Real Vampires Know Hips Happen (35 page)

“I understand that our relationship means more to me than a business deal. I got my priorities straight after nearly losing you in Scotland. I thought you had the same concerns I did. To keep our lines of communication open.” My nails bit into my palms. How could things go to hell between us so quickly?

“Why are you taking this personally? I told you, it’s business. It has nothing to do with you, us.” He ran his hand through his hair. “I don’t have time for this. Did you have something you wanted to say to me? About Lily?”

“Never mind. If you’re going downstairs, you may see for yourself. Are you leaving tonight?” I looked at my watch. “Three hours until dawn. Not a good idea. You should wait until sunset tomorrow night.”

“I’ll wing it. I should get as far as Louisiana tonight.” He stood and jammed his laptop into its case. “I have a safe
house there in Shreveport.” He stopped and put his hands on my shoulders. “If this weren’t important, I wouldn’t leave now. Stop pouting and wish me luck.” He leaned down like he wanted to kiss me good-bye.

“Pouting?” I threw his hands off me. “I’ll chalk that up to the fact that you’re obviously out of your mind with stress. Good luck, Jerry. Don’t let the sun get you.” I turned on my heel and picked up my bag, ready to head to his bedroom. I’d sleep there tonight rather than walk through Sodom and Gomorrah.

“I give up. I’m sorry if you’re pissed. We’ll talk when I get back. Hopefully it will be in a few days. I’ll call you.” He ran out of the room and down the stairs. I didn’t hear him shout so either he didn’t notice what his daughter and her friends were up to or he didn’t care.

I threw my bag on his bed and plucked out the silky nightgown I’d brought. Too bad it was going to waste. I tried to give Jerry the benefit of the doubt. Stress over business. I knew what that was like. But keeping secrets and then labeling them not my concern? I wasn’t going to let that slide. And yet one more opportunity had passed and he still didn’t know about Ray and me. At this point? I really didn’t give a damn if he ever found out. It wasn’t his concern either.

•  •  •

When
I woke, I realized I wasn’t alone in the king-size bed. I rolled over, ready to defend myself if Lily had dared bring her scuzzy friends up here. Instead my mother reclined on a pink satin pillow. Her ivory silk negligee was lace-trimmed and made my mouth water.

“Oh, you like? Do you want one for yourself?” Mother waved her hand. “What color?”

“Don’t bother. I’m too depressed.” I sank back on my pillow. I really wanted to talk to someone. Normally I’d call Flo. But here was a woman desperate to have me confide in
her. Did I dare trust her with a little mother-daughter talk? Could she handle it without going off on Jerry and the whole vampire thing? I rolled to face her. One thing I knew, my mother had a wealth of experience with men.

“What’s the matter, darling?” She propped her head on her hand. “Is that man making you unhappy? I did like seeing you with Israel Caine. Vampire or not, he is one handsome man.” She smiled knowingly. “I can see why you had to have him at least once.”

“Mother, please don’t spy on me. It makes me hate you.” I wondered if I should stop this right now.

“Oh, dear. I’m sorry. But how can I resist? We have so much catching up to do. The way you two laughed together.” Her hand landed lightly on my shoulder. “Admit it, darling. You still love him, just a little.”

“Of course I do. But it’s not anything I wish to pursue. It was a fling. I know you understand flings.” I glanced at her then looked away again. I couldn’t take the sympathy swimming in her bright blue eyes.

“My, oh my, yes. Mars and I had a passionate weekend once. You met him.” She sighed. “He is an incredible lover. So inventive. What he can do with that plume…”

“Please spare me the details.” I faced her again. “Now see if you can give me some motherly advice.”

“I would love to.” She sat up straight and threw back her hair, obviously thrilled.

“Jerry doesn’t want to tell me something about his past. Should I press him about it? Or let it go?” I struggled to sit up. Lying down wasn’t working for me. This was important.

“Well. Let me think. Is it something that you think will irrevocably harm your relationship? Another lover? A betrayal?” She tapped her chin. “A child you don’t know about? I have had those crop up from time to time. Deal breakers, Gloriana. Every time.”

“Well, it couldn’t be a child. We went through that with Lily. And while she’s proving to be a trial, it’s not really
Jerry’s fault.” I studied her nightwear again. “Black, I think.” She didn’t misunderstand and I now wore a gorgeous set just like hers in black with ivory lace trim.

“It was something Jerry did that made him change his name. And want to move.” I fingered the lace. Alençon. Lovely.

“Ah. That could be one of several things. A business deal gone wrong. A run-in with the law. A woman after his blood.” She giggled. “Literally, with a vampire, I suppose.”

“Not funny, Mother.”

“Did you ask him about it?” She watched me play with the negligee. “Of course you did. What did he say?”

“He said it was none of my concern.” I said it quietly.

“No! I’ll bet you let him have it for that attitude.” She snatched my hand away from the piece of lace I’d managed to tear. “Gloriana! He can’t get away with that.”

“I know. But then he just left town. Business.” I stared down at the ruined lace. “Look at what I did.” Tears ran down my cheeks. “And it was so beautiful.” I sniffled.

“Darling. Of course I shall fix it.” She waved her hand and it was perfect again. “That bastard. He has hurt your feelings. Would you like for me to punish him?” She sounded eager.

“No! This is between Jerry and me. When he gets back, I’ll make him tell me what he’s hiding.” I took the hanky she handed me and wiped my cheeks.

“If he won’t, I’ve found a new sorcerer, much higher level than that fool Waldo. He has a truth serum that will make your Jeremiah spill every secret he has ever clutched to his brawny and quite handsome chest.” She smoothed my hair back from my face. “I’ve quite enjoyed our little chat. Now I must go. My father is holding a council meeting. I owe some pardons and must be there to dole them out. Such is my life.”

“You know you told me that Zeus disapproved of your dallying with mortals and that’s why you hid me among the Sirens in the first place. How can you even suggest taking
me back to Olympus with you? Wouldn’t Zeus be horrified at a granddaughter like me?” I wasn’t considering it, but it wouldn’t hurt to find out what she had in mind.

“I was young and foolish when I gave you away.” She sighed and climbed out of bed. Her gown suddenly changed into the traditional toga. For her meeting, I supposed. “Zeus is a family man. He will accept anyone who has some of his blood running in her veins. Don’t worry about that.” She smiled brilliantly. “Are you thinking about coming?”

“No, not really. Just curious.” I waved my hand. “Go, you don’t want to be late. I’m sure your father has a temper.”

“Yes, he does.” She came to my side of the bed and leaned down to kiss my cheek. “Thank you for this little chat. You have made me very happy.” Then she vanished.

Well. It hadn’t been so bad for me either. If she could behave herself, I wouldn’t mind having a mother. A truth serum. Now, that was a handy tool. But her sorcerers were not to be trusted if Waldo was any indication. Of course I could read minds past their blocks anyway. If I really wanted to get at the truth, I could do that to Jerry. It was simpler, but I wanted him to offer the truth, rather than trick it out of him.

I started when there was a knock on the door.

“Come in.”

Lily stuck her head in. “Where’s Dad?”

“Gone to Florida. He’ll probably be there a week. Why? Out of money again?” I threw off the covers and got out of bed. Her eyes widened when she saw my fabulous nightgown and robe.
Yeah, Lily, eat your heart out.

“Did you tell him about last night or the ATM thing?”

“He had to have walked right past you. I didn’t have to tell him anything about last night except that you had pot downstairs. That didn’t seem to bother him.”

“We moved the other action to my bedroom. He didn’t see a thing.” She clearly wasn’t the least bit embarrassed. “Two mortals, Glory. I dined quite well.” She showed her fangs.

“Obviously you have no standards. If you erased their memories, who am I to say what you can or can’t do? I’m not your mother.” And thank God for that.

“Exactly.” Her face was hard. “What about the robberies?”

“Are you still doing them?” I walked up to her, deliberately avoiding the answer she wanted. “People work hard for their money, Lily. It’s not right to take it from them.”

“Yeah, I get it. You work, I don’t.” She reached into her jeans pocket and pulled out a wad of cash. “The guys last night won’t remember where they lost this either. So you see, Glory, I guess I’m just made for a life of crime.”

I grabbed her and shook her until the bills fell to the floor. “What the hell is the matter with you? Why are you living this way?”

“What choice do I have?” She jerked away from me and scooped up the cash. “Tell me that. I have no skills, no job. Nothing. Dad gives me a bedroom but then when I try to have company downstairs you barge in. So I essentially have no privacy. I hate it here!”

“Stop. Go back. You have skills.” I held on to her arm when she would have stormed out of the room. “You have wonderful taste. Look at this sleep set I have on. What’s it made of?”

“I don’t know how in the hell you afforded it, but it’s fine silk, from one of the best boutiques in Paris. Your friends Florence and the countess shop there. That’s Alençon lace trim and it retails, both pieces, for about fifteen hundred bucks.” She touched it gently, running her finger down the lace like I had done. “Gorgeous. A lover give it to you? Not Dad, surely. I can’t imagine him stepping foot in that little shop.”

“No, my mother. She had the same one in ivory.”

“Yes, very classic. I’d have preferred ivory myself.” She sighed. “I couldn’t afford a hanky from that place this century.”

“Okay, what you just did is a valuable skill. At least in my shop. You know your clothes and their value. I’ll hire
you. I have an opening right now. I don’t pay much but I can probably talk your father into setting you up in your own apartment if you have a paying job. It’ll be fun. You’ll be working around great clothes and the kind of young people you seem to prefer.”

She started to say something.

“Yes, they’re used clothes, Lily. We call them vintage. But our customers appreciate them. You’ll soon learn that.”

“You’d really get him to pay for an apartment?” She obviously was more interested in the privacy issue than the job offer. She could have all the orgies she wanted. I wanted to shake her again.

“If you’re working. That has to be part of the deal. And I have rules in my shop, Lily. No stealing. From me or anyone. You have to be nice to the customers and to the other clerks too. Lacy liked you, she’s the day manager, so that’s a start.”

“Yeah, she was still there when I came in a few times. She’s cool. A were-cat.” Lily was thinking. “Could I have a discount? If I actually found something decent enough to buy there? I’m sure my dad would still give me my allowance.”

“Of course. All of my clerks get twenty-five percent off anything they purchase.” I could see she was considering it. “One more thing. We don’t drink from our mortal customers. If you want to sip from the mortals on Sixth Street, do it somewhere else, not at Vintage Vamp’s.”

“Seems reasonable.” Lily smiled suddenly. “For an apartment of my own, I’d work for Lucifer himself.” She stuck out her hand. “It’s a deal, Glory. When do I start?”

I shook hands with her then wondered if I’d lost my mind. I’d just hired a thief to work in my shop. Good going, Glory.

Sixteen

Flo
and I had a date to meet in the shop. I had trained Lily on the credit card machine and she was surprisingly quick to learn. I don’t know
why
I was surprised. Her father was a businessman who was good with numbers. She’d obviously inherited his abilities in that direction. I’d had to fuss at Jerry’s daughter a few times when she got on her high horse, declaring some of our stock too crappy to wear. We were a college town. Not all of our customers could afford the designer originals she considered worthy.

“
Mi amica
, it is about time we have a chance to catch up and have a little girl talk.” Flo came rushing in carrying packages. I recognized the logos from some of her favorite boutiques in Paris. She’d brought me presents.

“Come to the back room. I hope that’s not all for me.” I never felt my own lack of money more than when I was around my best bud. She’d always been wealthy—she made no secret of the fact that she’d built her fortune through a wise collection of fabulous jewelry from grateful lovers. When she’d married Richard, it was like she’d been unleashed. He was even more ancient than she was and had a
gift for investing. I couldn’t imagine what the two of them were worth together now.