by Lexi Blake
When he was done, the angel turned to me, inclining his head my direction. “I thank you, my cousin.”
“You’re welcome.” My entire body filled with a happy satisfaction that I’d done the right thing. The glow of a job well done didn’t last long as I had a few questions for my “cousin.” “So Felicity has a thing for Dev?”
I could actually feel Dev’s deep satisfaction at my jealousy. He was going to be insufferable.
“Yes,” Felix answered. “Though it’s easy to see that Felicity’s story won’t end as mine. He glows with love for you, and Felicity would never come between lovers. She knew if you came on this journey together, it would cement the bond between you. She is a creature of sacrifice.”
I couldn’t blame Felicity for loving Dev. He was entirely lovable. I had a thought though. “So if you’re Sarah’s guardian angel and Felicity is Dev’s, which one of us pulled the short straw and got saddled with Oliver?”
Felix threw his golden head back and laughed. “Oh, poor Oliver. He has always gotten the hard task of guarding the true warriors of this world. He watches the most difficult of charges, the ones with a great destiny who stubbornly struggle against it.”
“Oh my god, he’s Daniel’s angel?”
Dev chuckled behind me and patted my back. “He’s talking about you, sweetheart. You’ll have to forgive her. Self-awareness isn’t her strong point.”
“I got Oliver? He sucks.” I pointed at Felix. “I want to know where I can make a few very specific complaints because he’s been laying down on the job. Where the hell was he when I got gut shot with a freaking arrow?”
“He was the one who made sure the arrow didn’t hit any vital organs,” Felix pointed out, amused at my outburst. “He was also the one who whispered in your vampire’s ear, making him so very sure of where you were. He’s the one who held the veil closed so you were waiting when your vampire came.”
That was all good and well, but I was still pissed about that arrow. “Fine, but tell him next time someone tries to gut me, and let’s face facts there will probably be a next time, how about giving me a shove out of the way? Wait. He’s not in love with me, is he? You’re in love with Sarah and Felicity has a thing for Dev. I don’t have to worry about Oliver jumping my bones, do I?”
That really caused Felix to bust a gut. “No, little cousin, you don’t have to worry. Oliver can’t stand you. He once told me of all the millions he’s watched over, you’re undoubtedly the most difficult. Now let us be quit of this place.” Felix unfolded his wings and motioned for us all to move into their protection. When we had gathered, he folded those wings around us. “You wish to return to your vampire?”
I nodded. I thought about asking him who Daniel’s angel was, but the question got trapped in my throat. If Felix told me Daniel didn’t have one, I wasn’t sure how I would handle it. So I let the question go. Daniel would be worried, and I needed to set his mind at ease that Stewart hadn’t led us into a trap.
“All right, I will see you there, but Sarah and I will continue to the Earth plane.” Felix regarded me seriously. “Is there anyone you would like me to pick up on the way? I can take him away and see that he is cared for. He’s hurting, Zoey. He needs time to heal. I ask your permission because you’re the one with the most to lose if he leaves.”
He was talking about Neil. Though I knew it was going to get me into trouble, I nodded my consent. I heard Dev curse beside me, but Felix was speaking again. “Put your hand on the Revelation. It will make our connection stronger. It’s yours for now. Guard it wisely. Now look at me, little cousin. Think about where you want to go.”
In the blink of an eye, we were there.
Chapter Twenty-Five
I knew Stewart had been fucking everything up the minute I saw Daniel’s face. Dev and I appeared in the room, and he was sitting on the bed with a hard look in his eyes. There was no thrill that we’d made it back. There was no surprise or joy. There was just a bitter hardness, and I wondered what the hell Stewart had done.
“What happened? What did he say to you?”
Stewart shrugged at me. “I really didn’t mean to, Zoey. I was having a perfectly fine conversation with the king here about, perhaps, becoming his familiar when it just sort of popped out. You can’t really blame me. I am evil.”
“What did you say?” I asked as Daniel turned his blue eyes on me. He looked through Dev as if he wasn’t there.
“He pointed out certain facts to me, Zoey,” Daniel explained in a cold voice. “It was just things if I had been thinking with my head instead of my dick I probably would have seen myself. God, I can’t think straight when I’m around you. I was just so happy to get back into bed with you, I didn’t think to ask why.”
I looked back at Dev, who seemed just as confused as I was. “Daniel, I don’t know what you’re talking about, baby. Last night just happened. I’m not sorry about it, either. I love you, Danny.”
“Yeah, you love me,” he spat back and turned his accusatory eyes at Dev. “You love me so much you’re willing to fuck me to save him. It solves a lot of your problems, doesn’t it? No one will come after your lover if they think I’m fucking him, too. You two can walk around in public, and no one will think less of you because I’m the idiot husband who lets it all happen under his nose.”
I kneeled in front of Daniel and tried to get him to understand. “It’s not like that. I didn’t sleep with you to save Dev. I love you. I was happy to be with you, too.”
Daniel stopped, his eyes dark, and I was sure that whatever came out of his mouth next would be awful. “Then leave with me. You’re my wife. Choose me. Prove you love me by walking out of here and being my wife, mine alone.”
My heart hurt as I looked back at Dev. He stared at the floor, and I knew what was going through his head. He was waiting for me to do it. He was waiting for me to choose Daniel as he always believed I would. “Please don’t ask me to do this.”
“What do you want me to do, Zoey? Do you want me to be satisfied when you and Dev there decide you need a third? Am I supposed to wait outside the bedroom door to see if you’re feeling up to a threesome?”
“It doesn’t have to be like that,” Dev said quietly.
The men in my life squared off. “You shut up, Dev. You’re the reason for all of this. She’s my wife. You couldn’t respect that? She belongs to me.”
“She didn’t say ‘I do,’ Daniel. As far as I’m concerned, she isn’t married at all.”
I got between them, putting a hand on both their chests. “Stop it. Let’s just go back to the hotel and we can talk this out.”
“So Dev can work his mojo again and we’ll both fuck you mindless, and maybe I’ll be so satisfied with that sweet pussy of yours I’ll forget why you’re doing it?” Daniel bit off a curse and his hands fisted.
“I should go.” Stewart sounded almost apologetic. “I fear my presence is magnifying his anger. I really didn’t mean to do this, Zoey. Do you have any idea how hard it is to have these impulses of mine? I have plans, good plans, and I screw them up because I just can’t help poking at that open wound I see.”
Daniel looked around. “Where’s Neil? I’m going to kick his ass for leaving.”
That had seemed like such a good idea at the time. “He’s gone, Danny.”
Daniel turned slowly and enunciated each word. “Where did he go, Zoey? What did you do with my wolf?” He placed a careful emphasis on the “my.”
I forced myself to look him in the eyes. “He went with Felix Day. I had to let him go, Danny. I had to. He was in pain. He was hurting. He needed to go.”
Daniel exploded. “What about what I need, Zoey? You think of everyone before you get down to me, don’t you? That list of yours is long, and I’m at the bottom. Tell me something, Zoey, did you ever love me? Or was I just that chump who would do anything and everything you wanted?” He looked back again at Dev. “Guess you took over that role. She doesn’t need me anymore. Good luck with her, Dev.”
Daniel kicked the door open and strode out, leaving me to round on my little demonic visitor. “I really hope you’re happy, Stewart.”
He sighed. “I told you, I’m not happy about it. He was in complete agreement with almost everything I wanted and I had to go screw it up. If it helps at all, he is being influenced by these rooms. They magnify all sorts of emotions. That rage he’s feeling should already be easing by now. We should all leave these rooms because even I’m feeling it. You’re terrified at the thought of losing Daniel, the faery there is feeling most insecure because if Daniel hates him, how will you love him? And I’m actually contemplating how my beloved evil nature complicates my bloody life. I don’t like being contemplative.”
Stewart stood and walked out of the room.
I held my hand out to Dev. “We have to find Daniel. We have to make him understand.”
“He isn’t going to want to talk to me, Zoey.”
“If this is going to work, he’ll have to.” I dragged him out with me.
Stewart was right. The minute I left that room, a weight lifted off my chest. I strode down the hall, hoping to catch up with Daniel before he could take out his tension on some unsuspecting piece of furniture. My slippered feet made no sound as I chased after my husband. I needed to make him understand that I loved him. I loved Daniel. I loved Dev. We were going to have to figure out how to make it work because I wasn’t willing to give either of them up.
I reached the edge of the ballroom in time to see Daniel striding up the steps two at a time. He was heading toward the elevators, and I wondered if he actually intended to leave us here. I almost called out but something happened to make me stop. Just as Daniel disappeared behind the doors to the ballroom, Lucas Halfer stepped off the dance floor and something told me he knew what I’d been doing. Maybe it was the unholy gleam of rage in his eyes or perhaps the fact that there was a long knife in his hand, but I knew my game was up. Halfer knew what I’d done.
Apparently not everyone had respected the “no weapons” rule.
I caught my breath and took a step back, but Dev was already in motion as Halfer bore down on us.
The sad fact about being truly terrified is how it affects your ability to protect yourself. When really looking death in the face, sometimes you completely lose that scream that should come naturally. I felt it in my chest, stuck there like some impotent, useless tool. If I could just get that scream out, I might be able to survive. Marcus would come, hell Danny might hear me if I screamed as loud as I wanted to. But it sat there, my mouth working but no sound coming out as Halfer ran toward me, knife raised. Dev pulled me backward, throwing his tall body in front of mine.
When the knife met Dev’s body, that was when the scream came.
My scream filled the room. I watched as that body I loved so much, that had given and taken such pleasure, fell forward and jerked twice as Halfer shoved the silver in and out of his belly.
I fell back, watching it in almost slow motion, praying this was some horrible dream, but then Dev fell forward and the blood started pooling around his body.
I thought about it later and realized how unlike me the next moment was. I should have felt rage. I should have been on my feet ready to avenge my lover. I didn’t feel the volcanic anger that should have come. I practically forgot about Halfer in my rush to get to him. Rage wasn’t on my mind. Overwhelming grief crowded out everything else. I needed to get my hands on his body as though I could physically stop his soul from leaving me.
“Dev.” I screamed his name over and over as I tried to get to his body. I vaguely noted other people were beginning to crowd around to watch.
I almost reached his still body when Halfer pulled me up by the hair and held me a good foot off the ground. My scalp burned, but nothing could hurt as much as the fact that Dev didn’t move.
“You think I’d let you get away with that, bitch?” Halfer snarled in my ear. “You think I wouldn’t find out?”
I kicked my feet, but they met with nothing but useless air.
Halfer laughed as I struggled. “Don’t worry about your boy there. He’s already on his way to that great sithein in the sky. I wonder where you’re going to go?” Halfer held the knife up to let me see Dev’s blood still clinging to it. Halfer pulled the blade back. “Let’s see if I can hit your heart.”
I felt the knife slide slowly into my chest because Halfer didn’t want me to go quickly. He slid the knife between my ribs and above my heart. Breath fled. I tried to take in air, but it wasn’t working.
“Ooops, I missed,” Halfer laughed. “Just took out a lung. Don’t worry, Mrs. Donovan. I’ll try again.”
This time the knife went into my stomach, and I wondered if I was going to see Oliver Day soon. I actually wanted to see the bastard, but I knew with great certainty he wasn’t coming for me. He couldn’t whisper to me or gently push me this way or that because I was on the Hell plane, and I’d given up or driven off every bit of protection I had.
I felt the knife slide in a third time and could only manage a weak groan. I tried to see Dev laying there so still. Danny was gone and though we’d parted poorly, I knew this would kill him. He would never forgive himself for walking out of the ballroom.
I realized through that horrible pain that I had ruined three lives. I brought this on all of us.
I fell to the floor in a graceless heap as Halfer dropped me. I heard a roar, but it seemed a vague distant thing. There was a rush of air over me, but my vision was fading. I tried to move so I could crawl to Dev. If there was any way I could go wherever he had gone, I would try. I reached my hand out and suddenly Marcus was there pulling me to the side.
“Don’t, cara. Don’t try to move.” His dark eyes looked down at me, fear plain in them.
“Dev.” I pushed his name through my lips.
He looked at me with great sympathy. “I am very sorry, Zoey. I fear he is already gone.”
“Try.” Tears or blood ran down my face. I couldn’t be sure.
Marcus rolled up the sleeves of his crisp, white dress shirt. His jacket was already gone. “No, cara, I have to take care of you. Daniel is busy with the business of killing the demon. It has to be me.”
“I think not, Marcus,” a heavily accented voice said from above. Louis Marini stood over us, looking down his patrician nose with a faint hint of satisfaction. “Donovan is all about the rules when it comes to his companion. You are not to share blood with her. You may try to save the prince, but I forbid you to give her blood. It is our law.”
“Louis, she is dying,” Marcus said with something akin to desperation.
“And her master can save her or not,” Marini stated flatly. “I’m sure if he survives the battle with the demon, he will try to heal her. I, for one, am interested to see if he can take out the demon with his bare hands. Leave her. Do I have to remind you who your master is, Marcus?”
“Dev,” I insisted because time was marching on and he was getting farther away from me.
Marcus cursed in Italian. “I should let him die, cara. It would solve many problems. I’m far too old to fall into this trap, yet I am going to try to save that idiot because I cannot bear to see you cry.”
He gently lowered my head down to the floor. I turned though it took every bit of energy I had left. I watched as Marcus turned my lover’s body over and saw his face fall at the damage he saw there. He felt for a pulse, and it didn’t look like he found one.
Marcus tore Dev’s shirt open to expose the wounds. He held his wrist to his mouth and spat out a hunk of flesh. He let the blood drip directly over Dev’s wounds. He had to open his wrist several times because he healed so quickly. Kimberly’s husband, Henri Jacobs, joined Marcus. He, too, offered his own blood. Henri put his open wrist to Dev’s mouth and after the longest time Henri jerked slightly as Dev began to drink that precious, healing blood. Marcus looked at me and nodded.
“Thank you.” I mouthed the words because no sound would come out.
&n
bsp; I let my head fall back and started to float above my body.
I could see Daniel shoving his clawed fists into Halfer’s chest. He seemed to be trying to pull out his heart. He was so savage, and yet I only saw my first love. The boy I learned about life with. I saw him at eight, already so handsome I dreamed about marrying him. I saw him at thirteen, filled with the loss of his father and clinging to my hand. I saw him at seventeen, teaching me how to love. God, I didn’t want to leave him, but I didn’t seem to have much of a choice.
I was above my body watching Daniel fight Halfer and Dev fight for life. I feared my fight was over.
Then I was in a large chamber. It was slightly cold and dimly lit. There was a man sitting on a throne. He was of medium build and nothing extraordinary to look at. Then I saw his eyes, and they were the oldest things I’ve ever seen. I stepped back from those eyes and realized that I was not alone.
Lucas Halfer stood beside me, and he looked pissed to be in this place. We were both back to our former complete bodies. I could breathe again, and it looked like Halfer had the majority of his chest back. Halfer took a deep breath and made an impossibly low bow.
“My Lord, Lucifer, please tell me how I have offended you,” he said in a big old kiss-ass voice.
My eyes widened because it wasn’t every day I got called to this particular principal’s office. My reaction was the very same as in grade school, though. I pointed straight at the bastard demon who killed me and announced my position loudly.
“He did it!”
Chapter Twenty-Six
“Very mature, Zoey,” Halfer huffed under his breath.
He was likely right, but I’d just gotten gutted and wasn’t in the mood to be overly mature. “It’s true.”
“I left you alone,” Halfer spat. “I was a very good boy, but no, you just had to push it. You fucked everything up. How can I let that go unanswered?”
“How am I supposed to let you torture my friend for the rest of eternity?” I answered his dumb question with a question of my own. “And you cheated. We weren’t allowed to carry weapons. If I’d had my guns, you would never have been able to kill me.”