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“Relax, Glory. You can handle her. Wake her up. ” Rafe took my empty bottle then sat back to watch.
“Glad one of us is confident. ” I snapped my fingers in front of Sienna’s eyes. “Wake up, Sienna. We need to talk. ”
She sat up, her eyes wild. “What the hell did you do to me?”
“Mesmerized you. It’s a handy skill, the same one Ray used when he drank your blood. But it’s one I won’t be teaching you just yet. You have to earn the privilege. ” I sat in my chair again. “That stunt you pulled in the shop pissed me off. ”
“Stunt? What did I do?” She brushed back her hair with one hand and swung her legs down from the couch to sit facing me.
“You raved about making vampires public. That’s never going to happen. Never. If you start that kind of talk again, I may let the vampire council have you. They’ll lock you in a coffin in the council leader’s basement until you come to your senses. Learn to behave like a proper vampire. ”
“Wait a damn minute. ” She jumped to her feet. “No one locks me up. No one. For one thing I’m claustrophobic. I’d go crazy. For another, I’m a public figure. Don’t you think people will notice if I just disappear?”
“Rehab. Again. We can put out the story and no one will doubt it. Poor Sienna Star just can’t stay off the pills, booze, whatever your drug of choice is these days. You’ve been hustled off to a secret location to dry out. ” I watched her pace the room.
“Don’t you dare. I worked too damned hard for my sobriety. ” She pulled a coin out of her pocket. “Three hundred and sixty seven days and counting. I’ll never go back. ”
“Good for you. But the public will believe anything we tell them. ” I frowned. “That’s the problem. You start spouting stories about vampires being real and there’ll be a panic. Sure, the movies are cool, the idea of vampires is sexy. But the reality of fanged monsters in alleys, wanting to drink mortal blood? Scary as hell. We’ll become targets and innocent people will be killed. ”
“Innocent? Are you telling me you’re innocent?” Sienna collapsed on the couch again. “Come on, in four hundred years have you always been satisfied with sipping bottled juice or taking an occasional drink from a mortal? And tell me, Glory, did you always leave that mortal able to walk away in good shape after you quenched your thirst? Look at what Ray did to me. I almost died. Are you telling me you never had one of those little accidents back in the day?” She stared at me, probing my mind. Fast learner.
“I’m not telling you anything. My past is my business. What I am making clear is that you will never kill anyone. You’ll drink synthetic or find a mortal now and then who’ll give you blood willingly. Cautiously, not with a shout-out to the tabloids. Maybe this mortal’ll do it out of love or for money. ”
“Hey, I heard that. ” Aggie stood in the doorway. Her nightgown was right out of my shop, a vintage piece that, if I’d known she’d taken it, I would have ripped right out of her greedy hands. It was damned expensive and way too revealing to wear in front of Rafe. He was noticing of course, one eyebrow raised.
“Aggie, go back to bed or put on more clothes. ” I didn’t need this right now.
“No, I heard what you said. Sienna can pay a mortal for her blood?” Aggie trailed a finger along her jugular. “Ian always told me I had delicious blood. I’ll be happy to donate. For a price. ”
I jumped up and got a robe from my bedroom. “Put this on. ” I wasn’t going to stop the negotiations. If this helped Aggie pay off her debts so she could get out of my apartment sooner, she could sell her entire body to Sienna if she wanted to. Consenting adults. I could care less.
“Seriously? You’d let me bite you? For money?” Sienna got up and strolled over to sniff Aggie. She leaned in, putting her nose close to Aggie’s neck. “It does smell really good. And you’re clean, though I could do without that perfume. Lose it if you become my donor. ” She sneezed then glanced at me. “You seem to be calling the shots here, Glory. Am I allowed to pay this woman for her blood?”
“Why not? I’ll have to teach you how to count, so you won’t take too much blood at a time. We’re not taking a chance on another incident like Ray’s. ”
“No, I don’t want to be responsible . . . ” Sienna kept eying Aggie. “I’d probably prefer a hot guy but I guess if we do it at the wrist . . . Really? Can I do this?”
“I guess so. Aggie needs the money and you can do it here, in the apartment. At least until I think it’s okay for you to be on your own. It’s a pretty safe arrangement. ” I glanced at Aggie. Of course she hadn’t closed that robe, still flashing Rafe. Aggie was always about impressing men and hadn’t given up the idea of finding a rich man to support her. Rafe was doing well, but wasn’t nearly rich enough to afford the former Siren.
“I’m game. ” Aggie plopped down on the couch. “Glory’s right. I need the cash. ”
“Name your terms, Aggie. ” I wondered how much she’d ask for.
“Five hundred bucks a pop. ” Aggie leaned back and crossed her legs. “Seems reasonable to me. I’m like takeout. Right here, curb service, so to speak. Feel free to leave a tip. ”
Sienna narrowed her gaze. “Three. I think you’re trying to rip me off. ”
Of course Aggie was, but it surprised me that Sienna was into negotiating. By the time they were done, Aggie was getting four hundred and some perks to be named later. I had a feeling Sienna would regret that last part. But at least we weren’t still arguing about the vampire publicity issue.
Rafe had been prowling around the apartment, checking windows, the door, all the locks. Now he pulled me into the kitchen while Sienna took her first drink from Aggie’s wrist. I had told her how to count but wanted to watch the time myself and to keep an eye on them.
“You have a pretty tight situation here. I’m not sure how this woman got in. She must’ve used her powers. ” He was serious.
“I hate to hear that. How do we fight it?” I was counting in my head, ready to stop Sienna if she drank too long.
“I want to use the element of surprise. Much as I hate to do it, we’ll lure her in. Make her think you’re unprotected during the day. ”
“Sienna, that’s enough. Pull out. ” I was relieved when she actually did, using a paper towel I’d left on the coffee table to wipe her mouth. “Lick the puncture wounds closed. It makes them disappear. ”
“Do I have to? That seems, um, icky. ” Sienna jumped up from the couch where Aggie lay, moaning, like she’d suffered great pain.
“Really? You want to leave me scarred too? I think a rabid dog would bite with more finesse than you just did. ” Aggie waved her arm in the air. “Check it out, Glory. This newbie gnawed me like an old bone. I’m mangled. Don’t you think she should kick in a bonus for pain and suffering?”
“Give it up, Aggie. You knew donating wasn’t going to be a joyride. You’re already charging plenty for this. Go ahead, Sienna. We never leave evidence of a feeding on a mortal. ” I crossed my arms, giving the rocker a stern look.
“Fine, whatever, but no bonus. ” Sienna licked her finger and swiped it across the puncture marks on Aggie’s wrist.
“I hope you get better at the biting. Glory, give her some lessons. Make her bite her own wrist till she gets it right. ” Aggie yawned and stretched, showing us all that the robe had slipped off and her gown was sheer.
“No pain, no gain. Deal with it. ” Sienna pulled her checkbook out of her purse, her cheeks flushed from feeding. I moved aside when Aggie got up and headed for the fridge. She picked out a pineapple yogurt and grabbed a spoon.
“You don’t have to be a bitch about it. Now I’m hungry. ” Aggie swallowed a spoonful then suddenly grinned. “Hey, this blood donor thing might help with my diet. You vampires don’t know how lucky you are, stuck in your bodies. Oh, except for Glory, of course. Glo, you should sue Jerry for turning you on one of your fat days. ” She tossed the lid in the t
rash. “I’m going back to bed. I’ll take a check or cash, Sin. No credit cards. You can leave it on the kitchen table. I have to get up early tomorrow. Did Glory tell you? I have to clean my former lover’s house. Bastard. I’m getting my own little revenge, though. Washed his sheets in a detergent that’s sure to make him itch. Underwear and socks too. ” She cackled, stopping in the door to the hall to take another bite of yogurt. “And the glasses he uses to drink his synthetic blood from? Washed them in the toilet. Hah!” She strutted down the hall with a wave of her spoon. “Night all. ”
“Bitch. ” Sienna and I said it together, then exchanged looks.
“Yes, she is. Long story to explain why I’m stuck with her here. I’m seriously wondering if I’ve lost my mind. She’s one more cutting remark away from being tossed out on her butt. ”
“Who would blame you? I sure wouldn’t want to be on her bad side though. ” Sienna grabbed her tote. “I’m going to shower. Okay?”
“Sure. And you’re right. I’ve been there. On Aggie’s bad side. Of course that was before she was mortal. She goes too far around me now and I can definitely make her regret it. ” Rafe and I slapped palms. “How was the blood, Sienna? Worth it?”
“Totally. So much better than synthetic. ” Sienna dropped a check on the kitchen table then started toward the bathroom. She stopped in the doorway. “How often should I feed from her? This could get expensive. ”
“You can supplement with synthetic. Try once a week, twice if you just can’t stand the synthetic after the real deal. The bloodlust hits new vamps pretty hard. Luckily, the older you get, the less often you have to feed. The main thing is to not let yourself get too thirsty. It can make you lose control and do something you might regret. ” I had to admit I envied her the funds that allowed her to have a mortal donor like that. The real thing was better, but I wasn’t about to stalk hapless victims like a lot of vamps did, including Jerry. It was a subject he and I didn’t discuss since he knew I disapproved of his drinking habit.