. . It was a mistake. Too much May wine and moonlight."
"I don't even remember it."
We all stared at Jerry. Finally. I was beginning to wonder if he'd ever weigh in on the subject. And a heavy subject it was. Mara's a born vampire. Her daughter Lily would be a born vampire too. I'd never met her. By the time I'd made it to Castle Campbell, she'd left the neighborhood for greener pastures. Can't say I blamed her. Unless you were into staring at admittedly incredible scenery or herding sheep, the Scottish Highlands, pre-satellite dish, were a giant snooze. Especially if you were a lowly Londoner, born and bred.
"Where is Lily?"
This question earned me hate-filled looks from Mag and Mara. Randolph just raised a long gray leg and licked it.
"Well? Answer Gloriana. Where is she?" Jerry got up and paced the length of the room. He drained his glass and stalked into the kitchen, returning with another bottle of Fangtastic, which he opened and drank deeply from, abandoning any pretense of refinement.
Had he accepted this nonsense? Just on their word? I got up and rubbed his shoulders, reminding all and sundry who'd spent the day in his bed. Right, Mara?
"We don't know where she is, Jeremiah." Mag cleared her throat. "Perhaps you can help us find her. I know you have friends with resources. Lily doesn't even know Mac is dead. But it might ease her hurt to know her real father is still alive."
"Ease her hurt?" Jerry turned, his hands fisted. "Mac was her real father in every way that counts. As I recall it was her real mother who drove her to run away to live on her own. Mac doted on her."
"Yes, he did." Mara wiped at her eyes. Ha, feigned tears if I've ever seen them. "My daughter is willful. She and I . . . we didn't always agree on how she should behave."
I really wanted to say something here, but knew better. Knew enough this time to block my thoughts too. "I'm going. This is a family matter." I wrapped my arms around Jerry's lean waist and hugged him hard. "Give me the car keys, and I'll drive myself home. Call me later, okay?"
"Sure." Jerry walked me to the door. "You can stay if you wish, but I don't blame you for wanting to get out of here. Think I could go with you?"
I smiled and hugged him again. "Your mother would probably tackle you before you made it to the car." Mag harrumphed from the dining room-that vamp hearing-and I knew I was right. "But if you need me . . ." Please say no.
"No, this is my mess to deal with." He turned to look back at his mother and Mara. "But I'm not altogether convinced this isn't a scheme they've cooked up to suit their own purposes."
The women in question didn't bother to deny it, just sent more go-to-hell looks my way. Neither his mother nor Mara said goodbye, though I heard Mag say something about how selfish I was to take Jerry's car. I knew he had more than one extra car but didn't bother to clear that up. Randolph did walk over to stand by the door, spying for Mag, no doubt.
"Thanks for understanding, Gloriana."
"If this is true, it's good news. You have a child!"
"You haven't met Lily. She's not exactly an angel. I just thank God I never slept with her, but half the men around Castle Campbell did."
Whoa. For once I was speechless. I hugged him again and climbed into the Mercedes. We'd never bothered to put the top up and the seats were icy. I started the motor and cranked up the heat.
"Gloriana." Jerry leaned down and kissed me long and slow. "Be careful tonight. There are too many dangerous people out there. Feel under the seat."
I reached under it and felt a wooden handle. A nice baseball bat. When I pulled it out, I could see that it had a point on one end.
" 'Be prepared.' If you'd just been born a few centuries later, Jerry, you'd have been a hell of a Boy Scout."
"There's also a gun in the glove box." Jerry kissed me again, then glanced back at the house. "This is damned complicated and will take some time to sort out. I don't know-"
"Take the time you need. I understand." And I did. But I can't say I didn't resent the fact that he'd be bonding with Mara over a daughter while I had the new vampire from hell to deal with. Well, as long as he kept his mother away from me, I could handle anything. I put the car in gear and backed out of the driveway.
At the street, I stopped and put the top up. It was starting to snow. Wouldn't it be cool if we had a white Christmas? This was almost unheard of in Austin. I took it as a sign that everything was going to turn out all right. Though how was anyone's guess. Ten
I'd driven about a block when my cell phone rang. Of course it wasn't where it was supposed to be. I fumbled through my purse and finally had to pull over to find it. At least I didn't have a new text message.
"Hello."
"Glory, this is Lucky. Valdez insisted I call you."
Valdez has a problem with cell phones. Paws can't punch in numbers because, believe me, he's tried. And then there's the whole mental telepathy thing. Not a lot of range.
"What's the matter? Are you all right?"
"We're fine. But Flo and I need to go shoe shopping and he doesn't want us to leave. Says we've got to have your 'permission. '
Like we're prisoners or something. If I put you on the phone to him, will you tell him to let us go?" Oh, it was tempting. Lucky could go out, her killer could take another shot, succeed this time and I'd be off the hook. But she was taking my best friend along. I put the car in gear and headed out again.
"He's just doing his job, Lucky. Or have you forgotten what happened a few nights ago?"
"No, I haven't forgotten. But we can't just sit around here. I'm going stir-crazy. And Brittany thinks she can take care of us."
"She's done great so far." This was going nowhere. "Let me speak to Flo."
"Glory, you won't believe it. Luciana and I were going through my winter boot collection and discovered I have no cordovan leather midheel pointed-toe thigh-high boots." Flo said something in rapid Italian over her shoulder. "And Nordstrom's is having a sale. We must go."
"Flo, you can go, but Lucky's in danger. Someone tried to kill her. They could try again."
"You don't think I can protect her?" More rapid Italian. I suck at languages. Though I can say "shit" in about six of them. I was ready to throw one in when Brittany came on the line.
"I've got their backs, Glory. You might as well let me take them to the mall. Trust me, no one stops Lucky when she's on a quest."
"Are you serious? Don't you think your track record speaks for itself?" I heard Brittany suck in her breath. "Put Florence back on the phone. Now."
"I'm sorry, Glory. I was thinking with my shoes and not my head. I love you, you know I do. You are my best friend, always. But Luciana . . . She really appreciates a good shoe inventory. She understands." Flo sighed. "Do you know she carries pictures with her in that little berry machine in her purse?"
"Her BlackBerry?"
"Yes, that's it! Or maybe it's in her phone. Whatever. She has pictures of every shoe she owns. Can you believe it?" No, actually I couldn't. I love a good accessory as much as the next woman, but this was bordering on the psychotically obsessive. Which was no surprise actually.
"I'm glad you've bonded, Flo. So wouldn't it be a shame if you got her killed while boot shopping?" Florence was muttering in Italian again. "You're right. And I'm not about to trust this Brittany who left Lucky bleeding in our alley. What if I call Richard? If I apologize for a tiny little insult I made to his manhood, he will come over."
"You didn't! What on earth did you say to him?"
Flo laughed. "If I tell you, I really will have to break up with him and he has a way with his, um, never mind. I call, I grovel, I make promises . . . He will come and take us to the mall. Watch Lucky and Brittany and me, of course. What do you think?" An evening of peace and quiet? Flo really is my nearest and dearest friend. Too bad I'd still have to go down to the shop. Where Etienne waited. And Derek. What had he found out about Freddy's trip to the EV stronghold? I felt a headache coming on and realized I hadn't finished my Fangtastic.
"Fine. If Richard will come, then you can all go. I'd hate for you to have a deficient boot collection."
"Great. And maybe we'll bring you a little surprise." Flo said something to Lucky again in Italian. I was getting really sick of feeling like the only one who didn't know the secret code here.
"Put the phone up to Valdez's ear. I want him to meet me down in the shop. You can drop him off down there. But, Flo, promise you'll bring Lucky straight home after the mall closes. No side trips to practice her fang action." All I heard was a doggy chuff that meant Valdez was on the line.
"Valdez, I may be insane but I'm letting them go out without you or me. Meet me in the shop. I'm almost there. I'm driving Jerry's Mercedes and"-I smiled because even without telepathy I could still read his mind-"I'll park in front." My answer was a bark that made me laugh before I broke the connection and stuck the phone back in my purse. Why was I meeting Valdez in the shop? I needed to go upstairs and shower, change clothes and put on fresh makeup before I went to work. I'd brushed my teeth and washed my face at Jerry's but not much else. I was just about to call Flo back when I looked up and saw a man standing in the street in front of the car.
I slammed on the brakes.
Greg Kaplan. When I reached under the seat for Jerry's baseball bat, Greg threw himself on the hood of the car, then rolled to the ground.
"I'm hit! Call a lawyer."
I opened the car door and jumped out, bat in hand. "Give me a break, Greg. I stopped. I did not hit you." Another car pulled up and a man got out. "Everything okay here?" He had his cell phone out and looked at Greg on the pavement.