“Alesa, wait a minute. Why start something when we really don’t have a problem here?” I picked up the Bible I’d brought from my apartment and rounded the counter. I didn’t have a clue what to try, but hoped my religious objects would at least keep me mobile. I glanced at Aggie. Still frozen.

“No problem? Honey, you think I can’t read your every thought? You’re into Rafe, and I bet you a thousand dollars that he’s into you. You’re just his type, so sweet, so freakin’ good.” She gagged. “I don’t know how in the hell he stands the stench of all that decency. You reek of it.”

“Forgive me, but that’s not a problem I care to fix.” And who was she to talk? The woman was giving off so many sugar fumes a human would gain five pounds just breathing in the air around her.

“You’re a vampire. You’re supposed to kill, drain people dry. Come over to the dark side with us and use your powers to do our master’s work.” Alesa had been roaming the shop, ripping a piece of silk here, smashing a fine porcelain there. I wanted to screech at her and toss my Bible at her head. She needed to see my dark side? Let her ruin one more piece of merchandise.

“Rafe and I aren’t together. I told you that. But it wouldn’t matter if we were. Rafe doesn’t want you. Why do you demean yourself by going after a man who has rejected you?” I couldn’t stand it. She was aiming for a designer dress that would bring me several hundred dollars. “Get away from there!”

“Why, Glory, am I bothering you?” Alesa plucked the dress from the rack and held it up to her. It was much too big. Would have fit me if I hadn’t decided I couldn’t afford to keep it.

“Put the dress back, Alesa.”

“Of course.” She gave it a look that stained the red wool with a smear of black oil, then slid it back onto the rack, careful to smudge it against two other expensive dresses on either side. “How’s that?”

“You bitch!” I flung myself at her, fangs down, claws out. I landed on the floor because she used a lightning-fast move to get out of the way.

She laughed and stepped on my back. “Missed me.” She dug her high heel into my spine until I heard a bone crack. “Vampires have such lame skill sets.”

I bucked and rolled away, diving under another dress rack before I sprang to my feet.

“I’m going to rip out your throat, take you down and drain every toxic ounce from your evil body.” My taunt just earned a cackle that made me back up until I hit another rack behind me.

She’d dropped the mask of beauty, and I cringed away from her hideous hawkish face. Nut brown skin stretched over her beaklike nose, with deep grooves on either side. I heard her breathing as she circled around the rack, and I leaped to the other side of the shop. Her eyes glowed bright red, and her lips peeled back in a grin that exposed rows of sharp teeth that would rip me to shreds if I let them get close.

I was definitely having second thoughts about that. Forget an attack. I saw my Bible where I’d dropped it on the floor. Would that keep her away? My rosary sure hadn’t. My back ached where she’d dug her heel into me, and I could smell my own blood and the stench of hellfire coming from her flaming eyes.

The shop door banged open, and there was a definite change in the atmosphere. Alesa’s face changed too. Her mask of beauty slipped back into place, and she smiled.

“What have we here? More help from a vampire? Another Goody Two-Shoes at that.” She flew over the dress rack and landed behind me, her hand clamping around my throat, her nails digging into my jugular. I knew then that she’d been playing with me. I’d never been any real match for her.

My vision darkened. I grabbed her arm, tearing desperately at her skin to try to relieve the pressure. Black liquid oozed from her wounds, but she didn’t give an inch.

“Let her go, demon.” Richard’s voice came from far away.

“Make me.” She ripped her nails down my throat, and my own blood poured down my chest. I had to do something, or I was going to die right here in my own shop. Through a haze of pain and terror, I lifted my feet and slammed them down onto hers, grinding my high heels into her insteps just like she’d done to my back. Her bones shattered, and she finally released my throat with a screech. Free, I lunged away from her, falling to the floor and rolling under another dress rack.

Cool water splashed my jeans as I fell. Alesa’s screams bounced off the walls as I crawled through skirts until I collapsed against the cool metal legs supporting the rack.

I reached up to my wet, torn throat. There was a terrible hole where my jugular belonged. The demon had known exactly how to kill me. I fought away the darkness and held my flesh together, praying healing thoughts. I couldn’t let evil win. Church. This Sunday. Night service.

“Glory, can you roll this way a little?” Richard calmly tried to coax me from my hiding place. Or was it a trick?

I cautiously cracked open my eyes, afraid to wiggle even a finger or she’d know I still lived. Masculine brown leather boots and dark jeans. Richard. Or was it? Demons could be so cruelly clever.

He murmured a prayer in Latin. I didn’t know Latin, but I knew Jesus and God when I heard them called on, something a demon would never dare. All right, then. I reached out my trembling hand.

Oh, Glory, when did you get so weak? I eased toward him until he pulled me into his arms.

“Richard? Where’s the demon?” I leaned against him, not caring that I was getting his blue shirt bloody. I’d buy him a new one. Two new ones. He was my hero.

“Gone. Holy water got her.”

“Shit, that was close.” Aggie peered over his shoulder. “You look like crap on a cracker, Glory.”

“Thanks. How did you get out of that freeze?” I whispered. Whatever the demon had done to my throat hadn’t healed yet.

“Guess when Richard watered her down, it broke her spell. Never saw anything like it. Well, except in that movie The Wizard of Oz, when they threw the water on the bad witch. Anyway, he tossed the holy water, his was the real deal, and there she went, dissolved like Kool-Aid powder. Amazing stuff that holy water.” Aggie was clearly buzzed. She patted Richard on the back, following him as he carried me to the door.

“You did a great job, preacher man. Flo’s a lucky gal. Glory, don’t worry about your little shop here. I’ll stay till your helper arrives. Should be soon. Dawn’s only an hour away.” Aggie grabbed the shop door and pulled it open so Richard could carry me out. “Wait!”

“What is it, Aggie? I need to get Glory upstairs. She’s in pretty bad shape.” Richard was obviously losing patience. He looked tired. I guess facing a demon, especially after a night of pleasing a bride in the bedroom, took a lot out of you.

“Glory, I’m sorry if I’ve been a bitch to you. You were awesome tonight. Really went after that demon.” Aggie put her hand on my arm. “I’d like to be your friend.”

“Thanks, Aggie.” I blinked back tears. God, but I hurt and I was weak. Now I was supposed to have some kind of sweet make-up scene with Aggie? Not sure I could handle it. “Talk to you tomorrow.” I’d disappointed her, but that was all I had in me.

“Sure. Tomorrow.” She thrust something into my lap. “Here’s your purse. I wrapped it in a plastic bag so you wouldn’t get blood on it.”

I sighed. Okay, so she was acting like a friend. “Thanks, pal.” That got her to smile. Good thing because she could be a really bad enemy. Hold that thought, Glory.

Richard carried me up the stairs while I dug for my keys. I was desperate for healing sleep. But when I saw who was waiting for me in the apartment, I knew I wasn’t going to get it yet.

Thirteen

“Look at you.” Flo hovered over me after Richard deposited me on the bed. She shooed him from the room, then cleaned me up herself and put me into my new nightgown. I protested weakly, thinking this was a real waste, but she ignored me. “You are so terribly hurt. Wearing pretty things will make you feel better.”

“Yeah. I’m weak too.” I blinked and wondered why she didn’t turn on the lights.

“You lost too much blood. Here, mia amica.”

Before I could stop her, Flo had ripped open the vein in her wrist and pressed it to my lips. What can I say? I’m a vampire and needed the nourishment. I drank and realized the lights were on. I’d been closer to death than I’d been in a long, long time. Finally, I sighed and pulled away. Flo wiped my lips with a cool washcloth and settled me back against the pillows.

“It’s almost dawn. I want to hear the whole story about this demon, but I don’t think you’re up to telling me. Aggie can tell me some of it. Your day help arrived, so she came up. She’s in your living room talking to Richard. You can tell me the rest tomorrow. Will you be all right if I leave you now?” Flo still sat on the edge of the bed, her hand next to my head.

“Sure. Thanks, dear friend.” I reached for my throat, relieved it was almost healed. A good feeding will do that for you. After I slept, I’d be 100 percent again. “I need to thank Richard. What he did was dangerous. And awesome.”

“Ah, he was in his element. When he got the call to come fight a demon? You should have seen him when he pulled out his holy water—blessed by the Holy Father himself, he said—and stuff he has in a special trunk. He even prayed over it.” Flo smiled and stood, then leaned over to kiss my cheek. “I am very proud of him. He is a good man, no?”

“Yes, the best. He saved my life.” I sighed, really exhausted. “So did you. I love you, Flo.”

“Me too, Glory. Rest now. Rafael is arriving. He will guard you through the day, but the demon is no more. Ricardo did the trick.” Flo stopped at the door. “Should I call Jeremiah?”

“No!” I tried to sit up but couldn’t manage it. “No need to worry him. It’s over. I’ll be fine when I wake up. I’ll tell him about it when he gets back.” Maybe. But probably not. If I could persuade Richard and Flo that Jerry didn’t ever have to know about it. Did Jerry know he’d hired a bodyguard who was part demon? I’d like to know the answer to that. I heard doors close, then saw Rafe in the doorway. His eyes were dark, hot and—