Steal the Day (Thieves #2)(106)

“He isn’t going to want to talk to me, Zoey.”

“If this is going to work, he’ll have to.” I dragged him out with me.

Stewart was right. The minute I left that room, a weight lifted off my chest. I strode down the hall, hoping to catch up with Daniel before he could take out his tension on some unsuspecting piece of furniture. My slippered feet made no sound as I chased after my husband. I needed to make him understand that I loved him. I loved Daniel. I loved Dev. We were going to have to figure out how to make it work because I wasn’t willing to give either of them up.

I reached the edge of the ballroom in time to see Daniel striding up the steps two at a time. He was heading toward the elevators, and I wondered if he actually intended to leave us here. I almost called out but something happened to make me stop. Just as Daniel disappeared behind the doors to the ballroom, Lucas Halfer stepped off the dance floor and something told me he knew what I’d been doing. Maybe it was the unholy gleam of rage in his eyes or perhaps the fact that there was a long knife in his hand, but I knew my game was up. Halfer knew what I’d done.

Apparently not everyone had respected the “no weapons” rule.

I caught my breath and took a step back, but Dev was already in motion as Halfer bore down on us.

The sad fact about being truly terrified is how it affects your ability to protect yourself. When really looking death in the face, sometimes you completely lose that scream that should come naturally. I felt it in my chest, stuck there like some impotent, useless tool. If I could just get that scream out, I might be able to survive. Marcus would come, hell Danny might hear me if I screamed as loud as I wanted to. But it sat there, my mouth working but no sound coming out as Halfer ran toward me, knife raised. Dev pulled me backward, throwing his tall body in front of mine.

When the knife met Dev’s body, that was when the scream came.

My scream filled the room. I watched as that body I loved so much, that had given and taken such pleasure, fell forward and jerked twice as Halfer shoved the silver in and out of his belly.

I fell back, watching it in almost slow motion, praying this was some horrible dream, but then Dev fell forward and the blood started pooling around his body.

I thought about it later and realized how unlike me the next moment was. I should have felt rage. I should have been on my feet ready to avenge my lover. I didn’t feel the volcanic anger that should have come. I practically forgot about Halfer in my rush to get to him. Rage wasn’t on my mind. Overwhelming grief crowded out everything else. I needed to get my hands on his body as though I could physically stop his soul from leaving me.

“Dev.” I screamed his name over and over as I tried to get to his body. I vaguely noted other people were beginning to crowd around to watch.

I almost reached his still body when Halfer pulled me up by the hair and held me a good foot off the ground. My scalp burned, but nothing could hurt as much as the fact that Dev didn’t move.

“You think I’d let you get away with that, bitch?” Halfer snarled in my ear. “You think I wouldn’t find out?”

I kicked my feet, but they met with nothing but useless air.

Halfer laughed as I struggled. “Don’t worry about your boy there. He’s already on his way to that great sithein in the sky. I wonder where you’re going to go?” Halfer held the knife up to let me see Dev’s blood still clinging to it. Halfer pulled the blade back. “Let’s see if I can hit your heart.”

I felt the knife slide slowly into my chest because Halfer didn’t want me to go quickly. He slid the knife between my ribs and above my heart. Breath fled. I tried to take in air, but it wasn’t working.

“Ooops, I missed,” Halfer laughed. “Just took out a lung. Don’t worry, Mrs. Donovan. I’ll try again.”

This time the knife went into my stomach, and I wondered if I was going to see Oliver Day soon. I actually wanted to see the bastard, but I knew with great certainty he wasn’t coming for me. He couldn’t whisper to me or gently push me this way or that because I was on the Hell plane, and I’d given up or driven off every bit of protection I had.

I felt the knife slide in a third time and could only manage a weak groan. I tried to see Dev laying there so still. Danny was gone and though we’d parted poorly, I knew this would kill him. He would never forgive himself for walking out of the ballroom.

I realized through that horrible pain that I had ruined three lives. I brought this on all of us.

I fell to the floor in a graceless heap as Halfer dropped me. I heard a roar, but it seemed a vague distant thing. There was a rush of air over me, but my vision was fading. I tried to move so I could crawl to Dev. If there was any way I could go wherever he had gone, I would try. I reached my hand out and suddenly Marcus was there pulling me to the side.

“Don’t, cara. Don’t try to move.” His dark eyes looked down at me, fear plain in them.

“Dev.” I pushed his name through my lips.

He looked at me with great sympathy. “I am very sorry, Zoey. I fear he is already gone.”

“Try.” Tears or blood ran down my face. I couldn’t be sure.

Marcus rolled up the sleeves of his crisp, white dress shirt. His jacket was already gone. “No, cara, I have to take care of you. Daniel is busy with the business of killing the demon. It has to be me.”

“I think not, Marcus,” a heavily accented voice said from above. Louis Marini stood over us, looking down his patrician nose with a faint hint of satisfaction. “Donovan is all about the rules when it comes to his companion. You are not to share blood with her. You may try to save the prince, but I forbid you to give her blood. It is our law.”