Steal the Night (Thieves #5)(112)

Dev held his cell up and I wondered how he’d kept a charge for so long. He frowned in the darkness. “Not yet. I think once we make it back to the small town near the channel we should be able to make the call. It worked from there before. I just wrote a text to Sir Ronald. The minute we hit a signal it will send. He said he would keep a helicopter close by.”

Daniel nodded and we made our way to town. I held Danny’s hand and let him lead me. The night was a little cold, but I wasn’t about to let that bother me. I looked forward to getting to the headquarters and getting our household in order. I was eager to sleep in a proper bed again and have Albert pamper me the way he would once I told him about the babies. It had only been a few days, but I was starting to feel something. The smell of meat was beginning to make me sick. Myrddin had been right about the fertility magic. My babies were making themselves known faster than I could have imagined.

I pushed down my fear. I wouldn’t have anything to grieve about this time. I wouldn’t. I couldn’t.

“Are you all right?” Dev took my other hand.

“I feel fine right now,” I replied. “I just really want to get somewhere we can have a proper meal that has never seen the inside of Zack’s teeth.”

“Hey, I thought I did really well.” Zack laughed.

Lee patted his brother on the shoulder. “You did, brother. Zoey’s just picky.”

“I’m with Z. Nim is a terrible cook,” Neil complained as I saw the lights from the small town up ahead. “I want Albert back!”

I saw flashes of enchiladas and Albert’s ridiculously decadent lasagna in Neil’s eyes.

I stopped suddenly and realized it was Lee’s hand that pulled me back. I felt myself let go of my husbands’ hands and I was thrust behind my wolf’s back.

“Zoey, when I tell you to run, you do it,” Lee ordered.

I heard Daniel’s claws pop out and then there was a strange sound. Something—things—rushed toward us at enormous speeds. One minute we were alone and the next we were completely surrounded by vampires.

“Get her out of here, Lee,” Daniel said and even in the moonlight I could see him clutching his chest. The adrenaline was causing his heart stress.

“I don’t think so, Mr. Donovan,” a satisfied voice said as Louis Marini made his way toward us. “I think you’ll find there is nowhere to go. I’ll take my companion now.”





Chapter Twenty-Seven





Shaking violently, I stared at the vampires surrounding us. They were Louis’s thugs. They did his dirty work so he could keep his hands clean. I recognized most of them but only knew Ivan’s and Kevin’s names. Ivan had gloves on and held a long silver sword in his hand. Kevin was aiming a pistol at Dev’s head from across the circle.

Louis only had eyes for me.

“I’ll never give her to you, Louis,” Daniel spat. There was no reason to pretend now. Daniel allowed his full hatred to show. “You’ll never have my queen.”

“I wondered if you thought yourself a true king, Donovan. Did you think you could take me down and become the head of the Council?” Louis laughed before holding up the Blood Stone. It shone in the moonlight, a jewel stuffed and plump with powerful blood. “Do you know what this is, Your Highness?” The title was said with a distinct bitter bite of sarcasm. “This is the last king who defied me. You’ll end up in one of these, too.”

Louis held up the tip of the Blood Stone and shoved it into his palm. Again, as the first time, the stone flared as it sent power rushing through Louis’s system and he seemed to swell with it. “By a full vote of the Council, Daniel Donovan, you have been declared a traitor and an outlaw. I challenge you to a duel for your life and your queen.”

I heard a laugh and felt Stewart move beside me. He straightened his clothes and slicked back his hair. He walked past and I sincerely hoped he was about to do something horribly demonic to the head of the Council. A small bubble of hope rose in me. I had seen Stewart do some truly horrible things with a mere flick of his wrist. He could kill without breaking a sweat.

He did something terrible, all right. He walked straight up to Louis and shook his hand.

“My payment?” Stewart asked with a wicked look in his eyes.

“You may take the wolf,” Louis offered.

My eyes flew to Neil, who backed up but found himself held captive by one of the vampires. Daniel started to move to protect Neil but another vampire suddenly had Dev in his grasp and there was a gun against his head.

“Non, Mr. Donovan,” Louis said quickly. “I don’t wish to separate the prince from his brain, but I will do it if necessary. Don’t worry. I’m told the demon loves the little wolf. I doubt he will hurt him…too much.”

Neil changed in an attempt to get away. His clothes ripped at the seams and suddenly there was a gorgeous white wolf struggling against his captor, but the vampire was old and strong. Even as Neil snarled and fought, trying to get a bite in, the vampire grabbed him by the neck and held him down.

Stewart held out his hand and another vampire gave him something. I heard Lee curse behind me as we both realized it was a silver collar and leash. Stewart sighed with pleasure as he gazed down at my best friend. “I told you I would have you, little puppy. I always get what I want. You’re so beautiful. In either form, I find you lovely, and now you’re all mine.”