Penny waited as I punched in the security code and locked the shop door behind us. "You mean they're real too?"
"Oh, yes. Weres too. Rafe can change into any form he wishes. So can you when you get the hang of things." I started down the sidewalk. "I didn't like to shift at first." I laughed. "Well, for the first four hundred years actually. But it's such a great defensive tool I had to get over it. Now I can do it when I have to. It does take a lot of energy. We'll work on it."
"How totally cool. I can't see why anyone wouldn't want to be a vampire." Penny paused as we got to the block where the red neon proclaimed we'd arrived at N-V.
"Don't kid yourself, Penny." I gripped her hand. "Just a couple of hours ago you were crying about those morning coffees with your sister. And now you'll never give your parents grandchildren, will you?"
"Geez, Glory, rain on my parade, why don't you? I was trying to make the best of it." Penny jerked her hand from mine. "Let's go. It's late and I want to see the inside of this place."
"Fine. But also remember this is a test. You'll be surrounded by mortals. Let's see you rock that self-control you're so sure you have." I stalked up to the door, then smiled at the shifter standing there. "Hi, Trey, Rafe working tonight?"
"Sure is. Come on in." He sniffed. "Your friend here should probably show some ID but I'll stamp her hand since she's obviously not going to be drinking alcohol anyway." He reached out. "Hi, pretty lady. I'm Trey."
Penny flushed and let him take her hand. "Penny. I'm new at this. Can you really tell what I am from my, um, smell?"
"You bet." Trey grinned. "You want some lessons in how to tell the difference? I'd be glad to tutor you. I'm off on Wednesday nights. Call me." He pulled a card from his jeans pocket and handed it to her.
"Thanks." She tucked it into the black clutch I'd found for her.
"Anytime." With a wink he glanced into the club. "Oops, here comes the boss man. Talk about sense of smell. When Glory is in the vicinity, he knows instantly. Right, Glory?"
I patted Trey on the shoulder, really happy with him for making a pass at Penny. She was positively glowing from the attention. And Trey was a hot guy. It had certainly taken her mind off the whole vamp issue and the mortals crowding around her. Her fangs were nowhere in sight.
Still, I'd keep a close eye on her while we were here. I wasn't sure I'd been wise bringing her to a place with so many temptations. But I had made her down an extra bottle of synthetic from my back room fridge before we'd left the shop. Hopefully that would help her stay under control.
"Yes, you're right. Penny, Rafe was my bodyguard for five years. He's pretty well programmed to sense me from blocks away. Guess it's a hard habit to break."
"Impossible to break." Rafe snagged me around the waist and gave me a squeeze. "Good to see you here. Who's this?" He smiled at Penny.
"Penny Patterson. I'm mentoring her for the council. To make up for the recent debacle with the red eyes." I gave Rafe a nudge. He was part demon himself and could make his own eyes red when things got dicey. "But I'm happy to help out a fledgling."
"Hi. You must be the former bodyguard." Penny was gazing around the club as we moved inside. It was pretty spectacular with deep purple walls, those red neon N-Vs and lots of chrome and strobe lights, along with loud music and a throbbing beat. The place was packed.
"That's me, Rafael Valdez, at your service." He shook her hand. "I mean it. You need anything. Can't find Glory and need help, come here. If I can't help you, someone else here will. I'll pass the word. Paranormals stick together." He said this quietly and there were no mortals near enough to hear him over the music.
"Place seems to be doing well." I was very conscious of Rafe's arm still around my waist. I should move away. Put space between us. The fact that I hadn't rebuffed him from the get-go bothered me. Maybe Jerry had been wise to give me space. I needed to get my Rafe attraction settled once and for all.