Real Vampires Hate Skinny Jeans by Gerry Bartlett Read Free Book Online Page A

at her boss. “Think about his proposition. We’ve got a Web site ready to launch. Brochures set to print. Clarity could bring you millions. And make vampires all over the world happy.”
    I hated to see my fledgling sucked into Ian’s world where money was king. Next thing I’d see Penny trying his weight-lossdrug. Which would be a shame when she’d just learned to dress right for her size fourteen petite figure.
    “Stop this runaway train. I will not help you make this drug.” I saw Penny’s smile fade. “I really don’t believe it will work anyway. Jerry’s certainly never mentioned any effects from it.”
    “Back to Campbell, are we? Yes, he would be unhappy to hear we’re working together. But don’t let his attitude stop you, Gloriana. There’s plenty of money in this, you know.” He glanced around my cluttered workroom. “Think what that could mean. But if you’re afraid to go against your lover’s wishes… Are you?” Ian shoved the notebook in his back pocket and held the door while Penny scooted out of the room.
    “Of course not. I please myself.” I lifted my chin. Not human. And I had weird blood that Jerry had never mentioned yet drank every chance he could. I couldn’t stop thinking about it. I cleared my throat.
    “Right.” Ian smiled and leaned against the door.
    “About Lucky.” I met Ian’s amused gaze. He thought I was just changing an uncomfortable subject. “Pay attention, Ian. Don’t look her up. Lucky Carver, real name Luciana Carvarelli, is bad news. She’s a loan shark for paranormals. Last I heard she had the Eastern European territory working collections for her father. Trust me, she’s just tough enough to be able to handle the Transylvanian vampires and squeeze payment of bad debts over there.”
    “Interesting.” Ian pulled out that damned notebook again. I was surprised he hadn’t switched to electronic note-taking, but guessed he was still old-school in this one way. “Interesting” seemed to be his favorite word. “Maybe I can send one of my guys over to get a blood sample, ask a few questions. What could it hurt to just reach out to her?”
    Hah! Easy for him to say. I was sorry I’d ever given Ian Lucky’s name. But at least her father had forbidden her to come back to the States. So we were safe from her.
    “Just listen to me for once, Ian. The woman is not worth the heartburn.” I practically shoved Ian out of the back room. He passed a sputtering Flo with a nod, collecting his bodyguards on the way out of the shop.
    “What was going on back here,
amica
?” Flo followed me into the room and shut the door again. “You look strange. Did he do something to you?” She grabbed my arm and made me face her. “
Mio Dio
, you look like you have been given bad news. That man. He and Jeremiah hate each other. What did he say?”
    “Uh, nothing.” I was tempted to cry on Flo’s shoulder, let it all out. But then what? Dump the whole “I’m not human” story on her? I couldn’t do that.
    “Did he come over here to get even with Jeremiah about something?” Flo led me to the chair and forced me into it. “Was he trying to get you to take one of his drugs again? Pah! Who needs drugs? I am high on life, I say.”
    I just shook my head, still overwhelmed by the last half hour. “Forget it, Flo. He’s helping me with something. For Rafe. No big deal.”
    “Well. I hope it is worth it. You know Jeremiah won’t approve.” Flo glanced at the closed door. “He hates the doctor.”
    “I know.” I wanted to scream, cry, break something. “Let’s drop it. I see you have on new shoes. Tell me where you got them. Was there a sale?”
    I had asked the right question and Flo was happy to chatter away about her recent discovery of an Internet site with designer shoes at a discount.
    “It is not as much fun as sitting down and trying on. Smelling the leather, touching the suede and walking around the shop, but I adapt. It is so easy, I click on the mouse