“Among other things. He has to realize he’s a fledgling in our world.” Simon smiled. “I’m keeping my offer open, Gloriana. Female Energy Vampires are unheard of, but I may make an exception in your case.” He put his hand on my shoulder. I blamed my demon for letting it stay there. “I sense an interesting new element in you.”
I stared into his eyes and let the red show. How I could do it on demand I didn’t know, but the heat shooting up into my eyeballs told me it worked. Simon’s hand slid off. Oh, he tried to hide the freak-out, but I wanted to high-five myself for giving him a scare.
“When there’s a snowstorm in Hades, I’ll be in touch. For now, you know where to shove that offer.” I strolled over to the door and opened it. “I’ll be in the shop and let you know when the Westwoods get here.” I strutted out of the room, shutting the door with an emphatic click.
“That’s showing him, girlfriend. You join any club, it’ll be the one downstairs with my boss.”
Oh, swell. Now I had Alesa’s approval. Which convinced me telling Simon off wasn’t my smartest move, since I still wanted that car. But it had been so worth it for the look on his loathsome face. Bet he couldn’t read my mind now either. Hah.
I’d love a chance to go mano a mano with the EV leader now. Even if I had to try on my new demonic powers, it would be great to grind that SOB into dust, flame him into ashes or—
Oops. The Westwoods were here. Vivien wore a turquoise print wrap dress and heels straight from Paris. Her purse cost more than my entire shop inventory. Guess she’d bought it before the pitiful allowance edict. David didn’t hurt my eyes either, getting most of his looks from his mother’s side. He wore snug hand-distressed jeans and a vintage T-shirt, obviously not seeing this as the formal occasion Viv did. Or maybe Sis was just desperate for a place to show off and figured a vintage-clothing dealer would give her duds the respect they deserved. I did a quick mind scan. Yep, got it.
“Well, hello, you two. Glad to see you’re not swathed in depressing black.” I smiled. David’s shirt was a faded red.
“What’s the point? It won’t bring Dad back.” Viv brought a lace hanky to her eyes. Oh, how fake was that? “What’ve you got, Ms. St. Clair? It’s late. This better not be a lame attempt to shake us down.”
“Viv, ease up. Glory . . . if I may call you that.” David smiled at me when I nodded. “Glory is helping us. I told you she thinks this will get things settled quickly.” David looked around. There were two customers browsing the dress rack, and Erin, of course, obviously interested in our conversation. “Is there somewhere we can speak privately?”
“My back room. Follow me. I have something to show you there anyway.” I led the way. How easy was this? Of course both of them balked when they saw Simon and Greg waiting.
“Who’s this?” David put his hand protectively on his sister’s arm.
“I’m Dr. Simon, and this is my associate, Mr. Kaplan. We’re sorry you’ve been going through this trying time.” Simon was all concern and sympathy. It worked with the kindly face he’d put on. He looked middle-aged and had silver hair. He’d even slipped on a white doctor’s coat while I’d been in the shop.
“A doctor? What does this have to do with Dad’s disappearance?” Vivien looked at me. “Was Daddy sick?”
“You could say that.” Simon nodded to me. “Gloriana, why don’t you show the children the video their father made right before he ‘died.’” He gestured toward my laptop set up on the table. “It’s ready to go.”
“We saw a crazy video one of his bodyguards took with Dad being shot by one of those so-called vampires. One that looked a lot like Glory here.” David smiled at me. “Nonsense of course.”
“I admit now it was me. He asked me to play vampire that night to his hunter. I tell you it was just the last straw. Watch this, and you’ll see what I mean.” I walked over and pushed the button to play the DVD. We all gathered around. I had to admit this was a five-star production. All that was missing was the swelling music and credits. Instead we got a scan of the lake as swimmers came into view.
There we were—me, the Ray look-alike and Valdez the dog. We crawled out onto the beach, and Brittany came into the picture. Westwood stalked up, ranting about something. He was clearly agitated and totally overacting before he aimed that crossbow.
“That’s Dad!” Vivien leaned closer. “It looks like he’s going to shoot you, Glory. That’s insane.”
“No kidding. And the lake was freezing. I was shivering.”
David leaned in. “It’s obvious you were cold.” He was trying to hide a grin, and I wanted to smack him. This from a grieving son? Of course I knew how to rock a wet T-shirt.
“Just keep watching your father.” I moved back so David could get a closer look when I ran up to confront Westwood. The camera came in for a tight shot of my face and those boobs. I jammed the crossbow into Brent’s stomach. Then he was down, rolling around with the arrow until he gasped and “died.”
“Oh, my God!” David paled. “That’s the proof we need.”
“Shut up, Davy. That’s Daddy lying there.” Vivien was crying for real now, mopping at her tears with that piece of lace. I grabbed a paper towel and handed it to her. Who knew she had a heart under that sophisticated veneer?
“Keep watching, you two.” Simon kept a sympathetic face, but he practically quivered with excitement.
David and Viv leaned closer. We all saw me throw down the crossbow, kick Westwood, then strut away, Valdez and Ray already out of the shot. The camera stayed on Westwood’s body. Suddenly Brent sat up, tossed away the arrow and brushed off the dirt and leaves. He looked directly into the camera, gave it a thumb’s up and made a cut motion with his hand across his throat. The screen went black.
“What the hell was that?” David looked at Vivien, then at me. “Glory? Did you or did you not kill my father?”
Greg opened the bathroom door, and Westwood stumbled out.
“She did not.”
Twenty-one
“Daddy!” Vivien rushed into his arms, sobbing. He hugged her, his own face wet.
David didn’t join in the family reunion, clearly unsure what he was feeling. I put my hand on his shoulder.
“It was a setup, David. I’m sorry I couldn’t tell you sooner, but I was sworn to secrecy. Insane, wasn’t it?”
“Why? What’s this all about?” Vivien was drying up fast and pushed back, remembering she’d been jerked around by this act.
“Where the hell have you been, Dad?” David stared at his father, still not making a move to get closer.
“Uh, rehab.” He looked at Simon. “The doctor here has been helping me figure out some things. I’m sorry you were worried.”
“Worried? We thought you were dead!” David looked ready to smash my laptop. I grabbed him before he could start.
“Oh, no, you don’t. Hit him, hit your dad, but not my hardware.” I aimed him at Westwood. “This is his fault. He wouldn’t let his own children know he was alive.”
“Why? And what’s the rehab for? Drugs? Alcohol?” Viv put a good distance between her and her father, clutching David’s arm.
“Sexual dysfunction.” I saw Westwood jerk like he’d taken a hit from Simon’s Taser. “After Brent made his billions and sold the company, his problem got worse. So he set himself up as a great hunter to feel powerful. Overcompensating, the doctor said.” I strolled over to slide a fingernail along Brent’s collar. I felt hatred coming off him in waves, but he was struck dumb, courtesy of Simon. I loved it. “The vampire thing? Well, you know what they say about the fine line between genius and insanity.” Uh-oh. Brent was close to stroking out.
“Why’d the doctor tell you this?” David looked from me to Simon.
“Gloriana was trying to help your father. They were in a relationship that clearly wasn’t working. She’s the one who got him to seek help after the night of the video.” Simon was nothing if not quick. “Your father agreed but hoped for a magic pill.” Simon shook his head. “Not everything can be fixed with medication.”
“Why vampires? That’s so weird.” Viv obviously couldn’t wrap her head around this. “Really, Daddy, what were you thinking?”
Simon steepled his fingers. “Vampires are a classic phallic symbol. Powerful, eternal. By pretending to kill them, your father acted out a sexual fantasy.”
Greg nodded, happy to get in on this. “Even using the crossbow is significant, isn’t it, Dr. Simon?”
“Oh, yes.” Simon was clearly on a roll. “The penetration—”
“Enough!” David flushed and looked everywhere but at his father. “I wish you’d come to one of us, Dad.” He glanced at me. “Glory, I guess we should thank you for sticking with him.”
Viv scanned me from head to toe. I had on my usual uniform of slimming black pants and a colorful top, this one purple with a deep V-neck that made the most of my assets. None of it was expensive, but I didn’t look like a pauper either. Easy to read her thoughts. I may be four hundred plus, but I look early twenties. Shopkeeper looking for a sugar daddy hooks up with middle-aged billionaire?
“I never took a dime from Brent, did I, baby?” I dared him to disagree.
“No. Hell, no. Else why would she still be working in this dump?” Brent, allowed to speak, showed some of his old spark.
“It’s not a dump, Brent.” I turned back to Viv. “Sorry, but this mess has ruined our relationship. That stupid video did it for me. His plan was to kill me acting like a vampire, but I couldn’t stand it. So I stuck it to him. I’d had enough.” I felt Brent tense, but he knew better than to argue with Simon in command.
Simon and Greg nodded solemnly.