Thieves: Steal The Day Part 23

"No, I am trying to make you see that this is who you are. This is your nature. Your vampire thinks of the greater good. With a singular exception, he can sacrifice much for what he believes is just. You, on the other hand, tend to think in terms of personal justice. You're concerned with individuals. When dealing with your husband, know that your concerns are just as well. They provide balance."

"Am I going to succeed?" I asked, knowing she probably wouldn't answer.

She smiled. "I believe so, but it will cost you. You will possibly pay for the events of this night for years to come."

"Want to give me an example?" I really hate the way angels and demons like to talk about all the c.r.a.p they know is going to happen in the future, but then they never go into the specifics. They always say something like "If you pursue your present course there will be many consequences." Like I don't know that. Just once I would like for one of these warning to include something like "Hey, don't take a left at Brown Street because a car's going to hit you."

"Just know that you control the outcome, Zoey. Your will is the strongest weapon you have. And know that forgiveness is the greatest gift you can give yourself."

I turned to complain about her deeply nonspecific warnings, but she was gone and another woman was curling my hair. She p.r.o.nounced me finished when I heard the yelling from the living room area.

"This is bulls.h.i.+t!"

"Calm down."

I rushed out. Neil was shouting. He was on one side of the room and Daniel and Dev were on the other. Everyone was dressed for the evening. Daniel was in a cla.s.sic tux, Neil in an expensive suit and Dev just looked like sin. He was in a black three-piece suit without the jacket. The suit fit perfectly, and he'd eschewed a tie in favor of leaving the s.h.i.+rt open to show off his throat and the beginning of his sculpted chest. It was a conscious display of skin. At this type of event, servants dressed conservatively and lovers showed why they were lovers.

Daniel's jaw was a straight, harsh line. "You knew this would happen, Neil. I have to present the Council with proof that their plan can work tonight. If I don't, I risk exposing all of us."

"It doesn't have to be him," Neil shot back.

"Oh, G.o.d." I realized who we were talking about. The men all turned to look at me.

Neil rushed over, a glint of hope in his eyes. "Zoey, tell him no. Tell him to use someone else. Don't let him send Chad to the Council. Justin can go. Justin is older. Just go over there and change his mind. Please."

I looked at my friend, who was panicked at the thought of his lover being sacrificed to the Council. I was horrified, too, but I wasn't sure there was anything I could do about it. I'd been kept in the dark about all but the vaguest of plans. Now I realized why. I would have said no. I would have tried to change their minds. I looked at Dev, who would be the easier of the two to persuade. "It should be someone else."

He shook his head. "It's too late. It's already in motion."

Daniel looked at us with sympathy. "Chad is the only choice. He is stronger by far than the rest of them. He can do the job. I am sorry this upsets you, Neil, but sacrifices must be made."

Neil rounded on him. "You would never make this sacrifice, Daniel. You told me once you would never ask anything of me that you wouldn't do yourself. Tell me, Your Highness, would you sacrifice Zoey to protect your secrets? The answer to that question is h.e.l.l no."

Daniel's face hardened. "This was Chad's choice. I didn't order him to do it. He volunteered."

"How can I know you're not lying about that? You won't let me see him. You kept this hidden from me," Neil pointed out. "How do I know you didn't convince him to do this? You could have threatened him."

"I didn't," Daniel shot back, his face flus.h.i.+ng with emotion. "I didn't threaten anyone. And I didn't hide a d.a.m.n thing from you. Chad asked me to keep it quiet. He knew how you would react."

Neil ignored that line of reasoning. "How about you Dev? Are you going to sacrifice your girl for the greater good?"

"I would never have made that promise to you, Neil," Dev replied, his arms crossed. "It was a nave promise made by an inexperienced royal. Of course he will ask things of you he won't do himself."

"It's not the same thing, Neil," Daniel tried to explain. "He'll be back. I'm not sending him off to his death or anything. It's one year of training that every vampire goes through. I've prepared him for this."

"You're sending him to the same Council that turned you into an emotionless automaton for years. You're sending him to spy for you, and if he gets found out they will kill him, Daniel." Neil faced Daniel, caught between tears and rage. "I've been your faithful servant for years. I've protected the woman you love with my life. I'm asking, begging you to protect the man I love. When I made my oath, you promised me protection. Chad made that same oath. Please keep the promises that were made to us."

"Daniel, we can't send Chad." I knew Chad. I liked Chad. It couldn't be Chad.

"Then who, Zoey? Who is it going to be?" Daniel exploded. "You tell me because you obviously know what you're doing. You have absolutely no interest in what I have to do on a daily basis until you disagree with me. I can't do this with you. I can't fight them and fight you whenever the whim takes you. I like Chad. Do you really think I want to send him into a dangerous place? I don't. Do you think I want to disappoint you, Neil? I don't. I don't want to do any of this, but if I don't no one will and then all of us will suffer. You think I don't make sacrifices, Neil? My whole f.u.c.king life is a sacrifice."

"Then understand how I feel," Neil pleaded.

"I can't afford that, Neil," Daniel replied, his voice tired. "I can't afford to protect your feelings. Chad and I made this decision. It's already in motion. It can't be stopped at this point. It's the right decision. It stands. I'll take you with me to Paris when I have to go. You'll be able to see him. I'll make arrangements. He'll be allowed to return in a year or so. You have to be satisfied with that."

"Then I'll see you in a year, Daniel," Neil said bitterly. He turned away to move toward the door.

I actually felt the room swell with Daniel's rage. I took a step back and suddenly Dev was at my side pulling me close, and I knew there was a real chance that this was going to get violent.

"You think to break your oath to me, wolf?" Daniel's voice took on the tone of that beast that slept inside him.

Neil turned on his heels, his hands s.h.i.+fting back and forth from claws to fingers, not quite deciding which one would be of use. "You've already broken it. This is what everyone warned me about. You just use the people around you. You don't really care about any of us. You aren't capable of caring about anything except your own ambitions. I owe you nothing."

"I'll decide what is owed to me, and never doubt that I will claim my due." There was such will behind Daniel's words that I didn't doubt it was a threat.

"Daniel, what are you doing?" I tried to pull away from Dev. I needed to stop this fight before someone got seriously hurt. The idea of my husband and best friend going after each other made my heart hurt. "Let me go."

Dev trapped me in his arms and whispered in my ear. "You've done enough damage, Zoey. Be quiet now. He's doing what he has to do. Neil is being unreasonable. Don't make this worse."

Neil looked back at Dev and me. His eyes took on his beast. They were a winter, glacial blue, but there was no mistaking the rage in them. "Hold her, Dev, while you can. You made a mistake last night. You let him in. Do you really think he'll share her with you for any length of time? He's using you to get back into her bed. I a.s.sure you, some handy accident will be coming for you. Zoey's grief will only make her vulnerable. She'll turn to him. Can't you see that? He'll never share his precious blood with you."

"Enough," Daniel roared. He held his hand out, and Neil's body jerked, limbs twitching in an odd, ungainly manner. "My blood is in your veins, and it will run true. You will obey me in this. You will protect your queen and guard your mouth tonight. Is that understood, my servant?"

I watched as Neil tried, really tried, to form his own words, but what came out of his mouth was, "Yes, master."

"Now go and stand guard at the door," Daniel commanded.

Neil walked away to do as he was ordered. His movements weren't graceful, as though he was fighting the compulsion.

When he was out of the room, Daniel looked at me, obviously antic.i.p.ating a fight. His hands were shaking slightly with the force of his anger, but he stuffed them in his pockets. "Get her dressed. It's time to go."

"What the h.e.l.l was that, Danny?" I dug my heels in the carpet, unwilling to ignore what had just happened. Had Daniel really taken control of Neil?

Daniel stalked toward me, gesturing to the door Neil had walked through. "That was necessary. What am I supposed to do, Z? Am I supposed to let him go? Am I supposed to leave you unprotected? He knows everything. All he has to do is open his mouth and this evening becomes an execution. Do you want to watch as your husband and your lover are decapitated? Don't expect Marcus to save you. His head will be right beside ours. They'll leave you alive, baby. Remember that ceremony you witnessed? If Neil opens his mouth, you'll be sold tonight. I have no doubt your price will make Meredith look like a value meal from McDonald's."

"He would never do that." Neil might be angry, but I knew him. He might run off, but he wouldn't betray us.

"I can't risk it. There's far too much on the line." Daniel looked at Dev, his eyes bitter. "You have no idea how I envy you. She'll blame all of this on me."

Dev looked down at me. "Zoey, you should know I agree with everything Daniel has done tonight. He is right. We can't risk exposure at this juncture. Neil isn't thinking straight. All it would take is one bitter word from him and we could all be dead, including Chad."

"You said it yourself, Z," Daniel reminded me. "You told me we should pick the strongest of our vampires and make him our spy. Did you forget your own advice?"

I shook my head because I remembered it all too well. I just hadn't expected to care about the person we sent off. Daniel was right, but I didn't have to like it. "How are you controlling Neil? You said it was your blood. I've taken your blood. Can you do the same thing to me?"

Daniel walked up to me. I could see how much he wanted to touch me, but he held back. "The relations.h.i.+p is different."

"Neil is Daniel's animal. It's a specific power," Dev explained. "Although up until tonight, I believe the power has been nominal. He could call Neil but not bend his will. I suspect it's another effect of the particular energy you drew from me last night. It's a supercharged s.e.xual energy you seemed to be able to feed on. Can you hold him?"

"Oh, yes," Daniel said with a wicked certainty. "I can hold him. The way I feel now I could hold a whole pack of wolves. I've never felt anything like it. I could make an army of them."

"Let's not get ahead of ourselves," Dev murmured. "I'll make some calls because you'll need to replace Neil. I believe Roman can make a deal with some of the werewolves we have working in the club. The pack here is extremely weak. Money and the promise of power could sway a few. We'll need bodyguards."

I was horrified. "Do you hear yourselves? You're acting like Neil is expendable."

Daniel started to speak, but Dev stopped him. "He's not expendable. He just needs time to adjust. He's had a shock, but it doesn't change the fact that we need muscle. You can see that. We just need to get through tonight and when we're back in Dallas, we can figure this all out."

Daniel's eyes wandered back toward the door. "I hate this, too, Z. But I meant everything I said to him. This was Chad's choice. He and the others made the decision and I promised to honor it."

"Daniel must honor his soldiers' wishes, Zoey. You have to know that. And we'll deal with Neil when we're back home and away from prying eyes," Dev concluded.

There was nothing to be gained from having it out here. I knew Neil and unless Chad was given back to him, he wouldn't back down. They were making sense. I tried not to think about the look that pa.s.sed between the men. They were taking positions, bulwarking each other's weaknesses. I couldn't think about it now. It was time to get ready to do my job. Politics would have to take a back seat. "I'll get dressed."

I allowed Kelly to pull and push me around as she fitted me into the dress Dev had chosen. It was more modest than I envisioned. The soft gold color wasn't what I would have chosen, but even I could see how it made my skin glow. Because of security, I also wasn't able to carry any weapons. Daniel would be leaving his sword behind. I was completely on my own.

The Revelation hummed softly in my hand, and I let it drop until it hung between my b.r.e.a.s.t.s. I looked at myself in the mirror. The dress was vaguely Grecian or maybe Roman. The bodice was low but not vulgar. There was an emerald green ribbon that wrapped and defined my waist. The golden fabric flowed in soft folds to the floor. At least the footwear was reasonable. Knowing Dev, I expected a stiletto, but this was a soft slipper. I could run in it.

"You look beautiful." Dev dismissed the stylist and the hair dresser.

"I look soft and submissive," I pointed out when we were alone.

"Appearances can be deceiving. Would you prefer to walk in looking like someone about to commit theft? No one will suspect you, Zoey. When the time comes, we'll be able to sneak away with no one the wiser. There are rooms for privacy at this party, do you understand?"

"For s.e.x." I'd been told that pretty much anything went at this party, but when it came to s.e.x, vampires tended to be modest about their companions. First time public presentation aside, a vampire's companion was carefully guarded. Hence the privacy rooms. I was given to understand the demons were not necessarily so circ.u.mspect.

"Yes, for s.e.x. The way we look tonight, no one will wonder why the Nex Apparatus has disappeared with his lovers. I'm sin. You're innocence. Both are very tempting to this lot." Dev slid his hands up my arms. "I would prefer to just spend that time using the room for what it was built for."

I shook my head and grinned at him. "Haven't done it on the h.e.l.l plane, have you?"

He kissed my ear softly. "No, I have not, my mistress. I would love to check it off. If I recall, you denied me the ability to check off Arkansas."

"Let's get Sarah back, and then I'll see if I can help you out," I replied. He'd started to call me mistress as often as sweetheart or lover. It was the t.i.tle of a servant to his vampire's companion, but when Dev said it he meant something different. He added the "my," and it always let me know what he was thinking. Dev took my hand, and we walked to meet Daniel.

"Wow." Daniel stared at me for a moment.

"It meets your approval?" There was a satisfied smile on Dev's face as though pleasing Daniel in some way pleased him as well.

"She looks stunning. It's everything you said it would be," Daniel stammered.

"Better than prom?" I asked with a genuine smile.

"And I remember that night fondly," he replied, our history there in his eyes.

I crossed the room and slid my hand into his. I couldn't stand him looking so alone. He was right about a few things. I did only get involved when I was telling him he was wrong. I only used my power when it suited me. I owed him some measure of trust. "We'll take care of Neil?"

He breathed a sigh of relief. "Yes, of course we will."

"After this is over, I'll take him on a trip, and we'll shop and party and he'll be okay," I said as much to rea.s.sure myself as anyone else. I went on tiptoe and kissed my husband briefly.

He looked down at me, squeezing my hand. Dev took my other hand.

It was time to go.

"Seriously?" I asked an hour later as the limo pulled up to the building that housed the physical entrance to h.e.l.l.

Daniel shrugged. "They have a sense of humor. You have to admit that."

The driver walked around and opened the door to the limo. Daniel got out and held his hand for me. Dev followed but at a respectful distance. He wouldn't join us until after we'd been announced at the event.

"Is this a sign that marriage is h.e.l.l?" I asked as the lights of the tackiest wedding chapel I'd ever seen blinked away. They even had a drive-through lane.

"Well, it hasn't exactly been easy, has it?" Daniel grumbled. "Is that thing still not working?"

I shook my head. The Revelation had gone silent the minute I got in the room with Daniel. The reminder that he was part demon wasn't helping his mood.

"Welcome," Elvis said as we walked in.

I shook my head because that was just tacky. We were led to the back and an elevator opened. Dev and Neil entered and then Daniel led me in. I hated the way Neil looked. His face was blank and bland. There was nothing of my happy, sarcastic playmate in those eyes now. Then the doors opened, and I had other worries.

"Mr. Donovan, we have been waiting for your arrival." The elevator opened to a large foyer. It was elegantly appointed, and I could hear music coming from behind twin doors. There was a greeting area with several well-dressed demons doing busy work. "Sebastian has asked me to inform you that your presentation is ready. I heard it's quite impressive. Please check to make sure I have the names of your retinue correct. You will be announced and enter through the double doors."

I caught my breath as the doors opened. This was what a London ball must have looked like during the Victorian era, if said ball was full of demons and lots of people with fangs.

There was a demon at the top of the stairs announcing the guests as they entered. "The Council's Nex Apparatus, Mr. Daniel Donovan, his companion, Mrs. Zoey Donovan, and his Royal Highness, Devinshea Quinn, Prince of Faery and High Priest of the Old Ways." Neil was strictly a servant. No one needed his name.

It was the first time I'd heard Dev's complete t.i.tle. I was impressed, but Daniel rolled his eyes. "That is the most pretentious thing I've ever heard. You just have to have a longer t.i.tle than anyone else."

Dev smiled. "I require a long t.i.tle to go with my very long..."

"Shhh," I warned as we made our way down the long stairs. Every eye watched as the Council's a.s.sa.s.sin entered the ball. We were greeted at the steps by Niko and two other vampires I hadn't been introduced to. They stepped forward and shook Daniel's hand before giving Dev and me long looks.

"You surround yourself with beautiful blood, Daniel," the largest of the men commented, not bothering to hide his open appraisal. He was extremely tall, with long brown hair and an accent that sounded Swedish or Norwegian.

"What's the point of walking the night if it's devoid of precious blood?" Daniel put special emphasis on the word precious. It was a term of endearment meaning the vampire held those who carried the blood to be very dear. "Elof, Niles, may I present my companion Zoey Donovan, and our very good friend Devinshea Quinn. Elof and Niles are Council members."

Elof nodded to Dev. "Your Highness, I've had the pleasure of meeting your mother, the queen. It was before Faery closed the mounds to our kind. It is very rare to see a Fae such as yourself in the world now, much less a prince. Your brother is the heir?"

"Yes. I am the spare. I let my brother handle the politics. I prefer to pursue pleasure. With the mounds closed, I was forced to enter the Earth plane to discover new diversions." Dev said the last with a s.e.xy drawl that left no doubt he'd found his diversion.

Dev was supposed to act the part of the pretty, insignificant lover. He relished his status as himbo far more than I liked playing the bimbo. I also had to admit, he was really good at it. Tonight he was allowed slightly off the leash as this was a party, and the rules were a little different. With Dev firmly established as part of our threesome, he had some rights to my person as long as it didn't go too far.

"Marcus was right." Niles spoke in a very upper-crust British accent. He stared at me. "She's b.l.o.o.d.y amazing. She's almost too bright to look at."

"Do I need to say the words, Niles?" Daniel asked, his voice quiet but forceful.

"Of course not." Niles turned away from me, seemingly disconcerted by his lapse. "Everyone knows she's yours, and you won't be at all reasonable about making a deal. That's not what I came over to talk about. Is he ready?"