Real Vampires Live Large (38 page)

“Daylight, Glory. You'd swear you were on a beach on a tropical island.” Greg sighed. “I would do anything for time in that room.” He looked at me and winked. “You'd love it. Special lights that are just like the sun, only not lethal. White sand, a pool and palm trees.” He chuckled. “You and I could have a lot of fun on a towel on the sand.”

I sighed and felt Richard warm against my skin. “Sun? Sand? Palm trees?” I looked back at Valdez. “And a lizard sunning himself on a rock. That's you, Greg. Get a clue. I've moved on from my New York days. My men don't conspire to suck the life out of me.”

Greg just laughed. “Yeah, right. Except at the old neck or thigh, huh, baby? I remember what you like.”

I felt a flush heat my chest and cheeks and Richard stirred. He wasn't sending me any messages and I knew that was the deal. I had my own block up and a probe of Greg's mind yielded zilch.

The car pulled onto a scenic overlook and Greg stopped. “We get out here.” He walked around and opened both passenger doors. Valdez hopped out and rushed to the edge of the brush to take care of business. I fought tears. He never would have been that blatant about using a tree around me if he'd been himself.

The overlook had a pretty view of Austin in the distance. I could see the moonlight reflecting off a lake, but no lights anywhere close to where we were. I flinched when a man stepped out of the shadows. He silently got in the Honda and drove off. I hoped my followers realized I wasn't in the car.

“Our ride's here.” Greg picked up Valdez's leash and led him to a black Hummer parked under a tree. He shoved the dog in the backseat and waited for me to get in, then quietly shut the door.

“Gee, this is really spylike, Greg. I've never been in a Hummer before. It's huge. And black like the night. Is Simon scared I'll lead a few angry friends to his place?” I'd said it all out loud in case someone up above us could hear.

“Simon's not scared of anything, Glory. You'd do well to remember that. He's king of the EVs, Honoria's right-hand man.” Greg put the car in gear, but didn't turn on the headlights, just used his vamp night vision to steer the car down a rough road that ran through a tunnel of trees. Someone flying high overhead would have a hell of a time spotting us. I swallowed.

“Sounds like Simon's stuck in some earlier centuries. When monarchies were the thing. Where are we going, to some feudal castle in the woods?”

“Simon has respect for old traditions, but he's also hip to new technology. Brent Westwood's got nothing on Simon. The king can afford to buy whatever he needs. You'll see at headquarters.” Greg shifted a gear and we bumped up a rocky hill, well off the road now. “I probably should have blindfolded you, but I doubt you'd ever be able to retrace our path anyway. As I remember, you were too much into blending to hone your vamp skills.”

“Thanks a lot.” I felt a tickle on my chest and tried to scratch without hurting Richard or alerting Greg. It wasn't easy. “Back then, I'd say you were right, but I've been surrounded by strong vampires lately. I'd have to be stupid not to pick up a few tricks.”

“Save them, Glory. Tricks like shifting sap your power. Simon will do what you want to your furry friend back there, as long as he feels you've got something he wants. Waste it, and I'm afraid you'll have lost your bargaining chip.”

“And what about Flo?” I couldn't imagine my roomie slobbering somewhere in the throes of drug withdrawal. A sex drug. I had visions of her lusting after the handle of her hairbrush and shuddered. Richard had crawled out of his cave and was on my shoulder under my T-shirt. Valdez stuck his head between the seats and growled.

“Flo's okay. Simon can cure her with a shot of the antidote. ” Greg glanced at Valdez. “Call off your dog or I dump him right here, in the middle of nowhere.”

“Dump my dog and I'll—” I reached out and grabbed Greg's crotch. Yeah, right
there
. “Squeeze this puppy until you hit high C.” I tightened my grip. “Want to test my vamp strength?”

“Damn it, Glory!” Greg slammed on the brakes and the car fishtailed then rocked to a stop. He looked down, his face pale. “Let go. Right. Now.” He pulled a gun from a pocket in the door and aimed it at Valdez's head. “Now or I blow fur face here to hell.”

I let go, sorry I hadn't really hurt Greg when I had the chance. Unfortunately, I needed him to find the EV stronghold.

“Now kiss it and make it better.” Greg kept the gun in his left hand and grabbed my hand with his right. He tried to pull me closer.

“In your dreams, asshole. Isn't your boss waiting?” I glanced at the clock on the dashboard. “We've already wasted over an hour getting wherever we're going. Is Simon a patient man? Would he like to hear that we were late so you could get your rocks off?”

Greg dropped my hand and stuck the gun back in the door. “We're here. Or I
would
make you kiss it.” Greg gave me a warning look. “And you don't want to make either of us mad. I can help you, if you'll let me. Once Simon has your power, you'll need someone—”

“I'd rather lie in the sun, waiting to die, than let
you
help me, Gregory. And, news flash, since New York I've learned to help myself.”

Greg glanced back at Valdez, then hit me with his best “I'm a rough, tough vampire” look. “Last warning, Glory. Don't screw around like this with Simon or anyone here, or you'll regret it. And so will Valdez and Florence. You hear me?”

Oh, yeah, I'd definitely heard Greg. So I was fighting terror and a sick feeling in the pit of my stomach as I followed Greg down a path, Valdez at my side. When we finally came to a clearing, I stopped and gawked. A gold dome sparkled in the light from a full moon. Yep, a genuine dome with a spire pointing toward Heaven, like on a cathedral or mosque or some other holy place.

“Impressive.”

“Thank you, Gloriana.” A man strolled out of the shadows.

“Simon? Or should I curtsy and call you ‘Your majesty'?” I held onto the leash when Valdez started barking and lunged. Brad Pitt? I think not. I did a double take. If it hadn't been for his voice, I would have sworn . . . Obviously Simon really could make you think . . .

“Show a little respect, Glory.” Greg backed away at a look from Simon. “But not my business. Call me when you need me to drive her home, sir.” Simon just stared and Greg scurried away.

“So this is the dog you're so attached to.” Simon turned his attention to Valdez. The dog whimpered, tucked his tail between his legs and lay next to my feet. And wasn't that a creep-out?

“And you're the man Florence is so attached to. Funny, but you don't look like Brad Pitt to me. More like Jeremy Blade.”

Simon smiled. “It's one of my many gifts, Gloriana. I can sense a woman's hidden desires and become the man she wants.” He stared at me for a moment. “You're very busy blocking your thoughts, Glory. Hiding something?” He walked closer and touched my shirt. “Take this off. Kaplan might have missed something.”

I shrugged and tore the T-shirt off over my head and tossed it aside. I knew from the tiny movements under it, that I'd flung Richard away with it. He was a vamp. He'd land on his feet and figure out what to do.

“Wonder Woman.” Simon actually licked his lips and I got a glimpse of forked tongue that made me shudder. “I'd enjoy a little hand-to-hand with a superheroine.”

“Hand-to-hand?” I felt strangely disconcerted, talking to a Jerry clone, a man I'd lusted for since my Globe days. Hidden desires? I'd need to mull that over later. “Or did you have something a little more personal in mind?”

Simon laughed and took my arm. “Come now, you wouldn't think to barter your body for your dog's power, would you?” He led me toward the mosque. “I have much more interesting uses for you than sex.” He stopped and looked me over. “Though I like a woman with curves. That Kevlar definitely piques my interest.”

He smiled and I almost threw up on his brown suede loafers. Another way I knew it wasn't Jerry. Jerry didn't own a pair of Gucci loafers. Yet. I looked back at my dog lying with his head on his paws. Worth it? I hoped to hell I didn't have to find out.

“Relax, Gloriana. I've plenty of willing women if I'm in the mood to indulge my . . . appetites.” He focused on my chest and I wondered if he had X-ray vision. “Like your friend Florence. A most interesting woman. But troublesome. She's convinced me I'd be wise to pay more attention to my business and less to my own urges for a while. Come along.” He pulled me toward a gold door.

“Wait! How troublesome? I want to be sure Flo's all right.” Smiling Simon was seriously creeping me out and that gold door looked like the portal to hell or a little shop of horrors or something. No way was I going inside. I just bet that Honoria was in there, ready to gobble my power, then snack on my lifeless body for dessert.

Simon squeezed my arm and smiled. “I can sense it, Glory. All your untapped power. You will be a wonderful source. Because you won't shape-shift.”

I looked at Valdez who'd stayed on the ground next to my shirt. Now he was sniffing it and rooting around like he'd got a whiff of mouse.

Simon rubbed my arm, tightening his grip when I tried to wrench it away. “I understand your fear of shifting. What if you were injured while in another form? Or”—he nodded toward Valdez—“met with an unfortunate accident and lost your power.” He smiled. “You'd be stuck forever as something less than human.”

I shuddered and looked away from Simon's gleaming eyes. He had a mesmerizing voice and a knack for ferreting out my deepest desires
and
fears. And—hell's bells—I felt a pull. Oh, God. I'd almost leaned toward him.

“I want to see Flo.”

“Of course. I admire your loyalty.” He snapped his fingers and a man emerged from one of the smaller buildings on the edge of the clearing. Flo sagged against him.

“Glory?” She shoved away from the man and ran to me. “Honey, what are you doing here? I'd hoped you wouldn't—” She turned on Simon. “Bastard! Why are you doing this? Leave my friend alone.”

“Do you feel bad, Florence? Do you want something from me, perhaps?” Simon reached out the hand not gripping me.

Flo whimpered, sounding way too much like Valdez had a few moments before. “Simon, honey, please. I'm hurting.” She actually ran to his side and clutched his hand. “I can make you feel good, baby.” She leaned close and whispered, then rubbed herself against him.

“Not interested.” He released me and snapped his fingers again. The man who'd stood silently by came forward to drag Flo off of him.

“Simon! Why?”

“You bore me, Florence.” Simon smiled at me. “I have someone more interesting here now. We're about to arrange a trade.”

Flo screeched. Yep, like a smoke detector during a four alarm. In her vocabulary Simon had just insulted her in the worst possible way. “Bore you? Why, I'll rip out your heart,
bastardo
. I hate you.” Flo sank to the ground, sobbing and muttering in Italian. Obviously she didn't have enough strength to rip out anything.

I wanted to run to her and comfort her, but one look at Simon and I knew what I had to do.

“Like I should trust you to make a fair trade.” I looked around. More men had come out of the scattered outbuildings. Women too. Even Greg had made an appearance. Some were armed too. With stakes sharpened to a chilling point.

“You don't have to trust me, Glory. Now that you're here, you're mine.”

“I don't think so.” I concentrated. Shape-shifting. I hated it. Was terrified of it. And the last time I'd tried it, I'd failed miserably. But the stakes were higher this time. Every other vampire I knew did it without a second thought. I had to concentrate.
Will
myself to change. If ever I was going to do it, now was the time. And not some puny bird or bat. Nope. I needed to go for broke. Something enormous. That would drain my power and keep me safe from EV siphons and give me some leverage with Simon the
bastardo
.

I concentrated harder. With a scream that made even me flinch, I morphed into . . . a creature I'd seen on the Discovery Channel.

“Now you've done it, Gloriana. You'll never see your friend cured or your dog restored.”

“Oh, won't I?” I flapped my wings—got to love that wing span—and rose in the air above Simon. Before he could move, I had him in my talons and carried him high above that shiny gold dome of his.

“Bad choice of homestead, Simon. That pointy thing on the top
is
gilded wood, isn't it?”

“Put me down. Help!”

His army stared up at us, then a veritable bat brigade swooped in from the night sky. My shirt jumped. Richard was a man again and beside Flo, pulling her into his arms. One by one, the bats became men and women I recognized. With the advantage of surprise, they managed to disarm Simon's band.

“Cowards. Take them down. Don't just stand there.” Simon was trying to grab my claws. “Do you want to feel Honoria's wrath?”

“Careful, Simon. Look down. If I drop you now, you'll be skewered. I don't think EV power means much if you have a stake through the heart, does it?”

He stopped moving. I had him by his jacket. A nice Versace that would have sold in my shop in a heartbeat. That is if it didn't have those rips where my talons were clutching it. I felt it rip some more.

“Oh, hell. I may drop you anyway.”

“Don't be hasty, my dear. I can help your dog friend, you know. And I doubt anyone else can.”