Steal the Light (Thieves #1)(86)

Then Craigen was pushing me forward, and I was in Daniel’s arms. He ran his hands across my body, looking for the source of the blood he smelled. He pulled up my shirt, and I let him because he needed to see that I was alive and whole. The faeries couldn’t conceive how lucky they’d been that the magic child had been able to heal me so completely that my skin was smooth. Had Daniel been able to get even a hint of the damage that had been done, I doubted I would have been able to stop him from killing the faeries.

I wrapped my arms around him, telling myself that everything Dev had said was bullshit. It didn’t matter. Dev didn’t understand. Daniel loved me. He wasn’t addicted to me. After a moment, Daniel brought his arms around me and enfolded me. I felt him sigh against my hair. I looked up and gave him a smile. “What are you, too good for the elevator now?”

It took a moment, but he planted a quick kiss on my lips. “Too slow.” He pushed me away gently. “Go back upstairs and wait for me, Zoey. I have some things I need to take care of.”

Yeah, I was pretty sure the things he needed to take care of would end in a whole bunch of blood. We didn’t have time for that. "I'm not going anywhere, and don’t you even try that whole ‘do my will’ bit because it won’t work.”

“They shot you,” he replied stubbornly.

“So did Sarah, and you’re not going to kill her.”

“Now that you mention it.” Daniel turned his eyes toward Sarah.

“You’re not killing anyone, Daniel Donovan,” I said with as much finality as I could muster.

Lang laughed long and hard. He was still chuckling when everyone turned to him. “I am sorry, but it’s good to know it’s not only me. Give it up, vampire. She has you by the balls. Wives, they always have us by the balls.”

Something about the word “wife” made Daniel stop. The tension seemed to leave the room, and he pulled me back into his arms, allowing his relief to finally overcome his rage.

“I couldn’t help you.” His hands sank into my hair. “I was trapped, and I couldn’t save you.”

I kissed his cheek. “But you did. Your blood kept me alive.”

“Miss Wharton,” Haweigh said, clearly not wanting to interrupt the moment. “The veil is open, but the child is insistent. She wants to meet the vampire.”

Daniel swallowed audibly, and he stared at the baby who was practically vibrating with excitement.

“Did you hear what Dev said?” It only made sense if he knew what had happened to me that he’d listened in on my conversation with Dev.

He nodded, not taking his eyes off the child. Haweigh walked forward and held the child out. Daniel hesitated.

“Don’t be ridiculous,” Haweigh said. “You won’t hurt the child. You don’t understand what you are, Daniel Donovan, but she does, and she has no fear of you.”

He slowly held his arms out and took the baby against his chest. The child calmed and slowly explored his face with her tiny hands.

“She has things to say to you. You are not Fae, so you cannot hear her. I will translate,” Haweigh explained. “She says you think you have but one path, and this is not the truth. Trust yourself and trust her. I believe she is talking about your companion. There is much going through her mind, and I can’t possibly say all of it. She wants you to think about the fact that when your will, your need, and your soul were put in the box, she is what came out. She was born from your deepest desire. There is nothing evil about her. She wishes you to think on this.”

Then Haweigh took the baby out of Daniel’s arms. “We really must go now.”

Daniel’s hand found its way into mine, and I squeezed it tight as we watched the faeries pull open the veil. There was a tear in the air in front of us, and I glimpsed sunlight and green hills. I could smell a sweetness and hear the sound of a waterfall. Daniel moved away from that streak of light like it was a laser beam he needed to avoid.

Haweigh was the last to go. She turned before entering the veil. “The child wishes one last thing of you, Daniel Donovan. She would like a name from you.”

Daniel pulled me close, and I knew what he was thinking. He was back in my father’s house, and we were eighteen and about to head off to college. We’d made love and sat up and argued about what we would name our babies. I knew what he was going to say.

“Summer. Her name is Summer.”

And then she was gone, and that piece of daylight and magic closed behind her and Daniel, Sarah, and I were alone.

We didn’t say anything for several moments, allowing the enormity of the day to wash over us. We clung to each other. Finally I looked up at him and asked the question I really didn’t want to know the answer to.

“How long do we have?”

“A couple of hours.” He brushed back my hair.

“Ummm, I was hoping someone could, maybe, untie me,” Sarah said haltingly.

Daniel turned to her, and she shrank back. “Sarah, the less I remember you exist, the more chance you have of making it to the Hell plane in one piece. I assure you that Halfer will have no problem dragging you there in two pieces, but you will find the experience unpleasant. Know that you live on her sufferance and her mercy because I have none.”

Sarah’s eyes went wide, and she nodded slowly.

I walked over to Sarah against Daniel’s protests and untied her hands. “He’s suddenly big into the overdrama. I think he watched too many Clint Eastwood films. Go, Sarah. Find some Joe and enjoy these last few hours.”