“Yes, that should be perfect.” I could tell from the way Ian kept glancing from the potion to me that he’d had another idea. A quick peek into his mind made me sure of it. “Stop thinking, Ian. Right now. This is only to be used when Jerry is face-to-face with Mel. No one else is going to use it. Are we clear?” I could see his usual scheming brain at work. “If anything goes wrong and I hear it was your doing, I’ll burn that book before I give it to you. Or maybe Bart O’Connor would like it. I’m sure he could make a fortune selling potions from it to paranormals around here. Fancy some competition?”
“Settle down, Gloriana. What did I say? Of course I’ll hand it off to Blade.” Ian tried to look innocent. It wasn’t a look he wore well.
“I’ll count on that. If this potion works, it’ll solve our problem.”
Ian tucked the vial into his jacket pocket. He wasn’t in costume, of course. I couldn’t imagine him relaxing his image enough to play a part other than brainiac doctor. Tonight he had on a black velvet blazer and white silk shirt. The look suited him and women would notice him in a crowd anyway. He stepped into the hall but stopped so abruptly that I bumped into his back.
“Aggie!” I jumped in front of Ian as soon as I saw her. She’d just come out of her dressing room. “Uh, you’re not on yet.”
“Hey, Glory. Good luck tonight.” She smiled, a really fake effort. “Ian. I see you came dressed as yourself, the devil.” She literally ran back down the hall toward the restroom before Ian could react.
“Bitch. What’s she doing here?” He was tense where I held his arm.
“She’s the backup singer for Ray and Sienna’s set. Remember? I told you. Trust me, she hates that I’ll be in the spotlight and she’s not.” I saw Miguel come out of Aggie’s dressing room and look down the hall. “You’d better go. Please? Get to Jerry before the lights go down.”
“Fine. At least she wished you luck. I do as well.” He kissed my cheek before I could stop him then took off, fortunately away from Miguel.
“That’s the man Angel hates so much?” Miguel was beside me in moments.
“Yes. Ian MacDonald. I’m surprised you haven’t crossed paths before.”
“He’s used my services. We just haven’t met face-to-face. I recognize him from Angel’s description.” He looked me over. “You are beautiful tonight, Glory. I’m looking forward to seeing and hearing your performance.”
“Thank you.” I gripped the doorjamb. “I just want to get this over with.”
“You might be interested to know that Jeremy Blade has arrived here with that voodoo woman you asked me to check out. She’s a minor talent in the dark arts. Yes, she could do you harm. But your powers should be much stronger. Don’t let her intimidate you with her tricks and evil spirits.” He studied his perfectly manicured fingernails.
“It’s Jerry I’m worried about.” I did enjoy hearing that Miguel thought my powers were stronger. So why had I failed to overpower her before? Mind games. I had to be more confident if I got the chance to confront her again.
“You should be. He’s dressed as her slave.” He glanced up and his face was grim. “He allowed her to lead him into the club in shackles. She was pulling him by a chain around his neck. The man has lost his pride, Glory. I would kill a woman who treated me so disrespectfully.”
“I’m sure you would. But it’s an act, Miguel. We’re trying to get her to lose interest in him. Jerry learned that it’s her pattern. She doesn’t want what she thinks she’s captured.” I hated that Jerry had let people—our friends, my mother—see him like that.
“That plan sucks.” Miguel turned and walked away.
I wanted to call him back, say something to defend Jerry, but Ray emerged from the dressing room across from me, all smiles.
“Hey, it’s time, Glory girl. You ready?”
“Not in a million years.” I took his hand though and walked with him toward the stage. I could hear the band playing the intro to the song we’d arranged to start the set with. The drums were sounding out a great beat and I could feel it from my toes to my tummy. I had to do this. I wanted to do it. Ray and I hurried up onto the stage to thunderous applause, screams and cheers. It had started. There was no turning back now.
The lights were still bright enough in the club that I could see the audience from the stage. I knew it would be darker as soon as I started my second song. I was singing my duet with Ray before I knew it, all that practice making it easier than I’d thought it would be. I could even scan the room while we sang.
There was the group of my friends on the balcony. Flo grinned and waved. As one, the gang raised their glasses full of a ruby liquid that I knew was blood and sent me a silent toast. I licked my lips while Ray took his turn in the song. I really should have fed or at least finished my glass of synthetic before coming onstage.
“Whenever I call you friend . . .” Ray and I sang together. The song was full of meaning for both of us. Yes, we were friends and would always love each other on some level. The fast beat made it a fun way to start the set and the packed crowd on the dance floor moved to the music, everyone smiling and seeming to enjoy themselves.
I grinned, jazzed by their reaction. I hadn’t spotted Jerry yet but another glance at the balcony made it impossible to miss my mother’s table. She was reigning like a queen over her court. A queen of Olympus. My God, they’d all come dressed in their togas. All except Mom’s date for the evening. Mars was in full battle regalia. At least he’d taken off his helmet with the red plume and it was sitting on the table. I recognized Circe, the goddess who’d made sure Jerry had found me back in London centuries ago so that he’d give me immortality. Apparently that had earned her a seat at the table. She and Mom hadn’t always been friends, but they’d forged a bond over their mutual hatred of Achelous the Storm God.
Ray and I leaned in. We were coming close to the end of our song when I saw Jerry. He and Mel were at the edge of the dance floor. Damn, but Mel was leading him around by a chain. His buff body couldn’t have looked better in what was little more than a leather loin cloth belted at the waist with a wide studded belt. With his powerful chest and legs bare, he drew eyes in a crowd where more than one person had gone for a skimpy look. Then I saw the choke collar around his neck.
My proud Highlander wore a choke collar. I wanted to cry or scream or throw up. What I didn’t want to do was sing. Good thing I was on autopilot by now.
When she caught my eye Mel smiled and gave the chain a tug. I looked away from Jerry, trying not to add to his humiliation, but I couldn’t help myself. One more glance. How was he taking this? He wouldn’t look up at me, just kept staring at the woman in front of him. Oh, God, Jerry. My heart was breaking for him.
Ray nudged me with an arm around my waist and I realized I’d dropped the ball, forgotten to come in when it was my turn in the song. I quickly focused again as we came to the final chorus.
“I know forever we’ll be doin’ it right.” I looked into Ray’s eyes and saw sympathy. It was almost my undoing. Of course he’d noticed Jerry and Mel. Sing, Glory. We harmonized, in sync, as we sang the final notes. Friends. Thank God for them. Ray had his arm around me, supporting me in more ways than one, as we took a bow.
The applause was deafening and the building shook with the sound of stomping feet. Then the lights went out for mere seconds. It was enough to quiet the crowd before twin spotlights hit me and Ray, who was now sitting at his piano. He nodded and the band started my first solo. I wasn’t about to sing to Jerry, though in my heart this song was for him. So I leaned on the piano for the opening notes, deliberately sultry as I sang to Ray.
“You give me fever.”
The crowd went wild. I’m sure they thought that meant Ray and I were an item again. Whatever. Ray certainly knew we weren’t. Working together had been fun, but he realized there was no romantic future for us. I sashayed around the stage, putting a wiggle into my walk and holding the microphone like Ray had taught me. He’d been a wonderful musical mentor.
“Fever all through the night.” Oh, yeah. I was selling that song. It was an oldie, but had a timeless message. I thought about Jerry and the first time we’d been together. We’d been so hot for each other. Ridiculous but we were still that way. He could touch me and I’d go up in flames. I put that feeling into the song and became almost breathless.
I could feel hundreds, maybe a thousand pairs of eyes on me. It was a heady experience. The room was silent except for the band and my voice. This was a new kind of power. I should be getting off to it. But I’d had too many years of trying not to be noticed. All this attention and a roomful of mortals only a few feet away . . .
My fangs started to come down and I fought them back. No, no, no. With the spotlight in my eyes, I couldn’t see anyone out there but they sure as hell could see me. Jerry, my friends and my mother who was either proud or horrified, take your pick, they were all out there watching my every move.
That rush of power suddenly evaporated and I wanted to run and hide. I couldn’t. The only thing I could do was stroll over to Ray again and touch his shoulder. Get strength from him. His smile encouraged me and he sent me a mental message to just sing. That I had the audience in the palm of my hand. I squeezed his shoulder, trusting him, and kept going.
By the time I came to the end of the song, I knew Ray was right. I’d made it through and no one had a clue I’d been close to a meltdown. Ray’s grin as he played the final notes said it all. He was proud of me. I was Gloriana the Siren as I worked my hips and stood behind him at the piano to sing that last line, twining my fingers in his hair. Finally, I leaned forward and blew in his ear. I was an actress and I’d played my part. It hadn’t been comfortable, but I’d survived.
The crowd loved it, especially when he jumped up, grabbed me and gave me one of those big fake Hollywood kisses that leaned me back over his arm. We hadn’t rehearsed it but the moment was right. We both came up laughing, Ray fanning himself like he did have a fever. The applause was deafening as the lights came up briefly.
