He gritted his teeth and lowered his voice. “You think I spend my entire life partying?”
“So are all the Vamps here drinking Bleer?” Madison asked as she peered around the room.
“They could be drinking a number of things,” Gregori explained. “Straight synthetic blood in their favorite blood type or something like Chocolood, chocolate-flavored synthetic blood.”
Madison grinned. “Oooh. If I was a vampire, that’s what I would drink.”
Gregori smiled. “It’s very popular among the ladies. And for those who overindulge, we can help them shed a few pounds with Blood Lite.”
Madison laughed. “You guys are so cute.” She gulped down the rest of her martini.
“Dietetic blood?” Abigail asked.
He nodded. “It has an extremely low blood sugar and cholesterol count. And then there’s Bubbly Blood: half blood, half champagne, for those special vampire occasions.”
Madison laughed. Even Abigail looked amused.
“And there’s a new one, a favorite among the Scottish vampires—Blissky. Half blood, half—”
“Whisky?” Madison guessed.
Gregori winked at her. “You got it, Sweetcakes.”
Madison giggled, then leaned toward her sister. “A vampire called me Sweetcakes.”
Abigail grimaced. “I can hit him, if you like.”
“Why?” Madison asked as she reached for her sister’s neglected martini.
“It’s embarrassing,” Abigail muttered.
Madison took a sip. “It is?”
“I wasn’t embarrassed,” Gregori said. When Abigail shot him an irritated look, he smiled and squeezed her shoulder.
Madison drank some more and licked her lips. “Tell me some more funny vampire drinks.”
“We’re introducing a new one in a few weeks. Blardonnay: half blood, half—”
“Chardonnay!” Madison lifted her arms like she’d score a touchdown, then burst into giggles.
Gregori grinned. “You got it, Toots.”
Abigail shuddered. “
Her sister giggled some more, then hiccupped.
Abigail winced. “Maybe you should stop drinking.”
Madison waved a dismissive hand. “I always get loopy at nightclubs. It doesn’t matter. Josh won’t let anything bad happen to me.” She lifted her martini glass and saluted the Secret Service man who was watching her carefully from a short distance. “Love you, Josh!”
An angry look flashed over the guard’s face before it returned to its usual deadpan expression.
Gregori felt a surge of sympathy for the two Secret Service men. They were babysitters just like he was.
“What do you do at Romatech?” Abigail regarded him with a hopeful look. “Are you a chemist?”
Damn, he hated to disappoint her. Again. “No. I’m vice president of marketing.”
“Oh.” She fiddled with her glass.
“Here’s your Bleer.” Phineas slid one across the table to him, then sat on the booth opposite Madison. “Cheers.” He clinked his glass against Madison’s martini glass.
“Bottoms up!” Madison downed the rest of her drink.
Abigail turned toward him again. “If Romatech manufactures Vampire Fusion Cuisine, then it’s operated by vampires?”
Gregori nodded. “My boss is a vampire. And a brilliant scientist.”
Her eyes widened. “Roman Draganesti?”
“You’ve heard of him?”
“Every scientist in the world has heard— Oh my gosh, he’s a vampire?”
Gregori nodded. “And a really nice guy. Lovely wife, two beautiful children.”
Her mouth dropped open. “He . . . fathered children?”
“Like I said, he’s a brilliant scientist. He figured out a way.”
“How fascinating.” Her eyes gleamed with excitement. “Is it possible to meet him? I would love a tour of the labs.”
At last, something he could do that would impress her. “I’d be happy to arrange it for you. How about tomorrow night?”
She nodded, smiling. “Yes. Thank you.”
His Droid vibrated in his pocket and he pulled it out to check the text message. Maggie and Gordon had finished filming two new versions of the Blardonnay commercial and wanted him to see them.
He took a sip of Bleer. “Would you guys mind if I left for about ten minutes? I need to teleport to DVN —”
“What’s that?” Madison asked.
“The Digital Vampire Network. It’s a television studio. Vamps have their own shows to watch. Soap operas and such.”
“Oh my God,” Madison breathed. “That is so awesome.”
Gregori adjusted his tie. Maybe this would impress Abigail. “I produce all the commercials for Romatech. I’m having a new one made to advertise Blardonnay.”
Abigail’s eyes widened, but she remained silent.
“It stars Simone, the famous model,” Gregori continued.
“I know who she is!” Madison bounced on her seat. “Oh my God, do you think I could meet her? That would be so cool!”
Gregori inclined his head. “I can arrange it.”
Phineas grinned and gave him a thumbs-up. “Gregori’s da man! He knows all the hot vampire chicks.”
Abigail scoffed. “I bet.”
He gave her an annoyed look and whispered, “Still jealous,
Her eyes narrowed. “Don’t call me Toots.”
“You prefer Sweetcakes?”
“If we were alone, I’d slap you.”
He leaned close and whispered in her ear, “If we were alone, I’d give you a good reason to slap me.”
Phineas choked on his Bleer.
“Are you all right, Dr. Phang?” Madison asked.
He nodded and slanted an amused look at Gregori.
So he had heard. Gregori scooted down the booth. “If you guys will excuse me, I’ll be on my way.”
“But I want to go!” Madison jumped to her feet and clasped her hands together as if she were begging. “Please! I want to see the television studio!”
Gregori stilled. “I-I’m teleporting there. I’ll be back soon.”
“But I want to go,” Madison whined. “Please!”
“Is it far away?” Abigail asked quietly, her cheeks still flushed from his last verbal poke at her.
“Brooklyn,” Phineas said. When Gregori shot him an angry look, he shrugged. “We gotta keep them happy, bro.”
“Yes!” Madison squealed. “It would make me so happy!”
Gregori sighed. Phineas was right. They had to keep the girls happy, no matter what. “Very well. We’re all going to DVN.”
“It’s complicated,” Gregori whispered to Maggie and Gordon thirty minutes later at DVN. “But if you want to help us avoid the Vampire Apocalypse, you’ll let these girls do whatever they want. We have to keep them happy.”
“All right,” Maggie agreed. “I recognize the blonde. She’s the president’s daughter.”
“They’re both the president’s daughters.” Gregori glanced at them across the recording studio. “Madison is
