Steal the Moon (35 page)

We lay back on the bed together, Dev pressing his head to my chest. I let my fingers play in his hair. “I think he cares about you more than he lets on. He’s not great about expressing himself. I don’t know what he’s planning and if you do then keep it to yourself. Confidences between the two of you are just that. I’m not going to ask you to betray him. But I want to fight for him, Dev. I want to let him know he can’t just walk away from us.”

He nodded. “I think you should let him know that. He needs to hear it from you. He loves you, Zoey. No matter what he says, no matter what he has planned, he loves you. He’s being an idiot because he can’t stand the thought of losing you.”

“Dev, we need to fight for him together,” I corrected him. “I want to go to Daniel together and let him know what we need. He owes both of us. We both owe him. I think the first thing we need from him is a promise to talk to us rather than arbitrarily deciding what’s best.”

“I don’t know, Zoey. I might just confuse the issue.”

I wasn’t getting through to him. “Dev, how much do you and Daniel talk about that you never mention to me? How much do the two of you know about each other that I don’t? I’m your lover and Daniel knows more about your background than I do. Does Daniel know how you feel about Padric?”

He hesitated before admitting, “It might have come up in conversation before. I’m not trying to hide things from you.”

I stopped him. “I don’t begrudge you your friendship with Daniel, and I don’t require that I know everything he does. That’s not my point, Dev. I want the two of you to talk. You need each other. That’s why we go to him together. Begin as we mean to end—together.”

“And if he still leaves?”

“Then we mourn his loss and move on with our lives,” I said, hoping beyond hope it didn’t come to that. I couldn’t imagine not having Daniel with us. He was important. He completed us.

“You won’t leave me?” Dev asked quietly, and I knew it was his greatest fear that I would leave and Danny would leave and he would be alone again. He’d had many lovers before me, but I knew that until Daniel and I had come into his life, he’d been lonely.

I forced him to look at me, to feel my will. “I will never leave you, Devinshea. I love you. I’m here for the long haul, baby. Just try to get rid of me and see what happens.” I took a deep breath and decided to be honest with him. “Just so you know, though, I’m still going to make you crazy.”

“I wouldn’t have it any other way,” he said, smiling and pulling me firmly under his body.

I frowned as I looked up at him, hoping he was going to take this little tidbit of information well. “I found Neil.”

“Good,” he replied. “It is past time for him to come home.”

I let out a deep breath I hadn’t realized I was holding. “I thought you would be mad.”

“I can be angry with him and still want him home and safe. I always knew you would find him, sweetheart. I think you will find Daniel’s anger has lessened as well. We both want to have it out with Neil, but we want him safe. It’s difficult to kick someone’s ass when they’re dead.” Dev was grinning down at me. “I love you, Zoey. Those you love will always be welcome in our home.”

I wrapped my arms around his neck, loving the feel of his weight pressing me into the mattress. “So I get to keep Neil and Lee?”

“I would never be so cruel as to force you to give up your pets. And we’ll fight together to keep Daniel.” Dev lowered his head and kissed me, softly at first but with the promise of more to come.

Albert was going to be so upset with me, I thought as I gave myself over, but breakfast was just going to have to wait.

Chapter Twenty-Two

It was almost eleven by the time breakfast was done. Declan had been quiet throughout, though his manners were back for the most part. He switched his stare from me to his brother often, as though contemplating his next move. I’d begun to suspect that Declan’s pursuit of me had more to do with his brother than any mad desire for my body. If Dev had been willing to share me, it would prove I was just like the hundreds who had come before me.

Padric and Dev had spoken throughout the meal, discussing what had been happening in the
sithein
since Dev left. I noted that Dev didn’t ask questions about a woman named Gilliana who might or might not be his wife. I wanted to ask about her and any possible child she might have but decided to leave it for a more private time.

After breakfast, I moved into the front room which was now crammed with crap Declan had brought. He really didn’t travel light. There were a bunch of trunks, crates, and boxes. What the hell he needed with everything I had no idea.

“They are gifts to the wolves,” Declan said quietly behind me, reading my mind. “And bribes.”

“For Dev?” I asked, reading his just a little.

“I miss him,” Declan said with a regal nod of his head. “I do apologize if I offended you this morning. I did not wish to recognize that my brother might be ready to take an important step in his life when up until a few weeks ago, I had no idea you existed.”

“I know it seems sudden to you, but we’ve been together for almost two years.” An ornate gold cage was among the gifts. I stared down into it. There was a small ball of fur sleeping peacefully, burrowed down in a nest.

“I was the leader. From the time we were small children, I was the leader and Devinshea followed me. His powers were small and soft. I was strong. I was ruthless. I could protect him. I was the favorite of our people, and the truth is Devinshea was only accepted by the royals because he was my brother.”

“And the non-royals?”

Declan smiled slyly. “Yes, well, they did not really care he was mortal. He was the Green Man. He made their crops grow. Did you know that when Devinshea walks through the fields of our
sithein
, everywhere he touches turns green and fruitful? He could not hide when we played games because I just followed the footprints in the grass or plants that grew in his wake.” He paused for a moment, his lips turning down. “We need him to come home, Zoey. No one realized how important he was. His pleasant nature made him beloved by the commons and even the bloody Unseelie. They requested him as my mother’s ambassador during recent negotiations. It did not go well when I went instead.”

“What did you do, brother?” Dev asked with a sigh as he entered the room followed by Padric.

“Well, they are not threatening war,” Declan offered.

“Yet,” Padric added.

Dev sent his brother an annoyed look. “Damn it. I told you how to handle them. You have to treat them with respect. You have to allow them their customs. They will try to push you into showing your distaste. You must never show them.”

“It is hard because I find them very, very distasteful,” Declan shot back.

They were off and arguing about politics which meant my mind was off and wandering. I don’t much care for the politics that directly affect me, much less politics on some other plane. I was busy watching the little furry thing sleep. It was such a sweet little puff ball. It opened its eyes and they were large and blue.

“It is a jalibuit,” Padric explained as Dev and Dec continued to argue. “It is a rare creature found in Faery. We brought two of them as gifts to the wolves. They are good to hunt.”

I made no attempt to hide my outrage. “You’re going to let the wolves hunt that tiny, sweet little rabbit thing? That’s horrible. And it’s rare? No wonder it’s rare. You let wolves hunt them.”

I started to reach through the bars of the cage to pet the poor little thing that would likely be some wolf’s morning snack soon.

Padric’s hand shot out just as the sweet little thing became a rabid fury filled with sharp teeth. It rattled the cage and tried hard to break free.

“It is rare, Zoey, because it is a ferocious predator,” Padric said with a wry smile.

“Zoey.” Dev pulled me away from the cage. “You will not be keeping it as a pet.”

“I don’t want to.” It had gone back to its former sweet state, but all I could see were teeth.

Dev kissed me lightly. “I have to go now. Our ceremony is tomorrow night and there are rituals I must perform to ready myself.”

“Does it involve scraping off half your skin with faery sand?” I asked grumpily because I was still a little raw from my last encounter with that sand.

“Yes, of course,” he replied, not taking the bait. He picked up a bag he’d prepared and started out the door.

“Devinshea,” Padric called. “I believe those rituals are for you and the male members of your family.”

Dev shook his head. “Given the way Declan feels about it, I will be fine alone.”

“I would offer my services, Devinshea,” Padric said plainly.

Dev smiled slightly and inclined his head. “I would be honored if you would accompany me.”

Declan was frowning at the two of them. “Well, if Padric is going I am, too. Besides, if I am left here, I doubt Zoey will be able to keep her hands off of me and then I will be forced to murder my brother in a duel. It is better I take the temptation away.”

I rolled my eyes as Dev laughed and led the other men out of the door. He popped his head back in for one last instruction. “Be careful today, my goddess. That little predator is the second of two brought in for the hunts. The first hunt just began. Stay out of the woods to the north. It will be dangerous.”

I nodded, promising to stay safe as he left with the men.

“Just another half hour,” Sarah said as she walked up with a nervous smile on her face.

“God, I hope he’s all right.” It was going to be a long half hour. It seemed like I’d waited forever to see Neil again.

Sarah stared out the open flap of the tent. Dev had disappeared into the forests. Sarah and I walked outside and I enjoyed the sunshine and the way the aspens shook in the wind. It was a beautiful, peaceful place.

Sarah pointed to the woods in the distance. “Do you think he’s already waiting out there?”

“I don’t know. I hope so.” The woods seemed far away. I hoped Neil wasn’t far. Declan’s words finally penetrated my brain. “Oh, shit, Sarah. Is that north?”

“Yes, silly.” She laughed because I wasn’t known for my spectacular sense of direction.

My heart practically stopped, and I shouted for the only person I was sure could help me. “Lee!”

Lee burst out of the tent, gun in hand. He quickly pulled me behind him and scanned for the threat. He wasn’t happy when he turned around. “Damn it, Zoey. Don’t scare me like that.”

I was out of breath and just short of panic. “Lee, what happens if wolves are hunting and they come across a sick wolf?”

Sarah drew in a shocked breath, turning toward those woods. Sarah and I were both familiar enough with wolf society that we had an inkling of what could happen.

“They aren’t going to take a sick wolf with them,” Lee explained. “Hunts are always a part of gatherings like this. It’s a part of wolf culture. It’s nothing to worry about. From what I heard, they’re hunting some weird-ass Faery beast. Only the strong will be on this hunt.”

I pointed to the woods. “Neil is in those woods, Lee.”

He went slightly pale. “Oh, god. They’ll tear him apart. If he’s weak and those wolves have their bloodlust up, they’ll kill him without a thought.”

Sarah bit back a cry. I ran into the tent and back to the master bedroom. I quickly located my suitcase and rifled through it until I found the lavender polo I’d brought along in case we needed Neil’s scent. I’d packed away all of his things when I moved into the penthouse, but I kept a few items with me in hopes I would need them. I hadn’t washed the shirt so it should still smell like him.

Time was of the essence so I opened the drawer and pulled out Dev’s gun, shoving it into the pocket of my denim shorts after I checked the clip. I forced sneakers onto my feet and then raced back out to Lee.

I passed him the shirt and Lee put it straight to his face, breathing in the scent. He let it wash over him, unwilling to hurry it even though I was impatiently pacing, waiting on him. He took one last long inhale and when he tossed the shirt at Sarah, his eyes were already wolflike.

“I can track him.” He was looking toward the tree line, searching for something.

“Then let’s go,” I replied, starting to move toward the woods.

Lee pulled me back, his hand on my arm like a vise. “Zoey, it’s dangerous out there. Those wolves are hunting. This is serious. You’ll smell like food to them.”

“If you go without me, I’ll be right behind you.” Neil didn’t know Lee. He would run and hide. I had to be with him.

He growled at me, got right up in my face and tried to stare me down. He had a good half a foot on me, so I had to stare up at him. I didn’t let the height difference intimidate me. I held my ground and refused to break eye contact. I did a fairly good growl right back at him to let him know I wasn’t going anywhere. When he bared his teeth, I bared mine right back.

“You’re the most frustrating woman I’ve ever met.” He finally stepped back, throwing his hands up. “If you get your ass killed out there, it’s not my fault. I’m going to move fast, so you better hang on.”

Lee kneeled down and offered me his back. It was strange, but I was willing to go with it. I jumped on and wrapped my legs around his waist, locking my feet together. I steadied my hands on his shoulders as he stood up.