Steal the Sun (Thieves #4)(75)

“So am I, but I don’t see how we accomplish both tasks if she comes with us. She has all three wolves,” Daniel pointed out. “If I directly tell Zack to not allow her to die then I assure you he’ll get the job done. He never disobeys, unlike some others.”

“Don’t be mean to Neil,” I ordered. “He had a tough night, too. He had to find me, help me kill an ogre, and save Lee.”

“He shouldn’t have let you slip away in the first place,” Daniel pointed out, moving up on the bed. He settled down on the other side of me, spooning me from behind. “His senses are crap since he came home.”

“Well, he hasn’t had vampire blood in almost a year,” Dev said reasonably. “You can’t compare him to Zack.”

Daniel sighed behind me. “Well, I’ll deal with Neil later. I’ll leave Zack explicit instructions. Between Zack and Lee, she’ll be fine. Now hush, both of you. We have a long day ahead and I’m tired.”

“Bossy,” Dev said as I felt him drift off.

The boys were soon fast asleep, surrounding me with their warmth and safety, but I couldn’t help but think none of this would be as easy as they were making it out to be.





Chapter Seventeen





Declan strode into the room with a smirk on his face the next morning. Or afternoon. I hadn’t checked the time. I just knew it was far too early to have to deal with my brother-in-law. “Well, we all know what you were doing last night, Zoey.”

It had been only minutes since Dev and Daniel had kissed me good-bye and promised to hurry their task to get back to me.

“Hey, what happened to privacy?” I pulled the covers up to my chin since I wasn’t wearing anything.

“What are you talking about?” Declan rolled his eyes and threw his body on the bed. “It is not like I have never seen it before. Besides, I would love to see it again. You know I find you attractive, Your Grace. I came to congratulate you. Once again your skills in bed have saved my brother from a horrible fate. You should teach a class, you know.” His face turned serious. “But we have to discuss the fertility rites situation. Give a guy a chance? Zoey.”

It was my turn to be confused. “You’re going to have to give me more than that, Dec.”

He gestured around the room. “This is the temple of the High Priest of Faery. It was constructed to amplify fertility magic and send it throughout the palace and down to the valley below. Before, when it was just Devinshea and his priestesses, he needed that amplification to get anything at all going. Think of it like one of your radios. Before Bris, the volume was set at a ten or maybe, if the night was going well for my brother, perhaps a twenty out of one hundred.”

“What was the volume like last night?” We’d done some pretty freaky stuff together last night. Devinshea had been creative, I’d been submissive, and Daniel had been insatiable. I felt a sweet ache in my backside from the spanking Dev had given me for sneaking away. He’d been serious about that bit of discipline.

“One hundred and fifty.” Declan crossed his arms as he sat up. “I was sitting in the throne room giving those wolves of yours the lecture of a lifetime when Padric suddenly walks in, sweeps Mother up, and carries her away. That was when I felt it. The wolves all ran when Lee explained what was happening. He said he didn’t want to be something called a ‘manwhore’ twice in one night and he shifted and ran away as fast as his paws could take him. I cannot shift into another body. I only have this one and I’m susceptible to lust magic since I’m already horny all of the time. I was caught up in your carnal cloud and now I might have to get married.”

I laughed out loud. “Serves you right. Was it that girl you were with last night?”

“Which one?” he asked seriously.

“You don’t remember?” I’d only seen the brunette, but apparently there had been more.

“There were several, though not all of them at the same time,” Declan replied. “There was the brunette at the ball. I do not remember her name, but I will ask about her because she was incredibly flexible. At one point I had her ankles touching her ears and she never complained.”

“Spare me the details, please.” I looked around to see if someone had thought to leave out a robe.

Declan was utterly unconcerned with my anxiety. “But that is not the one I am worried about. You have to understand that when that lust magic hits, the urge is overwhelming. I ended up f*cking one of the village maids, well, one of the maids and her sister. They were somewhat attractive but they have no manners whatsoever. Actually, I do not even remember if they are attractive. That magic makes me feel drunk.”

I had a fun thought. “What happens if you got them both pregnant?”

Declan shuddered and blanched visibly. “Then I will have two completely unsuitable wives. From now on, you will inform me when you are going to f*ck my brother so I can get out of the way. I need several miles between us.” He nodded down at me and relaxed. “At this point, I am just going to plead complete ignorance if they come up with child. Maybe they’ll forget. If Dev hadn’t been here, I could blame him.”

I sat up and tossed a pillow at his head.

He smiled. “Continue your violence against me, Your Grace, and I will get a peek at a nipple. I think they are already bigger. Pregnancy suits you.”