Tell Me What Is Priceless (Siren Publishing Classic) (28 page)

A man stopped them, shoving a microphone in Blaze’s face. “Why didn’t you sue the hospital for putting you in a coma, Mrs. Zeal? Is there some kind of cover-up going on?”

Blaze unnerved him by giving him a bright, honest smile. “I am sorry to say that although I kept my first husband’s last name, I am no longer Mrs. As far as suing the hospital, I saw no point in doing so. I’m fine, and there are many others who can benefit from the money I didn’t sue for. I had no reason to sue. I’m allergic to painkillers, and they came across one that I had a reaction to. No big news story, and if you want to make it into one, focus on the man and his family that stayed by my side as I lay in a coma. There is your story. If you don’t mind, I am cold, and I’m getting all snowy. Have a nice night. Remember the bright spirit of the evening.”

Zar kissed the side of her head and whispered, “I love you. You’re a little shit. I adore the way that you politely sideswiped that very rude question.”

Blaze leaned into him, putting her hand out to Kale as they walked into the hall. Kale gave her fingers a squeeze and waited to speak until they got inside. “Blaze, you put him in his place. What a rude question to ask someone.”

“They want the good story any way they can get one,” said Zar. “I would think he has been trying to crack that one since Blaze woke up. Your answer was perfect, Blaze.”

“It was also a lie, and I hate to lie.”

Zar turned her to three seats just inside the door. They were decorated with festive red-and-green flannel with a large, glittering star over each chair. “These are our seats. Blaze, sit in the middle. Kale, to the left, and me to the right. It’s our job to be sociable and accept toys. There is a box behind every chair, and when they are filled, they will be emptied and categorized. Each person who gives us a toy gets their hand stamped. Do you want to get something to eat before people begin to arrive?”

Blaze grinned. “Do I get to eat it off you again?”

“No,” replied Zar with a chuckle. “You’re in a wiseass mood tonight. One meal ‘a la flesh’ is enough for one day. You wore me out, lady.”

“Oh, that is too bad. I have another present for you when we get home, and I was hoping we could experiment with it.”

“We’ll see. What is it?”

“I’m not telling. Let’s go get something to eat.”

They turned around to see Kale staring at them. “Meal ‘a la flesh’? What does that mean?”

Zar put his hands over Blaze’s ears. “We smeared each other with fruit and whipped cream and then ate it. Good lunch. You should try it some time.”

Blaze elbowed him, and Kale laughed. “I think she heard you.”

“Yes, I heard him. It was, however, a
great
lunch. Good is an understatement. I am hungry,” she said, breaking away from Zar to head to the buffet tables. The food looked incredible, and she took a plate, wondering where to begin. She chose carefully, not wanting to end up stuffed.

Zar said, “The crabmeat shrimp is out of this world. Try the spinach-and-artichoke crepes. I got the idea from yours. The walnut brittle and cranberry salad is usually excellent.”

Kale said, “The prime rib looks good. It is cooked just right. Are the red potatoes any good?”

“Yeah, they are delicious. They are done with butter, spices, and wine. Everything is good, and the choices will change later, so have a little of what interests you and then save room. Toward the end of the evening they will bring out platters of cakes and pastries.”

Blaze groaned. “I shouldn’t have worn a fitted dress. I’ll look horrid if I eat too much and get all bloated.”

Zar pulled her to his side, rubbing her stomach. “You are perfect. Stop being so harsh on yourself. You could still use to gain five or ten pounds. You haven’t put that much weight on. The vitamins stopped you from being tired all the time, but they have also made you hyper.”

“I was always hyper. When I was younger, my friend’s mother would give me a glass of wine to calm me down. It drove her crazy that I couldn’t sit still. Of course everyone in the family was obese. I wonder what happened to them?” she said with a shrug.

Blaze picked out the foods that caught her interest and took a little of each. She headed over to a table and was joined a few moments later by Zar and Kale. They sat eating as they watched the final preparations for the evening being made around them.

Zar glanced at his watch. “Time to play Santa. Are the two of you ready?”

They both nodded and got up, heading across the hall. They took their seats, and Zar gestured for the doors to be opened. Blaze’s eyes widened as a herd of people came in with their arms filled with toys. They approached the three chairs, unloading their arms and receiving a candy-cane stamp for the back of their hand to verify that they gave a gift. The people were routed through a roped-off walkway and out into the hall. Table after table was filled with brightly decorated men and women. They were ushered up to the buffet in a semi-orderly fashion, each standing in line with a plate in hand. Blaze watched them between her duty of accepting toys. As the initial crowd thinned, the guests started to stop and chat with them. Zar seemed to know everyone by name, and he made her head spin as he introduced her to everyone. A man took her hand and kissed it, leaving her staring at him. “I believe that you recognize Antonio, Blaze?” asked Zar.

“How could I not recognize him? I love your movies.”

“Thank you. I love adoring fans. Zar asked me to come to get your reaction. I take it that he knows you very well.”

“Why is that?”

“Because you are not suffering from hysteria.”

“Why would I? I think you are a great actor, but you’re just a man. A very cute one, but still another human being.”

“You’re right. Many do not think that way. I’m sure that I’ll be handing out autographs if anyone finds out who I am.”

“Autographed pictures bring in big bucks on the net. I could have fun selling those.”

He frowned dramatically. “You’re very honest, aren’t you?”

“I try to be. I don’t need to sell things, but it’s fun.”

“It has been nice meeting you. I am going to go get something to eat,” he said, taking her hand and kissing it again.

Blaze smiled and watched as he escorted his companion out into the hall. She turned to Zar and grinned. “Wow, that was pretty cool.”

“I thought you might like that. He is shooting a film in this area, and stars are always a big draw. The hall is almost filled, and soon we will be free to roam. There are a thousand seats, and we can only allow that many people in. There is probably a line outside still waiting to get in.”

Blaze accepted four toys and stamped the couple’s hands. “Thank you,” she said, looking to the door. A tall, thin woman came in, dressed in a flashy red dress that was covered with a red cloak. A man followed her, his arms loaded with toys.

She walked directly up to Zar, her spiked shoes clicking on the tile floor. Zar’s face went dark with instant anger as she flipped off her hood. “What are you doing here, Angelica?”

“I came to eat and give my share of toys to the needy. How are you, Zar? I heard you found an ancient looker to fuck. She is sweet looking, isn’t she?”

Blaze would have gone after her if Kale hadn’t put his arm across her stomach to stop her. He leaned to her ear. “Don’t do it, Blaze. She would destroy the entire event with the antics she would pull if you attacked her. She is looking to cause trouble.”

Blaze’s nostrils flared as she sat back in the chair. Zar took her hand, weaving his fingers between hers. “Angelica, you have always been a rude, arrogant bitch. Blaze is far more beautiful than you will ever be. She is real, and graceful. She is to be my wife, and your opinion means nothing to me. Your appearance is marred by the black flies of hate and ugliness that swarm around your head. Thank you for the toys, and have a nice meal. I have other people to allow entry if you would be so kind as to move on, please.”

Angelica took the toys from the man’s arms, throwing them at Zar. “You self-righteous son of a bitch. How dare you speak to me like that? You ruined my life. I had planned my future around you.”

“Maybe you should have considered that before you went to bed with someone else, Angelica. I was lying in the hospital in agony, and you were fucking around. I have no room in my life for a woman who can’t keep her legs closed when opportunity knocks.”

“You should reconsider, Zar. If I can’t have you, then you are not marrying anyone. I know some deep, dark ghosts that hang in your closet, and I have been considering how to make them profitable by bringing them to life.”

Blaze jotted quickly on the back of a business card from her purse and stood up, handing it to Angelica. She said quietly, “Here is some suggested reading, sweetie. Please keep in mind that my ancient, warped imagination created these scenes with the intention of getting the utmost in morbid reactions. I have the connections and money to make them into a reality if necessary. There are some very cruel and mind-bending games that can be played with the simplest toys. Read and take to heart the tale, Angelica. If you are smart, you will leave Zar alone. In the meantime, you had better hope that no dark shadows touch us, or you will be finding out how real my fantasies can become.”

Angelica glared at her and was about to reply when she flipped the card over to look at the name of the book. Blaze watched as her face momentarily blanched of color. She regained her composure quickly and asked, “So you have magic powers?”

“Oh, you have read my books?”

“Yes, I have, and I know of no tainted herbs that could force me to climax at the taunting of a rat.”

“Honestly, neither do I, but I have a good friend who is a brilliant chemist, and I imagine he could whip me up some female version of Viagra that could be given in overdose proportions. I have often thought that the tale would have been that much more intense if one of the rats had been foaming at the mouth with rabies. Maybe you will give me a chance to find out. Want to play? I think the game of old, vicious bitch, versus young child who hasn’t learned that actions carry consequences would be a good one.”

“I think you are threatening me.”

“I think threats are idle words that often don’t come to pass. I don’t make threats. Have a nice dinner. This chat has come to an end. I have guests to greet. Merry Christmas.”

Angelica looked back at the business card and then flung it at Blaze. Blaze shocked her when she snapped the card out of the air by the edges like a magician and stuffed it back into her purse. “I’ll just keep your fingerprints on file for future use, love. Thank you.”

Angelica’s nostrils flared in anger, and she grabbed her boyfriend by the back of the jacket and hauled him to the door. He said, “What are you doin’, Ange? I wanna eat. You made me buy those damn toys. I want to get my money’s worth.”

“I am leaving,” she replied in irritation.

“Then leave. Call a damn cab for all I care. I wanna eat!” He broke away from her and held his hand out to Zar.

Zar stamped his hand and turned his eyes to Angelica. “Come on, sweetie. Let me see if I can accidentally break your hand.”

Angelica stormed out the door, almost colliding with Mason as he staggered in with two huge boxes of toys. Kale and Zar hopped up to help him. Blaze laughed as Mason went out to get more boxes. “Did he buy all these?”

“No,” Zar replied. “He collects them from the sites around the area and brings them in. Each year he shows up with bigger boxes.”

“Shouldn’t we have brought toys?”

“We pay for everything you are seeing. That was our contribution.”

“I’m interested in your use of the word ‘we’ in that sentence. Define it please.”

“We, as in, you and I are about to be married. What is mine is yours, and I hope vice-versa. Your name has been added to all legal documents concerning me and my estates. One of these days we are going to have to go over everything, but my lawyer has all the information.”

“Aren’t you supposed to wait until after we are married and then ask me to sign prenuptial agreements or something?”

Zar chuckled. “I suppose maybe with another woman I might have considered it. The problem with that is that if I don’t trust you, then why am I marrying you. I know others have different ideas on that, but that’s the way I feel. I trust you, Blaze, and if we are not going to work together, then why get married?”

“I can’t imagine anyone goes into marriage thinking that they are going to get divorced. It does happen, though.”

“Let’s hope it doesn’t, and if it does, I trust you to take only what you are entitled to. Angelica I would expect to skin me alive. You’re not like that.”

“No, I am not. I also don’t want to discuss this right now.”

Zar turned to the man guarding the door. “How’s the count?”

“I stopped entry. We’re full, sir. There are more people standing outside, though. Should I give them a doggie bag and send them away?”

“I’ll hand them out as I usually do. Are they ready?”

The man nodded and pulled out a huge box on wheels from behind a curtain. Blaze asked, “What are those?”

“You’ll see.” Zar pushed the box out the door. Blaze followed him, and then Kale walked out. She was amazed to see a long line of people still waiting to get in. Zar put on a bright smile and called out, “I want to thank everyone who has come for this wonderful event in the true giving spirit of Christmas. I’m sorry to announce that we had a thousand seats available, and they have all been filled.” A hushed groan echoed through the crowd, and he put his hands up to silence them. “Those of you who have been with us before know that I always give a consolation prize to anyone who is willing to stay and participate. I have here a box filled with doggie bags that contain gifts ranging from two movie tickets to a package with paid reservations to New York on New Year’s Eve. I wish all of you the best of luck. A bag will be given in trade for each toy.”