Real Vampires Hate Their Thighs

by Gerry Bartlett

Page 58

 

  “Don’t be daft. Next it’ll be one of your bairns ’napped and staked and then you’ll have to retaliate. Hasn’t that been the way of it for centuries?” Ian shook his head. “You and my father are fools, stuck in a time when action substituted for brains. ”

  “I don’t have to listen to this. ” Angus reached for me.

  “Touch her and I won’t hesitate to hurt you, Da. ” Jerry had his hands on his father’s neck.

  “You won’t have to. I’m taking care of any one of you who lays a hand on the lady. ” Valdez had ripped a leg off a table and held the jagged piece of wood in his hand as he leaped into position next to me. “Now, listen to what she has to say or die. ”

  “Shit, Valdez, way to go. ” Ray shouldered past Ian to flank my other side. “You heard the man. Let her say her piece. ”

  I took a shaky breath and prayed this would work. “Okay, now listen. I have a bottle of Ian’s daylight formula here. ” I held it up. “Angus, you’d like to see the sun, wouldn’t you?”

  “I don’t believe in that nonsense. ” Angus didn’t take his eyes off the makeshift stake in Rafe’s hands.

  “Believe it. I told you. It works. Want to see the sun again?” I waved it under his nose. “You could try it this very day. ”

  “And trust a MacDonald? I’d have to be mad. ” He finally glanced at me.

  “He sold the bottle to me, Angus. Had no idea a Campbell might taste it. It’s safe. You could see the sun rise. ” I reached out and brushed his cheek, so much like his son’s, with the back of my fist. I looked past him and gazed into Jerry’s dark eyes. “It’s beautiful, Angus. The break of day. Can you remember it? The cool quiet as the earth turns and the sun begins to peek above the horizon?”

  Angus cleared his throat. “It’s been too long, lass. Ye ken I’ve not seen it in centuries. And even then I was apt to play all night and sleep well into the day. ”

  “So this would be a new and wondrous experience. ” I grabbed his hand, jabbing it with the dolphin before tossing it impatiently aside to press the bottle into it. “Just imagine, Angus. Ian can make that happen. Is working on making it possible for vampires to actually walk in the sun without burning. ”

  “True. It’s still a work in progress. ” Ian nodded. “Right now all I can promise is a view of the day from safely inside, where the sun’s rays can’t harm you. ”

  “What’s to keep us from taking your formula, making this stuff ourselves and then staking you anyway?” Angus clutched the bottle and stared at Ian like he was primed to do just that.

  “I have my formulas right up here. ” Ian pointed to his head. “Nowhere else. I die and all my work goes with me. Do you really want to lose that opportunity, Campbell?”

  “Not sure I believe it anyway. But can’t deny the MacDs are a wily bunch or we would have finished this feud in our favor centuries ago. ” Angus looked down at the bottle again, then at Jerry. “You trust what Gloriana says? Enough to take this potion with her?”

  Jerry narrowed his eyes on Ian. “Gloriana’s word I don’t doubt for a second. But Ian’s swill? Glory, it did strange things to you. Remember?”

  “Jerry, please. This is different. I know you must be as sick of this feud as Ian is. Prove to your father that this works and maybe . . . ” I wondered if I was wasting my breath, but Angus still stared down at the bottle in his hand. Maybe not.

  “The secret to seeing daylight. Mag and I talked of this after Gloriana told us what happened to her. I agree a businessman is unlikely to poison a paying customer. Is there another untainted bottle handy, lass? One this MacDonald intended to sell ye?” Angus thrust his bottle into Jerry’s hand.

  I turned to Ray. “Give me your bottle, Ray. I’m sure Ian will give you another one. ”

  “Of course. ” Ian smiled. “And, Campbell, I guarantee you and your son will be back with your checkbooks once you’ve proof for yourself that the potion works. Of course I take all major credit cards. Price list is on my Web site. ”

  “Web sites. Credit cards. Seems the MacDonalds have gone soft in the new century. ” Angus toyed with the handle of a dagger stuck in his belt. “Jeremiah, you don’t have to do this. We can still finish things here and now. ”

  Two of Ian’s guards, who’d been in the shadows, suddenly moved in behind Ian. They looked ready to leap into action. I wondered if this was all about to go to hell in a hurry.

  “Soft?” Ian laughed and gestured. More guards appeared on the roof. “You’re outnumbered two to one. But I’ll not take anything for granted. I know Highlanders. ”

  Angus never blinked. “Aye. That you should. ”

  “No, Da. I’ll go with Gloriana and try the drug. If I see daylight, then we’ll know this MacDonald is worth more alive than dead. ” Jerry held out his hand to me. “Is that what you wish, Gloriana?”

  “If it will keep you all from killing each other. ” I glanced at Ray, then stepped toward Jerry. “Rafe’s coming too. ”

  Angus frowned. “All right, MacDonald. But if this doesn’t work, you know I’ll be back. And I’ll no waste time blatherin’ either. ”

  “I make no claim I can’t back up with facts. ” Ian stuck his hands in his pockets and smiled.

  Angus swept his clansmen with a stare. “I have said how it will be. MacDonald, your men will not follow them. Agreed?”

  “Agreed. Jeremiah, enjoy the sunrise. Glory, sorry you’ll have to endure with a Campbell for company. ” Ian lost his smile and waved his men off until they moved enough to give the Campbells room to retreat.

  “Glory, you don’t have to do this. ” Ray held my arm.

  “Caine’s right. You don’t owe the Campbells this. ” Rafe glared at Angus. “Glory shouldn’t be dragged into the middle of your damned feud. ”

  “I put myself here. And I may not owe the Campbells anything, but I don’t want anyone to get hurt if it can be avoided. Are you with me, Rafe?” The fact that I was surrounded by a Campbell army had obviously freaked out both Ray and Rafe. “Ray, I’ll be okay. You say you believe in this daylight drug. So believe that. You know Jerry has never hurt me. ”

  “Maybe not, but I don’t know that about his father. ” Ray acted like he wanted to follow us down to the sand.

  “Stay where you are, Caine. I can take care of Gloriana. ” Jerry held on to my hand, his stern face still in warrior mode and not giving me much reassurance that I wasn’t about to be in the middle of a vamp tug-of-war. “My father would never harm her. Rafe, are you coming or not?”

  “I’m with Glory all the way. ” Rafe kept his makeshift stake firmly in hand, sticking close behind me.

  “Very well. ” Angus raked the group, both camps, with another hard stare. “We’ll stay here to be sure you’re not followed. Jeremiah, you know where to go. I’ll meet you back at the hotel right after sunset. ”

  “Ray, I’ll see you back at our hotel then too. ” I saw that his face was beyond grim. “I’ll be okay. Jerry, let me go. ” I looked down until he dropped my hand, then I moved closer to Ray.

  “Be careful, Glory. ” Ray pulled me to him for a quick kiss.

  “No problem. ” I eased back and took his bottle of daylight drug, handing it to Jerry. He stuck both bottles into his sporran. Jerry started to say something, then just firmed his lips. I stared at him, looking my fill. At least the clan hadn’t broken out the bagpipes, but they looked mighty fine in their plaids. My heart twisted and I wished . . . I started to brush past him, but he grabbed my arm.

  “Gloriana, thank you for this. ”

  “Glad to help. ” I smoothed my skirt. No comment on my dress?

  “You look beautiful tonight. ” Jerry had obviously read my thoughts. Which made the compliment too late and not worth a damn.

  “Thank you. ” I headed down the stairs behind Angus, Rafe at my back.

  “Stay close to Jeremiah. He’ll show you where to go. ” Once we h
it the sand, Angus stepped aside and clasped Jerry’s hand. “Godspeed, son. ” Jerry nodded, then shifted into bat form and flew inland.

  Rafe and I shifted and followed him. It soon became obvious that Jerry was taking no chances that anyone might have decided to pursue us. He led us on a long and winding tour of the coast before we landed on the deck of a beach house not very far from Ian’s place. Jerry used a key he pulled from his sporran, then punched in a security code.

  “Another of Chip’s properties?” I shook out my skirt as I stepped inside the well-furnished living room.

  “Yes. The man is heavily invested in real estate. Da’s men scouted the area around MacDonald’s home, then I arranged to rent this place for a week so we’d have somewhere to bring the wounded after the battle. ” Jerry sighed. “Thank God it hasn’t come to that. Yet. ”

  “I hope it never does. ” I could feel the dawn coming and saw Jerry yawn. “Ready to try Ian’s daylight drug?”

  “You sure it’s not poison, Glory? I haven’t forgotten how some of MacDonald’s brew tainted your blood. ”

  “Only for a short time. And that was his weight-loss stuff. This is totally different. Remember, I’ve seen the dawn since then. And awakened before sunset. As far as I know, vamps can’t be poisoned. Why would I lie about that, Jerry?” I smiled. “Seeing a sunrise is a miracle that I hope we can share together. ”

  “Valdez, I guess you’re the one who will have to go tell my parents if Glory and I both expire after we drink this. I don’t envy you the task. ” Jerry dug the bottles out of his sporran and held them up to the lightening sky. We’d stepped outside and stood on a deck overlooking the Pacific. It was a beautiful, quiet night, with waves coming ashore just yards away on a sandy beach.