Sexiest Vampire Alive(3)

“Right,” Gordon sneered. “Because mortals are always making home videos where they cut each other’s heads off.”

“If you look at the comments, a lot of people are calling it a hoax,” Gregori said.

“It only takes one mortal with one stake to do me in,” the boom operator mumbled.

“We’re doomed!” The makeup artist collapsed on the floor, clutching an empty bottle of Blardonnay. “Doomed!”

“No, we’re not! You guys got the official memo from Roman, right?” Gregori asked. Roman Draganesti was not only his boss and CEO of Romatech Industries, he was also Coven Master of East Coast Vampires. “He wants everyone to remain calm and go about your lives in a normal manner.”

“Yeah, we know.” Gordon upended his Blissky bottle, then scowled when he discovered it was empty. “That’s why we all showed up for work today.”

“We should be looking for some caves to hide in,” the cameraman grumbled, then his eyes lit up. “I know! We could hide in mausoleums.”

“Right.” The boom operator scoffed. “Mortals would never think about looking for us in a graveyard.”

“We’re doomed—”

“Enough!” Gregori interrupted the makeup artist. “Chillax, people. It’s going to be all right. Roman’s got a strategy meeting tonight with a bunch of Coven Masters.”

“Do they have a plan?” Pennington asked.

“I’m sure they’ll come up with something.” Gregori didn’t know much about the situation except that Roman and the head of MacKay Security and Investigation, Angus MacKay, had spent the last two nights discussing the matter with Sean Whelan—CIA operative, newly turned vampire, and Roman’s father-in-law. “The best thing for us to do is to behave normally and not bring any attention to ourselves. Just go to work, go home, drink your blood from bottles, and no one will ever suspect you’re a vampire.”

“That’s easy for you to say,” Gordon grumbled. “You and your buddies have security guards to watch over you during the day. We do our death-sleep in apartments that mortals could break into.”

“We’re doomed!” the makeup girl cried.

Gregori loosened his tie as he considered. Corky’s damned video was probably inciting panic all over the vampire world. And the more the Vamps panicked, the bigger the chance that one of them would do something really stupid that made the problem even worse. They needed to feel safe.

He retrieved his smart phone from his jacket pocket. “I’ll tell you what. I’ll ask Angus MacKay to send a day guard here. We’ll turn the building into an emergency shelter. Then Vamps can do their death-sleep here, knowing they’ll be safe and protected.”

Gordon jumped to his feet and swayed a little. “Are you serious? You can do that?”

“Of course.” Gregori smiled. “I’ll make the arrangements, so hurry up and announce it on air.”

“Great!” Gordon dashed out of the studio.

The makeup artist eased to her feet and gave Gregori a shaky smile. “Thank you.”

“Not a problem.” Gregori selected Angus’s number on his Droid while the rest of the crew thanked him. “Let’s get ready for another try at the commercial, okay?”

“Yes, sir!” the boom operator shouted with a grin.

Pennington put on a new shirt, while the makeup girl applied new powder and lipstick to Simone.

Gregori breathed a sigh of relief. Maybe they’d get the commercial done after all. Angus’s phone sent him to voice mail, so he left a short message explaining the need to turn DVN into an emergency shelter for frightened Vamps.

“Excuse me.”

Gregori glanced up from a quick look through his e-mail to see Pennington standing nearby. “Yes?”

“I’d like to thank you for keeping us all safe tonight.”

“Glad to help.”

Pennington shoved his long blond hair over his shoulders. “And I’d like to thank you for giving me the opportunity to star in a commercial.”

“No problem.” Gregori didn’t want to remind the model that he was the talent agency’s eighth choice, and he wouldn’t be here at all if Simone hadn’t sent the first seven guys packing.

Pennington sidled up closer. “What I mean is I’d like to thank you . . . personally.”

Yikes. Gregori stepped back. “No thanks. Sorry.”

“But you’re gay, right? I mean, you dress so well, and you were so nice and sensitive to . . . her.” Pennington wrinkled his nose at Simone.

“A straight guy can’t be nice?” Gregori muttered.