He pulled me closer, rougher, more the man I’d known then. As he’d said, the warrior. “Do you remember when we met?”
“Of course. You wore your kilt and carried a sword. I thought you were handsome and terribly dangerous.” I leaned against him, breathing in his familiar scent I loved. That had never changed. It meant safety to me and, yes, love.
“I don’t know about handsome, but I pride myself on still being dangerous.” He reached under his shirt and brought out a small dagger. “I would never hurt you, but any man, woman or creature who thinks to do so will feel the sting of my knife.”
I smiled and looked into his face. “My warrior. Will you think me foolish if I warn you to be careful? There is someone…”
“Who, Gloriana? Has someone been bothering you?” He gripped that knife.
“Never mind. It’s just that you have always been my protector.” I wouldn’t warn him about Davenport. A demon was too unpredictable and would laugh at a knife anyway.
“I would like you with me. Not only because I love you and want you close.” He put the knife away. “But because having you with me makes me happy, Gloriana. Can you understand that?”
“Yes. Because I’m happy when I’m with you.” I put my arms around his neck. “We’ve talked enough. Send the shifters away. I want to make love with you, Jeremiah. I plan to scream the place down.”
He laughed and picked me up, carrying me through the living room. “Begone, shifters. You may come back when the dawn is upon us.”
“You sound like the ancient warrior you once were, Jeremiah.” I kissed his neck. I didn’t dare look at Valdez. I knew he’d think I was back to being weak for my lover. I didn’t care. We did have centuries of history together. We made each other happy. I heard the hall door close and the lock engage. Then I thought of nothing but the night ahead and the bed where Jeremiah dropped me.
I lay there and watched him throw off his clothes in a hurry. “Slow down. I think we have at least an hour before the sun rises.” I began to unbutton my top. “I have already showered. What can we do that will make this night more interesting?”
Jeremiah stood next to the bed, his pants on but shirtless. “Well, let me think.” He walked into the living room and came back with the ice bucket. “Take off your shirt. I saw this on a TV show.”
“What have you been doing? Watching naughty movies?” I threw off my shirt and kicked away my shoes.
“They call it porn, Gloriana, and I have. Because my lover is not there with me.” He dropped his pants on the floor. “Get naked. I think this is going to be fun.” He set the ice bucket on the nightstand and crawled on the bed, helping me pull down my jeans. He chose to grab my lacy panties with his teeth, making us both laugh when he pulled them down that way then growled and nipped at my toes.
“Animal!” I rolled him over and sat astride. “Now what can I do with an ice cube?” I selected one from the bucket and ran it over his nipples. He shivered and his eyes darkened. “Do you like that?” I leaned over and drew one nipple into my mouth. The cold against my mouth made me shiver too.
“Not sure if this is working for me. Your turn.” He flipped us and used an ice cube. He circled one breast with it, then the other, following the icy water with his mouth.
“Mmm. It’s exciting. More.” I had to admit, we’d done so much, tried so much, I was glad he’d decided to experiment. When he ran a new cube down my stomach, I gasped. Slipping it inside me was too much. “Stop! I—” His mouth covering the spot took care of the painful pleasure and I writhed beneath him. “Jerry!”
Soon we were joined, him taking me in the way that always made me lose my mind. Yes, we were two halves of a whole. I loved him. We knew each other so well that it was easy to make that final climax fulfilling and completely satisfying. The ice bucket sat forgotten beside the bed. We needed no distractions when it came to our lovemaking. It was not just sex. I would never call it that.
I lay in his arms and felt the dawn pulling at me. My body was heavy and content. I felt loved. I had no doubt of it.
The hall door opened and I heard voices. Valdez and Sherie were back. Jeremiah’s arm wrapped around me when I made sure the sheet covered us. It was good to be guarded, to be safe, but too bad we couldn’t be truly alone in our death sleep. That was the lot of a vampire. What a blessing that Jeremiah could afford the best to take care of us.
I had a moment to think about what was coming. There was a demon who was determined to cause me pain and now he knew that I valued Jeremiah most in this world. What could Davenport do to him? Jeremiah was immortal but he had been hurt grievously before. And vampires could be killed. Stakes made of a certain wood…
My heart stuttered. Surely Davenport wouldn’t go that far, would he? How could I keep my man safe? Demons weren’t the kind of thing my warrior could fight with his knife. No, this would take clever thinking and trickery.
I closed my eyes and tried not to despair. Karla would say use networking. Surely there was someone who could help me figure this out. Okay, I’d look for that someone as soon as I woke.
I composed a text: Help. Anyone know how to trick a demon?
27
“ I ’ve arranged a special night for us.” Jeremiah smiled at me from the pillow next to mine.
“Tonight?” I didn’t dare look at a clock. I knew Dom expected me to meet him at the hotel where the Romanians were staying before the Velvet Slipper opened for business later.
“Yes, tonight. I’m one of Dominic’s potential customers. Tell him I need your attention.” He pulled me into his arms. “Valdez has let me know how hard you’ve been working on the blood tasting. Surely you deserve a night off.”
“I’ll try. After a meeting with Dom.” I snuggled closer. “What did you have planned?” I was determined to make our time together special, too. I was leaving my worries aside for the moment.
“Fergus and Maggie are coming in. We have tickets for one of the shows tonight. The concierge recommended it.” He ran his hands over me, making me turn to face him. “I thought it would be nice to go out, act like normal couples for a change.”
I smiled into his eyes. “Yes, it would. What time does this show start?” I hoped he’d picked a late show. When he named the time, I knew I was in luck. “Good. I’ll insist I get the time off since I’ll be entertaining two potential clients. I know the Turnbulls also plan to bid on a distributorship.” I pushed him onto his back.
“Gloriana, are you trying to have your way with me?” He grinned when I crawled on top of him.
“I believe I am. Will you cooperate? Or shall I dump this ice bucket full of water on you.” I reached for it. “Water torture!”
“Not necessary.” He rolled us and pushed inside me before I could do more than gasp.
“Oh, my! You are sporting an impressive cockstand this evening.”
“Gloriana!” He moved inside me, asserting himself. “Where did you hear such language?”
“I didn’t hear it, I read it. My new roommate loves to read romances. Historical romances.” I raked his back with my nails. “It amuses me to read them when she’s done. So many historical details are wrong. I tell her but she doesn’t care. She’s only interested in the romantic scenes and the hot sex.” I pulled him down and kissed him, savoring his taste. I finally let him go when he gripped my hips, moving faster.
“And you, Gloriana? Do you like reading about the hot sex? Does it do for you what porn does for me?” His fangs were down and he raked my nipples, first one, then the other before drawing on each one. He sat up.
“Perhaps.” I wasn’t going to tell him how I touched myself in the shower after reading some of those erotic passages. I held on to him, loving the way he surged inside me when he found a new angle. “Oh…”
He grinned. “Do you realize we didn’t share blood last night?”
“No, we didn’t. I guess I’ve been drinking so much synthetic, getting ready for the tasting…” I couldn’t finish the thought,
caught up in the sensations when Jeremiah reached between us to touch me, his body taking mine ever higher. “Jeremiah!”
“Like that, do you?” He leaned down to slide his fangs over my jugular. “May I, my love?”
“Yes, drink.” I was losing my mind. He still pressed his thumb where I thrilled to his touch. He drew on my vein and I screamed my release.
“Gods!” I kept my legs wrapped around his hips, holding onto him as if to my life itself. Yes, he was my life.
When he finally licked the punctures closed, we both gasped and rolled away from each other. “You are amazing.” He looked at me, his mouth smeared with my blood. “I love you.”
“I love you .” I touched his lips and wiped away that evidence of what we were. “I need to leave. Get ready for our night.” I hated to say it.
“Stay. I’ll send down for something you can wear. The dress shop downstairs…” He must have seen the look in my eyes. “If you must leave.” He rolled toward me and kissed me deeply then lay back with a groan. “Damned independent woman. I hope you will be ready to leave with me soon. I meant what I said. I can wait if that is what you wish.”
I crawled out of bed. I felt weak. Not from blood loss, he hadn’t taken that much. No, I felt weak because Valdez had been right about one thing: I wanted to be Jerry’s woman. His to take care of. I wanted to follow him around and have no thought but to serve him. I had to fight the urge to be so helpless. Because, as an immortal, what kind of future was that for me? Really? Something inside me craved an identity that didn’t rely on Jeremiah’s wealth and success but demanded my own power behind it.
“I’ll meet you back here in time for our date with Fergus and Maggie. Tell them I’m looking forward to seeing them.” I pulled on last night’s clothes while he watched me. As always, I felt awkward, self-conscious about my thighs and hips. It didn’t help that I worked around tall, beautiful women all the time. Even my roommate was six feet of perfection. If Connie had an ounce of body fat, I’d never noticed it.
“Jeremiah, have you ever looked on the internet at the website Myron’s Leech and Friends, something like that?” I said it casually, as if his answer didn’t matter as I stood in the doorway. I was haunted by the idea that he might be trying to keep me away from his friends. That would be…unsettling. For so many reasons.
“Myron? What’s his last name?” He sat up in bed. “I’m not interested in reading about leeches, if you must know, Gloriana. Disgusting creatures.”
“Never mind.” I smiled, relieved. Obviously, Jerry didn’t have any idea what I was talking about. I collected a quiet Valdez and we retrieved my car from the valet. I’d forgotten to put the leash on V and got a lecture from the doorman. A generous tip silenced him.
“We’re coming back later, V. You and Sherie will probably have to stay in the suite. We’re going to a show in one of the other hotels.” I glanced at Valdez. He had his head out the window, enjoying the cool night air as I drove.
“Whatever.” He clearly was sulking.
“Yes, whatever.” My phone chimed. I had a text. When I stopped at a light, I saw Dom was letting me know I had an hour before we met the Romanians. I threw the phone back in my purse and hit the gas as soon as the light turned green. I was getting the rest of the night off. Dom was taking me for granted.
“Dom?” Valdez looked my way.
“Yes. Caesar’s Palace in an hour. We’re meeting the scientists from Romania. Did I tell you about that?” I was glad to see the parking lot ahead and an empty space near our stairs. I pulled in and threw open the door. “I need to hurry.”
“At least we don’t have Davenport waiting for us.” Valdez hopped out and looked around. “Good God!” He sniffed the air and started coughing. “Do you smell what I smell?”
I was already halfway up the stairs. “Afraid so. Connie’s home.” I was surprised when Valdez didn’t follow me. “She must have smelled Davenport and she’s burning sage. It’s a time-honored way to get rid of demons. Aren’t you coming?”
Valdez coughed and sneezed then planted himself at the bottom of the stairs. “No thanks. I’ll wait here. Air out the place, please. I’m highly allergic.” He was wheezing.
“That’s obvious.” I unlocked the door and a cloud of smoke greeted me. “Connie! Enough sage!” I fanned my face. “My eyes are burning.”
“You had a demon in here? Or did one sneak in while we were both out? I smelled one as soon as I walked in tonight.” She held a bunch of flaming dried sage. She waved it around the room, chanting something. “I didn’t smell him in the bedrooms, but it’s really strong in here.”
“Yes, one followed me home. I’m sorry.” I wiped my eyes. “Please stop with the sage. I think you’ve done enough. Valdez is allergic. He can’t even get up the stairs.”
Connie stared at me. “Seriously? Isn’t that a little suspicious?”
“Oh, come on. What? You think Valdez, my shape-shifter, is a demon?” I laughed and grabbed the sage, throwing it in the kitchen sink and running water over it to douse the fire. “Get real. I’ve known him for a year now. He’s done nothing but protect me and he lives here. We’ve never smelled demon in here before, have we?”
“True.” She walked over to open the door. “Sorry, Valdez.” She called down to him. “We’ll open some windows, but I can’t have demons hanging out here.”
“I get it, Connie. Glory’s handling the situation.” Valdez sneezed again. “I’ll be up as soon as the place is aired out.”
Connie faced me. “What does that mean? You’re handling the demon situation? How did you get involved with a demon?”
“Long story. Right now, I have to get ready to meet Dom at Caesar’s Palace. The Romanian scientists are here and need to be reassured about our arrangements for the blood tasting. Dom thinks I can help him deal with them, they’re both vampires, of course.” I ran a hand through my hair. I’d have to wash it. “Turn on the fans and the air conditioner. I can’t go around other vampires smelling like sage. I really don’t want to have the demon conversation with them.”
“I don’t blame you.” Connie turned on the ceiling fan then adjusted the thermostat. “But you’re having that conversation with me. I’m scared of those things. You had one here. Is it coming after me next?” She shivered. “I’ll happily smell like sage if it keeps the creature away.”
“Let me try to fix this. It has nothing to do with you, Connie, I swear it.” Wait. That wasn’t true. Davenport would probably still be aiming to screw around with the blood tasting and Connie was going to be working there. I sat on the couch. “Okay, sit. Here’s the deal. This started when I asked a demon for a favor.”
“No!” Connie didn’t sit on a chair, she collapsed on it. “Are you crazy? Demons are dangerous. You sold your soul to one?”
“No, no! Nothing like that. I asked him to help a friend. My old roommate Misty.” I rubbed my forehead. The stench of sage had given me a headache.
“She quit gambling! Cold turkey. Is that why?” Connie was suddenly by my side, gripping my hand. “The favor you asked was for Misty?”
“Yes, it was.” I told her everything.
She hugged me. “Oh, Glory, that was wonderful. But what is he going to do to you?” She mopped at her eyes.
“He’s threatening my boyfriend, Jerry. He’s also said something about ruining Dom’s blood tasting, just for the hell of it.” I wanted to lean against her and sob. “You know anything about fighting demons?” I made myself get up. I didn’t have time to wallow, though I’d like nothing more.
“No, I’ve been lucky enough to avoid them, but Denny tells stories about them.” She got up, too. “Let me call him. He’s working at Dom’s tasting. This will affect him and Marlene. They’re counting on those tips.”
I glanced at the open door. “I guess it’s okay to leave the door open. Valdez is down there, guarding us. I don’t know what the deal is about the sage, but he couldn’t seem to catch his breath around it.”
; Connie walked over to the door and looked down the stairs. “You okay, Valdez?” She got a woof as an answer. “He’s on the job. But I’m locking the door anyway while we get ready to go to work. I guess I do have a reason to be paranoid. Demons!” She picked up her phone while I hit the shower. It was going to take shampoo and a serious scrubbing to get rid of the sage smell.
“It seems you have everything organized, Dominic.” The Romanian scientist, Luca Schmidt, was happy with the arrangements. His wife, Adela, was not so easily pleased.
“I want to see the venue. You keep talking and talking, Dominic. Show me this place. Is it as nice as this hotel?” She waved her hand around the suite where they were staying at Caesar’s Palace.
“I wish I could afford to hold it here, Adela.” Dom had been talking a lot, most of it involving data and reservations. “My own club is not this big or lavish.” I could see he was doing everything he could to keep them from going straight to the Velvet Slipper.
“I know you both would like to see a show while you are here.” I picked up the phone. “Let me call down to the concierge and see what’s available. There are wonderful singers performing. Or a magician! What’s your pleasure?” I was doing my best to distract them. I should have known nothing was going to distract a woman whose entire outfit was perfection. She wore designer shoes and a pink diamond in the shape of a heart that made my heart flutter. Adela was a detail person. Her husband was clearly the idea man. He dreamed, she executed.
“Glory, you are being most gracious. But put down the phone.” She smiled but it did not reach her eyes. “We will see this club, this Velvet Slipper. What kind of place is it? Tell me.”
“Dom offers entertainment for men, Adela. The dancers are topless.” I heard Dom groan but ignored him. “Would Luca enjoy such a show?”
Real Vampires: Glory Does Vegas Page 30