"He's on his way as soon as he wraps up some business."
Why was I not surprised? But this wasn't about me now. Blade would want to take out Westwood himself. For Mac. Valdez stood and stretched. " It's almost daylight, ladies. Let's hit the hay."
"Just a minute." I saw Flo staring at her feet as if considering whether to keep her toenails scarlet or go for pink. "Flo, look at me."
She looked up. "Pink, I think. See? You read my mind, I don't care."
"Forget that. How do you know it was West wood? He's pretty ordinary." I picked up the photo we'd printed from the Internet. Every vamp in Austin had one.
"I wouldn't have recognized him, except he took a shot at me."
"Oh, my God!" I rushed to her side and pulled her up to give her a hug and look her over. "Are you all right? Did he hit you anywhere?"
"I saw him notch that arrow and, poof, I was a beautiful black bird, flying away into the night. The arrow hit a tree behind me."
" What the hell were you doin' out by yourself?" Valdez walked up to us and sat at her feet. " It ain't safe."
"You're sweet." Flo patted his head. "But I'm fine. Just worried about others who"—she gave me a look—"are afraid to shapeshift. He's an excellent shot, Glory. If I hadn't flown out of there, he'd have my fangs right now." She shuddered. "Such tacky jewelry. What is the man thinking?"
"All men are beasts. That's my new philosophy and Westwood proves the point." I pulled my phone out of my pocket. Should I listen to Blade's message? Not now. I was dead, well almost. The sky was getting lighter outside and I needed my bed and the blackout drapes in my bedroom.
I checked the deadbolts. "Let's go to bed. We'll talk about this tomorrow." I looked down at Valdez. "You ready?"
" I got my orders. I ain't leavin' your side until Blade gets here."
"Fine." I would deal with that macho mind-set later. I hugged Flo again. "I'm glad you got away from him. Valdez is right about one thing, you shouldn't go out alone after this. Westwood knows what you look like now."
"I'll be careful." Flo patted my back. When she released me, she had a puzzled look on her face.
"Sleep well." I headed for my room.
"Wait!" Flo hurried after me.
Now what? I was too tired to think. I unzipped my jumpsuit and dropped it on the floor.
"I knew it! I smelled… Damian. You've been with my brother." She grabbed my chin. "Bastard! Look at you. Mauled. Couldn't he bother to shave?" Then she saw my neck.
"You let him taste you?"
Valdez growled and I shoved him into the living room land slammed the door. Maybe he could hear through it, but I didn't need a third party observer right now.
"I didn't let him do anything, Flo. He forced me." I heard Valdez's enraged barking. Great, now Blade would know. I rubbed the marks. I should have erased them immediately, but they'd be gone when I woke anyway. Flo muttered something in Italian. "I hope you ripped off his man part and stuffed it down his throat." Now there was a visual to savor. "I should have. I certainly felt like it. Unfortunately it would probably grow back." God, did we have to go into this tonight? "I handled it, him, Flo. Please don't get involved in this, okay?"
"How can I not? My brother attacks my roomie?" She swept her gaze over me. "You wear a thong for him. Pah! He deserves granny pants and one of your sexless sacks."
"I didn't wear this for him. I wore it for me. And my sacks are all downstairs, for sale." Unfortunately. I could have really enjoyed vegging out in something sexless right now. Instead, I rummaged in my dresser and pulled out a blue lace-trimmed nightie. "You staying for the show or heading to bed?"
Flo sighed. "Bed. This has been a horrible night. I am almost killed. My lover is a jerk. And my brother…" More Italian. "You can't expect me not to say anything, Glory. I would like to grind his fangs into dust. Let him try drinking Bloody Merry the rest of his days through a straw. Biting my roomie." Muttering in Italian, she pulled open the door and slammed it behind her. Maybe she'd cool off by evening. I dropped my underwear into a laundry basket and pulled on the gown. Valdez scratched at the door and I let him in before I turned out the light. I could tell he wanted to lecture me, but I sent him a stern mental message to just shut up and go to sleep.
I lay down then felt the bed shake as Valdez jumped up to settle next to my feet. I usually like my bed, but it was a slab compared to Damian's. What a hell of a thought to go to sleep on.
World War III had broken out in my living room. Barking. Shouting in at least three languages. Would anyone notice if I just stayed in bed with the covers over my head for, say, the next year?
But I was anxious to get down to the shop to count yesterday's receipts. And how had we done during the day today? I pulled on another vintage outfit and took plenty of time with my makeup. I used to get help with my stage makeup, but for every day I do it by feel. After decades of practice, I've got it down to a science. I added a little contouring to give me the illusion of cheekbones, then reluctantly opened my bedroom door.
Silence. All nations had either declared a cease fire or they'd killed each other. No such luck. Flo had collapsed on the love seat, her head thrown back as she stared at the ceiling. Blade glowered near the front door, in his fighting stance and wearing full Clan Campbell regalia. Damian lounged in one of the club chairs until he saw me in the doorway. He leaped to his feet and winked. Valdez trotted up to me representing Fido-land. He and Jerry stared at me as if I'd suddenly sprouted horns and a tail.
"What?" I strolled into the kitchen and pulled a Bloody Merry out of the refrigerator. This silence was even worse than the yelling had been.
"Damian brought your keys, Gloriana." Blade fingered his broadsword. "He claims you left them in his bed." Damian grinned, obviously quite happy to drive Blade insane. And what was wrong with that, now that I thought about it?
I yawned. "Is that where I left them?"
Valdez woofed. " You got a death wish, Blondie? Anybody," he glanced at Damian—" anybody could have gotten hold of those keys. Besides, you never shoulda left me up here."
I reached down to rub his ears. "Sorry, pup. When you're right, you're right. From now on, you can stay in the shop with me."
"I should hope so. None of us need to take foolish chances." Flo had finally found her voice. For a woman who usually chattered nonstop, she was being very subdued now that the shouting match had stopped.
"How are you feeling?" I moved closer and put my arm around her. "You look like hell."
"Compliments. That's all I needed."
To my horror, Flo welled up and fled to her bedroom. She slammed the door on a sob.
"Whoa. Was it something I said?" I looked at Damian. He shrugged again.
"I don't know what her problem is. She and Blade were busy yelling at me about those keys." He strolled over as if to put an arm around me. I gave him a look that stopped him in his tracks. He threw up his hands. "Women!"
"It's not just women, Damian. Flo's obviously still upset about last night." Could Damian really not know about his sister's near miss?
"Why?" Damian smiled at me. "Is my sister saying I shouldn't date her roommate? You won't listen to her, will you, cara?"
"You're not the center of the universe, Sabatini. This isn't about you. Florence has good reason to be upset." Blade didn't seem surprised by the brother-sister thing. Of course he'd probably been reading minds right and left. Damian looked at me. "All I know about is Gloriana's encounter."
"What encounter?" Blade grabbed my arms and made me face him.
I wondered if I could sharpen the wooden spoon I'd seen in a kitchen drawer and use it to shut Damian's big mouth, permanently. Blade was on the protect Glory warpath now. Which I didn't need. Damian had better get a clue if he had any notion of getting something going with me.
"Let me go, Blade." I gave him a hard look. "I don't respond well to manhandling, remember?" Blade stepped back and held out his hands. "Fine, but again, what encounter?"
"No big deal. A man wandered into the shop and had been with a vampire. I freaked because the vamp hadn't erased the man's memory or the fang marks on his neck. You know how I feel about blending." I sipped my drink. "I sure don't want my shop to become a magnet for vamp wannabes."
" It's that name." Valdez had decided to put in his two cents. " I told ya, Blondie. You're just askin' for it."
"Nonsense. The name is clever, Gloriana." Blade gave Valdez a look and the dog lay down and lowered his head to his paws. Clever? Wow. But maybe a little too clever if my shop turned into a Goth hangout.
"So what's wrong with Florence?" Damian glanced at her closed bedroom door.
"She's upset about Westwood, Sabatini. He shot at her last night. If she hadn't shape-shifted, he would have killed her." Blade scowled at Damian like he should have been protecting his sister instead of frolicking in bed with me.
" Dios mio!" Damian swore and strode down the hall to Flo's room. He jerked open the door and went inside. Italian. Loud Italian. He slammed the door so at least the volume was muted.
"Are you starting a relationship with Damian, Gloriana?"
I didn't owe Jerry an answer, but saw no point in playing games.
"I doubt it."
"Then come home with me." He stepped closer.
"Because Westwood's in town?" I moved away to sit on the love seat. "No way. I'm staying here. I'll take Valdez down with me from now on, but the shop had a great start. I think it's going to be a moneymaker."
"You could open a shop like that in Lake Charles instead. I'd feel better if you were close." I sipped my Bloody Merry, grateful for the energy it gave me. Blade just stared at me. I was not caving. Even though I could practically feel his frustration.
