Steal the Sun (30 page)

“Carry her to bed. I’m not done yet.” He walked up the steps even as Dev caught me against his chest and followed Daniel’s orders.

He grinned down at me. “And he calls me bossy.”

Daniel threw himself down on the soft bed, laughing.

* * * *

I lay against Dev’s chest, napping just a bit as the boys talked. It was deep in the night and I was tired and completely satisfied, resting on the big bed with my men close by. If Herne had been right, then the threat was gone and I had averted a war. If he was wrong, then Daniel had a plan.

“I’m not going to let you out of my sight, Dev.” Daniel leaned down to kiss the curve of my hip, resting his head against it as he stroked his hands across my skin. The warm light of the temple made everything seem golden, as though the sun was contained in the marbled walls, warming and lighting the space from within. I could hear the gentle rush of water from the pool and stream. Everything about the temple was soothing, conducive to rest and romance.

Dev chuckled slightly. “So you want to see me die?”

Daniel’s head came up and those eyes were suddenly sapphire again. “Don’t talk like that.”

Dev put a hand up. “I’m sorry. I was joking.”

“You don’t joke about this.” Daniel settled back down, rubbing his cheek against my skin and cuddling close. His hand moved down, resting on my belly. I wondered if he could hear the baby’s heartbeat. He would likely find it soothing. “I’m going to watch you like a hawk and if you die, then I bring you back. The banshees get what they want. We get what we want. Everybody wins. The prophecy can be fulfilled. There’s no reason I can’t bring you back. You’ve died before.”

I shuddered at the thought. I remembered watching him die when we were in Vegas. I remembered seeing Daniel’s body on the slab of the Denton County Coroner’s office when he died all those years ago. The two worst days of my life. I couldn’t lose them. I couldn’t. The
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claimed I was some sort of hole in the fabric of fate. I’d saved Dev and simply being near me had caused Daniel’s early death and his rebirth as a vampire. I had to be able to affect this scenario, too. I’d killed the ogre. It had to be enough.

“I think it would be best if we left as soon as possible,” Dev said. “The situation here is worse than I could have imagined. The Seelie are ready to fight. I don’t want to get Zoey and the baby trapped in a war zone. I have to visit the fields or people here will starve soon, but after that I think we should pack up and head back to Dallas.”

“I think you just miss the Xbox,” Daniel teased because he certainly did.

I sat up because they were forgetting something. “I still have to find the Blood Stone. I’m not leaving without it.” Louis Marini had told me if I didn’t do this job he would kill Daniel and I, for one, believed him. He had the trigger for the surgically implanted device on Daniel’s heart. I’d seen the X-ray, and if Marini pushed that button, Danny would receive a lethal dose of silver straight to his heart. Not even a king could survive that.

“How long will it take for you and Bris to make sure people don’t starve?” Daniel asked, thinking about the problem.

Dev had one of those weird, in-his-head conversations before answering. “We need at least a week, maybe two. Most of that time is travel, though. If you flew me, we could be done in five days.”

Daniel nodded. “You have five days to solve the puzzle, Z.”

“It shouldn’t be difficult,” Dev reasoned. “Everyone knows the Blood Stone is one of the things the
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discussed, so people should be willing to talk. You don’t have to hide your interest. Talk to Mother in the morning. She can tell you who she gave the stone to.” He closed his eyes and I knew he was exhausted. “I’m reluctant to leave Zoey behind.”

“So am I, but I don’t see how we accomplish both tasks if she comes with us. She has all three wolves,” Daniel pointed out. “If I directly tell Zack to not allow her to die then I assure you he’ll get the job done. He never disobeys, unlike some others.”

“Don’t be mean to Neil,” I ordered. “He had a tough night, too. He had to find me, help me kill an ogre, and save Lee.”

“He shouldn’t have let you slip away in the first place,” Daniel pointed out, moving up on the bed. He settled down on the other side of me, spooning me from behind. “His senses are crap since he came home.”

“Well, he hasn’t had vampire blood in almost a year,” Dev said reasonably. “You can’t compare him to Zack.”

Daniel sighed behind me. “Well, I’ll deal with Neil later. I’ll leave Zack explicit instructions. Between Zack and Lee, she’ll be fine. Now hush, both of you. We have a long day ahead and I’m tired.”

“Bossy,” Dev said as I felt him drift off.

The boys were soon fast asleep, surrounding me with their warmth and safety, but I couldn’t help but think none of this would be as easy as they were making it out to be.

Chapter Seventeen

Declan strode into the room with a smirk on his face the next morning. Or afternoon. I hadn’t checked the time. I just knew it was far too early to have to deal with my brother-in-law. “Well, we all know what you were doing last night, Zoey.”

It had been only minutes since Dev and Daniel had kissed me good-bye and promised to hurry their task to get back to me.

“Hey, what happened to privacy?” I pulled the covers up to my chin since I wasn’t wearing anything.

“What are you talking about?” Declan rolled his eyes and threw his body on the bed. “It is not like I have never seen it before. Besides, I would love to see it again. You know I find you attractive, Your Grace. I came to congratulate you. Once again your skills in bed have saved my brother from a horrible fate. You should teach a class, you know.” His face turned serious. “But we have to discuss the fertility rites situation. Give a guy a chance
¸
 Zoey.”

It was my turn to be confused. “You’re going to have to give me more than that, Dec.”

He gestured around the room. “This is the temple of the High Priest of Faery. It was constructed to amplify fertility magic and send it throughout the palace and down to the valley below. Before, when it was just Devinshea and his priestesses, he needed that amplification to get anything at all going. Think of it like one of your radios. Before Bris, the volume was set at a ten or maybe, if the night was going well for my brother, perhaps a twenty out of one hundred.”

“What was the volume like last night?” We’d done some pretty freaky stuff together last night. Devinshea had been creative, I’d been submissive, and Daniel had been insatiable. I felt a sweet ache in my backside from the spanking Dev had given me for sneaking away. He’d been serious about that bit of discipline.

“One hundred and fifty.” Declan crossed his arms as he sat up. “I was sitting in the throne room giving those wolves of yours the lecture of a lifetime when Padric suddenly walks in, sweeps Mother up, and carries her away. That was when I felt it. The wolves all ran when Lee explained what was happening. He said he didn’t want to be something called a ‘manwhore’ twice in one night and he shifted and ran away as fast as his paws could take him. I cannot shift into another body. I only have this one and I’m susceptible to lust magic since I’m already horny all of the time. I was caught up in your carnal cloud and now I might have to get married.”

I laughed out loud. “Serves you right. Was it that girl you were with last night?”

“Which one?” he asked seriously.

“You don’t remember?” I’d only seen the brunette, but apparently there had been more.

“There were several, though not all of them at the same time,” Declan replied. “There was the brunette at the ball. I do not remember her name, but I will ask about her because she was incredibly flexible. At one point I had her ankles touching her ears and she never complained.”

“Spare me the details, please.” I looked around to see if someone had thought to leave out a robe.

Declan was utterly unconcerned with my anxiety. “But that is not the one I am worried about. You have to understand that when that lust magic hits, the urge is overwhelming. I ended up fucking one of the village maids, well, one of the maids and her sister. They were somewhat attractive but they have no manners whatsoever. Actually, I do not even remember if they are attractive. That magic makes me feel drunk.”

I had a fun thought. “What happens if you got them both pregnant?”

Declan shuddered and blanched visibly. “Then I will have two completely unsuitable wives. From now on, you will inform me when you are going to fuck my brother so I can get out of the way. I need several miles between us.” He nodded down at me and relaxed. “At this point, I am just going to plead complete ignorance if they come up with child. Maybe they’ll forget. If Dev hadn’t been here, I could blame him.”

I sat up and tossed a pillow at his head.

He smiled. “Continue your violence against me, Your Grace, and I will get a peek at a nipple. I think they are already bigger. Pregnancy suits you.”

I was about to toss whatever modesty I had left out the door and slap that grin off his face when Albert walked in carrying a massive tray. My stomach growled as the smell of bacon, eggs, and waffles hit me. There was a pot of tea in place of my usual coffee, but I would just have to get used to it. No caffeine for Baby Boy.

Declan sat up beside me, resting his back against the headboard. “Excellent. I am starving. There is nothing like breakfast in bed.”

“Then go have it in your own bed,” I grumbled, securing the covers around me once more.

“Mistress.” Albert greeted me with a smile. He placed the tray on the bed next to me where I could easily reach it and he gracefully poured the tea. “I saw the masters off this morning. I fixed Master Dev a basket of his favorite foods and a few excellent bottles of wine. I included some eighteen-year Scotch for Master Daniel.”

The boys would definitely be getting their drink on while they were away from the wife. “I’m sure he will appreciate it, Albert. It was thoughtful.”

He nodded. “I’ll be back in an hour to retrieve the tray, mistress, and I expect it to be empty. You need your strength. Mr. Owens informed me you might be in the village for luncheon this afternoon.”

I took a long drink of the cold orange juice. “That’s right. I have to talk to the queen, but she said she gave the Blood Stone to a villager, so I’ll probably be there this afternoon.”

“Then I will pack a basket for you and the wolves,” Albert offered. He frowned. “It will have to be a large basket. The wolves eat an enormous amount of food.”

Declan reached across me and stole a piece of bacon. “I will take a sandwich or two as well, servant. Also, if you have any of those sodas Devinshea likes, I will take one of those, too. I like them. They have bubbles.”

“I don’t recall inviting you along.” I wondered if he was going to leave anything for me as I slapped his hand away from my remaining piece of bacon.

“I told my brother I would care for you in his absence,” Declan explained. “I did that even after he punched me in the face for absolutely no reason. Do you have any idea why he would do such a thing? My nose is still sore.”

“No idea whatsoever,” I lied. It was good that Dev had remembered his brother’s insult.

Albert walked around to the side of the bed Declan was occupying. “I will get on the luncheon basket right away, mistress, after I take out the trash.”

Albert picked up Declan by the neck and started to haul him bodily out of the room.

“Well, I suppose I will see you later, Zoey,” Declan said, taking his dismissal with surprising good grace. He didn’t fight or scream, as though being hauled bodily out of rooms was an everyday occurrence. “I would yell and complain, but he is bigger than me and I do not think my brother would be happy if I beheaded his servant. An hour, then?”

His feet disappeared out the door as Lee walked in. The werewolf did a double take, and there was satisfaction on his face as he watched the prince being dragged out. It didn’t last long. “Damn it, Zoey. Where the hell are your clothes?”

Zack and Neil walked in behind Lee. Neil laughed as he walked over to the closet. “I’ll get her a robe.”

Lee turned around, but Zack just sat down on one of the sofas. He couldn’t care less what my state of dress was. He was wearing casual work clothes, chinos and a button-down. His brown hair was stylishly metro and he was impeccably groomed. He was the exact opposite of his slobby older brother, who cautiously waited for me to cover myself.

“This must be Dev’s.” Neil brought out a plush white robe from the armoire. I climbed out of bed and let Neil wrap the robe around me. It was enormous but it would have to do until I got back to the palace and our rooms.

“I’m perfectly covered, Lee.” I sat back down on the bed and started in on my breakfast. The baby was being a good boy. I hadn’t felt a moment’s worth of morning sickness but god, I was so hungry. I poured maple syrup over the waffle. The way I felt this morning, I could eat a dozen.

“I don’t know why he’s such a prude, Zoey,” Zack said with a grin as his brother looked around the room, getting the layout. “I guess you’re just not his type. He prefers his chicks a little more on the bloodthirsty side.”