"Okay, if I were starving, no choice, I'd take what I could get. But I say we should do this right for my first time with a stranger. Like a man would do for a virgin, you know?" He reached out and put his hand behind my neck, pulling me to him.

"Make it good for me, baby." His whisper sent chills up my spine and heat right down to, well, you know.

"Fine. Let's go." I looked up when I heard barking from the roof above us. "Oops. Seems I forgot someone last night."

"What the" Ray jumped back as Valdez took a flying leap off the top of the four-story building and landed next to us.

"Damn that was fun."

"I hope so because you just scared Ray half to death." I checked Valdez out. I knew he was okay. He had some really awesome powers that he rarely had to use. I figured the jump had been easy for him.

"Can I do stuff like that?" Ray looked up at the roof. The building is old, with one floor of shops and three stories of apartments above them. It had been quite a distance.

"Sure. I'm not crazy about it, but I can jump. I've even levitated a few times. Not that high, but I guess we could try it. Coming down's easy. You just leap and you'll land softly if you don't rush it. Won't hurt a bit." I grinned. I figured we could both use some fun. "What do you say, Valdez, can you go up as well as down?"

"Oh, aren't you in a great mood. Here I was so worried I chewed my toenails off and you're laughing and planning to freakin' levitate?" Valdez chuffed. "Oh, what the hey? I've been bored to death and obviously you're okay. Go for it, Glory. See how far you can get."

"After Ray feeds. Right now he'd be lucky if he got a foot off the ground. Valdez, you're on guard duty. You know what to do." I looked down the alley and saw a pair of Goths come out of the back door of the tattoo parlor next to my shop. The girl was pretty if you could get past the hardware decorating her eyebrows and nose.

"Ray? Check her out. Can you handle the piercings and tattoos?"

"No problem. Let's go." Ray pulled me along. "You take the guy. I assume you want to feed again." He walked up to the couple.

"Either of you got a light?"

They turned, the boy digging for a lighter. I had him frozen in an instant. I heard Ray talking to the girl, taking longer, but getting the job done.

"Glory, what's this blood type? I like the smell of it."

I leaned over and sniffed. "Ordinary O positive. But that's good. Universal donor. Happens to be my blood type."

"Ah. That explains my craving for it." Ray grinned.

"Move her out of the light to a dark place. Over there between the car and the Dumpster. Valdez will bark if anyone comes down the alley."

"Man, this is exciting. My fangs are down without even trying. How cool is that?" Ray led the girl by the hand. "She's a little thing. I won't hurt her, will I?"

"Just don't take too much. Count to thirty slowly while you're feeding. You know, one thousand one, one thousand two, like that. Then stop, no matter how great it tastes." Might as well fill up while I had the chance. I was about to put my arms around my guy when I caught a whiff of something in the air.

Chapter Twelve

"Okay I'm ready."

"Wait, Ray. Smell her again. Anything familiar there?" I knew he was acquainted with it. It had been on his deck New Year's Eve and you couldn't convince me he hadn't enjoyed his own share in the past.

"Shit. She's been smoking weed. What'll that do to me?"

"Might make you a little high. Depending on how much she's had. Can you deal with that?"

"Will it hurt my voice? Like the Jack did?" Ray's eyes were glowing and I could tell he really didn't want to stop and think about things at this point.

"I've run across it a few times and it never gave me a hangover like the booze did. You have to decide."

"With Aggie threatening to take us out anyway? I say I might as well go for it." Couldn't blame him. He'd really missed the buzz from alcohol. I decided to take care of myself. In a few seconds, I realized I should have paid more attention to my own donor. Whoa. My guy had enjoyed a lot of weed tonight.

"Uh, Ray. Don't forget wipe her memory. She saw your pretty face." I noticed something interesting a few feet away so I threw my guy at Ray. "Here, take care of mine too." I headed down the alley.

"Glory, what the hell's the matter with you?" Ray grabbed my arm.

"Huh?" I reached into the Dumpster. "Wow! Why would anyone throw this away?" I picked up a half-eaten Snickers and was about to pop it into my mouth when Valdez leaped up and snatched it. He gobbled it down in one bite.

"Hey, you almost bit off my hand. Bad dog." I wagged my finger in his face and stumbled.

"You're stoned."

"Am not. You see my guy's tat?" I giggled. "Ray, you should get one." I grabbed him around the waist and held on. "With my name on it. Tabloids'd love it. They'd have to catch it quick though. Vamp sleep would wipe it out." I pulled open his shirt, popping a button. "Put it right there." I patted his chest. Mmm. Nice chest. I smiled up at him. "Probably hurt. Would you suffer for me?" Funny. I laughed until I hiccupped.

"Don't think Caine would go for it. Even temporarily. Unless you got him high like that loser who, by the way, is still over there where you guys left him and the chick." Valdez wasn't laughing. "Someone else could come out of that tattoo parlor any minute."

"Yeah, yeah, but about that tat He's right, but what did it say?" Ray held me up when my knees went limp. "Wow, you really are smashed. Your guy must have smoked a buttload of pot."

"Umm-hmm. It was dee-licious." I pushed Ray away and headed for the Dumpster again. Was that a Cheetos bag? "Naked guy in chains. Said 'Stacy's Sex Slave.' Cute, huh?"

"I'd be happy to be your sex slave, babe, but no need to put it in writing. Now I'd better get those mortals out of here. Valdez, you keep an eye on our girl." Ray pulled on me again but I shrugged him off. "Glory, stay away from that Dumpster." I heard Ray, but forget him. He was a new vampire. Probably eaten Cheetos a million times. Not like me, who'd only had them once and then suffered agony afterward. I finally got the bag just as Valdez's teeth clamped down on my pant leg. Empty. The bag, not the pants.

"Let go, Valdez, I'm coming out."

"You'd better be." Ray lifted me out and into his arms.

I grinned up at him. "Hey, cutie." I gave him a loud kiss. "Nothing but trash. Buy me Cheetos, fella, and I'll give you anything you want." I nibbled on his lips.

"Forget it, Blondie." Valdez bumped my butt with his head. "Put her down, Caine."

"Mind your own beeswax, dog. I like it here." I bit Ray's ear. "Ray and I need some alone time."

"Now she says it." Ray set me gently on my feet. "Let me deal with these mortals first. Then if you want to stay down here and make out, we can send the pooch up to the roof first."

"Sounds like a plan." I swayed for a moment and grabbed a handful of fur. "Oh, sorry, pup."

"You're not sending me anywhere." Valdez led me to a wall.

I leaned against it until I slid to the ground and closed my eyes.

Some time later Ray squatted down beside me. "You okay, Glory?"

"Sure. Help me up. I haven't forgotten, Ray. Time to levuh, levfloat."

Ray helped me stand and I looked up at the roof. The earth swirled around me for a second, then steadied. "Let's go."

"Fine. Maybe the cold air up there will clear your head." Ray smiled and held me when I wobbled. Valdez sat beside me. "Glory, I don't think you can do it, not with the buzz you've got going."

"Buzz? Me?" I reached down for an apple core but Valdez beat me to it. "Ouch. That time you bit my finger."

"Would you quit trying to eat?" He chewed, then swallowed. "Gack. Snap out of it, Glory. I'll bite you again if I have to."

I stuck my finger in my mouth. He'd barely grazed me. "Okay, forget eating." I sighed. "Ray, I'll tell you how to float." I leaned back against the building. "Look at me, Ray. At my eyes."

"Can't help it, Glory. Your sweater shrunk last night. I like you like this. Relaxed. Not so guarded."

"Watch it, Caine." Valdez showed his teeth. "A gentleman doesn't take advantage"

"Give me a break. Oh, right. I forgot you and the rest of Glory's friends come from prehistoric times or something like that." Ray threw his arms around me. "The best thing about Glory coming from back then is that she's the real deal. So many women these days are made with manufactured parts. Plastic." Ray squeezed me until I pushed him back.

"Yeah, I'm real, handsome. And I'm here. Quit talking to my dog and talk to me" I smiled at him. "So you like what you see and, um, feel?"

"Damn it, Glory." Valdez growled. "Back off, bozo, she doesn't know what she's saying."

"Relax, fur face. I know she's buzzed. Look at her eyes. Unfocused. And her silly smile." Ray kissed the corners of my mouth.

"Sweet. I tell you, Valdez, worst invention of this century? Botox, my man. Women are ruining themselves with that stuff. Hell, you can't tell what they're feeling. Blank faces. Like nobody's home."

I snuggled against him. "I'm always home, Ray. Want a demo?" I slid my hand inside his shirt. I really liked his chest. Too bad he wouldn't get that tattoo.

"Glory, if you think I'm going to stand here and watch you" Valdez snorted when I smiled and nodded.

"You'd better. Or I'll make sure Blade fires your furry butt."

"That's it. Glory, you're wasted." Ray quit smiling. "We'd better get you upstairs. Valdez, can you tell me what to do or should we take the stairs?"