“Tiffany! Are you all right?” I rushed to take her hands. They were cold. I rubbed them, trying to restore some warmth. She’d been pale before, now she was white as a cocktail napkin.
“What? I’m fine. Dom helped me relax.” She seemed to realize she still wore his jacket. It was a suit coat of fine black silk and she let go of my hand to shrug out of it. “Oh! I’ve ruined your jacket. I got my boob makeup all over it, Dom.” She handed it back to him. “I’m sorry.”
He took it, smiling down at her. “Don’t worry about it. I’m just glad it helped make you feel more comfortable.”
Tiffany smiled at me. “I was being silly. Dom convinced me that I should be proud of my body. I was bringing pleasure to all these men who wished they had a woman like me. He keeps the bouncers around so the audience would never be allowed to touch me. I can always feel very safe here.” She looked up at him dreamily. “Isn’t Dom wonderful?”
“Uh, Tiffany, how do you feel? Are you weak? Do you need something to eat? I can grab a snack for you from behind the bar.” I glared at Dom. There were no fang marks on her, but he had erased them, of course. She had been taken down a few pints, I was sure of it. She stumbled when she walked toward me.
“I’m just really tired. I think I could eat. Maybe I’ll drive through a burger joint on my way home. A double meat with cheese sounds good right now. Want to go with me, Gloria?” She linked arms with me. “Look, I’m showing off my tits right now and thinking nothing of it.” She smiled at Jerry. “Hi, good looking. You want a picture with me?” She thrust out her breasts.
I pulled her away from him. Jerry had certainly noticed those sparkly things she was aiming at him. He smiled and shook his head when he saw me glaring at him.
“Tempting, but I’d better not. Glory wouldn’t like it.” He exchanged looks with Dom. “I want to keep her happy.”
“Oh, really?” Tiffany turned to me.
“Yes, Tiffany. This is my boyfriend, Jeremy Blade. You’re not taking a picture with him. He’s all mine.” I dragged her through the darkened and empty club toward the dressing room. Jerry and Dom followed us as far as the break room.
“You’re her boyfriend now?” Dom grinned and threw his suit coat on a chair.
“It seems that’s what she’s calling me these days.” Jerry looked amused. “I’ll take it.”
“Interesting.” Dom swept his gaze over me. “And she’s working here.”
I didn’t stay to hear how Jerry explained that as I jerked Tiffany into the dressing room and closed the door.
“Take off your costume and leave it in your locker. I’m sure you left your clothes in there.” I opened my own locker and checked out the choices there. Not much.
“I did.” She spotted Valdez who had followed us in. “Oh, there’s your dog. He’s just as cute as he can be.” She pushed his face between her breasts then kissed the top of his head. “I love dogs, did you know that?”
“I do now.” I hustled him out of the dressing room, ignoring Valdez’s doggy grin, and helped her change. “Are you okay to drive? Did Dom give you alcohol or something to drink? You’re acting a little tipsy.”
“No, yes, maybe. I’m high on life. That’s me, Gloria. I’m happy to be alive.” Tiffany pulled on a shirt and shorts then slipped into sandals. “I know I messed up your dances tonight.” She hugged me. “I’m sorry, I promise to do better tomorrow night. Donna said she’d help me practice in the afternoon, before we come in.” She grabbed her purse and walked to the door that led outside. “Night, Dom. Thanks for not firing me!”
I followed her then turned to Dom after I saw her struggle to unlock an ancient pickup truck in the parking lot. “She shouldn’t be driving. What did you give her?”
“A shot or two of fine bourbon. Why?” Dom seemed genuinely confused. “Donna has more than that before the first dance.”
“Tiffany isn’t Donna. Go out there and take her car keys. Drive her home. You can always shift back here later.” I didn’t care if he was my boss. He was going to do what was right. “Buy her a burger too. Have you forgotten how to treat mortals since you got into selling your synthetics?”
“Maybe so.” Dom smiled and hurried out the door. He caught Tiffany still trying to fit her key into the door lock. “Let me drive you home, my dear. Clearly, you are too tired to do it.”
Reassured when Dom bundled her into the truck then waved and drove away, I turned to Jerry. “Maybe I was a little bossy.”
“No, you were right. The woman was clearly unused to alcohol. But my God, the smell of her blood! Your favorite type as I recall—A-B Negative. No wonder Dom couldn’t resist her.” He grinned.
“He should have resisted anyway. The poor girl is his employee. That’s harassment!” I couldn’t deny though that her blood had been calling to me. No, I could and would forget it.
“I like to hear you issuing orders.” Jerry smiled at me.
“You do?” I moved in on him. “I’ll remember that. Later.” I ran my hand under his sport coat to tease the open neckline of his cotton shirt. As usual, he looked like a man with money. I’d taken the opportunity when I’d been in the dressing room with Tiffany to change from my waitress garb to regular shorts and a t-shirt. I wore sandals now too. I felt comfortable, which probably had been the wrong choice. Jerry looked like he could afford the best of everything, including women.
“Boss me around and see how I take it.” He kissed me until my toes curled. Then he put me away from him. “We were talking about business, weren’t we?”
“I think so.” I had a hard time concentrating on anything but him, this vibrant male, when he was around me. No, I had to focus. Jeremiah, no, Jerry, was a brilliant businessman who had a lot of advice to offer and he was willing to help, not take over for a change.
“Right.” He walked around the empty break room. It was a mess but I knew a cleaning crew would be in during the day to throw away trash and wipe down surfaces covered in that glittery fairy dust Mae used on the dancers. It was everywhere.
“I’m usually the one taking orders.” I couldn’t stand it. I threw away a chocolate donut with a bite taken out of it. Too tempting. I wanted to taste the icing. Then what? You’d think, after centuries of temptations, I’d learn. Temporary pleasure, long-term suffering. One lick? Not worth it. I forced myself to step away from the trash can and look at Jerry.
“When you have your own business, you’ll have your employees hopping to your command.” He looked down at me, finally reading my t-shirt. The shirt made him laugh as I’d hoped it would.
“You’re a diamond in a rhinestone world? I know that.” He pulled me close. “But have you decided what kind of business you’re aiming for? You’ll need to make a business plan, you know. Start studying the kind of place you want for yourself and learn how it works. What it’ll take to make it a success.”
“It won’t be a topless club, I tell you that.” I kissed his smile. “Can we get out of here? Maybe I should go home and change.”
“You look fine. Come back to my hotel. Your surprise is waiting for you.” He threw open the back door. “I rented a car so I could drive us back. Valdez, you take the back seat. I’m sure you’re used to it.”
“Yes, I am. I hope your surprise isn’t going to make Glory mad. She’s serious about hating surprises.” Valdez followed us out to the car. He had fairy dust on his face from Tiffany’s hug. I thought about teasing him, but he gave me a warning look. “Not a word, Glory. You see how I suffer in this body?”
“Suffer. Right.” I grinned at him. “Poor Valdez. The dancers just won’t leave you alone.” I should have spent the car ride thinking about my surprise. Valdez was right, surprises in my world could be horrifying, but coming from my lover? I wasn’t worried about it. Instead, I had questions buzzing in my brain.
What kind of business did I want? I knew whatever I chose, it had to be open at night. I enjoyed working with the dancers, but I couldn’t see a future there without some serious trai
ning. Unfortunately, I had to agree with Donna’s boyfriend’s assessment. I wasn’t graceful and couldn’t imagine years studying dance moves when I’d never be that good at it. No, I needed something more along the lines of a retail store.
“You’re awfully quiet.” Jerry reached for my hand. “I’ll help you do a business plan, if you like. Or is that too much interference?”
“I’m worrying about what I can do with only the nights to play with. How do you manage?” This was a serious concern and I was glad to see Jerry taking me seriously.
“It isn’t easy. I’ve made my money by buying businesses that are already established but are in trouble. I go in and reorganize, fix what’s wrong and turn them around from losers to profitable enterprises. The main thing I have going for me is the luxury of being able to hire good help to cover days. There are smart shifters who understand my limitations as a vampire and take care of the things that can only be handled during daylight hours. Personnel is always a problem.” He glanced back at Valdez. “I still get stung from time to time when people prove to be unreliable and betray my trust.”
My heart sank. It all came down to money. I never had enough and Jerry always had plenty. I stared out at the scenery going past and blinked back tears. I was a failure, one of those losers he’d picked up along the way. He’d found me starving and fed me until I was a plump woman with the curves he liked. He’d even made me vampire when I’d begged him to so he could have me with him forever. I was one of his success stories, now presentable when we were in company. Too bad I wouldn’t just stick with him, his obedient lover.
“Hey! Don’t feel helpless or hopeless.” He reached for my hand. “There are things you can do. I can help you find something. A small business. Yes, you’ll have a limited budget, and you’re going to have to start with something that’s only open nights so you can be there yourself to oversee everything. Maybe you’ll get lucky and find good help. You never know.”
“In other words, what I want to do sounds impossible.” I looked down to where our hands were clasped. His was tan and strong. Mine was pale and feminine. I kept my nails done and they were painted red this week. We couldn’t be more different.
“Not impossible, Gloriana.” He smiled at me. “I’m convinced you can do anything you set your mind to. Who knows you better than I do? You’re a strong woman. Why don’t you believe that?”
“He’s got that right.” Valdez snorted from the back seat. “Look how you survive on your own when this guy’s not around. In this body, I sure can’t be much help.” He slapped a paw on the back of my seat. “You just need to focus on what you want. You’ll figure it out.”
“Thanks, guys. I have some serious thinking to do. Whatever I decide, I am determined to make it a success.” I had to admit, their faith in me warmed my heart.
“You’ll have to find a niche market. One with solid demand that can sustain your business over time, not a flash in the pan. We’ve seen some fads come and go in our time, haven’t we?” Jerry squeezed my hand then let go to wheel the car into the valet station in front of his hotel.
I laughed. “We sure have. I remember you in Nehru jackets in the sixties.”
“You wore bell bottoms and flowers in your hair.” Jerry glanced at me. “I liked you like that.”
I tapped the dashboard in the luxury car he’d rented. “You had 8-track tape players in your cars back then. We partied in New York under disco balls until I met a man who stole me from you.”
“Don’t remind me. I was stupid. You didn’t like how I danced too often with another vampire, Elena from Cuba, as I recall, and left with that asshole.” He helped me out of the car. “He wasn’t good to you.”
“I think he used mind control on me. I’d like to blame my own stupidity on that, if you want to know the truth. Not my best decade. It’s one I hope we both can forget.” I slid out of the car then grabbed Valdez’s leash out of my purse.
Jerry stopped me and dropped a kiss on my lips. “Done. We’ve both made mistakes that we regret. I’d be happy if we could start over.”
“Me too.” I took his hand as we walked inside. Here we were again, parading through the luxurious lobby and casino. We were an odd group—the handsome prince, the peasant and her dog. In a fairy tale, I’d be dreaming of a happy ending. Once, I thought I’d found it. But real life turned out to be complicated.
For now, when Jerry tugged me closer as we waited for the elevator, I just basked in the envious looks I got from a pair of tourists. The women, obviously in town looking for fun judging by their fancy cocktail dresses and heavy makeup, scanned Jerry, then me, then the dog. I was the only one who didn’t meet approval. Tough. I snuggled up to my man. For now, he was mine. They could only dream of having a night with a hunk like him.
“Bought and paid for.” I cringed when I read the mind of the woman next to me. Yes, I probably did look like that next to my handsome, well-dressed lover. She wasn’t wrong either.
I sagged with relief when the tourists got off at the twelfth floor. Then it was all the way up to Jerry’s suite. As soon as we got off the elevator, I could hear noise. Voices. Arguing.
“What’s going on, Jerry?” I stopped him before he could insert his key card into the lock. “Is this something to do with your surprise?”
“See for yourself.” He threw open the door.
11
F our people stared at us. At first, I was too surprised to move. Then I flung myself into the older woman’s arms.
“Maggie!” I hadn’t realized how much I’d needed a friend until I saw her face.
“Don’t cry now, my dear friend. I might start bawling myself.” Maggie Turnbull hugged me then looked me over. “It’s been too long. Naturally, you look the same. Now I want to hear about the topless dancers.” She raised an eyebrow. “Not thinking of joining them, are you, luv?”
I glanced at Jerry. “Maybe, if I didn’t have two left feet.” We laughed together, instantly comfortable again. I think we could be apart for hundreds of years and still fall into an easy conversation. Maggie and I had met even before Jeremiah had turned me vampire.
We’d been two women desperate to make it on our own. Unfortunately, in 1604 that had been nearly impossible. We’d both been backstage at the Globe Theater. I’d made up stories since then that I was an actress. Impossible. It was against the law for women to perform on stage but vamps and shifters who didn’t know history believed me. Maggie had worked as a seamstress and I’d actually married an actor. After he’d died, she’d helped me stay there, stitching a bit, until Master Shakespeare had insisted I quit sleeping behind the stage. That’s when I’d been lucky enough to meet Jerry in the alley next to the theater.
“Hear about those topless dancers? I want to see them!” Maggie’s husband, Fergus, earned a slap on the arm from his wife for that comment.
They’d met when he was Jeremiah’s bodyguard. I’d introduced them and it wasn’t long before they’d fallen in love, married and started a family. As time passed, mortal Maggie had realized Fergus and her three shape-shifter children were going to live for several hundred years while she was continuing to age. Maggie had gone to one of Jeremiah’s vampire cousins and asked to be turned. The change had caused a furor in the Turnbull family. Eventually even Fergus had chosen to become vampire rather than die a natural death while his wife lived forever.
I turned to Jeremiah. “Is Maggie my surprise?”
He shook his head. “No, she is.” He pointed to a woman standing behind them. “I thought you might like a bodyguard who could actually be near you in that topless club. This is Caroline Turnbull. She can go with you into the club and work beside you as a waitress. Or you’ve done some bartending too, haven’t you, Caroline?” Jerry looked pleased with himself for thinking of this.
I wanted to knock his grin right off his self-satisfied face. “Are you kidding me? You thought I would like another bodyguard?” I turned to Caroline. She was a pretty girl. “Maggie, is this one of yo
ur great, great grandchildren?”
“Yes, she’s absolutely wonderful.” Maggie put her arm around the girl. “Caro can speak a dozen languages, is an expert at martial arts and is proficient with every kind of weapon you can name. Plus, she makes a mean martini. Or so I’ve heard.”
“Gran, please. I don’t need a sales pitch.” She kissed Maggie’s cheek. “But that’s all true.” Caro held out her hand. “I’d be pleased to work for you, Glory. Gran talks all the time about the old days when you two were behind the scenes in Shakespeare’s theater. Fascinating stuff.”
“You sound wonderful. Those old days weren’t so great to live through, but I wouldn’t trade them for anything.” I shook her hand then smiled at Maggie. “Sorry, but I don’t need another bodyguard. I may not speak another language, but I can hold my own with a bunch of drunks who can barely speak English by the time they’re on their third round.”
“I get it.” Caroline smiled then backed away, joining Valdez and Sherie near the windows.
I turned to Jerry. “What were you thinking? I told you I’m getting along fine. Valdez is within earshot if I need to scream for help. He’s perfectly capable of protecting me.”
“The thought of you having to scream for help makes me crazy.” Jerry deliberately ignored my frown and turned to shake hands with Fergus. “Good to see you, man. I heard you have a corporate jet now. It’s the only way to travel.”
The only way to travel. Sure, if you were like the two of them, rich beyond my wildest dreams. Once Fergus and Maggie became immortal, they had taken over management of the Turnbull shape-shifter empire. Hiring out bodyguards to vampires was big business and paid extremely well. Like the Valdez family, the Turnbulls were considered the best when you needed a shape-shifter to work for you. They were guns for hire, mercenaries who you could count on to be loyal when you needed protection. Most vampires did rely on a shape-shifter during the day and their vulnerable death sleep, just like I did with my Valdez.
Real Vampires: Glory Does Vegas Page 10