Steal the Night (Thieves #5)(165)

Danny leaned over and kissed me as well. His hand covered Lee’s tiny head as he fell asleep. “I love you, Z. I…god, baby, it’s so much more than I could have hoped for.”

I nodded and we watched our son sleep.





I woke up many hours later to find myself alone in bed. I smiled and was very grateful for the swift recovery Daniel’s blood offered me. Though I had only given birth hours before, I felt marvelous. My eyes adjusted to the dimness in the room, and I noticed that the light in the nursery we’d built was on.

When I opened the door, I saw Zack sitting in a rocking chair holding a baby. He looked up at me and he was crying unashamedly.

“I didn’t believe you,” he said.

The baby squirmed, already trying to get out of his swaddling.

I had told Zack about seeing Lee in Heaven. He’d hugged me and told me how nice that was. Now he had to believe. I put a hand on his shoulder.

“Zoey, this is my brother,” he said, emotion choking his voice. “He smells like Lee. How is that possible?”

“Heaven works in mysterious ways,” I replied, letting the baby grab my finger. He was already so strong.

Zack sniffled before laughing and running a gentle hand over the baby’s head. He leaned over and kissed him. “Well hello, Lee. Hello again, my brother. You had it rough before, but it’s going to be different this time. You won’t ever feel alone. I’m going to be your Uncle Zack, and I promise to help you with all the crazy stuff you and your brother will come up with.” He passed the baby to me. “And that’s your mom. You couldn’t ask for better than her, Lee.” Zack gave me a quick hug. “I’ll see you in the morning, Zoey. Trent wants to go over the new protocols we’ll use with the kids.”

“Night, Zack,” I said, sitting down in the rocker. I rocked gently and heard Rhys making sweet little baby sounds in his crib. I thought about everything that had happened since that day in the arena.

Daniel was the formally acknowledged King of all Vampire. He had spent months forming the new Council and while the politics still gave him a horrible headache, his chief advisor actually enjoyed all the intrigue. Dev was a master politician and since the war, he’d been enjoying the acceptance of those in Daniel’s circle. He’d reconciled with his brother, who was a frequent visitor, along with his mother.

Sarah and Felix moved back to Dallas and Felix was finishing his degree in counseling. They had moved into our building with their daughter, Mia. Sarah’s hair was a sunny yellow and it matched her perpetual mood now.

Marcus was the elected representative of Vampire. He held the seat and was discovering he enjoyed the political side of a true government. I still caught him looking wistful at times. I could only hope he would find that woman who could make him complete.

Neil and Chad moved in together one floor down from us. Since he’d pushed the beast down to save my life, Neil had reported no further incidents, but I was nervous. He didn’t want to investigate further, preferring to enjoy his new, settled life with his lover and I hesitated to disturb his peace. I worried that we would have to deal with it eventually. These problems didn’t just disappear.

The door opened and Danny and Dev walked in.

“There you are,” Daniel said with a dimpled smile.

Dev went over and picked up his sleeping son and settled into the rocking chair beside me. Daniel sank into his and the three of us rocked, passing the babies between us. We sat like that, peacefully watching the light grow in the sky.

As for me, I learned a lot over the last few years. I learned to really accept the love that is given to me. I have learned to accept myself for who I am. I’ve realized that I have many names and many titles.

I am the Queen of All Vampire and in Fae society they call me Your Grace, but those fancy things don’t hold a candle to my favorite titles. I am my father’s daughter. I am Daniel and Dev’s wife. I am Lee and Rhys’s mom.

Because I am all of these things, I am the one thing I never thought I could be—happy.





Zoey, Daniel, Dev and the whole crew will return in a series featuring a brand new heroine with ties to them they can’t imagine. Join me for Hunter: A Thieves Series starting in January of 2015.





Author’s Note

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Ripper

Hunter: A Thieves Novel, Book 1

By Lexi Blake

Coming January 20, 2015

Click here to pre-order!




Kelsey Atwood is a private detective with a problem. She came from a family of hunters, growing up on the wrong side of the supernatural world. Tracking down bail jumpers and deadbeat dads may not make her a lot of friends, but it’s a lot safer than the life she turned her back on. She was hoping to escape from the nightmares of her past, but her latest case has brought them right back to her door.



A young woman has gone missing, and she didn’t go willingly. When Kelsey discovers that the girl is actually a shifter, she knows she should drop the case and walk away. But this shifter was a sweet kid, and she’s in serious trouble. More females are missing and the evidence points to a legendary killer. Bodies are piling up, and her case is becoming center stage for a conflict that could shatter the fragile peace between wolves and vampires.