Steal the Night (Thieves #5)(137)

When he finally got me back to his rooms, he tossed me lightly on the bed and was on top of me before I could breathe. He spread my legs and used one hand to hook my knees around his waist. I was still dressed, but I knew that wouldn’t last long.

“Do you have any idea what you do to me?” Louis asked, nuzzling my neck. I felt the wet warmth of his tongue there. “When you put your arms around me, I am enveloped by your light, mon ange.”

I did what he wanted and wrapped my arms around him. I tightened my legs around his waist, feeling the hardness there grinding against me like he couldn’t wait to get inside.

“Please bite me,” I begged, thinking all the while that I should get an Oscar for my performance. Even to my own ears, I was breathless with anticipation. “Take me, Louis. Take me away from everything for a little while.”

His magic filled the room. He slammed it into me and I was overwhelmed by it. I closed my eyes and let it flow over me, let it take me to that place only a vampire can take you to, but in my mind’s eye it wasn’t Louis who found my neck and bit down. It was Daniel I shared my body and my blood with. It was Daniel’s sandy hair I sank my fingers into as he groaned against me. It was Daniel, my love, my friend, my husband, who took my mind off my grief.

I think I went a little crazy that first full night in Louis’s bed because I really saw Danny. He was there with me, whispering to me. He loved me. He would forgive me for anything I had to do as long as I was alive at the end of it. When the vampire released the vein in my neck, it was Daniel’s blue eyes that smiled down at me, happy and eager to get to the next part. It was Daniel’s hands that undressed me and his strong body that moved against mine. It was his blood I took into my body and his voice that urged me on.

A long while later Louis pulled me against his satiated body and I knew my blood was working inside him. His hands moved over my skin like he couldn’t quite stop himself from stroking me.

“Je t’aime, mon ange.” He sighed as he kissed my forehead.

There was a loud knock on the door. It wasn’t the first time, but Louis had completely ignored it before. Now he was irritated. He gently disentangled himself from me.

“I will tell them to go away, my sweet companion. It’s our wedding night. I’m sorry we didn’t have a properly observed ceremony, but there isn’t time. The least I should expect is to be left alone to enjoy my wedding night,” he grumbled as he got out of bed and wrapped a robe around his body.

I felt sick again at the thought of it. According to the laws of the vampire world, I really was Zoey Marini now. Daniel was an outlaw, declared by the full Council, so I was fair game. Louis had performed the ritual. He had taken my blood and I had taken his. We were married legally. It would be a short marriage because I was already planning a really permanent divorce from husband number three.

Louis was frowning when he returned. “I have to go, Zoey.”

I forced myself to pout. “You’re leaving me?”

He sighed and knelt by the bed, taking both my hands in his. He brought them to his lips and kissed them fervently. “Forgive me, darling girl. Niles and Elof are very insistent. They’re being entirely unreasonable about interrupting our wedding night.”

They were being entirely pissed about Louis screwing around in the middle of a war. I had to stop myself from smiling, but I was delighted at the chaos I’d created. I wondered how much more I could cause.

“Can I go with you?” I had just taken a full dose of his blood. It should have made me more pliable, more willing to do as he wanted and to want to be near him. It had been explained to me that this was part of the bonding process, but I was somehow different. I enjoyed taking Danny’s blood but it never made me his slave. Louis’s didn’t touch me either, but he didn’t know that.

“I don’t know if that is a good idea, Zoey.”

“You don’t want me anymore?”

“How can you ask that?” Louis quickly moved in to allay my fears. “Believe me, if I could I would stay in that bed with you and never again allow you out of it. We’re bonded now, Zoey. I told you it would be this way. You feel it now. I can see it.”

I forced my lips to smile. “Can I wait here for you?”

Louis stood up and started to dress. He seemed to come to a decision. “No. You may come with me. You’re my wife now. They will accept you. You must behave though.”

I sat up on my knees, completely heedless of my nudity. It was a lesson Dev had taught me. “I promise. I just…would rather be with you.”

The man who’d effectively murdered my husband finished dressing and leaned over to kiss me. “I knew you would once we were properly bonded. You’ll see, Zoey. You’ll like your new life.”

He looked around but seemed unhappy with my clothes. They were definitely worse for the wear.

“I don’t guess I’ll much look like your wife in jeans and a T-shirt,” I said, happy with the embarrassment in my voice. I’d just had a brilliant idea, but I was going to need to go about it slowly. I didn’t want him suspicious.

He hauled me up and wrapped his robe around me. It was very masculine and it swallowed me, but I knew he would like me dressed in something of his. “You look perfect. Come along.”

Louis led me through the sitting area, and my heart raced as he walked straight to the office door. I was going to get a good look at the scene of my future crime.