Steal the Sun (Thieves #4)(115)

My eyes widened. “I can’t do that. Danny and my wolf are down there waiting for me. So are Arawn and Nim. I need to get back to them and let them know what we’re doing.”

“No. We can move faster on our own. The vampire will slow us down. Don’t worry. They cannot find us here. I left a special powder that will mask our scent. To the werewolf’s senses, your trail will stop cold where I picked you up.”

Maybe that would work on Neil, but it wouldn’t with my husband. “Daniel won’t give up that easily and we share blood. He can sense me without his nose.”

Sure enough, even as I said the words, a clawed hand gained a hold on the floor of the high hide. Daniel pulled himself up with one arm. He crawled into the small room, and I suddenly knew I was dealing with that part of Daniel that was pure vampire. His hair was unruly and his eyes wild as he took in the scene.

I started to get up and go to him when I noticed another person climbing in, following Daniel’s ascent. Arawn pulled himself up and then leaned back to lend Nim a hand.

“How did you find us?” The Hunter got out of his chair. He looked at the hungry vampire, and for the first time I saw he had survival instincts as well as predatory ones. “Now, vampire, I have not harmed your mate.” His hands went behind him to his weapons cache and he felt around for something.

“It’s true, Danny. I’m fine.” Staying calm and even was the way to deal with Daniel when he was in this state. This was when he typically started throwing large objects around.

“He took you from me,” Daniel said in that low growl that let me know he was close to losing control.

“He just wanted to talk.”

“He tried to hide you from me.” He started to slowly move toward his quarry. I moved quickly to place myself between them. “Move, companion. I mean to kill him and you cannot stop me. He took what belongs to me and I won’t abide it.”

“You promised Dev,” I said quickly, hoping to appeal to his friendship with Dev. They were partners. They tried to always keep their promises. “You told Dev you wouldn’t jump the Hunter without him.”

“They were going to jump me?” The Hunter actually took a step back.

“The whole ogre bait thing,” I threw over my shoulder. “You don’t want to disappoint Devinshea. He belongs to you, too. You owe him.”

It was the way it worked for Daniel. Deep in his primitive heart he truly believed we belonged to him. We were his precious blood. We fed him and gave him love and companionship, but it was a two-way street. He owed us. He protected us with everything he had. He was honest and faithful to us.

“He will forgive me,” Daniel decided and his fangs were full as he started to move me out of the way.

Arawn placed a hand on his shoulder and Daniel ceased his movement. He stood still in the death god’s grip. “Your companion may not be able to stop you, vampire, but I can. You’re not thinking properly.”

“Let him go.” I hated the blank look on Daniel’s face. “Don’t do this to him.”

“He was going to kill the Hunter. We need him,” Arawn explained. “The vampire isn’t rational because he chose not to feed. He must correct that mistake or I shall have to deal with him. His stubbornness is jeopardizing all of us.”

“I can get him to feed.” I looked back at the Hunter. “Give me a knife.” He passed me one even as he watched Daniel warily. I looked over as Neil finally made an appearance. “Nice of you to join us.”

“It’s a long way up. Is Daniel all right?” Neil asked, concern stark on his face as he looked at Daniel’s blank eyes.

I shook my head and glared at Arawn. “If you kill him, I won’t help you. I’ll let you burn. Let him go and I’ll get my husband to feed.”

Before Arawn could take his hand off of him, I made a shallow cut across my chest, pulling the shirt open so Daniel wouldn’t be able to miss the sight.

When Danny came out of his stupor, he started moving toward the Hunter as though he’d never stopped. Then he caught my scent. His head snapped around and suddenly he was hunting me. I heard Nim’s gasp as she watched the scene with great curiosity. There wasn’t a lot of space to begin with and now there were a couple too many people with us. I moved toward the small pallet and sat myself down, watching as Daniel moved close to me. He looked ready to pounce, but I ran my finger along the cut and offered it to him, taking away his need to force me.

The vampire went down on his knees and sucked my finger into his mouth, his tongue whirling gratefully around the blood. He leaned over when he was done and ran his tongue along the cut, murmuring his appreciation. “Mine.”

“Yes, Daniel.” I did everything I could to soothe him, to reassure him. “I’m yours.”

I let him pull me and push me until I was in his lap. My arms and legs wrapped around him, my throat pressed to his adoring mouth as he pulled me in. I didn’t care about the others who were watching. I only cared that I could feed him. I only knew that I could nourish and protect him. I was his and it was heavenly.

I floated back to myself as Daniel held me close, licking long strokes along my neck and telling me how much he loved me.

“Impressive, companion.” The death lord pulled me from that warm cocoon Daniel had wrapped me in. “He was far gone. It should have been a brutal experience, but you turned his violent impulses to gentleness.”