“I’ll figure it out. Maybe I’ll see Greg again. He has a computer.” She stuck her head out. “I told you he has his uses.”
“Whatever. Just don’t plan to bring him to the wedding as your date. Flo won’t want any EVs there. Now I’ll write up this sale. Come out when you’re dressed.” I headed to the cash register. In a few moments, Aggie came out and stopped in front of the mirror again. She fluffed her hair and pulled a lipstick out of her purse, retracing her pink lips. Finally, she walked over to watch me fill out the sales slip.
“You know you could tell me what they wanted out at the EV headquarters.” She leaned on the counter. “I can keep a secret.”
“Yeah, right. Forget it. It was my personal business, none of yours.” I clipped the tag off the dress.
“Be that way.” She made a face. “At least tell me what the place looks like. Greg raved about it. That’s why I was so mad when he didn’t take me along.” Aggie handed me a credit card. The name on it was A. Sirena. Hmm. It went through without a hitch, so I was happy to answer her.
“It’s beautiful and scary as hell. Imagine a gilded mosque with an energy-hungry goddess inside, in the middle of a pine forest. If you were with Greg, you’d be safe, but the king out there, Simon Destiny, and I don’t exactly love each other. I’ve tried to kill him; he’s tried to kill various friends of mine. His goddess acts like a giant Shop-Vac, sucking energy out of paranormals. I used to be loaded with energy, so I had a near miss out there. I avoid it like plastic flowers on flip-flops.”
“Obviously. That’s why the statue thing was necessary. And the EV leader did snap you out of my freeze. Impressive.” Aggie signed the credit slip without even checking the total.
“Sure, if you like weasels. Be careful around EVs, Aggie. Ask your boss about them. He’d probably tell you to steer clear.” I figured I’d done my good deed for the night. Now I was ready for her to leave. I stuck the dress on a hanger and slipped a plastic bag over it.
“I don’t tell the Storm God squat about my love life. He’d try to interfere, and I’ve definitely decided to give Greg another go. He is amazing in bed.”
“TMI, Aggie.” I held up a hand. “I really don’t want details of your love life either.”
She grinned and took her purchase. “It’s too bad you don’t remember your time with Greg. He said he wiped your memory because you were too clingy. He didn’t want to be bothered by your whining when he broke up with you.”
“If you choose to believe that liar, go ahead. I’m glad I can’t remember being with him, obviously a low point in my life. But when a guy and I decide to part ways, I don’t cling or whine.” Apparently Greg and I had been together in New York City. I’d had other vampire friends there too. I’d tried my luck on Broadway but soon realized matinees ruined my chances of actually being in a show, and I’d ended up working as a waitress. I could remember all of that, but not a speck of my time as a couple with Greg Kaplan. The blank spot made me insane.
“Well, he’s the best I’ve got right now. Maybe at the wedding I’ll have better luck. I always wanted to hook up with Israel Caine. You know how I love his music.” Aggie stuffed her charge card and receipt into her purse.
“You tried to kill him, Aggie. I doubt he’ll be happy to see you again.” When would she leave? A new customer entered the shop, so I figured that was her cue to take a hike. I was right.
“You never know, Glory. You and I seem to have patched things up.” With that, she sashayed to the door like she owned the place. I just stared at her, my mouth open. Patched things up? Not even close. She stopped next to the new customer, looked her up and down, then glanced back at me. She mouthed a word, then hit the door and was gone.
I reached for the stake I kept behind the counter. A vamp can’t be too careful when she’s alone at night. And Aggie had said a word I didn’t hear too often. “Demon.”
“May I help you?” I kept the stake out of sight, not sure it would do much good anyway. Some demons were susceptible to them, just like vampires; others laughed when plugged. I wished I had something else, like holy water or a Bible. But then they didn’t always work either. Instead, I threw out a mind probe. Nada. Not surprising. Demons aren’t into sharing their thoughts.
“I’m looking for Glory St. Clair, and obviously I’ve found her.” The woman smiled and showed off a pair of fangs. She was posing as vampire. Didn’t fool me. I knew a demon when I smelled one. The evil has a sweet odor like baking donuts. It would make you hungry if you didn’t know it came straight from hell.
Of course she was beautiful; demons usually are when they’re in public. This one had long dark hair and amethyst eyes with long lashes against pale perfect skin. She was about Flo’s size, short with the same tiny waist and size-six figure. She wore an expensive designer outfit in a deep purple silk that set off those exotic eyes.
“Yes, I’m Glory. How can I help you?” I kept the counter between us. I’m a churchgoing Christian and try not to consort with demons as a matter of principle. Not to say that I haven’t hit a few low spots in my long, long life and been tempted to make deals with the Devil. A girl’s got to do what a girl’s got to do to survive. Am I right? But I’d squeaked by without resorting to that. So I was fairly calm. Unless someone had put a contract out on me . . .
“Relax. I’m not here to take you out. I’m here to find someone.” She smiled, and the fangs were gone. “Obviously you’ve figured out what I am, so I won’t try to play games here.”
“Yeah, I get that you’re from the dark side. So what’s your business, and who are you looking for?” Now I was worried. Someone close to me. Who could she possibly want and why?
“I’m looking for Rafael. I believe he’s using the name Valdez this century.” She’d quit smiling and was suddenly on my side of the counter. “I know he’s been near you. I can smell him.” She sniffed my blouse. “He’s been touching you.”
I almost jumped over the counter to get away from her. Almost, because she’d hooked me with a silver-painted fingernail, and I wasn’t going anywhere. It wasn’t brute force; it was more like an electrical current that jammed my feet to the floor. Similar to Aggie’s statue trick except I could talk and blink and move my arms. She looked up, her eyes gleaming.
“Why’s he been touching you?”
“He’s my bodyguard. Sometimes he has to get close. What’s it to you?” I tried to shove her away. Nope. I didn’t like where this was going. Powerful entity and demon. I knew nothing about Rafe’s history. Maybe he’d made a pact with the Devil, and this thing had come to collect a debt. I tried to wrench free and couldn’t make headway. Rafe was strong and clever, but against this? I was afraid he wouldn’t stand a chance. Could I get a message to him to run like hell?
“Bodyguard. That’s okay, then.” She removed her claw and gave me an inch of space. “So you have a business relationship.”
I didn’t bother to correct her. I mean, it was true. Somehow I didn’t think she needed to know that Rafe was also my best friend. I sent out a mental message to him to meet me upstairs if he could hear me, then realized this creature had been reading my every thought since she’d stepped through the door.
“What do you want with Rafael?”
The demon smiled and her eyes glowed red. “I’m his wife.”
Twelve
“You and Rafael are married?” I jumped over the counter then. I needed some air not tainted with a sugar rush.
“Yep. And this is our anniversary. Bet that bad boy forgot again. I try to check in every decade or so.” She sighed and made a move that put her in front of the same mirror Aggie had preened at moments before. “I don’t know why he’s so difficult to pin down. It’s not like it wasn’t a love match.” She smiled, then pulled a brush from a leather shoulder bag and proceeded to fuss with her hair.
Rafe and a demon, even a beautiful one. I didn’t get it. I mean, Rafe is good. Honest. I knew him. Had spent five years close to him, as close as two creatures could get, and had never seen a hint of a dark side. Well, unless he was in fighting mode. All warriors dredged up a little hell then, even Jerry. That didn’t make either of them evil, just tough. For the guy to have hooked up with this, this thing . . . Well, it just didn’t compute.
“Compute this, Glory.” She’d stowed her brush, too close to me again. “We have an open arrangement. If you and Rafael are doing the dirty, it’s not going to get you staked. But I’m not a ‘thing.’ I’m a third-level demon, one of Lucifer’s favorites.” Her eyes were back to that incredible violet.
“Sorry. Rafe and I are just friends.” I backed toward the door and flipped the sign to Closed. I didn’t want a customer walking in on this. Should I run? I didn’t think it would do me much good. And right now she honestly seemed to mean me no harm.
Get a clue, Glory. Demons don’t honestly do anything.
“Just friends? Too bad.” She grinned wickedly. “You gay or something? The man can bring it, girlfriend. But then if you don’t roll that way ...” She was suddenly mere inches from me and touched my shoulder. “I can bring it too.”
“Uh, no. I mean, you’re beautiful, but I’ve got a guy. I’m in a committed relationship. Rafe was just my bodyguard. That’s all.” I was pressed against the shop door and felt it hit me hard between my shoulder blades when someone shoved at it.
“Let me in, Glory.” Rafe was here.
I moved away, relieved and yet worried sick about what would happen next. Demons lied all the time. Maybe this creature wasn’t his wife but a hired gun here to take him out. Stuff like that happened. I spied a nineteenth-century prayer book and a rosary on a shelf of collectibles and used a vamp move to snatch them. Maybe they’d work in a showdown.