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“Buzz off. ” Laurie threw back a tequila shot then stepped away from her. “Glory, haven’t you got better things to do than hang out with tuna breath here? I met her at Ian’s. He made sure I got the 411 on their sex life. ” She flicked Aggie with a glance that should have drawn blood. “He never did discriminate when he could get it cheap and easy. ”
I could see a bar fight brewing and figured Rafe wouldn’t thank me for letting it happen. Risking my own life, I stepped between the two women.
“Can we dial it down? I know you don’t care who Ian’s involved with now, Laurie. And you remember my friend Florence. ”
“Ah, Glory told me you handled Alesa like a charm. I will remember that if, God forbid, we have visitors of that sort again in the future. ” Flo smiled and nodded.
I signaled the bartender and ordered my favorite flavor of blood, with alcohol. I was glad to see that Laurie had taken my point and decided to ignore Aggie as she slipped Flo a business card. Networking. Why not? I wasn’t so sure the Siren was on the same page. Then the bartender, obviously used to deflecting volatile situations, grabbed the Siren’s attention with a question about her drink order. Aggie cast one more evil look at Laurie’s back then decided to ignore her too.
Flo put in her own order. “This round is on me. I’m avoiding the alcohol. We have a meeting later and I need my head clear. Glory? I think she wants oblivion. ” She leaned closer to Laurie. “If you are free at midnight, we could use you. I will pay. ”
“No, Flo. I don’t want to drag any more innocent bystanders into this or tap your bank account. And I’ll go easy on the alcohol. I can’t afford to be oblivious. ” Though it would be nice to be toasted during what was sure to come. As for Laurie? What in the heck could a were-tiger do against the Storm God anyway? He could make anyone into a statue with a glance.
“Storm God?” Laurie looked meaningfully at the nearby mortals. Of course she’d read my thoughts and wasn’t about to turn down a chance at a paying gig. “There somewhere we can meet privately? I might know a thing or two that could help you, Glory. ”
“Give me a freakin’ break. What’s a tiger gonna know about Achelous?” Aggie had asked for a dirty martini and now gulped it down. She signaled for a refill. She obviously didn’t care that we were surrounded by strangers who’d begun to stare at us curiously.
“There’s a break room. Come on. ” I grabbed Aggie’s arm. “Shut up. You really are determined to make me hurt you, aren’t you?” I hustled her toward the employee break room. Luckily the club was busy and there wasn’t anyone inside. Laurie and Flo followed us in.
“Just try it, Gloriana. ” Aggie jerked her arm out of my grasp as soon as we were inside with the door closed. “We are so going to settle this as soon as Achy is through with you. ”
“Yeah, I look forward to it. ” I had no idea how I’d come out in a fight with Aggie, but suddenly itched to try to take her. My scalp still screamed where she’d pulled my hair.
“Stop it! Glory, you need your energy for what’s coming. Fighting with this creatura doesn’t help. Sí?” Flo waited for my reluctant nod, then touched Laurie’s arm. “Do you know about Glory’s news? That Ian discovered she used to be a Siren?”
“Yes. ” Laurie shook her head. “Nasty business. Glory had to be carried out of Ian’s office after hearing the test results. ”
“Oh, amica! I wish I had been there for you. ” Flo hugged me. “Of course you would be horrified to think…” She released me, her eyes awash with tears. “You know. ”
“It’s okay, Flo. ” I was feeling pretty watery myself.
Laurie glanced at Aggie. “Don’t blame you for taking that hard. Sirens. Bitches of the deep. I sure wouldn’t want any part of that pack of she-devils. But it’s better than being related to Alesa, I have to say. ”
“Swell. You put me one step above a demon from hell. ” Aggie actually worked up a tear. “What’s with you people? Sirens are not all bad. We cleared out a lot of the pirates that used to plague the ships in the Mediterranean. And our songs are beautiful. Some say Aphrodite was once one of us, you know. Men worship us. Will do anything for a Siren. ”
“Men can be fools. I think we can all agree on that. ” Laurie looked around the room.
Even Flo nodded. “Sí. It is the brain in their pantaloni that does their thinking. It works to my advantage, I tell you. Has for centuries. ” Flo stayed solemn, like she was imparting the wisdom of the ages. And in a way she was. “A smart woman learns early how to use a man’s desperation to get under her skirts. ”
“Okay, let’s agree we can manipulate men with sex. But I doubt the Storm God is so vulnerable. After all, he has a stable of women he’s kept corralled for thousands of years. ” I looked at Aggie. “You said he knows all and sees all. You think we need to worry that he might be tuned in to this conversation right now?”
“Not likely. This is his usual playtime. He’s out with a couple of the sisters having a conjugal visit. ” Aggie wrinkled her nose. “At least it wasn’t my turn in the rotation. He likes us to pair up, two on one if you get my drift. Of course he gets into the mix too. I’ve got plenty of libido but it’s the same old same old, century after century. And it takes forever for him to—”
“Please. ” I held up my hand. “You’ve answered the question. Now answer another one. Is there any way we can get the best of him? Make sure I come out of this alive?” I tried to read her thoughts and hit a hard impenetrable wall. She stalled just long enough to drive me crazy, feigning boredom as she studied a minute hangnail. I wanted to grab her, throw her against the wall and pound her until she answered me. Finally, she glanced up and fake smiled.
“Seriously? I figure you’re golden, Gloriana. ” The way she drawled my name made it sound like an insult. “If Achy wanted you dead, honey, he’d have done the deed centuries ago. ” Aggie’s face went hard again. Jealousy. That was her emotion of choice now. “But maybe he’s changed his mind. Does the Storm God have vulnerabilities? Beautiful women, of course. Charm him if he gets out his death ray. That’s your best bet. ”
“Death ray?” I sank down on the sofa where I knew employees sometimes napped. “What the hell?”
“That’s what the sisters call it. It’s when the big guy is so mad he shoots lightning out of his eyeballs. Scary as hell. ” Aggie shivered. “You really, really don’t want him to go there. ” She smirked at Laurie. “Tiger, you have anything you can pull out of your furry ass that could beat that? Got to warn you, he’ll see a bite or a scratch as foreplay. ”
“You’ll just have to wait and see, now won’t you?” Laurie’s growl meant business and certainly convinced me she might have a surprise or two left to show us. I sure hoped so. “When’s this meeting?” Laurie glanced at her narrow platinum watch. Tonight everything about her was feminine. Even her earrings were delicate dangles and I swear she’d used a curling iron on her tiger-striped hair. The Storm God would be all over her if she didn’t have a way to shut him down.
“Midnight. ” I studied the large clock on the wall above the door while my stomach hopscotched up to my throat. “We have two hours. ”
“Not much prep time, but I may have a thought or two. Tell me the location and I’ll meet you there. ” She grabbed a pad off the employee dining table and wrote down the directions Aggie gave her.
Flo sidled up to me. “It’s no use. I don’t like this. We can charter a plane and be on our way to Paris before midnight. What do you say?”
“Tempting. But I can’t afford—”
“I afford. For my best friend. Let this god throw his lightning bolts at Aggie. She needs a shot of electricity up her butt. I don’t think she even wears panties. Slut. Trying to hurt you…”
I swallowed a giggle at the fierce look on Flo’s face. But the urge died quickly. I knew I couldn’t run, as tempting as that sounded.
“Thanks, pal. That is the most amazing of
fer I’ve had in my entire life. But I’ve got to do this. Just in case… Hell, maybe Jerry’s right and this is all a scam—something Aggie and Ian cooked up together. ”
Flo grabbed me. “Is it possible? To torture you like this. Oh, il mio dio! I will kill her. ”
“No, she’s mine. ” I patted Flo’s narrow back as I hugged her, tears making the room blur. When I looked up, Laurie had slipped out of the room and Aggie was giving us a disgusted stare.
“Achy would get off to seeing you two in a clench like that. Try not to give in to the urge around him unless you think it will get you off his hit list. ” She pulled open the door. “Great band tonight. I’m going out there and find a man to dance with. Come on, ladies. This may be Glory’s farewell fling. ” She shook her hips to the music and disappeared into a group of students headed toward the dance floor.
“Oh, but I hate that creature. ” Flo sniffed and stepped away from me.
“Me too. But we might as well go out and at least finish our drinks. I’m hoping we get to this meeting and Achelous doesn’t show. Then we’ll have our answer—I was never a Siren and this was all a hoax. ” I grabbed a tissue off the table and went to the mirror to repair my makeup. Except when I stared into the glass there was no Glory. Oops, forgot. I sighed as Flo came up behind me.
“Your reflection is gone!” Flo tried to look sad but failed. “Sorry, but that makes me feel better about you, Glory. Though I did notice you are heavy into the concealer tonight. Your cheeks look almost sunburned. ” She used my tissue to smooth under my eyes.
“Don’t tell Jerry, but I think Ian slipped me another drug, a tranquilizer, and the red cheeks are the result. You know I can’t take something like a normal vamp could. ”
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