Real Vampires: Glory Does Vegas Bartlett, Gerry (good fiction books to read .txt) 📖

you have a headache.” He walked over and picked up my bra with his teeth. He flung it on the bed. “I won’t pick up your bottoms but it’s obvious you had a high old time last night.”

“He’s singing in the shower.” I could hear a Broadway show tune coming from the bathroom—"The Impossible Dream.” Dom had a nice voice. “I’m not sure…”

“Don’t tell me you can’t remember. Doesn’t matter. As you say, you are free to do who or what you want.” Valdez snorted when Dom came out wearing nothing but a towel.

“You’re awake! I was surprised you didn’t wake with the sunset.” He sat beside me on the bed, toying with the bra Valdez had put there.

“I’m blaming that on the drink last night.” I rubbed my forehead. “I’m hung over.”

“I have the cure for that.” Dom walked to the door. “Caroline! Find the bottle of Zesty in the fridge. Bring that up and two glasses.” He turned to me. “That’s a nice little synthetic one of the chemists in New York invented for just such a problem.” He looked at Valdez. “Get out of here. Glory and I don’t need you staring at us. Go downstairs and wait for us there. We’ve got to go to the club in a while.”

“I don’t obey you, vampire. I answer to Glory.” Valdez planted his butt next to the bed just as Caroline entered the room with a tray.

“I cannot deal with an argument now.” I couldn’t manage a smile. “He’s right. Thanks, Caro. Both of you can wait for us downstairs. We do have to go to work so we won’t be long. Shut the door, Caro, on your way out?” I waited for them to leave then took a glass from Dom. “What’s in this? I won’t allow you to drug me again.”

“I didn’t drug you. You got a little drunk. No big deal. Nothing happened.” He grinned. “Or at least I don’t think so.” He gulped down his drink then dropped his towel. “But we have time to fix that right now.”

“Dom, please. Give me a break.” I looked away and sipped. It was a bit spicy but had that tang of synthetic blood that I was used to. “I’m serious. What’s in this?”

“An old recipe for hangovers, adapted for vampires. It’s nothing that’ll make you high or harm you. I promise.” He crawled on top of the bed, tossing away my bra. “We almost made it last night. I owe you an apology for dying on you. Literally.”

“Perfect timing. I wasn’t going to go through with it. I’m sorry if you were frustrated, but I’m not in the market for an affair with my boss.” I finished my drink and set the glass on the wooden night stand. Now that I was clear-eyed, I noticed a theme in the heavily carved furniture. It featured naked nymphs in sexual poses. Like the Kama Sutra but in wood. Satyrs frolicked with the nymphs in woodlands. It was artistically beautiful if a little lewd.

“Forget that I’m your boss. I think you felt something. Admit it, Glory.” He pulled the covers off, grinning when he saw the shirt I wore had become unbuttoned. “What’s wrong with a little fling?”

“I don’t do flings, Dom. It’s obvious that we both died at the right time. I didn’t come here to sleep with you.” I was feeling warm in all the usual places. Naked man on top of me combined with sexy scenes all around me proved I wasn’t immune. Dom kept smiling, sure he could talk me into something. I had to admit, his weight on top of me was not unpleasant. I needed to be careful or I could do something I might regret. I saw him almost every night. He didn’t stick with any one woman for long. Could I deal with being one of his discards? Or would he try to erase my memories like he did the mortal’s minds?

“I know you aren’t a slut, that’s obvious.” He toyed with my hair. “I’ve been watching you since I hired you. You stay aloof from the customers and resist the opportunities there are to take some primo blood from them.”

“I’m glad you’ve noticed.” I sniffed my hair. “I really need a shower and to wash my hair, Dom. Do you mind?” I managed to wiggle out from under him. He let me, rolling away and onto his back.

He stared at me. “You know, your hair does smell like mortal food. Strange.”

“Not so strange. I have to feed Valdez. He’s not like Caro, able to fix his own meals.” I got out of bed and scurried across the floor to the bathroom. There was a huge glass enclosed shower with multiple heads. Compared to the dinky shower in the bathtub in my apartment, it was paradise. I was happy to see shower gel and shampoo in a hanging rack inside.

“Use whatever you see there.” Dom had followed me into the bathroom, of course. He opened the shower door and turned on the water. “Check the temperature.” He turned his back to pull out towels from a closet.

“Dom, I don’t need help here.” I pushed him toward the door. “I mean it. Give me privacy.” I shoved him out of the bathroom, ignoring his curses, then locked the door.

I dropped the shirt and stepped into the enclosure. I relished the hot water as I soaped my hair. I was not going to sleep with him. It would complicate my work life. And my relationship with Jerry. I had rinsed my hair and picked up a wash cloth when the bathroom door crashed open.

“Glory! We’re being attacked!” Dom reached into the glass enclosure and turned off the water. “Listen. Do you hear that?”

I held the cloth in front of me and grabbed for the towel he tossed at me. Oh, gods, what now?

17

“Who? What?” I wrapped the towel around me.

“Wolves!” He leaped out of the bathroom, his eyes wild.