Steal the Sun (Thieves #4)(107)

I was untied and finally able to sit up. My wrists ached and I wondered just how long Daniel had enjoyed watching Nim play with my unconscious body. Nim reached over to her nightstand and pulled out a jar of some kind of oil. She dabbed some on my wrists and began to rub away the chafing the heavy ropes had caused.

The Lord of all things Dead looked at me impatiently.

I was still wary. He obviously had powers over my husband that I never imagined possible. I hated the feeling. I wasn’t used to Danny being vulnerable. Daniel was my Superman. I just hoped we hadn’t walked into a whole mess of kryptonite. “How do I know you won’t use the knowledge to harm him?”

“I’m merely curious.” Arawn spoke evenly, as though we were talking about a simple science experiment. “I’m interested in all things dead. He’s an amazing specimen. I’m afraid I always indulge my curiosity. If you refuse to tell me I’ll simply open the vampire up and discover the truth for myself.”

“Well, that makes me feel better,” I spat at him while Nim threw him a dirty look.

“Don’t scare my pet,” Nim demanded.

“Yeah, don’t scare her pet,” I agreed. She was working on my feet now. I decided Arawn was serious and proceeded cautiously. “It’s a control measure. It’s a device filled with injectable silver. They had it surgically implanted on his heart shortly after he died and rose as vampire.”

“‘They’ being the Council, I assume,” Arawn murmured, looking at Daniel. “I’ve always been interested in the vampires. They’re fascinating creatures. Their bodies are dead, only reanimated by the blood of those they feed upon. They’re so much more interesting than other dead things. They have an entire society and laws that are different from the living. Most undead creatures are solitary, but the vampires have formed their own little world. Is that Frenchman still in charge?”

I nodded. He was up to date on his politics. “Yes, Louis Marini still heads the Council. He placed the device on Danny’s heart. If he wants to, he can push a button and that device will pump silver through his system.”

“Very efficient,” the death god said. “I suppose he wanted to keep the king from reaching his full potential while still using him as an asset. I never liked that Frenchman. He’s arrogant and ambitious. I suppose the device has fail-safes.”

I nodded and raised my voice because it didn’t sound like the hounds were driving off that dog of Nim’s. The barking had gotten louder. “If we try to extract the device, it will go off.”

“Have you considered staying on this plane? I assume the detonator only works in close proximity.”

Of course, I’d thought about it. We could be safe here but everyone on the Earth plane would end up under Marini’s dominion. Daniel was the only one who could stop Marini. “We have people we care about back on the Earth plane. Marini has plans. That army of vampires you talked about, well, Marini wants to revisit the good old days. He’s preparing for war, first against the other supernaturals and then the humans.”

“Yet another reason to stay here,” Arawn said reasonably.

“No.” I’d had this argument in my head a thousand times. “We have to go back and we have to fight. I won’t allow them to take my home and my people. We were given the tools and strength to fight back and we will damn well use them.”

“And probably die in the process.”

“Probably.” At least we would go down together.

Nim crawled up the bed and kissed my cheek. Her soft hands tried to smooth the tension from my shoulders. “Now she doesn’t have to. She can stay with us and we’ll protect her and pamper her. Why should something so pretty have to fight?”

“Because she believes,” Arawn said, and there was suddenly respect in his voice. “I wish you luck against the Frenchman. He’s more formidable than he looks. You must solve the vampire’s heart issue, though. It will be the death of him.”

“He doesn’t believe it.” Dev and I took the issue more seriously than Danny.

A dark brow arched. “I am the Lord of Death. I can see all possible deaths for a person. Right now, if you continue on your course, the most likely event is the vampire dying from his heart exploding.” Arawn reached out and touched my face lightly. I was surprised his touch was warm and not cold. I held still but it was hard. My skin tingled where he touched me. “His death leads to yours. You will die at Marini’s hands, attempting to avenge your husband.”

“She won’t if she stays here,” Nim insisted.

Arawn ignored her. “It’s what I see. You must get that thing off his heart. It’s an interesting quandary. I shall think on it for a while. Stop pawing the girl, Nim. She’s obviously not a slave. There’s been a mistake. The vampire is important. I can feel that and she’s important as well.”

Nim made a little huffing sound but did nothing to stop pawing me. As her “paws” were doing a damn fine job on my bunched up muscles, I didn’t protest. When she was done there, my aching feet could use a good pawing, too.

I looked at the death lord and let my gratitude show. “Thank you. My husband will be grateful.”

“I’m sure the vampire will,” he commented.

“How about the other one?” Nim asked.