Maggie approached the desk. "I just had a lovely time at the Horny Devils. Thanks to you, it's the most popular nightclub in the vampire world."
Corky's eyes narrowed into angry slits. "I remember now. You're one of Vanda Barkowski's friends. You can give that crazy bitch a message from me." Corky rose to her feet. "I'm going to destroy her. And her club."
"Try it," Phil said softly, "and you'll regret it."
Corky scoffed. "Am I supposed to quake in fear from a mere mortal and a…miniature cowgirl?" She glowered at Maggie. "Don't think I haven't forgotten how you stole Don Orlando from me."
Maggie glared back. "You had already lost him. You treated him like a slave."
"Ha! I made him a star! I made him famous. What could you ever do for him?"
Maggie smiled. "I make him happy." She turned on her heel and marched out.
Corky sputtered. "I could ruin you. And your ranch. You're just so trivial, I haven't bothered!"
Phil paused by the door on his way out. "Leave Vanda alone."
"What are you," Corky sneered, "her guard dog?"
"Close." He took a deep breath and tapped into his inner Alpha power. He knew it would make his blue eyes glow. His body began to shimmer, his form fuzzy along the edges. He could shift in an instant if he wanted, or remain in human form while retaining all the power of the Alpha wolf.
Corky stumbled back, her eyes wide. "Who—What are you?"
Let her wonder. He shut the door in her face and reined in his power. In an instant he was back to normal. "Okay, where do you think Vanda is?"
Maggie stared at him, her mouth agape. "What was that?"
"The power of my inner…animal." He started down the hallway.
Maggie stood in place, her eyes still wide with shock. "But don't you need a full moon?"
"No. So where could Vanda be?"
"I–I don't know." Maggie ran to catch up with him. "I've never heard of a shifter who wasn't dependant upon a full moon."
"I can shift at any time." They reached the end of the hall, where it led into an intersecting hallway.
"That's amazing," Maggie whispered. "What kind of animal are you?"
He ignored the question as he inspected the new hallway. No sign of Vanda. "Let's split up. You go right, I'll go left."
"All right." Maggie headed right, then pulled back around the corner, grimacing.
"What's wrong?" Phil peered down the hall to the right. A blond woman was talking to the pirate actor.
"It's Tiffany." Maggie raised her gaze to the ceiling as if in prayer. "Must I see every woman tonight who's slept with my husband?"
Phil recalled that the actor Don Orlando de Corazon had been touted as the greatest lover in the vampire world. "I'm sure he never looked at another woman once he met you."
Maggie snorted, then smiled. "I believe you're right. Bless you. So you're a powerful shifter who knows exactly what to say to a woman? Vanda doesn't stand a chance."
"I hope you're right. But we still need to find her. How about I go right, and you go left?"
"Okay." Maggie hurried down the new hallway, moving away from Tiffany.
Phil strode toward the blonde and the pirate. He tried the first door. A storeroom.
"Aar, me buxom wench." The pirate adjusted his eye patch. "Ye be a glorious sight for me sore eye. Would ye care to go below deck with me?"
"To the basement?" Tiffany giggled. "Sure. I just love your accent. It's so classy. You sound like a prince." She led him to a door at the end of the hall.
Phil smiled to himself. Tiffany certainly wasn't pining over the loss of Don Orlando. He spotted a door labeled: CORKY'S DRESSING ROOM. This sounded promising. He quietly eased it open.
Vanda was seated at a dressing table. There was no mirror above it, but rather, a monitor connected to a digital camera. As a Vamp, this was the only way Corky could see herself to apply the mounds of makeup she wore. The camera was turned off now, and Vanda was entirely focused on her task, snipping at clothing with a small pair of scissors.
He closed the door with a click, and she jumped in her seat.
"Phil! What are you doing here?"
"What are you doing, Vanda?"
"I'm busy." She returned her attention to a black brassiere and made a small snip at the shoulder strap.
He stepped toward her. "As your sponsor, I suggest you put the scissors down."