“One moment.” Jerry reached out and pulled me back into his arms. He looked at me for a long moment. Probing my mind? Or my heart? “Are you really all right? I almost lost you.”

I swallowed. Nobody can do intense like Blade. I reached up and stroked his cheek, rough because he hadn’t shaved. In fact, Valdez’s report that we were on the roof had probably sent Jerry straight from his bed to my side.

“You haven’t lost me, Jeremiah. And you won’t.” I pulled his head down and kissed him. Not a little peck either. I was already in life-affirming mode. When I leaned back I glanced at the doorway. Damian was back for another load. He grinned and winked. The man thinks the world revolves around him. I’m sure he interpreted that kiss as an attempt to make him jealous. I smiled back. Whatever.

“Damian, this smell disgusts me. Hurry.” Flo pushed him across the room. “Glory, I take the Sex and the City DVDs with me. Okay?”

I shrugged. TV was the last thing on my mind right now.

“You expect me to watch your girlie TV shows?” Damian came out loaded like a pack mule. “I’ll pay the company double. You’ll be back here by tomorrow.”

Flo sniffed. “I don’t think so. And, caro, you could learn a lot about women from that show.” She patted his cheek.

“Pah! I know all I need to.” He gave me a smoldering look. “I’ve had no complaints.”

“Not to your face anyway, little brother.” Flo smiled as two burly firemen appeared in the hall doorway. In minutes she had everything loaded and shouted “Ciao,” on her way out the door.

I headed into the bedroom. Boy, did I need a shower. I reeked. To hell with it. The building looked safe enough to me. Sure, with the electricity out, it was dark, but with vamp vision, that was no problem for me. I hit the bathroom, shut the door and stripped down. Shampoo, that stupid generic cream rinse that left my hair limp and about ten minutes under hot spray had me feeling a thousand times better. No hair dryer, but I combed out the tangles and pulled my hair back. Of course the clothes I had to put on smelled bad, but I didn’t plan to keep them on long. When I got back to Jerry’s place I was going to thank him very personally for a place to stay and for making Valdez watch over me. I stared at my rumpled bed. The fire hadn’t made it upstairs, but it could have. And I would have . . . The bed blurred and I grabbed a tissue. Damn it, even it stunk like smoke. I threw some things into a suitcase and opened the door to the living room. Blade was there talking to a fireman who obviously was anxious for us to vacate the premises.

“We’re leaving. Right now.” Jerry smiled at me. “You look wonderful, dearling.”

“We need to know where to reach you. The arson crew’s down there right now. This fire was no accident. An investigator’s going to want to question you.” The fireman glanced at the door leaning against the wall. “As soon as we get a structural report, we can let you know when it’s safe to return here.”

“Sure. Fine.” I grabbed a magazine, tore off the cover and scribbled my cell phone number on it. “You can reach me here.” I thought about shouting accusations along with the name of suspect number one. Brent Westwood couldn’t be allowed to get away with this. But Jerry squeezed my hand. He had his own plans for Westwood.

If the billionaire was responsible, the fire was just the latest in the hunter ’s attacks on vampires. The man had almost killed me more than once, and he wore a necklace made of fangs. I shuddered, remembering. Two of those fangs had belonged to Jerry ’s best friend.

Valdez woofed and headed for the door, obviously ready to get out of here. Me too. I held on to Jerry ’s hand and looked around. My home. I wasn’t sure if I’d ever feel the same way about it again.

“We’re outta here.”

"Come here, Gloriana.”

I slammed the lid on the washer and turned the knob. At least I’d have clean clothes tomorrow. I smiled at Blade who’d been beyond patient as he waited for me to cook Valdez’s steak, rare of course. Then throw my first load into the dryer.

“Is that an order?” I moved up close and put my hands on his sweater, dark, like his eyes. His hair was wild, like he ’d run his hands through it. I reached up to tweak it into place, almost holding my breath while I waited for his answer. This was old territory with us. He ordered, I didn’t obey. Splitsville.

“Nay. I may have been slow with ye, Glory, but I finally understand that ye dunna take orders well.”

“And you also understand that I melt for the whole Scottish Highlander thing.” I grinned and slipped my hand under his sweater. Firm stomach, warm, not cold like people think vampires should be. We have a little heat, though not the same as mortals.

“Are ye? Melting?” He pushed his own hand into the back of my hair and looked into my eyes.

“Aye.” I stretched up to kiss his smiling mouth. “Take me to bed, ye lusty Scot. I have a need for—” He kissed me silent, then swung me into his arms. He strode past Valdez who was sacked out on the living room couch, his paw on the remote control as he searched for porn. Have I mentioned that the dog is such a . . . guy?

“Hey, look. We’re on the ten o’clock news.”

Jerry stopped behind the couch. “You were on the roof.”

I felt his arms around me. Good, at least he wasn’t dumping me on my ass. Gloriana with a sheet over her head was not a pretty sight.

“Must be a slow news day.” The reporter’s voice described the scene, but the billowing smoke told the tale. Then we were in front of my shop. The interview. Valdez was by my side looking like a regular dog, a black Labradoodle with a cute face and wagging tail. Amazing that he looked so ordinary. Especially since he’d spent the afternoon dragging vampires up flights of stairs to safety.

The camera panned to my burned-out shop and I swallowed. Would I be able to rebuild? I’d sunk everything I owned into that shop. I’d never let Jerry take care of me, though he’d offered often enough. I could always waitress again. I’d gotten good tips, especially if I showed some cleavage. Forget cleavage. On TV I looked like hell. Wet hair hanging, raccoon eyes because I’d fallen asleep with my makeup on. A bad habit, but my skin will always be twenty -four years old. Don’t you hate me? I don’t even use moisturizer.

On TV Flo was clinging to me like plastic wrap and all of Austin now thought we were a couple. Though why a hottie like Flo would hook up with a woman who looked four feet wide in her fireman blanket—

“I think you and Florence make a cute couple.” Jerry dropped a kiss on my head. I socked him in the arm. “How about some sympathy here?”

“You have that.” A softer kiss this time, close to my ear. “I’m sorry about your business, Gloriana. If you want to rebuild, I’ll help.”

Help. As in labor? Knowing Jerry, it was help as in throwing money at the situation. Unless he was needed for swordplay, that was his best move. He could afford it. But could I afford the complications?

“Thanks. Let me see what the damage is first. And if Damian had any insurance.”

Valdez was doing his thing with the remote again. Forget Valdez. Jerry carried me up the stairs. To his bedroom. I admit I ’ve spent a few nights there. He has a really nice home that he rents from Damian, who is a real estate tycoon. Renting. Like maybe he wouldn’t stay in Austin. Jerry had moved here from Shreveport to be near me. But he didn’t have any other reason to stay. I had to quit thinking. No problem. Especially when he dropped me on his king-sized bed. He stripped off his sweater, grinning when I tossed my own across the room. I hadn’t bothered with a bra. They were all in the wash. Jerry fell on top of me. I laughed and pretended he’d knocked the wind out of me. Fat chance. With my vamp strength I could toss him across the room. He obviously read my mind because he shook his head.

“Only if I were unconscious.”

“Aw, come on. Let me try.” I pushed at him. No go. His face got serious just before he kissed me. He was obviously in life - affirming mode too. When we came up for air, I ran my hands through his thick hair.

“We probably should shut the door.”

Blade didn’t answer, just nuzzled my breast. The door slammed shut and the lock clicked. Got to love vamp powers. Not that I was really paying that much attention. Not with Blade’s mouth on my nipple.

I held on to his hair and just relaxed into the moment. I saw his jeans off of him and they hit the floor. I can make things move with my mind. Pretty cool. I concentrated and my skirt and panties landed next to Jerry ’s jeans. Now we were skin to skin, my favorite way to be with Jerry. He chuckled and looked at me.

“I love your new tricks, lass. Mayhap you’d like to see one of mine.” He reached down to stroke my hip. A new trick? We’d had some amazing sex over the centuries. On mountaintops, in caves, not to mention that tricky time on horseback. I smiled and ran my hands over his firm buttocks.

“Only if it involves you screwing me until I go blind.”

Four

"Definitely.” Jerry’s chuckle rippled through me. God, everything he did was sexy.

“Then go for it.”

“First, close your eyes.” Jerry rolled over until I was on top of him. “No peeking. Not until I tell you to.”

I did as he asked. Four hundred years. You’d think that sex would get boring. And the same old same old might. But with a vampire, there was always a little something extra. Vampire men are like that bunny in the commercial —they keep going and going . . . Boy, could I tell you stories. And then there’s the mind reading. Try drawing a mental map for your lover of hot spots that need attention. I took a deep breath. What did I smell? Lilacs? I love lilacs. I kept my eyes closed even though I could tell I was no longer on Blade’s pillow-top mattress. I was warm, floating, but not in water. Then I settled onto something hard and slightly scratchy. What?

“Open your eyes, Gloriana.”

I did and gasped. We were in an English garden. One very like the one my mother had tended behind our house when I’d been a child. Lilacs were in bloom, bees buzzed and I lay on a blanket under the tree that had been next to the pond. And the sun. The sun was shining, warming my naked body. I looked at Jerry, at the way the light hit his broad chest and the proof that he still wanted me. I leaned on one elbow, striking a pose that pushed out my breasts.