(Glory St Clair 11) Real Vampires Say Read My Hips (33 page)

His grin said it all. He wrapped his arms around Lacy. “Isn’t it? I never thought I’d have a family but now I can’t wait.”

Lacy snuggled into him. “He’ll be a fantastic father. But his hours are ridiculous. I’m trying to get him to sell the club or at least hire a competent manager. With me working days and him working nights, we hardly see each other.”

“Seems like you saw each other enough.” Kira patted Lacy’s rounded stomach. Then she laughed. “Just wait till Rafael’s grandfather meets you and sees that.”

“Don’t start, Kira.” Rafe muttered something in that language of theirs and she gestured at him in a way that I had no trouble interpreting.

“When is the baby due?” I sighed, thinking about a baby. My dreams of having my own had been ruined so recently. Damn my mother. And I was supposed to get into wedding plans with her by my side?

“This spring.” Lacy hummed when Rafe stroked her stomach. “I’m so big already. I’m afraid it’s more than one. Which wouldn’t be unusual in my family.”

“We’re thinking of asking Ian MacDonald to do an ultrasound. I know he did one once when you were possessed by that demon.” Rafe couldn’t seem to keep his hands off of Lacy.

“Yes, he has the equipment or maybe he rented it. You should ask him. You’ll need a good doctor when the time comes anyway and he’s the closest thing we’ve got to one for paranormals here.” I liked the way Rafe was holding onto Lacy. He looked happy.

“Wait a minute. Aren’t you going to introduce me to these people, Glory?” Charis came up beside me. She’d been busy trying to stuff small pieces of jewelry into her jacket pocket. She’d even had the nerve to put a purse strap over her shoulder. Had she snapped it on? No, I saw one of my price tags tucked into the side pocket. Little thief.

“Rafe, Lacy, Kira, this is my sister Charis. Charis, you heard that Kira is a shape-shifter, well, so is Rafe. Lacy is a were-cat.” I waited for my sister’s reaction.

“Cool. Can you do some shifting? Now? I’d love to see that.” She sat on the stool next to the counter. “Does it hurt? Tingle? I heard Kira say she was a panther. Black I guess. Rafe, what do you turn into?”

“Charis, you are being politically incorrect.” I jerked the purse off her shoulder and reached into her pocket. “If you don’t want to be sent back upstairs, and I mean
way
upstairs, you’ll shut up.”

“Oh, let the girl ask her questions.” Kira seemed amused. “Come out back, light fingers. I’ll show you my panther. Can’t do it here. We’ve got picture windows. Wouldn’t want the people walking by on Sixth Street to get scared, now would we?” Her smile would make most people shiver.

“No, that’s okay. I’m good.” Charis lost her attitude.

“Kira’s right. We can’t shift here.” Rafe shook his head. “I can be whatever I want, Charis. It doesn’t exactly hurt, though I’ll admit to a tingle or two.” He laughed. “Glory, where and when did you pick up a sister?”

“Olympus. You can all come upstairs after I have a few days to get settled and I’ll tell you about it.” I turned when I felt Alesha behind me. I introduced her then sent her back to pick out more things.

“You’re getting carried away, Glory. It’s like you forget she’s a servant.” Charis was pouting.

“Make that a sweater, a jacket, a scarf and three pairs of shoes, Alesha.” I stared at my sister. “Say another word and she’ll own that necklace in your pocket.”

Charis clamped her lips shut.

“I can see you have your hands full. We’ll leave you to it.” Rafe pulled Lacy toward the door. “Is Blade all right? Lacy said he was hurt somehow.”

“He’s fine now. You know vampires. Once we finally arrived home and he got some blood, he was soon back to normal. I expect he’ll show up here any minute.” I looked out the plate glass window. Of course there was no sign of him. “He’s not too happy about some things that happened up there. It didn’t help that my mother instigated the entire thing right before the wedding. He still doesn’t know we have Charis staying with us either.”

Charis grabbed my arm, her look of distress one of the first genuine emotions I’d seen her display. “Will he make me leave?”

“We’ll talk about it later.” I walked Rafe and Lacy to the door and unlocked it, turning the sign to show we were open again.

Rafe kissed my cheek. “I’m glad you’re back.” He looked over my head. “Kira, quit giving her a hard time. She can fire your butt, you know. You seem to like this job.”

“I know.” Kira waved. “Look, there’s someone trying to get in. Would you two lovebirds go home now? Lacy worked all day. She’s exhausted. Take care of her, Rafael.”

“I plan to.” He smiled down at Lacy. “Foot rub?”

“Oh, you do know how to get to me, don’t you?” Lacy sighed. “Good night, Glory. Glad you’re back.”

I waved them off, a little surprised that seeing Rafe happy with someone else didn’t give me even a twinge, then I turned to Kira. “Can you handle things by yourself while I help Alesha and Charis?”

“No problem, boss.” She saluted then greeted a new customer. “I’ve been doing it for months.”

I ignored the jab and pointed to my back room. “Come on, Charis. Talk to me.”

“Answer me. Do you think Jerry will want me to leave?” Charis jumped off her stool and followed close behind me. “I’ll behave, I promise. Just don’t make me leave, Glory. Olympus will be unbearable. The gossip…”

“What about your fiancé? Surely he will want you to come back.” I closed the door so that we couldn’t be heard by the customers who’d come into the shop.

“His family called off the match.” She leaned against the door. “They didn’t like the gossip my mother caused and then there’s the worry that,” She bit her lip. “Well, I just hope insanity isn’t hereditary.”

“Charis!” I started toward her but she wasn’t about to let me hug her.

“I’m dealing with it. But maybe not like I should.” She shrugged. “I know I can be a bitch. But what do you expect? This place is strange. So far I’ve been cooped up in your apartment with bloodsuckers and a handmaiden who doesn’t know her place.”

Well, that had been honest anyway. I sat on the wooden table and stared at her. “Here’s the deal. I won’t make you leave if you get your act together. But I might have to put you somewhere else for a while.” I sighed.
Where
was the question. “Don’t worry. I know how Olympus is. I’m not that mean unless you push the wrong buttons.”

“But pushing buttons is how I amuse myself.” Charis grinned. Incorrigible.

I ignored the attitude and jerked open the door. I went to help my overwhelmed housekeeper who couldn’t seem to make a decision. Charis decided to get involved, probably to earn points with me, and tried to talk Alesha into high-heeled boots. The thought of Alesha scrubbing toilets in five inch platforms put a smile on my face.

Too bad I lost it when a man walked in who was about to ruin my night.

Chapter 15

“Miguel.” I nodded and left the shoe section to greet him. We were friends, sort of.

“I overheard your clerk tell Rafael at the club that you were back. I trust the shop meets with your approval.” Miguel looked around. “We had an agreement before you disappeared. I have kept my end of it.”

“Agreement?” I had to think for a moment. “Oh, yes, you were going to provide security if I needed it. Lacy didn’t mention…”

“She didn’t have a clue. There was an incident while you were gone.”

“What kind of incident?” I dragged him into my back room. Miguel was a former hit man. For him an incident could be anything from a full on gang war to a minor skirmish with a homeless man in the park across the street. When we were alone, I looked at his amused smile.

“Don’t just stand there like you think it’s funny. Spill.” I collapsed on a chair.

“A couple of rogue vampires looking to make a name for themselves had heard the gossip that one of us owned this shop. They had plans to make trouble.” Miguel shrugged, like running off rogue vampires was all in a night’s work for him. Actually, I knew it probably was.

“They won’t be back?” I pressed a hand to my queasy stomach. What might have happened while I was gone? And I hadn’t given the shop a second’s thought. Lacy, my other clerks, any of them might have been hurt or killed.

“You can count on it. They are spreading the word that this store is protected. No one will bother your place again.” His dark eyes had hardened and he looked dangerous. I was glad he was on my side now.

“Thanks, Miguel. I guess I owe you.” As soon as I said it, I regretted it. His slow smile made me shiver.

“Of course you do. That’s why I’m here. I want answers, Gloriana. Where have you been? Olympus? Did you find out anything?” He took my arm and I was standing in front of him before I knew it. “Do my powers come from there?”

“I was a little busy. Didn’t have time to bring up your name.” I knew I needed to get out into the shop and pulled away to open the door in time to see Charis dump some items on the checkout counter. She leaned against it and gave Miguel a look of interest when he came out to stand beside me.

“You expect me to believe that?” He scanned the room, clearly dismissing Charis as of little importance. Then he focused on Alesha who smiled shyly at him.

“You have no idea what happened to me up there.” I faced him, poking him in the chest with a fingertip. “Seriously, I went through hell, Jerry too.”

“Calm down. I’m sorry if it wasn’t a pleasure trip but I still need answers.” He took my finger and flung it away from him. “You understand that, don’t you?”

“Yes. You just might not like them. That’s all.” I sighed and looked around. Mortals in the shop were either in the dressing rooms or too far away to hear us. “Listen. You know that’s where your special powers must come from, just like mine do. Let me introduce you to some people.”

“You can’t put me off. We aren’t done.” He did follow me though.

“I know. Humor me for a minute.” I stopped in front of Charis. “This is my friend,” I almost stumbled over that word, “Miguel Cisneros. Miguel, Charis is my sister and behind her is my housekeeper, Alesha. We’ll have to work on last names for them.”

“How do you do?” Charis held out her hand, running her eyes up and down Miguel like she’d inspect a fine race horse. “Last name? I’ve never had to bother with one before. In Olympus it is enough to state your father’s name. Charis, daughter of Mars.”

Miguel took her hand briefly, his eyebrows lifting before he released it. Knowing Charis, she’d probably zapped him with some power just to show off.

“Alesha Melanos.” Alesha nodded her head. “I have always had a last name though no one on Olympus bothered to learn it.” She smiled at me. “It is one I am proud of.”

“Good to know. Jerry will have to get you both identification. Charis, while you’re here, you’ll have to pick a last name to use. Think about it.”

“St. Clair, I guess. Like you, Glory. Charis St. Clair. Sisters should share the same last name.” She smiled. “Will you take Blade’s last name when you marry?”

I felt all eyes land on me. Good question. “No. But don’t tell him. We haven’t exactly discussed it yet.”

“Ah.” Charis had the avid look of a woman with a valuable secret.

I wished I’d never started this. “If you’re done shopping, let me add this up and we need to get back upstairs. I’d hoped Jerry would show up by now. But he hasn’t, so let’s go.”

“You and I aren’t done, Gloriana.” Miguel wasn’t going to be dismissed. “I’ve been waiting for almost a year for you to get back with answers. My patience is shot.”

“Then we’ll get some answers for you. Come up with us and we’ll call my father down and ask him.” I stepped behind the counter. Kira had kept the mortal customers on the other side of the shop but she was giving me a strange look. Of course the shifter had heard us. Not only had Charis thrown around the “O” word like it was no big deal, but there was the name thing. I quickly pulled tags from Alesha’s pile of purchases and left them together. I gave Charis the evil eye until she dragged the necklace from her pocket and I got the tag from that too.

“Kira, I’m leaving these tags here. I’ll figure out the damage and take them off inventory later.” I smiled at the pair of women looking over a set of porcelains then turned to Alesha. She had already carefully folded her selections and put them into bags.

“This is so much, Glory. I can never repay you.” She started when Miguel took the bags out of her hands.

“Gloriana is generous. Just accept and say thank you.” He strode to the door. “Can we get going now?”

“I guess so.” I looked around for Charis. “Where’s my sister?”

“She’s out on the street. When you said we were on our way upstairs, you didn’t see her face. She’s probably halfway down the block by now. She wants to see more of Austin.” Miguel pulled open the door with his free hand. “Let her go. What’s the worst that can happen?”

“Are you kidding me? She’s never been away from her home before. She looks like a teenaged girl, alone on the street.” I had picked up one of Alesha’s bags, now I thrust it into her arms. “I’ll see you upstairs after I find her. Alesha, do you remember the codes to get into the apartment?”

“Of course, Glory. Do you want me to let Miguel in? To wait for you?” She glanced at him, like she wasn’t sure what she should do in this new world. “Should I offer him refreshments?”

“Yes, but this shouldn’t take long. He’s, um, like me.” I gave Miguel a look, warning him to be nice to my housekeeper. His smile wasn’t reassuring. I was about to take off when Miguel stopped me with a hand on my arm.

“If she’s got the same powers we have, I don’t think you have to worry, Glory.” He really wanted those answers. “Surely you can let her have a little fun.”

“She has more than we have down here. Different ones.” I plucked his hand off my arm. “And maybe it’s not her I’m worried about.” I glanced around to make sure we weren’t attracting attention. “What do you think is going to happen if she starts using her, um,
abilities
where just anyone can see them? The girl’s a loose cannon, Miguel.”

“Fine. Go. We’ll be waiting.” He turned his attention to Alesha. “Tell me about Olympus.”