Simon was all business as he directed his cameraman and blocked out the shot next to the lake. The wind had picked up, and the water was rough.
“Valdez, since you insisted on tagging along, you may as well do your dog thing. I’ll play the part of Israel Caine, since I can make myself look just like him.” Simon smiled and ran his fingers through his thin hair.
That boast would have made me gag except it was the truth. What I couldn’t figure out was why Simon didn’t put on a better looking façade all the time. Right now he was in his regular weasel face. Oops, a face Rafe had pushed too close to.
“Hey. I’m not here to play dog. I’m here to keep Glory safe.” Rafe frowned down at my hand on his arm. “Relax, sweetheart, this fanged Spielberg wannabe and I will get this straight. I’m sure he’s got other shifters or vamps who can do the dog thing.”
“Gloriana is perfectly safe as long as she plays her part. As to the dog . . . ? Fine. Kaplan can do it.” Simon snapped his fingers twice, and Greg strolled out from the trees.
“You need me, boss?” Greg smiled at me. “Ready to get started, Glory?”
“Can’t wait.” Now I smiled because I knew what was coming.
“You’ll play the dog, Kaplan.” Simon pointed at the lake. “The three of us will crawl out of the water and confront Westwood.”
I laughed as Greg’s face fell. “But we need Ray’s bodyguard, Brittany, a shape-shifter. She flew overhead, shifted, then walked up with us.”
“That’s right. Guess Greg can be Brittany, who’s tall, stacked and blond, or the dog. Take your pick, bud.” Rafe looked Greg over.
“Another character. Did she have lines, Gloriana?” Simon made a note on his clipboard. “What about wardrobe?”
“Didn’t say a thing. She was just ready to rip apart anyone who got near Ray.” I glanced at Greg. “Wore jeans and a T-shirt. What’s it going to be, Greg?”
“I’ll take the damned dog. I don’t do women.” He winked at me. “Except when I do women.”
“Bevis, get out here.” Simon paced until the man walked up. “You’ll shift into a tall blond female. Caine’s bodyguard. What you’re wearing should do for the role.”
“This’ll be choice. Two women with hot bodies in wet T-shirts. This goes on my Facebook page.” Greg gasped when I grabbed his ear.
“Post one second of anything with me in it, and I’ll make sure you never ‘do’ a woman again. Understand?”
Simon clapped. “Well said, Gloriana. Listen to her, Gregory. Our work here is for my private use and Westwood’s.” Simon turned to glare at a whining Bevis. “You have your orders. Get with it or have a private meeting with the goddess.”
“How’s this?” Suddenly Bevis was Brittany. Only not so much.
“My eyes!” Rafe pulled out sunglasses. Of course none of the vampires even owned a pair, but we wished we did.
“Sorry, Beev. Could you go for a little less bride of Frankenstein and a little more Britney Spears?” I didn’t bother to hide my smile. We all watched Bevis tweak his look.
“Oh, give it up. No one is going to ask you to the prom, fella. You’d better stay behind Simon a.k.a. Ray when we shoot.” Greg shook his head. “But, for the record, nice chimichangas.”
“Kaplan, show Valdez and Gloriana your dog. See if they approve.” Simon sat in a director’s chair with his name stenciled on the back. Definitely channeling Spielberg.
“I’m trying to remember how you looked, Valdez. Shift and show me the real deal.” Greg smirked at Rafe.
“Not interested. Let’s see what you’ve got.” Rafe crossed his arms over his chest.
“Asshole.” Greg huffed, then changed. His dog was a black Labrador retriever. All wrong.
“I was a Labradoodle. Curl the hair.” Rafe glanced at me. “What else, Glory?”
“You were much cuter, of course.” I tugged at Greg’s ears. “Hairier and rounder ears.”
“Brown eyes. Roll over and let me see your package. Or have you been fixed?” Rafe’s dimples were showing.
“That does it.” Greg was back to his human form again. “I figure I was close enough to pass. And I’m not showing you my package, asshole. Ask Glory. I have definitely not been fixed.”
“Me? I don’t remember a thing. Which means what you have must be highly forgettable.” I put my arm around Rafe’s waist. “Don’t worry, Greg. It was dark during the face-off. You and Brittany Ugly will be in the background.”
“Let’s get serious here.” Simon was back with his clipboard. “Gloriana, are you satisfied that Gregory can do the job?”
“As a dog? Oh, yes, he has a natural talent for it.” I smiled at Greg.
“Your costume is in the tent. I bought several sizes.” Simon looked me over in a creepy way that made Alesa giggle and me want to hurl. “I think I’m a pretty good judge of what you might wear. Go change.”
“Fine.” I followed a man to a large tent, Rafe right behind me. “Can you believe Alesa has the hots for Simon?” I said as soon as we were inside.
“Figures. Destiny’s probably got a straight line to Lucifer. Alesa knows and loves evil. You saw her real face, didn’t you? Looks attract her but aren’t everything. It’s what’s inside that counts. The nastier, the better for her.” Rafe pulled my sweater off over my head.
“My honey gets me. Isn’t he sweet? I think you two have time for a quickie, Glo. Get with it.” Alesa shoved me toward him.
I staggered and stepped back. “That doesn’t make me feel good about having her in me, you know.” I sifted through my costume choices. Simon had my sizes all right. I ignored his creepy underwear choices, sticking with my own.
“Glory, you don’t have to do this. We can shift out of here. Think of something ...” Rafe put his hands on my shoulders.
“Thanks, Rafe. But let’s just get this done.” I sighed. He had no idea how Simon was forcing me to play this game. If Jerry got a steamy video of Rafe and me together while he was in Florida . . . Well, I was not going to let that happen. End of story.
We came out to find Simon dabbing fake soot on his face. I refused to do it.
“I know we had just escaped from a burning building, but I’m going to be wet. It’ll probably wash off anyway.”
“You may be right. We’ll see. This will just be a dress rehearsal.” He signaled the cameraman. “Now let’s swim out a few yards, then come in parallel to the beach. We’ll crawl out, exhausted.” Simon panted like he’d struggled ashore. “Gloriana, you were an actress once. Can you do this realistically?”
“Sure. I lived it, remember?” I shivered as the wind gusted. Honestly, Simon’s Ray looked right, but he had the acting skills of a jack-o’-lantern.
“Westwood will be waiting for us onshore with the crossbow. But we won’t worry about that right now.”
“Film this for real, Simon. I’m not jumping in that water twice.” I saw that Rafe was standing next to a glowering Westwood and had taken charge of the crossbow. Good.
“All right. I’m not crazy about swimming in that lake either. Kaplan, are you ready?” Simon looked around, and Greg as Valdez trotted out and jumped in when we did.
The cold water was a shock, and it was rough enough to be tough going. I hated the creepy, crawly things that brushed my bare feet and legs as I swam the yards I needed before we started back. I remembered then that Ray had held me because I’m such a poor swimmer, but I didn’t mention it. No way was I letting Simon touch me. I managed to keep from drowning long enough to get to where my feet touched bottom again. I wasn’t acting as I staggered and fell to my knees, crawling out to the strip of rocky shore.
“Cut!” Simon shouted as we stood next to each other out of the water. At least he had liked the “no audio” idea, so we were saved from having to learn lines. A subdued Westwood approached us carrying his crossbow. Now Rafe had the arrow.
“How the hell is this going to work? The shifter won’t give me back my arrow,” Westwood whined.
“The camera is far enough away that it won’t matter.” Simon was losing patience. “Just stand there and pretend to yell at Gloriana like I’m sure you did that night.”
“I’ll jump over to you, grab the crossbow and aim it at your heart.” I leaped until I was in front of Westwood.
“Right.” Simon nodded to the cameraman. “We’ll stop shooting, Valdez can hand you the arrow, and you’ll fall down with it stuck between your body and your arm.”
“That won’t work. Vampires aren’t real in this film, remember?” Greg pressed against my leg, and I had a feeling he was trying to see up my skirt. I kicked him away. “Ouch. Anyway, you’ll have to run up like a mortal girl.”
“Great, now I’m going to come across like I’m an ass, bested by a woman.” Westwood threw down his crossbow. “This isn’t going to fool anyone.”
“Earth to Westwood. You are an ass.” Rafe strolled up, kicked the crossbow out of reach and handed him the arrow. “Now fall down and show us death throes. We’re all anxious to see you dead.” Every vampire there smiled.
“I’m sick of this. Where’s the respect? I could buy and sell the lot of you.” Westwood cut his eyes toward Simon, who was conferring with the cameraman. “Except for Simon of course.”
“Of course.” Rafe smiled. “We have no respect for you, Westwood. You killed friends. Terrorized innocent people. You’re surrounded by people who want you dead. Feel lucky you haven’t had your head handed to you on a plate yet.”
I admired the way Rafe intimidated the billionaire who’d backed up a few steps.
“And the way Rafe looks in those jeans? He deserves a reward, don’t ya think? No way are you breaking up with him yet. The hell-raiser deserves a little more hell fun.”