Steal the Night (Thieves #5)(59)

Marcus turned from me. His eyes watched the houses as we floated by. I wondered if he was going to ignore my question when he spoke again. “I was promised that this woman would give birth to a line that would produce the one woman who I would love so much, when she died I would go with her.”

“Oh, Marcus, I’m so sorry.” Tears pricked my eyes because I could practically feel his pain. It had been a cruel deception on the boy’s part. “I am sorry but…”

“You were meant for Daniel,” he said solidly. “I know that. You love Daniel and Devinshea and I can see how necessary you are. I told you that the day after we met. Without you, Daniel is merely a death machine. With you, he is a true and proper king. The oracle lied because he needed me. He knew if I found the girl on my own, I would have protected her until she became a woman, and then I would have taken her as my companion. I would have taken her before she had a husband, before she could bear children. Your line would have died with her.”

“I can see why he did it, but it still seems cruel. You really want the transference thing? It scares me.”

The condition Marcus was talking about was called sympathetic transference. It occurred when a vampire bonded so strongly with a companion that his own body gave up its strength to keep hers alive. In the end, a companion is not immortal and she took the vampire with her when she died. It didn’t work in sudden situations, only in long-term chronic illnesses. We’d discovered Daniel had the condition while we were in Faery. I’d tried to figure out how to cure it but Daniel had been thrilled.

Apparently immortality isn’t everything it’s cracked up to be.

Marcus’s brows rose. “How do you know? Of course. Daniel already has it. How did you diagnose his condition?”

It was my turn to admit something. Marcus had been so open with me I felt compelled to be honest. “A couple of months ago, Sarah discovered the condition along with a Fae healer. Daniel was weak. We found out his body was bolstering mine when I was weak.”

“Were you sick, cara?”

“I was pregnant,” I admitted. “I had a miscarriage.”

Marcus turned away. “I’m sorry to hear it. I’m rather surprised Daniel allowed Devinshea to impregnate you.”

“It was an accident but we’re used to the idea now. We’re going to try again after…all of this is over. Daniel wants a family. Dev can give that to him. Dev is more than willing to share his children.”

Marcus thought about it for a moment. “Please forgive me. I’ll attempt to be better about the prince. I was bitter toward him because I believed he could never love you as I could have, but now I see what he can give to the both of you. He is loyal, your Lancelot. He’s loyal to you both.”

“We’re his family, Marcus,” I said, hoping the vampire would make good on his promise.

Marcus laughed at something I couldn’t see. “And he’s getting impatient. Your little surgery is over and he wants his wife back. Know this, Zoey, you are my queen and I will never betray you. I will be your faithful servant to the end.” He kissed my hand and I was suddenly lying in a soft bed with Dev shaking me gently.

“Hey, baby,” I said softly, glorying in the fact that I could move my arm. “Sorry about the passing out thing.”

He leaned over and kissed me. “I’m sorry about the bullet in your arm, my wife. It’s out now. Lee held you down while I had to cut you open. It was horrible. Next time, just allow them to blow my head off, won’t you? It will be easier on me in the end.”

I shook my head and noticed that we weren’t alone in the room. All three wolves were there, and Marcus stood in the background watching me. I sat up and smiled at him. “Thank you, Marcus. That was much more pleasant than Lee having to knock me out with his fist.”

“I wouldn’t do that,” Lee grumbled.

“I would,” Zack offered, smiling.

Dev frowned, looking between me and the vampire. “Just how pleasant was this little interlude?”

“I merely took my queen on a tour of my home city,” Marcus said with a deferential bow of his head.

“That better be all you did,” Dev muttered under his breath.

“Is all to your liking, Devinshea?” Marcus asked with no malice in his voice. “I’ve stocked the kitchens with her favorite foods and her clothes have been properly placed in the closets. I hope the bedding is to your specifications.”

Dev watched him warily. “Yes, it seems to be. I appreciate that.”

Marcus nodded and then listened intently. I noticed the wolves perked up, too.

“Daniel is here,” Marcus said with a frown. “I doubt he will be in a good mood.”

I glanced up at Dev, who grimaced. He looked like a man waiting for his own trial. I held his hand and waited to see if Daniel was going to judge us all.





Chapter Sixteen





There was a brisk knock on the door and when Marcus opened it, a woman walked in the room. I’d been informed on the jet that Hugo Wells had an assistant, a human female who also served as his lover. I wasn’t expecting the pretty woman who walked in. She was roughly forty, perhaps a wee bit older, and solidly built. She was attractive but no great beauty. Her blonde hair was streaked with gray and she wore a comfortable skirt and button-down shirt. She pressed her stylish glasses up as she gave me a quick once over.