Chapter Thirty-Five

 

There was a loud cracking sound and I hit the ground as I took the full brunt of Louis’s slap across my face. The shock of it hit me and then the pain. I tasted blood and my hands shook.

“Tell me it isn’t true,” Louis barked, pulling me up by my hair.

I hurried to get up so he didn’t pull it all out. So much for loving me. I braced for the next blow.

“Fuck,” Louis cursed as he dropped me so abruptly I fell back down.

Niles leaned against the doorframe with a smile on his face, enjoying the show. “Louis, as much as I love that little bitch getting her comeuppance, you really should think before you beat the fetuses from her body.”

I backed up, primal instinct taking over, and I covered my belly. It wouldn’t help if Louis wanted to kill me, but I had to try something. I had to do anything to protect my babies. I’d failed to protect their father. I had to save them.

“How could you?” Louis loomed over me, growling.

I put my head down and curled into a tight ball. I couldn’t lose my babies.

Niles sighed. “Louis, you’re an idiot when it comes to her. Think for two seconds. Those children might keep the Seelies out of this war or it might bring them to our side. The prince was a fertility god, the last of his kind. If little Zoey there has his spawn in her womb, that’s a bloody big bargaining chip.”

I huddled against the wall, hoping Niles’s words got through to Louis. I was also wondering how the hell Miria knew I was pregnant. Had Bris somehow found a new host and informed the Seelies? I’d wondered where the fertility god had gone when Dev died. I had so missed his warmth.

There was no warmth at all as Louis hauled me up again, though this time he took his pleasure by nearly pulling my arm out of socket. “Tell the Queen she and her son will be allowed in with one guard apiece. I will assure their safety and we can discuss this mess we’re in.”

Niles nodded and smiled at me as he left.

“How could you lie to me?” Louis growled the question as he twisted my arm. I wondered if he planned to break it.

“I didn’t lie,” I replied through the pain. “I’m not sure if I’m pregnant.”

“Menteuse.” He pushed me away and sat down in his chair. His claws were out and now I felt the blood where he’d dug them into my skin. “You have another man’s seed growing in your belly and you do not see the betrayal.”

I tried not to whimper as I rotated my arm. It still worked. Mostly. “It happened before you took me. You know Dev died before we were married. How can you blame me? He was my husband. Of course I slept with him.”

Louis brought his big fists down on the desk. It cracked and he seemed satisfied with the destruction. “Get out of here, Zoey. Go and change your clothes and clean the blood from your body. You have ten minutes to be ready. You will be at my side when I greet the Queen. Understand this, my companion, you belong to me so whatever is in your belly is mine to do with as I please. If I decide giving those babes to the Queen when they’re born is to my advantage, then that is what you’ll do.”

I fled the room to do what he asked and prayed I could survive seeing Declan Quinn again.

 

* * * *

 

“You have to stay here,” I told Neil when Trent came for me ten minutes later.

Neil shook his head. “After what he did to you, you expect me to leave you alone with him?”

“You don’t have a choice. I’ll take care of her.” Trent was grim and had been since he’d heard the news. My pregnancy made his job ten times harder. “Look, Zoey has the combination to the safe, right?”

I nodded. I was sure it was one of the six numbers I had hidden in the bathroom with the fake stone.

“Tomorrow we take the stone and we run,” Trent said. “We do it during the day and I just kill anyone who gets in the way. We can’t wait for Donovan any longer.”

It wasn’t the best solution, but I had to think about my sons. They had to come before anything else, so I nodded.

“How does Miria know about the babies?” Neil asked. “She said babies, right? Not baby. How does she know you’re having twins?”

Trent held the door open for me. I glanced back at Neil. “I don’t know.”

He looked like he wanted to say something, but when he opened his mouth he merely wished me luck and told me he would be waiting for me.

Trent cursed under his breath the whole time he walked me to the great hall. My pregnancy put him in a really bad mood. He’d been pissed when he’d seen the blood covering my arms and dotted on my face. The wounds had healed quickly, but there was no mistaking I’d gotten my ass kicked. Any questions I had about the blood bond being the same for all vampires had been answered forever. Daniel could be out of his mind angry and he wouldn’t hit me. Daniel Donovan loved me and it had nothing to do with blood.

The great hall was filled to capacity by the time I got there. It looked like every vampire in the catacombs had come to see the Queen and her heir. Louis had changed his clothes. I was sure I’d been rude enough to bleed on him during his assault on my person. His stance was arrogant and angry as he motioned me over.

“You say nothing, do you understand?” he said harshly, pulling me to his side. “You are to speak only when spoken to and you obey my every command. When this is over we’ll have a long discussion about the future, my companion.”

Then the golden doors that led from the catacombs opened and I got my first glance at Miria, Queen of the Seelie. She was dressed in contemporary clothes for the first time in our acquaintance. Despite her five hundred plus years she appeared to be in her mid-twenties. Her golden red hair brushed her waist, hanging in a perfect waterfall. She wore a fashionable business suit that draped her slender figure. She moved down the grand staircase with a grace and elegance that befitted her royal status. I stared at her for a moment, putting off the time when I had to see Declan.

Tears sprung to my eyes and it took everything I had to remain upright. He looked just like Devinshea. He was in a tailored suit just like the ones Dev favored. Had favored. With his hair pulled back, I could almost believe Devinshea was walking toward me until I saw the cold arrogance in his emerald eyes. He sought me out immediately, and I knew beyond a shadow of a doubt he’d come for revenge.

Padric walked behind his lover, the queen. He was the head of the guards so it made perfect sense that he was with them, but I didn’t recognize the other guard. He was short for a Fae but obviously fierce, with dark hair and brown eyes. He walked behind Declan, so he was obviously the heir’s dedicated guard. Both he and Padric carried long swords on their backs that seemed incongruous with the suits they wore.

“I bring you greetings, Mr. Marini, from the Seelie Fae to the Vampire Council,” Miria said formally. She hadn’t looked at me yet. She kept her regal gaze on the vampire beside me. Declan had no such desire. He openly stared at me, and I caught his glance going to my belly.

“We’re surprised to see you, Queen Miria.” Louis’s voice betrayed none of his earlier panic. He was smooth and calm. “You so rarely leave the sithein.”

“Well, as my youngest son has so recently proven, the Earth plane can be very dangerous for the Fae,” she said.

“I was very sorry to learn of your son’s death,” Louis said and I wondered just what Miria had heard. “I was actually quite fond of the prince.”

“I bet you were.” Declan eyed the vampire with overt distaste.

“Declan,” Miria warned.

“Well, let’s not mince words, Mother. My brother liked vampires. He was addicted to the pleasure of their bite. I loved my brother, Mr. Marini, but I have no illusions about him. He was a pervert, a slave to his own sick desires.” Declan nodded toward me. “His obsession with that woman led to his death.”

“Has the vampire who killed him been punished?” Miria asked as though she was merely inquiring about the weather. I had expected to see more grief, more emotion, but she seemed to be in full-on royal mode where nothing could touch her.

“Of course, Your Majesty,” Louis lied smoothly. “I executed the vampire myself.”

I wanted to shout, but I held my tongue because I wasn’t sure Louis wouldn’t kill me right there and I wasn’t sure Declan wouldn’t help.

“Good,” Miria said, seemingly satisfied. She glanced my way. “Upon hearing of Devinshea’s death, I performed some magic to attempt to speak with his spirit. He told me some interesting news. Are you pregnant, girl?”

I averted my eyes because I couldn’t meet her judgmental ones. She’d talked to him? I wanted so badly to hear his voice just one more time.

“Answer the queen,” Louis ordered.

“I don’t know,” I lied. “It’s too early.”

Miria sighed. “It might be too early for an inexperienced human, but I assure you, we can tell.”

“I can tell from here, mother,” Declan said with a vulgar leer. “Her breasts are huge. They look even more luscious than the last time I saw her.”

Louis growled at the prince.

Declan rolled his green eyes. “Vampires. I suppose you ‘claim’ her now?”

Louis put an arm around me. “She’s my companion.”

“Well, I hate the bitch, but you can’t blame me for noticing her tits,” Declan said negligently. “They’re gorgeous. Really, it would be rude not to notice.”

“Please excuse my son,” Miria said irritably. “He never has had a moment’s worth of manners. You understand the implications for my people if she is carrying Devinshea’s children?”

Louis played it cool. “I understand your interest in passing on the prince’s unique DNA.”

“We would be very interested in acquiring the children, Mr. Marini,” Miria said, cutting past the bullshit. “I think we might be able to come to an agreement if the girl proves to be pregnant and you would allow her to carry the children to term.”

“It would not be my first choice,” Louis admitted. He would prefer to end the pregnancy and any evidence of another man’s possession of me.

Miria’s green eyes turned calculating. “I understand you are at war, Mr. Marini.”

Louis’s lips tightened as he answered the queen. “You understand correctly. I will take care of the pretender, of course.”

Miria stared at Marini. “He seems to be giving you some trouble. I might be able to help you but I would need a reason.”

The subtext sat there, plain to anyone with ears. Louis could have the Seelie on his side. Or he could fight against them. It was his choice. Of course, it was really no choice at all.

How much worse could it get? Would the Unseelie honor their word to their dead priest’s partner? Or would Daniel find himself without any Fae allies at all? Would Miria send warriors to kill my husband? Would Declan attempt to do the deed himself?

Louis sighed. “Why don’t we retire to a more suitable setting for our negotiations? I would have the full Council sit in with us.”

“I agree. We can talk, but I want proof that the girl is carrying my son’s children.” Miria held her hand out, indicating the Fae beside Declan. “This is Callum. He is training to be a healer. He is also a guard, but I assure you he can discern if the girl is pregnant or not. Allow him to examine her while we talk alliances.”

Louis looked like he wanted to disagree, but he needed that alliance and he was a practical man. After a long moment, he nodded. “Trent, escort the Fae healer back to my companion’s rooms. He may examine her there. Stay with her and make sure she comes to no harm.”

He wouldn’t allow anyone else to hurt me. He claimed that pleasure all for himself.

Trent nodded and began to escort me out. Over my shoulder, I heard Miria speak.

“Declan, go with the healer and bring me news,” Miria said.

Declan was suddenly at my side. He spoke quietly. “I’ve been wanting to get you alone for a while, Zoey.”

The walk back to my apartments was one of the longest of my life. I was crying openly by the time we reached the hallway that contained my rooms. Looking at Declan hurt. It was an actual physical ache in my body. His jaw had relaxed and the arrogance in him had softened, leaving me looking at my husband. He looked so much like Dev it was hard not to believe it was him walking beside me. I wanted to reach out and grab his hand and hold it against my stomach, urging him to feel our babies growing inside.

I hadn’t really said good-bye to him. It was over so quickly I hadn’t properly had a chance to really process the fact that my husband was gone. I needed something from Declan and he would probably make me feel like a fool for asking, but I was going to try. He’d cared for me once.

I was hustled into the front room of my apartments and when I heard the door slam behind me, I turned to face my brother-in-law.

“Zoey,” he said, but I heard Dev’s voice.

“Don’t,” I started, unable to stop the tears from flowing. “Just let me talk for a minute and then I’ll submit to any test you want me to take. I have done you service, Prince Declan, and asked nothing in return, but now I need something from you. I need ten minutes. Just ten minutes where you pretend to be him. Ten minutes, Declan. I need you to hold me and pretend. I didn’t get to say good-bye.”

The blood left Declan’s face, his skin turning pale. He turned and I saw he looked at Chad, who must have joined us at some point. I hadn’t noticed or I would have protested. I was about to launch myself bodily at the vampire, but Declan’s words stopped me.

“You didn’t tell her.” It wasn’t a question. It was an accusation.

“I made a call,” Chad said, sounding saner than I had heard him my entire time in the catacombs. “You don’t understand what it’s like in here, Dev. If she’d given us away he’d kill us all. She almost fucked it up as it was. She announced plainly to Marini that I was a spy. Luckily, my insane act provided me with some cover. It was a good illusion. It certainly fooled Marcus.”

“I’m going to kill Marcus when Zack finds that coffin of his. He’s supposed to know things like this. Shouldn’t he have been able to see through the illusion?”

Neil was standing beside me suddenly, holding me up. “It’s all right, Zoey. Guys, I think she’s going to pass out.”

“Oh, my sweet goddess,” Dev’s voice said from Declan’s body. He lifted me up. “I am so sorry. I had no idea they wouldn’t tell you. I would never have left you knowing you thought I was dead.” He looked back at Chad. “Daniel will be furious.”

“Daniel isn’t the one stuck in here.” Chad relaxed a little as his gaze found Neil. “Neil knew.”

“No, I didn’t,” Neil replied. “I just had faith in you, baby.”

Chad’s eyes were full of tears he wouldn’t shed. “Tell me this means it’s almost over, Dev. I want to go home.”

“But Chad killed you.” I stared at my husband, wondering if I’d gone completely insane.

“Did I, Your Highness?” Chad asked.

“Sweetheart,” Dev said, sitting us down on the sofa. “It was an illusion. Once he realized how Marini intended to use my magic, he made the call to get me out of here. He knocked me out and when I woke up Daniel was staring down at me. I am so sorry. I didn’t want to leave you, but they decided it was too dangerous to leave me here.”

“I couldn’t risk it,” Chad explained. “I know what that magic did for my master. I couldn’t risk Marini allowing every vampire in the catacombs to feed from it. They would all be able to daywalk. They would have been stronger, faster. I couldn’t let that happen. I’m sorry it hurt Zoey, but her grief sold it.”

“You had no right to use her like that.”

“Do you have any idea how complex an illusion that was?” Chad asked, his voice low but full of indignation. “It’s one thing to hide a couple of people, to make something disappear. It’s another thing entirely to craft an illusion so real you can touch it, smell it and taste it. I had to concentrate. Zoey’s grief gave me the chance to do it. If she hadn’t distracted Marini with her tears, I would have failed and then we would all have been dead.”

“You could have told her afterward,” Dev complained.

“A—she wouldn’t let me near her afterward, and B—I couldn’t risk Marini figuring out she was lying,” Chad argued.

The healer, Callum, walked up to Neil. He threw his arms around him and enveloped him in a brotherly hug. When he spoke, his voice was familiar. “I would love to hang around for the rest of this little drama, but I got a job to do. Neil, it’s so freaking good to see you, man. Saves me a trip to the Hell plane to retrieve you.” He turned to me. His eyes were soft and sympathetic when he looked at me. “It’s good to see you too, Zoey. We’ll talk later. I have to go let Marcus out so Dev can kill him.” He walked to the door and turned around. “And, Zoey, this counts. That’s like five to nothing now, sister.”

He slipped out. “Was that Zack?” I heard myself ask but the sound seemed a little distant.

“Yes, sweetheart,” Dev replied. “He’s wearing a glamour, obviously. I didn’t have to. I just had Bris grow my hair. I’ll cut it again as soon as I can. I know it bothers your dad. He’s in London, you know. Someone called him and told him what’s been going on. He’s been giving everyone hell.”

“It’s a trick.” Tears started because this was beyond cruel. Chad was playing games with me again. I didn’t know what I had done to Chad to make him hate me. Maybe he was jealous of my relationship with Neil. He always thought we were too close.

“Zoey,” Dev said, shaking me lightly. “My goddess, it isn’t a trick. I’m so sorry to have put you through this, but it was necessary. How can I make you believe me? Do you remember the first time you met my brother? He kissed you and that was how you knew it wasn’t me. Kiss me, my goddess. Kiss me.”

He leaned down and pressed his lips to mine and my whole world came back to me. I felt his unique magic tingle across my skin and knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that my faery prince was back. I cried, but it was joyful now and I opened my lips under his, allowing our passion to flare.

“You see,” I heard Trent saying as Dev hugged me tightly to his body and stood up. “This is why I work alone. You’re all crazy, you know that, right?”

“Perhaps,” Dev said. “My mother and Padric will keep Marini and the Council occupied for the night. I’ll spend some time with my goddess until Zack returns. If you wouldn’t mind watching the door?”

Trent nodded. “I suppose this means Donovan is moving soon.”

“Tomorrow night,” Dev said. “I’ll fill you in before I leave.”

Trent stopped Dev as he opened the door to the bedroom. I saw that Neil and Chad were embracing. I was still a bit angry with the vampire. It was going to take a while to get over it.

“You tell Donovan he either moves tomorrow night or we leave the next day with him or without him,” the big wolf said. “Marini beat the shit out of her tonight. We might be able to keep him off her the rest of the night but not much more. I’m worried he’ll kill her, vampire blood or no.”

Dev’s face hardened. “Daniel and I will take care of him tomorrow. You just worry about her.” He slammed the door behind us and we were alone.

He laid me gently down on the bed and ran his hands across me, checking for injuries.

“I’m fine, Dev.” I loved how his name fell from my lips. He was alive and here with me.

“I’m going to kill him, my wife,” Dev promised.

“I know, baby.”

Bris came out and laid his hands directly over my womb. I felt a spark of heat and held my breath, waiting for his pronouncement. He smiled down at me. “Hello, my goddess. You’re a beautiful sight to behold. The children are doing well. The boys are strong.”

“I made sure he didn’t hit my stomach.”

Dev climbed onto the bed with me, his eyes wide with horror. “If I never hear you say those words again, it will be too soon. Do you know how much it has killed us to leave you here? Daniel…Daniel is a different person. He is beside himself with guilt.”

“Tell him I’m fine and I love him.” I touched his face, reassuring myself that this was real. If it was a dream, I didn’t want to wake up. I would just sleep forever. “Tell him when I thought you were gone, the only thing I held on to was him. He was here with me. And if you might skip over the parts where I had to do gross stuff and got my ass kicked, it might help him not feel so guilty.”

“He’s not a fool, lover.” Dev’s hands made quick work of the buttons on my blouse. “He knows what you’ve gone through. He’ll make it right. Do you have the stone?”

“I have the combination. I’ll switch the stones in the morning.” I pushed at his jacket, eager to get my hands on his skin. “You know, you really do a mean Declan.”

He kissed me and made a place for himself between my legs as he shoved the jacket off. “Well, it’s not hard. You just have to look exceedingly arrogant and have no filter whatsoever. The key to pulling off my brother is to just say every vulgar thing that comes to mind. It isn’t hard around you. I think very vulgar thoughts.”

“Who’s playing the role of your mom?” I asked, wondering who they got to wear that glamour.

“It really is my mother, sweetheart,” Dev replied, looking down on me, his shirt and jacket off. I could feel his heartbeat. “She wanted to help. Declan is back in London, waiting with the rest. He’ll be with us during the battle. The Seelies will stand with us.”

“You reconciled with them for me? What did you have to promise?”

A wistful smile lit his face. “It wasn’t hard. Once they knew Bris had reintegrated, they were eager for me to be their priest again. I promised I would spend a week out of each year in the Seelie sithein. I can set the fields to rights and perform fertility rituals. It’s the same as my contract with the Unseelie. Don’t worry, Zoey. I don’t mind doing it. It was the only way we could think of to get me in to see you and find out if you had the stone. We also decided it was a good bet that dangling the hopes of an alliance with my mother would keep Marini off you for a while.”

I doubted he would leave me alone for any length of time, but I didn’t argue with my husband. “You’re talking to Declan again?”

“Well, I’m only using four letter words when speaking to him, but considering the fact that before I was using vulgar gestures, I believe he counts it as progress,” Dev explained with a grin. “Now, my goddess, our time is limited. I have to report news of your fertile state to my mother soon but before I go, I have a package to deliver.”

I laughed from deep in my soul because I knew just what package he wanted to give me.

“And I have to do it twice,” he continued with a sweetly decadent look on his face. “I promised I would deliver Daniel’s love to you as well.”

I threw my arms around him, ready to receive all the love they had to give me.

 

* * * *

 

Hours later, Dev looked deeply into my eyes and I knew it was killing him to leave me.

“Mother will keep the negotiations open until tomorrow night,” Dev explained. “These things take time and Marini knows that, but he also knows that there will be no alliance without the safety of our children secured. Despite what Trent thinks, I believe he needs the alliance enough that he will leave you be.”

“I’ll try to stay out of his way as much as possible. I’ll change the stones tomorrow. He won’t know the difference until it’s too late.” I hugged Dev’s broad chest, not wanting to be separated even one more night. “Is Danny well? Has he recovered? He must have gone through all the reserve blood supply. Has he gotten over the withdrawal yet?”

I couldn’t stand the thought of Daniel coming in at less than full strength. He hadn’t had companion blood. It could make a difference.

Dev shook his head. “He’s fine, Zoey. His heart is healed and he’s been taking regular companion blood thanks to your little present.”

“My present?”

“Yes, Rose. We were shocked when she called Daniel’s cell phone and told us to pick her up. She said you had sent her to feed Daniel while you were gone,” Dev explained.

I bet she was also the one who had called my father down on my husbands’ heads. I would thank her for that the next time I saw her. I would never think of her as a mouse again. “I’m glad that worked out.”

“We need to go, Dev,” Zack said. “Marcus is out and he’s in pretty pitiful shape. He needs blood in a bad way.”

Dev kissed me, a promise of things to come. “I love you, Zoey. Always and forever.”

I nodded, my throat choked with emotion as I watched him leave.

“Are you feeling all right, Your Highness?” Trent asked, looking me over seriously. He’d seen me cry a whole lot in our brief acquaintance.

“I’m fine. Amazing, actually,” I said to the burly wolf. He was a rough-looking customer to be so very concerned about a small female. I’d discovered the softest hearts were sometimes found in the roughest bodies. I missed Lee so much. “And it’s Zoey, please.”

Trent nodded and I finally got a real smile out of him. “All right then, Zoey.”

Neil walked back in the room and he threw his arms happily around me. “It’s going to be over tomorrow, Z. I can’t wait. I want to go home so bad.”

“Hey, it ain’t done yet.” Trent didn’t seem like a guy who counted his chickens early. “We gotta switch those stones and we gotta do it so Marini isn’t suspicious. If he thinks he’s been tricked, he’ll run and then we’ll never hear the end of him.”

“Well, I doubt he’ll be giving me the keys to his office tonight,” I said, being realistic. I would be lucky if he didn’t show up to beat the crap out of me again. “So I’m going to need a couple of things from you, Trent.”

The three of us put our heads together and worked out a plan. I went to bed but barely slept because I knew by that time tomorrow, it would all be over.