Steal the Night (Thieves #5)(147)

He slipped out. “Was that Zack?” I heard myself ask but the sound seemed a little distant.

“Yes, sweetheart,” Dev replied. “He’s wearing a glamour, obviously. I didn’t have to. I just had Bris grow my hair. I’ll cut it again as soon as I can. I know it bothers your dad. He’s in London, you know. Someone called him and told him what’s been going on. He’s been giving everyone hell.”

“It’s a trick.” Tears started because this was beyond cruel. Chad was playing games with me again. I didn’t know what I had done to Chad to make him hate me. Maybe he was jealous of my relationship with Neil. He always thought we were too close.

“Zoey,” Dev said, shaking me lightly. “My goddess, it isn’t a trick. I’m so sorry to have put you through this, but it was necessary. How can I make you believe me? Do you remember the first time you met my brother? He kissed you and that was how you knew it wasn’t me. Kiss me, my goddess. Kiss me.”

He leaned down and pressed his lips to mine and my whole world came back to me. I felt his unique magic tingle across my skin and knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that my faery prince was back. I cried, but it was joyful now and I opened my lips under his, allowing our passion to flare.

“You see,” I heard Trent saying as Dev hugged me tightly to his body and stood up. “This is why I work alone. You’re all crazy, you know that, right?”

“Perhaps,” Dev said. “My mother and Padric will keep Marini and the Council occupied for the night. I’ll spend some time with my goddess until Zack returns. If you wouldn’t mind watching the door?”

Trent nodded. “I suppose this means Donovan is moving soon.”

“Tomorrow night,” Dev said. “I’ll fill you in before I leave.”

Trent stopped Dev as he opened the door to the bedroom. I saw that Neil and Chad were embracing. I was still a bit angry with the vampire. It was going to take a while to get over it.

“You tell Donovan he either moves tomorrow night or we leave the next day with him or without him,” the big wolf said. “Marini beat the shit out of her tonight. We might be able to keep him off her the rest of the night but not much more. I’m worried he’ll kill her, vampire blood or no.”

Dev’s face hardened. “Daniel and I will take care of him tomorrow. You just worry about her.” He slammed the door behind us and we were alone.

He laid me gently down on the bed and ran his hands across me, checking for injuries.

“I’m fine, Dev.” I loved how his name fell from my lips. He was alive and here with me.

“I’m going to kill him, my wife,” Dev promised.

“I know, baby.”

Bris came out and laid his hands directly over my womb. I felt a spark of heat and held my breath, waiting for his pronouncement. He smiled down at me. “Hello, my goddess. You’re a beautiful sight to behold. The children are doing well. The boys are strong.”

“I made sure he didn’t hit my stomach.”

Dev climbed onto the bed with me, his eyes wide with horror. “If I never hear you say those words again, it will be too soon. Do you know how much it has killed us to leave you here? Daniel…Daniel is a different person. He is beside himself with guilt.”

“Tell him I’m fine and I love him.” I touched his face, reassuring myself that this was real. If it was a dream, I didn’t want to wake up. I would just sleep forever. “Tell him when I thought you were gone, the only thing I held on to was him. He was here with me. And if you might skip over the parts where I had to do gross stuff and got my ass kicked, it might help him not feel so guilty.”

“He’s not a fool, lover.” Dev’s hands made quick work of the buttons on my blouse. “He knows what you’ve gone through. He’ll make it right. Do you have the stone?”

“I have the combination. I’ll switch the stones in the morning.” I pushed at his jacket, eager to get my hands on his skin. “You know, you really do a mean Declan.”

He kissed me and made a place for himself between my legs as he shoved the jacket off. “Well, it’s not hard. You just have to look exceedingly arrogant and have no filter whatsoever. The key to pulling off my brother is to just say every vulgar thing that comes to mind. It isn’t hard around you. I think very vulgar thoughts.”

“Who’s playing the role of your mom?” I asked, wondering who they got to wear that glamour.

“It really is my mother, sweetheart,” Dev replied, looking down on me, his shirt and jacket off. I could feel his heartbeat. “She wanted to help. Declan is back in London, waiting with the rest. He’ll be with us during the battle. The Seelies will stand with us.”

“You reconciled with them for me? What did you have to promise?”

A wistful smile lit his face. “It wasn’t hard. Once they knew Bris had reintegrated, they were eager for me to be their priest again. I promised I would spend a week out of each year in the Seelie sithein. I can set the fields to rights and perform fertility rituals. It’s the same as my contract with the Unseelie. Don’t worry, Zoey. I don’t mind doing it. It was the only way we could think of to get me in to see you and find out if you had the stone. We also decided it was a good bet that dangling the hopes of an alliance with my mother would keep Marini off you for a while.”