“Did you come up with a cause?” Claudia asked as she approached.

Someone with a D name was out on stage droning on about high fashion. Was that actually a cause? Seemed pretty vapid to me. I mean I loved fashion as much as the next Vamp, but then again we were at a beauty pageant. What did I expect?

I nodded at Claudia and then went to my knees before her.

“No, no, no,” she said frantically, pulling at me to stand. “Please don’t do that. I don’t deserve it. What did you tell her Tiara?”

“The truth,” Tiara replied.

“You do deserve it and I honor you,” I said quietly, still on my knees. “I also apologize to you.”

Gareth glanced down at me on the floor, not quite sure what was happening but followed my lead and knelt beside me.

“Oh my God,” Tiara whispered. “A prince is on his knees in front of you, my beautiful one. Don’t you see how worthwhile you are?”

“No,” she choked out. “Please stand. People are starting to stare.”

We did, but I wasn’t through. “I need to do something for you. First off, I understand pride, so I won’t offer you money, but I want to show you how to invest. It will make your life better. I promise.”

“I’ll loan you the capital to start,” Tiara insisted. “And don’t start squawking about it or I’ll sing my entire cause out there on that stage. You know when I sing stuff breaks and eardrums burst. So unless you want to be responsible for one ugly fucking mess, I’d suggest you take my money. And when you earn interest you can pay me back… or not,” she added quietly with an enormous grin.

“Not sure why I was on my knees, but if my woman deems you worthy of such an honor, I will kneel beside her—always,” Gareth said.

I loved him so much I was tempted to kiss him in his girly form.

“I understand neither of you has a House?” he asked.

Claudia was shaking and holding onto Tiara for purchase.

“Um… no,” Tiara said. “We’re a little difficult to place.”

“Not anymore,” Gareth whispered so as not to be heard by the Vamps still milling around backstage. “You are now part of my Asian Dominion—new members of the Guardian’s House. It’s is my main residence and you are now under my rule and my protection.”

Both women were speechless. As they started to drop to their knees, Gareth and I grabbed their arms and kept them on their feet.

“No more kneeling,” he said. “I’m pleased to have you join my fold.”

“Where is the Guardian’s House?” Claudia asked, her eyes sparkling with excitement and delight.

“Japan,” I told her. “However, we now have to save your liege’s life. Time’s ticking.”

“Alive not dead,” Tiara reminded herself.

“But make sure you damage the turd knocker,” Jane said.

“Not a problem,” Tiara promised.

“I have an announcement,” Sunny shrieked over the sound system. “Everyone on stage immediately. This is a disaster.”

“Oh, shit. What now?” I asked falling into line with my group.

“Only one way to find out,” Martha said. “Let’s go hear what the bee-otch has to complain about now.”

* * *

The stage was filled with confused contestants and panic-stricken handlers. We stayed toward the back so no one could come up behind us. Vlad wasn’t expected until the actual show in two days, but none of us were taking chances.

“No more rehearsal,” Sunny screamed over the mic.

The sounds of hands slapping over ears would have been almost humorous if the volume of her voice wasn’t so painful. We were Vamps for God’s sake. She didn’t need the mic to start with.

“The new backer of the entire pageant system has insisted the show go on tonight.”

“What?” one of the handlers screeched and then passed out cold on the floor.

Someone dragged her off the stage and threw her into the wings. Lovely.

“That’s right,” Sunny snapped, pulling on her hair so hard I was sure a clump was going to come out in her hand. “The motherfu… um, the gentleman is putting up millions to keep the tradition alive and kicking. It’s totally not the way I run things, but matters have been taken out of my hands.”

“Translation,” Tiara whispered. “Vlad paid her a fortune under the table.”

She was probably correct. What was the damn hurry?

“Surprised he’s pushing the pageant up,” Gareth murmured. “If this is about Claudia, why doesn’t he just try to kidnap her?”

Interesting point. Wait. Maybe Vlad was aware that Rachmiel was outed as the Angel he’d worked with and he was running scared. He must want Claudia something awful to go to all this trouble.

“I was just thinking the same thing,” I told him. “It has to be the pageant itself, along with Claudia. The intel Ethan had said he was addicted to beauty pageants.”

“Everyone. And I mean everyone will bow down to our new benefactor,” Sunny announced. “He will be arriving in four hours. I’d suggest all of you get ready. Immediately.”

The busty D’s were running around like headless chickens and freaking out. However, I couldn’t even enjoy the ridiculous sight. My adrenaline had skyrocketed and I was ready to go.

“He wants the adoration,” Gareth said with disgust. “He’s a narcissist. Vlad wants his ass kissed before he takes Claudia and runs for his worthless life. Stupid.”

“For him, not for us,” I said. “If he believes Roberto is on to Rachmiel, he’s gotten desperate. He’ll be sloppy.”

“True,” Gareth agreed. “But I still say he’s a fool.”

“Gotta agree with you there, Dickie—I mean Ginny,” Jane corrected her gender blunder. “That fucker is so stupid, I’ll bet he thinks Taco Bell is a phone company.”

She cackled at her joke. I had to admit I even smiled at that one. She was all kinds of whacked, but the old bag was funny.

Not to be left out, Martha had to add her two cents. “How bout this? He’s so stupid that if the ball of stank worked for M&M’s he’d get fired for throwing out the W’s.”

“Wait. I’ve got one,” Tiara insisted, hopping up and down. “He’s such a stupid buttsnatch that he’s depriving a village of an idiot somewhere.”

“Outstanding,” Martha congratulated her.

“Can I play?” Claudia asked with a giggle.

“Go for it,” Jane encouraged her.

“That son of a bitch is so stupid he cooks with Old Spice!”

“As pleasurable as it is to listen to you ladies blaspheme the bastard, we have plans to make,” Gareth said with a chuckle.

“And we also have Angels watching,” Martha whispered, nodding her head to the audience.

She was correct. Azriel and Azbogah were seated in the house watching the shitshow ensue with lazy smiles on their beautiful faces. They also were very obviously checking out the women—and not in an academic way.

“What in the ever livin’ butt-brigade are Angels doing here?” Tiara demanded. “Are they after Claudia too?”

“No,” I assured her quickly. “We’re on the same side for the most part. They’re watching us. They want Vlad as well.”

“Fucker’s quite the popular asshat,” Tiara hissed.

I nodded and then stiffened with excitement. The timing was perfect. All the contestants were practicing their walks and strutting around the stage like their pants were on fire. Sunny was having verbal smackdowns with about thirty freaked out handlers down stage left. The chaos was to my advantage.

“Gar…Ginny, give me your bag,” I said, developing the plan as I spoke.

Gareth handed me his big man-purse that didn’t go with his Diane von Furstenberg dress even a little bit. I peeked inside and grinned.

“Tiara, Claudia, and Ginny, go to the edge of the stage and practice posing or do something pageant-y like that. I’m going out into the audience. Martha and Jane, go over by Sunny and see if she’s saying anything worth hearing. I don’t want you near Gareth right now—can’t have any connection made. Gareth, you will not attack the Angels when I flirt with them. Am I clear?”

“No,” he snapped as his eyes went green. “You’re not.”

“Do you love me?” I asked.

“You know I do.”

“Do you trust me?”

“With my life.”

“You want to get Vlad?”

“Redundant question,” he said, squinting at me and trying to figure out what I was up to.

“Then don’t attack. I need you to stand at the edge of the stage and look hot and hard to get.”

“Holy shitballs, what the hell are you up to, Boss Lady?” Jane asked with a wide grin.

“I’m up to no good, but I’m pretty sure it will turn out exactly the way I want it to,” I replied as I separated myself from the group and made my way into the audience.

At least I hoped it would.