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

here. I won’t--”
    “I regret striking you, Gloriana, but won’t hesitate to do it again or worse,” she raised a finger significantly, “if you don’t stop harping on a subject that Mars assures me is closed.” She put her hands in her lap. “Or did you lie to your father?”
    My legs were about to give out on me. I sat on the bench as far from her as I could get. “No, I gave him my word. I will do anything to spare Jerry, even if it means giving him up.” I turned to look at her. “But that doesn’t mean I’m going to be a happy and obedient daughter to you now. You threw me in the cells!”
    “I thought it would show you the wisdom of accepting who has the power here, Gloriana. Pouting like a child will not help.” She was so damned calm I wanted to do something outrageous. Hit her back? I sat on my hands to keep from getting a lightning bolt.
    “I’m not pouting, Mother, I’m plotting revenge.” I settled for glaring at her. “How could you! Achelous was down the hall doing the most horrific things. I could have been killed. And Jerry…” I didn’t see a bit of sympathy in her perfectly made up face. Instead, she just stared at me, haughty, every inch the goddess, daughter of Zeus.
    “I knew how you were every moment. You weren’t in any real danger. And I, I lost my nerve.” Her lips quivered. “I let you sleep through it. A harsher mother would have made you suffer the way your lover did. He didn’t sleep a single hour until he lost consciousness.”
    “How could he? Next to that raving lunatic. It’s a miracle he wasn’t barbequed.” I jumped to my feet. “I love him, Mother. If he’d died, then I would have found a way to kill you myself.”
    “So dramatic. Do you really think that’s possible? That you could hurt me? Physically?” She produced a hanky. This was her way to show she was upset but I doubted she ever felt real emotions. “But you don’t hesitate to tear out my heart with your rejection of my plans for you. You will get us both tossed back in the cells forever if you don’t stop these willful ways.”
    “Oh, stop it. I don’t believe your father would treat you as badly as you just treated me.” I found the strength to jump up and pace the closet.
    “Would he not?” My mother paced alongside me. “I spent the better part of a century there when I tried to leave Hercules early in my marriage. Of course Mother had much to do with that. She demanded I honor my vows. Neither of them cared to hear that Hercules beat me. I was to be an obedient wife. The matter was hushed up and most in Olympus think I merely took myself off to a spa for an extended period of rest after the boys were born.” The hanky got a workout. “I was only released after I promised to put on a front, claiming all was well with my marriage.”
    I didn’t want to hear this. I couldn’t feel sorry for her. Wasn’t she trying to make me take on the same kind of loveless marriage she’d been doomed to endure? I stopped in my tracks and started to trot out that argument but one look and I knew she’d read my thoughts.
    “It’s no use, Gloriana. Zeus will decide your fate now. Even if I wanted to let you go back to your old life with Blade, I could not. My father has sent word that he’s picked a man for you. And when Zeus decides to control a matter, it is done. All we can do now is wait to see who he wishes for you to wed.”
    “But he hasn’t met Jerry yet. He may decide he is worthy.” I looked down, suddenly determined to meet this new challenge on my own terms. I pictured myself as I wanted to be and snapped my fingers. To my astonishment I was a size twelve wearing the kind of designer dress that I loved. It fit perfectly and matched the cobalt blue heels I now wore. I strutted over to the mirror.
    “What are you doing?” Mother stood behind me.
    “Preparing to have a meeting with my grandfather. If he sees me as I really am, maybe he’ll let me go home. To Earth.” I