But then I’m a badass vampire. I don’t run from trouble, I start it.

When the phone rang close to dawn, I almost jumped out of my skin. I couldn’t believe I’d actually dozed off on the couch.

“Hello.”

“Glory, it’s Flo. I’m with Simon.”

“Enjoying your date?” I glanced at my dogs, sleeping peacefully.

“No.”

“Flo, honey, are you in trouble?” I couldn’t sit still and carried the phone to the fridge for a bottle of Fangtastic. “Where are you two?” I hoped at the park surrounded by angry vamps with stakes. They wouldn’t hurt Flo and surely she wouldn’t risk her own life for Simon. Unless he’d done some kind of whammy on her . . . I leaned against the fridge.

“We’re at Simon’s headquarters. We didn’t go to the park after all.” Flo took a shaky breath. “I’m sorry, Glory, but Simon is the one who took Valdez’s power. He says if you want your dog back like he used to be, you’ll have to come here and give the EVs something they need.” Flo sobbed. “Don’t do it, Glory! We’ll figure something out. He’ll make you a drone.” There was a crash.

“Gloriana, your friend is hysterical. Please understand that no lasting harm will come to either you or Florence if you follow my instructions.” The male voice was smooth, unaccented, with a mesmerizing quality that I felt even over the phone. The room swam and I staggered back to the couch. “Don’t hurt Florence, Simon.”

“Florence is my lover. Why would I hurt her? We don’t need to play those games.” He actually chuckled. I wanted to throw up. “Why did you hurt my dog, Simon? ”

“To get to you, Gloriana. I think you have an enormous amount of power just going to waste. I can take what I need and then I will happily restore your ‘dog’ to his former abilities. ” He laughed again. “This foolish attachment amuses me. Even Florence is moved to tears over the animal’s plight. I found him to be quite ordinary. Shifters are never as interesting as ancient vampires.”

“That shifter was my shifter. And by vamp standards I’m not ancient. I’m practically a kid. Born way after the Crusades. ”

“You’re old enough to have developed some interesting power. Florence has told me how you’ve been experimenting with it. You’ve been delightfully original.”

“Cut the compliments, Simon. I don’t see how you can be so sure I have the kind of power you need.”

“You won’t shape-shift, my dear. Sad for you, but excellent for my purposes. Shifting really drains a lot of power from a vampire. And your . . . dog. He hardly provided enough to make one dose of the VV. Pathetic, really.”

“Valdez, pathetic? Listen, Destiny. That shifter is worth a dozen of you. I can’t tell you how many times he’s saved my butt over the years.” My voice cracked and I swiped at tears. Will was up and had his head in my lap. Valdez still sat near the door, ew, licking himself. That did it. I couldn’t hold back a sob.

“Now, Gloriana. Calm yourself. You can take care of Mr. Valdez’s problem. Come see me and I’ll explain everything.”

“How could I possibly trust you to keep your word?” I found a tissue and blew my nose. Weeping could wait. I had to do something. But I could see it now. Valdez and I would head out to the EV stronghold, wherever that was, and become zombielike creatures, tubes hanging out of our belly buttons for easy access. I gripped the phone.

“I’m the king of the EVs, Gloriana. Of course you can trust me.” The very arrogance of that statement convinced me he’d lie like a cheap watch if it suited his purposes. Or to get what he wanted. And what he wanted was, gulp, my power.

“No freakin’ way. Maybe I can figure out how to give power to my pup without you.”

“Impossible, my dear. Exchanging power is an ancient art that only an Energy Vampire has mastered.”

“An ancient art? Get over yourself, Destiny. Flo can tell you about real art. Sucking tummies doesn’t qualify. Does Honoria think you’re an artist?”

“You will not speak the Demoness’s name, woman.”

Boy, had I struck a nerve. “Maybe she’d be disappointed in how you’re handling things here in Austin. You’ve got the whole vampire community stirred up against you.”

“Now you’re being foolish. Vampires are my customers. Honoria is well pleased with my progress here.”

“Yeah, right. Then swear on her name that you’ll restore my dog and let me go after you get what you want from me. I won ’t turn into a drone for you, Simon.” I jumped up and went to sit on the floor next to Valdez. There had to be a way to help Valdez without going through the EVs. The marks where his power had been drained were gone. And even if I bit him on his hairy belly—

ew—I would be taking blood, not giving him anything. And Valdez wasn’t a vampire. Biting me would provide him with nothing but a creepy snack.

“I don’t swear on the Demoness’s name for such trivial matters. I know you ’re distraught or you wouldn’t try issuing orders when I hold all the cards here. Do you really want to alienate the one person who can give you what you want? I ’ll hang up now. Perhaps you’ll be more rational tomorrow. ”

“No, wait!” I had to deal with this creep-a-zoid, he was the only game in town. “Send Flo home, let her tell me about your operation. Maybe we can work something out. I don’t have a lot of money, but I have friends—”

“I’m afraid you’re not in a position to bargain, Gloriana. Florence stays here. I believe you’re quite attached to her as well. And your dog is useless to you as he is. If you want your roommate and your dog restored to you in good . . . condition, I suggest you do as I ask.”

I heard a scuffle in the background. You can bet Flo didn’t like being used as a bargaining chip. I hope she’d flown out of there while she had the chance.

“I’ll give you time to think this over. I’ll call back tomorrow night at sunset.”

“Wait! I don’t even know how to find you.”

“Don’t worry. Someone will pick you up, if you decide your friends are worth the effort.”

He’d hung up. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. Worth the effort? Flo and Valdez were worth everything to me. But I dreaded the whole idea of even meeting Simon, much less dealing with him. One thing was certain. I wasn ’t about to get within a hundred yards of Simon Destiny alone. I was taking a freakin’ army with me.

"You will come alone, Gloriana, except for the dog. The car is outside as we speak. Try any tricks and you ’ll never see Florence again.”

Crap. Double crap. Did I dare go see the EVs alone? I looked up at Richard who ’d arrived before sunrise and slept on my couch. No hanky-panky had been attempted or even mentioned. We were both too wrung out by the thought that Flo could be drained dry, then left out in the sun by that ruthless bastard Simon Destiny.

“I want to talk to Flo, make sure she’s all right. Otherwise, no deal.”

Richard nodded and put his hand on my shoulder. He didn’t need to lean closer to hear my phone conversation, vamp hearing and all. He was really grim, like destroyed grim. Poor guy obviously still had feelings for Flo. Of course I had feelings for my roomie too. If Simon hurt her . . .

“Glory.” Flo sounded weak.

“How are you, honey? Is that bastard mistreating you?”

“I’m okay. Just tired. Simon won’t give me any Vamp Viagra. I need it.” She sobbed and the phone rattled, like maybe she’d dropped it.

“You see, Gloriana, Florence is just suffering from withdrawal. I haven’t hurt her, she hurt herself when she got dependent on my product.”

“Your product. Gee, you know Flo thinks you and I are alike, Simon. Both businesspeople. But at least what I sell doesn’t turn my customers into addicts.”

“So you say.” Simon chuckled. “And how many shoes does Florence own? How many handbags? Sounds like shopping can be an addiction to me.”

I’d had just about enough of this chitchat. Flo was suffering, Valdez was a dog and Richard was practically foaming at the mouth. But we’d agreed I’d handle this. Simon wouldn’t deal with a man he knew had been after him for years.

“You say the car’s already downstairs?” I walked over to lift the blackout drapes and saw a Honda Accord idling at the curb with its lights on. “A silver Honda? Business must be bad if that ’s the best you can do. Where’s the Mercedes, Simon? The Beemer?”

“Make your jokes, Gloriana. Obviously Florence and Valdez mean little to you.”

“No! I mean, I’m coming. Just give me a few minutes to get dressed. Tell your driver I’ll be down in ten.”

“Good. But no more than ten minutes, Gloriana, or he’ll leave and you’ll have lost your chance to save your friends.”

He hung up.

I looked at Richard. “Now what? I need a weapon, a nice sharp stake. But what do you bet the driver searches me before he lets me in the car?”

“Of course he will. I have a plan.” Richard pulled a bottle out of his pocket.

“Are you going to drug someone? What will that do? I need the driver to take me to the EV hideout. ” I’d dressed in jeans and running shoes, my hot pink “Weird Austin” T-shirt and a hoodie. “I’ve got pockets in my jeans, but . . .” I knew from experience that only a credit card could fit in that space. I know, but I like them tight.

“This is perfume. Smell.” He uncapped the bottle and I didn’t need to move closer to get a whiff.

“Whoa! I told you, I don’t wear perfume because it messes up my sense of smell, but that smells wonderful. Where did you get it?”

“It’s my mother’s Joy, I think. It was the strongest-smelling perfume she had.” He dipped the stopper inside and then waved it around. “Sexy. Which is deeply disturbing on so many levels.”