Real Vampires: Glory Does Vegas by Bartlett, Gerry (white hot kiss TXT) 📕

MacDonald, Odette. I plan to. Ancient history as they say. I’m glad to be here with you.” He nodded toward the stage where Marlene had started the music. She was singing an old ballad that we liked. “Dance with me.”

I couldn’t believe it. He was being the sensible one for a change, smiling at me like I was the only woman in the room. For some reason that made me want to scream.

I pulled away from him. “I’m working here. What synthetic would you like to taste first?” I grabbed a tray from a nearby stand. “Try the Brazilian champagne. I think it’s going to be a hotly contested property.”

“Gloriana.” Jerry held out his hand. “I’m sorry, truly, if my history is upsetting you. Yes, I’ll try the Brazilian.”

“Like you did the Parisian?” I stalked away from him. Oh, was there any woman he hadn’t tried?

“That man is your sire, your lover?” Odette stopped me at the bar. “I know him.”

“So he said.” I turned to her. “Was it recently?”

“No, ages ago. You have no reason to be jealous. I don’t know where you were, but he was unattached and I was in need of a protector.” Odette glanced at Jerry. “He is very handsome and has that warrior quality that I like.”

“It seems we both have a type, Odette.” I gave Jerry’s order. “What would you like to drink? Something with alcohol? If Jeremiah and Robert get into a fight, you might need it.”

“Yes, then.” She smiled and patted my shoulder. “Relax, Glory. Men will stray. It is the nature of the beast. We had fun but it didn’t last. He moved on and I stayed in Paris and found someone else. We said adieu, no hard feelings.”

“Good to know.” I handed her the drink then looked around. “Where’s Robert?”

“He saw an old friend and went to greet him. I’m sure it wasn’t your Jeremiah. He was smiling.” She sipped the synthetic. “My, this is good. Tell me the name. I will recommend Robert bid on it for his territory. He is most eager to serve Hollywood.” She glanced around. “Oh, that is a secret. Don’t tell. Please?”

“Of course not. It will be our secret. If you assure me you will stay away from Jerry.” I gave her a strained smile.

“I am no threat, I can certainly assure you of that. If things don’t work out with Robert, there are plenty of very interesting fish in this sea.” She smiled as she gazed around the room. “Just look! I have never seen so many rich vampires in one room before. Excuse me, I see another former lover. Budapest, 1870s. What a time we had! He sees me now and just touched his heart.” She waved at me and hurried away.

Odette had reminded me that I needed to be serving all those fish. Connie and Dennis were busy doing just that and I saw hundred-dollar bills being handed out like they were nothing. I took Jerry his drink and found him standing with Fergus and Maggie. My friends already had drinks in their hands.

“This is quite a party.” Fergus sipped. “We will definitely want to distribute at least one of the brands available tonight. Jeremiah, are we going to fight over the rights to the British Isles?”

“No, I’ll stick to North and South America. That is my base of operations these days.” He tasted his own drink. “Champagne! I wouldn’t have believed it possible. Have you had some of this, Glory?”

“I’ve tasted all of the synthetics. Part of getting ready for tonight.” I smiled at all of them. “I admit I’m fond of the champagne. It should be huge in any part of the world.”

“I heard that.” The voice from behind me was familiar.

I turned around and faced Robert MacDonald. “I hope I’m not starting a bidding war. The world is big enough for all of you, don’t you think?”

Robert just narrowed his gaze. He also wore his sword with his kilt. “I don’t know. Is it, Campbell?”

“Perhaps you should fight over it.” Another voice I recognized. “I’d enjoy seeing it and it would cause your dear Glory so much distress.”

“How did you get in here, Davenport?” I glanced at the door. The shape-shifters had disappeared, even Valdez and Sherie. “What did you do to our shifters?”

Fergus and Maggie froze and couldn’t seem to move or talk. Suddenly they ran to the door and disappeared, Cleopatra and her warrior, under some kind of demon compulsion?

“The same thing I’m doing to those two. I’m sending them outside because I made sure there is something they need to handle out there. You’re being attacked. By the pack of werewolves you embarrassed before. At Dominic’s house.” Davenport shook his head. “You never should have planned an event of this importance on the night of a full moon. It was incredibly easy to manipulate them.”

“Who the hell are you?” Jerry stepped to my side.

To my shock, Robert stood close on my other side. “Can’t you smell him? He’s a demon.” He squeezed my arm. “In trouble, are you, Glory?”

“Yes, but I’m ready for him.” I glanced at Connie and she signaled to Dennis. They each pulled a tiny spray bottle out of their fanny packs and ran up to Davenport. They had the element of surprise, spraying him as I jerked my own bottle from between my breasts. I managed a direct hit in his smirking face and began to speak the words I’d memorized from the Bible. Harry’s voice joined mine. Everywhere holy water hit Davenport, it sizzled, sending a noxious smoke into the air.

“What are you doing? Stop!” The demon screeched and batted at his costume, a red suit with a cape. He was a caricature of a devil, topped by what looked like fake horns on a red hat. He screamed filthy oaths as Connie and Dennis danced around him, looking for skin. They hit his hands, his neck, the water blistering him wherever it touched. The air reeked of a