him reading a textbook?” I had her attention now. “Check things out. Ask someone who’s in those classes he’s supposed to be taking. You’ve got a lot on the ball, don’t sell yourself short.” I smiled and saw Erin wave at me. “Good luck.”

“Thanks.” Stacy stared at the blouse rack, a thoughtful look on her face.

Erin grabbed me. “I almost forgot to tell you. Rafe left a message before he took off. He’s picking you up at three o’clock to take you to see his new club.”