“Leaving? This is the first I’ve heard of it.” And I bet it would be the first Richard heard of it too. Flo was getting out of town because of me. I wanted to bawl again. My best friend was afraid of me. No, surely not. She just needed time to process this. And I was sure Richard would be glad for them to leave because of Alesa anyway.

“About the mall. Monday night?” She smiled, obviously determined to act like nothing had happened.

“No can do. That’s when I take Alesa to see Ian. He’s going to be her doctor. Tuesday?” I wanted to nail this down.

“You’re sure Alesa won’t try to trail along?” Flo wouldn’t meet my eyes, straightening the silver and gold bangles on her wrist.

“I won’t let her, Florence.” Laurie walked to the door, opened it and checked the hallway. “You can rest easy on that score.”

“Well then. Tuesday night. We’ll shoe shop with Aggie.” Flo linked arms with me. “Too bad you can’t come to Paris with me, Glory. Now there’s some shoe shopping.” She chattered about European shopping as we headed upstairs. I had no doubt she’d tell Richard what had just happened in the break room. Which meant I’d have to tell Jerry. What would he think? Only one way to find out.

“Glory, my parents are downstairs. Can you bring Mr. Blade down so they can meet him?” Penny had found us at our table a few minutes after Flo and I had rejoined the men.

“Of course.” Just what I needed, faking my way through a meeting with Penny’s mortal parents. I didn’t have a problem introducing Jerry to them, of course. In his business world he worked with mortals every night and had easily convinced them he was absolutely like them.

Jerry and I followed Penny to a table away from the dance floor. Her parents were talking to Trey. It wasn’t the first time they’d met me or Penny’s boyfriend. We got along fine because I’d set Penny up in a clean apartment. You should have seen the mess she’d lived in before. I knew they liked Trey too. He was gainfully employed and actually attended classes at the nearby university during the day. He also clearly adored their brilliant daughter.

“Glory! Good to see you. This must be your young man.” Penny’s mother rushed up to me and gave me a hug.

“Yes, this is Jeremy Blade. Jerry, Mr. and Mrs. Patterson.” My “young” man happened to be over five hundred years old but looked thirty. I just tuned out the introductions as I scanned the room for Alesa. I did not want her anywhere near this. “And this is my friend Laurie Mehta. Penny, Laurie’s going to be staying on our couch for a while. Just lost her lease.” I smiled at Penny’s expression and sent her a oneword mental message: “Bodyguard.”

“Cool. Hey, Laurie. Nice to meet you.” Penny introduced her to Trey and her parents then turned. Her twin sister, the cheerleader, and her date walked up, flushed and laughing, from the dance floor. “My twin, Jenny and her date, Darren.” They exchanged nods with Laurie. Darren was a little awestruck at Laurie’s unusual height and look and it took an elbow from Jenny to get his attention back on his date.

“How was the game, Jenny?” I had just spotted Alesa trying to work her way over with a wicked gleam in her eyes. I glanced at Laurie and she got the message.

“Awesome. We did a pyramid. I was near the top. Totally rocked it.” Jenny chattered on. She grabbed a Coke off the table, took a sip and never stopped talking. The parents gazed at her adoringly. Even Penny smiled indulgently.

I wanted to put in a few words about the valuable research Penny did every night but realized it wouldn’t matter. Normal life versus our weird vampire subculture? Forget it. Penny worked on things that these mortals would and could never know about, never care about. If a vampire got to see daylight or eat a taco? So what?

In fact they’d freak if they knew they had a vampire daughter. So they’d stay in blissful ignorance. But it wasn’t so blissful for the daughter who couldn’t brag about her life to them. Or let them know that her boyfriend was really a shape-shifter who could, damn it, become just about anything he could visualize. And how cool was that? Much cooler than Darren getting set to play varsity basketball next month.

I saw Laurie and Alesa exchange a few words on the other side of the room before I made a lame excuse and dragged Jerry away from the party. Rafe walked up just then, Trey not far behind him.

“I just heard from the bartender that Alesa’s been bragging that she’s moving in with you again. Is that right, Glory?” Rafe looked ready to blow.

“She’s broke. Needs a place to stay. Where else can she go? At least till we know about this baby.” I had three pairs of eyes on me. “Trey? You need something?” He really wasn’t supposed to be in on this.

“I don’t want Penny living with a demon.” He kept his voice low and I was sure the high volume of the music kept us from being overheard.

“Neither do I. But what choice do I have? Penny’s my fledgling to mentor.” I glanced up at the balcony. Damian was still there. He hadn’t brought a date but had danced with several mortal women who’d apparently come to the club single. One of them was draped over him now, probably destined to become his late-night snack.

“I see where you’re looking. I already asked him. As head of the vampire council, Damian can decide if Penny still needs a mentor or not. He says with her steady job, relationship with Ian, who many on the council respect, and her months of successful blending, he’s willing to let her live on her own now.” Trey nodded, like he had a mental checklist. Done and done.

“Really? You just took it upon yourself to jump into our business?” I heard my voice rise but, come on, this was my fledgling we were talking about. I’d taken her from pathetic and angry child wearing black lipstick and horizontal stripes to a self-assured woman who looked good and could blend anywhere. Not only that, she could walk among these delicious mortals surrounding us right now and not show a hint of fang. There were some older vamps who couldn’t manage that.

“I love her, Glory. I’m only thinking of what’s best for her.” Trey made serious eye contact, begging me to understand.

“Okay, okay. I get it. I love Penny too. And she’s so smart, she’d think she could handle whatever Alesa dishes out. Am I right?” I worked up a smile. Nice that Trey had proclaimed his love like that. Penny had snagged a keeper. I realized Rafe and Jerry were both tense, not pleased with the way Trey had challenged me. I didn’t see anything wrong with Trey’s attitude. We were on the same page—worrying about Penny and wanting her away from Alesa. I let him see that in my eyes.

“Then she’s going. I’ll take care of it.” Trey turned on his heel and marched toward the family table where Penny still chatted with her parents. Jenny and date were back on the dance floor.

“The shifter could have shown more respect.” Jerry eased his hand around my waist.

“I’ll talk to him. He shouldn’t be pushing into vamp business. It can get him in trouble.” Rafe glanced at me. “He’s letting his emotions cloud his judgment.”

“It happens. I think it’s sweet. Penny’s a lucky girl.” I nodded to where Trey had pulled Penny out to dance with him. The song was slow and romantic. It was the kind I liked to dance to, but I knew better than to pick from the two men next to me.

“Laurie’s managing Alesa pretty well.” Rafe had his hands in his pockets. “She’s kept her away from Penny’s table and, more important, away from you. There’s no way she should have bulldozed you into having her in your home though. I’m going to try to get her to move in with me. I’d hate it but it’s my mess, not yours.”

Rafe looked like he’d just been sentenced to life without parole as he trudged over to where Alesa leaned against the bar watching us as she sipped water. It didn’t take vamp hearing to see that she wasn’t interested in his proposition. Which made me wonder exactly what she was up to.

Alesa stomped up to me. “Have you seen his digs, Glory? I made a little trip over there when I first got to town. Not that he invited me.” She sniffed when Rafe growled. “Bachelor shithouse. I wouldn’t take a shower in that place on a bet.” She looped her arm through mine. “Sorry, pal, but you’re stuck with me.”

“I’ll hire a cleaning crew. Redecorate. Just leave Glory the hell alone.” Rafe looked around as he started to jerk Alesa’s hand off of me. Apparently he thought better of it with the crowd of mortals around us. “I thought this is what you wanted, for us to be a family.”

Alesa sneered. “Maybe I’m thinking your whole attitude since I’ve got here reeks. A family doesn’t have to be a mommy and daddy. It can be Auntie Glory and Mommy. If you’re lucky, maybe I’ll grant you some visitation after the little devil gets here.”

Rafe gave Laurie a look over my head. “Meet Laurie, another member of the family. She’ll be staying with Glory now. Maybe you’ll change your mind about where you want to live after you get better acquainted.”

Alesa turned and scoped Laurie out. Her hiss was pure displeasure. “This just proves how unfit you are to be a father figure. Bringing in one of these.” She turned to me. “Glory, are you really on board with having this creature in your home?”

“If she makes you unhappy? Bring her on.” I smiled at Laurie then Rafe. “Thanks for trying, Rafe. And, Alesa, since you’ve figured out how to get money now, maybe you would be happier in a hotel.”

“Oh, no, you’re not getting rid of me that easily.” And with that Alesa flounced off to the edge of the dance floor where she gestured and soon had a man pulling her into a dance.

“I’d like to know why she’s so intent on sticking with you, Gloriana, but right now you look like you could use a dance too.” Jerry clasped my hand. “And I’m sure Valdez has business to tend to.” Jerry didn’t bother to ask, he knew me too well. He just pulled me out to the dance floor.