Free Real Vampires Have More to Love by Gerry Bartlett

hands on my shoulders. “I’m coming up on the roof with you. I want to watch how you handle the alley.” He shook his head when I started to object. “Old habit. Let me do this. It’ll only take a few minutes. Nadia’s still working on her makeup. I’ll be back before she’s got her eyeliner on straight.”
    “Don’t interfere, Rafe. I am handling this. But if you want a front-row seat, for purely entertainment value, come ahead.” I slipped out of his grasp and headed for the door.
    “Cocky, aren’t you? I hope that doesn’t work against you.” Rafe grumbled as he followed me up the stairs. On the roof, the sky was clear and the stars were out. It was a beautiful night. Too bad. A little cloud cover would have helped. But then the lights were out in the alley so that was okay. Not that I needed them to see Vivien and her tough guy crouched behind my Suburban. What? Did they think I’d go back to my car that wouldn’t start?
    Maybe I was feeling a little cocky, but that was way better than the depression and defeatist attitude of the night before. I’d decided to have a little fun at Viv’s expense.
    “Here goes.” I glanced at Rafe. “Payback for that hurt Ms. Westwood put on me.”
    “Damn it, Glory. Be careful.” Rafe was talking to the flutter of my wings, as I’d already shape-shifted into a small brown bird that could land on a wire behind my stalkers without being noticed.
    I settled on the wire and got into some mind reading. Interesting. Viv was aggravated that she’d broken a nail on that crossbow the night before. I chirped with pride when she blamed her misses on what she called my supersonic speed. Her sidekick called the whole thing a pain in his ass. But a paycheck. So he’d crouch here all night as long as he was getting the big bucks. Didn’t believe in this vampire shit. No way. But something was up with the chick from the night before, standing up to them like that. He could usually intimidate women with his size. I chirped again.
    Back to Viv. Now she was worried about the rustling sounds coming from the Dumpster. Didn’t blame her. I’d smelled a rat as soon as I’d landed. And roaches. Trust me, I may be a bloodsucker, but I’m as freaked out by insects and rodents as any other sensible person. Phil the exterminator and I were bosom buddies, so to speak. I flashed cleavage and got the shop checked out twice a month at half price. Of course my own phobia didn’t mean I couldn’t use Viv’s to my advantage . . .
    “You believe in vampires, Sean?” Viv moved closer to Sean when there was another rustle and a squeak from the Dumpster.
    “Seems like that’s a question you shoulda asked yourself before you shot at that woman last night, Ms. Westwood. My answer is hell no.” Sean just barely kept from laughing. He was thinking that it was a shame rich people were nuts, but maybe he could use it to his advantage.
    “Daddy was so sure. You saw his house. It’s full of vampire stuff.” Viv grabbed Sean’s arm. “Did you hear that?”
    “What?” Sean pulled out a sidearm.
    “I think there are rats out here.” Viv was having a hard time concentrating on vampires. Didn’t blame her. “Anyway, if the woman wasn’t a vampire, why didn’t she call the police? I wounded her last night.”
    “Lots of reasons people don’t call the police. Maybe she’s running a little something illegal out of her shop here.” Sean shrugged and put his gun away. “I don’t see anything. You ready to leave?”
    “Five more minutes. I’d like to talk to this woman. See what she and Dad had going. Maybe she can tell me where Daddy is or if ”—Viv’s voice cracked—“he’s alive. Those bodyguards swore she killed him. Maybe she was after his money. Wouldn’t have to be a vampire to be a greedy bitch.”
    “True enough.” Sean sighed, obviously resigned to waiting.
    A roach scuttled out from under my car, and he casually smashed it with his sneaker. Viv and I both jumped and