"How totally cool. I can't see why anyone wouldn't want to be a vampire." Penny paused as we got to the block where the red neon proclaimed we'd arrived at N-V.
"Don't kid yourself, Penny." I gripped her hand. "Just a couple of hours ago you were crying about those morning coffees with your sister. And now you'll never give your parents grandchildren, will you?"
"Geez, Glory, rain on my parade, why don't you? I was trying to make the best of it." Penny jerked her hand from mine. "Let's go. It's late and I want to see the inside of this place."
"Fine. But also remember this is a test. You'll be surrounded by mortals. Let's see you rock that self-control you're so sure you have." I stalked up to the door, then smiled at the shifter standing there. "Hi, Trey, Rafe working tonight?"
"Sure is. Come on in." He sniffed. "Your friend here should probably show some ID but I'll stamp her hand since she's obviously not going to be drinking alcohol anyway." He reached out. "Hi, pretty lady. I'm Trey."
Penny flushed and let him take her hand. "Penny. I'm new at this. Can you really tell what I am from my, um, smell?"
"You bet." Trey grinned. "You want some lessons in how to tell the difference? I'd be glad to tutor you. I'm off on Wednesday nights. Call me." He pulled a card from his jeans pocket and handed it to her.
"Thanks." She tucked it into the black clutch I'd found for her.
"Anytime." With a wink he glanced into the club. "Oops, here comes the boss man. Talk about sense of smell. When Glory is in the vicinity, he knows instantly. Right, Glory?"
I patted Trey on the shoulder, really happy with him for making a pass at Penny. She was positively glowing from the attention. And Trey was a hot guy. It had certainly taken her mind off the whole vamp issue and the mortals crowding around her. Her fangs were nowhere in sight.
Still, I'd keep a close eye on her while we were here. I wasn't sure I'd been wise bringing her to a place with so many temptations. But I had made her down an extra bottle of synthetic from my back room fridge before we'd left the shop. Hopefully that would help her stay under control.
"Yes, you're right. Penny, Rafe was my bodyguard for five years. He's pretty well programmed to sense me from blocks away. Guess it's a hard habit to break."
"Impossible to break." Rafe snagged me around the waist and gave me a squeeze. "Good to see you here. Who's this?" He smiled at Penny.
"Penny Patterson. I'm mentoring her for the council. To make up for the recent debacle with the red eyes." I gave Rafe a nudge. He was part demon himself and could make his own eyes red when things got dicey. "But I'm happy to help out a fledgling."
"Hi. You must be the former bodyguard." Penny was gazing around the club as we moved inside. It was pretty spectacular with deep purple walls, those red neon N-Vs and lots of chrome and strobe lights, along with loud music and a throbbing beat. The place was packed.
"That's me, Rafael Valdez, at your service." He shook her hand. "I mean it. You need anything. Can't find Glory and need help, come here. If I can't help you, someone else here will. I'll pass the word. Paranormals stick together." He said this quietly and there were no mortals near enough to hear him over the music.
"Place seems to be doing well." I was very conscious of Rafe's arm still around my waist. I should move away. Put space between us. The fact that I hadn't rebuffed him from the get-go bothered me. Maybe Jerry had been wise to give me space. I needed to get my Rafe attraction settled once and for all.
"Business is booming. Even DJ nights like this one. We've got live acts lined up for every weekend for the next few months too." Rafe found us a table near the dance floor.
"Good to hear." I realized my toe was tapping. I did love to dance. I looked around and saw Trey had pulled Penny out on the floor. She was shaking her head and he was showing her some smooth moves.
"Trey's a nice guy. She could do a lot worse." Rafe slid his hand up to my shoulder.
"She's really confused right now. I have to keep a close eye on her because she has a sister . . ." I couldn't concentrate with Rafe's finger trailing up to my ear. "Rafe, stop it."
"Let's dance then." He pulled me onto the floor, and as if he'd willed it, the music changed to a slow song and the lights dimmed.
I looked up at him accusingly but he just grinned and shook his head, then pulled me close, his warm chest firmly against mine. It felt too damned good. And he danced too damned well. I gave in after I checked to make sure Penny was still on the dance floor. She was, with a dreamy look on her face. Hmm. Well, I'd make sure she went home with me. I leaned against Rafe, enjoying his heat and his own smooth moves.
"Jerry left town tonight," I murmured as I laid my head against his shoulder.
"Is that an invitation?" He ran his hand up my back, then down, but not so far that I felt compelled to stop him.
"No, just a heads-up. He's still upset with me, us, for what happened last time he left." I had my thumbs in Rafe's belt, my fingertips in his back pocket. His butt was a work of art I could visualize only too well.
"Yeah, I bet he is. It would take me a century to get over something like that. If ever." Rafe growled and nipped my ear. "So are you two taking a break?"
"I guess we are." I sighed. "Don't do that, Rafe, it drives me crazy."
"That's the plan." He licked the spot he'd bitten.
"I've got Penny in the spare bedroom now and she's only one reason I'm not going to be playing games in mine." I slid my hands up Rafe's back. The music was coming to an end and so was this conversation.
"And the other?" Rafe stopped dancing and pushed me back so he could look in my eyes.
"I have to be loyal to Jerry this time. I won't play him false again." I sighed.
"Sounds like you're doing penance instead of acting on your true feelings, Glo." Rafe ran his thumb over my cheek. "Keep me posted on how it goes. I'll be here."
"Uh, Glory, thought you might like to know." Trey was suddenly right next to us as the lights flashed and the music sped up.
"What, Trey?" I tore my gaze away from Rafe's and the urge to pull that thumb into my mouth.
"Penny said she was going to the ladies' room but she headed outside instead."
Four
"You're kidding me. She took a hike? How long ago was this?" I ran toward the door, Rafe right beside me. My fault. I'd let myself get distracted and hadn't kept an eye on her. Even going to the ladies' room had the potential to be dangerous. I should have warned Trey . . . Hindsight. Which wasn't worth my time.
"What's the problem, Glory?" Rafe stopped me with his hand on my shoulder.
"She has a twin sister. Hasn't told her yet and thinks the thing to do is to turn her." I glanced at a couple of mortals who were just leaving the club. "You know what I mean."
"She's just five minutes ahead of you. Maybe I can track her for you." Trey frowned. "I'm sorry. You should have told me you didn't want her to leave without you. I would have stopped her."
"No, it wasn't your job to ride herd on her, Trey." I sighed. "I need her sister's address. That's where I'll find her. At this time of night, Jenny will probably be asleep and Penny will have to wake her up to tell her. What a shock that will be." I turned to Rafe. "Can we use the computer in your office?"
"Sure, let's go." Rafe turned to Trey. "You're off the hook. But if you want to help, stay for closing because I'm going with Glory. Nadia's off tonight so it's on you." He tossed Trey a large key ring.
"Wow. Thanks, boss. I'll do it right. I promise." Trey's eyes gleamed like this was a big deal. And it probably was with bar receipts and all the other responsibilities that go with closing a club of this size.
I glanced at Rafe. As usual it was Rafe to the rescue. His partner, Nadia, hated that he did these kinds of things for me. I started to say something but he was already in his office in front of his laptop.
"Her name?"
"Jennifer Patterson, student at the university."
"She's staying in her sorority house. Does that sound right?"
"Yes, that's her."
"Okay, got it. I know where this is. Let's go." He jumped up and I was on his heels as we headed outside and around back.
We shifted into birds and in minutes were behind a large white house that was dark except for a light in one downstairs room. Penny stood outside the back door, her shoulders slumped. I nodded at Rafe and shifted by myself, landing next to my fledgling.
"Going somewhere?" I dropped my hand onto her shoulder. She turned to look at me, tears running down her face. "No. I can't do it." She leaned against me and I put my arm around her. "What the hell am I doing here at almost two in the morning on a Monday night?"
I led her away from the house before we woke up someone. Rafe had shifted and stood waiting for us on the sidewalk.
"You're a night creature now, Penny. This is prime time for you." I squeezed her shoulders. "I'm sorry, I know this is a rough thing to face." I looked at Rafe.