Steal the Night (Thieves #5)(76)

“Usually, I would say yes.” Bris pointed to the edges of the school. “The selkies are here as well.”

Sure enough, I saw the seal-like creatures swimming along with the mermaids and mermen. Their seal-brown pelts were shiny in the water and they moved so gracefully I caught my breath. They were in full seal form, not a hint of the human-like creature they could become when they removed their skins.

Daniel had a concerned look on his face as he turned to the fertility god. “What do you mean by usually?”

Bris smiled down at the creatures following us. He seemed wholly content with the situation, his free hand on my waist. “Normally when a group of mermaids or selkies show up it is to cause trouble. These have announced their intentions with their songs. Daniel, listen for a moment and tell me what you hear.”

Daniel listened intently, trying to see if he could make sense of the lilting song of the seafolk. After a moment, his face broke into a cautious smile. “They’re welcoming…their king?”

“And their queen,” Bris completed with a pleased look.

“How do they know Daniel and Zoey?” Neil asked. “We’ve never met a mermaid before or a seal thing.”

“They don’t know them, Neil,” Bris explained. “Not in any way you would understand. They do, however, know that sword on Daniel’s back.”

“Excalibur?” Daniel’s hand went to the sword. Ever since we’d returned from Faery where Nimue had told Daniel the sword was his, Daniel hadn’t like to be parted from the gorgeous weapon. He’d spent hours and hours practicing with Dev until the sword worked like an extension of his arm.

“Yes, Daniel,” Bris said teasingly. “Did you think it was just a trinket the Lady of the Lake gives out as a party favor?”

Daniel’s face was blank for a moment. “I guess I thought she gave it to me so we could find Merlin.”

“Myrddin, please,” Bris corrected, now in full-on “I know more than you do” mode. “Merlin seems to be the modern version, but his original name is Myrddin Emrys. I’m certain Excalibur will do wonders in waking the wizard from his sleep, but when you accepted Nimue’s gift, you took your place in a line of kings. The mermaids and selkies recognize their king and their queen, and they will aid you in any way they can. Excalibur is only needed in times of great danger. They’re throwing their lot in with you, Daniel. It’s a great honor.”

Daniel frowned. “How do I…I don’t know, thank them?”

Bris gestured down at the water. “Do you see the shining one?”

Daniel nodded. There was one who shone above the rest, her hair glimmering in the water, and she stared straight at me. She held her hand up to the surface. I leaned over with Bris’s strong hands around my waist as he lowered me to the water so our fingertips touched. We smiled at each other before the moment was broken and Bris pulled me back in.

He nodded at me approvingly. “Very good, my goddess. Daniel, your greeting is different. You’re a king but you’re also a vampire.”

“Of course,” he said with a self-deprecating grin. “It always comes back to the blood, doesn’t it?”

“Blood is the true language of all creatures,” Bris explained sagely. “Humans simply neglect that truth because it’s unsavory to them.”

Daniel rolled up his sleeve and his fangs popped out. The creatures following us got very excited. The water swirled around them and bubbled into a froth as they got ready for their king’s gift. Daniel winked at me as he bit sharply into his wrist and poured the blood over the water. The merfolk and the selkies came to the surface for that velvety blood, and Daniel opened his wrist three times before Bris said it was enough. The boat sped toward the island as we left the creatures behind. I could still see the foamy churn of the water as they lapped up that unique blood and their song reached a grateful crescendo.

“You did well, Your Highness,” Bris said.

“Please,” Daniel returned with a sigh.

“Daniel,” Bris corrected himself. He looked down at me and brought his lips sweetly to mine. “I’m tired, sweet goddess. It will be many days before I’m at my full strength, but if you have need of me, you have only to say my name and I’ll find the strength.”

He kissed me again and then Dev was back. I knew the instant my husband regained control because the kiss became deep and domineering. Bris enjoyed a certain sweetness to his sex that Dev just didn’t have the time for. Devinshea liked it down and dirty, and it showed in his kiss.

He came up for air and stared back to the spot where we’d left the seafolk. “Mermaids. Cool.”

I saw a look pass between Dev and Daniel. It was over my head, but I knew that look. Daniel’s blue eyes widened and his lips quirked up on one side and then Dev replied with a sure, satisfied smile and slight nod of his head. I rolled my eyes because I could read that conversation.

“So you slept with a mermaid once.”

My husbands stared at each other, the same slightly startled expression on their handsome faces as the boat slowed and we pulled into the dock. The island was small, barely two miles across, but there were some signs of civilization. A few houses. A dock.

“We’re going to have to get new signals, Daniel,” Dev said, flustered that I understood their silent boy speak. They sometimes held entire conversations without saying a word when I was listening in.