by Lexi Blake
“Oh, my god,” I breathed and I was sure I went pale.
“Sweetheart, it’s not a big deal. Zack knows we have sex.”
The elevator doors opened and I ran for the security office.
“Zoey!” Dev yelled, running after me.
We both stopped as a table flew past our heads. It knocked into the wall opposite us and smashed to pieces.
Dev pulled me back and I had a moment to survey the damage. If I hadn’t known better, I would have said a bomb had gone off. There was smashed furniture everywhere. My eyes followed the track of where the table had come from. Daniel was in a full-on rage. He looked like he’d gotten straight out of bed for his berserker episode. He was still in the T-shirt and sweat pants he’d worn the night before, and his normally shaggy hair hadn’t seen a shower yet. The rest of him…didn’t even look vaguely human. His eyes had bled to a deep sapphire blue. His fangs were enormous and his claws were out.
The beast was loose.
“He’s been at it for fifteen minutes.” Zack stood beside me watching the scene calmly. His arms were crossed over his chest.
“What the hell is going on?” Dev asked, his face a mask of confusion as he watched Daniel put his fist through a wall.
“He saw the tape.” Zack turned to me and I expected him to be pissed, but his brown eyes were sympathetic. “I couldn’t keep it from him, Zoey. I know what you were trying to do and I admire you for it, but you’re wrong. I’m sorry. He had to know.”
“Know what?” Dev asked. “I thought he knew I fucked our wife. Most of the time, he’s there when I’m doing it. Why exactly has this very common occurrence suddenly turned Daniel into a bull in my china shop? Damn it, Dan! Not the bar!”
Dev stepped out into the middle of the room like he wasn’t staring down an enraged vampire who he thought was pissed at him. “Stop it this instant, Daniel! If you have a problem with me then fight it out. Do you have any idea how much this is costing us? Contractors are expensive and those freaking shapeshifters are cons, I swear it. They charge exorbitant rates and half the time I find them standing around.”
Daniel stopped and stared at Dev. He pointed a long claw at him. “You knew and you let it happen.”
“He didn’t, Danny.” I used my softest voice. I needed to work some serious companion magic to get Daniel to come down from his angry high.
“Well, of course I knew, Zoey,” Dev said, still under mistaken impressions. “I was there. I didn’t realize I had to ask Daniel for permission to screw our wife.”
Daniel was shaking as he spoke. “Was that before or after Marini raped her?”
A dazed air hit Dev as he turned. I started to say something, but he quickly held a hand up to stop me. The strong line of his jaw firmed stubbornly, and I knew he wasn’t going to listen to anything I had to say. His eyes found Zack. “Where is this tape?”
The werewolf quietly led his boss into the small security office. The doors opened behind us and the rest of the crew entered, laughing and joking, until they saw the damage.
“What on earth?” Neil’s mouth hung open as he set his Starbucks on a miraculously intact table.
“Shit.” Lee cursed because he was the only one who knew what had to have happened.
“You!” Daniel yelled, his rage turning to Lee. “Where the hell were you when he was draining her? You’re her bodyguard.”
“And you’re her husband,” Lee growled back, shoving Neil and Nim behind him. “You want to know where I was? I was up in my apartment enjoying my night off because I was assured my charge’s husbands would take care of her. No one told me they would act like imbeciles, get drunk, pass out and leave her on her own. Marini must have thought he’d died and gone to heaven, Your Highness. She was all alone and vulnerable because the men who say they love her were unconscious.”
“Lee, you’re not helping.” The last thing I needed was for Lee to fan the flames.
“She told you.” Daniel managed to make it an accusation.
“Of course she told me. She needed someone to help her after she was brutally assaulted. Maybe she was trying to avoid this little scene,” Lee replied.
“Danny, you need to calm down,” I said in my most patient voice. “Please, calm down and we can talk about this.”
“No, companion,” he said, backing away from me. “You will not calm me this time.” His blue gaze went back to Lee, who seemed to be the one he wanted to take this out on since his true target was inconveniently absent. “You should have told me, wolf. You owe me the truth. I’m her master.”
Lee’s hands sprouted long, nasty claws as he confronted Daniel. “I owe you nothing, vampire. I’m Zoey’s guard. My oath is to her. I put up with you because she loves you.”
“And just what is your relationship with my companion that when she’s hurt, she would run to you?” The question was asked with ugly suspicion.
“What are you accusing me of, Daniel?” I crossed my arms over my chest and stared my husband down. “How many lovers did I have last night? Do you honestly believe I went from Marini to Lee to Dev? Damn, Danny, I’m quite the busy bee. I should start charging.” I was on a tear now because the last thing I needed was Daniel pulling his vampire jealousy crap on me. “Why do you assume it was rape? I sent Neil up to the penthouse. Maybe I wanted to be alone with Marini. Maybe I’m curious if all vampires are the same or if his bite might be even better than yours.”
“Zoey,” Lee warned and I could tell he was getting ready to pounce if Daniel took a step toward me.
“He’s not going to hurt me, Lee,” I said with bitterness. If I couldn’t bring him down with patience, I would do it with guilt and shame. I needed my Daniel back. I needed to get rid of the beast before he hurt Lee. “Don’t you know? I’m his property. He won’t intentionally damage his own property. It might drive my price down.”
Daniel roared and picked up the nearest table, hurling it into the wall like it was a discus. The force caused it to lodge into the wall and stick there like a suspended piece of art. Daniel then sat in the middle of the floor and let his head find his hands.
I sank down beside him, my anger expended, too. “I’m sorry, Danny. There wasn’t anything you could do.”
“You didn’t even give me the chance, Z,” he said quietly as his claws sank back into his hands. “I’m your husband. You didn’t allow me to defend you.”
I shook my head, sick to death of this argument. “I didn’t let you die and leave me alone. He can kill you. He can do it very quickly, and there’s no way for you to survive it.”
“You went to Lee,” he said hollowly.
“Would you prefer I told no one? What would you have done if I’d gotten you up and told you last night?”
His face was fierce as he thought about it. “I would have tracked him and killed him. I would have made him suffer first.”
“Before or after he pressed a button and your chest exploded?”
Daniel growled his frustration.
I just sighed and moved close to him. “If our roles were reversed, what would you have done? Would you have risked my life?”
“It’s not the same.”
“I love you,” I said quietly. “If my suffering will keep us together in the end, then it’s worth it. I can handle it, Danny. You have to let me be your partner in this. Are you seriously going to put everything we’ve worked for at risk because you don’t want me to feel a minute’s discomfort?”
“Zoey, please.” I could hear the heartache in his voice. “You can’t ask me to sacrifice you.”
“You can’t ask me to sacrifice us,” I replied simply. “Are you telling me you wouldn’t want me anymore if Marini had me?”
He pulled me close and let his head fall against my chest. His ear rested against my breast, and I knew he was listening to my heartbeat. He found the sound soothing. “I don’t give a damn what he has. I love you. You’re my world. He could have you a thousand times and I would know you’re still mine.”
<
br /> I stroked his hair, happy our little crisis had been averted. “Well, I’m glad you feel that way since you now know about my long-time affair with Lee. I’m glad you know. He’s such a kind, gentle lover.”
I felt Daniel’s chuckle.
Lee rolled his eyes at me as he disappeared behind the bar. “Thank god, he didn’t break the damn fridge. I need a beer.”
“Is the violence over?” Nim asked curiously.
“I think so.” Neil retrieved his Frappuccino and took a long swig.
“We’re fine now, Nim,” I assured her. “Dev will be infinitely more reasonable than Daniel. We’ll sit down and talk it out after Dev is done seeing the tape.”
Daniel snorted. “He has you so fooled.”
I was about to ask Daniel what he meant when my infinitely more reasonable husband stalked back into the room. He was shoving a semiautomatic pistol into the holster he’d wrapped around his shoulders, but I wondered why he needed it since it looked like he’d already emptied out the armory. He was carrying a P-90 and something I didn’t recognize. Zack trailed behind him, carrying a bag that was filled with what I was pretty sure were cakes of C-4.
Daniel sat up and observed his partner with an approving nod. “Nice. You’ve been wanting to use those flamethrowers ever since we bought them.”
Dev acknowledged Danny with a nod, but ignored me. He pointed at Lee. “You will fetch my wife’s clothes from last night. I know she left them in your apartment when she sought to hide the crimes against her. You will bring them to me and Zack will use them to track Marini. Daniel, you will stay out of range of that device of his.”
“Yes, Devinshea,” Daniel said sarcastically. “That will keep me out of the range of the blood splatter that will come when Marini slits your throat.”
“Well, I wasn’t intending to get close, Daniel. I’m going to blow up whatever building happens to be housing the fucker at the time. If by some chance he escapes the blast, I will get him with the flamethrower. I have to admit, I’m rather hoping for the second scenario. I want to watch him burn.”
Dev had forgotten several important truths. “Dev, he travels with an entourage. You’re going to kill everyone just to get to Marini?”
He gave me one allowance. “Neil, you may call Chad and warn him he has ten minutes before I blow his ass away.”
Neil took a long suck off his straw. “Thanks, Dev. He’ll appreciate the heads up.”
“How about the humans?” I asked, horrified at the suggestion. There were always humans traveling with vampires. Companions were very rare, so human lovers and slaves would certainly be present.
“Collateral damage, my lover,” he said coldly. “They’ll be better off in the long run.”
I turned to look at Daniel, who didn’t seem shocked at Dev’s plan of action. He shook his head at my naïveté. “He’s as blood thirsty and possessive as I am. He just comes in a softer-looking package.”
“Does she expect us to allow this transgression to pass?” Dev’s face flushed, his words coming out in a harsh grind. “He held her down. He drank from her. He would have taken her if... What the hell happened? Who else was in that room? I couldn’t see anyone.”
“It was Bris,” I said quietly. “He couldn’t say anything, obviously, but I know it was him.”
“Remind me to thank him for that once he reintegrates.” Daniel motioned for Dev to sit down beside us. “But Z is right. We can’t just go around blowing shit up. You can end up on some serious watchlists for stuff like that.”
Dev sank down, letting the flamethrower gently find the floor. “Human laws. I find them very confining. Why do humans make all these lovely weapons if they are just going to outlaw their use?”
“It’s a mystery,” I allowed.
“I have to get this thing off my heart.” Daniel’s shoulders dropped.
“Yes, you do,” Dev said and I heard the relief in his voice.
Daniel nodded Nim’s way. “All right, Nim. Tell me what to do.”
“Well, first we have to find a demon to help us out,” Nim told him.
My vampire turned to me and his face fell when I smiled weakly. Daniel was back to holding his head in his hands. “No. I hate that fucker.”
Stewart might not be thrilled with his welcoming committee.
Chapter Seven
Daniel and I stood outside the small bookstore on Greenville Avenue. It was a quiet little place that was easily missed since it was beside a sex shop with super-bright neon lights that promised every type of condom known to man. An insistent thud of music came from the small clubs all up and down the street. The spring night was slightly cool and pleasant on my skin.
“Where the hell is he?” Daniel glanced down the sidewalk as people moved past.
“I don’t know,” I replied tartly. “Maybe he had to clean up after someone trashed his club.”
“Yeah, Z, he’s doing that cleanup himself,” Daniel said sarcastically. “He‘s wielding a broom right now. Dev is so hands-on. You weren’t there, baby. You were up talking to Harry, getting us a place to call a demon. He had like twenty maids working less than ten minutes after he made a call. It’s like he had a plan in place just in case I went berserk.”
I didn’t doubt that. Dev was a big planner. He always thought ahead. It wouldn’t surprise me if I discovered that Dev kept a playbook in his office for things like Daniel going into a rage and destroying half the club. I chose not to mention that to Daniel. He had felt bad enough when he’d finally gotten his beast under control.
Once we all decided that we were going to deal with Daniel’s heart problem, we didn’t want to wait to get started. Dev and Zack made our travel arrangements and Christine and Nim were working out the long-distance rates for our little call. Midnight was approaching and we’d divided up the list of things we needed for the ritual. Lee and Zack were at my father’s with Christine and Nim, making sure the place was secure while the witches drew the circle. Daniel, Dev, and I were getting the proper herbs and…stuff I wasn’t sure I wanted to know what it did. Neil was out getting Stewart a little gift because one doesn’t call a demon without having a thoughtful gift on hand. It tended to piss the demon off if he got nothing out of the experience.
So we were in the doorway of the small used bookstore that acted as a front for a creepy weird witchcraft store waiting on Dev, who’d had a mysterious errand he had to run. I let the music from the club across the street flow over me. The Granada was a renovated movie theater and it reminded me of my all-too-brief time in college with Danny. We’d gone to a few clubs to see friends of ours play. We’d been young and in love and he’d been human. Sometimes I felt like that time happened to a different person.
Daniel slung an arm around my shoulders and tugged me close. He kissed my forehead. I glanced up and he was watching the young people walking by. They were chatting and laughing, and many of them were half drunk. They were enjoying their lives.
“You should be doing that, Z.” Danny’s voice was melancholy as he watched the men and women stroll down the road. “You should be running around on a Saturday night partying with your friends and having a good time. You shouldn’t be trying to call a freaking demon so you can go find another one.”
I grinned up at my husband. “Danny, how old do you think I am? I’m twenty-eight. Don’t get me wrong. It’s not exactly retirement home time, but I hardly think I’d be out clubbing every night. If I wasn’t getting ready to call a demon, I’d probably be studying for a job.”
He shook his head. “I was just thinking of what you and Dev would be doing if I wasn’t around.”
Wrinkling my nose, I gave the question a little thought. “Well, I would probably be on the run from vampires who want to munch on me or make a quick buck selling me to older vampires who would munch on me. As for Dev, he’d be dead because he was trying to stop the vampires who wanted to munch on me.”
“I would be, lover.” Dev snuck up behind us. “Daniel and I are the only on
es allowed to make a meal of you. I would have proven that point tonight had anyone allowed me to use my flamethrower.”
He was incredibly dapper in black slacks and a snowy white dress shirt that was open at the throat. He walked with the supreme confidence of a man who knew he looked damn good and the people he loved were going to approve. I also knew what his errand had been.
“Thank god, you cut your hair,” Daniel said with a sigh of relief.
“You cut your hair.” I couldn’t help but pout a little because I really liked his long, thick hair. I liked getting tangled up in it and brushing it for him. Though I had to admit the current long, sort-of-spiky look suited him perfectly. It was the type of style that seemed messy but actually had taken a lot of work to get just right.
“Harry told me to and since I am now the good son, I chose to honor his request,” Dev said with a satisfied smile.
Daniel shook his head. He’d talked to Dad earlier in the evening and seemed relieved that he finally knew what was going on. I never realized how hard it was for Daniel to keep secrets from his father-in-law.
Daniel walked up to Dev and inspected him, walking around to see it from every angle. He reached up and his hand found the back of Dev’s head, running his fingers through the thick hair there. He playfully tugged at it. “See. That’s perfect. It’s just long enough I can pull it and get you in the right position to take a bite.”
Dev grinned at me, and I was sure he liked the look on my face. I greatly enjoyed it when the boys teased me. “That was my plan, Dan. I know how important having a firm grip is to you.”
I wasn’t the only one interested in the boys’ little flirtation. The crowd on a Saturday night on Greenville isn’t the most conservative group. They were young and decadent and a whole lot of them weren’t anything close to straight. Men and women alike watched my husbands with covetous eyes. I couldn’t blame them. I often drooled when they walked into a room.
They were two opposite visions of hot masculinity. Daniel was big and broad, with thick golden hair that was perfectly overgrown. His eyes were a deep blue and I loved the way his cheeks dimpled when he smiled. He looked dangerous in jeans, a T-shirt, and a leather jacket. He wasn’t a guy you messed with.