"They fought over you?" Flo rushed to my side. "Glory, how, um, awful for you." She sent me a mental message. "Who won?" I blinked back tears. "As far as I'm concerned everybody lost. Jerry hates me, Ray almost got killed, and we haven't found out anything useful." Out loud I said, "It was horrible. Five men had to pull them apart. Jerry left voluntarily or Simon would have fed him to the demon."
"It was an unforgivable breach of security. Blade came into your sunlight room?" Richard looked like he was getting a glimmer of an idea.
"Yes. You'd think the Energy Vampires could protect their guests better than that. I came here expecting some alone time with my baby and paid big bucks for it. Hell, what next? Paparazzi popping out of the closet?" Ray was on board. Yep, Simon owed us. I liked where this was going. "When I saw Jerry attack Ray, I was totally traumatized." I tugged on Ray's hand. "Now, though, I can feel the dawn. Time for bed. Hopefully, you'll be all better by sunset, lover boy. One more night in the sunlight room. It had better be uninterrupted." I pulled his face down and gave him a lingering kiss. "Poor baby, Ray had to fight for his life. There's no excuse for that kind of thing to happen. Now let's go to bed. 'Night, Flo, Richard." I heard their murmured good nights as Ray closed our bedroom door.
"That was some kiss. Come here and do that again." Ray pulled me against him.
"Shower first. You've been rolling around in the sand." I smiled up at him.
"I just want one more kiss." He didn't let go and this suddenly didn't feel like playing for the cameras.
"I know where your kisses lead, mister. Hit the shower. You're not getting sand in that bed." I made it clear I wasn't in the mood and Ray stepped back. I felt the dawn coming. Dread knotted my stomach. Daylight was a vampire's most vulnerable time. And I didn't have Valdez here to watch over me. Sure, the Energy Vampires would all be dead to the world too, but they had plenty of creeps on their payroll who weren't vampires.
"Glory, quit freaking yourself out, Simon would be stupid to do anything to us while we slept. And he's anything but stupid. " Ray had been reading my mind. "You heard me warn him off too. Right?" I nodded. Even Simon couldn't control the tabloids once they got rolling with a juicy story. Secret vampire hideaway with weird cult would be right up their alley. Add in a rock star, and you had weeks of front-page material.
"Relax, baby. You're still upset about that fight, aren't you?"
I nodded again, suddenly a freaked-out bobblehead.
"Don't worry. Blade won't be back," he said for the cameras. "I'll take that hot shower. When I come out I want to see you in that sexy nightie you brought." He winked and headed to the bathroom.
A sexy nightie. Ray was nuts if he thought I was going to pretend to make love in that king-size bed for the cameras. I walked into the closet, hid behind the door where I was pretty sure there couldn't be a camera and put on one of Ray's T-shirts and my own panties. I tossed the bikini in a hamper and hoped I could figure out some way to avoid the bathing suit option for the next night. Sunlight had lost its appeal.
The next evening I woke up, relieved that I'd survived the day and managed to find another bathing suit in the seemingly endless supply. We were walking to the sunlight room again when Simon stepped into our path. He had a woman behind him this time. When she moved to Simon's side, Ray and I stopped in our tracks.
"Tina?" I couldn't believe it.
"What the hell are you doing here?" Ray moved into a protective position, placing himself slightly in front of me.
"Your fan followed the limo to our headquarters. Believe me, the men responsible for ensuring this doesn't happen have been dealt with." Simon stroked Tina's shoulder length hair and she snuggled closer to him. I fought my gag reflex. "Uh, so what are you going to do with her?" Frankly I was surprised she was still alive.
"And why the hell is she acting like that? Like she's crazy about you." Ray apparently didn't care about being tactful.
"She thinks I'm you, of course. The great Israel Caine." Simon smiled, leaned down and gave Tina a kiss. When he started to pull back, she grabbed his suit coat lapels and jerked him down for another big kiss, tongues and all. Simon finally forced her to release him. "Insatiable female. I'm finding it interesting keeping up with her." Okay, the chocolate truffles definitely weren't staying down after that one. I pressed a hand to my mouth and breathed though my nose. Ray just looked at me like, huh?
"I have a unique ability, Caine. I can make myself appear as someone's true desire. Apparently, little Miss Tina's true desire at this time is you." Simon laughed.
"She's been stalking me. That's why she followed the limo. She tried to kidnap Valdez, was going after Glory next. I thought I had taken care of that. Used some mind control."
"Her obsession was obviously too strong for that trick. She still hates Gloriana. Because you plan to marry her. I'll take care of her permanently once I'm no longer amused by her. For now, she makes an interesting pet." Simon patted her bottom and she giggled and whispered in his ear. "Later, my dear."
I shuddered. "Simon, she has a nice mother. She can't just disappear. What about"
"Apparently Tina is quite adept with a computer. I'm putting her to work out here. She's already e-mailed her mother that she's taken a temporary job with a very large salary. Which is true." Simon gestured toward a building behind him. "She'll keep up our Web site. Things like that. I'm much better at mind control than the ordinary vampire. I won't have to terminate Tina when I'm done with her unless she does something to displease me."
"Good to know." Ray slung his arm around me. "But this is the second serious breach of security in your operation. Blade, now a stalker who could have harmed Glory. I think you owe me a favor, Destiny."
"Really? What kind of favor?" Simon leaned down, said something to Tina and she hurried away.
"I'm having a little get-together at my home next Wednesday. I'd like to show some of the local people that I'm not such a new vampire, that I have some connections. You know what I mean?" Ray stepped away from me, like it was time for a man-to-man talk.
"Well, you are very new at this." Simon's smile was indulgent.
"Right. But I'm used to being a star. With the kind of respect that brings. The vamps around here don't get it. They aren't showing me the proper deference." Ray squared his shoulders. Even in a terry robe and flip-flops, he was still the kind of man a woman couldn't take her eyes off of. "Hell, I've won Grammys, been on TV, own an island and have more millions than I could spend in a hundred lifetimes." Ray grinned. "Now I'll be living long enough to try, you know what I mean?"
"Oh, yes." Simon visibly relaxed, obviously sensing a kindred spirit. "It's why I love being King of the Energy Vampires. I'm feared, yes, but also respected. Some of the clients who come here are nothing. Living hand to mouth. No talent, nothing special about them. I can see you deserve to take your rightful place as a leader in the vampire community."
"See? I knew you'd get it." Ray glanced at me. "Glory, she doesn't understand. I know you and she had some issues. Old news. Now that she's under my protection, she's safe from any reprisals from you, am I right?"
"Of course." Simon smiled at me. "Would you like my oath on it, Gloriana?" I nodded, sure if I spoke I'd spew chocolate all over his expensive Italian loafers.
"Very well. I swear on Honoria and the EV bible that I will not harm Gloriana as long as she is under Israel Caine's protection."
"Excellent. Feel better, baby?" Ray put his arm around me.
I nodded again. Oh, the nausea. Would we ever get this over with? In my head I was busy counting winter skirts in my closet. I'd already done the purses and the shoes.
"Now about that favor? What did you have in mind, Ray, if I may call you that?"
"Sure, Simon. I just want you to drop by the house. At this little party I'm throwing. Just come by and hang out for a few minutes. Show that I'm the kind of guy who has powerful friends in the vampire world. Wednesday about ten o'clock. Think that'll work? Afterward, maybe we can talk about that endorsement you wanted."
"I wouldn't come alone, of course. And some of your new vampire friends may be afraid of us. Even hate us." Simon looked at me, like he knew that behind the stack of sweaters I was sorting, I hated him with a passion that bordered on the kind of obsession Tina had.
"Even better." Ray got a firm set to his chin that surprised me. "Hey, I'm not in this to make friends. I have friends. May even make my best friend vampire before all is said and done. Thing is, respect is what I'm after. I have a feeling you understand that."
"Yes. And perhaps one day we can sit down and discuss what it would take to make you an Energy Vampire. I think you would enjoy the perks. Like constant access to the sunlight rooms." Simon's cell phone vibrated, and he shook his head. "Sorry, I'm expecting a call and need to take this. Please enjoy your last night in the room. I guarantee you'll not be disturbed. I'll post two guards at the door. And I'll see you Wednesday night. Ten o'clock."
"Great." Ray reached out to shake Simon's hand, but I grabbed it and tugged Ray toward our room.
"Come on, baby, I'm ready to see the sun. You've kept me standing here so long, I've had time to totally reorganize my winter wardrobe."
"Oops, better go. Later, dude." Ray waved and we watched Simon walk off talking on his phone. "What was that about?"
"Never shake his hand. He can do some kind of mind meld on you and know everything despite you singing the top forty in your head. Trust me. You don't want to touch him."
