Free Real Vampires Don't Wear Size Six by Gerry Bartlett

his playthings.” Blond guy flicked his hand at the burned bush Rafe had taken out when I’d tried to dump him. Oops. Rafe had warned me that act might have stirred interest in him down below. So these guys must be ambassadors from hell. A slight breeze brought a whiff of sugar to me. I recognized it instantly. Demons put on the sweet smell along with a beautiful façade when they came up to be around mortals.
    “Glory?” Penny tapped me on the back.
    “Hush. Rafe and I will handle this.” I hoped and prayed we would anyway.
    “Gloriana!” The dark one strode across the clearing, his hand outstretched. “I’d never have recognized you from Alesa’s description. Though she was a bit rattled by her visit here, there is no excuse for missing the mark like she did. You are obviously a natural blond.” His gray eyes swept over me, like he’d peeled the clothes right off to see down to my skin underneath. Rafe growled and stepped between us.
    “You’ve gone far enough, Caryon.” Rafe held up his hand. “What the hell are you doing here?”
    “Steady, demon child.” Blond guy was at his cohort’s side. “We’re here on legitimate business. Some with you, some with the delicious Gloriana here.” He smiled at me, suddenly around Rafe as if he didn’t exist. “Alesa says hi.”
    “I’ll bet she does.” I didn’t smile back. “I have no business with the likes of you. Go back where you came from.” The sugary smell was so strong it was nauseating.
    “Get away from her, Spyte.” Rafe thrust an arm between us.
    “Spite? Carrion? Are you kidding me? What is this? A bad comic strip?” Penny made the mistake of giggling.
    “Oh, does the new vampire need a demo?” Caryon smiled, suddenly showing a mouthful of deadly looking fangs. His hunky façade vanished and he was the stuff of nightmares, all scaly skin and snout. Beside him, Spyte chuckled when Penny clutched my skirt, then sank to the ground, whimpering.
    “Quit it!” I don’t know where my nerve came from, maybe from carrying around one of their evil sisters for weeks. “State your business and then go.”
    Caryon was back to his pretty-boy self. “Rafael, aren’t you proud of your woman?”
    Rafe glanced at me, sending me a mental message to be careful. “Of course I am. She’s not afraid of your butt-ugly self or interested in your pretty one. Now what do you want? Come to collect a debt for Lucifer?” He glanced at the bush he’d burned with a look from his eyes when they’d gone red with fury that night. “For flaming that thing?”
    “That will be collected at a date to be named later.” Spyte laughed and brushed an insinuating hand down Rafe’s black N-V T-shirt.
    I grabbed Rafe before he could start something he’d regret, my stomach heaving at the idea of hell’s payback. Then I looked around. “Penny! Where—”
    “The little rat scurried away into the brush. She’s cowering over there. Thinks we can’t find her.” Caryon smiled. “Don’t worry, little girl, we’re not interested in you tonight. Just your mentor.”
    “What do you want with me? And you will leave Penny the hell alone.” I stayed shoulder to shoulder with Rafe, though I knew he wanted me behind him. Not happening.
    “Oh, Alesa was so right.” Spyte put his hand on Caryon’s arm. “She does have a weakness. Glory, we are so glad to know that.”
    Rafe growled and surged toward them until he was suddenly turned to stone. It was a demon trick and I was surprised the two hadn’t whipped it out sooner. Rafe was frozen in place, only his eyes moving. I knew they could have relaxed their hold enough to let him talk, but obviously I was the one they wanted to chat with this time. I felt chilled right down to my black boots.
    “Weak? I don’t think so. I handled Alesa and I can handle you two.” I glared at them though I knew I hadn’t exactly been a tower of strength when the female demon had taken up residence inside me. Still, she hadn’t