Real Vampires Get Lucky (20 page)

"It's not Jerry calling. It's a text. Jerry doesn't text." He's not that big on technology, though he knows his way around a computer. I read the message quickly, then swallowed a lump the size of one of Flo's Guccis. I thought about showing the text to Flo. Valdez bumped me, apparently abandoning his dinner of canned spaghetti and meatballs I'd nuked for him earlier to check on me.

"From you know who?"
Valdez glanced at Flo.
"We letting her in on this?"

"Glory, look! It's a new song from our very favorite singer of all time." Flo was grinning and practically bouncing on the couch. I shook my head and stood to take the phone into the kitchen. "Be right back, Flo. Don't start without me. Valdez needs dessert."

"What does it say?"
Valdez sat in front of me.

"See for yourself." I put the phone at his nose level.

"TOMORROW NITE. LEAVE $5000 CASH IN BROWN SACK UNDER TRASH CAN NEXT TO SWING SET IN

PARK ACROSS FROM UR SHOP. NO TRICKS OR TV TIME."

"Well, that's pretty specific."
Valdez shook his head.
"You got five thousand bucks? Just in case?"

"Are you kidding? I could scrounge up maybe another three or four hundred. Do a cash advance of a thousand on my credit card, but the interest . . ." I shut the phone and jammed it into my pocket. "Maybe I could stall. Write a hot check and stuff it in there."

"Text says cash."

"You know once the video goes public, the money source dries up." I straightened my shoulders. "I say we put a hundred bucks in a sack with a note explaining the deal. An easy payment plan, or we take our chances." Valdez smiled.
"Gutsy. And worth a shot. It's not like another paranormal would really want to go to the media."

"Exactly! You start a vampire-hunting frenzy, and all sorts of interesting things could be exposed. And the video could have been staged. I doubt the news would show it unless the person who took it came forward to verify it."

"Now you're talking. I say you make this the last payment. Put one dollar in the sack, and dare them to come out with the
video."
Valdez bumped against my leg.
"Open up that box of doughnuts you bought at the store. I feel like celebrating. We
are calling this sucker's bluff."

I dropped two doughnuts in his dish and tried to feel as positive as he did. Did I dare go through with this? Could I afford not to? I sat beside Flo on the couch, glad for a chance to forget my troubles for a while.

"Okay, girlfriend. Prepare to be amazed." She grinned and hit play on the remote. Twenty minutes later we'd both been amazed. Twice. And we were about to start a third round. Valdez had retreated to my bedroom, burying his head under my pillow.

"He's still got the hottest body I've ever seen. Sorry, Jerry." I stretched out my legs, knocking over a shoe box. "And what I could do to that body." We both sighed and closed our eyes.

Right after Flo and I had become roommates, we were walking in the mall, shoe shopping, of course, when we heard music. The song was about a forever kind of love, the one thing we'd both thought we'd found, never quite got the hang of, well, you get it. We loved the deep, sexy voice, the beat and especially the message. Anyway, we looked in the window of the music store, and there was this poster.

Oh, wow. The man seemed to be looking right at us. Tanned, toned, shirtless, of course, and wearing those kind of low-riding jeans that seem to be an inch from . . . So we were hooked. We ran inside, bought CDs, and our obsession was born. Since then we'd had a kind of race going. Whenever one of us found something new from "our guy," the other one was challenged to do the same. eBay loved us.

"Yes, he's perfect! And that song! It touches me. Right, um, here." Flo ran her hand down her stomach, heading south.

"Hey! I know what you mean." I grabbed the DVD case. "When did this come out? I thought we had all of his music."

"It was just released yesterday. Check out this poster." She unfolded it, and we both sighed again. "I saw it in the record-store window when we were walking in the mall. I nagged Richard until we went inside and bought it." Flo grinned and got up to prop the poster on the wall behind our other DVDs and CDs. "Richard's already sick of it. But not of what it does to me. Let's play it again."

"God, no."

"Shut up, Valdez." I hit play just as there was a knock on the door. "I'll get it." I danced to the door, the sexy beat of the song irresistible. "Look who's here." I opened the door on Lucky, with a glowering Brittany and a grinning Etienne in tow. Lucky had on dark glasses and a trench coat, obviously incognito. She had a large tote that she dropped on the coffee table.

"What's going on, Lucky? You look like you're out spying on someone. Or are you afraid you'll be attacked again?" Lucky pulled off her dark glasses and collapsed on the couch. "Thanks for reminding me that I have that to worry about too. Do we have to listen to
him
?"

"Don't you like Israel Caine? Flo and I are big fans. Huge fans." I still held the remote and deliberately jacked up the volume.

"Check out his new hit."

Lucky frowned and pressed a hand to her forehead. "Please. Spare me. Can't you see I'm in distress?" I hit stop.

"Hey! I was listening to that!" Flo sat up from where she'd been lying dreamily on the couch.

"Actually you were doing a little more than listening." I'll spare you the details. "Look at Lucky, Flo. She's obviously having a makeup crisis."

"Exactly! Look at me. I tried to do it by feel, like you told me, but I could tell I made a mess of it so I washed it all off. Then I figured Brittany could do it for me if I told her what to do step-by-step."

I glanced at Brittany, standing behind Lucky. Strained smile, gesturing and doing eye rolls at Valdez, who'd come in when he'd heard the knock on the door.

"Looks like she didn't follow directions."

"No kidding. She came at me like she was a bricklayer with a trowel. Feels like I've got on a mask." Lucky put her head in her hands. "I'd give anything for a mirror that worked."

"How's the bum today?"

"I'd rather not discuss it. Concentrate on my face." Lucky got down to business. "I have everything I need right in here. Six colors of base for contours. Concealer of course. Eye shadow palette, custom matched to my eye color. Eyeliner, smudge proof. Mascara, waterproof. Eyelash curler." She turned around to give Brittany a dirty look. "I'll certainly never put one in Brit's hands again. She took out half of my lashes! Then there's the blush, powder to set it all, brow gel, tweezers-or does that hair quit growing?" She looked at me hopefully, but I had to shake my head. "Well, you get the idea. This is a big deal and I know you understand. I've never seen you without perfect makeup. You too, Flo."

Okay, as a peace offering this was a pretty good one. I smiled. "I don't think I have time to help, Lucky. I really need to go down to the shop." And I really didn't have time to run a makeup clinic.

"But I've just got to wash this off and start over." Lucky wasn't giving up.

We all turned toward the door, where Valdez was snorting. I knew he was trying not to laugh. There was a knock, and I let Richard in.

"I can't believe it. Silence. DVD player broken?" He put his arm around Flo and kissed her lips. Florence eased away from him. "You mock me. Shall I show you it still works?" She reached for the remote.

"Florence, please! If Glory doesn't have time, will you help me with my makeup?" Lucky sniffled. "I'm desperate, and Brittany just doesn't have the knack. She made me look like a cheap hooker."

"Obviously I'm needed here." Flo put down the remote with a sigh. "Come with us, Brittany. I will show both you and Lucky how to do the makeup. Richard, when I am done, we will take the DVD with us to your place. I think you need to listen to the music." She gave a little hip wiggle. "Let it inspire you."

"You're taking the music?" I heard myself wail.

"Don't worry, Glory. I'll leave you the poster. And I bought an extra CD. You can never have too much Israel Caine." Flo gave Valdez a hard look when he made a noise. "We'll be going to his concert too. He's coming to Austin. Glory and I couldn't get tickets, Lucky, but we'll get in if we have to whammy every security guard in Irwin Center."

"Whatever floats your boat, girls. He's not for me." Lucky picked up her makeup kit. "Now can we get to work on my face?" I shook my head. Immune to Israel Caine? Weird. I turned to Etienne as the women left the room. "Any problems coming over here?" I kept wondering if whoever had attacked Lucky would try again.

"No, but then Lucky drives fast and takes no prisoners. And she sure wouldn't go into that alley again. We've been studying that list of debtors. I guess you have too." Etienne pulled a paper out of his pocket. "I may have met one of these guys out at the EV

compound."

"Well, I'm sure you realize that's no place to go with your Carvarelli goons to make a collection."

"No, of course not. I'll never go near there again." Etienne glanced toward the bathroom, where we could hear Lucky complaining about my cheap facial cleanser. "Our mutual 'friend' Gregory Kaplan is on that list."

"I talked to him. He says he didn't attack Lucky and, for once, I don't think he was lying." I smiled at Richard. "Maybe you and Etienne can discover who some of these other people are on the list. And can you get hold of Lucky's BlackBerry? She seems to keep her life in there. Was Lacy the only appointment she had that night? Seems like Lacy wouldn't owe her enough to make it worth her while to fly to Austin. But then I think she mentioned a tip she'd received about Will.
He
owed her plenty."

"Whoever attacked Lucky hasn't taken any more victims since. Austin's been pretty quiet." Richard glanced at Lucky's purse. "But I know better than to go into a woman's purse. What about you, Etienne?"

"It could cost me my job. Let's wait and ask Lucky about it after the women are through." I glanced at the clock. "Whatever. You guys are on your own. I have
got
to go to the shop." Of course I hadn't studied anything. When had I found the time? And with the Christmas rush, I didn't think I ever would.

"Of course, Gloriana, you have to take care of your business. I'll take care of Lucky." Etienne winced when we heard Lucky berate Brittany for selecting the wrong eye shadow. Richard headed for the computer I'd set up on the breakfast room table.

"Listen, Etienne. About Lucky. I still feel sort of responsible for her." I held up a hand when he seemed inclined to argue about it. "I know. I know. She doesn't want my help. Fine. But you have to admit she's got a lot to learn. And vampires can go one of two ways. I'm asking you, as a friend of Valdez"-I glanced at my dog and was not happy to see that he was giving Etienne the equivalent of a furry frown-"to steer Lucky toward the good side. I'd like to see her drink synthetic when possible, use discretion and keep a low profile. Vampires in Austin don't appreciate attracting hunters or undue attention, if you know what I mean."

"I know what you mean, but Lucky . . ." Etienne gave a Gallic shrug. "She's a piece of work, that one. I'll try to control her, but I've never seen a woman so determined to have her own way. Tonight she's going to want to drink from a mortal. I'll handpick the person, show her how to stop short of killing . . ." He smiled, like this was Basic Vampire 101. "I'll do my best, but she's headstrong and very . . . demanding."

"Come on, brother. You can do better than that. Mind control. Seems like you even worked that shit on me."
Valdez stood and stretched, then picked his leash up from the coffee table and dropped it at my feet.
"When I'm through with this gig with
Glory, you and I are going to have some face time. You hear me?"

"Yeah, I hear you. I was desperate. You should understand." Etienne glanced toward the bedrooms again. "I'm earning my pay. Never doubt it. And I'll do what I can to make sure Glory here's not too embarrassed or damaged by Lucky's crap. But this woman's got a hell of an organization behind her. I had no idea . . ."

I smiled, glad to see Etienne was finally getting it. "Yeah. Mr. Carvarelli is a worldwide force to be reckoned with. And he's got paranormals who do nothing but his dirty work. So handle Lucky with care. Whoever bungled the hit on Lucky is going to have to live in worse than sewers to survive the fallout from this fiasco."

I headed out the door and down the stairs. At least I'd put Etienne on notice. Lucky wanted to be her own woman. Fine. So did I. We both had to deal with the consequences.

Twelve

Another night passed in a blur. I didn't see any of the gang again before I crashed right before dawn. I woke up to the ringing telephone. I grabbed it and looked at the clock. If it was a vampire calling, he or she must have woken up the instant the sun reached the horizon.

"Hello."

"Gloriana, I want to bring my mother by your shop tonight. Will you be there?"

"Jerry. Sure. Why are you bringing her, uh, here?" I could see it now. The shop I was so proud of through Mag's eyes would suddenly be a tacky used-clothing shop. Less than a flea market. What I called vintage, Mag would consider suitable for the dustbin.

"I'm proud of what you've accomplished, sweetheart. I want to show off you and your store." Sweet, deluded Jerry. He didn't have a clue how much his mother hated me. "Is Mara coming with you?" Why did I bother asking?

No way was she letting Jerry out of her sight until she had him tagged and bagged.

"Yes, she'll be with us. But she knows, they both know, that you and I are 'together,' Gloriana. Mara could claim I got sixteen bairns on her in my youth and that wouldn't change what you and I have."

Well, that made me feel better. "Fine, I'll see you later then." I should have known I would have to deal with Jerry's mother eventually. I hung up and started the impossible task of figuring out what to wear. I settled on brown wool slacks and a red ('tis the season, you know) sweater set. I pinned a Christmas tree pin on the cardigan and pulled on brown suede boots. Valdez and I made a quick trip across the street for him to do his business and to leave the sack with the dollar and the note. My hand shook as I tucked it under the trash can. I hoped we didn't regret playing hardball like this, but what choice did I have? I sure didn't have five thousand dollars. I thought I noticed a stranger lurking behind one of the trees in the small park. Valdez and I both sniffed the air, but couldn't decide if it was vampire or not.