“Want, need, whatever, we seem to be crossing paths way too often.” Luc finally quit staring and examined his nails. “I, for one, am bored with it.”
“Then let Rafe off the hook for good. No more tricks, debts or any other calls from the dark side. Pretend that dab of demon in him doesn’t exist. Because I swear, if you mess with him, you mess with me. What do you say? Do we have a deal?” I didn’t bother to hold out my hand. I wasn’t ever shaking hands with him. I had a feeling he could suck out my soul on contact.
“Fine. I lost interest in him long ago. Why Alesa… Never mind. This is over. Be glad that I am letting you carry on with your so-called lives.” He shimmered and was gone.
Rafe was suddenly up and across the room to throw his arms around me. “I can’t believe you actually stood up to Lucifer and dictated terms, Glory. Are you nuts?”
“Suicidal maybe.” I sighed and leaned against him. “Are you okay?”
“Just a few cracked ribs. I’ll heal.” Rafe looked around. “He did a number on this room.”
“True. But I’ve got a picture of two demons in the womb.” Ian jumped to his feet and directed Penny as they straightened the equipment. Rafe and I gathered up papers and piled them on the gurney. Then Ian strode to the door.
“Very brave of you facing Lucifer that way, Gloriana. Hope you’re still feeling that adrenaline rush, because I have news for you and you may not like it.” He pulled open a drawer and grabbed a fat file. “Come into my office.”
“Test results?” I glanced at Rafe, then Penny. “Penny knows but I haven’t told Rafe about this.” That sick feeling was back in the pit of my stomach and I wanted Rafe, my best friend, to be there by my side when I heard the news.
“Told me what?” Rafe stared into my eyes, trying to read my mind. As if I’d let him.
“Just come with me. Ian can explain.” I tugged him after the doctor.
Laurie stopped us out in the hallway. “You okay, Glory?”
“Laurie! I’m fine. How about you?” Honestly? I’d forgotten all about her. She’d been a statue in the corner from Lucifer’s first appearance.
“So much for my special skills. Obviously I’m not worth shit when it comes to the head bad guy.” She stuck her hands in her pockets. “You can fire me, wouldn’t blame you.”
“No, I understand about Lucifer and his powers. At least he and Alesa are gone.” Saying it out loud helped me actually believe it. “I’m almost finished working with Ian anyway. I won’t fire you, but I may not need you after tonight.”
“I understand. Rafe’s right. You were awesome going up against the Devil himself. I’d like to know how you found the nerve.” Laurie moved closer.
I shrugged. What could I say? Was I a walking dumb-blond joke risking my life like that? No. Hair color didn’t define me and neither would whatever Ian had found out about my blood. I took a deep fortifying breath.
“Adrenaline, a momentary lapse of judgment. Who knows? Right now I’ve got to see Ian in his office about something personal. You can wait, but Rafe will be with me.” I sighed, dreading it.
“Fine. I’ll camp here in the hall, just in case you need me. Jerry doesn’t trust Ian and neither do I. He starts something you don’t like, call me in.” Laurie looked like she hoped that happened.
Rafe and I stepped into the office and shut the door. Ian dropped that fat folder on his desk.
“You sure you want Valdez to hear this too?”
“Yes.” I looked around. “Penny?”
“No, I have her cleaning up the ultrasound equipment and checking it for damage. It’s a rental and goes back tomorrow. You can tell her later if you wish.”
“Fine.” We settled into seats in front of Ian’s desk. By the time Ian sat behind the beautiful antique piece, I wanted to scream. Every move the doctor made seemed in slow motion, deliberate and precise. I swear if he started straightening the pens on his blotter I was plunging one into his throat.
“Gloriana, you know I compared your blood sample to literally hundreds of paranormals and mortals.”
“Yes, you told me that before, Ian.” I heard the edge in my voice and told myself to take a chill pill. “Thank you. This is way beyond the call of duty.”
“I did it for myself as well. I needed to know why you had an adverse reaction to my drugs. In case this happened again with another patient.” Ian smiled and pulled out a sheet of paper. “The last blood sample I took was a winner.” He started to pass the paper across the desk then shook his head. “I guess these numbers wouldn’t mean anything to you, so I’ll interpret.”
“Rafe, I didn’t tell you this, but Ian claims I wasn’t human before Jerry turned me vampire.”
“You’re shitting me.” Rafe was on his feet. “What kind of scam are you pulling here, MacDonald?”
“No scam. I’ve run hundreds of tests. Penny ran them too. Now I know what Gloriana was before she was turned. Found out just last night.”
“Rafe, I believe him. Sit down and let him speak.” I tugged on his hand until he sat again.
“Glory, does Blade know what’s been going down here?”
“Yes, and he’s not believing it either. But I do, so just listen.”
Ian cleared his throat and rustled his papers. “Can I proceed now?”
“Spit it out, Ian. I can take it.” I hoped I was wrong, but I was very afraid I knew what Ian was going to tell me. Rafe was practically vibrating with nerves and I put my hand on his knee.
“You were a Siren, Glory. You and Aggie were almost a perfect match.”
Nine
“A Siren? That’s impossible.” I jumped up and looked around. What for, I didn’t know. Escape maybe. From the truth. Somewhere inside me this fact resonated, even though it made no sense whatsoever.
“She’s right. Glory hates the water. Can’t swim worth a damn.” Rafe was up beside me now, keeping pace as I walked the perimeter of the room. I’m sure I looked as wild-eyed as I felt.
“Whoever did this to her obviously erased not only her memories but did a number on her previous abilities as well.” Ian was standing, ever the Highland gentleman.
“Sit, Ian. I want you to run the test again. I just can’t believe this is right.” I stalked over to my chair and hit the seat hard as I sat again.
“I ran it a dozen times and more. Took another sample from Aggie and, boy, did that cost me.” Ian grinned ruefully. “You know she hates needles. Not sharing details, but let’s just say the woman’s insatiable.”
“Oh, God.” I put my head in my hands. “And that’s what I’m supposed to be? A sex addict with a fish tail?” Rafe’s arm went around me, his warm breath near my ear.
“Glory, there are worse things you know. Sirens are beautiful. Men adore them.”
“Right.” I looked up and met his dark gaze. “And follow a Siren’s song to a watery grave. I’ve heard the legends.” I turned to Ian. “Tell me what you know about Sirens, Ian. I’m sure you did an in-depth study once you figured out what you think I used to be.”
He nodded and opened the folder again. “You’re right, of course. I interviewed Aggie, did some research online, though that was a dead end. The Internet is full of ridiculous nonsense and wild speculation. I doubt true scholars post their findings for the uneducated to read there.” He pulled out a sheet of paper. “Aggie tells me her boss is Achelous, the Storm God.”
“Right. I’ve met him.” I grabbed Rafe’s leg. “See? I can’t be a Siren. He would have said something when we were face-to-face. Right?”
“Would he, Glory?” Rafe had been there when we’d confronted Achelous. “If you escaped from him or he kicked you out of the club, he obviously wouldn’t be all that thrilled with you.” Rafe settled his hand on the back of my neck. “I don’t know what all this means, but he’s a freakin’ god. Who knows how they think? He scared the pee out of me. I remember that.”
“Yeah. Me too.” I sighed. “Achelous didn’t let on but he must have recognized me.” I shook my head. “If Ian’s right, I’m dead to the Storm God. I don’t know what I did but it must have been so bad that he tossed me out of his harem.” Harem. I’d heard Aggie talk about serving that god. The thought made my stomach heave. “I think I’m going to be sick.”
Ian gave an alarmed look at his expensive Oriental rug then jumped up and shoved a trash can between my legs. “Stay here. I’ve got something for nausea. Be right back.” He muttered something about how I’d already defiled one of his trash cans then disappeared into the hall, shutting the door behind him.
“Put your head between your knees. Breathe through your nose.” Rafe still held on to me.
“What? Put my head in the trash can?” I heard hysteria in my voice and made an effort to shove it down along with the sick feeling in my stomach. “I’m okay. Unless I faint.” I dropped the can to the floor and tried to process this news. What the hell did it mean? “A Siren? Seriously? They’re kind of like mermaids. You know, Rafe. We saw Aggie swim, morph into a thing with a fish tail on her bottom half.” I looked down at my legs in black slacks, trying to imagine it and just couldn’t. Amnesia? Or a trick? This time by Ian. I’d heard Jerry’s warnings about the MacDonalds for too many years not to be wary of them and their “results.”
“I can’t believe this.” I said it out loud again.
“There are worse things, Glory. Seriously. You could have demon blood.” Rafe sounded bitter.
“Stop. This is my moment. Focus on me, Rafe.” I knew how that sounded but really. I was sick of the whole demon issue. This was all about me, damn it. Rafe had known about his demon blood all his life. I’d had about a minute to deal with this idea of a previous life sitting on a rock singing for sailors. So I could kill them. The very thought made me want to heave again. I held my hand over my mouth and breathed through my nose.