"Drink, Ray. Come on. You can't start the New Year in a coma." I rubbed my wrist between his lips. His lashes fluttered, then I felt the pierce of his fangs. Despite the mad I still felt simmering inside me, the pull as he drew on me was unbelievably erotic. Yeah, believe it. And I was foolishly sitting here still topless. Both of us were. That just added to the sexy situation. I grabbed a pillow and stuck it in front of me. A little late for modesty. The entire crew downstairs had seen my boobs, including Valdez. He'd been beyond furious with Ray. Only the rock star's deteriorating physical condition and our audience had saved Ray from being torn apart by my doggie protector. As it was, I'd staggered up the stairs with Ray clutched to my chest like we'd already started getting busy. Good thing I was strong because I'd been carrying him before we'd reached the third step. Ray's eyes opened and he reached up to touch my cheek.

"Guess you'll live. I think you can let go now." I nodded at my wrist.

Ray pulled away, carefully licking the punctures closed before he smiled up at me.

"Thanks, Glory. You saved me. Again."

"Waste of time since now I'm going to kill you." I slammed the pillow onto his grinning face and held it down. "Since when does stripping me become the only way to distract that crowd?"

"Worked, didn't it? You have beautiful breasts. Made to distract any man who's into women. Wish I had X-ray vision. I'd distract myself right now." His voice was muffled. "Are you trying to suffocate me? Won't work."

"I know that." I put the pillow back over my "beautiful" breasts. What can I say? I'm a sucker for a compliment. "You tossed my bra over the railing. You're going to buy me the most expensive bustier I can find. No, make that a whole new wardrobe of bras, lacy under things, the best Victoria's Secret has to offer."

"You're right." Ray grinned. "There's a little shop on Rodeo Drive that you'd love. I'm seeing you in red lace. How about a garter belt?" His blue eyes were gleaming as he ran his hand down my bare arm.

I shivered. "Garter belts are pretty retro. You have no idea how I celebrated when panty hose were invented." I used one hand to lift Ray's hand off me and smiled. "Garter belts are sexy though. Jerry loves them. This little shop have a Web site?" Wet jeans, bare breasts and Ray half-naked on the bed. No wonder I had a sudden vision of strutting out of a dressing room wearing expensive and very skimpy lace and satin for Ray's approval. Crazy. I should be doing that for Jerry who was somewhere far away.

"Forget the Internet. I'll charter a jet. We can be there in a few hours. Spend the day holed up at my favorite hotel, then you can pick out whatever you want. The manager will stay open late for us."

"Know her well, do you?" Of course he did. Israel Caine probably bought sexy lingerie for his bimbos by the gross. Good reality check. "Much as a trip out to la-la land sounds like fun, I have a business to run. It's year-end sale time. And I need to take inventory." Wow. Even I was surprised by how businesslike I sounded. "Bet they do have a Web site. Even my little shop has one. I just hope their undies are very expensive."

"Of course they are. Nothing but the best for my ladies."

"Which is a cast of thousands. I get that." What was I doing still sitting here? I stood, wincing as I straightened and my jeans discovered a new crevice to torture. "I need something else to wear. These jeans feel shrink-wrapped. I may be permanently, uh, damaged."

Ray laughed, a happy relieved sound that, damn it, charmed me. "One night's healing sleep, and you'll be good to go again, Glory. We both will."

"You hope. Sorry, but that booze is still in your system."

You have no idea what's coming." I staggered to the enormous walk-in closet next to a master bath that was calling my name. After our encounter with the slime sister and my dunk in the lake, I wanted a hot shower and a shampoo in the worst way. I grabbed a black cotton T-shirt and some khaki cargo shorts I hoped I could squeeze my butt into."

"You keep saying that, but I feel fine. Want a shower? Go ahead. Help yourself. There's shampoo, whatever you need, in the bathroom." Ray came up behind me. "I'm reading your mind, just like you taught me." I turned and looked at him. "I also taught you not to read my mind without permission. So cut it out. But I will take that shower. Thanks. I bet you feel slimy too. There must be six other bathrooms in this place. Go brush your teeth. Gargle with paint thinner. God, how could you kiss that, that thing?"

"I didn't have much choice. It was kiss her willingly or she'd have made me a statue and done whatever she wanted to me." We both shuddered.

"Yeah, I guess a kiss was the way to go."

Ray nodded. "And I knew you were out on the lake somewhere. I just wanted to get it over with. So I could find you. I knew you were probably freaking out."

"Hey, thanks. Yeah, I was." Every time I decided Ray was a shallow jerk, he managed to surprise me again. Ray leaned down to study his healing foot. Nothing like a little of my ancient blood to do the trick. "You know why I was so hoarse?"

"No." I resisted the craving to touch his silky hair, to invite him into the shower with me. I'd shared my blood with him. That's an intimacy that makes vampires feel very close. And he'd sacrificed himself for me. Well, sort of. I blocked my thoughts before Ray read the invitation and tried to take me up on it.

Ray looked up and shook his head. "She jumped back into the water, then ordered me to sing just about every love song I know. I tried to take off, but she's right. She has us on a leash. I got about ten feet away, then was compelled to go right back to her. It was the damnedest thing. Then I had to hear her sad story."

"What was it?" Must be pretty bad to leave her wearing the worst outfit to ever come out of the dark side. And that's saying something. I've seen some pretty creepy creatures in my day.

"She has, had, a lover. Guy named Charlie. Circe had him marked for extinction and Aggie wouldn't give him up. You see who lost that battle. Aggie's not supposed to be involved with the goddess. We should google Aggie. See what we can find out about her boss. Maybe we can get this Storm God to get Aggie out of here."

"Good idea. Just our luck she picked this lake to stake out." I headed for the bathroom.

"Circe picked it. I should have asked Aggie if she knew why." Ray limped after me.

"I'm sorry about her lover, but Aggie's problem shouldn't have to be our problem." Ray pulled a leaf out of my hair. "But it is. I don't see any way out of it."

"Neither do I." I sighed. "I'm hitting the shower now."

"Knock yourself out." Ray twirled the leaf then turned his back on me.

What? No pass? Not even a little attempt to jump my bones? Yeah, yeah, so I was all primed to reject him, but, come on now. He'd seen my breasts. I may have some excess junk in my trunk, but I was twenty-two when I was turned vampire. My perky double Ds are awesome if I do say so myself. I'm sure all the guys downstairs had thought so too. Right. I should be furious with Ray, not wishing he'd make some kind of move on me.

Ray sank down on the bed again. Okay so he was probably still suffering from blood loss. He laid back and closed his eyes. I took a moment to enjoy the view of his bare chest and low riding jeans that made it obvious Ray hadn't bothered with underwear.

I sighed then stomped into the bathroom, shut the door, then dropped the pillow and sat on the tiled bench seat built into the shower to peel off my boots. Thank God they had zippers. I was afraid they were ruined, but I set them carefully aside in case they could be salvaged.

Next I tackled the jeans. Unsnapping them and unzipping the short zipper gave me some relief from the pressure of the low-rise waist, but when I stood and tried to work them down? No go. Oh, I almost got them over my butt, but no way were they moving past my thighs. Damn it. I sat on the bench again and tried to pull from the bottom of the legs. Hopeless. This was ridiculous. I had vamp strength. I stood again and jerked at the waistband on both sides. All I got for my trouble was a broken nail.

"Damn it to hell."

The bathroom door swung open. "Seems a shame, but I've got scissors." Ray grinned and strolled in.

"Get out." I grabbed a towel and held it over my breasts.

"What about the jeans?" Ray walked around and eyed my backside. "Red thong? Cute. But obviously you haven't made much progress here."

I felt cold metal slide between my butt cheeks and shivered. "What the hell do you think you're doing?"

"They've got to come off so here goes." His hand landed on my shoulder. "Don't budge now, I've got to get the blade in a little lower. Wouldn't want to hurt you."

I stood rooted to the floor. Oh. My. God. How perverted was it to be totally turned on by the chill of a metal blade easing lower? I felt Ray's breath against my back. I didn't need to look to know his lips were inches from that "cute" red thong.

"Don't move, I said." He slid a ringer beside the scissor blade and wiggled it.

"I didn't" Not move? I braced both hands on the granite countertop in front of me before my knees buckled, my towel dropping to the floor.

"Yes, you did. And these damned jeans Wet denim. I can't seem to cut through it. I'm feeling weak. Maybe I need to feed from you again. The neck this time. Or Will told me there's a spot on the inner thigh"I jerked and the point grazed me"but we'd have to get these off first."

"Ow! Watch it back there." I just bet Ray was grinning. "I think you're plenty strong enough to handle cutting a little cloth if you just concentrate, Ray." There's nothing a new vamp likes more than feeding from an ancient one. And, while I'm a lot younger than some vamps I know, to Ray my blood is an aged vintage.

"Oh, man, I think I cut you." Another finger joined the first and I closed my eyes. "Oh, yes, you're definitely bleeding." God in heaven, was that his tongue? "Ray?"