Real Vampires Live Large (37 page)

“Whoa! I told you, I don't wear perfume because it messes up my sense of smell, but that smells wonderful. Where did you get it?”

“It's my mother's Joy, I think. It was the strongest-smelling perfume she had.” He dipped the stopper inside and then waved it around. “Sexy. Which is deeply disturbing on so many levels.”

“Okay, so Mummy has excellent taste. Why'd you bring it here?”

“Because I'm going with you, Glory. And I don't want any of the other vampires to smell me on you.” He reached forward and dabbed it behind my ears.

I inhaled. Absolutely delicious. “Wait. You can't go with me. I have to go alone. Or alone except for Valdez. You know he has to come with me.”

“I'm coming too. I'm shifting into something very small. I'll be where they won't see me and now they won't be able to smell me either.”

Before I knew what he was going to do, he lifted my T-shirt and exposed my Kevlar bra. My Wonder Woman bra had a bright yellow "W” on gray since Kevlar didn't come in red. Kevlar was good defense and just about impenetrable. The Wonder Woman thing had been Blade's idea. And wearing the bra always reminded me that I
was
powerful. Maybe too powerful since Simon wanted a piece of me.

“I approve. You're well prepared.” He ripped open the Velcro fastening between my breasts and they sprang free.

“Hey, we're in the middle of something serious here, Romeo. Get a grip.” I grabbed the edges of the bra.

“Let me put some perfume here.” He slid the cold stopper between my breasts, then leaned forward and sniffed. “A little more, I think.”

Okay, this was ridiculous. I needed to focus and his little games were wearing on my last nerve. “Hand me the stopper, Richard. I can do it.” I grabbed the stopper, dipped it in the pretty bottle, then swabbed my cleavage. Oh, boy, now I felt surrounded by a cloud of expensive scent. Too much, because my head started to throb. I pulled my bra back together.

“Here, let me help.” Richard took the stopper and set the bottle on a table. Then he moved behind me to press his hands on my temples. “Relax, Gloriana. Focus on what I'm about to tell you.”

The pressure in my head eased, but I sure couldn't relax. “What is this plan, Richard? I'm not going to just give up my power, or let Valdez spend eternity as a dick-licking— sorry fella, but that's all you've been doing lately—dog.” I put my hand on Valdez's head.

“I'm going with you. When the time is right, I'll shift into my human form and we'll take care of Simon. And I know you want Valdez restored. I'll try to make that happen.”

“We. You.
I'm
the one with the most at stake here, Richard. And I want to handle Simon. Maybe I'll give him some power. You said it can come back. I'll recover.” I pulled down my T-shirt. “And where you think you can hide, I don't know. They're going to search my purse. My hoodie has pockets, but they'll check those too.”

“Here, Glory.” Richard pulled up my shirt and touched the cleavage bulging over the top. “I'll be right here. Over your heart. After I change, you can put me between your breasts.”

“Pervert. What could you possibly turn into—” I gasped when Richard disappeared. Poof. Just like that. Valdez growled and I looked down. A mouse. A little white, albino mouse. Valdez leaped and the race was on. The mouse, uh, Richard ran under the table and Valdez knocked over the lamp trying to get at him. I shouted at Valdez to stop, but he wasn't listening.

I grabbed his collar and worked on hauling him into the bedroom. At least without power he didn't have his super strength. I dragged him, still barking, into the bedroom and slammed the door.

“You can come out now.”

The mouse crawled out from under the couch and hurried to sit next to my left foot. I shuddered, but leaned down to put out my hand. He crawled onto my palm.

“Thanks for not becoming a cockroach. I don't think I could have handled that between my boobs.” I have a thing about bugs, go figure.

“Serve you right if you suffocated in there.” But of course I did what he said. I made a nice little cave. His nose twitched and his little beady eyes, blue, of course, didn't miss a thing. But I finally got the Velcro closed without damaging either him or my boobs.

This was a good, if awkward, thing. I needed backup. Richard was powerful. And a cute little mouse.

“Gee, now I'll really have a headache.” I hoped to hell I could manage it. Selective blocking is quite a trick. Of course I'd blocked before, but now I'd have to be really careful. Another headache bloomed when I tried. It didn't help that Valdez was still barking behind the bedroom door. He was making a mess, too. I heard paws scratching at the wood, then breaking glass.

“Yes, yes, I get it. You're talking in my mind. Fine.”

“I won't say anything after we go downstairs. In case the person they send can hear me. Here's the plan.”
His whiskers tickled and I fought the urge to scratch.

“Settle down, will you?”

“Sorry, it's crowded in here.”
Another wiggle.
“As soon as you've been searched, I'll crawl out of your bra and hide somewhere else under your T-shirt. For God's sake keep your shirt on.”

“Okay, okay, I get it. And once we get to the EV headquarters promise you won't do anything rash. Let me handle things.”

I pulled out the T-shirt neckline and peeked. His cute little head was hardly visible. Poor guy. Riding in my bra and not even a whisker of a chance at a sexy outcome.

“Be careful, Richard. Time's running out. Let's go.” I picked up my purse and Valdez's leash. When I let him out of the bedroom, he raced around the room, sniffing and carrying on like he was on rat patrol. I guess my perfume was working because he didn't even pause next to me. “We'd better get downstairs. Are we going to have other backup?”

“Security? Like stake wielding thugs who'll hurt my friends?” I was so going to take out this damned Simon Destiny if it was the last thing I did. Gulp. Tough talk.

The hall door opened and I jumped a foot.

“We're going with you.” Will was in human form and had on jeans and a University of Texas T-shirt that I knew Lacy slept in. Lacy had on a fierce look but I could tell she wasn't as into the “save Flo” thing as Will was.

“You can't go. Simon was very specific. If I have any chance of getting to the EV hideout, I've got to go alone.”

“Where's Mainwaring?” Will sniffed. “What did you do? Bathe in perfume? Not very smart, Glory. How're you going to use your sense of smell?”

“Don't worry about my sense of anything. If you want to go with me, you'll have to shape-shift and just follow the car. At a respectful distance. I don't want the driver turning around and coming back because he sees he's being tailed.” I patted my chest gently. “Lacy, you don't need to come. Your cat would be too easy to spot.”

“I want to help. Diana's going. Damian called her to meet him and the rest of the rescue squad.” Lacy put her hand on Will's muscular forearm, obviously more than a little interested in him. Not surprising. She had a history for falling hard and fast for good-looking and impossibly wrong men.

“But I told Will my cat probably can't keep up with the vampires.” She wrinkled her nose. “Do I smell mouse?” She flipped her long red hair over her shoulder and stalked around the room. “There shouldn't be one within a mile of this building. ” She sniffed again. “That damned perfume is screwing with my senses, Will's right about that. You should go wash it off.”

We all turned when we heard a horn honk down below.

“I've got to go.” I grabbed my purse and Valdez's leash. “Do what you want, just don't interfere with what I've got to do.”

“Glory!” Will put his hand on my arm. “Be careful, lass. Blade's on his way. You should wait—”

“I'm not waiting. Simon's got Flo. And Valdez needs his power back.” I frowned down at Will's hand. “And Blade's going to have your hide for breaking his rules.”

“This is an emergency.”

“You're right about that anyway.” I ran down the stairs, Valdez at my side.

“Yep, and I've got the headache to prove it.” I pushed open the outer door and stepped out into the chilly night air. It had rained earlier and the pavement was wet and glistening under the streetlight. The driver's door to the Honda popped open and Greg Kaplan got out.

Twenty-three

"Glory, sweetheart. Glad you could make it.” Greg came up to me, glanced meaningfully at a couple window shopping in front of my store, then put his arms around me. I stiffened.

“Relax,” he whispered. “Got to check you for any concealed weapons.” He ran his hands under my T-shirt and around my middle, then patted me down from my rump to my hips. “Good girl.” He stepped back and opened the backseat passenger door. “Put the dog back here and then hand me your purse.”

“Valdez, hop in.” The dog actually obeyed, seemingly happy to go for a ride. Greg slammed the door, took my purse, then opened the front passenger door.

“Get in.” He glanced at the coffee shop two doors down. A man had come out and looked at us curiously. Both of us sniffed. Mortal. Tinted glasses. Oh, hell. What a great time for one of Westwood's goons to make a move. I jerked away from Greg and checked out the man. To my relief I could read his mind through the glasses. Seems he didn't like the way Greg had almost pushed me into the car. I smiled and nodded.

“Let's go, honey.” I turned to Greg. “I can't wait to see your surprise.”

“You'll be surprised all right.” Greg waited until I was in, then slammed the car door.

I felt Richard move inside my shirt. At least my loose T-shirt kept me well covered. Greg got in the car and quickly and efficiently went through my purse. He tossed it back in my lap after keeping my cell phone and his own. He turned mine off, then stuck it in the glove compartment. He looked his over.

“Battery's dead.”

“Sorry, I didn't have your charger. What about my phone? Will I get it back?” Not that I cared, but with Richard moving under my shirt, I had to keep Greg focused on something besides my chest.

“Maybe. After this is over, if you play your cards right.” He pulled a thing that looked like a flashlight out of the compartment and ran it up and over me. “Scanning for listening and tracking devices. Good girl, you're clean.” He tossed it back inside and slammed the door.

“Of course I'm clean. I don't want to take any chances with my friends in danger. How's Flo? What has Simon done to her?”

“She's as okay as she can be without her VV. Simon's got her locked up for her own safety. He could put her out of her misery with a shot of antidote, but”—Greg shrugged— “it obviously suits him to let her suffer a while. I hear she demanded he fix the dog here. Baby, nobody demands anything of Simon Destiny.”

“He's a real tyrant, isn't he?” Making Flo suffer . . . A grade
A
son of a bitch.

“Honey, he's the boss. He can give the orders.” Greg put the car in gear, then checked the rearview mirror. “I'd better not see anyone tail us or back we go.”

“I want Flo and my dog restored to the way they belong. I wouldn't let anyone screw that up.” I looked back at Valdez. He was checking out the scenery. “Why don't you crack the back window so he can get some air back there?”

“Sure. That perfume's pretty hot, by the way. I don't remember you wearing perfume in New York.” Greg glanced at me. “Or shapeless T-shirts.” He reached out and touched the cotton. “Did I feel one of your Kevlar bras under there? Flo told Simon all about them.”

“Sure. I'm not stupid, Greg. I've had some hunters after me. The kind with stakes, not just siphons. So I never go out without my protective gear.”

“Take off your shirt. Let me see it.”

“I don't think so.” I sniffed like he reeked of sewage. “You're just a drone, Greg. Your job is to take me to Simon. I'm sure you don't want to get in trouble with your boss again and get ‘punished.' ”

Greg laughed. “Know how Simon punished me? He let me spend a night in his special room. Wait till you see it, Glory. You may want to just stay out there and become a drone yourself.”

“Special room?” I felt Richard's whiskers twitch. “What's so special about it? Is it like a torture chamber?”

“In a way.” Greg reached over to pat my knee. He was on the freeway, headed south. There were a lot of isolated areas outside of town in that direction. As long as we were still surrounded by suburbs, I felt pretty safe, but as the subdivisions turned into stretches of dark undeveloped land, I got more and more uneasy.

“Tell me about this special room.” I was afraid any contingent of vamps following us might be spotted. We were off the freeway now and on a highway that wound through hills. We bumped through a low water crossing, mud splashing as Greg drove through it.