Part 8 (1/2)

I didn't have to wonder long. After the gang left, I hurried up to my room, where yet another fabulous dress waited for me. This one was white and cut toga style. Maybe tonight's guy was a traditionalist. The one-shoulder design made a bra impossible so the overall effect was pretty interesting. I'm well-endowed and perky. When Jerry is himself, he's pretty fond of the ”girls.” He'd have loved me in this.

I wasn't so crazy about looking like an escapee from Olympus.

Quick research made me wonder if there was a G.o.d any better than Apollo up there. Mom had started with her best shot in my opinion. But it would be interesting to see her next attempt. I was almost in a good mood as I headed downstairs. This date would be a piece of cake. I'd found out something on the Internet that was a deal breaker as far as future dates were concerned. Jerry was as good as fixed.

The same limo and driver picked me up and this time I paid close attention to where we were going. It had taken me too long to find my way back last night. I'd finally had to resort to flying overhead and trying to spot Jer's neighborhood. It was not something I wanted to make a habit of. While s.h.i.+fting into a bird or bat wasn't supposed to mess with your clothes, I always thought they were a little worse for wear after the whole thing. Sorry, but these dresses my mother sent me were just too fine to risk even a wrinkle and G.o.d forbid I lose one of my designer shoes.

We arrived at the same town house so maybe Mom had rented it for the duration. I walked in and the same servant took my purse and wrap. Mom had sent along a satin cape lined with gold this time. Even though I didn't feel the cold, it was a nice accessory on a chilly night. Once again, a fire blazed in the fireplace. This time the man waited for me. He played a small instrument, an odd-shaped guitar. The name came to me in a flash. It was a lute. Okay, that was definitely an Olympus thing. I couldn't deny the music was hauntingly beautiful. He looked up and smiled, obviously reading my mind, and set it aside.

”Good evening, Gloriana. I see you wore traditional dress. You look enchanting.” He stepped forward and took my hand, kissing the back of it.

Another beautiful man, this one with dark hair that fell onto his forehead. His sapphire eyes gleamed as he studied me. He was in the traditional toga himself, a short one to show off his muscled legs. Yum.

”Good evening. You know my name. May I ask yours?” I eased my hand from his grasp. He was normal temperature. Well, for a human. Still warmer than a vampire. Were they human on Olympus? Of course not. But he was doing a good imitation. He smelled wonderful, like old money. What? Where had that come from?

He laughed. ”How delightful. My name is Hermes. And besides music, money is one of my favorite things. Though actually I prefer gold.” He walked over to a small table and opened a lacquered box. A rope of gold glimmered inside and he lifted it out and admired it for a moment. ”This would look exquisite on you. Here.” He slipped it over my head and adjusted it until it nestled between my b.r.e.a.s.t.s. ”Lovely. You were made to wear gold. It matches your hair. I like your earrings. Eighteen carat?”

”Yes.” I'd checked them out when I'd found them tucked in my gift box tonight. Mom was being very generous. You knew I wasn't going to toss her presents in her face, didn't you? This necklace wasn't going back either if I could help it. It felt like several ounces of treasure.

”I see you appreciate value. I like that in a woman.” He grinned and picked up his lute again. ”Your mother tells me you also appreciate music. Shall I play for you?”

”I'd like that.” What in the h.e.l.l had my mother done? Was she snooping into my past? Yes, I'd had a fling with rock star Israel Caine. And his music was one of the things I'd loved about him. Still loved. Would always love about him. But our affair was over. I could love his music and realize I was meant to be with Jerry. That had been a tough decision but the right one. I sat on the silk sofa in front of the fire while Hermes tuned his instrument. I doubted he'd break out into a rock song. I prepared to be bored.

Uh-oh. I was not bored. He sang in a deep and seductive voice of love. A love that could last forever. Oh, Jerry. A love that would span the test of time. I swayed to his perfect strumming, closing my eyes as his voice wound a spell around my heart and thoughts of Jerry drifted away. I knew this was magic and tried to fight it. But he was so talented and I've always been a sucker for a great song. I still have an Israel Caine shrine in my living room, though it's tinier than it used to be. It made Jerry insanely jealous. Or used to. Now? He probably...

Forget history. I lay back on that silk sofa and just imagined listening to that exquisite music every day. Even when the lute went silent, the song played in my head.

”Gloriana, look at me. We are meant to be together. Your mother tells me you run your own business.” Hermes sat beside me, his hip hard against mine. ”You have no idea how s.e.xy I find a woman who enjoys commercial endeavors. We could do such great things in Olympus.” He toyed with the gold chain, his fingers brus.h.i.+ng the curve of my b.r.e.a.s.t.s before he let it drop. ”I can see us cornering the jewel market. How would you like to be the premier jewelry distributor to all the G.o.ds and G.o.ddesses on the mountain? Believe me, the men and women there are insatiable when it comes to adornment.”

I took a moment to imagine bathing in jewels, becoming the spokesmodel for fabulous accessories. Diamonds, rubies, emeralds. Wait a minute. I wasn't really into such things. Or hadn't been. Of course that was because I'd made my peace with owning CZ studs and pa.s.sing them off as diamonds long ago.

”You wear fakes?” Hermes shook his head. ”Poor Gloriana. You should never have been brought so low, the daughter of such an exalted figure. Your mother must weep each night over your plight.”

Now he'd made a serious misstep. My mother weep over me? Ha! She'd forgotten me for centuries. Then she'd chosen a harsh way of showing an interest. Had she come to me and asked for a sit-down? Showered me with presents and then begged me to forgive her? h.e.l.l no. She'd poisoned my lover and threatened to keep him locked in a past that didn't include me.

I shoved him aside then jumped up, seriously p.i.s.sed. ”Sorry, Hermes, but the last thing I want to do is make my mother proud. The b.i.t.c.h has done nothing but hurt me. Your music is beautiful and you give great gifts.” I should toss the necklace in his face. Or not.

”That little trinket is just the beginning, Gloriana.” His smile never wavered he was so confident that his bribery was the way to my heart.

”Did you forget to mention something, Hermes?” I played with the gold between my b.r.e.a.s.t.s and saw him lick his lips. ”I did a little Internet search before I came tonight. Aren't you...married?”

”Of course. What has that to do with us?” He pulled me into his arms. ”It's a political alliance. You poor thing, stuck here on Earth where it is so provincial.” He stroked my hair, paralyzing me when I tried to break away. ”We are free to love where we wish on Olympus, dear girl. My wife has her own lovers. I have mine.”

”I'm not interested in being a member of your harem.” I turned my face, his kiss landing on my cheek.

”This hard-to-get ploy is wearing thin, Gloriana.” His voice hardened and he grabbed my chin. ”Kiss me and let's get on with it.”

”This isn't a ploy.” His arm was like an iron band around me and I realized he was determined to seal this deal even if he had to use force. I swallowed and let my fangs show, hoping they'd disgust him and make him change his mind. If anything, his hand on my chin pinched harder and his eyes narrowed.

”Vampire. No wonder your mother is so desperate to bring you home.”

”This is my home. Earth. Not some mountain where powerful ent.i.ties marry their relatives and seem to have no morals.” My voice shook and I was relieved when he let me step back. I had a feeling the fangs had done that for me.

”I told you. Our marriages are political alliances. Certainly nothing a mundane like you would understand.” He looked me up and down. ”You would be transformed in Olympus, Gloriana. Beautiful, your teeth perfect. I can't understand this determination to cling to a lifestyle that is so limiting.”

”No, I suppose a G.o.d would never understand where a mere creature like me is coming from.” I headed for the door. ”Nothing you can say will make me want to live in Olympus. I'm satisfied with my little shop. I've been making a living and that's enough for me. Thanks a heap.” I threw him a kiss then froze. His glare meant I'd crossed a line.

”I offer you everything, give you something very valuable and all I get is a 'Thanks a heap'?” He stomped over to where I stood. I couldn't move or, trust me, I would have been so out of there. I'd recently discovered I could dematerialize. But that was a no go around these Olympus characters.

I didn't like the way he was looking me over. If he thought he'd bought and paid for something with his necklace, he could think again. Too bad I couldn't move my arms and legs. But my mouth still worked.

”Take your stupid necklace back. I don't know where you got the idea that I could be seduced by jewelry, but I'm not that easy.” I lifted my chin. Nice that I had control of my head at least.

”Hermes, get away from my daughter.” Her voice fell like chips of ice into the room. ”Gloriana, you will keep the necklace. As payment for putting up with bad manners.”

”If you've been listening, you know your daughter has very harsh thoughts about you. Do you really want to defend her?” Hermes put his hands on his hips. I noticed for the first time all the rings he wore. Amazing that he could play the lute so well; the weight of those gold rings must have made it difficult.

”She has her reasons for hating me right now. We will work through them. But you are treating her like a common wh.o.r.e and I won't have it.” She stomped her foot and Hermes's lyre burst into flames.

”You will regret that.” He snapped his fingers and my necklace vanished.

”And you will regret that.” My mother flung lightning at him, making the hem of his toga smolder.

”You have just made a powerful enemy. Both of you.” He turned on his heel then disappeared, leaving a trail of smoke behind him.

”Spoiled brat.” My mother frowned after him then turned to me. ”I'm sorry about that, Gloriana. I'll buy you another necklace.”

”Forget the necklace!” I'd had it with her dates and manipulations. Obviously this candidate of hers had been hard for her to control. Maybe this was the time to put a stop to her plan. ”Surely you can see that I'm not right for your G.o.ds. And they are married! I'm not interested in the weird love affairs going on up there. Forget this, Mother, and let me be happy with the man of my own choosing.” I put a hand on her arm. ”Jerry isn't so bad once you get to know him. Look past his fangs to the strong man who took care of me for over four hundred years. I wouldn't be here today if it wasn't for him.”

”How you constantly defend him!” She shrugged off my hand. ”I swear he has brainwashed you. Is it this way with all vampires and their makers? Is it?”

”No. I don't know.” I thought about it. ”No, of course not. Many vampires go their separate ways and never see their sires again. Jerry and I stay connected because we love each other.”

”And yet you recently had a tryst with a singer, that Israel Caine fellow.” She made a very unladylike sound. ”Another vampire.”

”Yes. I was lonely after Jerry left, and Ray is a dear friend. We agreed it won't happen again.” I sat down. If I was going to hear a rehash of all my mistakes, this was going to take a while.

”And you had an affair with your former bodyguard. A”-she shuddered-”shape-s.h.i.+fter, one Rafael Valdez. That was the reason Jeremiah Campbell left Texas for his ancestral home in the first place.”

”Yes, Mother.” I stared down at my shoes. Tonight's were a beautiful gold leather sandal with a rhinestone buckle. ”Rafe and I are the best of friends. I've known him for years. But he knows we're done as far as being lovers goes. I chose Jerry.”

”Interesting.” She tapped her perfect chin. Tonight she wore a burgundy silk pantsuit with a pink satin and lace camisole underneath. The entire outfit was surprisingly s.e.xy and I wondered if she was meeting a lover of her own later. ”So when or if your Jeremiah suddenly remembers everything, he'll have a lot of your transgressions to get past, won't he, Gloriana?”

”Yes. But he told me, before your stunt with Mara and the knife, that he'd decided to forgive me.” I got up, tired of looking up at her or down at my shoes, no matter how pretty. ”Of course he doesn't know about Ray. At least how far it went.”