Steal the Night (Thieves #5)(104)

“It worked out in Temple of Doom, right?” Zack asked.

“No, Zack,” I muttered back. “That dude died.”

“Well, maybe he wasn’t a vampire,” Zack offered.

I sighed heavily and told myself I wouldn’t yell at Zack. I was going to try to remain calm and not think about the fact that Daniel was lying on the table in front of us without a heart in his chest. I moved forward slightly and I could see Daniel plain as day. He laid on the table, his big body still. So very pale, but I could see his chest moving up and down with each purposeful breath. It was a forced motion, not free and easy like a normal breath would be. There was thought and effort attached to each one, and my eyes moved toward the man behind each lungful of air Daniel’s body was taking. Dev’s eyes were closed, his head down as he concentrated fully on bodily functions that should come naturally. I saw the fine sheen of perspiration that coated his body, and every now and then a tremble would start in his hands and move all throughout his limbs.

“Is it just me or is Dev’s heart rate increasing?” Zack’s brown eyes watched Dev carefully.

I listened and he was right. Every second that went by, Dev’s heart beat just a little faster.

“Are you all right, Dev?” I asked quietly, not wanting to disrupt his concentration.

“He cannot hear you.” Myrddin poked at the small silver device on the front of Daniel’s heart, testing it. He used forceps and tried to pull it off but it was stubborn. “Once the monitor became audible, Devinshea and the king became locked in the chamber.”

I walked up to the wizard, Zack following hard behind. I peered down at the heart, trying to think of it all as a surreal dream. It resembled a strange piece of meat, not that piece of my husband that held his love for me. It just pointed out to me that what we loved about others was something completely intangible. I loved Daniel’s soul, but it needed a place to stay and it would be forcibly evicted if we didn’t get his heart back in his body.

“Dev’s heart rate is increasing,” I pointed out.

The wizard stopped briefly. He listened, turning one ear up into the air and holding his body still. “Yes, you’re right,” he replied and then went back to poking and prodding.

Zack and I exchanged exasperated glances.

“Is that normal?” I asked, trying to keep the frustration out of my voice.

“I have no idea,” Myrddin admitted.

“How can you say that?”

“Well, I’ve never actually done this before.”

“Then what made you think that this was a good time to start?” He was experimenting with Daniel’s life, and he’d pulled Dev into it as well.

“I decided it was a good idea because otherwise the king would die once your enemies get close enough to set off this little device.” Myrddin had a small magnifying glass and he inspected the metallic implant closely. “This is actually quite ingenious. I’m very much looking forward to seeing what the humans have come up with. They’re so sadly lacking in magical skills, but their ingenuity never fails to amaze me.”

“I’m glad you’re looking forward to technology but can we get back to the fact that you have Danny’s heart in your hand and Dev’s is speeding up rapidly?”

It was. I could hear the throb of Devinshea’s heart picking up the pace.

“It’s only to be expected,” Myrddin replied simply. “His body is working double time. It was going to struggle, though the faery seems to be deteriorating faster than I expected. Perhaps Daniel’s vampire body required a stronger balance. Oh well, if it gets worse, I’ll need you to be ready to take the faery’s place, wolf.”

Zack breathed a big sigh of relief, and I knew that sitting on the sidelines was killing him. He would much rather be in that chamber with Daniel than standing out here having to watch and wait. “Why don’t I just go in now? I don’t mind. I think you’ll find I’m strong enough for both my master and myself. Let Devinshea rest.”

I was kind of all for that plan. I didn’t like the way Dev was shaking. His skin was getting pale and I saw how his fingers had tightened, like he was worried about losing his hold on Daniel. Zack was stronger than Dev. He always had been. Zack might not be an alpha, but he was a predator, and when you combined that with a steady dose of vampire blood it made for one tough wolf.

“You’ll get your chance, wolf,” the wizard murmured.

“When?” I asked.

“When the faery’s heart explodes, the wolf can jump in and take his place.” The forceps were back in his hands. “Be quick though. The king will have very little time once the faery dies.”

I staggered back and Zack had to catch me. The only thing that kept me from throwing myself bodily at that f*cking wizard was the fact that Danny’s heart was literally in his hands.

“I swear to everything I hold dear that if my husband dies in that chamber, I will find a way to kill you,” I said between clenched teeth because I knew exactly what he’d done. “You let Dev go in there because you knew he wouldn’t refuse to help Daniel. You knew he would do anything and everything you asked because he loves me and he loves Danny. You sent him in there knowing Zack was a better choice.”

“And why would I do that, my queen?” He sounded merely interested, not shocked or insulted by my accusation. He poured a solution of something over Daniel’s heart and grunted at the result.