Real Vampires: Glory Does Vegas

by Bartlett, Gerry

  “I’m sure both of us would.” She turned to her husband. “Why wouldn’t we appreciate beautiful women?” She made eye contact with Dom. “They are beautiful, aren’t they, Dominic?”

  “Yes, yes, only the best.” He glared at me. “Glory does the choreography. Do you know if they are doing one of the dances in cowboy boots tonight, Glory? That’s a crowd favorite.”

  “I believe they are.” I forced a smile. “We have the showroom decorated for Halloween. It will be a lovely venue for the tasting. Cozy. I think your potential customers will be more comfortable in a smaller venue where we can control the security.”

  “It’s a shame you aren’t having it here, though.” Luca looked around. The suite was gaudy but luxurious. If you liked gold and satin—and who didn’t? —the living area was beautiful and big enough to host a small party.

  “We’ve had a tremendous response. Too many for a suite like this, Luca. Which is wonderful, don’t you think?” I finally made Dom smile. “Dom had the clever idea of making the tasting a costume party. The result is, we think we’ll get bidding wars on most of the territories. Has Dom shown you some of the emails he’s received? The inquiries are very encouraging.” I noticed a clock sitting on the marble mantle. “If we want to catch the first show, we’d better get you in a car very soon. What do you think?”

  “I think we should go.” Adela made it a command. “Come, Dominic, take us to your Velvet Slipper. You shouldn’t be ashamed of what you have. We researched you. We know exactly what you are doing in that club. We don’t care. Do you think we were always rich? Always able to afford our own jet and jewels like this one?” Adela wiggled her finger with that diamond at Dom.

  “Adela, I don’t know what to say.” Dom grinned, as happy as I’d seen him in months. “If the tasting goes as planned and we sell these territories for what I think we will, my dreams will come true. I will finally take my fortune to the next level. I hope we can do this together.”

  “We will.” Luca grabbed his elegant wife around her waist. “I can’t wait to see these topless dancers. Did you know there are pictures on the Internet of some of them? It wasn’t easy to find them.”

  “Luca wants to see the one called Donna. He has a crush on her. He has always liked red hair.” Adela kissed his cheek. He was a short man who wore thick glasses and had a receding hairline. I tried to imagine him next to the tall and beautiful Donna and almost laughed out loud. He obviously had a thing for tall women. Adela was at least five inches taller than he was. He did wear an expensive suit well. His tie was the same color as Adela’s lavender designer dress. Then I thought about how Lee would react if Luca got too friendly with Donna. I could see trouble on the horizon.

  “Donna will be there. Maybe you can get a picture with her. But it’s a strictly ‘look but don’t touch’ policy at the club. Don’t get your hopes up.” I encouraged them to go to the door. They didn’t realize I wasn’t going with them. I’d break the news to Dom when we got to the car.

  Luca walked beside me to the elevator. “Do you dance, Glory?” He had his eyes on the low cut of my red dress. I’d worn it because Jerry liked me in that color and he liked to see cleavage. So did Luca.

  “No, I work as a waitress.” I steered him into the elevator. “Dom, I need a word with you.”

  He was happily telling Adela about the arrangements for the tasting. “In the car. Hey, Luca, we will have another beautiful woman serving at the tasting. In costume. Glory, did she tell you what she’s wearing yet?”

  “Connie will be a cave girl.” I squeezed into the elevator with Valdez against my hip. We had three shape-shifters with us—Valdez, Caroline and a man who’d been introduced as simply Stan. He’d stayed by the door to the suite and had never said a word. I wondered if he spoke English.

  “I can’t wait for that.” Luca rubbed his hands together. “Adela, we must get costumes for the party. It will add to the fun.”

  “Costumes. Of course.” She frowned. “Security. Are you sure there will be enough? All those vampires in one place. It is concerning.” The elevator doors opened in the parking garage. “I want to see your plans for security, Dominic.”

  “We’ll go over that when we get to the club. Between shows.” Dom led the way to a stretch limo he’d hired for the evening. “Glory might like to help with that.”

  “Sorry, but I can’t.” I pulled him aside while the group walked to the car. “I need the rest of the night off.”

  “This is going well. Why bail on me now?” Dom kept looking at the car.

  “Jerry is in town and wants me with him. I want to be with him too. I’ve put in a lot of hours for you lately, Dom. I deserve some time off. I’m taking it now, okay?” I saw Adela look back at us before she climbed into the limo. “The Romanians seem happy.”

  “Yes, they are. Okay, go. You did a good job with them. I’ll see you tomorrow night as usual. If they like the show, they might be back.” He hurried to the limo and it soon drove away.

  “You got out of that. What now?” Valdez stood next to me.

  “I told you, we’re meeting Jerry and the Turnbulls.” I looked around for the valet and pulled out my ticket for the car. “He says the show is a surprise. We’ve got a few minutes to get there. Did you talk to Stan? Does he speak English?”

  “We spoke. He speaks enough German that we communicated. I speak other languages, Glory, just like Caro does. It’s a necessity in my business.” He nudged me with his head. “Better put on that leash. The dog police are approaching.”

  “Right.” I pulled it out of my evening bag, clipping it on just in time. Soon we were on our way to Jerry’s hotel. It was so close we could have walked but I had on high heels and didn’t want to ruin my hair in the wind that had picked up. All these tips and valet expenses were hurting my budget. I loved seeing Jerry but wished he could have come to my apartment for a change.

  When we got to Jerry’s suite, Maggie answered the door. She pulled me into her arms and I was suddenly back to the days when we’d been mortals together, trying to survive. We looked at each other, now wearing beautiful dresses and with men we loved. We couldn’t stop smiling.

  “It is so good to see you, dear friend.” She pulled me into the suite. “How are you doing?”

  “Actually..?” To my horror, I burst into tears.

  Maggie gathered me into her arms again. “God above, what’s wrong?” She patted my back. “The men aren’t here. They’ve gone down to pick up our costumes for Halloween. Do you want me to call Jeremiah?”

  “No!” I pulled back and looked around for a tissue. I’d ruined my makeup and what could Maggie do to help me anyway? She handed me a napkin from the bar and I blew my nose. I would look a fright. Valdez paced around us. “Valdez, go visit with Sherie, I need to talk to Maggie.”

  “Yes, you do. Tell her everything. Maybe she can help.” He stalked over to the windows where Sherie waited. Soon I could hear them murmuring together.

  Maggie pulled a compact out of her purse. “Here, let me fix you.” She used powder to blot under my eyes, then to take away what was no doubt the shine on my nose. “That’s better. Come sit and tell me what’s going on. What’s got you in such a state?”

  “A demon is threatening Jeremiah. It’s all my fault, Maggie, and I don’t know what to do about it.” I led her to a comfortable couch. She shooed away the shape-shifters and they took up posts next to the hall door.

  “How did you get involved with a demon?” She held my hands while I told her the whole story. “That sounds like you did a good thing but used the wrong method. I remember when you got tangled up with witches. You managed to come out all right in that situation.” She frowned and stared down at our hands. Mine was ringless while hers had another stunning diamond. This one was a yellow diamond, marquise cut in a beautiful antique setting. I touched it.

  “Is this new? It’s beautiful.”

  “Fergus found it in an antique store and gave it to me for our last anniversary.
So many years! He is a romantic man.” She shook her head. “Now don’t distract me. Why is this demon coming after Jeremiah?”

  “Because the demon wants to hurt me. He knows who is most important to me. He may also do his best to ruin Dom’s blood tasting. Just to make mischief. It’s all to get me to sell my soul to him.”

  “Would you, Glory? Would you sell your soul to keep Jeremiah safe?” Her hand tightened on mine.

  28

  “ I ’d like the answer to that.” The voice came from the doorway.

  I had been so consumed with my own thoughts, I hadn’t heard the door open. “Jerry!” I jumped up. “Sell my soul to save you?” I rushed to him. “Of course I would.”

  “Don’t be a fool. No man is worth that.” He pushed me away when I tried to hold him. “I would never ask it of you. Nor would I allow it.”

  “It may not be in your power to make such a decision.” I said it quietly, afraid of this attitude. “But I didn’t come here to talk of gloomy things. Fergus!” I kissed his cheek. “I am so glad to see you and Maggie. Dear friends. What costumes did you pick?”

  “Maggie wanted something exotic. It seems Las Vegas has plenty of opportunities for costume parties and we had a good choice in the shop downstairs.” He unzipped a cloth bag. “Come see, lovey, if this is to your liking.”

  Maggie and I both gasped. It was a jeweled Cleopatra costume that must have been worth a fortune. It would hug Maggie’s curves and look fantastic on her.

  “What will you be, my dear Fergie?” Maggie held her costume up to her, clearly delighted.

  “A Roman gladiator, of course, guarding his queen.” He pulled out a short leather soldier’s outfit in the ancient Roman style complete with breastplate. “I can pick up a spear if I want to bring it along, with a shield. It might be a bit awkward to carry, but great for defense if we get in a tangle.” He had another bag. “This one holds the boots to go with it. We’ll be quite a sight.”

  I rested my hand on Jerry’s arm. “I don’t have to ask what you’ll be wearing, do I?”

  “I know, I’m predictable. But I’m always comfortable in my kilt.” He finally smiled down at me. “I have concerns about the crowd that will be there as well. I’ll strap on my sword and knives. Demon be damned. I’m more worried about certain vampires who will be there.”

  I leaned against him. “Robert MacDonald for one.”

  “I knew it. Your boss sent out a guest list. Good of him. He knew there would be conflicts among certain vampires. We could decide whether coming was worth the risk beforehand. As if I’d let MacDonald’s presence keep me from taking advantage of a business opportunity.” He strode to the windows and looked out, putting his back to us.

  “Of course, you wouldn’t. A man without your strength might have decided differently.” I followed him and slid my arms around his waist. “What show are we going to see? I admit, I’m looking forward to our night out.” Because I feared we might not have many more.

  “There’s a magic show that’s highly rated. Fergus wanted to see it. We have very good seats, a private box.” Jerry held me against him. “I haven’t forgotten about this demon thing you are so worried about. We’ll talk about it later. Promise you’ll tell me everything.”

  “I will. I must. You have to be careful. I don’t know what you can do against a demon, but he’s determined to hurt me through you. It’s…” I laid my head on his chest. To be close to him, to feel his strength, that was what I needed to find my own will to fight. “Well, I am trying to find a way to get him to stop, to back off.”

  “You don’t think I can handle him?” He used his thumb to brush away what I was afraid was a tear. “Have I ever let you down before, Gloriana?”

  “No, you are my champion. Always. This time, though, you are fighting against someone, something that may be impossible for you to defeat. He certainly won’t play fair.” I held on and breathed him in.

  “I thought you smelled like sage.” He tipped up my chin so I could see his smile. “A good first step. Let me think on it, my warrior woman. Surely, we can take care of this. I have faith, even if you don’t.”

  “Faith. Oh, a demon would hate that word.” I pulled away and patted his chest.

  He looked a treat in a bespoke suit from Savile Row in London. Jeremiah knew how to dress even when he wasn’t in his beloved kilt. Black suit, red tie, white shirt and a tiny bit of a red silk in his pocket. His shirt sported gold cufflinks with the Campbell crest. He’d had a recent haircut but left it a bit long in back. I loved it that way.

  “You told Maggie?” He pulled me toward the door.

  “Yes.” I held his hand, so firm, so strong.

  “Then Fergus will soon know. She shares everything with him.” He squeezed my fingers. “Among all of us, surely we can find a solution for you. As I said, demons be damned.”

  But even as he said it, I felt a shiver from a cold wind blowing my skirt. Was my lover tempting the Devil to try his worst? I followed him to the elevator, Valdez and Sheri left behind. I almost wished they could stay with us. We were relying on our vampire skills to save us at the performance. I hoped they’d be enough.

  “I’ve heard one of the magic shows on the Strip is special.” I leaned forward in our box. “I think this might be the one.”

  “What do you mean?” Maggie sat next to me. Our men had settled behind us as we waited for the show to start.

  “Watch and you’ll see.” The lights went off except for a spotlight on a man who floated down from above the stage. The audience gasped. Magic? Or was this man a vampire with some extraordinary skills? The show began and we watched things disappear then reappear in the audience. The man was dressed all in silver, his hair a mane of black curls. We clapped along with the rest, but when he flew over us, we all inhaled and knew—this man was a vampire.

  “No wonder he has such an easy time with his tricks. I think he’s mesmerizing the audience. All of us.” Jeremiah sounded grumpy. “I’m not staring at the son of a bitch again.”

  “Oh, come on. It’s fun. And he is a good magician. I can’t figure out where those pigeons are coming from.” I leaned forward. The vamps at the Council House had talked about this man. I wanted to meet him. His skills were fantastic. It made me wonder if he could know how to trick a demon.

  “Jerry, we need to go introduce ourselves after the show.” I turned to him and poked his knee. “He might be able to help me with my latest problem.”

  “I doubt it. He’s doing tricks, Gloriana.” Jerry stared at the stage. “But then again, demons are known for their trickery. Yes, let’s meet him. He does sound Scottish. I like that. What do you say, Fergus, Maggie?”

  “Why not? Glory’s right. She’s after answers. It can’t hurt to get a new opinion.” Maggie watched the stage. “Where is he getting those pigeons?”

  We all trooped down to the stage area after the show. When a security guard tried to stop us from going to the dressing room, Jerry stared into the man’s eyes until he let us pass. We saw cages of the white pigeons The Great Alexander Anderston used in his show. When we got to the door with the big star on it, Jerry knocked.

  “Come.”

  “Mr. Anderston, we enjoyed your show.” I went first, hoping a female might make him a little more welcoming than the glower on Jerry’s face. We weren’t met by Anderston himself but by a shape-shifter who stood at least seven feet tall. He stayed between us and the magician.

  “What do ye want?” The voice with the Scottish burr came from the dressing table where the man who’d done the tricks was removing makeup with a sponge. He suddenly jumped up. “By God, four of ye. Smell the lot, Harry. Vampires.”

  “Aye, but I can take ̕em if need be.” The shifter flexed his muscles.

  “We mean you no harm, sir.” I tried to get closer but was truly blocked by the bulky Harry. “I was wondering if you could help me. You seem to have some extraordinary skills.” I smelled vampire and shifter. Did I also get a hint of demon? Was that
how Alexander Anderston had gotten his skills, a deal with the Devil? Or was I being paranoid?

  “I worked damned hard to learn every trick.” The magician pushed Harry out of the way. “I usually avoid other vampires, though we have some pretty ones here.” He reached for my hand.

  “These pretty ones are taken.” Jerry stepped up beside me. Fergus took Maggie’s arm in a death grip that made me smile.

  “I’ve found the other vampires in Las Vegas most welcoming. The Council House—”

  Anderston grimaced. “Don’t say it. That place is a horror, my dear. But do go on about why you are here. I am intrigued.” He put his hands behind his back. “Please, call me Alex.”

  “I wondered…” I didn’t want to insult him. “I wondered if you had ever had occasion to deal with a demon. I am currently being hounded by one. He’s trying to make me pay for a favor I made the mistake of asking him for. Now I’m afraid he will hurt my friends, do horrible things to one in particular. I’m desperate to stop him. Trick him if I can.” I was saying too much but couldn’t seem to stop. Jerry’s arm was around me.

  “You can see she’s upset, Anderston. I’m sorry if we came to the wrong place.” Jerry nodded. “I will figure out a way to handle it.”

  Anderston laughed. “Handle a demon? Good luck with that.” He looked us over. “I see what you’re insinuating and I won’t bother to deny it. How do you think I learned so many tricks? Death defying some of them. Not that I am worried about death.” He chuckled and slapped his leg, the silver suit shining in the lights from his makeup mirror. “This Las Vegas act is just the beginning. Come see me perform in Paris, London. Houdini knew nothing compared to what I’m planning next.”

  “You truly have a demon to thank for your skills?” I gasped when he nodded. “Did you give him your soul? Or…” I waited while Anderston and his shifter exchanged looks.