Steal the Sun (Thieves #4)(10)

Neil gasped. “No, Z, you are not cutting up my butt.”

Zack pulled a wicked stiletto out of his boot, offering it to me. He frowned as he stared at the tavern where Dev was proving he knew lots of cuss words. “Should I go save my boss from the people trying to save him?”

I shook my head. “He’d kick your ass for leaving me, Zack. They won’t hurt him. Danny and Lee will be back any minute one way or another. As soon as they return, I assume the guard will let Dev go and try to figure out if we’re alive or not. Well, they’ll let Dev go or Danny will probably kill them all.” Danny was a little possessive. He wouldn’t like the idea of the guard hauling Dev away. “Neil, sweetie, I have to cut this out or you’re never going to sit down again.”

“I’ll just stand,” Neil vowed tearfully.

“Birds are going to perch on your ass, babe.” Sarah put a hand on his shoulder.

“I like birds.” He did. He liked to eat them.

Zack rolled his eyes, reached down, and with one brutal move pulled the arrow out of Neil’s cheek. There was a long, loud howl that filled the courtyard.

“Zack, that was rude.” I got to my feet and fixed the werewolf with a stern stare.

Zack shrugged, utterly nonplussed at my outrage. “It’s like pulling off a Band-Aid, man. Do it quick. Take the pain. The anticipation is worse than the pain.”

“No, it wasn’t. The anticipation didn’t hurt.” Neil was holding his wounded buttock and asking Sarah to make sure it was healing to its normal lovely self.

Daniel hit the ground in front of me, and before I realized he was there, I was in his arms. He ran his hands all over me, searching for any possible injury.

I submitted to the inspection. He wouldn’t be satisfied until he was sure. “I’m fine, Danny. Neil got hit, but I’m fine.”

Daniel looked down at Neil, frowning. He could see the blood, but the wound had already closed. Neil was getting up with a hand from Felix. He looked at Daniel, but they didn’t say anything to each other. It had been like this ever since Neil had come back. They circled each other and the rest of us just waited for the blow up.

Lee walked up, lugging an unconscious body behind him. He dragged the tall faery by the neck of his shirt with ease. He nodded my way. “You okay?”

I nodded.

Lee patted Neil on the shoulder. “Good job, buddy. Nice moves. It was smart of you to take that arrow in your ass. It’s much easier to heal than your stomach or a lung.” The older wolf turned his attention to Daniel. “What are we going to do with this * until he wakes up? I’d say we could lock him in the coffin but it kind of exploded.”

“I didn’t have time to ask nicely for someone to open up,” Daniel murmured as he moved under the shade of a tree, pulling me with him. While Daniel could daywalk, he felt more comfortable in the shade. “Where the hell is Dev?”

There was both anger and a small amount of panic in the question. Daniel tended to take off without checking because he knew Dev would be there to take care of me.

“The royal guard hauled him into the tavern the instant Lee called the alarm,” Felix explained. “He fought but there were five of them.”

It looked like everyone was fine, so I decided it was time to go save Dev. Daniel nodded as I passed him, following behind me.

I crossed to the doors of the tavern and called out so no one shot another damn arrow my way. “I’m coming in. Don’t shoot.”

“Zoey.” Dev was finally allowed to push his way out of the phalanx of guards. They stood down and allowed the twins to move. Several of the guards rushed out to secure the courtyard even as Danny followed me inside the tavern.

“Are you all right, sweetheart?” Dev hugged me to him, his arms wrapping around me. “I swear I’ll have every one of those f*cking guards in the dungeon.”

Danny strode up to Declan, pointing an accusatory finger his way. “You left her out there. This is how you treat your brother’s wife? You leave her out to die?”

Declan shook his head. “I did not have a choice.”

“You wanted us to come in with no security, Your Highness.” Daniel’s voice went low, predatory. “Was there a reason for that? Were you planning on taking us out?”

Declan went pale at the accusation. “I wouldn’t assassinate my own brother, vampire.”

“I wasn’t talking about Dev,” Danny snarled. “I was talking about me and Z. I was talking about the two people in a relationship with your precious brother. Did you think he would stay here if you killed us?”

“I don’t think Declan would do that.” There was a fine tremble in Dev’s hands as he held mine.

The guard tried to get between Daniel and Declan, but the prince wouldn’t have it. He shoved them aside, preferring to get into the vampire’s space. It wasn’t a smart move, but no one could accuse Declan of cowardice. “I might think about getting rid of you, but I assure you I have no intention of hurting Zoey. She is…”

“Really tired,” I broke in, hoping to stop Declan from running his mouth. The last thing I needed was for Declan to announce that he thought I was pregnant. Besides, Daniel was wrong. “I don’t think Declan tried to kill me, Danny. He’d be more likely to kill you and hope I’d let him apply for your place in bed.”