Real Vampires: Glory Does Vegas

by Bartlett, Gerry

  “Get someone else to cover your shift. Play hooky. That club can run without you for one night.” He nibbled my ear then down to my jugular.

  Clear thoughts weren’t helping his cause. “This time the answer is no, Dom. I need the money I get from tips. I have to work. Understand? If you don’t want to go to the club maybe Caro can drive me and Valdez there.” I leaned away from his mouth on my neck. “I’m not in any shape to give you blood and I don’t want to take yours. Or have sex.”

  “That’s blunt enough.” He let go of me. “I wish you could see yourself in a mirror. Or could have seen how you looked outside holding that sword and wearing shorts that showed off your ass to perfection. Then there was that shirt which wouldn’t stay buttoned. My God, but you were a sight. Wait!” He ran out of the bedroom and in a minute came back with a laptop.

  “I have cameras outside. Security. Let’s see what happened.” He set the laptop on the bed and pushed some keys.

  I couldn’t help it, I wanted to see myself for a change. I sat next to him while he found the right camera and backtracked to the time when we had been fighting the wolves.

  “There! You’re coming outside. See?” He glanced at me. “Holy shit, you’re hot. You hold your sword like you’re ready to take care of business. Then that wolf dives at you. Bam!” Dom slashed with his arm, making the bed rock and computer jump. “Yeah, there you go, giving that wolf quite a wound. He ran off with his tail between his legs then collapsed. I hope he’s dead.” Dom put his arm around me and squeezed. “I’m so proud of you!”

  I leaned against him while we watched the rest of the fight. There was no sound, which frustrated Dom. He vowed to upgrade his security system then and there. But he rewound the copy again, excited by the action.

  After we’d watched it a third time, he turned to me. “You kept me from doing something I would have regretted. I don’t want to get distracted right now from my business. A war with those damned wolves would have done just that.” He kissed me, not one of those “let’s have sex” kisses but a sweet “thank you” kiss. “I won’t forget this.”

  “I’ve seen lots of fighting in my time, Dom. I really didn’t want that to escalate into a blood bath. You know what I mean?” I rested my hand on his chest. “Now are you going with me to the club or not?”

  “Not. I’ve got work to do here. Planning for the blood tasting in October. I can do that on the computer here without distractions. I’ll get Caroline to drive you to the club.” He shut the computer lid and climbed off the bed, offering me his hand to help me scoot off. He wasn’t totally through trying to seduce me, teasing open my shirt when I slid into his arms as my feet hit the floor.

  “You had a rough start this evening.” He slipped his hand inside to cup my breast. “You could stay here, relax and read that book you were going to borrow. Indulge yourself in my hot tub outside. It’s nice to sit there under the stars.” He pulled me closer. “How much would you make tonight anyway? A hundred bucks? I’ll—”

  I put my hand over his mouth. “Don’t you dare say it. Don’t you dare offer me money to stay here.” I knew he was used to a certain kind of relationship with women. Was that all I was to him? I stared into his eyes and let him see how I felt. Hurt and, yes, angry.

  He took my hand and kissed it. “I’m sorry, Glory. That was stupid and an insult to you. I get that. Stay if you want to. Don’t let me keep you from doing what you feel is necessary.” He dropped my hand and stepped back. “I’m an ass. I want us to be friends. I don’t have many vampire friends and I could use someone to talk to who understands our world.”

  “So could I.” I buttoned my shirt. “I’d like to come back and enjoy your hot tub on my night off. I’ll borrow that book too.” I kissed his cheek. He had developed a scruff and it looked good on him.

  “Grab a bottle of something out of the fridge to drink on your way out.” He walked me to the door. “How’s the hangover?”

  “Somehow fighting werewolves helped me forget all about it.” I winced when he bellowed for Caroline to bring the car around. “Well, almost.” I glanced at a grandfather clock in his library that we passed through before we walked downstairs. “I’m going to be late.” I grabbed the book I’d wanted and hurried down the stairs.

  “I’ll call Manny and let him know you were helping me with a special project.” He kept his hand on my shoulder while he escorted me to the front door where Valdez waited.

  “Please don’t do that, you’ll have everyone in the club gossiping about us.” I’d put on my thong, but held my bra and knew Valdez was drawing his own conclusions about what had happened last night.

  “When they see you arrive in my car, they’ll gossip anyway.” Dom opened the door. “Come back anytime, I mean it. You can help me just by being here, talking and relaxing. Hopefully the werewolves have backed off for good.” He glanced at the fireplace. “Maybe we could practice our swordcraft.”

  “That would be fun.” I grinned at him. “Whoever draws first blood pays a forfeit.” Uh oh. Suddenly Dom’s eyes darkened. I knew that look.

  “A forfeit? Now you’re talking. It’s a date. Come back tomorrow night.” He was out and opening the back door of the waiting car before I could answer. “That’s your night off, isn’t it?”

  “Um, yes.” Before I could stop him, he kissed me. Showing off in front of Valdez, he made it a good one. I gave him a shove. “Friends, remember?”

  “Friends with benefits.” He murmured in my ear, pulling me close again.

  Damned shirt would not stay buttoned. I shook my head and fell into the car, managing to shut the door in his face. I ignored Valdez’s indignant exclamation. He had to wait for Caro to get out of the car and let him in when Dom just strode into the house. I told him to ride in front with her. I had too much to think about.

  Valdez hung his head over the seat as Caro drove us away from the house. “Think about this: You’re planning to meet Jerry at the October blood tasting. How is it going to work if you’re having a hot and heavy affair with Dom then? Huh?”

  “Valdez, is that any of your business?” Caro poked him in the chest. “We’re bodyguards, dude. That’s all.”

  “Maybe that’s how your job works, but Glory and I are friends too. I look out for her in all ways.” He nudged her with a paw then looked back at me again.

  “I’m not having a hot and heavy affair with Dom. We’re friends. If we want to flirt, that’s just in fun. Leave me alone.” I picked up the book and flipped through it. Hah! As if I could concentrate on reading when Valdez had brought up exactly what I was worried about. Chemistry. I had plenty with Dom and, oh my aching libido. I needed relief or I was going to die from frustration.

  “At least you had the good sense to go to your job tonight. I admit I was surprised. I expected you to invent an excuse to skip out on it.” Valdez kept staring at me.

  “I need the money. Besides, Mae put that Chanel bag up on eBay for me. I want to see how the bidding went. The auction ends tonight.” I tried to focus on finances. Boons like this could seriously improve my bank balance. I had to take my business seriously. If Dom was being real about our friendship then he could help me set up a spreadsheet, something I knew I needed. Too bad even the word gave me a headache. Or was that the hangover again?

  I was happy to see a bottle of one of Dom’s synthetics in a rack in front of me. His car was set up like a limousine and Caro must have refilled the container there from the night before. I grabbed the bottle and twisted off the top. It was another expensive brew with a kick. I didn’t think it was alcohol, but it had something extra that immediately gave me energy. Good, I needed it.

  “You going to do something about your hair?” Valdez was looking at me again.

  “What can I do? I’m hoping Misty will have time to fix it. She’s a former beautician, you know.” I tried to run my hand though it and failed. I had to hope I had a decent costume in my locker then I would have to borrow makeup at the club too. There was defin
itely going to be gossip when I arrived in Dom’s car looking like I’d had a wild night.

  “They are going to know you and Dom…” Valdez shook his head. “You’ll be just one more of his conquests.”

  “Thanks a lot. I know what I look like. Don’t I get points for helping fight off the werewolves?” I finished the bottle of synthetic, recapped it and put it back in the rack. I was feeling awesome, like I could take on the world. “Caro, whatever was in that synthetic, I’d like to buy some if it’s not too expensive. It was amazing.”

  “I thought you’d like it. It’s from China. Lots of things in it guaranteed to give you energy. It’s herbal, not anything like a drug or alcohol. I’ll make sure you get a discount. I sent some to Pops and Gran and they’re hooked on it too.” She quoted a price that wasn’t too bad as she pulled into the parking lot.

  “You’ve got about a half hour before the first show. I have to get back to Dom’s place or I’d stay and help you with your hair.” She turned around and gave me a pitying look. “You definitely need some repair.”

  “Don’t I know it. For the record, you two, all Dom and I did was die together.” I opened my door. “I’ll definitely take the synthetic. It’s wonderful.” I got out and opened the front car door for Valdez to hop out.

  “Thanks a lot, Caro. Come on, V. Time to face the music.” I had the book and my bra in my hands, tennis shoes on my feet and wore Dom’s troublesome shirt over my shorts along with a day-old thong. God, I felt like the poster child for a walk of shame.

  The break room was the usual sight of pandemonium before a show. When I walked in the noise suddenly stopped. Yes, you could have heard a pin drop. Cliché but when Mae actually did drop the pin she was using to fix Donna’s broken strap, I heard it. Yes, I did.

  “Well, someone had a date last night.” Donna winked at me. That broke the general paralysis and everyone talked and moved at once.

  “Oh, honey. Let me at that hair!” Misty was ready for the show and she came close, picking up a strand. “Clean but we’ll have to wet it and blow it dry again. What were you thinking?”

  “I wasn’t. Got interrupted right after I washed it.” I was dragged into the dressing room and my head thrust into a sink where she used a sprayer to wet my hair. The water was cold but she seemed to get pleasure from my squeals and shivers.

  “Interrupted. Oh, been there. Shower sex. Don’t you love it?” She shoved me into a chair and picked up a blow dryer and a brush. “This is gonna hurt, you’ve got tangles, but we have to suffer for beauty, right?”

  I didn’t dare speak while she went after my hair with a vengeance. I aimed my chair so Misty wouldn’t notice that I wasn’t reflecting in the wall mirror. Why was she so mad at me? She didn’t have a thing for Dom, did she? Then I managed to catch her eyes and read her mind. Oh. She blamed me for Sid’s departure. She hadn’t had a real date since. He had been a loser, but he had been her loser. Now she was back in the rat race, trying to find a steady lover. She liked having someone and now she was lonely. This situation was all my fault. Mine and that damned dog.

  “Misty. I’m sorry I’ve messed up your life. Would you like for me to move out?” I bit back a yelp when she pulled out a tuft of hair with a violent tug.

  She turned off the dryer. “No! I can’t afford to live without a roommate.” She threw down the brush. “I’m sorry. Maybe someone else should finish your hair.” She knuckled away a tear, smearing her mascara. “Damn it, look what I’ve done. Tiffany, get in here and fix up Glory, will you?”

  Tiffany ran in and picked up the brush. “Sure. I have to say I was surprised you went with Dom. You warned me about him.”

  “I know. What can I say? I’d had a dry spell. Know what I mean?” I watched Misty fix her mascara. “Misty, you make good money here. Why can’t you afford to stay in that apartment by yourself?” I knew the rent was cheap. My half was ridiculously cheap, which was why I’d answered her ad in the first place.

  Misty straightened and turned away from the mirror. Her eyes were filling again but she sniffed as if that would hold back the tears. She took a deep shuddering breath. Tiffany stopped brushing and also waited for an answer.

  “Yes, I make enough money to pay all of it but…” Misty stared down at the floor then looked up, her eyes wide. “I have a terrible secret!”

  18

  T iffany and I gathered next to Misty as she collapsed into a chair.

  “Secret? What is it?” I glanced around. We were the only ones in the dressing room. “If you want to keep it that way, maybe we should close the door.”

  “Yes!” Misty straightened from her slump. “Don’t let Donna hear us. Go, shut the door.”

  Tiffany ran and even locked it. “What’s the deal?”

  I was as confused as Tiffany and I’d lived with Misty for months now. I was desperate to look into her mind, something I’d tried to avoid since I’d moved in. I’d made a conscious decision not to invade her privacy that way when I met her. Going around reading mortal’s minds was a good way to hear things you’d rather not know. Now I waited, even though the suspense was killing me.

  “I’m a compulsive gambler.” Misty threw up her hands. “There, I’ve said it.” She bowed her head and sobbed. “It’s ruined my life. I’ve tried to stop, I have. Gone to meetings about it and everything. But then look where we live!”

  “Honey, I understand. My Uncle Pete lost everything on the ponies. That’s why Aunt Lucy dumped his sorry ass.” Tiffany patted her on the shoulder. “I guess you’re broke. That’s why you need Glory to share your apartment.”

  “Yes. But that’s not all.” Misty looked up. “I’ve had terrible luck, Glory. Gambled away rent money, car payments. I can’t tell you how many cars I’ve had repossessed. I hocked the wedding rings from my marriage and I was still married to the guy!” She looked away from my stare. “Yeah, he dumped my sorry ass for that.”

  “Why don’t you want Donna to hear about this?” I had certainly picked up on that when we’d shut the door, a door that was being pounded on right now. I grabbed some makeup from the pile in front of me and slapped it on by feel, what I did every night at home. I was running out of time. Tiffany did something with my hair and tried to make me look in the mirror but I jumped out of the chair.

  “It’s almost show time, Misty. We have to let the girls in to do a last-minute hair and makeup check.”

  “I know.” Misty glanced in the mirror, wiping away mascara from under her eyes. She slipped off the robe that had covered her costume. It was Western night and she had on the skimpy vest and a skirt that covered her G-string. She pulled on her cowboy boots.

  “Donna?” Tiffany leaned into the mirror and added eye shadow then put on her own boots.

  “I’m deeply in debt to the organization that Donna’s boyfriend Lee works for.” Misty grabbed my hand. “I’m scared to death of them, Glory. They’re demanding payments and I’m so far behind I see no hope of catching up unless I hit it big in the casino after work tonight.”

  “What happened to the money you won? You showed me all that cash.” I’d even started trying the casinos myself after that. I sure hadn’t had her luck but I could see how you could get addicted to the rush, the excitement in those places.

  “It’s not nearly enough. I’ll use it as my stake tonight.” She squeezed my hand. “Go with me, Gloria. I need moral support.”

  I shook off her hand. “Maybe you should just work the crowd here, get more photos taken and try for big tips. You can’t count on gambling.”

  “You sure can’t.” Tiffany shook her head as she walked over to unlock the door. “I tried a slot machine. Lost fifty bucks in five minutes. I work too hard for my money to see it disappear that fast.”

  “Oh, you don’t know what you’re doing. Video poker. Or the High Limit Slots can pay off big if you do them right. Come with me after work, Gloria, please,” Misty pleaded as Tiffany threw open the door and the rest of the dancers rushed inside. “What we make
here in a night is chump change. A drop in the bucket compared to what I need to get some breathing room with these people.”

  “What’s going on? We’ve got five minutes before show time and I need more blush.” Donna walked straight to her makeup kit. “Glory, they’re yelling at you to get out there and you’re not even dressed yet. Mae said to tell you she put a fresh costume and a check in your locker. My Chanel bag did some good on eBay so I may bring you a Fendi next. Lee is generous but he has no idea what I like. Know what I mean?” She turned to the mirror. “God, I look like a hag.”

  I ignored her and rushed out to the break room and my locker.

  “You’re late. Manny is talking about firing you.” Valdez sat next to the bench, munching on a beef stick. “Thank God Mae brought me a snack or I’d starve.”

  “Doubt it. I’m sure Caro fixed you something at Dom’s.” I’d definitely smelled bacon at his house and she sure wasn’t cooking for Dom. I squealed when I saw the size of my check. Mae had left but first she’d written out a detailed accounting for what we’d made. Even after deducting her percentage, I’d cleared six hundred dollars on that bag. Wow! I pulled out my fresh costume and hurried into the restroom to put it on. Valdez was the last one waiting when I came out so we were finally alone.

  “You look better than when we left Dom’s house.” He gave me the eye. “You going to tell me what was going on behind the closed door with Misty and Tiffany?”

  “After my shift. I gotta go.” I stuffed my dirty clothes in my locker and rushed to the bar. Manny tried to give me grief, in the mood to fire me because the other waitress had complained. She also had a friend who needed a job. I finally told Manny I’d been with Dom. That made him change his tune. I didn’t like having to use that excuse, but what else could I do?

  We were busy and the crowd loved the shows. I felt like I could take some of the credit for that. My dances were fun and the girls had learned them well enough to put some enthusiasm into the high kicks. They were in sync and managed to drop their skirts in time to the music. Near the end of the night, I reminded Manny that firing me would mean he’d have to start inventing new dances again. That calmed him down. The crowd was lively and even generous with tips. I got to last call feeling like it had been a good night all in all.