Steal the Moon (32 page)

“I will?” I asked, surprised I would be joining anyone shortly. Daniel usually took his time when he fed. He might not be willing to spend a ton of time with me talking lately, but he damn sure enjoyed himself in bed.

“I have to meet McKenzie in an hour,” he explained. “You’ll be dining with Felix and Sarah. Dev and I will be at the big house for most of the evening. It’s just a preliminary meeting but it’s important. If I can convince McKenzie, then he’ll call in the other alphas.”

He pulled me into a small room. There was no window here, and I drew in a startled breath at the sight of a coffin.

“I’ve got to sleep somewhere,” Daniel said and pulled me to the couch which was the only other piece of furniture in the room. There was a single suitcase on the rug and a briefcase I was sure held his laptop.

“Why aren’t you sleeping with us?” Dev would never have brought a small bed. There would be more than enough room.

“It’s too dangerous,” he said shortly, and I knew he was lying.

“Are you mad about the stuff Albert said?”

“The stuff about kids?”

I nodded. The worst fight Danny and Dev ever had revolved around the possibility of Dev knocking me up.

“You sleep with a fertility god, Z.” Daniel’s voice went low, his hand scrubbing through his hair. “He can be as careful as possible but someday… You don’t want kids anymore? You always did before.”

“I knew I wasn’t going to have kids when you turned, Danny,” I admitted. He couldn’t have kids and I had accepted that a long time ago.

“And Dev? You just expect him to not have kids because I can’t? That doesn’t seem fair.” Daniel took a long breath, his eyes turning weary. “You’ve already given up a hell of a lot for me, Zoey. I never meant for you to sacrifice so much.”

He slumped down on the sofa, and I sat on his lap before he could stop me. I let my hands find his hair, smoothing it back. “I haven’t given up much, Danny. I didn’t finish college, but let’s face facts. Was I ever going to get a nine-to-five job? We were fooling ourselves. The kids thing…we’ll sort it out later. I just want to be happy for a while. I don’t want you to pull away from me.”

Danny sighed, his head falling back. “I watched you and Dev walk through the valley, Z. Man, everyone loved you. That had to feel good. They respected you.”

“They respected the fact that Dev can help them have babies, Danny.”

“They were happy to see you too, Z. You’re his goddess. He doesn’t do the whole ‘get a bunch of wolves pregnant’ thing if you aren’t around.”

I snorted at the thought. “I assure you if I weren’t around, Dev would have another ‘goddess.’ He’s a good boyfriend, but I doubt he would be celibate if he hadn’t found me.”

Daniel started to play with the collar of my shirt, his hand rubbing my throat. There was a little mischievous smile on his face. “Baby, what exactly do you think is happening two nights from now?”

I rolled my eyes. “We’re performing a ritual, and I get to have sex with Dev in front of a bunch of horny wolves. Why are you laughing?”

Daniel leaned forward and kissed my neck. His hands tightened, and I felt his body begin to react. “I’m really looking forward to seeing you after that particular ceremony is over.”

I frowned but let him continue because it was the happiest he’d been in days. If the thought of me embarrassing myself gave him some small measure of joy, then I would let him have it.

Daniel’s magic flowed all around me. He pulled and pushed me until I straddled him, my knees cradling his hips. His big hands palmed my thighs, pushing up my skirt. I wanted to force him to talk to me. I wanted him to tell me what was wrong and let me help him solve it. I knew he wouldn’t let me do any of that, so I took the only connection we had lately.

I kissed him, pulling his head to mine and licking lightly at his lips. He groaned and delved deeply into my mouth, his hands moving up until his fingers teased at my core. He didn’t have to shove my undies aside since Dev hadn’t packed me any. He’d decided they just complicated things.

My tongue slid along his, grazing his fangs as I unbuttoned the fly of his jeans. His cock was already long and thick, hot against my fingertips. I wrapped my hand around him, pumping him in my palm. Danny groaned and looked down, watching me work him.

I wanted to give to him, to take away his cares. The last week had been hard on both of us, and all I wanted was to see him relaxed and happy even if it was only for a few moments.

“God, Z, I don’t have time for this,” he said even as his hands gripped my ass and he pulled me tightly against him. “I need to get ready to meet McKenzie.”

“Don’t.” This was the only way he would let me close. I couldn’t lose it. I kissed him again, practically begging him to stay with me for a while. I felt him drifting and it hurt my heart. We’d been so happy all these months, but I’d screwed it up. I couldn’t help but wonder where we would be if I hadn’t gotten dragged back into Halfer’s plans.

With a little growl, he lifted me. His lowered me onto his erection, filling me up. I held onto his shoulders, letting him control the penetration.

“You feel so good.” This was what I needed. I needed him, but I was worried that the longer he stayed away from our bed, the further away he became.

But not now. Now he was inside me. He was with me, and I let time stop. I let the world shrink down until it was only the two of us. Everything else fell away. His magic blanketed us, a warm cocoon to keep out the rest of the world.

I shifted on his cock, pleasure vibrating through me.

Daniel gripped my ass, his hips slamming up. “I shouldn’t be doing this. God, Zoey. I can’t fucking help myself. You’re going to be the death of me.”

His words rang in my head, but his magic was stronger. The pleasure was stronger. I held on to him so tightly, praying it didn’t have to end. I gave over to Daniel, letting him move me on his cock, his strong arms making a toy of me like I weighed nothing at all. Over and over he moved me, forcing his cock deep until there wasn’t anything between us, no space, no time, nothing.

Daniel pulled my head back and suddenly sank his fangs in with a dominant strength that took my breath away. My fingers wound their way into his thick, sandy hair and held him as he drew heavily from my neck. His hips moved, thrusting his cock in time to the rhythm of his mouth. Every tug brought me closer to the edge until I finally let everything go and gave in to the powerful orgasm Danny was always able to draw out of me. It left me boneless and physically satisfied. I slumped over, wrapping myself around him.

Daniel released the vein and licked the side of my neck. A moment of pure peace flowed over me. I rubbed my nose over the strong muscles of Danny’s neck, feeling smooth skin and breathing in his scent.

I felt his hands move, shifting me slightly so he could tuck himself back in. He stood, easily lifting me into his arms, and he stepped outside his small room. I didn’t hate leaving that coffin behind. He seemed to know his way around Dev’s little tent palace. He took a left and then strode into what had to be the master bedroom. Sure enough, there was a bed that was big enough for five, covered in sumptuous fabric. Gas lights lit the room. It was gauzy and romantic, and I knew how I wanted to spend the next couple of hours.

Daniel set me down on the bed, but he stepped back, not following me.

“I can make sure you’re relaxed for your meeting.” We could call Dev in and be together for a while. I stared up at him. His face had closed off. Those blue eyes were colder than before, utterly remote. “Danny,” I whispered. “Please. I need you, baby.”

I did. I needed him so much, and he was holding himself back.

He stood over me, his eyes staring, but I wasn’t sure what he was seeing. His previous words came back to haunt me. I would be the death of him. I’d been the death of his charge. Daniel took those vamps seriously. They had a connection, a friendship that should have lasted for close to eternity, and because of me, one of them was dead.

I sat up, pushing my skirt down. “Can we talk about it?”

He was withdrawing, and I had to wonder if he was pulling back for the last time. I had to wonder if this was the time he left me for good.

After a long moment he smoothed his clothes out. “There’s nothing to talk about, Z.”

I didn’t try to stop the tears forming in my eyes. “Please tell me what’s wrong. I’ll try to fix it. I didn’t mean to get Joel killed. I didn’t. I thought I was doing the right thing.”

I saw the look of naked pain cross his face, but he banished it so quickly I almost believed I’d imagined it. “What are you talking about, Z? Everything’s fine. I don’t want to be late. This meeting is really important. It means a lot to me. If we don’t get the wolves on our side…well, I have a plan for that, too. It doesn’t matter now. Have a nice dinner. Don’t wait up.”

Daniel walked out without a second glance.

I sat there for the longest time wondering when he would tell me we were over.

Chapter Twenty

I gazed down at the beautiful meal Albert had prepared for us and questioned if I was just destined to make myself unhappy. I was sitting in a beautiful place surrounded by good friends. Dev had kissed me soundly before he left and told me he loved me. He’d enveloped me in his particular warmth. His joy in being in this place, preparing to do what he was born to do, should have been contagious. I really did love that he was happy. I just wished Danny could share in that, and that was the crux of my problem. I loved two men and I had begun to worry that having only one of them would never be enough for me.

“Z, what’s wrong?” Sarah looked up from her meal, concern in her eyes. “I know it’s not the food because the food is unbelievable, so I have to think it’s Daniel.”

I frowned at my friend. “Why would you say that?”

She smiled, but there was no humor to it. “When you’re unhappy, Daniel is almost always the root cause, Zoey.”

A little overdramatically stated, but Danny certainly had a strong effect on my moods. “I think he blames me for Joel’s death.”

Felix shook his head. “You’re wrong about that. I think he blames himself, and he doesn’t know how to deal with it. Daniel tends to push away the people he loves when he feels he’s done something wrong.”

“Yeah, well, he’s pushing me pretty hard,” I replied.

“He’s been doing it for a long time. It’s his default state. He’s been happy since Vegas. What happened with Halfer just proved to him that everything in his life goes wrong in the end. If it helps you, I’m almost certain Devinshea feels as disconnected from Daniel as you do,” Felix said sagely.

I studied the former angel for a moment before speaking. I always took what Felix said seriously. He had millennia of experience watching human behavior backing up his opinions. “He’s spent every spare minute with Dev. I doubt Dev feels neglected.”

“Daniel is no longer sharing a bed with the two of you,” Felix pointed out. “Dev is a creature of physical affection. Though he and Daniel don’t share their bodies, I assure you he feels his partner’s loss.”

“Partner?”

“What else would you call them, Zoey? Dev and Daniel have shared a business, a home, a quest, a female for almost a year now. Their lives have become intertwined in a way most people can’t comprehend. They depend on each other. Daniel will never find another person who understands him the way Devinshea can, and I include you in that. You don’t understand what it means to love you but Dev and Daniel do.” Felix fixed me with a soft stare. “I believe Daniel has come to rely on Dev in a way he never imagined. But his past informs his future. Daniel learned at a young age what it means to lose the people he loved, the people who loved him. He lost his own human life. I’m sure he sees what happened with Halfer as a wake-up call. He imagines his life will always be filled with loss. In his head, it’s a matter of time before he loses you and very likely Dev as well.”

So we were right back where we started. “How do I fix it?”

“If you want Daniel to come back, you must stop thinking of it as a solo venture. You are a threesome. You must show a united front.”

“You think I should talk to Dev about it?” I’d avoided talking to Dev, thinking it was my problem.

“I think you and Dev should talk to Daniel about it,” Felix corrected. “It’s far past time you got serious about your relationship. It’s not just sex and pleasure. The three of you must care about each other. You must want to be together.”

I smiled at Felix. “I do. I know Dev does, too. What if Daniel doesn’t?”

Felix’s head shook slightly. “No one has gained more from this relationship than Daniel. Daniel has gained power and the ability to walk in the daylight. Dev’s magic gave him back that part of his life. More than this, Dev has given him a companionship he lacked before. If he wishes to end it then he’s a fool. You move on with Dev. I think you’ll find that Daniel is reacting, not thinking. Make it plain to him what the two of you need and what you deserve from him. He’ll either come around or he’ll leave. Either way, you’ll have your answer.”

“Aren’t you supposed to be non-confrontational, cousin?” I didn’t like the possible outcome of his scenario. I never like to face realities that don’t suit me.