Steal the Moon

Chapter Thirteen

The problem with covert operations is the fact that everything is so damn secretive. It can be almost impossible to tell who knows what and how to react properly to a situation. The last thing you want to do is give away valuable information when the mark is really only trying to size you up a little.

There are three ways to handle a situation like the one I found myself in after nasty bitch Stacy led me into the lion’s den. I could cry and beg and hope Marini didn’t really know anything and was just looking for a forbidden snack. I could assume the bastard knew everything and I was about to get my ass drained. That scenario called for me to find the nearest available piece of wood and try to get it really pointy. The third method was to be patient and try to figure out what the hell was going on. While I actually preferred method number two, I settled for a restless patience.

“Mr. Marini, you wanted something from me?” I asked, keeping my voice somewhat steady but letting a little of my fear seep through. Louis Marini struck me as the kind of vampire who liked to be feared. When dealing with a man such as this, it’s always best to provide him with what he wants or he tends to give you something to be afraid of.

Marini sat down on a plush sofa and offered me the seat next to him. I smoothed down the skirt of my dress and tried to sit in as ladylike a fashion as I could while also giving me an opportunity to run should the need arise. I was already thinking of how I could ditch my shoes. Jimmy Choo doesn’t design with speed in mind. One of these days I was going to force the boys to run a mile in my stilettos and see if they still found them sexy.

Marini gave them a glance that told me he approved. “There are many things I would like from you, Mrs. Donovan. I’ll settle for a little conversation.”

“I thought we already had a little conversation this evening.”

Marini regarded me thoughtfully. “No, we had a small exchange in which your lover controlled the dialogue. The men in your life are carefully controlling you around me. I noticed how the prince brought the conversation back to himself whenever you seemed to be ready to show any kind of personality.”

“Perhaps the prince is simply extremely self-centered.”

“Perhaps,” Marini allowed with a frown that said he didn’t believe it. “Royals tend to believe the world revolves around them, but I think he’s protecting something. I don’t know what that is, but I would like to. It occurred to me last year that you’re in a powerful position, Mrs. Donovan.”

I couldn’t stop my sharp, somewhat bitter laugh. There was little about a companion that screamed power. We were to be pretty and feed our masters. We were not to cause trouble. “I assure you, Mr. Marini, I understand my place. It’s been made clear to me that I’m property. If this is a chastisement then consider me chastened.”

“And what would I be calling you to account for, Mrs. Donovan? Would it be the demon contract you signed?”

“That was an oral contract,” I pointed out quickly. “I never actually signed anything.”

“Or perhaps using our demon hosts to steal onto the Hell plane and release an angel from a powerful ally’s palace?” His litany came out as an accusation, and I found myself getting defensive.

“Halfer was a crappy ally. He tried to steal your precious Nex Apparatus. I doubt he was going to have Daniel teach him arts and crafts. Daniel is a vampire killer. Halfer wanted to take out some vamps. And as for the accusations about setting the angel free, no one can prove that. But I have it on the highest authority that if I had pulled that job, Lucifer himself would have thanked me.” He hadn’t actually said anything vaguely resembling a thank you, but he also hadn’t murdered me. Coming from him, it was practically a hug.

“Do you know the name Donna Johnson?” Marini asked, his tone telling me he already knew the answer.

“I might have heard of her.” It was an alias I used from time to time.

“From what I understand, she’s wanted for questioning in a multiple homicide in a small county in Arkansas. There’s a police sketch of her. She bears a remarkable resemblance to you, though the police can find no actual record of her arrest or that of her strikingly attractive partner. Daniel was forced to call in a clean-up crew after the fact. Daniel did an excellent job on the sheriff, but one of the deputies remembered you. He wanted to call in the FBI. You won’t have any problems now. The cleaners are very thorough. We don’t usually have to send them in to clean up after a companion.” Marini seemed merely curious, but there was an undercurrent to this conversation I obviously didn’t understand yet. “Was your accomplice the prince?”

“Yes.” I replied honestly because he seemed to know everything already. I only lied when I was damn sure I could get away with it. I also needed to protect Chad. He had been the one putting the whammy on the authorities, not Daniel. “I’m sure the Council vetted me before I married Daniel. I’m a thief, Mr. Marini. This is the twenty-first century. A woman tends to keep her career even after she’s married. And just to set the record straight, I didn’t kill those witches. That was another demon. I’ve been completely demon free for seven months. That twelve-step program is working.”

“See, if your prince were here I would not be having this amusing conversation with you,” Marini said. “He would have pulled you or pushed you, and your charming mouth would have closed. Perhaps I would have believed Daniel and the prince were enamored of your mere beauty, but then we come to the problem of Marcus. I’ve known Marcus for almost two thousand years, and not once has he lost his head over a beauty with no brain. Marcus likes the clever ones. Marcus loves the difficult ones. Your husband can try to present you as a lovable piece of fluff, but I think any woman with a criminal record like yours has to have a backbone.”

“I believe you’ll find I don’t have a record of any kind.” I’d worked hard to not have a record. The only time I’d been caught by the cops was in Arkansas and that was because I refused to leave Dev behind.

“I assure you, you have a long record with the Council, and we count far more than any human authorities.” Marini leaned forward. “When Daniel Donovan turned, he was an unassuming college student with a flawless academic record. He might have ambled through school, but he was certainly not planning a life of crime. That happened after he reconnected with you.”

“Or maybe it happened after you turned him into a freaking assassin.” My patience was wearing thin. I stood up and glared down at the head of the Council. “Where is the holier-than-thou attitude coming from, Marini? Are you legit? I’m betting that little girl you chew on every night wasn’t legal when you started gnawing. What’s your record like? Let’s start with murder because I’m betting you’ve gone there and I’m thinking it wasn’t just self-defense. There’s kidnapping and forced prostitution.”

“Prostitutes tend to get paid, Mrs. Donovan. We do not pay our companions.”

“Then let’s call it what it is—slavery. Have you read a history book in the last couple of centuries? That was outlawed a long time ago. I might have a record somewhere, but I’m sure it pales in comparison to the atrocities you’ve committed over the years.”

“You assume I am displeased with you,” Marini said, completely nonplussed with my show of temper. “That’s not the case. I’ve spent the last several months wondering what to do about you, Mrs. Donovan. I thought about arranging for a convenient accident, but I decided against it. I think it might make Daniel difficult to control. You’re the best measure we have against his threat. Any other method requires us to kill him. You alone have the power to force him to comply. I’ve decided to bring you into the fold, so to say.”

Now I was really scared. I didn’t think I would like being in the fold. I was damn sure I didn’t want to get pulled any further into the Council’s machinations. Unfortunately, I didn’t think this was going to be the kind of job you get to turn down.

“It occurs to me that you could be an asset. There are certain items I’m interested in acquiring, and I believe you’re the only one who can do the job. You’ll be allowed into places a vampire cannot go.”

“You want me to steal from Faery,” I said flatly. Vampires had been forbidden to enter the mounds centuries before. It was the only place I could think of where I would be more effective than a vampire.

“See, I knew you were a smart girl,” he said, looking satisfied. “I was pleased to hear the prince’s brother is attempting reconciliation. It will make it much easier on you. Tell the prince you wish to see his home. Tell him you need a vacation. I don’t care how you do it, but get him to take you to his mother’s palace. I’ll send my emissary to you with the full details in a few weeks.”

“Why the hell would I do this for you?” I asked more to myself than him.

“You will do it because if you don’t, I’ll kill your husband.” Marini’s tone was flat, and he shrugged a little as though he didn’t really care either way.

“You and what army?” The Council hadn’t had a hell of a lot of luck hurting Danny before.

The head of the Council pulled out a small, palm-sized box, and I knew deep in my heart that he was about to change the game. “This is the only army I need. I’m no fool. I remember how hard it was to kill the last king who rose. That was a long time ago, but modern technology has made it so much easier. I’m going to tell you something that no one else knows. While your husband was with the Council during his training, I realized how dangerous he could be to me. I had a small device surgically attached to his heart during a medical examination. Daniel doesn’t remember it. He was placed under a strong spell for the procedure and, of course, he heals quickly. If I push this little button, a lethal dose of colloidal silver enters his heart and then I no longer have to worry about another king. I prefer to use Mr. Donovan’s talents for as long as possible, but when he becomes troublesome, I will push this button.”

“You could be lying. Vampire bodies expel foreign objects.” My hands were shaking at the thought of Marini holding Daniel’s life in his hands.

“Not if they’re placed there with very strong black magic. I’ve been working with a group of witches for years, preparing for a time when one like Daniel would rise. You can call me a liar all day, but are you willing to test it? I don’t think so. I think you love your husband. If I have read the situation incorrectly, I’m more than happy to get rid of Daniel. I can find another way to force you to do my bidding.” A smug smile crossed his face as he replaced the box in his pocket. “You have a father, I believe. There’s always the prince.”

“You know I’ll do it,” I admitted quietly because I didn’t doubt Louis Marini would do exactly what he said he would.

“Excellent. I’ll send you the information in a few weeks. Use that time to get the prince to agree to grant you access to his sithein. I don’t buy his ‘I belong to me’ crap. Nor do I believe he belongs to Daniel. That prince belongs to you as Daniel belongs to you. I’m not such a fool that I can’t see who my real opponent is. I’ve certainly lived long enough to know it would be an enormous mistake to underestimate you merely because you’re female. Most of the deadliest creatures I’ve encountered were women.”

I found myself unwilling to praise him for his liberated attitude. I was far too busy wondering if I could get that little box out of his hand. It had been a while since I played the pickpocket, but I figured I could still do it.

Marini laughed, easily discerning my intentions. “Don’t even try it. It’s not the only one tuned to the proper frequency. I would advise you not to try to remove the device either. It will only cause it to engage. Do the job.”

“And then what?”

“And then you will do the next job and the one after that,” Marini answered. “Would you prefer I lie and tell you I’ll give you the box after you do this one little job? I doubt you would believe me. I promise you I’ll treat you fairly, Zoey. I’ll call you Zoey from now on because I think we’re past formalities. Make yourself useful to me, Zoey, and we will get on well. You can keep your husband and your lover and other than the occasional job, you’ll be left in peace.”

I doubted that, but what was I supposed to do? I needed to survive the interview first and foremost. When I got out of this room intact, I could start worrying about how I was going to get that thing out of Daniel’s body. Then I could figure out how I was going to kill Marini. I nodded my reluctant consent. One minute Marini was on the couch and the next he was invading every inch of my space.

“Then we have a deal.” His face was so close to mine I heard the light snap of his fangs as they popped out. I tried to take a step back but the wall was against me, and there was nowhere to go. “We should seal the deal, little thief. In your world you would do it with a handshake. We’re not in your world.”

I held myself still as he rubbed his face against my neck, breathing in the scent. I felt the sharpness of his fangs graze my vulnerable flesh and shrank back. He chuckled and pulled his head away, his body still pinning mine against the wall. He obviously enjoyed my discomfort on a base level.

Still laughing, he pulled my left wrist to his mouth and there was a short, sharp sting before his tongue licked the blood he had spilled. When he was done, he let me go.

“You are so sweet. It’s truly intoxicating. You should run away now, Zoey,” he said softly. “Before I change my mind and decide your blood is worth more than your talents.”

I was out of the room before he could say anything else. As I shut the door behind me, I ran directly into Chad.

“Are you all right?” He had to hold on to my shoulders because I was anything but steady.

“Where’s Dev?” I didn’t really want to answer his question. I was so past all right it was ridiculous. I was shaking and my wrist hurt. I wanted to go home and forget the evening ever happened.

“He’s waiting in the limo,” Chad explained, taking my hand and leading me down the hall. “I had to convince him not to tear up the place looking for you. He wants to have a few words with Marcus about leaving you.”

I would have a few choice words for Marcus when I saw him tomorrow as well. “Did you know Marini was going to corner me?”

Chad’s face was blank as he decided how to answer me. “I did. I thought it best you went in cold. I have to play things close to the vest when I’m around him and I’m almost always around him. I’ve become valuable to the Council,” Chad said, helping me down the stairs. “Until everything is ready, I would suggest you play along with whatever Marini wants. I’ll do what I can from this side to help you.”

“He’s sending someone with some information for me in a few weeks,” I told him. “If there’s any way…”

“I’ll try, Zoey,” he agreed. “I think he trusts me enough. Watch your back and find my boy.”

I nodded and then we were in the lobby. I practically ran out of the club, slamming the door behind me. The heat of the night should have been oppressive, but I let it fill my lungs as I took my first deep breath in hours. In a second, Dev was out of the limo and wrapping his arms around me. He took me back to the car and securely locked the doors but made no move to tell the driver to leave. It was comforting to know I didn’t have to ask. He would rather wait all night than leave Daniel here.

I sat in Dev’s lap, feeling safer than I had in hours, and told him everything. I didn’t leave out a thing, even the fact that I was supposed to steal something from his mother’s kingdom. I told him about the tiny bomb on Daniel’s heart. It was such a relief to talk to Dev because I knew he would immediately start working on the problems and I could concentrate on what I do best.

I was half asleep, resting on the limo’s plush seat, when Daniel finally opened the door. The minute he was seated, the car pulled away, and I heard the two talking softly. Daniel tried to keep his voice down so as not to wake me, but there was no mistaking his fury.

“Give me one good reason, Dev,” he said in a low growl. “Give me one reason I don’t go back there and kill that son of a bitch right now.”

“Well, for one, he’ll press a button and your heart will explode,” Dev pointed out. “We should probably come up with a way around that before you go berserker on him.”

“I’ll do it during the day. After the way I fed tonight, I’ll be up by noon.”

“Even if you could find his resting place—and I think he’ll probably hide—we have no idea what safeties he’s put in place with that device. He could have any number of ways to kill you if he’s suddenly gone. Then there’s the fact that if we take out the Council now, we run the risk of all-out war that would risk the human population. Get your alliances in place and then we can move. Get the wolves and I’ll get Faery and then we can kill them all.”

Daniel cursed and sat back, but he knew Dev was right.

“I’ll contact Declan tonight,” Dev said. “I’ll talk to him in the morning. We meet with the wolves in a few weeks. It could all be over by the end of summer.”

“Dev, you know what to do if he uses that thing,” Daniel said.

“She’ll be protected,” Dev assured him. “I’ll make my brother understand. I’ll get consent one way or another, and then we won’t have to worry about it. If they try to come for her, they can fight all of Faery.”

I watched, my sleepy eyes loving every bit of them, and I knew I would do whatever it took to protect my men. I would play Marini’s game, but I was going to find a way to change the rules.