Real Vampires Know Hips Happen (7 page)

“You were talking to a MacDonald?” Angus stared at me. “Tell me, Gloriana. What exactly are you up to? Did you arrange the attack on my son?”

“No! Why would I do that? I love him.” I reared back, horrified. Well, obviously security cameras had caught more than I’d realized.

Angus jerked me inside, his hold on my arm tight. “Then tell me, lass, why you were talking to a MacDonald on the telephone about my family business.”

“Ian MacDonald lives in Austin. I know him, so does Jerry. He’s a scientist, doctor, psychiatrist. I thought he might be able to help Jerry get his memory back.” I stared down to where Angus was bruising my arm. He didn’t let go, pulling me all the way to the living room.

“You claim my son has been consorting with a MacDonald in Texas? I don’t believe you.” He shook my arm then finally released me. “Sit. Explain yourself.”

“Consorting isn’t the right word. Jerry hates Ian, doesn’t trust him. I get why. You people feud forever, no matter what.”

“Are you trying to tell me how to run my family?” Angus had his fangs down and I was starting to get scared. I was seriously outnumbered. Two of his clansmen had come to stand in the doorway. Jerry was nowhere to be seen.

“No, of course not. But Jerry and I disagree about Ian.
Ian does have certain useful skills. As vampires, we can help each other. If he can analyze the drug on that knife, maybe Ian can come up with an antidote.”

“You’re daft. You think I’d let my son take any potion that a MacDonald gave him, claiming it would cure him?” Angus slammed a fist on the arm of his recliner. “This isn’t the first time you’ve had truck with this man. You were in league with him in California, taking some diet drug he gave you. Weren’t you? I would think you’d have learned from that. It gave you nasty side effects.”

Okay, Angus had me there. I’d been invited to the Grammy awards and wanted to look great on the red carpet alongside rock star Israel Caine. So when Ian had claimed his drug could make me lose the extra pounds I’d carried literally forever, I’d gone for it. The side effects had been horrendous, but for one perfect night I’d looked gorgeous and almost thin. Worth it. Now Angus was staring at me like I was Judas.

“I know you have issues with the MacDonalds. But I’m desperate. Who else can we get to fix this thing? Do you know a vampire doctor or scientist? Do you?” I jumped to my feet, sick to death of feeling helpless. I kept flashing on the look of Jerry’s face when he’d seen his home in ruins, realized his beloved horses had been dead for centuries. Maybe I should go up to Woo Woo World with my mother and let her restore his memories. He’d get over me and have a fine life. And I…

Angus had his head down, his hands clasped on his knees. “I have been trying to give you the benefit of the doubt, Gloriana. I know you love him. I can think of no reason for you to hurt him. And yet he came home without you, seemed hurt by you. You want to explain what went on that sent him here in such pain?” He looked up, meeting my eyes and probing my thoughts. No way was he getting in.

“That’s between us, Angus. I do love him and I only want the best for him. You want me to leave?” I stood. “I
will say this. Ian suggested that the drug might be flushed out of Jerry’s system. Give him lots of blood. If he still has amnesia, then it’s because he doesn’t
want
to remember the last four centuries.”

“I can’t get past two things: The attack on my son came the same night as you did, and you are communicating with a MacDonald.” Angus stood as well, staring down at me. “You block your thoughts. I take that as a sign of something to hide. What do you have to hide, Gloriana?”

“Things that are none of your business, Angus. I’ll be going now.” I turned toward the door. “Would one of you get my suitcases?”

“No.” Jerry suddenly stood in front of the door. “I may not know you, but I realize I should. Your blood. It’s what I need right now. If you are still willing.”

I looked back at Angus. “Your father doesn’t want me here.”

“Da, let her stay.” Jerry took my hand and held it to his nose. “I sense we have a connection. It, it helps me.”

“Damn it, Son. She’s been talking to the MacDonalds.” Angus strode to where we stood. “I am afraid to trust her now.”

“But you remember us together, Angus.” I looked up at Jerry, almost afraid to move for fear of breaking this tenuous start of a new bond. He still had my hand and I gripped it tightly. “Did I ever hurt Jerry? Ever show anything but love for him?”

“Nay, lass. You did not.” Angus shook his head. “Stay then, but I’ll be watching you. I
have
found a doctor of our own. He will be here tomorrow night. Now dawn is upon us. Go to bed, the lot of you. No harm will come to you while you are in your death sleep. I have guards aplenty to insure that.”

I sighed and released Jerry’s hand. That had been close. I followed Jerry to the bedrooms, where we stopped at his door.

“I’ll not take advantage of you, I told you that. I hope I’m
not being foolish, trusting you. Why did you talk to a MacDonald?” Jerry stared down at me.

“Because he’s a doctor and I thought he could help you. No other reason. But if Angus has another answer, then I’m happy to let his doctor have at it. You’ve taught me to mistrust MacDonalds too. And I’ve witnessed some of his treachery myself.”

“All right then.” Jerry stared down at me, another of those searching looks. I swayed toward him and couldn’t resist putting a hand on his chest.

“You said you wanted to drink from me. Now?”

“No, I’ve changed my mind. You’re pale and obviously need to recover from the last time I took your blood.” He touched my cheek. “But I would like to try another kiss. Just to see if this potion is wearing off. I heard what you said to Da. I’ll drink another bottle of that fake blood before I rest.” He brushed my wild hair back from my face. The damned Scottish mist had done a number on it.

“Good. Dilute the poison as much as you can.” I ran my hands up to his shoulders and breathed him in again. How could he not remember this? For me it was so perfect, our connection. Oh, if only a kiss would break the spell. He was my own very masculine Sleeping Beauty. It would be wonderful if I’d pull away and he’d suddenly remember…everything. I slid my arms around his neck and feathered a kiss over his strong jaw.

“Jerry. Jeremiah.” I sighed. “I’m glad you want to kiss me again. We always enjoyed kissing each other. I have your taste memorized. It is my favorite flavor in the world, second only to drinking from your vein.” I settled my mouth on his. His arms pulled me close and, for a few exquisite moments, this felt like old times, the familiar awakening before things moved into the bedroom. There, our special bond would leave us both more fulfilled than we could ever be with anyone else. Then he eased back, lifting my arms from him and setting me away.

“You are a talented woman. I could enjoy kissing you
longer but I must rest. Thank you, Gloriana.” He smiled, as he would to a stranger, and disappeared into his room, closing the door firmly in my face.

I walked slowly down the hall to the bedroom one of the guards had pointed out earlier. My suitcases were on the floor but I had little enthusiasm for unpacking. I stripped out of my clothes and crawled naked between the sheets. I wished for about the millionth time that vampires could dream. I’d dream of a long and lusty night in Jerry’s arms. I’d go for it even if he thought he was making it with a woman he’d just met. Instead, the sun must have peeked over the horizon because I fell hopelessly into my death sleep.

Four

“The
doctor should be here anytime now.” Angus looked at his watch for the third time in as many minutes. “Gloriana, why don’t you take your rental car to Edinburgh and turn it in? You did say you were anxious to stop paying on it, didn’t you?”

“Yes, I did. But maybe I should keep it. I don’t know how long I’ll be staying.” I looked from Angus to Jerry. If just one of them would show some sign of wanting me here, it would make me feel better. But ever since I’d walked out of the bedroom at sunset, I had been waiting for that sign. No luck.

“Who is this doctor? Do I know him?” Jerry paced the living room, his agitation growing worse by the hour. He’d badgered Angus about the horses until his father had arranged to hire one for him. It would arrive soon too, borrowed from a neighboring stable and hauled in by trailer. So far Jerry had resisted going for a ride in a “machine.”

“He’s a vampire, related to the O’Connors. He’s highly respected, trained at the college in Edinburgh, but has been all over the world. Including America for the past century.”
Angus nodded at me. “I actually know his sire. We were lucky he was nearby, visiting relatives.”

“Lucky?” Jerry collapsed on the sofa. “I don’t like it, Da. All these coincidences. This woman arrives and right away I’m stabbed with some potion that takes my mind with it. And by Mara! An old and trusted friend.” Jerry narrowed his gaze on me. “Are you in league with this O’Connor who’ll be arriving shortly?”

“I’ve never met him.” I threw up my hands. “This
woman
?” I felt wounded but wouldn’t let him see my pain. “Damn it, Jerry, I came here to straighten things out between us. So that we could try again. Make a fresh start.”

“What went wrong between us? Why do we need a fresh start after all these years?” Jerry stood, facing me. “I obviously left you in that place where we lived together and came home alone. What set me off, Gloriana? Was I with another woman? Or were you with another man?”

I gnawed my lower lip. Angus stared at me too. I figured I might as well get this over with. “You were faithful to me Jerry. Always.” I tried and failed at a smile. “But I, I wasn’t so good at the relationship. I had an affair. It was a terrible mistake. But I found out there was a reason I have these urges that, that make me stray.”

“Urges.” The look of distaste on Angus’s face made me want to run right out of the castle. “No wonder you left her, Son. Good riddance, I say. Campbells have pride. There’s no reason I can think of to justify taking back a woman who has been unfaithful.”

“Just listen to me.” I could see that both men were ready to toss me out of the castle on my well-cushioned fanny. “I don’t think I could help myself. I just discovered that I used to be a Siren, Angus. Before Jerry found me in London.” I blurted it out and got the incredulous looks I’d expected.

“A Siren? Are ye daft?” Angus stomped his foot. “What nonsense. Don’t believe her, Jeremiah. They aren’t of this world and certainly not the likes of this piece of work standing
here before us.” He grabbed Jerry’s arm and jerked him well away from me.

“Stop, Da. Let her speak. A Siren? And how is that possible?” Jerry stumbled to the sofa, his face pale.

I’d never seen him weak before and it broke my heart. What had my mother’s potion done to him? What was it still doing to him? I started to move closer but the look on his father’s face stopped me cold. Angus had murder in his eyes, his fangs were down, and I knew how he felt. Oh, boy, did I know. If I had my so-called mother here now, I’d tear open her throat and watch her bleed out, enjoy her painful death. I stepped back, giving Jerry his space. Angus still watched me, obviously ready to jump me if I so much as touched his son.

“Okay, here’s the truth.”

“Truth. I should hope so.” At least Angus’s fangs had disappeared and he sat in his recliner.

“It seems that before I met you, the Storm God, who is in charge of Sirens, was unhappy with me. He tossed me out of his, um, harem and punished me by making me human.” Angus made a noise of disbelief but Jerry leaned forward, listening.

“Go on. Are you saying you were human when I met you?” He rubbed his forehead. Headache again. I twisted my hands together to keep from reaching for him.

“Yes! Achelous figured I’d die a natural death on my own. When you saw me onstage and fell in…in love with me, you had no idea what I’d been and I didn’t remember my past. Achy wiped away my memories and planted false ones.” I realized how ridiculous this story sounded but rushed on. “Anyway, being made vampire gave me back my immortality. Which Achelous didn’t know about until recently.” I wiped my damp palms on my skirt. It was another short one. Yes, Jerry had noticed. I eased a little closer.

“That doesn’t explain why you never married me, Gloriana. If you say you love me, why wouldn’t you?” He glared at me and I was pretty sure not all of the pain in those dark
eyes was from his aching head. “And why did you betray me with another man?”

“It’s the Siren in me!” I glanced back at Angus, who still looked ready to intervene if I made a move he considered aggressive. I kept my distance from Jerry even though I wanted desperately to sit beside him, to touch him. “I think somewhere inside me I still have whatever it is that makes a Siren go from man to man. It must be what kept me from committing to you all those years.”

“Are you buying this cock-and-bull story, son?” Angus stood. “If you
were
a Siren, Gloriana, and I’m still not buying it, then you used my boy to gain a protector. It’s their way.”

“Wait a minute. I still can’t believe Sirens are real.” Jerry stared at me like he was waiting for me to sprout a fish tail.