Demon's Kiss by MAGGIE SHAYNE

were and how far back we went.”
    â€œSo? You gonna tell me?”
    â€œI don’t know how many of us there are. I don’t know how far back we go, though I’ve heard at least as far as there has been recorded history, and beyond that, who can say? I can tell you about my transformation, though.”
    â€œYeah?”
    He nodded. “I worked for…the government. In a covert capacity.”
    â€œYou said you were an assassin,” Seth reminded him. “Military? CIA?”
    â€œI could tell you, but then—”
    â€œYou’d have to kill me.” Seth grinned. “You actually made a joke.”
    â€œJust because I don’t use it often, doesn’t mean I lack the capacity for humor,” Reaper pointed out. “At any rate, I was on assignment in the Middle East, and I was ambushed by a small, disorganized band of extremists. They got lucky. I took a dozen bullets, maybe more. They left me for dead, lying on a dusty street in Syria. The shooting spree had frightened any potential on-lookers into hiding. I was alone and dancing with death right then. And that’s when she came.”
    â€œShe?”
    Reaper smiled a wistful smile when he said the name. “Rhiannon. Most incredible creature you’ve ever seen. You want old, that one’s old. Her father was a freaking pharaoh.”
    â€œNo way.”
    â€œI swear. Her real name was Rianikki, the way I hear it. She changes it every few centuries when she gets bored. And she gets bored easily. She’s got a hair-trigger temper and paper-thin patience and a black panther for a pet.”
    Seth smiled slowly, fascinated, dying to hear more.
    â€œSo she leans over me, and she says to me, ‘I was honestly having a wonderful evening—it’s open mike night at the Kazbah, you know. But you had to go and get yourself shot, didn’t you? You couldn’t have waited? Even another hour?’
    â€œHell, I couldn’t talk. I just lay there with my mouth open, wondering if I was hallucinating her, or if she were an angel, or maybe a demon, come to take me to the other side. But she keeps talking. She says, ‘You’re gonna be dead in about a minute, my friend, so you need to think fast. You can become a vampire, like me, and live. Or you can die. And I’d take time to explain to you all that being a vampire entails, but there’s no time. Some of the mythology is true, some isn’t. All in all, I think it’s a wonderful existence. Eternal youth, strength and ever-increasing power. No more sunlight, but that’s a small price.’
    â€œI really thought I was losing it. But she just leans closer and says, ‘Time’s up. Yes or no?’ I didn’t say anything. I didn’t know what to say. And then she said, ‘Fuck it, then. I guess I get to decide.’ And she sank her teeth into me, and—Well, you can figure out the rest. I woke up a vampire.”
    â€œWow. That’s…that’s incredible. Is she—is she around here? Will I ever get to meet her?”
    â€œI have no doubt you’ll cross paths with Rhiannon one day. But no, she’s not in the area at the moment. I took on this mission partly so she wouldn’t have to. She has…other things going on that need her attention right now.”
    Seth frowned as Reaper stopped the car at a traffic light and put on his left-turn signal, which would take them into the parking lot of a Motel 6. He blinked, and said, “You’re kidding, right?”
    â€œAbout what? Rhiannon being too busy for this right now?”
    â€œThis,” Seth said. “You’re serious? We’re staying here?”
    â€œWhy not?”
    â€œWell…I don’t know. What about the windows? Won’t the sun get in and toast us?”
    Reaper reached into the backseat for what looked like a gym bag. “Duct tape and heavy black fabric. I never travel without