"Oh, they are both leaving. Immediately. Don't touch this mess. One or both of them will come back later and help me clean it up." I grabbed the doorknob and opened the door. "Am I right?"
Jerry nodded. "Of course I'll be back. Don't expect the shifter though."
"We still need to talk. I don't want her involved with these demons any more than you do, Blade. I told her that." Rafe glanced at Jerry, then me.
"Yes, well, I can't let them torture you when I . . ." I shook my head. Jerry didn't need to know the details of why Rafe had lost his cool and used his powers. "You're my friend. I don't abandon friends who need me. Get it, Jerry? Ray, you hear that?"
"Glory the good witch," Ray muttered as he staggered over to fall on the couch. "I hear you. Thanks, I guess."
"Gloriana, you need to think about this." Jerry glared at Rafe. "Valdez is letting you off the hook."
"I know. Not accepting that. Now I've got to get down to the shop." I shoved them both out to the hall. "I suggest you each go upstairs, shift and disappear that way. I have a feeling the paparazzi will be camped on my doorstep waiting for a Glory sighting. I really don't want to be seen with either one of you looking like you've been mugged. They'll assume Ray took you on and won."
"Hey, I like that." Ray grinned, but the effect was ruined when he lurched to his feet and ran into the bathroom. We could all hear him heaving into the toilet. Uh-oh.
I hurried to look in on him. "You okay?"
"Yeah, yeah. Get out of here. Clear everyone out. Guess it's what I deserve." He looked up at me, a towel in his hand, his face pale. "The fewer who see me like this, the better. You dig?"
I ran cool water on a washcloth and wiped his face. "I really will come up and check on you in a while. There's plenty of regular synthetic if you feel like it."
He grabbed my hand. "Thanks, babe. I know you and Nate mean well."
"Yeah, we both love you." I brushed his hair back from his face. "Need help getting back to bed?"
"No, think I'd better camp out here next to the john for a while. Go. I mean it." He leaned back against the bathtub, managing to flash me. Ray as usual noticed me looking and winked. "Or stay if you can get rid of the brawlers out there."
"Gloriana?" Jerry was suddenly behind me in the hallway.
"I'm coming. And you're leaving." I shook my head at Ray and pushed Jerry toward the door. When Jer leaned toward me as if he thought to kiss me good-bye, I held up my hand.
"No, not going to happen." I whipped out my compact, checked my lipstick and dabbed some translucent powder on my nose. "You're bloody and I'm mad at you. Penny, will there be mortals at the lab?"
"Uh, no. Too late for that. I'll be alone. I've got a key card and the security code. This won't be the first time I've gone in late to work." She picked up her laptop and stuffed it and some papers into a canvas bag. "And I drank two bottles of synthetic in case I run into anybody."
I stared at her, pretty sure she was up to something, but just didn't have the time to deal with her right now. "Okay, take off and make it soon. Ray would like some privacy. Just don't mess with any mortals. Remember the council's termination policy."
That got her attention. "Yeah, sure. Just need to do something in the lab. Not thirsty at all." Penny glanced at the bathroom. "Will he be all right?"
"Hopefully. Try to ignore him and just go." I wasn't sure I trusted Ray not to try to talk her out of her cell phone to get some alcoholic brew delivered. I didn't say it, just got both men out the door, slammed it, then waved my hand at a frowning Rafe and Jerry. "See you both later. Don't call me, I'll call you."
I strutted down the stairs, the effect ruined when I had to drag my bag of Blud-Lite behind me. Did you think I was going to toss it down the garbage chute? Are you kidding? That stuff costs the earth. I'd just stash it in the fridge in the back room of my shop. I braced myself, then