“Two top shelf tequila shots.” He gestured to the bartender. “Are you sure you can handle that, Gloriana?”

“If you can, I can.” I lifted the small glass when it was set down next to me, determined to prove I was his equal or better. Stupid? Maybe. Time would tell. “What shall we drink to? Powers?”

“Ah, I like that.” He grinned and clinked his glass against mine. “Powers. Yours, mine. May we never have to test them against each other.” He tossed back his drink then watched me.

I downed mine then gasped. Ooookay. I’d never had one of those before. I didn’t dare try to talk. I had a feeling I’d just burned out my throat lining. I managed a grin, glad breathing was optional. My eyes watered and Miguel laughed.

“Lightweight.” Miguel gestured and two more shots were set down on the bar.

“That’s enough.” Rafe was between us. “You trying to get her drunk? Glory, you trying to kill yourself?”

“You trying to piss me off?” Miguel lost his smile.

“Stop. Rafe, I’m fine.” I picked up the tequila, said a quick prayer and tossed it off again. “See? Nothing to it. Now go away. I want to talk business with Miguel. Take care of your own. I see one of your guys waving at you from the stairs.” I hadn’t made that up. Rafe was always on call once he got to N-V. As for me, I was trying to act okay when I most definitely was not. My throat was on fire and the flames had spread to parts south. The warmth was welcome. The numbness that was taking over my face? Not so much.

“Business, chiquita? I can’t wait.” Miguel stared at Rafe. “You heard the lady. She is perfectly safe with me, shifter. Yes, I can read your mind. I have a woman to warm my bed later right upstairs. I think I can resist adding Gloriana to my little black book for now.” He saluted Rafe with his glass then drank. “Adios.”

“Call me if you need me, Glory. Someone will be watching you every minute.” Rafe touched my cheek then strode off.

“He is very protective.” Miguel stood. “Shall we get a table? More private and more . . . comfortable.”

“Yes. Rafe’s always taken good care of me.” I followed Miguel to a table in the balcony. There wasn’t a band tonight, just a disc jockey, and the place wasn’t too crowded. We had our pick of tables and he chose one in a dark corner, away from mortals. He pulled out a chair for me and I collapsed into it.

He settled into a chair close by, his knee brushing mine under the table. “Now what is this business you wish to discuss? See? I’m being polite and not reading your mind.”

“You said once you could read past my blocks. Was that true?” I leaned my face on my hand. It slipped off. Uh-oh. I was really not used to tequila.

“Want to test me? Go ahead. Think something and block your thoughts. Then we’ll see if I can get it right.” He leaned closer. “I love games like this.”

“Me too.” I realized I was leaning toward him and jerked upright. “I mean, here goes.” I thought about Mel the voodoo woman and how much I hated her. “Okay, what did I think about?”

“Who is Mel? Voodoo? I can help you if this woman is troubling you.” Miguel picked up my hand. “I have some experience with the dark arts. They are very dangerous in the wrong hands.”

“Wow. That was good. Let me try to break your block.” I wiggled my fingers free. “Go.” I stared at him. My thoughts were fuzzy. Damned tequila. Suddenly I had a picture of him in a bed stretched out on top of white cotton sheets. He was naked and touching himself. “Hey! That’s unnecessary.”

“Did you like what you saw?” His grin was wicked.

“I saw way too much.” My head wobbled. “Israel Caine has a piercing there too. Does that prove I got through your block?”

His grin was my answer. “So, you and Caine?”

“We have a history. And it’s none of your business.” I shook my head and the room did a three-sixty. “Can we stop with the games now?”

“Of course, but I must say I’m most impressed. Where did you get your powers?” He stared into my eyes for a long moment then moved his dark gaze down to where my top stretched low over my breasts. “They are amazing.”

“I assume we’re still talking about my powers.” I pulled up my top, suddenly self-conscious. “My mother is a goddess from Olympus. Hebe. I just found that out recently. Discovered my powers too.” I sighed. “She dumped me into the Siren system when I was a baby. It’s a long story but I was a mere mortal when Jerry found me and turned me vampire a little more than four hundred years ago.” Why was I blabbing my life story to this guy?

“Fascinating. We are much alike, with powerful parents.” He traced a pattern on the back of my hand. “I’m descended from Mayan priests who were connected to gods that many claim may have come from Olympus too. You must ask your mother. Since we have some of the same powers, it might be so.”

“Mayans. About that end of the world thing . . .”

He frowned. “Please. Are you disappointed it didn’t end?” He squeezed my fingers. “I am not and I’ve heard enough of that prediction to last me three lifetimes. We are here now. You wanted to ask me something?”

“About Aggie. What are you going to do with her? Besides use her to warm your bed. You going to turn her vampire?” I snatched back my hand.

“I’m in the loan business. She wants to borrow a considerable sum. She had a small down payment, but it wasn’t nearly enough. She needed collateral. Becoming a vampire is an expensive proposition. I don’t take making a vampire child lightly, and I charge accordingly.” He leaned back in his chair and crossed his long legs. He was tall, lean, and I flashed on that spectacular body I’d glimpsed in his thoughts. Mayan. No wonder his looks were dark and exotic.

“Collateral. What the hell does Aggie have for collateral, Miguel?”

“Her body, mi vida. What else?” Miguel leaned forward, his dark eyes intense, the table practically vibrating between us. “She explained that she is a former Siren. I see value there. She wants the loan to pay me. It’s a win/win.” His grin was a slash of white in his dark face. “I will be her sire. As my child, she can become an earner for me if I so desire.” He laughed at what I was sure was my look of revulsion.

“Gloriana, you are too easy. You think I’m a pimp?” He stood and held out his hand. “Perhaps I am. But let’s go to this practice room and see how Aggie is doing, shall we?” He pulled me out of my chair. I wobbled. “No more tequila for you, chica. You can’t hold your liquor worth a damn.”

“No, I can’t.” I followed him to the practice room. It wasn’t easy. My steps weren’t steady and my mind was spinning. How much of what Miguel had said was the truth and how much of it was just for shock value? I was afraid to find out.

Thirteen

Aggie was actually doing a decent job when we arrived at the practice room. She was singing harmony, quietly enough that Ray ignored her and Sienna threw her a smile over her shoulder. Rafe was waiting for us, his eyes on Miguel when we walked in.

“Are you all right?” Rafe grabbed my arm.

“Sure. Mickey and I had a little chat.” The room was swaying to the music. No, maybe I was.

“Sit down, you’re loaded.” Rafe shoved me into a chair. “What did you do, Miguel, buy her another round?”

“She likes tequila, Valdez. But I would think a descendent of a goddess could hold her liquor. Es verdad?” Miguel’s smile didn’t reach his eyes. “This music isn’t what I expected. Loud rock and roll?”

“You think Aggie was backing up chamber music, Miguel?” I giggled at the thought. Oops, Rafe was right. I was more than a little tipsy. I’d enjoyed another couple of tequila shots at the table. It had been a novelty and the liquor had quit burning my throat, the heat in my stomach welcome.

“She has a beautiful voice, chica. But you can barely hear her for the noise of the band and those other two singers.” Miguel was frowning. “This isn’t the best use of her talent.”

“She’s being paid well, man. Besides working to pay her debt to MacDonald, it’s the first money she’s ever earned that didn’t end with a kill.” Rafe pulled up another chair. “Those other two singers are the stars who sign her paycheck. We should shut up and let them finish rehearsal before they kick us out of here.”

“Where’d she get the clothes?” I couldn’t stay quiet, still focused on Aggie. The last time I’d seen her she’d been in her underwear. “You keep stuff like that in your closet, Miguel?” I wagged a finger at him. “Do a little cross-dressing?”

“Do you think they would fit me, chica?” He pulled up a chair too. When he sat his knees brushed mine.

“No.” I looked him up and down, almost falling over. I steadied myself with a hand on his hard thigh. “You’re way bigger than she is.”

“Glory, get hold of yourself.” Rafe jerked my chair closer to his and whispered in my ear. “Damn it, if we weren’t surrounded by Ray’s mortal band members, I’d make you drink from my wrist just to sober you up.”

“Mmmm. Hot shifter blood. Yummy.” I licked my lips, the very idea sending my fangs down. “Gimme.”

“Shit. I’m taking you out of here.” Rafe jerked me up out of my chair.

“Stop. That hurt.” I rubbed my wrist when he let me go. He was right, I was bombed and out of control. I glanced at the band. They couldn’t hear us over the song they were about to finish. Good thing.

I put my hand over my mouth. Two reasons: One, my fangs just wouldn’t retract. Two, I thought I was about to hurl.

“Yes, take her away and hurry. She’s going to be sick.” Miguel laughed. “Not a drinker, are you, Gloriana?”

“No, she’s not.” Rafe put his arm around me. “There’s a bathroom around the corner. Come on, sweetheart.”