Six

I met Ray back in the suite just a few minutes before dawn.

“Did you tell Campbell about MacDonald?” Ray sat on the side of the bed and slipped off his loafers.

“No. The time wasn’t right.” I picked up a pad with the hotel logo and began to write a note for Nathan about the scale.

“You afraid of his reaction?” Ray got up to pull off his T-shirt. He tossed it on the closet floor.

“I’m not afraid. I just didn’t want to get into it tonight. Jerry had arranged a romantic evening on the roof. I wasn’t about to spoil it.” I finished the note. “Where should I put this so I’ll be sure Nate sees it tomorrow? I want a scale brought up to the suite and put in a private place so I can weigh myself every day.”

“Good idea. I wouldn’t trust MacDonald’s scale either.” Ray headed for the bathroom. “I’m going to shower. Put it on top of the TV remote. Nate starts every day with CNN and the stock market report.”

“All right, then. I did weigh on the scale in the hotel gym when I got back and it agreed with Ian’s scale. Two and a half pounds in one night, Ray!” I laughed. “But then I got paranoid and wondered if maybe Ian and the desk clerk could have worked together.” I felt a flush heat my cheeks. “Stupid, but there you go.”

“No, I see what you mean.” Ray patted me on the shoulder. “You have a right to be suspicious. If Blade and MacDonald are old enemies, anything goes. You could be a pawn in a bigger game than you know, Glory. I say we’re smart to be paranoid. That why you sent Brittany after me tonight?”

“You should always have a paranormal bodyguard with you, Ray. I’ve told you that before.” I got up and kicked off my high heels. My feet were killing me. “Another vamp gets a whiff of you in L.A. and a turf war could start. We have no idea who’s in charge here. I know the Austin scene pretty well, but we should probably ask Damian if there’s someone we should be checking in with. Vamps are territorial. And they don’t like newcomers making waves. We need to assure the powers that be that we’re well behaved and find out the secret handshake around here.”

“You’re kidding. Sounds like organized crime or something.”

“In a way.” I limped toward the door to the living room. “Trust me, Ian’s got permission to run his operation in Malibu from someone higher up. And if he goes after Blade, he’d better be careful or he’ll have the big, bad vamps in L.A. after him in a big, bad way.”

“Good to know.” Ray watched me from the doorway. With his low-riding jeans, and barefoot, he was too sexy to ignore, but I made the effort. Valdez and Brittany were out on the balcony having a quiet conversation so we were alone for a change. “You looked really excited after drinking from Trina, Glory. Flushed, totally turned on. Must have been some experience.”

“It was. I’ve never had a feeding like that. So I really wasn’t surprised when it actually worked like Ian said it would.” I looked down at the note. “This is silly. A waste of money. The hotel scales should be okay.”

Ray walked over and put the note on top of the remote. “No, it’s a good idea. We’ll get the scale. For your peace of mind and to be sure we’re getting our money’s worth.”

“About that. I’m paying. No discussion. I want to see the bill.” I followed Ray into the bedroom.

Ray turned and smiled. “No, you don’t, Glory girl. It’s outrageous. I can afford it and you can’t. You’ve saved my life more than once. Call it payback and that’s that.” He stepped closer and put his finger on my chin. “Get that mulish look off your pretty face. I’m not arguing. Dawn’s coming. Put on a sexy nightgown and drink Ian’s potion so we can go to bed.”

Ray slipped past me, his chest brushing my arm. I did want to argue. But if the treatment was as expensive as he said, I probably couldn’t afford it. I put my hand on his bare back.

“Thanks, Ray. This means a lot. I don’t know how I’ll ever repay you.”

He turned and smiled. “Just be happy. If this deal with Ian works out, then maybe his daylight drug will too. That’s what I’m hoping. Now, where’s your tonic?”

“In the bag on the nightstand.” I ignored Ray’s daylight comment. I wasn’t about to encourage that fantasy. I picked up the bag and pulled out the two bottles. One said drink before sleeping. The entire contents? Apparently. I twisted off the top and sniffed, then wrinkled my nose.

“What does it smell like? Not blood?”

“No, some kind of herbs. Or fruit. I don’t know. Take a whiff.” I held the bottle out to Ray.

“Mmm. Papaya with a hint of cinnamon maybe. Weird. I didn’t think vamps like us could drink anything but blood.” Ray took a sip. “Tasty. Too bad it’s for weight loss. I could get into it.”

“Hand it over.” I grabbed the bottle and took a sip. “It’s delicious.” I waited to see if it agreed with me. Seriously, made vamps can’t eat or drink anything except real or synthetic blood as far as I know. If we do hit food . . . ouch! I know, I’ve had a painful run-in with a bag of Cheetos. Delicious snacks, but not a great after-party, if you know what I mean.

So far my stomach didn’t seem to mind the new concoction. So I kept sipping until I’d finished off the bottle. Okay, I was feeling fine. Maybe even better than fine. It was like I’d had another jolt from Trina’s wrist. I waved Ray off to the shower and grabbed a nightgown from a drawer. Not sexy, no way. It was a pretty floral but my usual floor-length style and didn’t allow Ray even a glimpse of my body. I settled on my side of the bed and closed my eyes. I felt the bed sag when Ray climbed in on his side.

“You okay?”

“Yes, just waiting for dawn. Stomach’s fine, though I’m pretty revved up. Like after I drank from Trina. Ian’s a genius, Ray, if this works. In my experience nothing outlives the healing sleep except for an alcoholic binge.” I rolled over and stared at him. As usual, he’d come to bed in nothing but silk boxers. Tonight’s were baby blue, like his eyes.

“Don’t remind me.” Ray winced and closed his eyes. “My one and only backslide with booze after turning vampire cured me of that addiction.” He sighed. “I’d sure like to be able to enjoy a glass of my favorite Jack with the boys in the band now and then. I wonder if Ian’s got a wonder drug for that.”

“I’ll ask him.” I put my hand on his arm. “It’s a lot safer dream than going out in the sun. Forget that one, Ray. It’s suicide.”

“Is it?” Ray’s sapphire eyes swept over me, and I fiddled with the sheet. Nobody could do intense like Ray could. “You didn’t think you could lose weight, but it’s happening, Glory. Ian may just be proving to both of us that anything’s possible.” He leaned over and kissed me until I gently shoved him away.

“Not anything, Ray.” I smiled and let him interpret that any way he wanted to.

“You guys set for the night?” Valdez was frowning from the doorway. “Brittany’s going to keep me company for a while in the living room.”

“No problem. Try not to wake Nathan, though, V.” I yawned and put my hand on Ray’s chest. “’Night, Ray.”

“Watch where you put that hand, Glory girl,” Ray growled.

“Oops.” I slid back to my own side, not sure what I’d done. I was a little loopy, to tell the truth. I felt dawn kick me in the teeth and I was out.

Monsters chased me through dark streets until I was cornered. Their giant teeth tore at my clothes, ripping them away from my body. No, not monsters. Men, with deliciously long fangs that teased every inch of my naked flesh. I writhed beneath them, begging them to take me. But they just played with me, spreading my legs, yet never entering me. There were three—no, four—of them. Blade came out of the darkness and hurled himself at the men, slashing at them with his broadsword. But he couldn’t fight them all and he disappeared in a shower of red.

“No! Come back for me. Don’t leave me here!”

“Glory! Wake up, Glory. What the hell?”

I felt hands on my back and struggled, fighting to keep from being taken. “I won’t. You can’t make me!” I pushed and was free. Eyes wide, I sat up and looked around for which way to run.

I was in bed, in the hotel. And Ray was across the room, rubbing the back of his head because I must have thrown him there, where he’d landed against a dresser. Valdez was showing all his teeth and looked like he was about to tear into Ray.

“No, stop! I don’t—” I looked down and realized I was naked. I pulled up the sheet. “Valdez, don’t hurt Ray. He didn’t do anything.”

“Then how do you explain what I just heard?” Valdez planted himself firmly between Ray and me, his teeth still showing and scary as hell. “You were screaming for help, Glory.”

“I—I was having a nightmare.” I shook my head. “Yes, I guess that was it. For the first time since I was turned vampire, I was having a nightmare.”

“Damn, Glory. You scared the hell out of me.” Ray stood, staying out of Valdez’s reach. “Valdez, you heard her. She’s okay. I was trying to wake her up.”

“Why’s she naked, I’d like to know.”

“I didn’t do it. When I woke up, she was like that. Screaming and crawling all over the bed. I guess she tore her gown off during the dream.” Ray didn’t smile. “I don’t dream. I didn’t think vamps ever dreamed.”

“They don’t. Never. Didn’t you hear me? This is the first dream, bad or good, I’ve had in four hundred years!” I was shaking. I wanted to throw up, and vamps rarely do that either. We don’t exactly fill our stomachs, you know. I pulled up the sheet and wiped my face. I’d been crying in my sleep and sweating too. The sheet was damp.