Steal the Night (Thieves #5)(60)

“Your Highness.” She greeted me with a formal curtsey and a nod of her head. “I’m Diana Spelling, Mr. Wells’s assistant. It’s a great pleasure to meet you. I hope everything is to your liking.”

“Oh, yes,” I replied while Dev found a robe for me. “Everything after the attempted kidnapping went very well, once we were retrieved from the police, that is.”

“Sorry about the mix up, ma’am.” Diana nodded to Neil. “Lucky for you, the little wolf there knew where to go. He came straight into the kitchens and demanded that Hugo save his mistress. As you are our mistress as well, we got right on it. It’s been a very exciting day.”

“I got to have tea while they were getting everything ready,” Neil said with a smile. “And some little cookies. They were good. It’s a whole other meal here, Z. They have four instead of three. I think I should have been born British. Also, even the straight guys are gay.”

“He’s very amusing,” Diana said with a smile on her face. “The king has arrived and craves your attention in the parlor. He’s discussing the events of the day with my master, but he would like to hear from you and Mr. Quinn.”

“Please call me Zoey, Diana,” I said, indicating I was ready to get into my robe. Everyone but Marcus and Neil turned around. Dev sent Marcus a dirty look and with a shrug he finally gave me a tiny bit of privacy. Neil wouldn’t bother. He’d seen everything there was to see. “I’m afraid I’m not big on formality.”

“I heard that about you,” Diana said and I could hear the approval in her voice. “Well then, Zoey, please let me lead you and that glorious slab of male beside you to your husband.”

Dev smiled as I belted the robe. He was used to positive female attention and turned to the woman. I heard him talking as I made my way into the bathroom where someone had thoughtfully placed a pair of jeans and a soft green sweater. “Please call me Dev. Diana, you’ve done a marvelous job making us feel comfortable.”

They spoke while I dressed, discussing the way the household was run and who was expected to arrive when. I dressed quickly and rejoined them.

“Have our guards’ rooms been prepared?” Dev asked. “If Daniel has not instructed they be present, then perhaps they could retire? It’s been a long day.”

“Yes, sir,” Diana replied as I reentered the room properly dressed. “Their rooms are on the first floor, by the kitchens. Neil, if you would lead the lads there, you will find I’ve had a buffet set out for you.”

I heard Lee sigh in anticipation of his long-neglected meal time and he and Zack hurried along after Neil. Dev, Marcus, and I made our way down the stairs at a more sedate pace. I got my first glimpse at Hugo’s home. It was enormous by London standards and had to be worth millions. The steps were marble, as was the entryway we crossed to get to the formal parlor. There was artwork on the walls I’d only seen in books before. The carpet in the entryway was lush with rich colors. Everything about the townhouse was in impeccable taste.

Daniel was speaking quietly with the Elizabethan vampire. He frowned our way as we entered the room, and my heart clenched because he looked so tired and so very disappointed. I felt Dev stiffen beside me.

“I can’t believe you did that, Devinshea,” Daniel said, shaking his head.

“I told you he was upset.” Marcus slipped past us and sat down beside Hugo on the couch. Diana had bowed and left the room, leaving us behind with three disapproving vampires.

“I’m not sure what you would have me do, Daniel,” Dev said tightly.

“Daniel, they were coming after us. Dev didn’t have a choice.” I wanted to avoid a Daniel/Dev smackdown. It had been a while since they got into a knock-down, drag-out fight, but they were legendary. They tended to throw heavy objects at one another, and I didn’t want them destroying this magnificent mansion.

“You blew up a helicopter, Dev.” Daniel stood up to regard us with his heavy stare.

“It was trying to kill us,” Dev shot back.

“You shot it down with a rifle from the back of a moving Jeep,” Daniel said, his voice strong and rising. He stared at Dev for a long moment before his lips split into a brilliant smile. “That must have been f*cking awesome, man. I’m so pissed off I wasn’t there.”

I heard Dev’s sigh of relief, and his head dropped slightly.

Daniel moved in, his body close to Dev’s. He put his hand on the back of Dev’s neck and brought his face up. “What’s that look on your face, Devinshea? You looked like I was going to beat the crap out of you. You can’t possibly believe I would be angry you brilliantly defended our wife.”

“I got her shot, Dan.” They stared into each other’s eyes, saying more than words could.

Daniel nodded and let his forehead find Dev’s, both his hands holding Dev’s neck. “No, you didn’t. I know you and I know Z. She was trying to protect you. She’s fierce. You got her out and that’s what counts. That is all that counts to me, Devinshea. She’s safe and so are you.”

Dev nodded, his hands on Daniel’s waist, and I just wanted to scream at them to hug each other already and maybe exchange some saliva. I moved in because they seemed stuck. The minute I was close, both their arms were around me and they seemed to relax.