"What's your favorite, Glory?" Ray was right behind me. He put his hand on my shoulder. "This guy's? It's the same as mine."
"Sorry, but I'm a suckerha -hafor AB negative. Your buddy Nathan happens to be that type. So you see it was a treat to be able to drink from him during your hangover."
"So glad I could help you get off." Ray's hand slid away from me.
"I don't fool around when I'm out on a hunt. You shouldn't either, no matter how hot your prey. Just tilt the head back and get a bead on the jugular." I looked back at Ray. "See the blood pumping? I'm sure you can hear it too. It's calling to you, isn't it, Ray?" I'm sure my eyes were glowing. It's a bloodlust thing.
"What's calling to me is how excited you are." Ray moved closer again. He put his arms around my waist and pressed against my back. "Take him, Glory. Let me see you drink from him. This is unbelievably hot." Ray didn't have to tell me twice. I heard myself growl before I sank my fangs into the sweet spot. I drank, feeling the reviving flow fill me. Ray's body against mine was an extra bonus. He urged me on, his hands touching me and stroking me until I realized I was getting carried away. I pulled back and licked the wounds closed.
I was panting like I'd run a marathon so I leaned back against Ray, letting the stranger's body settle against the brick wall behind him.
"Damn. I almost drank too much." I reached out and checked the man's pulse. "He'll be okay. But you have to pay attention to what you're doing. Not be distracted."
"Oh? Did I distract you?" Ray leaned down and kissed my neck behind my ear.
"I'm not playing here, Ray. What if I'd killed the poor guy?" I turned in Ray's arms and stared up at him. "It can and has happened. You want that on your conscience?"
"Hell, no." Ray finally seemed to be listening but he kept his arms around me.
"Then always be aware of the limits you can push with your source. This guy's tall, about one-eighty. He could spare quite a bit and still not feel much but a little light-headedness when he snaps out of it. But a hot, young thing like you want to drink from won't be able to give you much without serious consequences."
"Speaking of hot, young things" Ray pulled me up against him. "You have any idea how hot you were just now? The way you went after what you wanted. God, Glory. There's only one woman I want to drink from. You. Right now." I could see his fangs glinting in the dim light from the faraway streetlights. His eyes were glowing. So the bloodlust had gotten to him too. I threw back my head and offered my throat. Why not? Sweet words and the feel of his hard body against mine were more than enough to pull me closer. I wanted to connect with him, and closed my eyes, waiting for him to take me. Then I heard the man I'd used fall to the broken pavement.
My eyes popped open and I pushed Ray back. "No, wait. Let me finish what I started. I have to show you" I turned to pick up the man and threw him over my shoulder to carry him toward the street. There I looked out into the deserted sidewalk and realized my best bet was to leave the guy sitting next to the doorway where I'd taken him. I gently set him down, then got in his face.
"You must have fallen when you came out of the club." I patted his cheek. "Hey, are you all right?"
"Oh, II must have fallen." The man blinked and looked around.
"My boyfriend and I were walking by and saw you. Think you can get home all right?" I looked at Ray and winked. "Want us to call you a cab?"
"No, II feel okay, just tired. I don't live far." The man pushed to his feet, swayed for a moment, then looked down the street.
"I'll be all right. Think I'll stop at the all-night coffee shop. Have a muffin. Starving. Thanks for checking on me." He wobbled off down the sidewalk.
"That seemed easy enough." Ray stuck his hands in his pockets.
"This time it was. No witnesses interrupting."
"Just you interrupting what promised to be a highlight. I guess you're not going to let me drink from you right now." I shook my head and looked down the street. "I've been thinking about that. Not tonight. Let's go through with the plan. Find you someone to feed from. You need the practice so you can be independent. I'm not going to be with you forever." Ray put his hand on my arm and turned me to face him. "You could be, you know."
"Get real, Ray. Even Jerry and I take breaks. And you and I" I tapped my foot. "I'm a novelty for you now. And I admit we click on some level."
"Oh, was that the sound I heard when I kissed you outside your door? A click?" Ray grinned. "Sounded more like a moan to me."
I found it hard to resist Ray when he played like this. So I didn't try, just headed off down the street where I knew we'd find some of the clubs that stayed open really late. A group of women emerged from one of them just as we got to a corner. Ray was recognized immediately and I realized we'd have a problem with the whole hunting thing. Especially if we hoped to cut one filly out of a herd. Sue me, but it had been a country western venue and the girls were in jeans and boots.
"Israel Caine. Sign my shirt. Please!" The squeals were enough to draw a few more people out into the street. A police car slowed, then pulled up next to the milling crowd.
"Problem here, ladies?" The cop got out of the car, slapping a nightstick on his palm.
"It's Israel Caine and his girlfriend!" Moans, cheers, more squeals.
"Do I need to call for backup?"
"No, thanks, officer." I gestured to the cop to come closer so I could whisper to him. "My boyfriend is famous. The singer, Israel Caine. These women are fans. But Ray and I are just exhausted. Could you help us get out of here?" Ray was being gracious, signing bar napkins, shirts, even a boot with a sparkly pink gel marker one girl produced from her purse. That started a whole new slew of requests.
"Sure, hop in the car. You got far to go?"
"Just down the street. Vintage Vamps Emporium. My store."
"You got it." The cop began working his way to Ray, politely but firmly informing the crowd that Mr. Caine was ready to leave now.
Ray and I ran to the police car and threw ourselves into the backseat. In less than five minutes we were back in front of my apartment building. We waved good-bye to the policeman, then looked at each other.
"Well, that was a bust," Ray said with a grimace.
"You got busted? What did you do? I'm getting on the scanner, so don't bother to lie about it, Caine." A reporter appeared at my elbow. He snapped pictures and managed to get one of the police car as it sped away.
"We just caught a ride. There was no arrest." Ray frowned and looked like he was about to start smashing a camera.
"Drugs? Your eyes look red." The reporter pulled out a cell phone. "Damn, this is huge. I'm finally gonna get that piece in the Enquirer"
I got in the guy's face, but he just kept punching in numbers. My whammy wasn't working, probably because I couldn't seem to concentrate. "Stop it. There were no drugs. We got ambushed by a bunch of kickers outside a club down the street." Ray grabbed the guy by the shoulders and forced him to look at him. "Stop using the phone." Suddenly the man froze.
"Way to whammy, Ray."
"Yeah, worked like a charm." Ray looked around but this was the only photographer in sight. Even Mugs and Muffins was empty.
"What do you say we give this guy a story? You have to feel for him. Out trolling for a scoop at four thirty in the morning and it's probably damned cold for a mortal." I glanced at the wall thermometer outside Diana's shop. Thirty-four degrees. No wonder the man was shivering despite his overcoat.
"You're feeling sorry for him? After the way the tabloids have talked about you?" Ray shook his head. "What kind of story you got in mind?"
"I don't know." I grinned. "You could come out of the closet."
"Way too late for that. Didn't you hear? I fathered Britney Spears's last baby."
"Well, there's always an alien abduction."
"I'm in the wrong car. I've got a terrific race car at home in Chicago that would look like a space vehicle in the right light." Ray looked down and squatted to pick up something. "Wow. Treasure. Someone dropped this."
"It's a ring from the gumball machine in Mugs and Muffins. More than one Goth couple has gotten engaged with one of those." Flashes went off. "Thanks, Caine. Engaged. Man, what a scoop!" Running footsteps.
"Should I chase him?" I was ready to take off.
"Forget it. There's the story." Ray turned to the first reporter, who was still standing silently under the whammy.
"No, wait. What are you thinking? Your fans will go nuts. You engaged to me?" For a moment I actually imagined the reality of me rock-star worthy. Yeah, right. The alien abduction would play better.
Ray hugged me. "What's wrong with you? Maybe some of these wacko fans will actually back off if they see I'm off the market."
"Or lose it completely. We might have to put Valdez in body armor. Forget it, Ray. Bad idea. No one's going to believe you'd hook up with me permanently." I could see the blogs now. Caine loses mind. Joins fat-thigh cult.
"Glory, you'd honor me if you'd pretend to be engaged to me. I know you don't dig the marriage thing. Being immortal and all. But it would give this guy a real scoop." Ray put his hands on my shoulders. "Besides, Flo said you and Simon Destiny have a really bad history. He wants my business and wouldn't dare take out a guy with my kind of notoriety. Hell, my publicist would blow his cover wide open."
"Yeah, I could see Barry making the EVs the cover story in every fanzine in the country if something happened to you out there."
"There you go. So what if you went out to that EV place as my fiancee? That would be pretty good protection for you, don't you think?"