Real Vampires Don't Wear Size Six (36 page)

“Yes, you are.” I actually began to feel hopeful. Which was Jerry’s power. His confidence that he could always put things right.

Jerry brushed my hair back from my face. “You look like you’re feeling better.”

“I am. Talking isn’t such a bad thing, you know. We needed to clear the air.” I pulled Jerry down to the bed. “Now I bet we have an hour before Penny gets home. How about we seal the deal on this promise you just made. One of the twelve steps is making amends. I’ll lie here while you show me how sorry you are that you ever acted jealous of my men.”

“Oh, I am very sorry.” Jerry came down on top of me. “And I may have twelve different ways of showing you that, my love.”

 

Jerry decided to leave just as Penny and Trey hit the door a few minutes before dawn. I was relaxed and naked in my bed and didn’t bother to get up. But I could hear well enough as Jerry and Penny made plans to drive to San Antonio with the rats the next evening.

I made my own plans. I was going to church the next night. I’d been with the demons enough to feel positively filthy with evil. An evening of joyful music and the positive message from Pastor John at the Moonlight Church of Eternal Life and Joy would go a long way to restoring my soul.

When I woke up, I waited until Penny had showered, then listened to her excited chatter about her date and her meeting with Jenny the night before.

“I did what you said. Kept my cool and wasn’t alone with her at all. We squeezed them in at the bar and Jenny tried to get me to go to the bathroom with her so we could gossip, but I wouldn’t do it.” Penny laughed. “Totally blew her mind. But I just kept going to hang out with Trey who had door duty and left her with her date. That solved the problem.” Penny flushed. “She thought Trey was cute too. Was totally jealous. I read her mind.”

“Why not? Anything else good in there?” I sat in my robe, thinking about trying to call Flo to see if my friend might go to church with me. Would she pick up if she saw on the caller ID that it was me? Sure she’d been all BFF last night, but Richard had probably been giving her an earful since then about my bad influence. And I couldn’t blame him.

“She wasn’t too happy with her date. Thought he was immature compared to Trey. Didn’t help that his fake ID didn’t pass at the bar. That embarrassed her.” Penny had a really wide grin. “Can you believe she was jealous of me? Even liked my skirt!”

“Well, there you go.” I patted her knee, then nodded toward the door. “Jerry’s coming up the stairs. Get the door.”

“Oh, yeah. We’re taking the rats to a guy in San Antonio who has some homes lined up for them.” Penny got up and unlocked the dead bolts. “Hi, Mr. Blade. I’ll start bringing out the cages.”

“Good evening, Penny.” Jerry walked over and dropped a kiss on my lips. “Gloriana.” He noticed Penny had disappeared down the hall and ran a hand inside my robe. “Mmm. Sorry you’re not going with us. I assume you’re not, since you aren’t dressed yet.”

“Nope. The idea of an hour in the car with fifty-three rats doesn’t sound like my idea of fun.” I swatted at his hand. “Don’t start something you can’t finish, big guy.”

“Later.” He leaned down and kissed me again, a wonderfully thorough job this time.

“Mmm. I’ll keep that in mind.” I pushed him back.

“It’s up to sixty-seven rats now. They were supposed to be segregated in the lab but obviously somebody messed up.” Penny carried in two crates. “Anyway, we’ve had some developments, so they are really crowded.”

“I’ll get the other crates.” Jerry charged off down the hall. “Gloriana, you might want to air the place out while we’re gone.”

“Sure, after I get back from church.” I got up to take my empty bottle to the kitchen.

“You’re going to church?” Penny stopped in the open doorway.

“I told you I went. I thought I’d already proved to you that I’m not the fanged monster the comic books or movies portray, Penny. I pray, sing hymns, and there’s a church that has night services. Maybe next Sunday, you can go with me.” I went to the kitchen sink and rinsed out my bottle, then dumped it in the recycle bin.

“Yes, I’d like that. And it would make my folks feel good if I could tell them we go to church together.” She glanced down at the rats. “If I didn’t have to take these tonight, I’d go with you. Definitely.”

“Fine, we’ll do it. But the rats have to leave. I’ll get started on your bedroom when I get back. Keep your window open now and the fan going. Spray air freshener.” I smiled as Jerry came out bearing the last of the crates. “Anything else left in there rat-related?”

“Just some food and things that we’ll stick in the car and take to the rescue people along with these creatures. Go ahead and take your shower.” Jerry followed Penny to the door. “I’ll get her settled in the car and come back up for one last load. Leave the bathroom door unlocked.” He winked. “She can wait for a few minutes.”

“Bad man.” I smiled and strutted toward the bathroom. Why not? I had printed out a short list of places he could go to start work on that jealousy issue. So maybe a little advanced reward was in order.

I got the water temperature adjusted, jumped in and started shampooing my hair. I’d just done the second rinse when I felt a hand on my backside.

“Now who could that be?” I sighed as it stroked down to insinuate itself between my legs. “And such curious fingers.” I gasped and leaned against the tile wall as he plunged first one, then two fingers inside me.

“Face the wall. Don’t turn around. This is your lover, come to take his due.” His voice was rough, not like him. But I forgot that as his body rubbed against me and I felt how hard and ready he was. His other hand snaked around me to grasp one of my breasts and he squeezed my nipple, a little too tightly.

“But I want to see—”

“No!” He pressed his cock into the crease of my buttocks and slid it up and down, up and down, the water making the passage slippery and entirely sensual. His fingers swirled inside me, finding that tender center that screamed for him to play with it, to press against it. He pinched it between his fingers, then released. Over and over again until I shook, my head falling to my chest.

“What do you want me to do?” I panted as I bent over and widened my legs, trying to bring him inside me, needing for him to fill me. But only his fingers worked me, teasing me and making me writhe against him.

“Open for me, wider.” His other hand slid from my breast and he grabbed the showerhead, pulling the detachable piece loose and aiming it at my exposed center.

“Oh, my God. Oh, my God.”

“Quiet.” The harsh command made me bite my lip, but I jerked at the pressure of the water on my sensitive flesh and I was willing to do whatever he said as long as the pleasure lasted. This was Jerry’s game and clearly he was making up the rules as we went along.

Jerry’s game. I inhaled and reached a trembling hand for the shower gel as my knees wobbled. At the same time he released me to turn the knob on the showerhead to pulse, teasing me with the firmer stream until I screamed and jerked the hose from his hands. I whirled, the gel in my hands, and aimed for his eyes, squeezing the bottle as hard as I could.

“Son of a bitch!” He threw up his hands and fell back against the tile wall.

“Out!” I dropped the bottle to shove him away from me. “God! God! God! Get away from me!”

Lucifer grabbed a washcloth and wiped his red and streaming eyes. “Not a problem.” He looked me over. “What was I thinking? Your kind doesn’t belong in hell. He can have you.” With that he vanished. A simple now you see him, now you don’t.

I reached back and found the spigots, managing to turn off the water before I collapsed into the bottom of the tub. I leaned my head on my knees. The bathroom reeked of the expensive lavender gel I’d bought as a treat for myself at the mall. Not a problem that several dollars’ worth decorated the tile wall and had gone down the drain. Not a problem that the Devil himself had touched me intimately and almost . . . I shuddered and knew my legs wouldn’t support me if I tried to stand. My center still quivered and, if I’d dared touch myself, I knew I’d go off. I hated that, hated that I’d responded to that creep. I trembled, disgusted and nauseated.

I pushed my wet hair out of my eyes when I heard the bathroom door open.

“Glory, not finished already, are you, sweetheart?” Jerry pulled aside the shower curtain. “Why didn’t you wait for me?”

I started sobbing and couldn’t stop.

“Glory? What in God’s name is wrong with you?” Jerry tried to pull me into his arms but I shook my head and pointed at the fogged up mirror.

Written in the steam was a smiley face and one letter—“L.” I couldn’t speak.

“Lucifer? By God, are you telling me Lucifer was in here?” Jerry crawled into the tub with me and wrapped his arms around me. “Did he . . . ?”

I shook my head. “He, he came up behind me.” I felt Jerry’s arms tighten around me. “But somehow I, I knew.” I turned to look at him. “He didn’t smell right.” I leaned my face into Jerry’s neck and breathed in his essence. “I’ve been with you so long. He could have made himself look like you, I guess. But your smell.” I kissed the side of his neck, my shaking finally gone. “I stopped him before . . .”

“How?” Jerry brushed my wet hair back from my face. “This is the king of hell we’re talking about. He’s so powerful.”

“Surprised him.” I reached for that bottle of gel that lay next to the drain and capped it, carefully setting it on the rim of the tub. “He thought he had me. Stayed behind me so, so I couldn’t see.” I buried my face in Jerry’s neck. “Take me out of here. Please?”

“What was I thinking?” Jerry stood, grabbed a towel to wrap me in, then carried me to the bed. There he piled blankets on top of me. “Better?”

“A little. Don’t, don’t leave me.” I felt raw, vulnerable. No matter what Lucifer said, he could come back, decide to finish what he’d started. I didn’t say it, tried to be brave about it. But Jerry sat on the side of the bed and kept one hand on mine.

“I won’t.” He pulled out his phone and I heard him tell Penny to come upstairs. Then she was there, staring at me from the doorway. He issued orders like the commander he’d once been, telling her to clear out the rest of the rat paraphernalia and drive his car to San Antonio. That the destination was already programmed into his GPS.

“But what’s wrong with Glory?” Penny hadn’t moved out of the doorway yet. I was aware of her, but didn’t look at her directly. I couldn’t seem to quit doing an instant replay of the shower scene. Why hadn’t I known immediately that it wasn’t Jerry behind me? I’d let it go too far. I should have . . . It was an endless tape of what ifs and if onlys that made me crazy.

“She slipped and fell in the bathtub. She’ll be all right but I don’t want to leave her alone right now. Just go. I’ll take care of her.” Jerry’s voice was calm, but I knew him well enough to sense the rage he was barely holding inside. Apparently the idea that Lucifer had tried to rape me, and that’s what I was calling it, made him as crazy as it was making me.

Moments passed as I counted spots on the ceiling and tried to make my mind blank. Didn’t work of course. By the time I heard the hall door close and Jerry was back beside me, I had tears running down my cheeks again.

“Gloriana, love.” He pulled me into his arms and held me close. His warmth soothed me and I knew I was safe. But for how long?

I opened my mind to him and let him see exactly what had happened. No secrets. He stiffened and bit back a curse, then laid me carefully on the bed.

“I’ll be right back.” He stood and pulled out his cell phone.

“Jerry, what are you going to do?”

“Don’t worry, I’m not going to kill anyone.” He took my hand while he used his thumb to page through his numbers, then hit speed dial for someone. “Get over here. Gloriana needs you.” He was silent for a moment. “Her place.” He ended the call.

I sat up. “Jerry, quit blocking your thoughts. I can’t—” “I am only doing what you asked me to do. Putting aside my personal feelings and letting you have your life. I called a friend for you. Someone who can help.” He sat beside me on the bed. His eyes were hot, his fists kept clenching and unclenching like he ached for a broadsword. Yet how could he fight the king of the Underworld? How could
we
?

I put my hands to my head. That question seemed to roll inside my brain endlessly. How do you fight a being so powerful, so impossibly evil? Just by being good? I could almost hear Lucifer’s mocking laughter in my head at the thought.

The hall door opened and Jerry jumped to his feet. He strode to the living room and low voices kept me from hearing what he said. Then there was a crash.

I jumped up and wrapped one of the blankets around me. I staggered to the doorway and saw Rafe, his fist bleeding as he pulled it from a hole in the Sheetrock next to the hall door. He looked at me with bleak eyes.

“I thought . . .” I took a shaky breath.

“That we’d got into it again?” Rafe glanced at Jerry. “No, we have a common enemy now.” He had a sheen of tears in his eyes as he walked toward me. “Damn me, but I’d have done anything to spare you this.”

“I know, Rafe. Please don’t blame yourself.” I fell into his arms but kept my eyes on Jerry, sending him a message, thanking him. “Shit happens. Am I right?”

“Not this kind of shit.” He said it into my wet hair and I felt a shudder go through him. “I will carry this guilt with me for the rest of my life.”

I saw Jerry nod, as if this was right and proper. I couldn’t get into that. Who understood the workings of hell or demons? But I knew now why Jerry had called a man he would rather I never touched again. I eased out of Rafe’s arms.

“Give me some credit here. I actually stopped that creep from crossing the finish line and I bet all of hell has a nice lavender scent now. If they weren’t afraid of getting sent down to test the latest torture device, the demons would probably be laughing it up at Luc’s expense.”