Steal the Moon (47 page)

“Devinshea would have my head if I left you alone.”

“Oh, Dev has had everything he could want from me this evening,” I replied unfairly, but I couldn’t help but be a little bitter.

“I wanted a happy wedding night and a happy bride,” Dev said quietly as he walked my way. “I did not get everything I wanted, Zoey.” He nodded to the royal guard. “Please leave us. I’ll take care of my wife. I’ll start acting like her husband rather than a spoiled child.” He reached down and picked me up, lifting me into his strong arms. “Let us go and join Daniel. Perhaps he can bring back your smile.”

I slumped in his arms because I was almost boneless in my exhaustion. He carried me through the pasture where the wolves were breaking up and returning to their tents. They seemed happy and hopeful. They stopped and watched as we passed them. It was no wonder they gawked a bit. Dev was a god carrying his goddess with a trail of pixies following. It wasn’t a scene they normally saw every day.

“You didn’t wish to be married to me?” Dev carried me toward our tent. I noticed the field was filled with wildflowers that had been absent before the ceremony. Life had sprung up everywhere. “I was to remain the third in your marriage to Daniel?”

“I didn’t understand, Dev. I didn’t listen to you or Ingrid or anyone else. I was thinking about the heist and then I was thinking about finding Neil and losing Daniel. I thought of everyone but you.”

He stopped. “You didn’t answer my question. If you don’t want this marriage then I can annul it.”

“I didn’t say that,” I practically cried. “I love you. I’ve acted as your wife for a long time. Why would I not want to marry you? I told you last night I would never leave you. I was ready to marry Marcus if it meant keeping you safe. Don’t question my love. Answer me this. Did you marry me because you love me or did you and Daniel see it as a convenient way to tie me to Faery? Our marriage makes this fight Faery’s fight. Tell me that didn’t occur to you.”

I saw from the flush on his face that I was right. He began walking again. “I love you. Why is it wrong to want you safe? I want this marriage. I want it more than anything. I’ll annul it and when you are ready, we can try again. Perhaps we can marry as is customary on this plane. It won’t be recognized by Faery. It will be just for the two of us. I’m sorry. I thought it would please you. You’ve said in the past that you wanted a real ceremony. I was being selfish in giving you a ceremony from my culture that you didn’t even recognize as a wedding.”

“Dev, I should have…” I started but he was talking over me.

“I suppose public proof of sexual compatibility is not a part of human ceremonies,” he said with a shake of his head. “I also bet that non-corporeal gods don’t fuck the bride at a human wedding.”

“We also don’t have pixies and I really like the pixies. I don’t want to annul our marriage. I love you. Can we just forget about the last twenty minutes and have a happy wedding night?” There was nothing to be had from annulling our marriage. There was nothing good that could come from us fighting. He’d had good intentions.

“I would have married you even if Padric had declined to intercede,” Dev explained quietly. “I would have counted myself your husband without my family’s consent and I would have cut ties with them. I love you, my wife. I love you more than you can know.”

I nodded and rested against him. “Then understand this, my husband. I might never blow you again. My jaw is never going to be the same.”

Dev threw his head back and laughed. “Well, if that was my last blow job, at least I got to go out with a bang. You have Declan’s everlasting respect, my wife. Good evening, Zack.” Dev greeted the wolf who was standing guard outside the tent.

“All went well, sir?” Zack asked, politely not commenting on what I was sure he could smell.

“It was rocky, but we got it done,” Dev admitted.

Zack threw back the door flap and we entered the tent. The front room was full. Neil and Chad sat in a chair, Neil on Chad’s lap, and it was obvious they had made up. Chad had his face buried in Neil’s neck doing that thing Danny had done last night. Sarah and Felix were sitting together on the sofa and Daniel was pacing.

Dev looked straight at Daniel. “You’re a bastard, Donovan.”

Daniel slapped Chad on the shoulder. “I told you. You owe me twenty bucks.”

Chad turned his eyes to me, humor forcing his lips up. “You were surprised at being married? When did you realize it was a wedding, Your Highness? If the white dress didn’t clue you in surely the handfasting ritual did it, right?”

I frowned as Chad laughed.

“Zoey,” Sarah said with sympathy, “Goddess is what they call the wife of a high priest.”

“Yeah, well you might have mentioned that to me,” I shot back.

Dev lowered us into a chair but kept me in his arms, which I appreciated. I cuddled against his chest because I still had the shakes.

“You’ve dated a faery prince for almost two years, sweetie,” Sarah pointed out. “You’ve lived with the man for over six months. I just thought you would know.”

Daniel was laughing, and I sent him a forbidding look. “Don’t you even say it, Daniel Donovan. I know what you’re thinking. You’re thinking no one could be that stupid, but we both know damn well I can.”

“I’m sorry, Z.” He knelt down in front of me. “It was mean of me. I was just jealous because our wedding was so crappy and Dev got to plan out his dream wedding.”

“Yes, it was a dream, Daniel. She didn’t even realize it was a wedding until Declan welcomed her to the family,” Dev said. “You should have mentioned it to me.”

“Wow,” Felix said, looking around the room with a light in his eyes. “That’s a lot of pixies. That was some strong magic.”

“I felt it from here,” Sarah acknowledged. “I’m not surprised you have the shakes. You were the closest one to it. I have Albert heating up a tonic that should work.”

I couldn’t help but notice Neil, who was being strangely quiet. He moved off Chad’s lap, and his eyes were following the pixies. He watched the sweet little butterflies with the sharp gaze of a predator. He moved suddenly, so quick a person not paying close attention would have missed it.

“Neil Roberts,” I yelled, finding some energy at last. “You let that poor little pixie go!”

Neil garbled something incomprehensible around his mouthful of pixie.

Sarah got up, stalked over to Neil, and slapped him firmly on the back of the head. He coughed and spat the little red pixie out. She flew out in a fury of wings and saliva. As fast as her wings could carry her, she flew to my hair. I couldn’t understand her, but she seemed to be giving Neil an earful. I offered my hand and she landed on it, trying to shake the spit from her and regain her dignity.

“He’s really sorry,” I said.

She said something tiny that sounded a little like “hummpff.”

“He won’t do it again.” I would have to have a long talk with all the wolves.

“They look like they’ll taste good, Zoey,” Neil protested. “It’s a food chain thing. You gotta respect the food chain.”

Dev stared down at the outraged pixie. “When you seek your revenge, please try to remember that the wolf belongs to our goddess. She will have to clean up after you. You might show some mercy.”

She didn’t seem to care much about that and flew back to land on my hair. Neil was going to get pixed and then we’d see what he thought of the food chain. Pixies are lovely and known to be mean when angered.

Albert walked in carrying a large tray. He walked straight to me with a smile on his ferocious face. “Good evening, Your Grace. I offer my congratulations on your marriage to my master.”

“Thank you, Albert,” I replied as he offered me Sarah’s tonic. My hands were shaking so Dev took it instead and held it to my lips. Albert had reminded me that I’d picked up another title. Yay, me.

“It should stop your shaking, Z,” Sarah explained. “It’s a restorative.”

“Mistress,” Albert began. “I have drawn a bath for you and the masters. It is at the ridiculously hot temperature you prefer. If you and the masters will retire to the bath, you will find I have laid out a repast of traditional honey cakes and nontraditional vodka. I’m sure the three of you will want to enjoy your private time together, to celebrate the final bonding of your marriage.”

“Thank you, Albert.” I sighed at the thought of hot water. I drank down the rest of Sarah’s tonic and Dev picked me back up.

“Good night, mistress,” Albert bade me. “I’ll be leaving in the morning to return to our home. I must make preparations for our trip to Faery. I understand we’ll be staying at the palace. More than likely I shall have to set the place to rights.”

I told everyone good night and minutes later I was settling against Dev’s chest as we let the hot water start to work its magic.

“Damn,” Dev cursed as he sat back. “Has she always needed the water to scald off the top two layers of skin?”

Daniel laughed because it had been a point of contention before. I didn’t care if Dev didn’t like the water. I had earned his small discomfort.

“So, what’s it like?” Daniel asked, pouring two shots of vodka. “I’m talking about the whole ancient deity taking up residence, not being married to Z. I know what that’s like. First there’s the hot sex, and then she’s pissed off because she didn’t mean to get married, and then she runs off with some other guy. I think it’s my turn to be the guy she runs off with.”

I growled at my first husband. God, I had to keep them straight in my head now.

Dev chuckled. “I think she’s learned her lesson.” He knocked back the vodka and passed it back to Daniel for more. “His name is Bris. He’s Irish. He’s a fertility god with agricultural powers. He’s an excellent match. He’s powerful. I think the wolves will be having a lot of puppies come early spring. It should make them willing to back us up.”

Daniel nodded. “And Faery?”

Dev shrugged. “We’ll see. We have to deal with my mother now. She’s formidable. She’ll be much harder to deal with than Declan, but in some ways she’ll also be more reasonable. Having Padric on our side doesn’t hurt.”

Oh, god, I had to meet Dev’s mom. I never had to meet Danny’s mom because she died long before I met Daniel. I didn’t know how well I would go over with the in-laws. What happened when she asked about my career? Did I proudly tell her I didn’t have a criminal record despite the fact that I richly deserved one? I was going to have to explain Danny, too. Or would I? Vampires weren’t allowed in Faery.

“She’s freaking out.” Daniel had a little smile on his face.

“What’s wrong, sweetheart?” Dev asked. “Do you need a drink?”

I nodded because I figured it wouldn’t hurt. It was how many humans had been conceived, so I took the shot and let the vodka start warming me from within. “How long are we going to be in Faery?”

Daniel poured me another drink and kneeled at the edge of the tub. He was wearing jeans and a T-shirt and let his hand sink into the water to play with my naval ring. “God, this is so hot, Z. I’m going to have to get that tat, aren’t I?” he said absently before answering my question. “We think it will take at least a month, no more than three.”

“But a month in the
sithein
is much longer out here.” I sat up and moved to the other end of the tub where I could face them both. “Who’s going to feed Danny? There isn’t enough in the backup supply for that long.”

Dev let his toes play with mine. “It won’t matter because I plan to shove Dan in his coffin and take his ass with us. Mother can either accept our ménage or we can turn around and leave. I have no intention of separating us for so long. We’re all going. I’ve already informed Padric I’m bringing my entire retinue including the wolves, Sarah and Felix, and most certainly my partner, the vampire. He’s agreed to allow us to bring Daniel in if we use certain precautions.”

“I get to travel wrapped in silver chains in a coffin,” Daniel said with a frown. “I hate traveling in the coffin. It’s cramped and it gets hot after a while.”

“I’m sorry, baby,” I said, feeling a little friendlier now with the vodka getting to work. I got up on my knees and leaned over to kiss him. “I’ll make it up to you.”

Daniel growled and his fangs came out. “I’ll make sure you do. Maybe we can play around in the coffin before we go. It’ll make it more pleasant if it smells like you.” His eyes were starting to glow, and I could tell he was tired of being the third wheel.

“I can handle that.” I’d never made out in a coffin before and considering who I was married to, it was a real omission.

“Tell me about the fertility god.” Daniel ran his hand possessively down Dev’s neck, fingering the thick vein there.

Dev stilled, his whole body stopping, but I watched as he finally leaned into the hand on his neck. “What do you want to know, Daniel?”

Daniel stared at Dev’s hair. “I want to know if I’m going to have to exorcise the fucker. I allowed this only if you stayed in control, Devinshea. I won’t let some ancient god to take over your body and shove you to the side. I explained that to you. I’m willing to try it to make you strong for the coming fight, but if it doesn’t work, I’ll need to make arrangements.”

I could make a guess what those arrangements would be. I would have lots of company in whatever safe house Danny was planning on shoving me in when the war started. And that would kill Dev.

Dev turned slightly. “It’s fine, Daniel. I’m in control. I will admit, our bonding threw me for a little bit of a loop. I don’t remember everything, but he’s talking in my head now. I’ve seen his soul. He wants to help us. He’s been alone for so long. He wants a family. He’s willing to give me his power, his strength, if I’ll just allow him to share my emotions.”

“And what about me?” Daniel’s hands threaded through all that silky hair of Dev’s and pulled his head back, a show of pure vampire possession and dominance.

“What?” Dev asked, sounding completely shocked.

It was fun to not be the only one on the receiving end of the jealous vampire. “Hey, we wanted him to stop pretending. You feed him regularly. It was inevitable he would get possessive. It’s his nature. He likes your blood, Dev. It turns him on.”