“Rise from the dead.” Ray let his hand graze my breast. “Why’re you helping him? He threatenin’ you?”

“Simon.” I plucked his hand off of me. Fumes. Ray had really hit the alcoholic blood hard. “Simon’s the one with the threats. He’s got video of me with Rafe. Says he’ll send it to Jerry if I don’t cooperate.” We were out of the hills and into a populated area now, and I stopped at a red light. “I can’t hurt Jerry that way. If I want to tell him about Rafe, I will. But to have it just show up in an e-mail ...”

“Yeah, that’s cold.” Ray yawned when the light turned green. “So Simon’s got you. Bastard. But then he’s always been one. No news there.” He dropped his hand on my knee. “Sorry, babe.”

“I’ve got a script in my purse.” A messenger had dropped it off right after Simon’s call. “Check it out. Simon’s got us talking like we’re in a bad horror flick.”

Ray pulled my purse from the backseat and found a picture first. “Naked man? Obviously these guys you hang with aren’t taking care of you right.” He slid his hand up my thigh. “Glory, baby, don’t you know you can call, anytime, and I’ll be glad to give you the real deal?”

I shivered and managed to lift his hand off despite Alesa’s screeches in my head calling me all kinds of an idiot.

“That picture’s part of a bachelorette game. Not going to use it now. No games at the party. Flo really hates them.” I’d printed half a dozen. I was surprised Lacy had left me one. Ray naked. Oh, boy, did I remember the perfection of his body. “Grab the thick pack of papers, Ray.”

He skimmed it, laughing. “No one talks like this. ‘You’ll rue the day you ever killed a vampire, you evil monster.’” Ray laughed. “Sorry, honey, but seems more likely you’d have called him a sack of shit. Don’t remember what the hell you said that night, but Destiny would do better to make it a silent picture than have you spout junk like this.”

“You’re right. That’s a good idea. Westwood can say the audio went out.” I turned onto Sixth Street. “Thanks for being a friend, Ray. I mean it. I needed to just talk about this. I haven’t been able to with anybody except Rafe.”

“Yeah, and Dog Breath is all about being the big protector, am I right?” Ray rubbed my knee. “Let me out here, a few blocks from the club. I’ll walk the rest of the way. Need to clear my head before rehearsal. I admit that blood with a kick knocked me for a loop. I sure as hell don’t feel like another face-off with your furry friend when I’m not in top form.”

“Rafe is my protector. Being out there in the middle of a bunch of Energy Vampires isn’t easy. Rafe makes me feel safe.” I pulled over and stopped.

“But does he make you feel this?” Ray leaned in and kissed me, one of his deep and searching kisses that never failed to heat me from head to toe. Spots in between lit up like he’d put a torch to them. The booze cooperated, and I clutched his silky shirt, then ran one hand inside to stroke his cool skin.

“Woo-hoo! This cowgirl could take this stallion for a ride tonight. What are we waiting for, Glo? Turn the car around and head for the nearest horizontal surface.”

I wouldn’t listen to Alesa, who, for a change, seemed to make sense.

“Sure you don’t feel sorry for me tonight, Glory girl?” Ray whispered as he palmed my breast and licked my jugular. “You don’t owe that dog your loyalty, now do you?”

“A woman would have to be a fool to feel sorry for you, Israel Caine.” I eased back and took a breath I didn’t need. Alesa shrieked so loudly my ears rang. “Not saying you aren’t temptation wrapped in a hot body, but my life is way too complicated already.” I sighed. Yep, my life was so far off the rails now, I couldn’t even imagine fixing things.

Ray stared at me, trying to read my mind. No luck of course. “I thought I had you there for a moment. I swear I did.”

“Yeah, you’re good. No doubt about it. But this is where you get out.” I smiled and ran my hand over his cheek, rough with an early-morning beard.

The look on Ray’s face made me yank my hand away. I closed my eyes against the dare in his. Suddenly I felt his fangs drift across my jugular, and my eyes popped open.

“Relax, babe. I’ll make it great for you. Turn off the engine, and we’ll ditch the car. Go somewhere private. No one will ever have to know.” He stared down at me, willing me to forget everything and go for it.

Go for it. Alesa urged me to go for it too, and it took everything in me to ignore her screams to take Ray up on his offer.

“Sorry, but I’d know. I’m not doing this, Ray, and when you sober up, you’ll realize you didn’t want it this way either.” I shoved at him gently. Damned demon. Damned alcohol. I never should have kissed him back, but something in me couldn’t seem to resist him. The world swam as tears filled my eyes. Ray didn’t deserve my “now she wants me, now she doesn’t” act. He proved it when he didn’t force the issue but leaped out of the car.

“Guess I did drink too much ’cause I’d told myself I’d never beg you for it again. Do me a favor and forget this happened. I just made a damn fool of myself.” He shrugged, his smile crooked. “Good luck with your men, Glory girl. Count me out of the panting pack. Israel Caine is finally movin’ on.”

He whirled and became a hawk, silently flying out over the rooftops, away from Rafe’s club. Hopefully the flight would sober him up. I sighed, pulled my clothes together and pressed my head against the steering wheel. No way could I drive yet. Not with tears blurring the street in front of me and my hands shaking. I had the sick feeling that I’d lost Ray forever this time.

I should have known Alesa would feel the need to comment.

“You are the dumbest dipshit I’ve ever had the misfortune to inhabit. Now don’t screw up things with this next guy, or I’ll really make your life a living hell.” One final jab with what felt like a stiletto heel right between the eyes made the street go out of focus for a moment. Then she settled back for the ride.

I tried to think about what had just happened. Ray had always just been a fantasy man, the rock star I’d been lucky enough to attract by accident. Dumb me didn’t know what to do with a man who treated me as an equal from the get-go. A twentieth-century male.

Ancient males. Yep, that was my type. Always had been. Then I bitched and moaned about the reality of their bossiness and possessive attitudes. Jerry and Rafe were just the current members of the club. I banged my head on the steering wheel until I realized I might damage it and couldn’t afford the repairs. Time to make a move.

I pulled up in front of the club minutes later. Rafe stood out front. His eyes widened when he saw what I was driving.

“Flo’s car?” He leaned in and looked it over. I saw him sniffing the air but ignored it. He didn’t ask about Ray so maybe he assumed Flo had taken him for a ride recently.

“I have to put it in back of the shop. Are we shifting out to the lake?” I dreaded it. The weather was cool and clear, a perfect Austin spring night. But shifting was one more stress I didn’t need.

“No, I’ll drive. I’m parked behind your shop. Meet you there.”

“Fine.” I gunned the motor, almost hitting a car traveling down the street. Great. I had to get a grip and pay attention. By the time I’d settled into the passenger seat in Rafe’s SUV, I was calm enough and had a story ready if he asked about Ray. He didn’t. Which worried me.

“How was the shower?”

“Super. Flo got lots of presents, and Aggie was a good hostess. She and some shifters jumped in the lake when it was all over.” I opened the window and let the night air hit me, desperate to get rid of Ray’s scent. Rafe’s nose twitched from time to time, but he hadn’t called me on it.

“Because he’s already planning how he’ll rip Ray’s head off and use it for batting practice right after his club opening. That’s how a demon takes care of a rival.”

Thanks for the info, Alesa. I swallowed, all those margaritas and chips I’d devoured suddenly fighting with each other for a chance to see moonlight.

“Sounds good. Did you get a chance to work on that script?” Rafe never took his eyes off the road. We were on a twisty route that did require some concentration but not that much. Was he mad? I eased closer and put my hand on his thigh. To my relief, he smiled.

“Not really. It’s hopeless. Simon should shoot the video without sound. Think about it. That night the camera would have had to have been far away. What do you think?”

“Yeah, that’s better.” Rafe put his hand over mine and rubbed his leg with it, easing it toward his zipper. Uh-oh. “This whole thing is stupid and dangerous. No way am I letting Westwood point a loaded crossbow at you.” Rafe’s hand tightened on mine.

“I’m not crazy about the idea either. But how are we going to make it look realistic?” I glanced out the window. It took a lot longer to get to the site when we had to drive. We were late. But Simon hadn’t called. Or had he? I dug in my purse, which was a good excuse to get my hand back. I’d turned off my phone after talking to Jerry because my battery was almost dead. I turned it on. Yep, missed call from the great unknown. Simon, of course. I didn’t bother to listen. I was on my way. What more could I do?

“Screw realistic. All Westwood’s kids have to see is that their dad is alive, this video with a supposed vampire and a crossbow was a setup. That’s it. This elaborate film is just pandering to Simon’s ego. I say whatever gets taped tonight is it. End of story.” Rafe’s jaw was set. I sure wouldn’t want to argue with him. Of course what did he have on the line?

“Let’s see what happens when we get there.” Finally I saw the road where we turned off into the woods. I did want to wrap this up tonight. After that, I hoped I never saw Brent Westwood again.