Steal the Night (61 page)

“Marcus is in there?”

Daniel grinned. “He will be.”

With one foot, Daniel made the enormous wooden doors swing open, and I found myself on the sandy floor of the arena. Daniel walked straight to the center of the large space. It looked like the set of a gladiator film, but then it was probably more accurate than a Hollywood film because some of these men remembered the time.

Daniel set me on my feet and I immediately sank a little. The floor was covered in sand. The whole place appeared ancient, with the only concession to modern times being the lighting. It was brightly lit so no one would miss a moment of the death and pain this place was known for. This was the place where vampires fought duels to the death, usually over companions. It was the setting for the Council’s formal executions and their entertainments. It was a training space for young vampires.

It was also the place Daniel had first proven himself to be a king.

“There is no place to go, Donovan,” Marini’s voice said behind us.

He stalked into the arena, followed by his men. Niles and Elof took their places next to the head of the Council and the other vampires filed in behind them. They blocked what seemed to be the only exit from the arena.

Daniel turned and faced down his enemy. He squeezed my hand and I got very close to his side. There were so many of them. They poured into the arena, all of Marini’s vampires, claws out and fangs long. They were ready to tear apart Daniel and they would do it with sheer numbers.

“I find it ironic that this should be the location of your final stand, Mr. Donovan,” Louis said and I saw him reach into his pocket. He was playing with the stone, making sure it was there and ready for him to use. “How many vampires did you kill here before we finally stopped you?”

He referred to an act of torture inflicted on newly-turned vampires. As part of their training, they were tossed into the arena and forced to fight older, stronger vampires. In the end, the baby vamp was beaten to within an inch of his life and told to be grateful he’d been spared. It hadn’t worked that way for Daniel.

“Twelve,” Danny said with confidence. I knew he remembered that day well. It haunted his nightmares. “And you didn’t stop me, Marini. You simply stopped sending them in for me to kill.”

“Well, I think this time your experience will be different,” Marini said, and he stared at me with possessive rage. I knew in that moment that if he could get his hands on me he would choke the life out of me. I had the feeling that if he couldn’t have me, he didn’t want anyone to. “There are more than twelve of us this time, though you are alone again.”

“No, he isn’t,” a strong voice came from the stands. All eyes moved to the stone seats that rose high into the air, giving any audience an excellent view of the carnage. My breath caught as Dev gracefully leapt over the railing. He had a sword in his hand and he carried it toward us.

Marini laughed, the sound echoing through the large space. “Yes, Prince Declan, I can see how you’re going to be such a help to Daniel. I’m surprised you’re here, but then I’m sure he promised you something amazing that he’ll never be able to deliver. You should have made your alliance with me. We’ll see what you can do for Daniel. You can, perhaps, shield him for the two or three seconds it takes for us to rip your body in two.”

Dev was dressed for his war. The Order had given him a full uniform of fatigues and combat boots. He made it look damn sexy. There was a P90 slung along his back and god only knew how many weapons hidden on his person. “I have no intention of getting ripped in two, Louis. You had your chance to kill me the night you beat the shit out of me. I won’t give you a second opportunity.”

Now the head of the Council’s dark eyes went wide. “No. I don’t believe it.”

Dev handed Excalibur to Daniel and took his place at my side. He leaned down and brushed my lips with his.

“Well, you should,” another familiar voice said and Declan Quinn leapt over the railing on the opposite side from where Dev had come. He was in his traditional tunic and soft suede pants. His bow was in his hand and his quiver on his back. I knew his arrows would be tipped with silver, each one a flying stake. “He is obviously not me. I am much more attractive.”

“News of the Prince’s death might have been exaggerated, old friend,” Marcus said with a smile as he joined Declan. “Perhaps if you stand down now, Donovan will be merciful.”

“No, he won’t,” Dev proclaimed with a huge smile.

“Now, Devinshea,” Daniel started, “I’ll allow anyone who wishes to not fight to leave the arena now, and as long as they follow the new government’s laws, there will be no repercussions. But that doesn’t apply to you, Marini.”

“We’re going to kill you,” Dev promised. “You hurt her and you’ll pay for it. No mercy for you.”

Marini bared his sharp teeth. “I’ll be sure to remember that when I have you beneath my fangs, Prince Devinshea. Know this, both of you, I will have my companion and I will dispense of her after we’ve gotten rid of you. No silver coffin for you, Marcus. This time you get the death you’ve always longed for. I’ll pit my army against the five of you any day.”

The five of us stood together, facing down over two hundred vampires and another hundred weres, shifters, and witches. It was a daunting prospect, and I sincerely hoped that the Order was going to charge in any moment.

“Do you know what this is, Louis?” Daniel asked, his voice a calm presence. He held Excalibur reverently in his hands.

“I know what you want me to think it is,” the other vampire replied. He’d pulled the stone out and had it in his hands.

Daniel smiled. “Oh, it’s the real thing. This is Excalibur, wielded last by King Arthur. I am the King of the Sword because I carry it. I am the King of all Vampire by right of my birth. Do you think I don’t have an army?”

Louis plunged on recklessly. “If this is your army, I think the sword should find a new owner.”

“You should pay more attention to your wolves, Louis.” Marcus gestured to the wolves who were close to the door. They had been kept at the back of the vampires. They were twitching and looking at a place behind us. “They know what you don’t.”

“And what is that, Marcus?” Marini spat the question.

“That we are not alone,” Daniel replied. “Mr. Thomas, you may release the illusion.”

There was a great shout as the back side of the arena was suddenly filled with hundreds of people, all chanting and raising the roof now that they could come out of hiding.

Daniel was right. We weren’t alone. Not even close.

Chapter Thirty-Eight

The minute Chad released his hold on the illusion, two wolves ran forward, one brown and one gray. Zack took his place beside Daniel and the big gray wolf leapt in front of me.

Dev looked down at the gray wolf and smiled. “I’ll take that as a yes,” he said to Trent, who thumped his tail and got damn serious about growling at Marini.

Marini started to take a step back, but I watched as he forced himself to hold his ground. If he ran, his whole army would devolve into chaos. They would break ranks and run for the streets. Marini stood tall. “Impressive, but my vampires still outnumber yours and mine are older, stronger.”

I wasn’t so sure about that. I looked back at the army now marching to Daniel’s back. I recognized Henri Jacobs and Hugo Wells, but there were many others I’d met when Daniel held his meetings explaining his positions. These vampires had chosen to follow Daniel. Many were younger, like Michael House, and they followed Daniel because they held a more democratic world view. I saw the vampires Daniel had turned. There were five of them and they stood behind Chad. Justin, in particular, seemed eager to finally get to the fight he’d been preparing for his entire vampiric life.

But we didn’t just have vampires and unlike Louis’s army, the werewolves, led by John McKenzie, weren’t relegated to the back. We had a hundred wolves, the strongest of the American packs. They were all in wolf form and when they howled, it shook the rafters. Fighting beside the wolves were shifters of all kinds. Daniel and Dev had made sure they knew everyone was welcome at the table. Marini had been systematically assassinating the strong leaders of the shifters, and the ones left were ready for revenge.

King Angus stood beside Padric and Herne the Hunter, who’d brought Shuck and Barghest to the party. The hell hounds’ tails were thumping with impatience to get to the fight. The Seelie and the Unseelie stood together now, and if Marini had known what a miracle that was he might have turned tail and ran.

There was a distant boom, and I noticed the satisfied look on Dev’s face.

“Do you know what that is, Marini?” Dev asked.

Marini swallowed once but didn’t answer.

“That’s the Order of Galahad,” Daniel explained. “My knights just breeched your perimeter. If you run now, they will have taken up defensive positions. They’ll kill anyone who attempts to flee the catacombs. I gave you your chance.”

“Then let me give you yours, Daniel.” Marini held up his little fake stone and, even if I wanted to, I couldn’t muster a lick of sympathy for him. “This makes me a king. I might lose this war but I will take you down with me, Daniel. I’ll kill you and your partner and before I am done, I’ll take my companion with me. You forget I have a secret weapon.”

Daniel laughed but there was a bit of sympathy in it. “Oh, Louis. She isn’t your companion. She never was. She’s my wife and you forgot something, too. My wife is a hell of a thief.” Daniel smiled over at me. “You got it, baby?”

I pulled the real Blood Stone out of my pocket and I held it up, letting Marini get a good look. I gave him my best “gotcha” grin. “Thanks for giving me so much access to the safe. It was a pleasure to steal from you, but as for the rest of it…I was faking.”

Dev snorted beside me and I tossed the stone to Daniel even as Louis shoved the fake into his palm, trying desperately to get it to work. When it wouldn’t, he tossed it aside and pulled a gun. “I will end you, Donovan, if it’s the last thing I do.”

“She’s yours, Marcus,” Daniel said quickly and I felt myself being shoved toward the vampire.

Daniel raised his sword and I felt the army at our backs twitch as they waited for that sword to lead them. Dev’s gun was suddenly off his back and in his hands. Daniel’s face was tense as he brought the sword forward, and with a roar, the battle began.

Marcus pulled me back as the world became one huge, noisy battlefield. I stumbled a little as we started for the exit. “Why does Danny have to go in first? Shouldn’t the king be behind everyone? Shouldn’t he be directing the action?”

I heard Marcus chuckle against my ear. “Daniel is a warrior king, Zoey. He leads his army, not the other way around.”

“I can’t see him anymore.” I tried to get a single glimpse of him amid the throng of people fighting now. Both sides had met in the middle and they were fighting with a ferocity that stunned me.

The heavy doors closed. They slammed shut and it didn’t seem like a natural occurrence.

“Is that a good thing?” I asked, following Marcus closely.

“We weren’t going out that way, Zoey.” Marcus raised his voice so I could hear him over the sounds of metal against metal and the reports of gunfire. Those sounds I could handle. It was the wet sounds that were making me sick. A body makes some horrible sounds when it’s torn apart or someone shoves a claw through the soft portions of it. The groans and moans of pain and death made me wish I could be anywhere but here. “Zoey, get your head down.”

I ducked as something, a knife, I think, flew past my head. “Which way are we going?”

Marcus seemed slightly annoyed with my questions, or maybe it was the arrow that almost took his patrician nose off. “Damn Fae. Why can’t they join the modern age?” He pointed to a small door on the other side of the arena. “It leads to a series of tunnels. We can get back into the residential section from there.”

“Is that where Neil is?”

“Yes,
cara
,” Marcus replied, picking up the pace. “He’s waiting for you. I found him surprisingly willing to stay out of the fight.”

Marcus maneuvered me to the side of the arena. We clung to the walls, and suddenly he pushed me down into a crouch. I shrank against the cold stone as Marcus took a couple of shots at a vampire coming our way. I looked out over Marcus’s broad shoulders and saw that it was David. He was bigger than Marcus and a warrior to boot. Marcus shot him four times and the big vamp just kept coming. His fangs were huge and his claws out. There was blood pouring from his burly chest, but that wouldn’t matter if he managed to get his hands on me. My blood would heal him quite nicely, and I could see by the look in his eyes that he had certainly thought of that.

Marcus cursed and pushed me back, covering my body with his. He tossed the gun aside and pulled a silver knife. He would try to impale the vampire on it but I didn’t think it was such a great idea to let that vampire get close. One small piece of silver seemed like very little defense against the super-strong warrior.

Just as David’s claws came forward, there was a long howl and David’s big body was knocked aside as a huge gray wolf leapt on him. His teeth were embedded in the vampire’s neck before David had a chance to react. Blood coated the wolf’s fur as Trent refused to give up his hold. He was savage and he used his sharp teeth to work on the vampire’s flesh. David struggled but he’d lost a lot of blood to Marcus’s bullets and his limbs moved limply as Trent applied all the pressure of his strong jaws to his prey. There was a loud crack as Trent finally broke the vampire’s neck and proceeded to chew his way through to the other side. I’d never seen a wolf behead a vampire using only his teeth, but Trent seemed to think of it as old hat. I wondered what kind of training sessions John McKenzie conducted.