Real Vampires Don't Wear Size Six(33)

"Not a good idea." Jerry glared at Ray. "Never trust a MacDonald, Penny. They're double-dealing cattle thieves."
"Oh, well, then. Penny, listen to the man. Guard your cattle when you meet Ian." Ray chuckled. "Did you just hear yourself, Blade?"
"Stop baiting him, Ray." I patted Jerry's knee. "Jerry has his reasons for mistrusting Ian. There's an age-old feud going between the families. But also, Ian is tricky. I don't exactly trust him either and his diet drug gave me weird side effects."
"But he's brilliant. You said it yourself." Penny stood and walked to the breakfast room and her computer. "First, I'm finding a home for the rats. I can't take the smell and it's not healthy for them either, it's so overcrowded. I'm not sure where I'd find enough cages for them at this time of night though."
"I know where to go." Jerry got up and headed for the door. "Come with me, Penny. We'll take my SUV and get what you need." He turned and pinned Ray with a hard look. "Can I trust you to behave?"
"Really, Jerry, what kind of question is that?" I stood and marched to the door. "You can trust me. That's all you need to know. Now thanks for helping Penny." I kissed his cheek and watched them both head down the stairs. I knew he'd been trying, but as a "work in progress" he had a long way to go.
I shut the door and turned to Ray. "How are you feeling?"
"Not so hot." He stretched out on the couch. In low-slung jeans and nothing else, he was still a sight to make a girl drool. "I was putting on a good show, wasn't I? Didn't want Blade to know how bad I felt, it's a guy thing. Though he was actually pretty decent to me before you got home."
"Yes, you're obviously a good actor. Jerry doesn't bother to mask his feelings, the jealous ones anyway. But, like you, if he's in pain, he'd rather die than let on he's less than a hundred percent." I leaned down and touched his forehead under the silky hair that had fallen into his bright blue eyes. "You're very cold to the touch. Have you fed today? The Bulgarian brew has real blood in it. I'll bring you some."
Ray pulled me down on top of him, showing surprising strength. "I'd rather have some of what you've got. You know vampire blood heals us faster than anything."
"Ray, this isn't a good idea." I lay on top of him, inhaling him. This brought back some memories in a rush, some good, some not so great. He had the same charisma that always pulled me in, but then he could be a world-class jerk, especially to the man I loved.
"Please?" He ran his hand up under my hair and just smiled, such a sad smile, like he knew he'd never have me now. Okay, of course I was being manipulated but I went along with it anyway.
"All right. Take what you need. But this isn't foreplay." I started to offer my wrist but didn't bother. Why not let him take what he wanted from where he wanted it? It might keep him from turning back to the alcoholic stuff. I still couldn't get the visit from Spyte out of my mind. No way did I want Ray to sell his soul to Lucifer and there were things he'd do it for. Spyte had nailed it with that chance to live in the light as Ray used to as a mortal. Or maybe he'd choose to get his mortality back.
"There you go, Glory. Now you're thinking like one of us." Caryon stood beside the couch, watching as Ray sank his fangs into the vein at my neck.
I expected Ray to jerk and react but he started drinking with a sigh of pleasure, his hand on my back anchoring us together.
"Oh, he can't see or hear me. Just you can. But now's your opportunity. Yes, we can give him his mortality back. Or, if he wants to stay vampire? He can get that gift of sunlight. Just like we gave you your reflection. If Israel Caine will sell his soul to Lucifer, he can become a vampire who can walk and play in the sun." Caryon laughed and I got chills. He was talking in my mind and I answered him the same way.
"You couldn't really-"
"Need proof?" Caryon gave me one of his full-on creepy fang smiles. "Just look in your bathroom mirror."
"Then Ray . . ." I felt his other hand slide down to pull me closer, our chests and hips pressed against each other as his mouth worked on my throat. I couldn't let him drink much longer. He was enjoying this, his mind open as he wondered if making a move on me now was worth risking being shot down again. But it was a brief thought, most of him caught up in the pleasure of taking in ancient vampire blood.
I knew how Ray would react to an offer of daylight. He wouldn't hesitate. Hell? To Ray that would be an abstract when he was all about the concrete, the here and now. And he'd easily blow off immortality if he could have his old pleasures back. Ray was all about pleasures.
"Oh, I see you know how seductive that would be to the rock star. Do you dare make the offer? Think about it. You say you love the man. If you truly do, why not give him his heart's desire?" Caryon began to fade away. He'd been in his usual dark suit and tie, not a hair out of place. "Make the offer, Glory. Then Caine won't need to lose his mind and dull his pain with alcohol. How do you like this proof that I can stay away from your friends? This one, anyway." That had sounded like a taunt just before he disappeared.
I probed Ray's mind again and got a glimpse of yearning that made me sigh. I knew what that felt like, to crave something just out of reach. But I also knew that this evil bargain wasn't the way for Ray to get it. I shoved at him, suddenly sure that I'd been so distracted that I was in danger of letting him take too much of my blood. I sat up and the room swirled around me.
"You okay?" Ray held on to me when I bent over and rested my head on my knees.
"Bring me one of the synthetics out of the fridge." I took a breath, feeling queasy. I wasn't sure if it was from blood loss or Caryon's offer. Both were a possibility. Ray put a cold bottle in my hand, then went to answer the door when I hadn't even heard a knock.
"What the hell has been going on here?" Rafe was by my side. "Did you drain her dry, asshole?"
"Didn't think so." Ray sat on my other side. Seemed it was my night for being surrounded by hot guys. "Drink, Glory. Hell, I'm sorry. Guess I got carried away. You should have stopped me."
"You should have stopped yourself." Rafe looked like he wanted to start a fight with Ray when I glanced at him.
"No more fighting in here. I appreciate the concern, but I'm already living in a war zone with almost no furniture. I swear, if I inhale any more testosterone, I'm going to start scratching my crotch and craving Monday-night football. Now, chill." I drank my synthetic and felt better immediately, though Rafe's neck looked awfully tempting.
"You need to feed from me?" Rafe shot Ray a challenging glare. "Help yourself, sweetheart."
"That's all you need. Bite him, Glory, and let Blade walk in on that. There'd be a dog area rug here before you know it." Ray sat back and smiled.
"Son of a bitch!" Rafe jumped to his feet. He'd stayed shifted into dog form as my bodyguard for five long, frustrating years, and Ray wasn't inclined to let him forget it.
"I said chill. I mean it, Rafe. Jealousy is not sexy to me. And hurling insults is childish, Ray. A total turnoff." I drained my bottle and handed it to Ray. "Thanks. That did the trick." I sighed and leaned back. "Now, Ray, Rafe and I have some business to discuss." I glanced at Rafe. "Maybe you could give us some privacy."
"What? You have secrets from me? What's the big deal?" Ray looked like he didn't want to budge.
"We're dealing with some demon issues. Nothing to do with you. If you must know, they'd like your soul. Interested?" There, I'd said it. He did what I thought he'd do, he laughed.
"You're kidding, right? Demons from hell?" Ray got up and took the empty into the kitchen. "What else, angels? Are we living in a graphic novel?"
"No such luck." Rafe looked like he was grinding his teeth. "Remember, you used to think vampires were fiction. How's that working out for you?"
"Point taken." Ray sat in one of the chairs. "So demons are real. Angels too?"
"A couple are guarding my shop right now." I looked at Rafe. "Emmie Lou and Harvey Nutt are back and protecting it and us as long as we're in there. Seems a higher power doesn't like the pressure we're under."
"No kidding." Rafe grinned. "That's cool." He glared at Ray. "You going to mock that?"
"Naw. I'm open to whatever you guys are selling. This is a whole new world to me. How can I help?" He actually sat back and crossed his arms over his chest.
"Stay sober. Let us handle this and don't add to my load." Oops that had popped out.
"Well, shit, Glory. Didn't know I was a load." Ray was on his feet in an instant. He never had managed to get any more clothes and he still just had the black jeans and his boots, which were by the door. No shirt. "If you call Nate and tell him I'm sober, he'll pick me up." He looked around. "No, to hell with it. I feel good enough. I'm shifting out of here. From the roof."
"Ray, wait. I didn't mean-" I jumped up. "Don't shift. You haven't had enough time to fully recover."
"You got another idea?" He'd started pulling on those boots.
"Stop. You can't leave." I put my hand on his chest, knocking him back onto the couch. It was too easy; obviously he wasn't ready to go anywhere yet.