"Glory! Surely Destiny realizes it would be a very grave mistake for him to do anything to harm my fiancee while we are here and you are under my protection." Ray gave Simon a hard look. "I know you and Glory have had your differences in the past, but I was warned about you and your organization. So I took precautions."

"Oh?" Simon moved the tray out of my reach. "What kind of precautions?"

"You know the tabloids follow me and my career with interest. So if anything happens to my fiancee or me or my guests this weekend, I've arranged for information about you and your organization to go public on a massive scale." Ray pulled me to his side and wrapped his arms around me. "Would be a shame to do that, since you seem to have so much to offer out here."

"I assure you, Mr. Caine, I have done nothing but brought Gloriana a little treat. There will be no need to publicize anything. Except your enjoyment of the facilities to other vampires, of course. I would love to have your personal endorsement for our Web site."

"Those kinds of deals are handled by my business manager. If things go well out here, maybe I can arrange a meeting with him." Ray finally smiled.

"Excellent." Simon popped a chocolate into his mouth. "Now, Gloriana, please consider trying one. See? Delicious. Here, Mr. Caine, taste one yourself. These chocolates are very dear, of course. And only available on site. Our way of insuring that our made vampires return to us on a regular basis." He smiled and watched Ray tentatively pick up a truffle, smell it, then take a bite.

"Damn, Glory, it tastes like the real thing. Bet you've never had one of these, babe." He held the half-eaten chocolate to my lips.

"Try it. I guarantee you'll be hooked."

Well, you knew I'd go for it. Chocolate? Oh. My. God. I closed my eyes and savored. The flavors burst in my mouth and my eyes watered. I swallowed and waited for some kind of pain or nausea. Instead the pleasure just kept on coming. I reached for another truffle, intending to nibble, but instead popped the whole thing into my mouth.

"Sorry, my dear, but that's all for this visit." Simon took the empty tray with him to the door after I'd polished off the last truffle.

"Mindy will show you to the sunlight room. Enjoy."

"Ray." I held on to him as we walked to the door. "I ate a chocolate truffle." Truth? Four chocolate truffles.

"Yes, baby." Ray reached up and wiped a smear from the corner of my mouth, then licked his finger. "Come here." He kissed me slow and deep, finally pulling back and looking into my eyes. "I believe watching you eat those truffles for the first time was one of the sexiest things I've ever seen."

I laughed and leaned against him. "You do know how to make me feel good, Israel Caine." We followed Mindy to a building set back from the others. We walked down a path through the woods, the dark soothing and not a bit creepy. Which in a way was disturbing as hell. We were in the freaking Energy Vampire stronghold, surrounded by the worst evildoers on the planet and only yards away from a demon who could suck the life out of you, and I was happy! What was wrong with this picture?

Chapter Fourteen

Sunshine and blue, blue sky. I knew it was special effectsan Imax screen maybethat provided fluffy clouds, the sun and the waves breaking toward us and the infinity edge pool. I lifted my face to it anyway, felt its warmth and luxuriated in the fantasy. Ray stretched and lay beside me on a mat. At least the sand was real. White sand that Ray said was similar to the beaches on the island he owned in the Caribbean. The sun reflected off the small pool in front of us. Even the sounds and smells were right, down to the squeal of gulls, the rustle of palm fronds and a sea breeze with a touch of salt in the air.

"Damn, this is fantastic. I'd love to know how they make the sunshine seem so real. I've got to get back to the island." Ray rolled over and grinned at me. "Even at night, it's magical. You'll love it there."

I started to say something in my head about Aggie and our ticking clock, but couldn't bring down Ray's mood. He was high on the whole experience, like a kid with his first treat.

"I'm sure it's wonderful."

"You're wonderful. And you look great. How does it feel to be wearing your first bikini?"

"Strange. Like I'm wearing underwear in public. But then this is a private beach, so I'm okay with it." I scooped up a handful of sand and let it trickle through my fingers. "Thanks for this. I'd forgotten what the sun feels like. And, honestly, I never felt this much on my body before."

Ray looked very at home in his brief black swim trunks and he certainly had the body for them. He had the broad shoulders and strong arms and legs of a swimmer and not an ounce of fat on him. He'd been tanned when he'd been turned vampire and would always stay that way. No tan lines. So his island had been clothing optional. The very thought made my heart race and I licked my lips and looked away, pretending to be fascinated by the abundance of potted palms circling the pool.

"You and Blade never" Ray ran a finger down my tummy to the edge of my bikini bottom. He certainly knew how to bring my attention back to him, us. That dangerous finger anyway.

"Jerry was vampire when I met him. We never did daylight together, except the virtual-reality kind. He can play some terrific mind games though." I had to get away from Ray and his touching. I sat up. "Water looks good. I think I'll test the temperature."

"I get it. Me and my big mouth. I never should have mentioned the ex." Ray grabbed me and brought me down beside him again.

"He's not" My mouth was suddenly covered with Ray's.

"Cameras, Glory. Simon thinks you and Jerry are done. Play along. " He prolonged the kiss until I finally had to push him away, though I tried to make it look playful.

"I think you should cool off, big guy. We've got all night." I forced a grin and got up again. "And I'm not letting you take advantage of the camera thing."

Talk of Jerry made me uncomfortable. I should have called him. Given him a heads up. But then again, what was the point? So he could rail at me and then stress over being so far away when I was in danger? No, avoidance had been the right thing to do.

"You're right. Let's get in the pool." Ray walked over to sit on the edge, then jumped in. "The temperature's perfect. Look, it doesn't even hit my shoulders. Come on in. You couldn't drown if you tried."

"Want to bet?" I did sit down, though, and stick my feet in the water. The sun was almost too warm, but felt great on my back.

"I swear this could be the real deal. The EVs are creepily clever." I figure Simon would be suspicious if I didn't knock the EVs a little. Our bad history and all.

"Must be magic of some kind. I'm impressed. I really don't care how they do it. I just plan to enjoy it. Come here." Ray pulled me in and wrapped my legs around his waist. "How does that feel?"

I grinned. "The water? Or that bulge I'm sitting on?"

Ray laughed and walked me around the pool, laying me back until I was floating.

"Don't let me sink, Ray. I'm not the swimmer that you are."

"I know. How about making this more interesting? Ever been skinny-dipping?" Ray reached for the tie at my neck.

"Sure. Well, in shallow water anyway. I'm not a prude as you well know." I sat up and grabbed his hand, then leaned close to whisper in his ear. "Stop. I'll not strip off for Simon the snake and his video cameras." Ray nuzzled my neck, his breath hot against my skin. "You have nothing to be ashamed of. I bet Simon watches this clip over and over again to get his rocks off."

"You have just officially grossed me out." I sent that message in my mind. Before I could stop him, Ray slipped off my top and flung it toward the mats.

"There, doesn't that feel better? Freer?" He pulled me to him, his chest hard against mine. "Play along. I won't do anything to embarrass you in front of Simon."

I couldn't deny that this felt really, really good. Warm sun on my back, warm man on my front.

"Relax, Glory. Our voyeur can't see a thing that happens underwater." Ray's skimpy briefs didn't disguise the fact that he was ready to make this video X-rated.

"I want you." He nipped my earlobe, sending shivers all through me. Then he kissed a heated path down my neck, his hands roaming around my back to cup my bottom. Hot, cold. I clutched his shoulders to keep from laying back so he could pull my aching nipples into his mouth. It would be too easy to forget we had an audience.

"You're beautiful. Perfect." Ray looked into my eyes and saw what he wanted to see, me reacting in predictable Glory fashion. Melting. Resistance practically nonexistent when it came to a man with clever hands and a good line. But Ray wasn't just any man, now was he? We'd been playing this mating dance for weeks now. Letting the tension build until I, for one, was practically thrumming with it. And the lust was mixed up with all kinds of other things. Like how he "got" me as an independent woman. Oh, God, but I was tempted to quit analyzing and start doing.

Ray smiled, all sensual, confident male. Most women would have already let their hormones do the talking. Mine were shouting

"yes." I told them to shut up and let me think.

"Let me make love to you, Glory. You can feel how much I want you, and you know you want me too. What do you say?"

"I'd like to hear the answer to that."

I jerked back and looked toward the deep male voice that I would know anywhere, anytime.

"Jerry!"

"Well, Gloriana, answer the man. Do you want him or no?"

I shook my head and pushed away from Ray. He didn't try to stop me and I was a coward, afraid to look at him, to see what my rejection was doing to him. I tried to hurry, but felt like I was running through molasses. After an hour or so I finally grabbed the side of the pool and pulled myself out. Jerry stood there, my skimpy top dangling from his hand.

"This is a surprise. I'm glad you're back." I snatched the top and tried to shove my breasts into it, finally giving up and grabbing the terry robe I'd left by the door.