(Glory St Clair 11) Real Vampires Say Read My Hips by Gerry Bartlett

alive. He can’t go back to Earth until he is okay.” I leaned against Mars’ solid strength. I’d always wanted a father. If Mars was what I got, I hoped he’d stand with me against whatever else my mother threw at me.
    “Very well.” He carried me into the hall. “But try to see reason. Hercules is back and eager for a confrontation. Hebe’s in a panic. Afraid of what he will do.” He lifted my chin so that I stared into his dark eyes. “You will stand by my side and show both me and your mother respect, won’t you? When we are in public?”
    “No promises. I want to see Jerry first. See for myself that he’s all right. After being next to Achelous…” I could hardly breathe for the stench of burning flesh and ozone in the air. It made me miss my vampire ways even more. On Earth I’d never had to breathe. Here I was supposedly a goddess but I was so constantly out-gunned in the power department, I felt weak, vulnerable. And without my fangs, helpless. For Jerry it was even worse. He was mortal here, a whisper away from death every moment he stayed.
    I shuddered as inhuman howls filled the air. “Mother must pay for this.” I raised my voice to make sure Mars heard me.
    “Gods, but you are stubborn.” Mars strode toward the intermittent lightning bolts and the dissipating smoke.
    “What is that?” I asked after a particularly loud shriek.
    “Achelous is getting his daily shock treatment.” Mars shrugged and I could feel his muscles moving under me. “The bastard deserves far worse. He knows he is to be made mortal now. Zeus is torturing him first. I know you can’t appreciate it now, but your grandfather is a family man above all else. Harm one of his own and you will be sorry.”
    “I’m sorry I ever heard of any of you.” I coughed, ignoring Mars warning squeeze.
    “We’re here. Try to ignore Achelous while we speak to Blade.”
    “Can’t you just release Jerry?” Mars didn’t answer me, just kept striding down the hall. I looked around, not sure which cell Jerry could be in. The smoke was thick and black here. I wanted down but was afraid my legs wouldn’t hold me. “How long have I been in this hell hole?”
    “A few days. It was for the best. Hercules was looking for you. He never thought to check here. He might have killed you before Zeus could stop him. Hercules knows he is too powerful to be punished severely, especially with the size of the army at his command.” Mars stopped in front of a vacant cell.
    “Kill me? Why?” I coughed again and my eyes were tearing.
    “To hurt your mother, of course.” Mars kicked the cell with his sandal. “Here he is. On the right. Brace yourself. Blade didn’t sleep the days away like you did. You can thank your mother for the sleeping spell that kept you oblivious. She had second thoughts after she saw what was happening here so she had a sorcerer take care of it. She would have let you go, but by then had heard of Hercules’ threats. She had no pity for your lover. Blade’s been listening to Achelous rant. It can wear on a man.”
    “He, he’s in here?” I wiggled in Mars’ arms. The cell I had thought vacant had a pile of rags in one corner. Surely, surely that couldn’t be Jerry. “Let me down. I have to go to him.”
    “You can try. But, if you fall, I’ll catch you.” He set me gently on my feet, steadying me when I stumbled. “My brave girl. Are you sure you can manage?”
    “Yes, I’m just a little weak. Guess food and water weren’t included in that sorcerer’s sleep package.”
    “Guess not.” Mars gestured and I walked the few feet to the cage where a lump of humanity lay against the far wall. He was filthy and curled up as far from an overflowing slop jar as he could get. It reeked even from the hallway and I couldn’t imagine being closed inside with it. His once fine leather tunic was torn and ragged. Jerry’s usually carefully shaved face was covered with a growing beard, his hair was matted. A growl from