“Let’s go, honey.” I turned to Greg. “I can’t wait to see your surprise.”
“You’ll be surprised all right.” Greg waited until I was in, then slammed the car door. I felt Richard move inside my shirt. At least my loose T -shirt kept me well covered. Greg got in the car and quickly and efficiently went through my purse. He tossed it back in my lap after keeping my cell phone and his own. He turned mine off, then stuck it in the glove compartment. He looked his over.
“Battery’s dead.”
“Sorry, I didn’t have your charger. What about my phone? Will I get it back?” Not that I cared, but with Richard moving under my shirt, I had to keep Greg focused on something besides my chest.
“Maybe. After this is over, if you play your cards right.” He pulled a thing that looked like a flashlight out of the compartment and ran it up and over me. “Scanning for listening and tracking devices. Good girl, you’re clean.” He tossed it back inside and slammed the door.
“Of course I’m clean. I don’t want to take any chances with my friends in danger. How’s Flo? What has Simon done to her?”
“She’s as okay as she can be without her VV. Simon’s got her locked up for her own safety. He could put her out of her misery with a shot of antidote, but”—Greg shrugged— “it obviously suits him to let her suffer a while. I hear she demanded he fix the dog here. Baby, nobody demands anything of Simon Destiny.”
“He’s a real tyrant, isn’t he?” Making Flo suffer . . . A grade A son of a bitch.
“Honey, he’s the boss. He can give the orders.” Greg put the car in gear, then checked the rearview mirror. “I’d better not see anyone tail us or back we go.”
“I want Flo and my dog restored to the way they belong. I wouldn’t let anyone screw that up.” I looked back at Valdez. He was checking out the scenery. “Why don’t you crack the back window so he can get some air back there?”
“Sure. That perfume’s pretty hot, by the way. I don’t remember you wearing perfume in New York.” Greg glanced at me. “Or shapeless T-shirts.” He reached out and touched the cotton. “Did I feel one of your Kevlar bras under there? Flo told Simon all about them.”
“Sure. I’m not stupid, Greg. I’ve had some hunters after me. The kind with stakes, not just siphons. So I never go out without my protective gear.”
“Take off your shirt. Let me see it.”
“I don’t think so.” I sniffed like he reeked of sewage. “You’re just a drone, Greg. Your job is to take me to Simon. I’m sure you don’t want to get in trouble with your boss again and get ‘punished.’ ”
Greg laughed. “Know how Simon punished me? He let me spend a night in his special room. Wait till you see it, Glory. You may want to just stay out there and become a drone yourself.”
“Special room?” I felt Richard’s whiskers twitch. “What’s so special about it? Is it like a torture chamber?”
“In a way.” Greg reached over to pat my knee. He was on the freeway, headed south. There were a lot of isolated areas outside of town in that direction. As long as we were still surrounded by suburbs, I felt pretty safe, but as the subdivisions turned into stretches of dark undeveloped land, I got more and more uneasy.
“Tell me about this special room.” I was afraid any contingent of vamps following us might be spotted. We were off the freeway now and on a highway that wound through hills. We bumped through a low water crossing, mud splashing as Greg drove through it.
“Daylight, Glory. You’d swear you were on a beach on a tropical island.” Greg sighed. “I would do anything for time in that room.” He looked at me and winked. “You’d love it. Special lights that are just like the sun, only not lethal. White sand, a pool and palm trees.” He chuckled. “You and I could have a lot of fun on a towel on the sand.”
I sighed and felt Richard warm against my skin. “Sun? Sand? Palm trees?” I looked back at Valdez. “And a lizard sunning himself on a rock. That’s you, Greg. Get a clue. I’ve moved on from my New York days. My men don’t conspire to suck the life out of me.”
Greg just laughed. “Yeah, right. Except at the old neck or thigh, huh, baby? I remember what you like.”
I felt a flush heat my chest and cheeks and Richard stirred. He wasn’t sending me any messages and I knew that was the deal. I had my own block up and a probe of Greg’s mind yielded zilch.
The car pulled onto a scenic overlook and Greg stopped. “We get out here.” He walked around and opened both passenger doors. Valdez hopped out and rushed to the edge of the brush to take care of business. I fought tears. He never would have been that blatant about using a tree around me if he’d been himself.
The overlook had a pretty view of Austin in the distance. I could see the moonlight reflecting off a lake, but no lights anywhere close to where we were. I flinched when a man stepped out of the shadows. He silently got in the Honda and drove off. I hoped my followers realized I wasn’t in the car.
“Our ride’s here.” Greg picked up Valdez’s leash and led him to a black Hummer parked under a tree. He shoved the dog in the backseat and waited for me to get in, then quietly shut the door.
“Gee, this is really spylike, Greg. I’ve never been in a Hummer before. It’s huge. And black like the night. Is Simon scared I’ll lead a few angry friends to his place?” I’d said it all out loud in case someone up above us could hear.
“Simon’s not scared of anything, Glory. You’d do well to remember that. He’s king of the EVs, Honoria’s right-hand man.”
Greg put the car in gear, but didn’t turn on the headlights, just used his vamp night vision to steer the car down a rough road that ran through a tunnel of trees. Someone flying high overhead would have a hell of a time spotting us. I swallowed.
“Sounds like Simon’s stuck in some earlier centuries. When monarchies were the thing. Where are we going, to some feudal castle in the woods?”
“Simon has respect for old traditions, but he’s also hip to new technology. Brent Westwood’s got nothing on Simon. The king can afford to buy whatever he needs. You’ll see at headquarters.” Greg shifted a gear and we bumped up a rocky hill, well off the road now. “I probably should have blindfolded you, but I doubt you’d ever be able to retrace our path anyway. As I remember, you were too much into blending to hone your vamp skills.”
“Thanks a lot.” I felt a tickle on my chest and tried to scratch without hurting Richard or alerting Greg. It wasn ’t easy. “Back then, I’d say you were right, but I’ve been surrounded by strong vampires lately. I’d have to be stupid not to pick up a few tricks.”
“Save them, Glory. Tricks like shifting sap your power. Simon will do what you want to your furry friend back there, as long as he feels you’ve got something he wants. Waste it, and I’m afraid you’ll have lost your bargaining chip.”
“And what about Flo?” I couldn’t imagine my roomie slobbering somewhere in the throes of drug withdrawal. A sex drug. I had visions of her lusting after the handle of her hairbrush and shuddered. Richard had crawled out of his cave and was on my shoulder under my T-shirt. Valdez stuck his head between the seats and growled.
“Flo’s okay. Simon can cure her with a shot of the antidote. ” Greg glanced at Valdez. “Call off your dog or I dump him right here, in the middle of nowhere.”
“Dump my dog and I’ll—” I reached out and grabbed Greg’s crotch. Yeah, right there. “Squeeze this puppy until you hit high C.” I tightened my grip. “Want to test my vamp strength?”
“Damn it, Glory!” Greg slammed on the brakes and the car fishtailed then rocked to a stop. He looked down, his face pale. “Let go. Right. Now.” He pulled a gun from a pocket in the door and aimed it at Valdez’s head. “Now or I blow fur face here to hell.”
I let go, sorry I hadn’t really hurt Greg when I had the chance. Unfortunately, I needed him to find the EV stronghold.
“Now kiss it and make it better.” Greg kept the gun in his left hand and grabbed my hand with his right. He tried to pull me closer.
“In your dreams, asshole. Isn’t your boss waiting?” I glanced at the clock on the dashboard. “We’ve already wasted over an hour getting wherever we’re going. Is Simon a patient man? Would he like to hear that we were late so you could get your rocks off?”
Greg dropped my hand and stuck the gun back in the door. “We’re here. Or I would make you kiss it.” Greg gave me a warning look. “And you don’t want to make either of us mad. I can help you, if you’ll let me. Once Simon has your power, you’ll need someone—”
“I’d rather lie in the sun, waiting to die, than let you help me, Gregory. And, news flash, since New York I’ve learned to help myself.”
Greg glanced back at Valdez, then hit me with his best “I’m a rough, tough vampire” look. “Last warning, Glory. Don’t screw around like this with Simon or anyone here, or you’ll regret it. And so will Valdez and Florence. You hear me?”
Oh, yeah, I’d definitely heard Greg. So I was fighting terror and a sick feeling in the pit of my stomach as I followed Greg down a path, Valdez at my side. When we finally came to a clearing, I stopped and gawked. A gold dome sparkled in the light from a full moon. Yep, a genuine dome with a spire pointing toward Heaven, like on a cathedral or mosque or some other holy place.
“Impressive.”
“Thank you, Gloriana.” A man strolled out of the shadows.
“Simon? Or should I curtsy and call you ‘Your majesty’?” I held onto the leash when Valdez started barking and lunged. Brad Pitt? I think not. I did a double take. If it hadn’t been for his voice, I would have sworn . . . Obviously Simon really could make you think . . .