Real Vampires Hate Skinny Jeans (32 page)

I stared back, for a moment utterly speechless. From Ray,
this was about as serious as it got. I was in the inner sanctum. And speaking of… I could feel him throbbing inside me, the pleasure intense but not nearly there yet. I wanted to move, to scream, to…

“Uh, yes, and thanks, Ray. Now, please, kiss me?” I grabbed his hair and held on as I fit my mouth to his. Oh, but I loved him. Ray was so much more than a man with a golden voice that could melt me. He was caring and charismatic and larger than life. He made me feel beautiful and worthy and, oh God, he began to move. I squeezed my inner muscles, holding him tight. He groaned and held my head to kiss me deeper, surer, as if he couldn’t get enough of me. The chair creaked and I wondered if it would be able to handle what we were about to do in it. I grabbed the leather back again.

“Preparing for liftoff.” Ray grinned and held my hips as he pounded into me. “Accelerating.” He must have seen my eyes glazing over and my face flushing as an orgasm shivered and shuddered through me. “Destination in sight.”

“Ray, oh, please.” I leaned down and took his vein. Just couldn’t help myself. It was part of the action and he obviously expected it. The music soared along with Ray’s rhythm, bringing me closer and closer to a climax that was pulling me apart and yet putting me back together again. His hands tightened and I felt such a screaming wonderful wildness inside me that I never wanted it to stop.

With a clash of cymbals, pounding of drums and a trumpet’s blast, Ray shouted my name and drove into me a final time. He held the back of my head while I drank greedily. When I finally licked away the fang marks, he plucked the crown from my head and tossed it away.

“I believe we have arrived safely, Princess.” He ran his hand down my back. “Are you satisfied with the captain’s performance?”

“Mmm. Yes. This time.” I sat up. My body quivered around him, and I had to steady myself as I clasped Ray between my knees. I looked up at the galaxies on display above
our heads. I had a new respect for that chair and would certainly never hear the theme from
Star Wars
again without getting a new kind of thrill. Of course, as a vampire, Ray could keep doing this all night long and was already stirring inside me.

“This time? Are you saying you would like another trip?” Ray dropped a kiss on the tip of each breast and I shivered.

“Hmm. It’s entirely possible. I may require more demonstrations to be sure that you are competent in all maneuvers when handling”—I walked my fingers down his chest—“space travel.”

“I will be more than happy to let you try out all my various techniques.” Ray jumped to his feet and carried me down the hall. “But first you need to see how we welcome guests to Orgasmis. My shower is a double and equipped with showerheads designed to add pleasure to your bathing experience. Conquering other galaxies can be sweaty work. What do you think?”

I relaxed against him. “I think you’re amazing. Thanks, Ray. You definitely took my mind off my troubles.”

He stopped in the doorway of a massive master suite. “You’re more than welcome.” He kissed me, a sweet, subtly erotic kiss. “How many times have you brought me back from the brink of something ugly? I’m happy to help. And you know it wasn’t exactly a sacrifice.”

“Yeah, I’m another notch on that famous bedpost.” I nodded toward the king-size bed facing a pair of French doors with another great lake view.

“Never, ever think you are on that list.” Ray slid me to my feet. “Damn it, Glory. You’re special to me. Don’t you dare put yourself down like that. I’d kill anyone else who tried to say such things about you.”

I saw that he meant it and bit my lip. “Yeah, I get that. Sorry. Give me some time to get used to this. Okay?”

“Babe, you can have all the time you need. Just don’t run home and start spouting nonsense about how this was all a big mistake. I won’t have it. You hear me?” Ray took my elbow
and marched me into the bathroom. “Now I don’t know about you, but I need a shower. I’ve got shower gel and fancy shampoos in whatever flavor and scent strikes your fancy. Knock yourself out. I’m going to run give Laurie her orders for the rest of the night before I join you. Are we cool?” Ray stared at me, waiting.

“Yes, we’re cool and very, very hot.” I touched his cheek and kissed his lips. “Go, I’ll be fine.” I sat down to take off my boots while he stepped into a pair of running shorts. My thoughts were in a whirl. He had said exactly what I’d been thinking even though I’d been careful to block my thoughts.

Relax, Glory.
I was still quivering from a world-class orgasm and I’d be damned if I’d ruin this night with worry. My favorite fantasy was becoming reality. Ray had rocked my world. I owed it to myself and to him to savor every moment.

I
was rinsing off my hair when Ray joined me in that fabulous shower stall. The glass tiles were the color of the sea. Seemed like since I’d found out about my Siren connection I was seeing water everywhere. Were latent memories coming back or was it my imagination? Aggie and I needed to talk. But so did Ray and I. Of course talk wasn’t on the agenda when he slid his arms around me. Ray’s idea of a shower was less about getting clean and more about seeing how many ways he could take me in that stall. Finally, as I collapsed against the tile for the fourth time, I called a halt.

“Siren or not. I feel the dawn coming and the urge for a dry bed.”

Ray glanced at his waterproof watch. “Plenty of time left before the sun comes up. Or we could take some daylight drug and watch it rise. What do you say?”

“Not tonight.” I smiled at the thought of a sunrise in his arms. “Can we slow down a little, rock star?”

“Fine. I won’t say no to moving this to my king-size bed.” Ray handed me a tiny towel that couldn’t possibly go around me.

I wrapped it around my hair and grabbed a bath sheet to tie around my body. “You’re insatiable.”

“Maybe it’s our Siren blood.” Ray ran a comb through his wet hair. After blotting a towel over his body, he hadn’t bothered to cover it. Which was fine by me. He turned to me and slipped open the knot between my breasts. “I have a theory about this Siren stuff. I think we really are all that when it comes to sex.”

I brushed a strand of wet hair back from his beautiful face. “Vampires are sensual creatures too, Ray. At least every vamp I’ve met is highly charged sexually. Well, except for a few Energy Vampires. They seem to get off to power more than sex.” I probably should tell him what Ian had said about my blood,
our
blood.

“I think what we have is more than the vamp thing. We’ve got to get with Aggie, much as I hate her, and see what she’s got to say about Sirens. There are bound to be powers there too. Things we can use to our advantage.” He got the towel away from me and pulled me against him. What can I say? He felt damned good and I felt damned easy.

“Well, I can turn people to statues. That’s one. And Alesa hinted that I might be able to blast through mental blocks.” I hated sharing that one but my defenses were down, especially with Ray doing interesting things with his hands. Reading thoughts… If Ray could blast through mine… No, not thinking about Lucky now. Sex. Fabulous sex in his bed just a few feet away. Thinking about that.

“Excellent. We’ll have to explore that. Later.” Ray dropped to his knees in front of me.

“Ray?”

“Relax, Glory. Put yourself in my hands.” He nudged my legs apart.

Well, what woman would say no to that?

I
woke up to music. I stretched and realized I was naked in Ray’s king-size bed. It wasn’t a recording I was listening to but Ray at his piano singing a new song. I liked it. It was optimistic and upbeat, the kind of music he hadn’t written
for a long time. I found my sweater and skirt on the foot of the bed. No underwear. Oh, well. I pulled them on, used a new toothbrush and toothpaste I found in the bathroom and attempted some order with my hair, then padded out to the living room.

Ray sat at the grand piano. I knew my time was up. I was going to have to tell him about Lucky and my deal with her. I was really, really dreading it. I wanted to run, throw up, something. Instead, I firmed my resolve even though my knees were so watery I had to hold on to the piano when I got there.

“Come. Sit. Tell me what you think.” Ray grinned and patted the piano bench next to him. He wore silk boxers and nothing else, the rest of his beautiful body a great distraction. Guess lots of hot sex will do that to you. Make you crave more. For a moment it actually took my mind off what was coming.

“The song? What I’ve heard so far is fantastic. Very catchy chorus. I can imagine dancing to it in a club.” I sat and listened while he pounded out a rock beat and sang in the voice that had made me fall for him long before I’d ever met the man behind it. Seeing him full of joy, belting out a tune that he ended with a grin and a flourish made me lean against him, tears burning my eyes. I knew what my news would do to that great mood.

“Still needs some work. The end isn’t right yet.” He wrote something on the sheet music in front of him.

“Sounded perfect to me.” I sniffled, couldn’t help it.

“Thanks, babe. Lucky for me you’ve always been a fan.” He took my face into his hands and gave me a sweet kiss, the kind that could melt your bones.

“Ray—”

“Wait. I’ve got something to say. This Siren thing. It’s really bugging me. Come sit beside me on the couch.” He pulled me up and led me there, catching me when I stumbled. He looked uncharacteristically serious.

“What is it? I know Aggie’s a bitch but I hope I won’t
suddenly start acting like her now just because I know…” I sat and he settled beside me.

“No, nothing like that. You were once a Siren, Glory. You had a song, a beautiful captivating voice. You could lure men to their deaths with its beauty.” Ray’s eyes became a little unfocused and I could see that the artist in him was trying to imagine it. He shook his head. “And that bastard Storm God ripped it out of you.” He pulled me into his arms and rested his cheek on my hair. “God, baby, it’s a fucking tragedy.”

“Ray.” I patted his back, comforting him. “Thank you. But I really don’t remember any of it. And, seriously? Who would want the kind of song that made men willing to die for you?”

“That’s a misuse of talent. It wouldn’t have to be that way.” Ray held me tight.

“I guess. But don’t worry about me. I listen to your voice and it moves me. Music and your kind of talent means the world to me. But I simply can’t imagine having it inside myself.”

Ray pulled back, his eyes actually shimmering, like the emotions were getting to him. “Babe, that’s what’s so criminal about this. You were robbed.” He smoothed back my hair. “And taken from the sea too. I’ve seen Aggie swim, savoring the water on her like she was born to be there. Which I guess she was. You lost all that too.”

“Yes. Now, when I’m in that lake out there, I choke, terrified of what might grab me and pull me under.” I finally got it and anger shook loose inside me until I wanted to pound something. Not that it would do me any good. Ancient history. “Damn Achelous to hell!”

“There you go. Get good and mad.” Ray held me again and whispered in my ear. “I wish there was something I could do to help you.”

“Promise me something.” My stomach knotted. The time had come and I knew I couldn’t put this off.

“Sure, anything.” He leaned back. “Music lessons?”

“No, that ship has sailed.” I rubbed his cheek with my
thumb. I hate, hate, hated what I was about to say. “Just listen and don’t go off on me. Please?”

“Now you’ve got me worried.” He captured my hand. “What’s on your mind?”

“Last night was great but—”

“Don’t start.” Ray frowned, dropped my hand and jumped to his feet. “Here we go. I knew you were going to pull this. Forget Blade and Rafe and all the crap that you always drag out as reasons why you and I can’t work. I’m not proposing marriage. Can’t we just enjoy ourselves for a while? No strings?”

“That’s not it, though I’m tangled up in a bunch of strings you don’t know about, Ray.” I spied my boots next to the coffee table and began to pull them on. I couldn’t believe he thought I regretted last night. As if any woman could.

“So we’ll cut through them, together. Tell me what they are.” Ray sat beside me again.

“I have something to tell you, Ray. Something I should have spit out when I first got here. But then things got going between us and it was great. Really. Better than great. I’m not sorry it happened, not at all. But when you hear what I have to say…” I zipped up the last boot to stall for time then pressed my fists to my rolling stomach. If I got through this without throwing up it would be a freaking miracle.

“How bad can it be?” Ray was smiling again, his hand on my shoulder. “Come on, babe. Just get it out.”

“Lucky Carver is in town.” There, I’d said it. And Ray reacted as predicted.

“The hell you say. What is that bitch doing here?” He jumped to his feet and stalked over to the French doors. He flung one open. “Laurie, come here!”

“Yes, boss?” She was there on the run.