“You need me to guide you?” Greg pulled off his shirt, wringing it out, then did a double take when he saw Westwood struggling to his feet. “What the hell happened to him?”
“Gloriana.” Simon smiled at me. “You’d make an excellent Energy Vampire now, my dear. Think about it.”
I shuddered, pretty sure I’d just been insulted.
“We can find our own way back. Come on, Glory.” Rafe shifted into a bird, and I was right beside him. We flew as fast as we could back to our building.
By the time we hit the door to the apartment it was close to sunrise. I collapsed on the couch, exhausted and yet jazzed. I’d kicked some butt out there. No, I didn’t want to become an EV, but for Simon to say I was worthy was actually pretty awesome.
I jumped up, stalked into the kitchen and grabbed a bottle of synthetic, chugging half of it before I hit the couch again. What the hell was the matter with me? Awesome? Clearly I was on a slippery slope sliding straight down to hell. Rafe grabbed a beer and opened it.
“Are you going to ask?” Rafe took a drink. “About your eyes?”
“Guess I wasn’t surprised by the red thing. Alesa’s been talking to me, in here.” I set my bottle on the table and tapped my forehead. “Still not sure how she got inside, but I’m desperate to get her out. Am I a damned demon now too?”
“You’re kidding me. Alesa’s in you?” Rafe tugged me up and looked me over. “That has to be a pisser.”
I laughed. “Understatement of the year. She’s irritating, prone to giving me heat attacks and even tries to order me around.”
“A typical demon.” Rafe pulled me close. “Damn, I’m sorry. No, you’re not a demon, just her vessel. How to get her out? Well, we’ll have to work on that. As to how she got in, that’s easy.” Rafe settled us both on the couch face-to-face, lots of eye contact. “You were both wounded in that battle in the shop. Right?”
“Yes, bleeding heavily. Her blood was an icky black. Gross. Smelled like raw sewage.” I put my hand on his knee. “Am I infected? What’s next? Horns and a tail?”
“Do I look like a cartoon devil?” Rafe grabbed my hand. “Her blood must have entered your open wound. I should have realized ...” He leaned in and sniffed, then smiled with a sad twist of his lips. “Ridiculous that something so nasty can smell so sweet. It’s faint. Your vamp friends probably aren’t even picking up on it, but of course you have the taint. Takes one to know one, as they say.”
“Oh, God, Rafe.” Tears filled my eyes. “No matter what I told Westwood, I’m not a stone-cold killer. Only if it was them or me.” I shook my head. I wasn’t dredging up things from hundreds of years ago. Life then had been different for vampires. No synthetics, no security systems.
“I know that, Glory.” Rafe wiped a tear from my cheek. “I’m sorry I drew her here. If it’s any consolation, I’m sure Alesa hates being inside you. You’ve got the kind of good and decent soul she despises. That’s why she wanted to kill you in the first place.”
I shuddered and leaned on him. “You’re giving me too much credit. Tonight I could’ve killed Westwood without a speck of remorse. Hell, I wanted to rip his head off.” I sat back. “I’ve changed since that fight with Alesa. Said things without thinking, acted out in crazy ways. Even used the ‘f’ word.”
“Whoa. Blade would be shocked. You know he’s rabid about treating you like a lady.” Rafe leaned back and smiled.
I laughed and hit him. “Not that ‘f’ word. Fat. I called a customer fat. Was mean to a couple more. I keep on like this, I won’t have customers.”
“Like I said, totally a pisser.”
I lost my smile. “I don’t want to be like that, Rafe. Without a conscience.” I sure wasn’t telling him how I’d offered to do the wild thing with Ray. I put that totally on the demon.
“That’s not going to happen. And don’t worry about what you did to Westwood. His death would be a public service.” He kissed my forehead. “You look exhausted. Being a badass is hard work. I should know.”
I surprised myself by giggling and felt him smile against my skin. “I am tired. Thanks for being there for me.”
“We’ll talk about this again when you wake up. Work on finding a way to cast out that demon.”
“Now you’re talking. If it wouldn’t turn me to dust, I’d bathe in holy water.” I stood and pulled him up with me.
“Talk to Richard about it.” Rafe looked down at me. “We’ll figure something out. Don’t worry.”
“Yeah, well. Hope it’s soon. Alesa doesn’t worry about anything. She just urges me to act out. Then I have to deal with the fallout. Fun for all.” I felt the dawn and the bone-deep exhaustion that came with it. “There’s no time for more than a cuddle tonight, and I know we still have issues, but will you just hold me and let me conk out in your arms?”
Rafe suddenly looked fierce. “Issues be damned. Simon could have ended you tonight. No way am I wasting a second worrying about tomorrow. Forget Blade. I’ll take what I can get now.”
“Oh, Rafe. I hope this doesn’t end up hurting you.” I saw what I wanted to see. A man who cared about me. Add that sensual vibe that pulled at me until I wanted to crawl all over him, and there was no way I was denying myself his comfort. Both of us demons. Bizarre and maybe a twist of fate, a sign. I pulled his head down and kissed him with everything I had.
One thing I knew. When I got up in the evening, I was going to church. If a demon could still pray, I was giving it a shot. Alesa kept her mouth shut. I figured that meant I was on the right track.
“I think it’s lucky for a bride to go to church before her wedding,” Flo announced as she waited for me to buckle my seat belt.
Rafe had been gone when I’d gotten up at sunset. His note had promised we’d see each other later, after he’d taken care of some club business. So I’d crammed myself into Flo’s car with Richard and his mother. Mother Mainwaring wasn’t Flo’s biggest fan, and she stayed silent beside me in the backseat.
“Love the new car.” I didn’t love the fact that I’d had to climb into the tiny backseat in a pencil skirt. At least Flo had picked me up behind the shop, so only one homeless man and a stray cat had been witness to my cursing, inelegant effort to get aboard. “I thought Richard gave you an SUV though.”
“Oh, he did. I exchanged it for this.” Flo blew him a kiss. “He meant well, but I must have a sexy car. Sì?”
“The SUV was a much safer choice and better for carrying passengers.” Richard adjusted the seat and closed the passenger door before buckling himself in. “The way my dearest drives, I’d have bought her a tank if it were permitted on these roadways.”
“Pah! A tank is not sexy, Ricardo.” Flo pulled away from the curb without looking, and there was a screech of brakes and a frantic horn honk.
“Florence! The rearview mirror is for more than checking your lipstick.” Sarah Mainwaring squirmed, but she and I were jammed hip to hip in the backseat.
“Quite a wedding present.” I smiled at Richard’s mother. Rumor had it she was the source of Richard’s money.
“I simply manage Richard’s money, Gloriana, because I’m so good at it. He’s quite wealthy in his own right.” Sarah smiled, then gasped. “Florence, you just forced a car to the shoulder of the road. Do you even look when you change lanes?” She grabbed the back of his seat. “Richard, why aren’t you driving?”
“Florence won’t let me drive her new car, Mother.” Richard had closed his eyes and gripped the door handle.
“No, I won’t. This is my pretty little car.” Flo swerved to pass a tractor trailer truck, and we all braced ourselves. Except for Richard, who kept his eyes closed but murmured Hail Marys.
I breathed a sigh of relief when we made it around the truck before the oncoming traffic hit us head on. Which was a miracle. I leaned forward to pat Richard on the shoulder.
“Thanks for the prayers. Keep it up.”
“I dare not stop.” He never even peeked. “Just tell me when we get there. But remember, darling, we have plenty of time. Church doesn’t start for another half hour.”
“I know. But some people don’t seem to know the speed limit, amante. It’s not a suggestion. You must go that fast or get off the freeway!” She yelled this and added a hand gesture at the car in front of her. “Am I right?” Flo turned to look at me.
“Uh, whatever. Just watch the road!” I grabbed Sarah’s hand as Flo swerved to pass the car she’d decided was moving too slowly. My friend always drove fast. And tailgated. Now that she had a new convertible, she was even more reckless, convinced she had to “blow out the carburetor,” whatever that meant. Apparently it included gunning the engine at every light, so she could race the car beside her to the next corner. The new car was turbocharged, a fact Flo kept throwing into the conversation.
Tonight the top was up as a concession to Richard’s mother, who always wore a hat and gloves to church. Flo had complained, always happy to stick a pin in stuffy Sarah Mainwaring, but I’d jumped in and asked to keep the top up too, claiming I didn’t want my hair blown because of a late date. I actually liked Richard’s mom and took pity on her. Flo would be a tough daughter-in-law, a tough friend too. She almost put the top down anyway once she heard Jerry was still out of town.
“Flo, I never told you how to run your love life, so I know you won’t tell me how to run mine.” I leaned forward since the traffic had cleared and we weren’t in imminent danger. “Thanks for coming tonight, Richard. You always make me feel safe.”
“Yes, Glory, tell us why we are supposed to watch our backs. Are you and Simon Destiny feuding again?” Flo poked Richard. “Look at Glory. See what is happening with her.”