Thieves: Steal The Day Part 12

He managed to get to sleep, but I couldn't force myself to get into bed. I knew what would happen. I would end up cuddling with him, and I didn't want that right now. I wanted to keep my righteous indignation fully stoked.

An hour pa.s.sed and then two, and I decided it was time to get a little work done. It was past midnight. I doubted the other three couples were real big into the nightlife. I got my story straight. If I got caught, I was searching for the kitchen because I needed a gla.s.s of water in order to take my medication. Surely this crowd understood the importance of medication. I just intended to get really turned around.

I slipped thick socks on my feet because it was cold, and for the same reason added a sweater. I was careful about not waking Dev as I slipped quietly into the hallway.

There are a couple of necessary skills to perfect when your chosen profession is thievery. The ability to move silently is right up there at the top along with a certain moral flexibility and the patience to put up with wearing a lot of black. While other fathers tossed a baseball with their kids or carted them to dance cla.s.s, my dad taught me his profession. I learned to walk almost silently a long time ago, and the skill came in handy this night. I shut the door behind me and stuck as close to the wall as I could. Unfortunately, the floors were wood. Carpet or anything with a pad is best at covering sound. When you find yourself dealing with hardwood, your best bet is staying near the wall. This minimizes creaks and groans. I also had stretched carefully before starting out, paying careful attention to the joints. You would be surprised how loud an elbow can be when it pops, and if you're cold it just might. It's better to stretch out all the kinks before starting.

There were three rooms on the second story. Dev and I were in the largest. All of the rooms were dark now. I pa.s.sed by the Ruckers and could hear one of them snoring loudly. The paintings on the walls were all of angels. Mary Jo Renfro was really into angels. It begged the question why Felicity hadn't been able to work her charms on the proprietor. It also gave me an in when it came to engaging the woman in conversation. Once I got someone talking about their favorite subject, they tended to give things away without thinking about it.

I made my way down the stairs, again sticking close to the wall.

I had already seen quite a bit of the first floor. There was a frilly foyer that led into the parlor, where I'd learned I really didn't like all liquor. The dining room was large, with a nice-sized table covered in white lace. Mary Jo had cleaned up. Everything was pin perfect neat. There were two bedrooms on this level, and I would have to find a way to search them tomorrow. There had been talk of a backgammon tournament. It would serve Dev right to have to spend an afternoon playing board games.

Then, there it was, right off the kitchen, a little door. It could have been a little laundry room or maybe a pantry, but I seriously doubted it. This one had a brand new s.h.i.+ny lock. I smiled in the darkness. I really liked locks. They were like big neon signs pointing the way to treasure. A s.h.i.+ny lock was one big X marking the spot.

The light in the kitchen came on, and I whirled around. Maybe I wasn't as good as I thought I was since I hadn't heard anyone at all.

"Oh, it's you, Mrs. O'Malley." Mary Jo wore a long robe that probably covered an old-time nightgown. I wondered where Mr. Renfro was and those four blessed children.

I smiled and held up my hand. "So sorry to get you up. I was just trying to find the kitchen. I forgot to take my antacid. Boy, if I miss one pill, my reflux can be ferocious."

"You should pray about that," she said piously as she got me a gla.s.s of water. "Your husband seems like a nice man."

"Yes," I agreed because supposedly I had just married him. I should think he was nice.

She nodded, a glazed look coming over her. "He has a glow about him. I noticed that the moment I saw him. He's a special one."

I swallowed the antacid and pa.s.sed the gla.s.s back to her. It really was an antacid. In my line of work, stomach issues can be a hazard. "This is a really nice place."

Mrs. Renfro smiled as she immediately washed the gla.s.s, dried it and put it in its place. "It's my labor of love. My husband lives out on our farm. That's what pays the bills, of course."

"And your kids? Are they on the farm?"

She looked confused briefly, but then her face settled into that pa.s.sive smile. "Yes, my babies. They live with their father. I get out to the farm at least three times a week."

I took a deep breath because she was just full of creepy goodness. There was nothing in her manner that should have had my crazy-a.s.s b.i.t.c.h meter going wild, but it still was. Then there was the fact that Felicity's information pegged her as a witch. She didn't seem like a witch to me, but I would know more after I got into that little room. "Thanks. I should get back to my husband."

"Of course, dear," she said absently. "Men have their needs. We just have to think of pleasant things while we lie there." She shuffled off and the light went out.

I made my way back up the stairs, not bothering to hide my steps. I had what I needed. I would find a way into that little room and hopefully it would yield up my treasure. It had been a while since I used my trusty lock-pick set, but I was itching to give it a try. I closed the door behind me. When I turned, I had to stifle a scream. There was a shadow hovering right outside my window. I almost woke up Dev when I realized who it was.

I parted the filmy curtains, and Daniel gave me a wave. Seeing Daniel flying was magical to me. He looked so carefree floating outside my window. Though Daniel hadn't aged a day since he was twenty-one, the heavy mantle of responsibility often made him look older. Now he had that mischievous gleam I remembered so well. I turned the handle, and the shutter-like window swung open.

"Zoey," Daniel said softly, holding out his hand. "Come out and play. You gotta see this, baby."

"What?"

Daniel shook his head. "Nope. Seeing is believing. Come on."

I stepped up onto the window seat, and Daniel pulled me into his arms. He cradled me to his chest and then we were flying. I held on for dear life because I'd only done this once before, and I was definitely not used to the sensation. Daniel seemed surer of himself this time. He veered past trees and soared over them. The night wind whipped through my hair, and I managed to open my eyes. I looked up at Daniel. He grinned down at me. I was glad to see he finally understood there was an upside to his undead status.

I relaxed in his arms and let myself enjoy the view. It was cold, but Daniel was warm against me. He must have fed well because I could feel his heart beating, and it only felt that strong when he was full of blood. I suspected that certain tabloid publications would be making their way to this part of the world soon to investigate a rash of bovine exsanguinations.

"Look down, baby," Daniel said in my ear.

We were flying above a field, and I looked down to see several large animals running, their big bodies defined by the moonlight. They ran in a pack and seemed to be playing. I strained to see the details. Daniel floated over to a group of trees and settled himself on the high branches of an enormous oak. He set me down once he found his footing. I leaned forward. It was easy because I knew whatever I did, Daniel would be there if I made a mistake. I stared down on the pack and realized what I was looking at.

Razorbacks. They were enormous. The large pigs were, at the very smallest, a hundred and fifty pounds. The largest was likely two fifty. I counted twelve. Some of the pig were chasing each other, nipping and playing with affection. Then three much smaller pigs came into view. These were obviously babies. They jumped over each other, tumbling and snorting as they played.

"Oh my G.o.d, Daniel, are those what I think they are?" My breath caught at the thought.

"Werepigs," he replied. "I saw them earlier tonight. It's a full moon. I thought they were going to chase down Neil and eat him. I've never seen that wolf run so fast. One minute he's sniffing the air talking about how good bacon is gonna taste, and the next his tail is between his legs and he's hiding behind Chad. I had some fast talking to do, baby, or our wolf was going to be serious slop."

"You talked to them?"

He nodded. "I'm glad I ran across them. I've been trying to make inroads with the two-natured. If I'm going to take on the Council, I'll need allies. They don't really know it yet, but it's their war, too. I can bring us together, Z. I can make this work."

"Is that why you've been pairing up stray wolves with your baby vamps?"

Daniel grinned. "Justin told me you found out about that. You scared the h.e.l.l out him, by the way. When you think about, it makes sense. Neil and I made sense. We're stronger together than we are apart. Angelina's happy. Justin's happy. I don't see the problem."

"I think Neil's dad sees the problem." Daniel was messing with some very long held traditions. Some of the members of the supernatural world would not let go of those customs so easily.

"Yeah, I've been having problems getting the local pack to recognize me. I don't think they'll be coming around anytime soon since you castrated their alpha."

I made no apologies for that. "He's an a.s.s."

"Yes, he is, but if you happen to get p.i.s.sed off at the local werepanthers, try to contain yourself. I've managed to work out an alliance with their alpha. If you shoot his b.a.l.l.s off, it might kill my deal."

"I'll try," I said with a smile. "But I can't promise anything. I have a taste for it now."

Daniel laughed, pulling me close and looking into my eyes. "You are the cherry on top of my crazy cake, you know that, right? I love every crazy-a.s.s inch of you."

"Chad talked to you, didn't he?" I figured the new vamp might be giving his boss advice on the romance front. I was just surprised Daniel listened.

"Chad is a smart guy. He was right. I was stupid to think you were just using Dev to get back at me. And I'll admit I was pretty sure Dev was using you because he likes the adrenaline rush of sleeping with someone forbidden. That wasn't the way he sounded when he talked to you earlier today. He sounded serious. I'm not willing to give you up without a fight, Z. I love you. You're my world. Dev might not be a complete a.s.shole. He might care about you, but Dev will never love you the way I do. I'm going to fight him every inch of the way. I'd say it's working because your little honeymoon suite reeked of s.e.xual frustration tonight, baby."

"That's not something to be proud of, Danny. I have feelings for him. I don't know that it's going to go anywhere. I don't know that I'm anything to him but a good time."

"I stand ready to kill him at your earliest request," Daniel offered with a grin that told me he was happy to hear that news.

I laughed. "Don't you dare."

"Fine," he conceded. "I'm gonna win, Z. We're meant to be together. In the end, I'll win. So heavy relations.h.i.+p discussion over. Do you want to run with the pigs?"

I looked down at the field. They were free and happy. Daniel knew there was nothing I loved more than a crazy experience I could hold in my heart. "h.e.l.l, yeah!"

Daniel pulled me back in his arms and flew us down to the field. He let us float to the center and landed gently. I ended up slightly behind him. I stayed where I was because this was where Neil always stood during formalities. I wasn't sure how formal this would get, but I knew Daniel was going to be negotiating with this pack and there were rituals involved. Daniel looked back at me curiously, then pulled me to his side. "You stand beside me. Always."

The pack stopped their run. They all turned toward the interlopers. The largest of the razorbacks came forward and a smaller pig followed behind him. The rest sat back on their haunches, content to watch the action play out. The two pigs that had come forward changed, their forms slipping back into human so smoothly I knew they were unquestionably the alphas.

"Your Highness," the male said. He was naked but I expected that. I was getting used to the two-natureds' liberal views on nudity.

Daniel nodded. "Jasper, this is Zoey Donovan."

"Your mate?" The alpha's eyes slid over me in an a.s.sessing manner that had nothing to do with s.e.xual interest and everything to do with politics.

"My queen," Daniel corrected.

Jasper nodded and his female came forth. "This is Hillary, my mate."

Hillary was a larger woman. Her face was set like she expected me to reject someone like her. It wasn't a surprising att.i.tude. Those in the vampire world tended to be arrogant and disdainful of those not. I was going to have to change those att.i.tudes. It was the first time I realized I actually could help Daniel in a capacity that didn't involve blood or s.e.x. I smiled my brightest smile and walked forward with my hand out. "h.e.l.lo, Hillary. I'm so pleased to meet you. Please call me Zoey."

Hillary's lips curled up, and when she smiled she was quite lovely. "Pleased to meet you, Zoey."

I looked at the little pigs whose tails were shaking with excitement. "Are they yours?"

She looked back, her face glowing with pride. "Two of them. My sons, Bobby and Chris."

"They're adorable," I said, smiling down at the piglets.

Jasper held his arms out. "Your Highness, we can talk about alliances tomorrow. Tonight the moon is full and we run. Your wolf might not be welcome, but your queen is."

I looked back at Daniel, who watched me with a quiet satisfaction. Jasper and Hillary took their forms once more and we ran. I frolicked with the babies, loving the way they licked my face and rolled in the gra.s.s. I played in the moonlight with the pack until the sun was almost up. Daniel was content to watch.

When the pack began to move on, Daniel picked me up, and with a nod to the alpha, took off. I leaned my heavy head against his chest, perfectly content with my evening.

I stepped back through the window and felt the air rush away as Daniel left to find his daytime resting place. I tried to move quietly, but Dev was sitting up in bed looking at me. I was surprised he didn't look angry. There was just a weary sadness to his face. It was not an expression I had ever seen on Dev before.

"Can you come to bed now?" he asked softly.

I thought we should talk. I thought I should explain. He looked at me like he'd lost something, and there was nothing I could say to that. How did I explain that I loved two men? How did it ease him to know I didn't want to give up either one?

My expression must have given away my inner turmoil because Dev pulled back the covers. "No talking, Zoey. No explanations are needed. Just come to bed, unless you no longer want to even share a bed to sleep with me."

I tossed the sweater on the dresser and stripped down to the tank and underwear. Dev gave off an enormous amount of heat, and I knew no matter how cold the room was, I would be warm under the covers. I slid into bed even as dawn was breaking. Dev started to turn away from me but I wedged myself close to him. Though he was upset, his strong arms wound their way around me and hugged me to his chest. Despite his earlier protestations of sleeping better alone, Dev always ended up draped around me whenever we slept together. He preferred to sleep in a tangle of arms and legs.

"Was he good to you tonight?" Dev asked quietly.

"Yes."

"All right, then," he said and then his breathing took on the steady slow beat of sleep.

I let his warmth surround me and sank into sleep myself.

Chapter Thirteen.

I wasn't used to quiet, contemplative Dev. I watched him across the luncheon table. I wanted to say anything, do anything to bring back the outrageous, reckless man I'd fallen in love with. His high-wattage grin was muted, his charm strictly business.

We'd slept in, skipping breakfast. When he woke me up at eleven, we politely discussed what we needed to accomplish today. He'd been showered and dressed when he got me up, and I knew the minute I saw his jeans and sweater that I was in trouble. I expected teasing and seduction. I expected him to try to tempt me into s.e.x because that was just what Dev did. Before I had fallen asleep, I'd just known that Dev would wake me with his morning friend and try to put last night behind us.

Now I realized this was a real fight, and I wasn't sure I could win.

"We sure missed you at breakfast this morning, Mr. O'Malley." Mary Jo placed a steaming bowl of vegetable beef stew in front of Dev. She held court at these meals like a queen on a very fussy throne. "It was French toast and bacon."

This is when Dev would usually make some comment about how much he would have loved the French toast, but his wife greatly preferred a nice big sausage. He would have grinned at me to let me know he would be happy to provide it for me whenever I wanted. Today he smiled blandly and made an excuse about sleeping in. He talked pleasantly with everyone present, including Mr. Renfro, who had made a surprise appearance for lunch. Renfro was a hard-looking man in overalls and a John Deere cap. He hadn't taken his eyes off Dev the whole time we were eating.

I moved my chair a little closer to Dev in an attempt to ward off Mr. Renfro's obvious jealousy. I suspected his wife had spent too much time going on about her handsome new guest. It was only to be expected because even in a big city, Dev stood out. I was sure they hadn't seen anything like him here in...well, possibly ever. Apparently Mr. Renfro had come to make sure his woman wasn't doing anything she shouldn't with the city slicker.

I laced our fingers together, and Dev looked down at them. I hoped he didn't brush me off, but Dev really was good at this. He pulled our joined hands to his lips, brus.h.i.+ng them over my knuckles. It sent a little spark of heat through my body, but he just gave me a tight-lipped smile and started to eat his lunch.

As Daniel and the vamp crew had been sidelined with politics the night before, I still didn't have any intelligence on the farm. They were going to try again tonight. Daniel also planned to talk to Jasper. I hoped the alpha might be able to give us some sort of information on the Renfros since the pack more than likely lived in the rural communities that dotted the area. The B&B was fairly isolated, but there was a small town ten miles to the north, and someone had to know something.

I stared down at my lunch, not hungry at all. Things seemed to be changing so fast. Dev was mad. Daniel was playing a shockingly dangerous game. And I just wanted to get the job done. We had a few days left, but I needed time to figure out how to use the object. We were due in Vegas in five days. Two days after that was the ball. Time was running out. I was getting desperate, and I always make mistakes when I get desperate.

Lunch broke up in favor of games. Two of the older couples set up backgammon boards, while the Ruckers took up Mary Jo on her offer to show them around the grounds. Apparently there was a lovely garden up the road. We were invited, but Dev complained about his slipped disc and everyone nodded sagely and agreed he should rest. Mary Jo had sent me a dirty look like my l.u.s.t had damaged him. I was glad her husband decided to escort his wife and the Ruckers around.

I'd slipped my trusty kit into the pocket of my cardigan before we came downstairs. It was a basic lock-picking kit, but that's really all I needed. The lock looked to be a simple pin tumbler, probably bought at a hardware store. It was standard, and I was good with standard. My father provided me an array of locks to practice on when I was in my teens. He considered it my real homework. I spent hours at the kitchen table using a torque wrench and a half-diamond pick.

I glanced at Dev, who nodded slightly to signal he knew what to do. We'd gone over the plan this morning. If we could find a time when everyone was accounted for and away from the kitchen, I would go for it. Normally I would wait until dark, but Mrs. Renfro had proven to be a very light sleeper last night, and I wanted to get this job done. Dev argued for waiting until dinnertime, but I thought the room was too close to the kitchen. All it would take was a forgotten salt shaker for us to get our b.u.t.ts kicked out of the establishment and possibly shoved into the local jail.

Dev leaned back in his chair and looked up at me as I stood. I affectionately ran my fingers through his hair, wondering if this might be the last time I got to do it. His dark hair was thick and silky in my hands, and I let myself linger for a fleeting moment. Dev's emerald green eyes were curious before he pulled me in for a light kiss. There was no force behind it, no teasing hint of tongue. It was a kiss between partners, not lovers, and I took that as my cue to get the job done.

"Hey, baby," I said with a smile I was sure didn't come anywhere near my eyes. "I'm going to run back to the room for a minute."

"Don't be too long," he murmured.

"I won't." I wouldn't. I would be fast because I was good. I might be a c.r.a.ppy girlfriend, but I was a good thief. As I walked out of the parlor, my hands were already pulling out my kit. I walked quietly to the back of the house. Out the back window, I watched as Mary Jo and her husband led the older couple up a wooded path, and when they were safely out of sight, I got to work.

The door was small, but the minute I stood in front of it, I knew there would be no reason for Daniel to cut short his meeting with Jasper tonight. It was here. I could feel it behind the door almost calling to me. It was like Felicity had said. This was an item of angelic origin. It wanted to be with its own kind. I was the closest thing to it, so it had decided I would do. I put my hand to the door and felt it vibrate gently beneath my fingers. If every job was as easy as this, I would be rich. It would be so much simpler if every item I decided to steal just called out and said "hey, I'm right here."

I slid the torque wrench in first and then the pick. I raked the pins quietly, holding them in place with the wrench when it slid into the right place. It wasn't long before I felt the lock pop gently into its correct position, turning in my hand like a soft caress. I loved that sound, the simple click of a lock opening just for me. It was intimate and always felt like a victory.

The others might be able to yank a door off the hinges with a single pull. They were able to yank a safe from a wall and gut it to take its contents. I was just a little human with female strength, but they couldn't do what I could do. They couldn't seduce a little lock into sweetly offering up its treasures.

I slipped into the dark room, closing the door quickly before anyone could fumble into the hall. Darkness swallowed me, and I had to take a deep breath before starting to feel around for a light switch. My hands ran up the wall, though if that slight stench was what I thought it was, I might be better off not seeing. The switch was next to the door on the right side. I was glad it was daytime so I didn't have to worry about light spilling under the doorframe and giving away my position.

The light blinked on, coating the room in yellow harshness. I did a double take because it was hard to believe what I was seeing. Looking around that little room, I realized that my crazy-a.s.s b.i.t.c.h meter was functioning just fine.

It was an altar room, and Mary Jo was definitely a witch, and not the white kind.