Read Online Vampire in Paradise by Sandra Hill - Free Book Online Page B

shorts leading down to those rubber shoes known as flip-flops. And they did indeed flip and flop as he shuffled around the room tidying any objects left lying about. Jasper doubted that Beltane would ever leave the ship, though. His warrior skills left much to be desired. Plus, being only a hundred and fifty years old as a Lucipire and only twenty before that, he still had trouble controlling his fangs and demon tendencies in public places.
    Like Jasper and all the other Lucipires on board, he was in humanoid form for the time being. Until they found a prime sinner. Only then did they morph into demonoid form.
    “You look good, too, master,” Beltane said. “The hat is a nice touch.”
    Jasper was dressed for island living as well, but his attire was more formal since he would be going into the hotel disguised as a potential investor in pornographic movies. Hell and damnation, but you had to give humans credit for inventing new kinds of sin. He wore a cream linen suit, with a chocolate-brown shirt and a white tie. On his feet were cream and brown “saddle” shoes, and he had a short-brimmed, straw planter’s hat hanging from the back of his chaise, ready to don. His humanoid persona today was a fortyish version of Clark Gable, right down to the trim black mustache. He looked dapper if he did say so himself.
    Not so dapper was Zebulan, a high haakai and one of his four elite council members, who walked in, without knocking. One of these days Jasper had to get around to adding another haakai to high command status, to replace Dominique Fontaine, who had the misfortune of being vanquished by the vangel forces a few years ago. No great loss to Jasper, who had despised the woman.
    Zebulan wore faded blue denim pants, a tight black T-shirt, ratty athletic shoes, and a Blue Devils baseball cap. Sometimes Jasper wondered why he favored the former Hebrew soldier so much.
    “It’s hotter than Hades out there,” Zebulan remarked.
    “You ought to know,” Jasper sniped. All Lucipires had visited Satan’s lair at one time or another.
    Without invitation, Zebulan walked over and picked up one of the glasses, sniffed it, wrinkled his nose with distaste, then quaffed it down all in one long swallow. Wiping his mouth with the back of his hand, he sank down into a chair next to Jasper’s chaise, also without invitation. You had to admire the demon’s balls. Jasper had squashed others for less lack of deference. And, yes, he did mean squashed ballocks.
    “News?” Jasper inquired with arched brows.
    Zebulan nodded. “I took a dozen mungs and hordlings with me last night and this morning. We trolled every bit of the island along with several of the ships anchored off shore.”
    “And?”
    “It’s teeming with some of the most vile sinners I’ve encountered since the days of the Roman Colosseum.”
    Jasper wrung his scaly hands with glee. Idly, he made note to himself to borrow some of Beltane’s hand cream before going ashore. “Tell me more.”
    “Three hundred employees, more or less. Two thousand conference attendees. The event will last one week, but employees will stay an extra few days for cleanup.”
    “And prospects . . . for us?”
    Zebulan shrugged. “One hundred.”
    “That is all?” Jasper’s shoulders sank with disappointment. “One hundred is nothing compared to some of our other missions.”
    “Yes, but remember, we decided to lay low for a while. Not to call attention to ourselves with the more high-profile harvests. That was a close call in Vegas.”
    “You are right, of course. I cannot be too greedy.”
    “And there may be more. Rumors are that a boat or airplane will be bringing in young girls and boys, no more than fourteen, to cater to certain tastes.”
    Jasper clapped his hands together with delight. “I love it. Child molesters are among my favorite victims . . . uh, converts.”
    He could swear Zebulan cringed a little, but then, when Jasper studied him closer, he noticed nothing amiss.