"You will let the woman go, Westwood. Now."
"Not while you've got a knife at my throat." Westwood actually had the nerve to grab Blade's arm. Not that it did any good. He was no match for a vamp in top form. And Blade, his plaid a sharp contrast to Westwood's camouflage, fairly vibrated with vamp power. More blood ran down Westwood's neck and you could see the fight go out of him.
"What do you want us to do, boss?"
I gasped when the stake pressed deeper into the swell of those breasts I'd been so determined to show off. If I got out of this alive, I was wearing a Kevlar turtleneck.
"Release her, Westwood." Blade's fangs were full out and I could feel the tension in Westwood's men but I couldn't read their minds. They had on the same damned glasses Ryan had worn. Westwood wore them too. But Westwood's hired guns had to be scared witless to be in the presence of real vampires.
Of course they didn't release me. I was their only leverage. I let my own fangs run out and snarled.
"See these? They're nothing compared to what's coming. Your boss can't save you. Our dog is going to bring back a hoard of hungry vampires. If you want to live, you'd better run right now."
"They take orders from me, vampire." Westwood still sounded calm. The guy had nerves of steel. "Let me go, Blade, and I'll order my men to release the woman."
"Don't do it, Jerry. We'd be fools to trust his promises."
"I give you my hunter's oath." Westwood's eyes gleamed behind his tinted lenses. "And the word of a Westwood."
"The word of a Westwood?" I managed a laugh. "Yeah, right. Where's my Bible? Swear on that and we might believe you." That got a reaction from Westwood. He stiffened and looked wild-eyed and up, like he expected lightning to strike or something.
I croaked out another laugh. "What? You don't think vamps read the Bible? How would you like me to quote scripture?" Blade was giving me looks, like shut up and run if I got the chance. Hey, I was buying us time. The vamp reinforcements had to be here soon. I was terrified Jerry was going to do something heroic and get himself staked on my account.
"Just let me go." Westwood was pale but didn't fold, the tough big game hunter until the end. Me, I was shaking like a bikini model in a blizzard. "My men will release the woman, I promise."
"I feel better, don't you, Jerry? But before you let their boss go, I wonder if we should ask Frick and Frack here if they really want to let a vampire go." Their grips on my arms tightened. I didn't need to be a mind reader to know they weren't about to take that chance. I looked down at the wooden stake still drawing blood.
Okay, if I'd ever needed vamp power, this was it. I stared at the wood poking my breast. I was dimly aware of barking and shouts coming toward us as I focused my thoughts on one outcome. Please, please, please let this work. I narrowed my eyes, held my breath and practically wet my pants as I concentrated.
Heat. Heat. Come on, baby, light my fire. A wisp of smoke. A flash. Woo hoo! The men screamed when the stake burst into flames. I'd done it! Hot freakin' damn! I fell on my butt, suddenly free as they ran for their lives. Good move. Glinda the Good Witch flew in at an angle, one of her gold heels catching Frick on the back of his head as he scrambled up and over the fence. Scarecrow and Lion were a blur of fur and straw as they took off after Frack.
"Gloriana." Blade was beside me.
I lay back on the grass, my head spinning. The smell of burning lace and, gulp, flesh, hit me right where I lived and everything went dark for a moment. Someone touched me. I focused enough to recognize Flo as she pulled the arrow from my arm and pressed her hands gently against the wound. I could feel vamp magic surging through me, healing, working a miracle. I sighed as someone raised my head and pressed a glass to my lips. I drank thirstily. Transylvania's finest. Did they have a web site?
Everything was still hazy when strong arms lifted me and carried me toward the house. Blade again. I drank in his familiar scent. It beat the hell out of my own reek.
"Jerry, did you get Westwood? Tell me you took the bastard apart." I managed to focus on his face. He looked beyond grim. I took that as a no.
"When I saw you catch fire, Gloriana…" Blade swallowed. "I sliced his arm. He won't be drawing a bow any time soon. But forget that. Are you all right?"
"She's more than all right, Blade. Everyone saw. She made the stake catch fire. She was brilliant." Damian pushed a pillow under my head as Blade laid me on a sofa in the living room.
"Move, both of you." Flo pushed the men out of the way. "Let me see your breast, Glory. The stake hurt you. And the fire."
"Maybe she should get out of that tight top." Damian peered over Flo's shoulder.
"Idiot. No peep show for you. Turn your back. Jeremiah, hand me your knife." Flo smiled at me. "You are a little scorched, Glory, but I'm so proud of you. Setting a stake on fire! Damian's right about that. You were brilliant." Flo cut the laces on my bustier and my boobs sprang free, shouting hallelujah. I put my hands over my nipples.
"Thanks, Flo, I think I'll live now.""Hush, let me heal you." She clucked and put her hand over the burn and laceration on my breast. "Look at you. This must hurt like the devil."
"Yeah, actually." I gasped when she pressed against it and then sighed as the pain vanished. "I love you, Flo. Will you marry me?"
"I think she's delirious. Someone bring her another drink of that Fangtastic." Flo tossed a pillow over my chest and studied my face. "How do you feel, Glory?"
I took inventory. Arm, check. Breast, check. No aches, no pain and I was bloody brilliant. I sat up and looked around the room. Way too many people stared at me like I was Damian's surprise of the night. I clutched the pillow with both hands.
"Show's over, folks. It's party time." I struggled to my feet, then wobbled and had to lean on Flo. Some people applauded and I bowed. I felt my cape slide over my shoulders. I pulled it around me and dropped the pillow.
"Thanks." I looked back to see who had done it. Blade. Still looking grim. "Hey, I'm okay."
"Sit down, Gloriana. You've had a shock." Blade put his arm around me when Flo stepped aside.
"We've both had a shock. What did you think of my pyrotechnics?" I patted his cheek. "Bet you didn't think I had it in me."
"Nothing you do surprises me, lass. I'm just sorry I failed to take out Westwood." Blade was obviously taking the blame for the whole fiasco.
"You kept him from killing me, Jerry. How can I ever thank you?" I reached up to kiss his cheek. I could think of a few gratitude moves that would please us both. Later. "You chose me over revenge. A hard choice."
"No choice at all, lass. I've seen one friend staked by the bastard, I'll not see another." Jerry faked a smile. "I'll get him another day."
Friend. I stepped back, not even close to faking a smile. "Of course you will. Westwood's days are numbered." Blade started to say something when Damian stepped between us and handed me a glass of Fangtastic. I gulped it gratefully and felt instantly stronger.
"Where the hell was our security? No way should this have happened. On my grounds." Damian shook his head. "I'm so sorry, Gloriana."
I had the same question about the security because it beat the hell out of agonizing over being Blade's "friend." At least tonight we'd dodged the Westwood bullet, so to speak. I turned to Damian.
"Maybe you need to electrify that fence. But who would have suspected Westwood of having the guts to crash a vamp Halloween party?"
"Westwood's guts are ours. It's only a matter of time." Flo pushed her brother out of the way. "Does he really wear a fang necklace?"
"Tell you later." I glanced at Blade, but he'd turned away to stare out at the lawn through the open French doors. I could tell by the set of his shoulders that he was barely holding it together. I took yet another goblet of Fangtastic. This one from Hercules. The music started and I felt Valdez warm against my legs.
Glinda the Good Witch and her entourage hurried into the room, their frustration evident. Even Sheba's tail twitched as she made a beeline to Valdez and rubbed against his chest. I heard him growl and put my hand on his head.
"Any luck?"
Freddy shook his head. "He had one of those Hummers waiting for him on the side of the hill near the fence. It was armored, like a tank. There was no point in chasing him. He'll just park somewhere and wait for daylight." Freddy straightened his mane and looked me over. "You all right?"
"I'm fine except for the fact that I ruined a perfectly good bustier." I looked down at the scorched and mangled lace contraption that had fallen to the floor. I refrained from stomping it, barely. Good riddance to that torture device.
"Come with me, Glory. We'll raid Damian's closet." Flo herded me out of the room and up the stairs. Inside Damian's bedroom, we bypassed the coffin bed and Flo flung open the door to a room-sized closet.
"I think a silk shirt." Flo frowned. "Too much black. Here, this will do. Short sleeves. Knot it at the waist. But keep it open and sexy. The night's not over yet." She tugged off the cape and helped me slip on the shirt. The burgundy silk felt good on my skin. I glanced down and saw the scar where I'd almost been staked. The mark would be gone by morning, but I'd never forget the feeling. I'd been an inch away from death. I shuddered and leaned against the doorjamb.
"Yes, a near miss, Glory. You are still, as you say, shook up." Flo smiled sadly.
"You should have seen it, Flo. That fang necklace. And knowing Mac's…" I slid to the floor and put my head on my knees. I felt Flo's hand on my back.
"And Blade let Westwood go?"
I looked up and took a shaky breath. "Yeah. For me. And right now he's probably wondering what the hell he was thinking."