Free Real Vampires Have Curves by Gerry Bartlett

up his can to take a sip.
    â€œThat’s handy. So why me?”
    â€œWhy not?” Damian smiled and looked deep into my eyes. I felt the pull and had to look away, fussing with my drink to avoid coming under his spell.
    â€œStop that. If you’re serious about starting anything with me, never, ever try that mind control crap again.”
    Damian put down his can and touched his chest over his heart. “Would I do that?” He laughed at my expression. “Of course I would.”
    â€œPlay fair with me, Damian, or there will be no play at all.”
    Damian leaned back, stretched his arm along the back of the couch and began to toy with my hair.
    â€œRelax, Gloriana, of course I’ll respect your wishes. I am yours to command.”
    Did I believe him? Maybe, maybe not, but he was my landlord so I backed off for the time being.
    â€œCan we go down and see the shop now?” Time for a change of venue. I did want to see the place.
    â€œOf course.” He stood and walked to the door. “Get your keys.”
    Valdez stuck his head out of the bedroom. “You going somewhere, Blondie?”
    â€œJust downstairs. I’ll be okay with Damian.”
    Valdez snorted. “You sure?”
    â€œAsk Blade if you don’t believe me.” I pulled open the door. Valdez just gave me a look and let us go.
    â€œYou don’t have to listen to that dog, Gloriana.” Damian had his hand on my elbow as we headed down the stairs.
    â€œHe makes me feel safe.” I stopped and looked back at Damian. I decided to throw him a bone. Hunk. Interested. My landlord. Why not? “So do you.”
    Damian grinned. “Excellent. I’m making progress.”
    â€œMaybe.” I started down the stairs again. “Tell me about this building and its occupants.”
    â€œMy tenants are all special. Some nocturnals like us, others like your neighbor, shape-shifters who have a life during the day.”
    I stopped at the bottom of the stairs. “Your rent is ridiculously cheap. Blade isn’t subsidizing me, is he?” I wouldn’t put it past him. He always had his fingers in my pies. Look how he’d saddled me with Valdez.
    â€œYou pay the same rent as Lacy and everyone else here.” Damian brushed my hair back behind my ear and ran his finger down my neck to touch the artery pulsing there.
    â€œI’d hate to leave then. It’s a good deal.” I removed his hand and pulled open the entry door. “As long as rent is all I pay.”
    â€œOf course. Didn’t I promise to behave?” He stepped aside to let me unlock the bright red door on the right side of the resident’s entrance to the building.
    â€œNot exactly.” The door squeaked when I pushed it open.
    â€œI’m sorry it’s so dirty. I tried to get in a cleaning crew, but they got spooked and refused to work here.”
    â€œSpooked?”
    â€œIt’s one of the reasons I got the building cheap. Years ago. It had a reputation. Some people claim it’s haunted. And I’ve sensed a few things.” He winked. “You’re lucky mortals are freaked out by it. That’s why your new shop location was available.”
    â€œSo how am I going to get customers in here?” Spirits. No problem for me. I had radar about such things. It would take a really malevolent spirit to scare me away. But if it was going to drive away my customers . . .
    â€œGive it a chance. Even the cleaning crew said nothing really terrible happened while they were here. Just a few surprises. Make your shop interesting enough and customers will come. A lot of people look for haunted places. It can be a draw.”
    True. I stood in the middle of the shop and liked what I saw. Sure it was dirty, you could write your name on every surface in there, but it had good bones. The place had great picture windows, with discreet burglar bars behind the glass. Those were typical on a street