To Catch a Vampire by Jennifer Harlow Read Free Book Online Page A

twenty-four hours, just dial 66. The menu is located in the desk along with the phone book. If you need to secure jewels or cash, we have a safe downstairs. The number for the front desk is 77. Any questions?”
    “Nope.”
    “Every night at sundown room service brings two pints of complimentary warm blood. More can be ordered at an additional charge. Around seven every night Mistress Marianna hosts an informal get-together. You can meet the other guests and chat.”
    “We’ll try to make it.”
    “Excellent. Pool, hot tub, sauna outside in the back. Now, most of the hotel is accessible, but if a door is locked or there is a restricted sign, please don’t enter. I believe that’s it. Anything else, don’t hesitate to ask.”
    “Thank you.”
    With a polite nod, he walks out, shutting the door behind him. I dead bolt it. God, I thought he’d never leave. First things first. I hop on the bed and literally strip off my boots. Oh, God … that feels good. I wiggle my toes until the feeling returns. Next: off come the fishnets. I toss them next to the evil shoes. That is so much better. If it didn’t take so long, I’d take it all off and be as naked as my next-door neighbor. At least I’d fit in.
    I have about an hour and a half before sundown, and there is no way I’m leaving this room without backup. Well, that and I don’t want to put the evil shoes on again. I know; I’ll unpack. No, I don’t want to do that. If we have to leave in a hurry, I don’t want clothes to slow us down. Instead, I pull out the menu and order dinner after careful perusal. Lamb chops with asparagus and antipasto. Over thirty bucks, but I’m not paying. Thank you, taxpayers. Still have over an hour to kill now. The black duffel bag on the floor catches my interest.
    Geez, it’s heavy. Easily sixty pounds. I manage to get it on the bed and unzip it. Holy cow, which country are we invading? I pull out an honest-to-goodness silver sword, laying it on the bed. Next are three guns: two 9mm and one snub nosed .38 with black holsters. Five—no, six—boxes of silver bullets. We have them specially made with little crosses on the tips. Burns vamps bad, as if a bullet hole wasn’t bad enough. Next, a Taser that crackles when I push the button. Under that, a stiletto with a cross on either side of the blade. Then out comes the silver and garlic pepper spray, along with a sawed-off shotgun, rounds, two pairs of handcuffs, and finally, my Bette.
    I feel safer with her in my hands. Bette is my machete, souvenir from my first case. She’s been improved, if that’s at all possible. The weapon maker who does our bullets dipped her in silver. She’s over a foot and a half of shining, severing beauty. I added the yellow flowers and wrote her name on the blade in red nail polish. A girl should always look her best when chopping. I don’t leave home without her.
    I return the weapons to the bag, shoving it under the bed. Oddly, I feel a lot better now. Sure, I only know how to use a few of the weapons effectively, but at least they’re there. If I’m lucky, I won’t have to use a single one of them. I scoff. Raise your hand if you think that’s going to happen.
    Lacking anything better to do, I curl up in the puffy chair and turn on the television. There’s nothing good on TCM or Comedy Central. I flip until I reach SyFy. Oh, Serenity . I am such a sucker for authoritative, witty men in space. Dinner arrives just as I’m getting into the movie, and I chow down. Darn, I was hungry. I puked everything out this morning and only had a candy bar on the plane. They sent wine with dinner, but I stick to water. Must keep a level head.
    I’m immersed in the big spaceship dogfight and the last of the asparagus when there is a thump from inside the coffin next to me. I jump. Jeez! I almost forgot it was here. The knock on the room door a moment later warrants another jump. So much for a level head. I open the door. The same woman who brought my dinner