Steal the Day (Thieves #2)(48)

“Oh my god, Daniel, are those what I think they are?” My breath caught at the thought.

“Werepigs,” he replied. “I saw them earlier tonight. It’s a full moon. I thought they were going to chase down Neil and eat him. I’ve never seen that wolf run so fast. One minute he’s sniffing the air talking about how good bacon is gonna taste, and the next his tail is between his legs and he’s hiding behind Chad. I had some fast talking to do, baby, or our wolf was going to be serious slop.”

“You talked to them?”

He nodded. “I’m glad I ran across them. I’ve been trying to make inroads with the two-natured. If I’m going to take on the Council, I’ll need allies. They don’t really know it yet, but it’s their war, too. I can bring us together, Z. I can make this work.”

“Is that why you’ve been pairing up stray wolves with your baby vamps?”

Daniel grinned. “Justin told me you found out about that. You scared the hell out him, by the way. When you think about, it makes sense. Neil and I made sense. We’re stronger together than we are apart. Angelina’s happy. Justin’s happy. I don’t see the problem.”

“I think Neil’s dad sees the problem.” Daniel was messing with some very long held traditions. Some of the members of the supernatural world would not let go of those customs so easily.

“Yeah, I’ve been having problems getting the local pack to recognize me. I don’t think they’ll be coming around anytime soon since you castrated their alpha.”

I made no apologies for that. “He’s an ass.”

“Yes, he is, but if you happen to get pissed off at the local werepanthers, try to contain yourself. I’ve managed to work out an alliance with their alpha. If you shoot his balls off, it might kill my deal.”

“I’ll try,” I said with a smile. “But I can’t promise anything. I have a taste for it now.”

Daniel laughed, pulling me close and looking into my eyes. “You are the cherry on top of my crazy cake, you know that, right? I love every crazy-ass inch of you.”

“Chad talked to you, didn’t he?” I figured the new vamp might be giving his boss advice on the romance front. I was just surprised Daniel listened.

“Chad is a smart guy. He was right. I was stupid to think you were just using Dev to get back at me. And I’ll admit I was pretty sure Dev was using you because he likes the adrenaline rush of sleeping with someone forbidden. That wasn’t the way he sounded when he talked to you earlier today. He sounded serious. I’m not willing to give you up without a fight, Z. I love you. You’re my world. Dev might not be a complete *. He might care about you, but Dev will never love you the way I do. I’m going to fight him every inch of the way. I’d say it’s working because your little honeymoon suite reeked of sexual frustration tonight, baby.”

“That’s not something to be proud of, Danny. I have feelings for him. I don’t know that it’s going to go anywhere. I don’t know that I’m anything to him but a good time.”

“I stand ready to kill him at your earliest request,” Daniel offered with a grin that told me he was happy to hear that news.

I laughed. “Don’t you dare.”

“Fine,” he conceded. “I’m gonna win, Z. We’re meant to be together. In the end, I’ll win. So heavy relationship discussion over. Do you want to run with the pigs?”

I looked down at the field. They were free and happy. Daniel knew there was nothing I loved more than a crazy experience I could hold in my heart. “Hell, yeah!”

Daniel pulled me back in his arms and flew us down to the field. He let us float to the center and landed gently. I ended up slightly behind him. I stayed where I was because this was where Neil always stood during formalities. I wasn’t sure how formal this would get, but I knew Daniel was going to be negotiating with this pack and there were rituals involved. Daniel looked back at me curiously, then pulled me to his side. “You stand beside me. Always.”

The pack stopped their run. They all turned toward the interlopers. The largest of the razorbacks came forward and a smaller pig followed behind him. The rest sat back on their haunches, content to watch the action play out. The two pigs that had come forward changed, their forms slipping back into human so smoothly I knew they were unquestionably the alphas.

“Your Highness,” the male said. He was naked but I expected that. I was getting used to the two-natureds’ liberal views on nudity.

Daniel nodded. “Jasper, this is Zoey Donovan.”

“Your mate?” The alpha’s eyes slid over me in an assessing manner that had nothing to do with sexual interest and everything to do with politics.

“My queen,” Daniel corrected.

Jasper nodded and his female came forth. “This is Hillary, my mate.”

Hillary was a larger woman. Her face was set like she expected me to reject someone like her. It wasn’t a surprising attitude. Those in the vampire world tended to be arrogant and disdainful of those not. I was going to have to change those attitudes. It was the first time I realized I actually could help Daniel in a capacity that didn’t involve blood or sex. I smiled my brightest smile and walked forward with my hand out. “Hello, Hillary. I’m so pleased to meet you. Please call me Zoey.”