“Spyte, bad boy. You’re upsetting our Florence. And she’s on the verge—”
“Out of my house!” The roar made the crystal chandelier in the center of the closet rattle. Richard held his Bible in front of him and wore a crucifix around his neck.
“Spoilsport.” Cary whirled and let his true and hideous scaly snout show. “I’d refuse but I have other business else-where and this was getting boring. Come, Spyte.”
“Aw, I was having fun.” Spyte blinked. “Here’s a parting gift, Florence, to keep us in your heart.” He grinned, then disappeared along with Cary. Suddenly the air was filled with flying insects.
“Moths! Mio Dio! They will devour my silks, my wools! Ricardo, do something!” Flo collapsed in his arms, tears running down her face.
I leaned over, feeling sick, like maybe I could throw up. “Glory, are you okay?” Jerry sat beside me and put his arm around me.
“No, I did this. Got them interested in Flo.”
“Yes, you did. You’d better leave.” Richard still held Flo but he was staring at me. “Darling, calm down. I’ll call an exterminator. Surely they can’t do that much damage.”
Flo jerked away from him, grabbed a leather bag and started swatting at the hundreds of moths. This just made them dive into her clothes to hide. “This is too cruel. I can’t bear to watch.” She threw herself on Richard again and buried her face in his shirt, sobbing.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean . . .” I wiped the tears off my cheeks.
“Glory!” Flo pulled away from Richard and held out her hands to me. “I don’t blame you. I am weak. I never should have listened for even a minute.”
“They’re clever, Flo. And Richard is right, I got you noticed.” I stood, my legs rubbery, and leaned against Jerry. “We’re going. I’m sorry for this . . .” I waved my hand, batting at the moths that had ventured out again. I felt some on my hair and brushed them away.
“Not your fault, amiga.” Flo frowned when he tried to stop her and finally stepped away from Richard to hug me. “I will call you tomorrow.”
“I won’t hold you to that. Just save your clothes. I’m so, so sorry.” I noticed Richard didn’t say anything. Jerry was quiet too as he led me out of the house and to his SUV. It wasn’t until we were driving back down the hills and toward his house that he finally spoke.
“What did we walk in on?”
“The demons were trying to get Flo to sign away her soul.” I took a shaky breath. “I swear, if you two hadn’t intervened, I was afraid she was going to go for it.”
“This demon shit has got to end, Glory.” Jerry reached over and took my hand.
“You think I don’t want it to?” I sighed.
“This all goes back to Valdez.” Jerry squeezed my hand.
“I’m still helping him, Jer. Besides, I don’t think they’d let me back out now anyway. They seem to be having too much fun at my expense.” I sighed and looked out the window at the dark night. “Take me home. I need to make sure Penny gets in all right.”
“Fine.” He took his hand back to the steering wheel.
I decided that it was past time for me to make some things clear with Jerry and this was one of them. Yes, I hated the demon thing, but I was going to have to resolve it myself. End of story. I just hoped none of my friends ended up as collateral damage.
Fifteen
“We need to talk.” This time I said it and Jerry was the one making the face like “Here it comes.”
“Fine. What do you want to talk about?” He brought me a bottle of synthetic and settled me on the couch. “I know you’re still upset about what happened with Florence. So am I.”
“Yes. The demons are out of control. I’m surprised they haven’t approached you.” I took a sip of the cold drink but it didn’t help. My insides were still Jell-O.
“I think they sense that it would do them no good. They obviously poke about for vulnerabilities. I’ve learned to hide mine pretty well over the years.” He sat beside me, his arm along the back of the couch.
“But you have some.” I studied him in the dim light from the kitchen, the only light we’d turned on. Penny wasn’t home yet, but I really didn’t expect her until right before dawn. She still had two more hours.
“You, of course. And my family. I have that need to protect what I consider mine, you know.” He met my gaze, his dark eyes serious. “I know you hate when I say that. The ‘mine’ thing.”
“Yes, I do. I don’t belong to anyone but myself.” I sighed. “And you see that as me being difficult.”
“Gloriana, I made you vampire. To me it’s simple. I’m responsible for you. It’s been bred into me not to shirk my responsibilities.” He touched my cheek. “And then there’s the fact that I love you. So I want to keep you safe. It’s a strong need that I can’t seem to deny. No matter how many roadblocks you throw in my path.”
“I guess most women would be honored, would let you have at it.” I sighed at the touch of his hand. “I just wish we could be together without complications.”
“What you see as complications, I see as simply the way things should be.” He tugged me closer. “You are so damned stubborn about this. Is it because of Valdez?”
“Don’t put this on him. It’s all about me. Because I have to be free to choose my own way. To fight demons by his side. Or make love with you.” I threw out my hands. “Or even spend time with Ray if I wish.”
“You ask a lot, Gloriana.” Jerry withdrew his arm and stood. “I don’t know if it’s in me to share you like that.”
“I know.” I didn’t cry, my eyes suddenly very dry as I felt that truth down to my toes. “I’ve always known, Jerry. But I don’t want to lose you. So my wish is that you’ll work on being less, uh, I hate this word, but controlling.”
“That is a harsh word.” He ran his fingers through his hair and walked around the coffee table to pace the length of the room. “But I learned to do it at an early age. It’s what a commander must do to his troops.”
“I’m not a troop.” I leaned back, glad we could talk calmly about this.
“Of course not.” He stopped, his back to the TV. “I’m trying to explain where my attitude came from. Da taught it to me as a boy. Along with the way the men in my family have always treated their women.”
“Oh, yes. Don’t get me started on that.” I leaned forward. “You know your father isn’t exactly a good role model for you. Your parents have been separated for more decades than they’ve been together. And when they’re together, it’s like being in the middle of a battlefield.”
“True enough.” Jerry started pacing again. “’Tis the fate of the Campbell men to love strong women, it seems. Bloody hell, but I can’t just talk this out and suddenly be a different man for you, Gloriana, much as I’d like to be.”
“Obviously. Or I think you would have done it long ago. You’ve always seemed motivated.” I stood and walked over to him. “I’m just asking for an end to this constant jealousy. To this feeling I get that I have to hide things from you, tiptoe around you or you’ll go off.”
“You are hiding things from me?” He grabbed my shoulders.
“See? That’s all you heard.” I stepped back. “Stop it. Don’t do this again. No, I’m not hiding anything. Or I don’t think I am.” I put my hand to my head. What I’d told Jerry or what I hadn’t seemed impossible to keep straight right now and I wasn’t sure I had it in me to even try.
“Come here. Let me hold you.” He pulled me into his arms, which felt way too much like a safe haven.
Oh, but it was seductive. I was feeling much too vulnerable after that whole demon incident with Flo. It was tempting to just take the easy way here. My head hurt, my stomach still rolled and Jerry’s broad shoulders could take on everything, even demons.
And those evil slimes were always watching, apparently, just waiting for a chance to swoop in and try their luck with anyone I came in contact with. It was enough to make me want to put my head down on Jerry’
s strong chest and weep. Who would they try for next? Ray? Another “easy takedown” as Spyte had said.
“Gloriana, sweetheart. You’re shaking. I don’t know what those bastards are doing to you, but please let me help.” Jerry picked me up and carried me to my bedroom. He laid me on the bed and knelt beside it. “Let me get Richard involved. He helped before, didn’t he?”
“He’s furious with me. He won’t let Flo within miles of me now.” I stared at the ceiling. “Not that it will do any good to keep her away from me. Now that they’ve started in on her, I don’t have to be around for them to do their seduction routine. This was just their first pass.”
“You’re not responsible for Florence’s soul. If she’s weak, that’s her fault.” Jerry held my hand. “And anyone else who gives in to their offers, it’s on their heads, not yours.”
I looked at him. “So why can’t you say that about Rafe? He isn’t making these demons do anything. They promised they’d be satisfied with Simon and the Energy Vampires. That, if we get them, they’ll leave us alone.”
“And you believe them?” Jerry shook his head. “Haven’t you learned anything from this latest incident?”
“You’re right.” I sat up. “We’ve got to make sure the demons know that after this they’re never welcome in Austin again.”
“That would be quite a trick.” Jerry got up off the floor to sit on the bed beside me. “How on earth could we do that?”
“We? So you’re in? You think you could work with Rafe and me to do this?” I grabbed his hands. “Without getting into a fight over it?”
“I’ll do whatever it takes to make you safe. And if it means giving up jealousy.” He winced. “Well, I’ll be working on that. Maybe there’s a twelve-step program I can join.”
I hugged him. “There is! I’ll get online and find a meeting for you here in town.”
“Seriously?” Jerry had obviously been bluffing and I’d just called him on it.
“Seriously. Bottom line, either you trust me or you don’t. I’ve told Rafe we’re done. Do you think I’m so weak I can’t resist him?” I leaned back and gave him a look that meant business.
“No. You’ve proved time and again that you aren’t weak, my girl. You’re getting stronger all the time and I love that about you.” He leaned down and kissed me. “So the fault here is mine. I’ll go to the bloody meetings and do whatever it takes to prove I want us to work.”
“Thank you, Jerry. And I take blame too. I betrayed you. You have reason to wonder about Rafe, I know that.” I kissed him this time, showing him how much I loved him.
“Now all we need to do is survive.” Jerry held me close. “I’m talking to Richard. He can’t guard Florence twenty-four-seven. He’ll want to help us send these demons back to hell and he’s something of an expert with these matters. Am I right?”
“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.
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