Steal the Day (Thieves #2)(31)

Felicity smiled and took my hand briefly. “It’s all right to be scared a while longer, Zoey. Things will play out as they are meant to. You’ll find your balance, all three of you. Your path is set. Now go and take care of your lover. As I said, he needs you tonight more than he’ll admit. My earlier actions have brought back bad memories for Devinshea.”

I glanced over at Dev, who frowned as the bartender passed him another beer. When I looked back, Felicity was gone.

Dev walked through the crowd when he realized I was alone again. “What did she say? You look sad. I could have her thrown out if she hadn’t vanished into thin air.”

I shook my head. “I’m just thinking. The good news is we have a job.”

“Tell me about it later,” he demanded, taking my hand. “Let’s go upstairs.”

I let him drag me along, thinking about Felicity’s words, when a young woman ran from the dance floor and threw herself at my feet. She was maybe twenty and Hispanic. Her dark hair was tangled, and she had a cut on her face. Her eyes were wide with desperation.

“Please, help me,” she said, trying to take my hand.





Chapter Nine





I looked down at the woman at my feet and back up at Dev, who shrugged. I had no idea why she’d come to me, especially when there were big strong men all around, and she obviously needed defending. “Is someone coming after you?”

“In my club?” Dev looked through the crowd, his eyes seeking a threat. He found his predators as two big werewolves made their way across the floor. They had their target in their sights.

“My name is Angelina Hernandez, and they are trying to take me from my master,” Angelina said quickly, her voice shaking. “I beg of you, mistress, don’t let them. They will kill me, and I have no wish to leave Justin.”

“Justin, as in the Vampire Justin?” I had only recently met Justin and already he was a pain in my ass. And since when did people start calling me mistress?

She nodded, huddling closer to me. “Yes, ma’am. I called him, but he’s not here yet. Please help me. You owe me protection. I was told I would be protected.”

“I told you those new vamps were trouble,” Dev muttered as the big bad wolves were upon us. I was grateful to see that several members of the security team were already behind us. Dev held out his hand and one of the bouncers pressed a shiny semi into it. Dev checked the clip as he looked up at the wolves. He obviously knew the two men, but they didn’t seem friendly. “Hello, Mitchell. Do we have a problem here?”

“Not at all, Quinn,” the older of the two wolves spat. He was roughly fifty but powerfully built. He was just the tiniest bit past his prime, silver showing at his temples. “I’ll just take my bitch and be out of your way.”

“I don’t think the girl wants to go with you.” Dev understated the situation.

The girl in question cowered behind me. She was obviously a wolf, making her faster and stronger than little old me. I wondered if maybe my reputation had finally exceeded my ability. It had always been a goal of mine to be considered a tough chick, but this might be pushing it. I didn’t even have a gun, and she acted like I was solid protection against two werewolves.

“She belongs to the pack.” The younger man stepped up. I pegged him at twenty-five, but he looked so familiar. I would have sworn I’d seen that face somewhere. “You have no right butting into pack business, Quinn.”

“I have every right when pack business messes with my business. You all know the rules.” Dev looked at the two wolves with distaste. “I don’t allow young females to be abused in my club.”

“I no longer belong to the pack,” Angelina insisted from behind me. “I belong to Justin, and he belongs to me.”

Justin needed to get his butt down here because I didn’t want to deal with a lover’s quarrel. My mind made a sudden leap. There was something about the word “belong” that made me think. “Angelina, did you make a blood oath to Justin?”

“Yeah, the stupid bitch sure did.” Contempt flavored every syllable Mitchell uttered. “All because she didn’t want to mate with the male selected for her. Normally we would cast her out, but she’s of breeding age. We’ll punish her, and she’ll serve the pack.”

Yeah, I bet she would serve the pack on her back or however the hell they did it. “Angelina, were you forced into the oath?” I had to ask. It wouldn’t be the first time it was forced on a woman.

“Absolutely not,” she said vehemently. “I chose Justin. We were matched by the king, but I didn’t have to say yes. He told me it was my choice. I love Justin. Please don’t let them take me, ma’am.”

And that answered the question of why me, and why I was suddenly being called ma’am and mistress. Of course, Daniel decided it was a good idea to start matching up vampires and stray wolves. Nothing bad could ever come out of that. No wonder all the vamps were coming to Dallas. Daniel was busy playing pimp. As was custom, the vampires offered their servants and lovers protection. This protection came from all of Vampire, and not merely the one being served or loved. Angelina had looked around, and I was the closest thing to a representative of Vampire she could find. She’d been smart to find me because I might not be a Good Samaritan, but I would be damned if I let some girl be dragged off and raped. I also knew the rules. “If she took an oath, then she no longer belongs to the pack. She belongs to Vampire, and I will call the Council in if you push me.”