by Nina Bangs
She frowned at Declan. “The third little pig would’ve built a sturdier wall.”
“Do I look like I have bricklayer genes? I just needed the wall to stand up for about ten minutes. Was that asking too much? Who goes around climbing walls made from Red Hots anyway?” He looked grumpy.
“Ten minutes? And here I thought vampires were masters of long, sensual foreplay sessions. Talk about shattered illusions.” She tried for a sulky expression, but she knew a smile was ruining her effort.
“I’ll glue your illusions back together later.” He didn’t look grumpy anymore. The thought of all that gluing seemed to have restored his good humor.
They didn’t have time to discuss the finer points of wall building because something else was coming down the path. Daria heard it before she saw it. An animal. Not small. From the sound of it, an animal that was leaping toward them with joyful abandon. Yes, she definitely sensed lots of joyousness going on. Did she know anyone who got his kicks from scaring people? Hmm. Uh, yeah.
So she wasn’t surprised when Mel the wererabbit bounced into view. “Jeez, he’s the Energizer Bunny plus ten.”
Walt must’ve decided that Declan and Daria could protect him, because he gathered enough courage to whip out a camera and take a shot. “I don’t really believe that’s a rabbit the size of a dog. And I sure don’t believe it has fangs like a damn vampire. A clever hoax, that’s all.”
Mel’s final leap landed him in front of Declan and Daria. Walt had wisely put Declan between the “hoax” and himself.
Then the nonverbal communication began. Daria knew her expression said, “This is getting old fast.” Declan seemed to feel an amused grin said it all. And Mel? He gave a belligerent glare that turned into an angry stare that turned into a look of sly, thoughtful calculation. It was the last expression that scared her the most.
When no one seemed inclined to say anything out loud, Mel cast Walt a last stare that promised they’d do this again when there was no one around to save his ass and then bounded into the forest.
Walt found his voice along with his courage. “See, that’s why I’m here. America needs to know about the fakes passing themselves off as the real thing. But I got a pic of the sucker. I’m going back to my room to take a long look at this ‘rabbit.’ I bet it’s a dog with fake ears and tail. Don’t know how they did the fangs yet, but I’ll figure it out.”
He met Declan’s gaze and froze. Declan took the digital camera from his hand and calmly deleted the shot he’d just taken of Mel. Then he put the camera back into Walt’s hand. “You won’t remember this incident, Walt. You’ll remember walking in the woods hoping to come across something interesting. You didn’t find a thing. You wasted your night. Go back to the inn now.”
Without another word, Walt obeyed.
Daria watched him until he was out of sight before turning to Declan. “You couldn’t do that with another immortal, could you?” Of course he couldn’t.
His smile was beautiful but didn’t give her the assurance she wanted. She harrumphed before staring around her at the piles of Red Hots. “You can’t leave these here.”
He shrugged. “Sure I can.” His attention wasn’t even on the remains of the wall when the Red Hots just went away.
Very impressive. She knew he wanted her to ask how he’d done it, so she didn’t. “You know, now that I’m thinking straight again I seem to remember you trying to convince me that beautiful was the new ugly. Was this thing that just happened between us—”she didn’t want to give it a name while it was still so new, so exciting “—a way to get under my guard?” Even the thought gave her a sinking feeling. Why? She should be able to enjoy his body and walk away without anything touching the essential her.
“Hell, no.” Anger. Not always a good gauge of truthfulness.
Did she believe him? Another thought intruded. If he were the judge, that’s exactly the kind of thing he might try in order to trick her into denying her harpy nature.
But his fury seemed pretty sincere. “I don’t know why you’re so bent out of shape. I mean, that’s what vampires do, don’t they? You guys are master manipulators.” And evil? Was he evil? Was he still on her list of potential victims? She was too confused to make a decision. Command Central agreed.
“You don’t have a clue, lady.” That’s the last thing he said to her on their short walk back.
As soon as the inn came in sight, he was gone. She didn’t even see him move. She’d forgotten that vampires had preternatural speed. Daria sighed. He had preternatural everything, including the ability to twist her common sense into knots.
“Mmm. That would make a fine offering to Hades. He’s not human with that kind of speed. What is he, Daria?”
The voice spun Daria around. It was Eris, as nasty and butt-ugly as always. How could she have forgotten for even a moment that her chief competition was here? “He’s vampire.” And if you touch a hair on his head I’ll rip your arm off.
The strength of her reaction to the other harpy’s suggestion left her shaking. Where had that come from? Everyone was fair game among the harpies. The prize went to the strongest. And the cleverest. “He’s not worth your effort, though. There’re a lot of beings more powerful than him inside. Have you met Sparkle Stardust? Now, there’s someone who’d really impress Hades.” And her removal would get rid of a really big thorn in her side.
“Sparkle Stardust?” Eris looked thoughtful. “Maybe I’ll have a look-see.” But when she focused on Daria once again, there was sly wickedness in her eyes.
Eris sensed her interest in Declan, so he’d be her ultimate target. That was how Eris worked. Demoralize the competition and snatch the prize.
Daria’s rage cleansed her of all doubts about who she was. She was harpy. And Eris wouldn’t be doing any poaching in Daria’s territory. “Why are you here, Eris? Maximum security too tough for you?” Her smile was no smile at all.
The other harpy snarled at her. “I could’ve chosen anyone I wanted from that pile of miserable, human offal.” She glanced at the inn, her expression speculative. “But I got the word there were a bunch of nonhumans here.” Her gaze slid to Daria. “More than enough for two harpies. A nonhuman will rack up more points with Hades.” She shrugged. “Easy decision.”
Who’d gotten the word to Eris? Daria shook off the question. It didn’t matter now. Not only would she have to ID her judge and corner suitable prey, she’d also have to keep an eye on the meanest of all the harpy hopefuls. She envied Eris that distinction.
Time to set the record straight. “I was here first. This is my territory. If you stake out anyone I’ve chosen, then—”
“Then what?” Rage made Eris careless.
Daria saw the intent to change in Eris’s eyes. Idiot. They were in full view of the inn. “Go ahead. Change. I want you to. That way anyone watching from the window can report your behind. Guess who’ll be kicked out before she has a chance to pounce on even one victim?” Actually, Daria wasn’t sure that would happen, but she counted on Eris believing it.
Eris looked uncertain as she glanced toward the inn, then decided a verbal attack would work just as well. Daria was ready. Eris would drag out the tired old insults she’d used to make Daria’s life miserable ever since she was a kid. Her old nemesis had never matured past juvenile taunts. But Daria wasn’t a kid anymore, and she had a few of her own insults lined up.
“Pretty face. You don’t have even one real zit.” Eris, pulling out the tried and true.
“Get lost a lot, don’t you? You couldn’t find your way back to Tartarus even if you tied a GPS unit to your butt.” Daria, remembering Hades’s complaint that Eris ended up at the Vatican instead of the Evil Entities Convention because she wouldn’t ask for directions.
“You smell nice.” Eris, surprised that Daria was fighting back.
“Gotten out of park yet? A pig could fly faster than you do.” Daria, gaining confidence.
“You’ve got big boobs.” Eris, getting desperate.
“A one-legged chicken could escape from you.” Daria, sensing victory.
“A one-legged chicken could not escape from me.” Eris, totally ticked off. She screeched her fury. Temper had always gotten the better of Eris’s common sense.
Daria decided she might’ve gotten too caught up in the thrill of the moment. Eris looked mad enough to change right here where anyone could see her.
“Oh, goody. I’m always up for a catfight.” Sparkle’s sensual purr spun both Daria and Eris around. “No? How disappointing.”
Eris snarled at Daria and then stomped toward the inn. Sparkle gave her a finger wave. “Bye.” Then she turned back to Daria. “An old friend, I presume?”
“Something like that.” Glancing down, Daria noticed Sparkle had wrapped the finger with the broken nail in a bandage. Oh, give me a break. The bandage was decorated with glitter. “A bit extreme, isn’t it?”
“You didn’t say I couldn’t hide it. I find the bandage less humiliating than everyone seeing nine perfect nails and one…” She took a deep steadying breath. Evidently the emotional trauma of a broken nail wouldn’t allow her to continue.
Stop being a wuss. Say what you think. “You’re a shallow woman. No one cares about your broken nail.”
Sparkle raised one brow. “You have a problem with shallow? At least I’m not fooling myself into thinking I’m something I’m not.”
Daria sighed. Touché. Since Sparkle’s rebuttal had all kinds of layers she wasn’t ready to explore yet, Daria backed off. “Forget it.” She headed for the inn. She’d only taken a few steps, though, before she remembered. “Oh, Ganymede wants you to bring him some snacks. I can’t remember what exactly, but I guess you know what he likes.”
She nodded. “Aren’t you going to ask why I came out here?” Sparkle’s feline smile warned Daria not to ask.
“Okay, consider yourself asked.”
“I didn’t want to give you the news inside. Too many valuable antiques for you to throw.”
Oh boy.
“I made a few little changes to your room.”
“Little changes?” Daria narrowed her eyes.
“Very little.” Sparkle didn’t do sincere well. “And I’ve left some new clothes in your closet.”
“You finished?” Daria’s temper boiled just below the surface. Only the thought of losing her job kept her from snapping off the rest of Sparkle’s nails. Then they’d all match.
Sparkle paused to think. “I suppose so.”
“Fine.” She walked away.
Sparkle smiled as she watched Daria enter the inn, her back rigid with anger. Payback was a bitch. She wished she could be there when Daria got her first look at her room and new clothes. But she had to take Mede’s snacks to him.
A short while later, Sparkle hummed as she walked the path to where Mede waited at the church. When she reached him, he was sitting staring into the night. He turned to look at her. “Hey, babe.”
Sparkle stiffened. Something wasn’t right. She’d spent time with Mede off and on for thousands of years. She knew him in all his many moods. What she saw in his eyes now wasn’t good. “What’s the matter, sugar-bunny?”
She put the paper plate she’d brought on the ground before unwrapping his fave candy bar, a piece of cake, and a slice of pie. Putting them all on the plate, she waited.
“Something’s happened.” He didn’t look at her. “I got a visit from the goodness-and-light guy.”
“Who?”
“Remember I told you about the time the Big Boss grounded me? I was working for the forces of darkness at the time. Having a hell of a time.”
The pie disappeared from the plate.
Sparkle stared at the plate. “Where’d the pie go?”
Mede went on as if nothing had happened. “Anyway, I got in a tight spot and this ice cream guy showed up. Bailed me out. Then he told me the Big Boss was giving me another chance. But he attached some conditions. No cursing and no killing anything.”
She nodded. “You called me in to help you a few years ago because you needed someone who could fly under the Big Boss’s radar. I thought you said he wasn’t paying attention to you anymore.”
“Yeah, well, I miscalculated. The ice cream guy showed up tonight.”
“I thought I heard an ice cream truck, but I was in my room making plans for Daria. I didn’t want to interrupt my train of thought. What did he want?” She felt a stab of fear. Any visit from someone connected to the Big Boss was bad news.
“I named him Chill.”
She just stared at him.
“He won’t tell me his name, and I got tired of calling him the ice cream guy. So he’s Chill. Ice cream is cold, get it?”
“Tell me, Mede. What did he want?” She braced herself.
“He said I’d gone back to my old ways: cursing, threatening to kill people.” Mede looked frustrated. “That’s not bad. Bad is blowing up planets, starting plagues, fun stuff like that. I haven’t had any real fun for years.”
That hurt. Sparkle thought they’d had lots of fun together.
“The bastard gave me a choice. Give up a few things or stop being a cosmic troublemaker.”
The cake disappeared.
“Not be a cosmic troublemaker anymore?” She was outraged for him. “That’s cruel. What did he say you had to give up?”
Mede couldn’t meet her gaze. Not good. “Cursing, threatening to kill people, and… you.”
“Me?” She felt like someone had stomped all over her new Manolo Blahnik stilettos.
“Yeah. He said you were a bad influence on me. Said you’re selfish, vain, and fixated on sex.”
“What’s wrong with that?” An awful thought hit her. “You told him to get lost, didn’t you?”
He finally met her gaze, his eyes pleading. “I’d be human, babe. No more cosmic troublemaker. It’s who I am. I couldn’t give that up.”
Something heavy settled in the pit of her stomach. “So you chose your job.”
“Yeah.”
Sparkle tried to be reasonable. She really did. If she’d been in his place, she would’ve done the same thing. No, you wouldn’t. “Spell it out for me, Mede.”
He must’ve seen something in her eyes, because he looked panicked. “We can finish this job together. But then we go our separate ways.”
“Just like that. No more days on your tropical beach while you make love to me in your golden god form. No more good times kicking butt and having fun together. The end.” She’d skipped a few steps in the grieving process and gone directly to totally pissed. And if she bled a little inside, she refused to acknowledge it. “Fine. We’ll finish this job for Cindy and Thrain. Then it’s good-bye.”
Sparkle turned away from him, stubbing her toe on a rock as she blindly headed back to the inn. She didn’t look down to see if she’d scuffed the toe of her shoe.
“Sparkle. Wait. Oh, shit.”
She knew if she looked back, the candy bar would be gone.
Chapter Seven
Memo: To All Harpies
Subject: Quarterly Report
Productivity is down this post quarter. Every harpy must put more effort into meeting her quota. Inventory is low on cheating spouses. Refer to the Harpy Training Manual to find the most effective technique for trapping the elusive cheater in the act. Peeking in windows is encouraged. There will be a workshop on July 21 for those who need a refresher course on ways to recognize and stalk the guilty. Punishment for continued failure to meet your quota will be the big D. And no, we don’t mean Dallas.
Remember the Tartarus motto. Whatever it takes, especially if it involves violence and mayhem.
HADES THE FAITHFUL
Sparkle had turned Daria’s room into a torture chamber.
Posters of Declan lined the walls. Declan naked at the beach — on his stomach, his perfect butt coated with a light dusting of sand like a sexy sugar doughnut, and on his back with his fantasy-inducing cock resting against his muscular thigh.
> She took deep calming breaths, but wherever she looked, there he was. The black-and-white shot of him sprawled naked across a massive four-poster bed with sheets tangled beneath his yummy body almost brought her to her knees.
Where’d Sparkle get all these pictures? Did Declan know Sparkle had them? Would Daria have the nerve to invite him over to see her etchings?
And his scent. It was everywhere. How’d Sparkle do that? Did she have a workshop out back where she made sexy, scented candles with names like Chris, Manny, and Bob?
And speaking of candles, there were at least a dozen of them. All lit. When she got past Declan’s scent, she realized the candles offered fainter scents, like backup singers to the star attraction. She didn’t recognize individual smells, but they all seemed aimed at raising her sexual hunger.
They were working. Or maybe it was just the cumulative effect of the posters and scents. Because she’d swear that as she gazed into the candle flame she could see Declan and her wrapped in passion on that big bed in the poster.
And then there were the sounds: quiet whispers in Declan’s voice of what he’d like to do to her, what he’d like her to do to him.
Her respect for Sparkle’s power shot off the chart.
Daria swallowed hard. She’d lose it if she stayed in this room one more minute. Maybe a shower would wash away the coating of arousal covering every inch of her, inside and out. She hurried into the bathroom and slammed the door shut behind her.
Silence. No scents. No posters. Weak with relief, she stripped off her clothes, stepped into the shower, and closed her eyes as warm water cascaded over her.
She wasn’t prepared for the sensation of a male body pressed against her back. Not just any body. Declan’s body. She’d never felt his bared length against her, but she recognized him, would always recognize him.
And that was the scariest thought she’d had all night. Daria didn’t wait to see what he’d do or say. Opening her eyes, she plunged from the shower. A quick glance around showed she was alone.
Okay, this round went to Sparkle. Daria dried herself with shaking hands before pulling on her clothes. Then she fled the room. And as she’d done since she was small, she went searching for her twin.