time, I'd have been happy to oblige, but right then I had other priorities. "I'll call you," I said, and hung up.
A half hour later, I was at Jean-Claude's door. I hoped he wouldn't mind my arriving unannounced—but this was an emergency. He opened the door almost immediately after I knocked. He didn't look at all surprised, just stood aside and waved me in.
"You shouldn't open the door to just anyone," I told him, with a reproving look, after he'd kissed me hello and made me feel warm all over. "I knew it was you," he said, kissing me again. He wore a dark blue cashmere robe that felt so darned sexy to the touch. 68
My Vampire Lover
by J. P. Bowie
"How? You don't have a peep-hole."
"I just knew."
"Oh, right. You have extra-sensory powers."
"Some. They take a long time to fully develop, but I'm working on them every day."
"You look wonderful," I said. "Did you ... uh ... go out after I left this morning?"
"No. You didn't leave until almost sunrise. Would you like some coffee?"
"You have coffee?"
"For guests, of course. You think I don't know my manners?"
I grinned at him. "Perish the thought, as they say. I'd love a cup of coffee." I followed him into the kitchen, which was all shining stainless steel and porcelain.
"Jean-Claude ... have you ever heard of a guy by the name of Jerry Delano?"
"You mean the rabid, self-proclaimed scourge of immorality?"
"That sounds about right."
"What about him?"
"I think he might have had something to do with last night's attack."
He gave me a mug of steaming coffee, along with a steely-eyed look from those dark blue eyes of his.
"Ron, I do not want you getting involved in this. You promised me you would not. Remember?
I nodded. "You said we had to have a clear plan of action and now's the time for that plan."
69
My Vampire Lover
by J. P. Bowie
"I said that to get you off the subject."
"You want me to stand around and do nothing about the man I love getting hurt—and almost killed?"
"Yes, that's exactly what I want you to do."
"Well, sorry. No can do!"
"Ron, don't make me take stronger measures."
"What d'you mean?"
"I can make you forget it ever happened."
As calmly as I could, I put down my coffee mug on the counter and pulled him into my arms. "Jean-Claude, please don't do that. I know you can, but I beg you, don't shut me out of this. It's too important— you are too important."
He nuzzled my throat with his lips, causing great ripples of desire to course through me. I tightened my arms around him... "Then please do not put yourself in any danger," he whispered, close to my ear. "Allow me to take care of it."
"How do you propose to do that?"
He sighed and stepped back from my embrace. "The Reverend Delano and I are already acquainted."
I gaped at him. "So you knew it was his guys who attacked you. Why did you tell me they mentioned a name that sounded like Delaney, when you already knew?"
"I said too much, and I now regret it. I was foolish enough to hand you a clue, and you were clever enough to work it out." He looked away for a moment, thinking. "I suppose some form of explanation is necessary, although I am still adamant that you will take no action whatsoever."
"Okay."
70
My Vampire Lover
by J. P. Bowie
"Some weeks ago," he began, "I met a very attractive young man—a mortal like yourself. I sensed he wanted to get to know me better, and so I agreed to meet him at a place of his choosing. We had a drink at a little bar on Melrose then went for a walk together. He completely opened up to me. He told me of his unhappiness at home, and that he was the son of a religious leader, a man who railed against gays and lesbians at every opportunity, even advocating the death penalty."
"Delano's son is gay?" I gasped. Why hadn't I heard about that?
"Yes, and of course, completely in the closet. I will make this short. What the young man did not know was that his father was having him followed— not that he suspected him of being gay but of having some kind of clandestine affair
A half hour later, I was at Jean-Claude's door. I hoped he wouldn't mind my arriving unannounced—but this was an emergency. He opened the door almost immediately after I knocked. He didn't look at all surprised, just stood aside and waved me in.
"You shouldn't open the door to just anyone," I told him, with a reproving look, after he'd kissed me hello and made me feel warm all over. "I knew it was you," he said, kissing me again. He wore a dark blue cashmere robe that felt so darned sexy to the touch. 68
My Vampire Lover
by J. P. Bowie
"How? You don't have a peep-hole."
"I just knew."
"Oh, right. You have extra-sensory powers."
"Some. They take a long time to fully develop, but I'm working on them every day."
"You look wonderful," I said. "Did you ... uh ... go out after I left this morning?"
"No. You didn't leave until almost sunrise. Would you like some coffee?"
"You have coffee?"
"For guests, of course. You think I don't know my manners?"
I grinned at him. "Perish the thought, as they say. I'd love a cup of coffee." I followed him into the kitchen, which was all shining stainless steel and porcelain.
"Jean-Claude ... have you ever heard of a guy by the name of Jerry Delano?"
"You mean the rabid, self-proclaimed scourge of immorality?"
"That sounds about right."
"What about him?"
"I think he might have had something to do with last night's attack."
He gave me a mug of steaming coffee, along with a steely-eyed look from those dark blue eyes of his.
"Ron, I do not want you getting involved in this. You promised me you would not. Remember?
I nodded. "You said we had to have a clear plan of action and now's the time for that plan."
69
My Vampire Lover
by J. P. Bowie
"I said that to get you off the subject."
"You want me to stand around and do nothing about the man I love getting hurt—and almost killed?"
"Yes, that's exactly what I want you to do."
"Well, sorry. No can do!"
"Ron, don't make me take stronger measures."
"What d'you mean?"
"I can make you forget it ever happened."
As calmly as I could, I put down my coffee mug on the counter and pulled him into my arms. "Jean-Claude, please don't do that. I know you can, but I beg you, don't shut me out of this. It's too important— you are too important."
He nuzzled my throat with his lips, causing great ripples of desire to course through me. I tightened my arms around him... "Then please do not put yourself in any danger," he whispered, close to my ear. "Allow me to take care of it."
"How do you propose to do that?"
He sighed and stepped back from my embrace. "The Reverend Delano and I are already acquainted."
I gaped at him. "So you knew it was his guys who attacked you. Why did you tell me they mentioned a name that sounded like Delaney, when you already knew?"
"I said too much, and I now regret it. I was foolish enough to hand you a clue, and you were clever enough to work it out." He looked away for a moment, thinking. "I suppose some form of explanation is necessary, although I am still adamant that you will take no action whatsoever."
"Okay."
70
My Vampire Lover
by J. P. Bowie
"Some weeks ago," he began, "I met a very attractive young man—a mortal like yourself. I sensed he wanted to get to know me better, and so I agreed to meet him at a place of his choosing. We had a drink at a little bar on Melrose then went for a walk together. He completely opened up to me. He told me of his unhappiness at home, and that he was the son of a religious leader, a man who railed against gays and lesbians at every opportunity, even advocating the death penalty."
"Delano's son is gay?" I gasped. Why hadn't I heard about that?
"Yes, and of course, completely in the closet. I will make this short. What the young man did not know was that his father was having him followed— not that he suspected him of being gay but of having some kind of clandestine affair
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