Steal the Night (37 page)

Dev touched the vines and they came back to life. This time they stayed that way.

Daniel walked over to inspect the coffin. His eyes showed no emotion as he peered down at the wizard. Almost as though compelled to, Daniel reached down and touched the top of the glass. I took a startled step back as Merlin’s hand shot up as though magnetically attracted to Daniel’s.

“He knows you,” Stewart said with a satisfied smile.

“I’ve put it off long enough,” Nim confessed. “He’s ready. Daniel, if you’ll help me get this lid off.”

With very little effort, Daniel lifted the lid and set it against the wall. He pulled Excalibur from its sheath and handed it to the Lady of the Lake, who motioned Stewart forward. There was such reverence in his blue eyes I thought he might weep.

He held his hand over the wizard’s mouth and allowed Nim to use the sword to draw a thin stream of blood from his forearm. The blood dripped onto the wizard’s mouth, but he didn’t move.

Nim frowned, staring down for a moment before trying again. She drew more of the demon’s blood down onto the wizard’s mouth.

“That should have worked,” she said, frustration evident in her voice.

Daniel watched the proceedings with great curiosity. “You said the wizard required something of both the Heaven and the Hell plane to rouse him.”

She nodded shortly. “Yes, given the circumstances of his birth, both are necessary.”

“But Excalibur is just a tool here,” Daniel mused. “It isn’t something he can taste. You offer him blood from the demon but nothing so sweet from the angelic side. I would hold out for something better if I was him.”

Nim thought about that for a moment. “I would need an angel for what you suggest, Daniel. I don’t think I’m going to find an angel from the Heaven plane to help me wake Merlin Satanspawn.”

Daniel chuckled. “No, I doubt you would, but then Stewart over there isn’t exactly in his purest form. His blood is mixed in this form. If that would work then I don’t see why a pure angel is required. I’m a vampire, Nim. Trust me. I know what Heaven tastes like.”

Daniel took my arm and offered it to Nim. I sighed and prepared for the small pain of the sword across my flesh. It made sense that I be the one offering my blood. A companion was part angel. It was why we tasted so damn good. Nim squeezed my arm gently and let a fine line trickle down. It mixed with the demon’s offering on the wizard’s lips.

Slowly, so slowly, the slightest bit of a gray tongue peeked out and the blood disappeared into his mouth.

The wizard’s eyes flew open and I felt Daniel’s arms pulling me back. He shoved me toward Dev so he could lean forward once more. Devinshea’s arms held me close, but we were both trying to take a look at the wizard.

His rheumy eyes stared up and around until they zeroed in on Daniel. He held a single hand up.

“I need the waters, Your Highness.” The request came out croaked and harsh.

“The fountain at the back of the room,” Nim clarified. “It will restore him, but you’ll have to get him there. He can’t walk.”

Daniel reached down and gingerly picked up the wizard’s decayed body. It would weigh nothing in his hands, but he was very careful with him. He made sure he tucked the matchstick arms inside for fear they would dangle and potentially fall off. The last thing we needed was a one-armed wizard. Walking slowly, Daniel made his way to the fountain. Lee carried over an extra torch, illuminating the back of the dungeon.

“Shall I hold you under the water, teacher?” There was a certain kindness to Daniel’s voice I didn’t hear often when he spoke to strangers.

“Just set me down, child,” came the cracked reply. “I’ll do the rest. I’ve waited a very long time for you.”

Daniel lowered the wizard’s fragile body into the water, leaning over to make sure he didn’t go under. I watched the scene, wondering when Daniel had last treated anyone but me or Dev with such care. The torches were all lit now, and I could see the wizard’s face contort as he felt the water on his body. He lay in the small pool for a moment before finding the strength to get to his knees. Daniel rushed forward to lend him a hand, and Myrddin managed to get to his feet. I held my breath, hoping the man didn’t just fall apart.

“I’m fine now, Daniel,” Myrddin said, though no one had told him Daniel’s name. “Help me under the falls and then step back.”

Daniel helped him back under the fountain and then something weird happened. It was like the water washed away the age. Slowly but surely as the wizard stood under the falling water he became younger, stood taller. He loosened his robes and they fell away as his flesh became young and firm. He transformed from a desiccated corpse into a muscular man. I turned to look at Nim, but she didn’t seem surprised at all. She walked over to the small dresser near the coffin and pulled out a rich, velvet robe.

When I glanced back, I had to admit Myrddin Emrys was pretty damn hot. He had dark wavy hair that he pushed back behind his ears. It reached the nape of his neck. His eyes were dark—from my vantage they appeared almost black—and his face was lovely but hard, as though carved from granite. The body was rock hard, too.

“Wow,” Neil whispered beside me.

“Double wow,” I said because I’d just gotten a good look at his package. A large hand came over my eyes. “Dev!”

“Like you would allow me to stand around and ogle naked women,” he whispered in my ear. “Nim, would you hand him that robe, please? Our queen is getting an eyeful.”

I heard Daniel’s laugh but when Dev finally let me look again, the wizard had stepped out of the fountain. He was robed, and the rich red color of the velvet did wonderful things for his now-perfect skin.

Myrddin’s black eyes took in the room, stopping briefly on each person as he made assessments with a single look. He stopped when he reached Nim, his face contorting. “Bitch goddess.”

“Nice to see you again, Myrddin,” she said. “It’s been a while.”

He shook his head. “At least a thousand years. You tricked me.”

“I had a job to do,” Nim replied softly. “You always knew that.”

“I loved you,” he said, but it was harsh and bitter—an old regret.

Nim simply sighed. “I doubt that. It doesn’t matter anymore, magician. The King of the Sword has risen and you are needed again.”

Myrddin’s smile seemed genuine as he turned to face Daniel. He bowed from the waist in an old gesture of respect. “Daniel Donovan. You’re a very interesting king. Nimue, he isn’t human.”

“He’s a vampire,” Nim replied.

Myrddin’s eyes widened. “No. Show me.”

Daniel allowed his fangs to pop out. He growled a little as he let Myrddin look his fill.

Myrddin clapped his hands together. “A vampire. How interesting. I don’t suppose I need to teach this one how to fight.”

“No,” Nim said with a little laugh. “He could teach you a thing or two, Myrddin. He’s a death machine.”

“Yes, I can see that now. He’s older than the last one.”

“Times have changed, Great One,” Stewart said. “In this time, the king is considered to be young. He’s only twenty-eight in human years, and he only turned eight years ago.”

Myrddin smiled, showing white, even teeth. “Come forward, little demon.”

Stewart ran forward eagerly. “It’s my greatest pleasure to meet you.”

With one hand, Myrddin patted the demon’s head as though he were a harmless pet. “You’re going to be troublesome, aren’t you?”

“Yes, I promise,” Stewart agreed. “I’ll bring great chaos.”

“Well, I trust you to play your part.” Myrddin turned back to Daniel. “I’ll need a full briefing on this time and culture and the political climate. I suspect you do not have your crown as of yet.”

“I’m working on it,” Daniel replied.

Myrddin nodded shortly and turned his eyes to me. “Hello, bright one.”

So he could see my shine. “Hello.”

“You’re his queen?”

“Yep.”

He glanced back at Daniel. “She’s quite beautiful. She must attract every vampire she meets.”

“You have no idea,” Daniel said with a sigh.

Myrddin glanced around the room. “These men are your knights?”

“Two of them are bodyguards.” Daniel gestured to Lee and Neil. “They protect the queen. Her glow causes her no small amount of vampire attention. I’ve found the werewolves can be very persuasive in keeping unwanted men from my wife.”

“Werewolves, interesting choice,” the wizard said, studying Lee, who glared right back at him. Myrddin shook his head and turned toward Zack. “And this one?”

“That’s my servant, Zachary Owens.” Daniel introduced the wolf. “He’s blood oathed to me and beyond reproach.”

Myrddin seemed to like that idea. “Yes, that was an excellent idea. I’m beginning to see the definite advantage to your vampire state, Daniel. But tell me, who is the dark one? He looks Fae to me.”

“I’m Devinshea Quinn,” Dev said with a friendly smile. “You have a good eye. I’m the High Priest of the Unseelie.”

“And who are you in regards to the king?” Myrddin said in a voice that told me he couldn’t give a crap about a Fae priest.

“I’m Daniel’s partner,” Dev replied.

“Think of him as Daniel’s advisor,” Nim said, seeking a reference to make the wizard understand the relationship. “Of all the men, he’s closest to the king.”

“I thought so. He has that look about him,” Myrddin said, his voice hard. His gaze stole past me and I knew I was about to get accused of something. “My first piece of advice to you, Daniel, is to execute the faery immediately. He will say he is your beloved friend and advisor, but it’s all a ruse. He’s fucking the queen behind your back. I can see the lust between them even as they stand there. Kill him now before he ruins everything because he can’t keep his cock in his pants. The queen will just have to get over it.”

I opened my mouth to protest but Dev was already stepping forward. “I do not fuck Zoey behind Daniel’s back. I do it to his front. He would be upset if I tried sneaking around. He enjoys watching very much. Now, I will admit, often I fuck our queen behind her back. I find the position infinitely versatile.”

“Dev,” I hissed. “Too much information.”

Dev looked gorgeously innocent as he leaned over and kissed my nose. “Darling, he did accuse me of adultery with my wife.”

Daniel shook his head with a rueful sigh. “You’ll have to excuse my partner. He’s Fae and they love to talk about sex. He’ll describe our last lovemaking session if you let him. Don’t you dare, Dev. I’m not going to execute my partner, teacher. We share a life and our wife.”

Myrddin’s eyes flew to Nim. “I told you it was the way of the future.”

“They’re not the norm in this world,” Nim corrected him. “And perhaps if you looked as good as you do now I would have considered taking your proposal to Arawn.”

“You know I take the form that is needed,” Myrddin said with a wave of his hand. “Well, I’m glad to know the queen, at least, is an open-minded lass. If the three of you can enjoy each other without jealousy then I will agree to the relationship.”

“I’m so glad to hear that.” No small amount of sarcasm flavored Daniel’s voice.

Myrddin rubbed his hands together, an eager gleam in his eyes. “Now, Your Highness, how about I fix that heart of yours?”

Chapter Twenty-Three

“What’s going on?” I asked, slightly freaked out by the events of the last hour. I stood by Neil, who’d kept a close eye on Myrddin and Nim.

“They keep arguing about something,” Neil replied. “Nim doesn’t think this is a good idea, but the hot wizard guy thinks we have to do it.”

I turned around and found Daniel, who sat quietly apart from everyone. Dev had left the castle after Myrddin had told him which plants he needed. Dev would know where to look and if the plants weren’t up to snuff, after a minute or two with a fertility god, they would be.

“Has anyone mentioned how he’s going to do it?” I asked, hoping Neil’s hearing was back at full speed.

Lee came up behind me quietly. “I heard something about a stasis chamber and the need for a balance.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

Lee shrugged. “I don’t know, darlin’, but I don’t like any of it.” He looked around the room, his eyes settling on Daniel. “I really don’t like how damn quiet Donovan’s gotten. He should go into this believing he’ll come out. I don’t think he does.”

Daniel had been sitting in the corner ever since Nim and Myrddin began their never-ending argument over how to fix his heart. “Did he say something to you?”

Lee stared me straight in the eye because aside from keeping multiple murders from me, he never lied. “He wanted to make sure I knew how to get to the Unseelie
sithein
. If anything goes wrong, that’s where he wants you. The minute I think something’s up, I’ve been ordered to get you and Devinshea out of here and find a way to get to Scotland. I’m supposed to leave Daniel behind and not look back.”

“Well, you might be able to handle me, but I doubt you can handle me and Devinshea,” I huffed, pissed at the thought Daniel wouldn’t allow us to help him. “The minute Dev knows Daniel is in serious trouble, he’ll fight to get to him.”

“I’ve been given permission to knock the both of you out if I have to,” Lee said and I knew from the look in his eyes that he would do it. “You know I only take orders from you, but I’m with Daniel on this. Neil and I will get you where we need to go. I just wanted you to know.”