Real Vampires Know Size Matters (37 page)

He rested his cheek on my hair. “God, it feels good just to hold you.”

“Why’d you do it, Jer? Why’d you come up onstage when we’d planned . . .” I studied his dear face. He looked tired. Vampires weren’t supposed to have circles under their eyes. It made me wonder if Mel had tampered with his blood again.

“Simple. You must have known it when you picked that song. You did put a spell on me. Centuries ago, Gloriana. Seeing you up there, looking so beautiful. Hearing your voice, golden and pure. It was like falling in love all over again. How could I just stand there, shackled to that insane creature when the woman I really wanted was just feet away? I moved before I could stop myself.” He ran his thumb across my lips. “God, how I’ve missed you.” He leaned down and kissed me, his mouth moving over mine for endless moments.

I sighed into his mouth, reveling in his taste again and having him this close. When we finally parted, I stared into his eyes. “You took a big chance, Jer. I expected to see ghosts and ghouls any moment when you jumped on that stage.”

“You missed them? They were there. I guess the spotlight blinded you.” He grinned. “When I started dragging her toward the stage, Mel went into her usual death-will-get-you mode. I felt the cold fingers of her familiars all around me. The crowd loved it. They thought they were special effects Valdez had managed to produce. Part of your song.”

“You’re kidding. But you kept coming.” I held him close, listening to the slow thump of his barely beating heart as I pressed my cheek to his chest.

“Not even Viking berserkers could have held me back, Gloriana.” He rubbed my back. “You’re everything to me. I had to get closer.”

“I hope you, we, don’t regret it.”

“So do I,” he said as the dressing room door flew open.

Eighteen

“You’d
better get out here, Blade. That woman is a nightmare.” Rafe actually looked frazzled. I don’t think I’d ever seen him that way.

“What’s she doing?” I didn’t want Jerry anywhere near her, though he’d started toward the door anyway. “Stop. Wait, Jer. Please.”

“She’s unleashed what I’m thinking are the hounds of hell. And she’s got two creepy people with her who I swear are zombies. Ray and Sienna are in the middle of their set and Mel is disturbing the crowd. At least on her side of the stage. When I sent some of my bigger guys over there to move her, they couldn’t even touch her. She froze them out somehow.” Rafe moved when Jerry pushed past him.

“I’ve seen her do this. I hope your customers are still thinking it’s a light show you put on as part of the entertainment. As for the zombies? Mel won’t let them act out in public. Trouble will start if anyone tries to push her around.” Jerry shoved aside a curtain and looked out at the crowd.

I peered around him. Sure enough, we could see Mel waving her arms. She totally ignored the music, the singers on the stage and the hundreds of dancers milling around her. She was obviously trying to find Jerry. She must have sensed him because she whipped her head around and glared in our direction. When she pointed at us, I felt an immediate chill.

“Get back here, Jerry. Please. We can’t have a confrontation in the middle of that crowd.” I grabbed his arm. “And you can’t toss the potion at her there and take a chance that your arm will be jostled and you’ll miss.”

“Glory’s right. We need to take this outside.” Rafe pulled the curtain closed. “Come on. Go out the side door. Mel will just have to follow you there.”

“Yes, and I’m sure she will.” Jerry glanced back at the drawn curtain. “I’m sorry, Valdez. This night is important to you and my problems are ruining it.” I could tell he meant it.

“Not at all. You saw the crowd. The people closest to her were a little freaked out, but then they just moved away and kept dancing to the music.” He glanced at the stage. “Ray and Sienna are pros. They’re ignoring the disturbance and have never missed a note. Those creepy apparitions floating over Mel’s head look like a cool lighting effect if you don’t know that they’re the real deal. Even the zombies could be bankers who’ve marinated too long.”

Jerry put his arm around me. “No kidding. Their blood smells fermented. Nasty. And those ghouls are certainly real to Mel. The woman speaks to them constantly. Right now she’s probably getting ready to make me pay for leaving her like I did. And she’s going to want to hurt Gloriana too.” He stopped at my dressing room door. “Lock yourself in here, my love. I’ll be back once I’ve taken care of her.”

“Are you kidding me? Don’t you know me better than that by now, Jer?” I poked him in his bare chest. “I’d never let you face her alone. We’re going out to the alley together.” I turned to Rafe. “If she comes through here, tell her that’s where we’ll be. We need to get her away from the show.” We’d kept our voices down but I didn’t want to take a chance that we’d disturb the performers onstage.

“The alley, Gloriana? Why are you going there? You should come up to the balcony. Meet my handmaidens.” My mother had appeared in the hallway. “Darling, you were absolutely brilliant.” She dabbed at her eyes with a handkerchief. “I was so proud.”

“Thank you, Mother. Later. After I deal with a little problem, I’ll come up and meet everyone. Say hi to Mars for me.” I tugged Jerry toward the exit. “Quiet. Remember, there’s still a show going on.”

“What’s this? Introduce me to this fellow, Gloriana.” Mars suddenly stood behind my mother. “I must judge if he’s worthy of you. Since you have no father to vet your suitors.”

“Don’t you think I’m old enough to skip such customs?” I smiled though as I finally got the group outside. “I’m touched at your concern. Mars, this is Jeremiah Campbell, currently known as Jeremy Blade. He and I are a couple. With or without your approval I’m afraid.”

“Gloriana! It would be wise of you to indulge us. Mars could certainly give you good advice and is an excellent judge of men.” My mother looked Jerry over from his head down to his toes which looked nicely masculine in leather sandals. “So am I. He does cut a fine figure.”

“The physical form is the least important aspect of a man, my dear Hebe. It’s his substance that must be of worth.” Mars studied Jerry from beneath lowered brows. “I did like the way he charged the stage. Broke that chain and went right up to Gloriana. Took her away from that singer who struck me as a lightweight. Glad you’re not taking him as your lover, Gloriana.” Mars patted my shoulder. “But coming in on a leash, as it were, Campbell. Not well done of you, my man. Not at all.”

“If it helps my cause, I hated every minute of it.” Jerry’s shoulders were back, his jaw stiff. “It was part of a scheme Gloriana and I’d set up. Stupid now that I think back on it. If you’ll excuse us, we were about to finish things with that bitch who led me in.” He nodded as if he’d dismissed the god. Mars stopped him with a hand on his shoulder.

“Hold. I didn’t say I don’t like you for Gloriana. Of course I know you’re vampire. But so’s the girl. Damnable thing, but she seems used to the blood drinking.” Mars took my hand in his other one. “Perhaps you two
are
well suited. You strike me as a warrior.”

“I am. Was. When it meant something to be handy with a weapon.” Jerry shrugged away from Mars’s touch. I was surprised the god let him. “These days I have little use for the old ways. It’s more important to be clever. This mess with the voodoo woman should have been resolved long ago. Somehow we weren’t clever enough for her.”

“Then, by Zeus’s right hand, I say we all stay out here and have a little fun with her. I’d like to see her fight all of us with her dark powers.” Mars linked arms with my mother. “What do you say, Hebe? Are you up for a little witch hunt?” He finally let go of my hand. I felt released in more ways than one. His touch had paralyzed my body and my tongue. Now I shook my head.

“I’m not sure . . .”

“We’ll take all the help we can get,” Jerry said when the back door opened and Rafe signaled before going back inside. “I think she’s coming.” He scanned the alley, shoving aside a pile of wooden crates and positioning himself with his back to a Dumpster.

“What’s the plan?” Mars was suddenly wearing his helmet, the red plume waving above us all.

“I have a potion that’s supposed to make her hate me on sight. As soon as I’m sure I have an open shot at tossing it in her face, I’m taking it.” Jerry held the vial in his hand. “Gloriana, I wish you’d stay behind those crates since you insist on being here for this.”

“My daughter isn’t one to cower in the shadows, Blade.” My mother stood proudly next to Mars. “Why does everyone here on Earth have such absurd names?”

“Get over it, Mother. Are you just here to fuss about trivialities?” I touched her hand. “Sorry, I’m stressed. Thanks for the compliments. About the singing and not cowering. You’re right. I guess I do have a little goddess in me.”

“More than a little, darling.” She looked very pleased then wrinkled her nose. “Oh, what have we here? Zombies? Honestly, Blade, Gloriana should have dismissed you just for consorting with such disgusting creatures.”

“Mother!” I had to admit, the reek warned us that Mel was getting closer and she hadn’t even emerged from the building yet.

“She doesn’t have them with her during her seminars,” Jerry grumbled.

“Well, they’re here now. And your friend that shifter is here too, Gloriana. You do inspire loyalty, don’t you?” My mother smiled at me proudly. “Say the word if you want me to use a lightning bolt on the woman. It would be my pleasure.”

“I’ll keep that in mind.” I braced myself, startled when Jerry swept me behind him despite my protests. The exit door crashed back when Mel charged out, surrounded by screaming banshees, her two zombies shuffling along behind her. They had deteriorated badly since the last time I’d seen them. It made me wonder what their shelf life was.

“There you are. What in the hell do you think you’re doing?” She stopped inches from Jerry.

I waited for him to toss the potion then and there. Instead he seemed frozen in place.

“How dare you embarrass me by running away!” She swept her arm in a circle. He shuddered and fell to his knees.

“Jerry!” I dropped down beside him. “What have you done to him?”

“Let me incinerate her, Gloriana. I can blast her to ashes right now.” Mars grinned and stepped forward. “Voodoo. Child’s games.”

Mel’s eyes widened. “I don’t know who or what you are, but I wouldn’t taunt the spirits if I were you.”

I stood when it became obvious that Jerry couldn’t move or speak. “I asked what you did to Jerry.”

“It’s a little spell I put on him.” She laughed, the cackle of a crazy woman. “I took his blood while he slept. Used it to make a powerful conjure. You and your song. Pathetic. How you wish you had my kind of power.”

“My ‘spell’ is love, freely given. Something you will never understand. What you do is evil.” I quit breathing when her zombies lumbered closer. I avoided their dead eyes. My mother watched them closely and I had a feeling if one of them had reached for me, she would have zapped it with a few thousand watts of lightning.

Mel screeched and her ghostly minions flew about my head, making a mess of my hair and hitting my arms. My mother shouted and would have jumped into the fray but I signaled her to stay out of it.

“Jerry doesn’t love you, Melisandra. Let him go.” I made myself say that calmly even though all the dead things whirling around me were seriously freaking me out.

“Never.” She smiled, obviously proud of herself. “While Jeremiah slept, dead to the world, I spoke to Loa and used my most powerful charms to bind this man to me. Yes, I used his true name. Jeremiah Campbell. He gave it to me. That’s how much he loves me. See? You are wrong.” She swept me aside and knelt in front of Jerry, running her fingers through his hair.

“Don’t touch him.” I wanted to jerk her back, make her scream in pain. But her sharp red nails were inches from his eyes. Would she hurt him to hurt me? I couldn’t take that chance.

“My love. I’ve done much more than touch him, vampire. He craves me and my hot blood, pulsing with life. That’s something you can’t give him, can you?” She gazed at me triumphantly. “No, I’m sure your blood is cold and dead.”

I just stared at her. What could I say? Jerry had admitted he liked hot mortal blood. But from her? I doubted he could stand the taste of it anymore. I didn’t dare provoke her so I stayed silent.

“I see you don’t deny it. And just look at what he gave me.” She held out her left hand and I gasped. It was the engagement ring Jerry had offered me months before.

“He didn’t give you that. You stole it.” I remembered what Miguel had said. I had the power. I read her mind. Of course she’d stolen it. She’d crept into Jerry’s house during the day while everyone staying there, all vampires, had been in their death sleep. Thank God she’d left without hurting any of them.

“I don’t see you wearing his ring, do I, Gloriana?” Mel shot a triumphant look around the alley. “No! He hasn’t claimed her as his woman. I’ve claimed
him
now. Jeremiah Campbell is
mine
. And he’s just where I want him.” She backed up and pointed a bloodred fingernail at me. “You, Gloriana, you have nothing.”

“You want him helpless?” Tears stung my eyes just before I threw myself at her. I had surprise on my side and she didn’t have time to protect herself. She fell back, her dead spirits vanishing when I wrapped my hands around her throat and began to squeeze. “Take it off, take off this horrible spell you’ve put on him.”

“Why should I?” She wheezed, the life draining out of her. I didn’t care if she was dying or not. I couldn’t ease up on her throat, not even when her face turned red. “K-k-kill me and he’ll never be yours again.” She glanced at her zombies. “Attack! Take her out!”

There was a sizzle and a pop and the smell of something nasty burning. My mother blew on her gold-lacquered fingernail as if it were a gun barrel.

“They aren’t going to be attacking anyone. Get her, Gloriana.”

I didn’t have time to see what Mother had done because I was too busy trying to squeeze answers out of Mel. I kept holding her throat but let up enough to shake her, knocking her head against the concrete.