When a rain shower started, I was glad the top was up on the convertible. It got worse as we neared Ian’s place in the hills outside of Austin. The roads were slippery and I had to watch my driving. For once Jerry never said a word, though I thought I saw his grip on the armrest tighten a few
times. How about that? He was trusting me to get him there without his usual backseat driving. When the car hydroplaned across a slick spot, he grunted and held on to the dashboard but never complained about the way I rode it out. Of course if we’d ended up in that ditch a few yards away, I’m sure it would have been a different story.
“You okay over there?” I couldn’t resist asking.
“You’re doing fine. You don’t need me to tell you how to drive.” What a liar. I knew he was itching to do that very thing. He peered out the side window at the pouring rain and finally pointed up ahead. “There’s a low water crossing coming up. See it?”
“Sure. Thanks.” I slowed down. Low water crossings were notorious around Austin and dangerous. The markers next to them would tell drivers how deep the water was where the road dipped. Thank God for the warning sign up ahead. Water rushed across the road and the sign indicated the usually dry ditch now held five feet of water. No way was I driving into that death trap. The current could sweep the car downstream toward the lake not far away.
“I’m pulling over. We can’t cross now.” I made sure we were on a high spot on the shoulder and stopped the car. The skies were still dumping so much rain it was hard to see even though the wipers were on high. I had the fleeting thought that this could be something the Storm God had whipped up. But why would he be here tonight? No, it was probably just one of Austin’s freak storms. Could we wait it out? I glanced at the dashboard clock. We were already running late. Did I care? Not really. But I didn’t like the idea of Ian giving Jerry a hard time about it.
“What do you think?” I turned off the motor. I hated the idea of leaving the cozy warmth of the car and shifting out into the storm.
“Do we have a choice?” Jerry pulled out his cell. “Let me check with Ian. Maybe he’s called this off for tonight. These aren’t ideal conditions for much of anything.” He started to make a call. “No signal. Try yours.”
I opened my purse. I should have already stuck my phone in my pocket anyway. When I tried to make a call, I realized I couldn’t get a signal either. Decision time. The wind blew the rain almost sideways against the car, shaking it. The convertible top was holding but I didn’t feel very safe where we were. Have I mentioned how much I hate storms? I shivered thinking about getting out of that car. The motor was still running and I turned the heater on.
“We’ll be soaked before we can shift. My clothes…” I really, really hated the thought. My sweater was bound to shrink and it was one of my favorites. Vintage cashmere, high quality and a good color on me. And don’t get me started about my jeans. They’d barely zipped as it was. Wet, they’d be a lost cause.
“You’re right. The rain will ruin your clothes. We should shift naked.” Jerry grinned. “Stow the clothes in my backpack. It’s waterproof. I can carry it during the shift. I’ve done it successfully before.” He reached for the backpack, already on board with the plan.
“You just want to see me strip.” I couldn’t stop my own smile. It was a good idea. I pulled my sweater off over my head and stuffed it into the pack while he took off his jacket and tossed it into the backseat.
“Wonder if we could be really, really late.” Jerry reached across the console to open the front fastener of my bra.
“Not happening, Blade.” I slapped his hands away when he fondled my breasts. “Check the time. We’re already late.”
“I’ll be quick.” Jerry pulled me toward him and licked the tip of my right breast.
“Stop.” I grabbed his hair. Pull, no, push. How could I let go right now when I had no idea what we’d be facing at Ian’s? Men. Jerry saw boobs and thought sex. Whatever came next wasn’t even on his radar. “Please, Jerry. We can do this all you want later and take all the time in the world. All of this”—I gestured at my breasts—“will be here when we get back to the car.”
“Spoilsport.” He sat back and unbuttoned his cotton
shirt. “I’m holding you to that. Hot sex in this car. Here on the side of the road. It’ll be awkward, but worth it.”
I touched his chest, then ran my hand down the fine hair on his stomach. “Oh, yes, I promise you it will be totally worth the wait.”
“Undress or we won’t make it to Ian’s at all. When we get there, we’ll find a spot where we can dress and stay dry. A place without an audience, hopefully. I’ll be damned if I’ll let Ian see you naked.” Jerry toed off his shoes and stuck them in the pack. It was already pretty full.
I wiggled out of my jeans, deciding to leave my shoes in the car. I could always hit my mother up for another pair when we got there. I left on my panties. I could go commando when we got to Ian’s.
“I’m ready.” I glanced at Jerry. “That rain is going to be ice cold.”
“No doubt. Be brave.” He grinned, obviously enjoying this. “On three. Try not to get the car soaked.” He shrugged on the backpack and put his hand on the door handle. I braced myself as he counted. Then we threw open the doors and slammed them at the same time. I locked the car, tossed Jerry the keys to slip into the backpack then shifted. Soon we were hurtling up into the air as fast as we could go.
I could tell my hair was already wet, the rain pounding my wings as I flew beside Jerry up the hill toward Ian’s. Thank goodness it wasn’t too far away. Amazing that Jer could shift and the backpack would merge with his bird form. But then I had shifted with my purse strapped across my body many times and never lost a thing either.
Ian’s house came into view below us. Jerry led the way, swooping down to land under a walkway that led from the five-car garage to the house. None of the guards were in sight but the security lights were blazing. We both shifted near the back door.
“Hurry, hand me something.” I tried to wring out my wet hair. I was shivering and sluiced water off my body with both hands.
“Here’s your sweater. I left the bra in the car, not enough room for it.” Jerry tossed me my sweater while he stepped into his jeans. They clung to his wet legs.
“Great. Now everyone’s going to see nipple.” I whipped off my panties and tossed them aside then struggled to get my jeans up my own wet legs. It wasn’t easy.
“Need some help?” Jerry moved closer, sliding his hand between my thighs.
“Are you kidding me? You’re making a move now?” I tried to wiggle away but he had a pretty firm and intimate grip. He jerked me to him and kissed me, his fingers moving inside me.
I didn’t want to feel anything. This wasn’t the time or place. But there was something so dangerously exciting about leaning against Ian’s back door and knowing that we were just feet from the man himself and a half dozen guards. Jerry pushed his knee between my legs to give himself more access, his other hand under my sweater so he could massage one of my breasts.
“Gloriana. The sight of you almost naked in the rain took my breath away.” He ran his tongue along the edge of my jaw and down to my throat while he kept up his rhythm, the heat building inside me until I raked his bare shoulders with my fingernails.
“Jerry, please.” I hiked one leg around his hips, my own hips shoving against his hand. I was close, so close. He kissed me again, pushing harder, deeper until I fell apart, screaming his name inside my head.
I leaned my cheek on his chest while the rain still poured, rushing over the roof in sheets to splash our bare feet. I let my leg collapse, sliding down his until my foot landed on the flagstone walkway. Could I even stand on my own? He kissed me one more time, lingering long enough to make me grasp his hair and press against him before he eased his fingers from me. Then he pulled up my jeans, carefully zipping them closed.
“Well, well. That was quite a show.” Ian stood in the
open back door. “I do have security cameras, you know.” He laughed and gestured. “If you’re through pleasing your woman, Blade, I could use you in here. There’s action coming. All hands on deck. Gloriana, good to see you are still a lusty woman.” He turned on his heel, still laughing.
My cheeks burned. Jerry just pulled his shirt out of the pack then began to rearm himself. Of course. No room for a bra, but knives and stakes aplenty. I saw the wisdom in that. I rescued my cell phone from the pack and checked. I had service. And a new message. Ray again. I turned off the phone and stuck it in my back pocket. No way was I going to be interrupted tonight.
Jerry stopped me before I could go into the house. “I’m sorry, Gloriana. I didn’t mean to embarrass you. MacDonald’s an ass.”
“No argument there. But I will never regret a minute with you, Jerry.” I kissed his lips then walked past him. My mother would be inside. Had she seen the video? I dreaded facing her if she had. Me with a vampire. I could only imagine her reaction.
We stepped into a scene I’d never have expected. My mother obviously didn’t have a clue about a security video. She was too busy with something else. She looked stunning, dressed as usual in a designer dress and heels. Tonight’s ensemble was my favorite shade of green. I was tempted to compliment her but she barely acknowledged my entrance. Instead, she was focused on someone I hadn’t seen in a while.
Aggie, or Aglaophonos, as she was formally called, was a Siren. Tonight she was in human form, tossing her long blond hair around while she talked to my mother. Her very presence made me think that this horrible weather was courtesy of her boss, the Storm God.
“Ladies, they’re here. Aggie, darling, calm down.” Ian walked over and pulled the Siren into his arms. “I told you we’d fix this and we’re going to.”
I could only stare. Ian had called her darling. Had his
arm around her in a loving gesture I’d never seen him make. Could it be that the cold, calculating Scot had finally fallen in love? I glanced at Jerry. He grinned like he’d just won the lottery.
“What have we here? Heard the Siren’s song, have you, MacDonald?” He strode forward. “Aggie. Don’t believe I’ve seen you since Florence and Richard’s wedding.”
“Don’t remind me. What a mess.” Aggie smiled at me. “Thanks for coming, both of you. Ian told me you had quite a trip to Scotland, Glory.”
“Can we dispense with the reunion?” My mother had been ignored long enough. “Gloriana, where are your shoes?”
“I had to shift out here, Mother. The road was flooded.” I raised an eyebrow. “Maybe you could take care of it for me. Something in a medium heel. Designer of course. I know you won’t go cheap.”
“Of course not. A name brand.” She smiled and moved one of her fingers. “What do you think?”
I glanced down. “Perfect. You do have exquisite taste.” The shoes were red Keds. Her idea of a joke. I just played along. “Now why are we here?”
“This Siren, who claims she is a friend of yours, wants to stay in Austin. Is even thinking of defecting.” My mother smiled and looked up at the sky. “As you can see, Achelous isn’t too happy about it.”
More dealings with the Storm God. Was it too late for Jerry and me to shift back to our car? I never wanted to mess with that egomaniac again. He’d fried my hair, tormented Jerry, thrown around lightning until I had only to hear his name and feel a tingle of electricity run through me. Of course he’d tried to kill me more than once too. Only the fact that he was afraid of my mother’s wrath had saved me the last time we’d met. I smiled at the woman who’d given birth to me. Okay, this was going to be an interesting night.
“Ian and I are in love, Glory.” Aggie had her arm around Ian and I couldn’t believe he didn’t shrug away from it. I knew she had the power to sing any man to her as a Siren.
Obviously she’d done her thing and put him under her spell. Ian MacDonald and Aggie, a loudmouthed bitch if ever I’d met one, just didn’t match up.
“Gloriana, Blade, quit looking at me that way.” Ian frowned. “I’m not under some Siren’s spell.” Ian leaned down and kissed Aggie’s lips. “She’s beautiful, and has been misunderstood and held prisoner for years by that asshole she works for. It’s slavery! Prostitution!”
All right, I could have gone all night without hearing the “P” word. I’d been a Siren myself once.
“Shut up, Ian. Sirens aren’t prostitutes. They’re victims of a master who makes them sing men to their deaths. Forget the sex. If it happens, it’s because they are programmed that way. They can’t help it. All of it, the song, the killing, is to enrich the coffers of Olympus. The women don’t get a penny.” I was hot.
“Now, Ian, Gloriana, calm down. She’s right. We are cursed. It’s horrible. A terrible fate. But, look, lover. They all came here to help. So I’m sure I’ll be free soon. Just like Glory is.” Aggie’s smile was brilliant.
“They think you ensorcelled me, darling. Not so, damn it!” Ian stared at Jerry, then me. “You know me well enough to realize I’m too smart to be suckered by some Siren’s song.”
“Oh, yeah, you’re a freaking genius.” Jerry kept his arm around me, highly entertained.
“Stuff it, Campbell. I do love her. I’ve finally found a woman I want to be with for more than one night. Is that so hard to understand?” Ian was livid.
I bit my lip. Poor misunderstood beautiful Aggie. The only part that truly fit was the beautiful part. With her long blond hair, leaf green eyes and size-six body, she was close to perfect. She wore a deep green mini and matching top with high heels that I would have had trouble walking in. But forget beauty.
Aggie hadn’t killed because she’d been ordered to, she’d enjoyed it, kept count and was thrilled when she hit a million with her body count. Ray and I had barely escaped
being notches in her Gucci belt. Of course she’d been full of reasons why she’d been driven to making us her victims. Small comfort when we’d been fighting for our lives. Old grudge aside, I knew her as a vain woman who didn’t know how to be a friend, plus she had a temper that made her use her powers in some pretty mean ways.
“Say something, Glory. Don’t you remember the wedding shower I threw for Flo? I’ve tried to make up for how we met.” Aggie looked at my mother. “We were in the lake here. Circe was mad at me and made me collect some vampire sacrifices. I’m sure you know Circe. She hates the night and anything to do with it, especially vampires.”