"In a minute." I gave Ray a full-throttle kiss that made Valdez growl. I pulled back and grinned. "Aw, calm down, Valdez. Ray appreciates me. That was a thank you."
"You bet I do." Ray kept his hands firmly planted on my butt. "You seen some of the lips on the actresses I dated? Inflated like they've been hooked up to a bicycle pump too long. Hell, I was scared to really kiss those lips. What if they pop?"
"So kiss me again, Ray. I really like the way you kiss." Valdez's growl was getting louder, but I ignored it.
"Nope. I figure your bodyguard's patience is stretched pretty thin." Ray put some space between us. "Sorry, Valdez. Seems you've really got it rough stuck there in a dog body. Wouldn't blame you if you hated Blade. It's not right. A decent boss would let you shift to whatever the hell you wanted. Blade must not trust you around Glory as a real man."
"Hush, Ray." Maybe I was finally coming down to earth, but I could see how this was hurting Valdez's pride.
"You don't know what the hell you're talking about." Valdez stalked toward Ray and I jumped between the two.
"Valdez, cool it. Ray, get off Valdez's case. He's my friend. Now I'm aggraggrapissed." I sent Ray a mental message. His eyes widened. "Glory! A lady shouldn't think words like that."
An arrow whizzed past me and hit Ray in the arm. "Damn!" Ray grabbed it, then threw himself against me. "Get down!" My vampire reflexes, even impaired, were good enough to help us dodge more arrows as they hit the wall all around us.
"Not down. Go up." Valdez peered into the darkness when there was a brief lull in the barrage. Maybe the enemy was reloading or something. "Go straight up, Glory."
"Hang on to me, Ray." I was suddenly stone-cold sober. Staring Death in the face will do that to you.
"Save yourself, Glory." Ray grunted when I wrapped my arms around him and stared up at the roof just as more arrows flew past our heads and hit the wall behind us. Way too close.
"I'm saving both of us. Come on, Valdez. No heroics now. Forget going after them. You're coming too." I issued orders as Ray locked his arms around my neck, the smell and feel of his blood dripping near my mouth a distraction I couldn't afford. I took a breath, held on tight to Ray and soared.
To my relief, Valdez came flying past us like he wore spring-loaded tennis shoes. Thank God it took only moments for Ray and me to reach the roof and land on the flat surface.
"Let go of me, Glory. You all right?" Ray pulled back and looked me over.
"Me? I'm not the one with an arrow through my arm. Sit down, Ray. No, lie down." Ray looked at the blood dripping from his wound and sat suddenly. "Holy crap that hurts." Valdez glanced at us to make sure I was okay, then trotted over to check out the alley below.
"Well? What do you see, Valdez?"
"Westwood's back and he brought along those two bozos who came after you at Game's house. Guess their paycheck's bigger than their brains. He armed them with bows and arrows too but, lucky for us, they can't shoot worth a damn. Surprised West wood missed, though. Guess the injury Blade gave him Halloween is still bothering him."
"Yeah, Westwood definitely wasn't shooting up to par or I'd be dead right now. Lie down, Ray." I hated to leave him, looking so pale, but there was something I had to do. "I'll be right back."
"Where do you think you're going?" Ray jumped back up again, clutching his arm and leaving a blood trail. I ran to the ledge, ready to jump off and end this Westwood feud once and for all.
"No way in hell, Glory." Valdez grabbed the waistband at the back of my jeans with his teeth. "You're outnumbered. Take care of Caine."
"Screw that, Glory. You stay up here because down there is suicide." Ray grabbed my shoulder with his good hand. "Get back. He might try to take another shot."
"Damn it, Valdez, Ray. Westwood keeps hurting my friends." I swiped the tears off my cheeks. Don't you hate it when you cry because you're mad? "I want to rip out his throat. Valdez, you and I together could take that man apart. The two guys with him are clowns, we could handle them in our sleep. Sorry, Ray, but you're in no shape to be more than a liability."
" I swear to God, you jump and you're going bare-assed, 'cause I'm not letting go of your jeans." Valdez growled and I heard cloth tear.
"And, liability or not, you jump and I jump with you." Ray was right beside me, his face white as paper.
"You two don't get it. Westwood shouldn't get away with this. I'm tired of being afraid to walk in my own freakin' alley behind my own fr-freakin' apartment." I swiped at another tear and backed up a foot. I knew better than to try to get physical with Valdez. He wouldn't hurt me, but he could and would keep me from doing something he thought was too dangerous. And Ray was just idiot enough to jump with an arrow in his arm and get himself staked in the process."He won't get away with anything. We'll take care of him another night. In the meantime, while we've been having this debate, Westwood's not stupid. He's gone. He peeled out in his SUV as soon as he saw you look over the ledge with fire in your eyes." Valdez let go and stood beside Ray. "Caine looks shocky to me. Since you like him so much you play kissy face with him, take care of him."
"Ray!" I put my arm around him and got him down. "Oh, God, I'm sorry."
"What did you do?" Ray stared at the arrow sticking out of his arm. "Who the hell uses a bow and arrows?"
"Brent Westwood. That's an olive-wood arrow. If it had hit you in the heart, you'd be dead. Just like being staked. Jerry knifed him in his arm on Halloween but he got away." I gave Valdez a dirty look. "Just like tonight. He's got a real hate on for me and vampires in general, of course."
"Of course." Ray lay back on the concrete. "You come off your high yet? That was some pretty impressive floating just now."
"Guess watching you get shot was a real buzz kill." I teared up again. "Forget me. Let me take care of you." Ray grimaced when I touched his wound. "Guess we were lucky Westwood didn't come after us before."
"He's been in Europe, trying to get his arm fixed. Jerry warned me he might be headed back to Texas. Guess he was right." I saw that the wound had quit bleeding. "Uh-oh. I've got to get that arrow out. Because you just fed, you're already healing. Unless you want to wear that thing as a permanent badge of courage, I'm going to have to rip it loose."
"Gee. Get graphic, why don't you?" Ray shuddered. "Fine. Do it fast." Ray looked at me, then at Valdez. "But send him downstairs. I think the dog's going to enjoy watching this way too much."
"He helped save your life, Ray. You guys should call a truce."
"When dogs fly." Ray managed a slight smile. "Oh, wait. They just did."
"Sure, I'd get off watching you torture him, but I think I'll head downstairs and let Richard and Flo know that Westwood is back in town. Got to say something first."
"What?" I looked up from examining Ray's wound and realized Valdez was just a foot away.
"This is my fault. The attack. Caines injury. I'm just damned glad it was him hit and not you, Glory." Valdez laid his head on my shoulder.
"Now how can you blame yourself? You didn't put those guys in that alley."
"No. but I shoulda sensed them there. They got the drop on us. Instead of doing my job, I was shooting the breeze with you two. Acting like we were buds instead of me bein your bodyguard. And, yes, you should tell Blade to fire my furry butt. It's what I have comin'."
"He's right, Glory." Ray struggled to sit up. "Why didn't you sense those three mortals before they hit us, Valdez?"
"No excuse. " He backed up and stared down at the concrete.
"Yes, there is. Ray and I had just fed and reeked of mortal blood. And the Dumpster reeked of everything else. Not to mention that, with weed in my system, I was pulling all your focus to me, acting out." I rubbed the top of Valdez's head. "I don't want to fire your furry anything. But I guess we all need to be more on guard from now on. This was a wake-up call. Right?"
"Yeah. But I'm planning to make full disclosure to Blade about this when he gets back. " Valdez turned and headed for the door. He stopped at the doorway and looked back. "Caine, try not to squeal like a girl when she jerks out that arrow." Valdez trotted down the stairs, ignoring Ray's shaky gesture.
"He's a stand-up guy, even if he is an interfering pain in the ass." Ray lay back down and closed his eyes. "All right, Glory, just do it."
"I'm sorry, Ray." I took a steadying breath then broke the arrow in half, tossing the feathered end aside before pushing the pointed end on through the fleshy part of his arm.
"Holy crap, that stung!" Ray hit the concrete three times with his fist and said a few choice words.
"Now hang on while I heal the wound. So you can play the piano again when you get home." I shoved his shredded sweater sleeve up so I could see the angry red tear in his skin. I said a few choice words myself about Westwood.
"Oh, yeah, I'll really be in the mood to play. Something loud and" Ray sucked in a breath when I pressed my hands on his wound, but his face relaxed as I concentrated on healing thoughts.
"How does that feel?" I studied his arm, relieved to see the ugly red scar was already fading. "You lost a lot of blood, so you may be a little weak."
Ray sat up and moved his arm around. "I can't believe this. I feel pretty good. Considering I was wearing a stick through it a few minutes ago, my arm's great." He took a breath of the cold night air and looked up. "The stars are beautiful up here. But, damn it, that sliver of moon is getting bigger. I sure as hell don't want to die just when I've found out I can live forever."