The door opened to show Tabitha entering the room with his clothes wrapped in plastic.
"Who are you talking to?" she asked.
"Tell her I said hi," Acheron said a second later.
This time, Valerius did sputter. He just couldn't believe what was happening here. That these two knew each other so well.
He stared at Tabitha as she hung his clothes on the closet doorknob. "Acheron says hi."
She moved to stand in front of him, leaned forward, and raised her voice so that Acheron could hear her over the phone. "Hey, gorgeous babe. Shouldn't you be asleep?"
"Yes, I should," Acheron said to Valerius.
"You don't call Acheron 'babe,'" Valerius said sternly to Tabitha.
She actually snorted at him. Like a horse. "You don't call Acheron 'babe' because... well, that's just sick. But I call him 'babe' all the time."
Valerius was shocked.
Was she...
"No, she's not my girlfriend," Acheron said from the other end as if he could hear Valerius's thoughts. "I'm leaving that for some other poor sap."
"You have to help me, Acheron," Valerius said, tightening his grip on the sheet as he moved away from Tabitha, who continued to pursue him across the room.
"Okay, listen. Here's some help. You know your prized cashmere coat?"
Valerius couldn't imagine how that might help him, but at this point he was willing to try anything. "Yes?"
"Guard it well. Marla is about your size and she'll definitely try to steal it if she sees it. She has this strange coat and jacket fetish, especially if they've been worn by men. Last time I was in town, she ended up with my favorite motorcycle jacket."
Valerius gaped. "And how is it that you associate with drag queens, Acheron?"
"I have many interesting friends, Valerius, and some of them are even complete and utter assholes."
He stiffened. "Was that directed at me?"
"No. I just think you're way too uptight for your own good. Now if you're through wigging out on me, I'd like to go back to sleep."
Ash actually hung up the phone.
Valerius stood there, holding the cell phone. He felt like someone had just cut the line on his life preserver, and was leaving him to drift out into shark-infested waters.
Jaws herself was there, waiting to devour him.
Jupiter help him.
Tabitha picked the pillow up off the floor and returned it to the bed. She paused as she caught sight of Valerius's backside. Damn, he had the nicest posterior she'd ever seen on any man. Someone should stamp Grade A Prime on it. It was all she could do not to walk over to him and cop a feel, but his rigid, frigid stance kept her well at bay.
That and the multitude of scars that marred his back. It looked as if someone had beaten him repeatedly.
But who would have dared do such a thing?
"You okay?" she asked as he walked to the dresser and set his phone down.
He raked his hand through his long hair and sighed. "How many hours to sundown?"
"A little over five." She sensed he was still angry and confused. "You want to go back to bed and sleep?"