Steal the Day (32 page)

“It’s been almost a thousand years since anyone saw that sword Daniel carries,” Kim explained. “Henri practically shakes when he sees it. It’s the official weapon of the Council’s Death Machine. Henri wasn’t around for the last
Nex Apparatus
, but the way he talks about it, it’s a little like the vampire version of the boogeyman.”

That gibed with what I saw around the group. Everyone, even the oldest of the vampires, looked on Daniel with a deep suspicion.

Kim looked around as though trying to figure out who might be listening in. She leaned over. “Before they presented the sword to Daniel, there was talk about changing the Council. Some vampires had formed the opinion that the Council is corrupt and dangerous. The more modern of the men wanted a say in the way the Council is run. That all shut down with the arrival of your husband.”

Daniel explained this during one of his conversations with Dev—one of the conversations I’d managed to stay awake during. There was discontent among the vampires at the way the Council controlled every aspect of their lives. Before they could organize, Daniel was designated as the official executioner. He was scary enough to have quelled that probably destined to fail rebellion.

“It must be strange for everyone to be so afraid of a fledgling.” I kept my mouth shut about Daniel’s plans. Like I said before, I tended to sleep during the lecture portions of my time with Daniel, so I wasn’t about to play politics.

Kim laughed at that. “He isn’t considered a fledgling anymore. The arena test put that term out of everyone’s mind. Daniel is a king. It’s the term they use for a vampire whose talents exceed what a vampire should have. As far as I know, Daniel is the first king in a thousand years, since the last time that sword was seen. Of course, the last king actually took power and the crown. Daniel seems content to use his gifts in other ways.”

“What happened to the last king?”

“Ask Marcus Vorenus,” Kim said mysteriously. “From what I understand, he is the one who dealt that king the killing blow.”

Marcus and I were going to have to have a long talk.

Kim shook off her serious face and smiled a little. “It’s my turn for questions. Please tell me if I’m being far too personal. Henri says I have no discretion, but then I don’t remember Victorian England. The rumor is Daniel brought a lover. Is that true? He seemed so into you last night.”

I smiled slowly because this was the part of our ruse I was going to have the most fun with. “His name is Devinshea Quinn. He owns Descent, the club we were in last night. He also owns a club where we all live. He’s half Fae.”

Kim looked flummoxed. “I just wouldn’t have guessed. My gaydar was perfectly silent around Daniel. God, that just kills a whole bunch of my fantasies.”

I laughed long and hard. “Let me give you new fantasies, Kim. Daniel isn’t gay. Daniel likes to watch.”

Kim’s mouth just about hit the table. “He shares you?”

I shrugged, and then grinned because, speak of the devil, Dev walked into the dining room. He was dressed to kill in a designer suit that I was sure had never seen a rack. It was custom fit to his body and showed off his lean grace to its best advantage. He was even wearing a tie. I’d never seen Dev in a tie. He always was the picture of decadence, but now he was professional and it looked good on him. Even his hair was under ruthless control. It should have lessened his sex appeal, but it just made me anxious to mess up that perfection. I watched as Kim’s eyes widened when she caught sight of him.

“Wow,” she sighed. “That’s just wrong. I think I’ve just seen god’s actual gift to women.”

“He thinks so,” I replied as he spoke briefly to Neil and then zeroed in on me. “Kim, you’re about to meet Dev.”

“Daniel shares you with him?” Kim’s voice probably got louder than she had intended, and I watched Dev’s lips quirk briefly.

“Mrs. Donovan.” Dev acknowledged me formally with a slight bow. “Mrs. Jacobs. I can see Mrs. Donovan has already informed you of who I am. It’s a pleasure to meet you.”

“And you, Mr. Quinn.” Kim managed to breathe, but only barely.

Dev glanced around the room, his voice going low. “Mr. Donovan was actually hoping to speak to your husband. He will look for him at tomorrow night’s ball. Please let Henri know Daniel would appreciate a few moments of his time.”

Kim went a little pale. “Did Henri do something wrong?”

Dev gave her a smooth smile. “Not at all. Daniel has some business he would like to discuss, and he would greatly appreciate Henri’s input. Your husband is renowned for his business sense. I believe Daniel is going to suggest that the two of you might enjoy visiting us in Dallas in the near future. We were thinking of having a few friends out. I believe you will find that Hugo Wells and Brendan Ford have already accepted invitations.”

Kim stilled. Those names meant something to her. “Yes, I think that would be something we are very interested in, Mr. Quinn. It seems Mr. Donovan has more layers than any of us thought.”

“Excellent. I look forward to speaking with you further. Now, I am afraid Mrs. Donovan is needed. Daniel is awake and craves his wife’s attention. I’ve settled the bill, but if you need anything else, Mrs. Jacobs, please feel free. The maître d’ will charge it to our account.” Dev held out his hand and helped me from my seat.

I said good-bye to my new friend and waved at Neil, who told me he was off to enjoy the strip now that his babysitting shift was over. Dev picked up a package at the bar and then hustled me out.

“Why did she know those names?” I asked when we were safely in the private elevator.

Dev pulled a bottle of Scotch out of the package and inspected it as the elevator shot up. “Brendan and Hugo were part of an earlier group that had discussed the possibility of overthrowing the Council. Nothing could be proven, and after Daniel ascended to his current post, the group quickly disbanded. It isn’t surprising they never got past the talking stage since they didn’t have a strong leader.”

Dev pushed the button for the elevator, and we began to rise toward the penthouse. I couldn’t help but think about how lonely I’d been the last couple of days. “I suppose you and Daniel are going out this evening after we’re done. I guess I’ll watch TV or something.”

“Zoey, I hate this, too.” Dev stared out the glass, looking down.

Dev had slept in one of the smaller bedrooms the night before, completely surprising me.

“I just thought we could be normal when we’re alone.” I’d been left to sleep with Neil, who I loved, but didn’t bring me the comfort Dev did. Both my loves were behind closed doors, unavailable to me.

Dev stood across from me in the elevator, the distance between us clear. “We’re never alone here, Zoey. If I get into that bed with you, how long will it be before my hands are on you? How long until you moan and wail because you are anything but quiet, lover. Do you want Daniel to lie in his bed knowing what we do? Do you want to hurt him in this fashion? If you do, we might as well just fuck on the couch where he can see us.”

“That’s not fair, Dev.” I didn’t like the guilt the image brought up. I also didn’t like his sudden prudishness. “You haven’t cared about Daniel’s feelings up to this point.”

“It’s not about Daniel,” Dev admitted, and he looked so tired. “I didn’t love you before, Zoey. It was fun, and there is this big part of me that liked the fact I was sending the entire vampire world a big old fuck you. It’s serious now. Our relationship, it deserves respect. I would want Daniel to do the same for me. If this thing is going to work, Daniel and I can’t be at each other’s throats twenty-four seven.”

“I don’t like this, Dev.” I went with emotion because I couldn’t argue with his logic. I wasn’t used to using logic and Dev in the same sentence.

Dev rolled his eyes. “You think I like the fact that I have spent the last few days of my life delving into vampire politics when I promised myself I was leaving that life behind? Do you think I liked watching you walk away with him last night after promising I would behave myself? I don’t like to behave, Zoey. I want to take you on the strip and spend fuckloads of cash and drink and get stupid. I want to bring you back here and just blow your mind. But we can’t do that anymore even if you wanted to because I have learned something over the last few days. Daniel is right. His cause is more than just. It’s imperative. It might have been fine before to just laugh with you and fuck you and send you on your way later. I can’t do that anymore. If they get their way, you get hurt. Everything we love comes under their mercy if they succeed.”

The door to the elevator opened, and I nodded because I understood but I didn’t have to like it. Dev groaned, pulling me out of the elevator. He moved us out of sight of the lobby.

“Zoey, don’t make me feel like I’m failing you when I’m trying so damn hard to avoid that,” he pleaded, holding my face in his hands.

I softened immediately. “I’m sorry. It’s just been a long night, and I was looking forward to being with you.”

He leaned down and kissed me, a gentle touch of his lips against mine. “I know, sweetheart. I love you. It will be better when we get home. We have much more freedom there. People are used to seeing us together. As long as we include Daniel in some of our public outings, we can protect his reputation. Just hang on a few more days.”

I didn’t have much choice. Hopefully we would all still be alive in a few days. I forced myself out of that mode of thinking.

“Who is the Scotch for?” I asked because Dev was a vodka boy. It was one of the reasons I loved him.

He shook his head as he led me down the hallway. It was quiet on this floor. “The Scotch is for me. Well, not really for me, but I have to drink it. If I have to drink it, I think you should, too. Daniel is ready for us, and I thought we could prepare for the evening together.”

I grinned, totally letting go of my previous sorrow. Tonight was the night both Daniel and Dev had been dreading since we decided on this course of action. Our explanation for bringing Dev along was that he shared a bed with Daniel and me. You don’t share a bed with a vampire without baring his mark. Companions might get away with it, but Dev couldn’t. Tonight, Dev got to feed Daniel.

I, for one, was looking forward to some very awkward fun. It had already been agreed that I had to be there to bring some much needed femininity to what Daniel called a horrible “sausage fest”.

Dev slid his card into the door that led to our suite. He held it open for me, and there was Danny, nervously pacing the floor. I couldn’t help giggling. “Are you nervous about your date?”

“Zoey!” both men said in a perfect symmetry that should have scared me, but I was still laughing.

“Look.” I pointed at Dev. “Dev got all dressed up and everything.”

Daniel groaned and shook his head. Dev popped the top off the Scotch bottle and took a long swig. He passed the bottle to me, and I obediently took a shot.

“She’s never going to let us live this down.” Daniel frowned.

“I could leave the two of you alone,” I offered as Dev took a swig that lasted a really long time. “I could find Neil, and we could just use our imaginations.”

“Neil already offered to tape the whole thing.” Dev shuddered. “This stuff tastes like shit.”

Daniel grabbed the bottle, studying it. “I disagree. You got a twelve-year, right?”

“Yes, I got pubescent Scotch, just like you ordered. I’m sure it’s just as confused about its sexuality as the rest of us are going to be after this,” Dev replied, loosening his tie. “Where are we going to do this?”

“The big bed,” I said. Dev and Daniel looked at me like I was insane. “It’s the only one that will fit all three of us.”

It could fit an army regiment. I figured it would work for us. It shouldn’t take too long, but we would all be comfy on the big bed.

Dev laid his tie aside. “We don’t need to bring a bed into this.”

“I don’t want you to fall on the floor. When I feed Danny, I tend to sit in his lap so he can hold me when I would normally fall to the floor because my muscles stop working. I don’t think you’ll fit on his lap.” Though I was amused at the picture in my brain.

Dev stopped drinking long enough to snort. “My muscles won’t stop working.”

“I’m not pulling him in, Z,” Daniel said, sounding shocked that I thought he would.

I was so glad I was here because they obviously needed someone to keep them on the right path. “Oh, yes you are. It hurts otherwise. It really fucking hurts, Danny. You will pull him in. He’s not into pain.”

Dev was a baby when it came to pain. He complained bitterly when he got so much as a stubbed toe.

“He can’t pull me in.” Dev laid his suit jacket over a chair, and his hands went to work on the buttons of his shirt. “It doesn’t work on me, sweetheart. Do you really think I’ve never been bitten before? I told you, Zoey, I’ve slept with just about everything with breasts on this plane.”

Daniel looked surprised and slightly scared. It made me very curious about what a female vampire was like. “Dude, there are exactly two female vampires in the entire world, and you’re telling me you slept with one of them?”

“I did indeed and I’ll be honest, I don’t get it. It hurt, and the sex wasn’t that great. You vamps are supposed to be sex on a stick, but it was highly forgettable with the exception of how fucking much it hurt. I know Zoey tells you it’s good, but she’s faking it.”

Daniel’s eyebrows shot up in one of those deeply offended masculine looks. I grinned at him to let him know Dev was crazy, but I wasn’t going to defend his reputation. He could manage that all on his own. “Faking it? We’ll see about that. Let’s get this over with. Zoey’s right. We should go to the big bed. I don’t want to have to catch you when you fall.”

Dev shrugged out of his shirt as he entered the largest of the bedrooms. “Fine, but you’re going to be disappointed. It doesn’t work on me.”

“We’ll see about that.” Daniel pulled his T-shirt over his head, and I was surrounded by really lovely chests. Dev was taller than Daniel, and his body was all lean muscle. Daniel was more solidly built, with big biceps and strong shoulders. I kind of sighed as I looked at the two of them. They were so different, but each so hot in their own way.