Real Vampires Know Size Matters (Glory St. Clair #10)

“Ladies and gentlemen, Gloriana St. Clair!” Ray held my hand while I took a bow. He let the applause roll over us for a few moments then held up his hand for quiet.

“Now for her final number, if you’ve got a light on your phone or a lighter, let’s see it. I think you’re going to get a kick out of this. It’s a special song for Halloween. Are you ready?”

There was a howl of agreement as hundreds of lights came on until the room looked like a mass of twinkling stars when the overhead dimmed again. I had enough light to see Jerry’s reaction to this song, if I could still find him in the crowd. I waved at the audience then nodded to the band. Ray sat back at the piano, all of us waiting for the mood to hit the room as the drums throbbed and the music started. It was a really old song but perfect for the night.

“I put a spell on you . . .” I wanted to sing straight to Jerry, but didn’t dare. Not when the next line made it clear I considered him “mine.” I put everything I had into the song. I wanted Mel to think that, despite my act with Rafe, I was pining for Jerry. She could kill chickens in my shop and examine the insides of a thousand goats, but she’d never deserve Jerry. I’d cast my own spell on him centuries ago. A love spell. He’d been mine first, would always be mine. Mel had come way too late to the party.

“I ain’t goin’ to take none of your foolin’ around.” Was Mel laughing at that? Sure of herself and her ritual sacrifice? Was she gloating and tugging on Jerry’s chain? If I could have reached her, I would have wrapped that chain around her neck and squeezed the life out of her. What would her ghosts and ghouls think about that?

I forced myself to slink over to Ray and aim some of my smolder at him. I could probably still put a spell on him and end up in his bed tonight. His bright blue eyes telegraphed that message loud and clear. I shook my head as I fell back across the piano like I was making love to it, just short of giving Ray a glimpse down my vee-neck. Too much of that wouldn’t be fair to the man. On the next line I was up again and making love to the audience instead.

I noticed couples entwined, dancing to the slow pulsing beat. Ray’s lead guitarist had fallen in love with the song and had worked up a fantastic solo that showed off his skill. He sounded great and I stood aside, swaying as he worked the electric guitar strings.

It gave me a chance to scan the audience again. What I saw made me swallow. No! This couldn’t be happening. Jerry was pushing his way toward the stage, carefully moving aside dancing couples as he strode closer and closer, his eyes on me now. The chain Mel had been flaunting earlier was wrapped around his fist. Mel stumbled along behind him, trying not to trip because the cuff at her wrist was connected to the other end of that chain. Was he crazy? This wasn’t the plan.

I realized my cue was coming. I had to sing again and I knew what I had to do. Okay, change of plans. I’d sing to the man I loved and put my trust in Jerry and that potion I hoped to hell he had handy.

“Because you’re mine.” I couldn’t have made it any clearer as I sang straight to him. Jerry was close to the stage now. He took the chain in both hands and broke it like it was a toy made of plastic. I’m sure that’s what the mortals close by thought. I could see Mel’s face clearly now. She was livid. So much for showing off her love slave. The last note lingered in the air, the lights went out and I gasped when Jerry leaped up onto the stage and swept me into his arms.

“Damn right, I’m yours and nobody else’s.” He kissed me and kept kissing me, even when the lights came on and the audience went into a frenzy.

I didn’t push him away. Couldn’t. His strong arms were my safe haven. His mouth on mine gave me the very air I didn’t have to breathe but yearned for anyway. When Jerry finally pulled back, he glanced at the audience and seemed to realize that he was stealing my big moment.

“Take a bow, Gloriana. You were incredible.”

“Damn right, she was.” Ray stood on my other side. “Get off my stage, Blade.”

“Calm down. The audience loved it. They thought it was part of the show.” I said this as an aside to Ray, bowing as the audience cheered, whistled and stomped their feet. I gestured toward the guitarist and he took his own bow. Then I held up Ray’s hand and kissed his cheek.

Before Ray could say another word, I dropped his hand and dragged Jerry off the stage, toward the dressing rooms. We paused next to Aggie and Sienna, who stood waiting in the wings, ready to go onstage to do their set. Aggie ignored me.

“Great job, Glory.” Sienna grinned and gave me a thumbs-up. “Blade, that was some surprise at the end. Good showmanship.”

“I may regret it.” He looked down at me. “But I couldn’t help myself. I had to follow my heart.”

“Jerry.” I brushed his cheek. “What about Mel?”

“I’m sick to death of that woman and that charade. We’ll deal with the fallout together.” He pulled the vial from his belt where he’d had it tucked next to his skin. “I’m sure I’ll see her again before the night is out. If this works, problem solved.”

“Can you two move out of the way? Miguel says there’s a big producer in the audience.” Aggie had on a costume that hadn’t come from my shop. It was an expensive harem outfit that complemented Sienna’s but was in the green that Aggie loved. It revealed more than it concealed and had enough jewels in the trim to catch the spotlight. She was sure to be noticed.

“Relax, Aggie. Ray has a solo first, remember?” Sienna frowned at her. “I thought I told you to lose the headband. I’m the star here. You’re background.” She reached out and snatched a jeweled piece off Aggie’s hair. “Now, don’t screw around up there. The producer will ask me if I think you’ll be easy to work with. If he’s interested. You want a good recommendation, do as we’ve practiced.”

“I get it, Sienna. I’m sorry. Miguel made me wear that thing.” Aggie looked anxiously down the hall. “I do what he tells me.”

“What’s this?” Jerry kept his arm around me and I leaned into him. “You and Miguel, Aggie? Isn’t he that hit man, Glory? The one who works for Lucky Carver?”

“Yes. Let it go, Jer. Aggie has made it clear that she doesn’t want or need our help. Right?”

“Right. I’m fine. After tonight, I might even be on the fast track to a record deal.” She cocked her head. “There’s our cue, Sienna.” She followed Sienna to the stage. “Wish us luck.”

“Good luck.” I turned to Jerry. “I’d like to see her get a record deal. Maybe head to Hollywood to record it. Far away sounds good to me.” I pulled him toward my dressing room. I wanted some alone time with my guy.

“You want to stay out here and listen to the music?” Jerry offered. I knew he could care less about it.

“I’ve heard it all week during rehearsals. Come into my dressing room. Tell me about your week.” I followed him into the room and shut the door.

“I don’t want to talk about it. I’m done with that woman now, whether she wants me or not.” He looked away, not meeting my eyes.

“I’m sorry you had to go through that.” I slid my arms around him. We obviously weren’t going to touch the subject of whether or not he’d had sex with Mel. Did I want to know? Could I handle the truth if it wasn’t what I wanted to hear? Maybe not knowing was for the best. I was dropping it. And I sure wasn’t going to read his mind.

He rested his cheek on my hair. “God, it feels good just to hold you.”

“Why’d you do it, Jer? Why’d you come up onstage when we’d planned . . .” I studied his dear face. He looked tired. Vampires weren’t supposed to have circles under their eyes. It made me wonder if Mel had tampered with his blood again.

“Simple. You must have known it when you picked that song. You did put a spell on me. Centuries ago, Gloriana. Seeing you up there, looking so beautiful. Hearing your voice, golden and pure. It was like falling in love all over again. How could I just stand there, shackled to that insane creature when the woman I really wanted was just feet away? I moved before I could stop myself.” He ran his thumb across my lips. “God, how I’ve missed you.” He leaned down and kissed me, his mouth moving over mine for endless moments.

I sighed into his mouth, reveling in his taste again and having him this close. When we finally parted, I stared into his eyes. “You took a big chance, Jer. I expected to see ghosts and ghouls any moment when you jumped on that stage.”

“You missed them? They were there. I guess the spotlight blinded you.” He grinned. “When I started dragging her toward the stage, Mel went into her usual death-will-get-you mode. I felt the cold fingers of her familiars all around me. The crowd loved it. They thought they were special effects Valdez had managed to produce. Part of your song.”

“You’re kidding. But you kept coming.” I held him close, listening to the slow thump of his barely beating heart as I pressed my cheek to his chest.

“Not even Viking berserkers could have held me back, Gloriana.” He rubbed my back. “You’re everything to me. I had to get closer.”

“I hope you, we, don’t regret it.”

“So do I,” he said as the dressing room door flew open.

Eighteen

“You’d better get out here, Blade. That woman is a nightmare.” Rafe actually looked frazzled. I don’t think I’d ever seen him that way.

“What’s she doing?” I didn’t want Jerry anywhere near her, though he’d started toward the door anyway. “Stop. Wait, Jer. Please.”

“She’s unleashed what I’m thinking are the hounds of hell. And she’s got two creepy people with her who I swear are zombies. Ray and Sienna are in the middle of their set and Mel is disturbing the crowd. At least on her side of the stage. When I sent some of my bigger guys over there to move her, they couldn’t even touch her. She froze them out somehow.” Rafe moved when Jerry pushed past him.