"Okay, see if you can read me now."

I tried and still got an image of Ray and me on black satin sheets. His thoughts or mine?

"Nothing, Ray, good job." Was that disappointment I saw on his face? I wasn't sticking around to find out. I jumped up and grabbed my cloak when I felt my top sliding down. "You'd better get outside before Sarah drags your dad into the trees to taste him. He may want a little vampire experience, but I'd hate for him to be taken by surprise." Ray got up too but took my arm. "Wait. I want to ask you something. You've been with Blade a long time, according to Valdez."

"Yes. Off and on. Since 1604." I smiled. "Boggles the mind, doesn't it? Look around, Ray. There are vampires, weres and shifters even older than I am here tonight. It's a whole new world you've landed in. Fascinating stuff, if you decide to explore it and talk to some of these people."

"Yeah, I get it. And I plan to stick around and do just that." Ray slid his hand down my arm to grip my hand. "But in the four hundred odd years that you and Blade have been on and off, he's asked you to marry him, hasn't he?"

"Oh, sure." I felt a flush heat my cheeks. How pathetic would I be if he hadn't? "More times than I can remember."

"Why didn't you ever do it, Glory? Why didn't you ever tie the knot? Even I can see the guy's crazy about you." Now wasn't that the burning question of this and every previous century. I managed a casual shrug that sent my cloak to the floor.

"I don't know, Ray. Sometimes the timing wasn't right. Famine, flood, pestilence. We've been through some pretty harrowing times. This century is amazing. Very different from when we started out. Certainly for women." Ray nodded. "I get that. I'd think you would've jumped at his protection in the early days. But you didn't. That's pretty amazing."

"Well, thank you." Now my cheeks were really hot. Maybe Damian's minions had put too many logs on that fire. "But I guess I've always been something of an independent woman. And when you're going to live forever, tying yourself to one man seems fairly shortsighted, don't you think?"

Ray grinned. "Now that sounds like a rock star talking. Live for the day. You don't strike me as a love 'em and leave 'em type."

"You never know, Ray. You never know." I bent to collect my cloak, flashing a fair amount of cleavage Ray's way before I said anything really dumb or burst into tears. What was Ray doing questioning my life choices? And why was I suddenly doing the same?

"By the way. You ever find out about were-kittens?" I flung the cloak over my shoulders. Ray grinned. "Oh, yeah. Your neighbor, Lacy, is here. With her mother, brothers, sisters, they're all from the same . . ." He wrinkled his brow. "Seems derogatory to say litter."

I smiled, very glad to have changed subjects. "No, I wouldn't go there. So Sheila Lyons is here too. I'm sure this cause is close to her heart."

"Definitely. She decided to give me a private demonstration of how a woman becomes a were-cat." I couldn't believe it. The very experienced Israel Caine actually flushed. "I guess cats do get naked to shape-shift." Ray laughed. "Well, I didn't know that when I went out to Damian's side terrace with her." Ray reached out to straighten the standup collar on my cloak. "It's really a fascinating world I've landed in, Glory. Wouldn't have believed it, if I hadn't seen it for myself." He ran a fingertip down my cheek. "Thanks for not turning your back on me that night. I owe you my new life."

"Mr. Caine, we've got the piano ready. You want to check the setup?"

Ray smiled and nodded to the man who'd appeared just inside the door leading out to the terrace. "Be right there. See you later, Glory. Hope you like the song."

The song. I'd meant to ask about it. But somehow actually being in Ray's presence turned me into part blithering fan-girl every time. I watched Ray bend over the piano in his Han Solo pants, then remembered to look for Blade. He was obviously enjoying a discussion with a group of wealthy vampires. Business, no doubt. Had he even noticed me with Ray? If he had, he was confident where I was concerned. That was a good thing. Right?

I snagged another glass of synthetic brew and gulped it down. Surely I had better things to do than watch hunky men go about their business. Right. I'd brave the gang in the library. I wanted to meet the prince, damn it, and I wasn't letting Mag scare me away from it.

Twenty-four

"Glory, come sit here. Prince Igor was just about to tell us about his home in Transylvania." Nathan jumped up and hurried to my side. He was a to-die-for gladiator in skimpy body armor that showed off his buff bod.

"Glory. Is this then Jeremiah Campbell's friend Gloriana?" A handsome man apparently in his early thirties stood and came to greet me. He'd been sitting on a yellow damask sofa between Mag and Diana. He'd probably been glad for an excuse to escape from Mag's Elizabethan beads and Diana's Gone With the Wind lace hoop skirt.

I managed a credible curtsy (stage training, you know). "Your Excellency, it's a pleasure to finally meet you. I've heard so much about your wonderful charitable work." I smiled up at him. Tall, dark and obviously aristocratic down to his toes. By all accounts he was almost a thousand years old. He'd worn a traditional tux and reminded me of George Clooney about to rob a casino as he scanned my gold top. I was glad I'd hiked it up before I'd entered the room.

"Gloriana, aren't you chilled in that costume? Close your cape." Mag issued that order.

"Now, Magdalena, you know that would be a shame." Igor sat beside her again and made a point to notice her own décolleté. "I enjoy seeing a beautiful woman showing her figure to advantage."

Mag laughed. "Don't be naughty, Igor." She glanced at me. "Or exaggerate." I deposited my cloak in a far corner of the room and decided I'd flash nipple at the world before I put it on again. I glanced around the crowd, hoping to spot the ermine muff.

"Glory, you should have left your wrap with one of the maids. We've turned a closet and a powder room by the front door into a cloak room. I plan to collect my cape when it's time for the concert." Diana rose and patted the seat beside the prince. "Come sit beside Igor. He's been telling some great stories. I have hostess duties." She winked at me. "We'll all bundle up and go outside when it's time for the show. Damian as Elvis and Israel Caine! I can't wait."

"It's a wonderful party, Diana." I clasped her hand and meant every word. Diana's had a hard life, and she was glowing with this success. I was still a little surprised that she and Damian were trying to make it as a couple again. But he did have his charm, just no inclination to be monogamous.

"It's the kind of thing I always dreamed of hosting. I put the squeeze on Damian to provide the house, but the rest is all on me." Diana pulled me toward the door. "You know my dear gentleman friend Kenneth Collins was quite wealthy when he came to an, ahem, unfortunate end not long ago. Not everyone may have approved of how Kenny got his money, but it was his to dispose of as he wished. And he wished to leave his entire fortune to me."

"Diana, I'm glad for you." Kenny had inherited his money and just passed it on. Vampire to vampire.

"Now I finally have enough money to do some of the things I always wanted. I grew up poor in the South before the war, you know the one." Diana looked down at her Scarlett O'Hara dress. "I know this is silly, but back then I would have killed to have a plantation. Now I just put a deposit on a penthouse apartment not far from here." She grabbed my arm. "Just wait till you see it. I can shape-shift and fly right off the balcony!"

"Cool!" I patted her hand. Not so sure I wanted to hear this. Sudden windfall. Diana Marchand. Could she be . . . ? Well, this was her big night. Without more proof, I wasn't about to start asking ugly questions and spoil it. But starting tomorrow night, she was going to have to tell me if she knew anything about the Carvarellis.

"Okay, I know, you don't shift. There's an elevator, of course." Diana grinned. "Go talk to Prince Igor. It will drive Lady Campbell insane. Oh, and Mara is here somewhere. I saw her not five minutes ago." Diana looked around the large room filled with about two dozen people. "Don't worry. If I see her anywhere near Jerry, I'll put her to work counting donations."

"Thanks, Diana." Oh, God, I hoped Diana didn't have a dark side that would actually make her order a hit on someone. I was blocking my thoughts like crazy and had the headache to prove it.

"Nathan, why don't you come with me? You know how Israel likes things set up, don't you? It's almost time for the entertainment." Diana winked at me and leaned close. "I think Nathan would like to be a vampire. Not that I'll do that. No way. But a little vampire lovemaking? The man will never know what hit him."

Okay, so Diana definitely had an edginess to her. I watched Nathan charge after her.

"Nathan!"

"Yes, Glory? Hurry, Diana needs me." He looked after her longingly, already hooked and eager to be reeled in.

"Be careful around Diana. She's a vampire. If things, well, she'll want to bite you, drink from you. It's, uh . . . " I shut up. Crap. I'd almost told him how erotic it was. That would have really sent him flying to her bed. "Just be careful. Remember what happened to Ray."

"Thanks, Glory." Nathan kissed my cheek. "I'm a big boy. I can take care of myself." Then he took off, his fake sword bumping against his knees. At least Diana should be too busy to try her tricks on him until after the performance. Maybe I could get to Ray and we could kidnap Nathan and chain him somewhere until the urge to get with Diana passed. And maybe I could mind my own business.

I smiled and sat beside Igor, fended off a few discreet passes and tolerated Mag's not so subtle digs for the next half hour. Somehow this party had lost its zip.