Steal the Sun (53 page)

Fifty armed Unseelie warriors stood as a phalanx against a possible Seelie invasion. They had been facing the closed gates but they turned and stared at us as we hit the ground.

“Shit, Z, get back,” Daniel shouted as Lee landed behind us.

The minute he heard the worry in Danny’s voice, he exploded in a mass of fur and claws. Lee and Daniel stood in front of me as the guard made their charge.

“Stand down!” Chima yelled when she made it to the ground.

Declan was already pushing her back. “Stay with Zoey.”

“I’m their princess and they will follow my orders,” she insisted.

Declan notched three arrows at once, splaying them between his fingers. He drew back and carefully sprayed the crowd, managing to avoid Daniel and all three wolves, who were fighting the guards.

“Or they will assume that the Seelie royals have taken you as a hostage,” Declan explained, preparing his weapon for another assault. “They will attempt to kill all of us to protect you. Nim, get back here.”

Nim scrambled to get back when she saw how Daniel was tossing bodies about. Dev hit the ground and his brother was immediately at his side.

“It is time for Bris to work his magic, brother,” Declan ordered.

I saw Dev’s face fall but he raised his hands and a sweat broke out on his brow as he attempted to call all things green to our aid. The grass around the fight grew but not to any height that would make a difference. I could see that my husband was tired. He would have to get used to using his magic without having Bris to call upon.

“What is wrong?” Declan asked.

Daniel wrestled a long sword away from one of the warriors, and that was all it took. After a moment, even the wolves dropped back to give the vampire room to work.

The Hunter watched from the sidelines. “He’s a magnificent predator. No wonder Arawn found him fascinating.”

Nim stiffened beside me at the mention of Arawn’s name. I felt bad for the girl, but I was damn glad he wasn’t with us. I didn’t trust him and Daniel needed every bit of energy he had. With the grace of a carefully choreographed action film, Daniel danced through the men. One by one they fell to his sword. Some tried to get back up but Daniel quickly made sure it would be a while before the immortal warriors rose from the field. Night had fallen and Daniel was at full strength.

Nim stared at Daniel with wonder in her violet eyes. “I’ve only seen his like once before, and it was long ago.”

“Did you meet the other vampire king?” I asked, curious as to the job Nim claimed she had before she met Arawn. I had to wonder what kind of occupations had been open to a girl back in the Dark Ages.

Nim shook her head. “He wasn’t a vampire but he certainly was a king. I’m beginning to think it wasn’t chance that brought us together, Zoey.”

I frowned. “It wasn’t chance at all. It was that asshole Con.”

Daniel skewered the final faery and aside from the occasional groan, they were blissfully silent. Daniel looked up from his killing field and caught my eye. “You good, Z?”

I nodded, but we both turned at the sound coming from Declan.

“What do you mean?” Declan’s question came out as a scream. He had his hand on his sword hilt.

Daniel was standing in front of Dev before I could even see him move.

Dev stepped in front of Daniel. “He’s not going to hurt me, Dan. And you heard what I said, brother.”

Declan squared off, his shoulders tightening. “You thought the vampire was worth killing our people’s future?”

Dev was red in the face as he stared at his brother. “He’s my partner. Bris was willing to save his life and I took him up on it. What was I supposed to do? Allow Daniel to die?”

“Yes,” Declan declared. “You were supposed to think of your people first.”

“He is my people,” Dev replied as Daniel watched quietly, his mouth a flat line. He was waiting to put Declan on his ass if he laid a hand on Dev. I wasn’t so sure Dev would appreciate Daniel trying to handle his fight, but Dev belonged to Daniel and there was no way Daniel would allow someone to harm him if he could stop it.

“He’s still with us,” I tried to interject. Bris wasn’t lost.

Declan snarled down at me. “Oh, I am sure he is, Zoey. He is hanging around in a useless ghost-like form. This is your fault. You cried, I’m sure, and begged my brother to save the vampire. Do you understand what you have done, Zoey? You have taken away our only hope.”

“Yes, because I certainly couldn’t help anyone on my own,” Dev said bitterly. “I have no power without a god to prop me up.”

Declan’s face twisted with anger. “Well, brother, as I am the only one of us to have proven his fertility with a living child, perhaps I should take over your duties as well. Don’t try to tell me you got Zoey pregnant because we all know that was Bris. Hope your vampire was worth it, brother.”

Dev’s jaw locked, and I could see his rage was about to spill over. I took his hand and hoped the contact would help the way it sometimes helped Daniel. He took a deep breath and nodded to his brother. “Understood. I wish you luck in performing my duties. Daniel, there is a door to the Earth plane at the north end of this
sithein
. We’ll find ourselves in Scotland, but I believe it to be the safest way to get our wife home. Zack, you will wait here until the battle is finished. When it’s safe, please retrieve Sarah, Felix, and Albert. I will have cars awaiting you at the
sithein
door.”

“What are you talking about?” Declan stepped in Dev’s way.

“We’re leaving, asshole,” Daniel announced with a satisfied grin. “You’re on your own.”

“As I am no longer needed on this plane, I will retreat to my home with my family,” Dev said, a chill in his voice. “Do not bother me again with your troubles, Declan. I wish you luck.”

Chima stepped forward, her eyes pleading. “Priest, I don’t care what the Seelie think. I promise you, the Unseelie desperately need you. We have kept your temple in all good preparation in hopes that you would return. Ascended god or not, we need you. As the goblins’ princess, I beg you to reconsider. Our plight is desperate. Don’t allow your brother’s ignorance to cost my kingdom as well.”

“Dev,” I said, pulling on his hand. “We can’t leave. Your mother is in danger. The duke intends to assassinate her during the battle. You can’t walk away. It would haunt you forever.”

Dev turned, his skin turning pale. “Daniel…”

Daniel nodded. “Whatever you need, man.”

Dev looked to the door. “The battle can only be ended by each side blowing the battle horns. One is not enough.”

“I’ll find my father,” Chima promised.

“You will not be going onto a battlefield, wife. You could be killed,” Declan protested. His voice was slightly subdued as though he realized how much his previous actions might cost him.

Chima sighed and a weary look crossed her face. “Then I suggest that you defend me, Declan. I’m tired of fighting with you already. I am going to offer you a deal. You may take it or leave it. Though I worry a marriage to you will not be happy, I’m willing to accept your claim if it will bring our tribes together.”

Something like hope lit Declan’s green eyes. He took Chima’s hands in his. “I love you, Chima. I have since we were children. I promise I will try to work with the Unseelie if it means we can be together. I want to know our son.”

“Yes,” Chima said. “You’ll need him since it appears you’ve lost your brother.”

Declan’s face turned stubborn. “It is for my son that I wish my brother had not proven to be so selfish. He chose that goddess of his over our people. Perhaps he is not fit to be our priest.”

“You’ll work with him as he is still the Unseelie priest. He’s the Unseelie’s High Priest.” Chima made sure to enunciate the honor she bestowed upon him and looked at Dev expectantly.

“My goddess and I will use our paltry power to aid you in any way possible,” he promised. He got back to his battle plans. “Zoey, Neil, and I will make our way around the edges of the battle to try to get to my mother. Zack and Lee will stay with Daniel.”

“And I will be?” Daniel asked.

“Providing one hell of a diversion,” Dev replied.

Daniel smiled slowly, looking forward to the violence. “I might need to refuel during battle, depending on how long it takes.”

“As long as you don’t drain the warriors, they should survive the experience,” Dev offered. “That’s what Zack and Lee will be there for. They’ll protect you should you be forced to take a lunch break. You should try one of the goblins. I’ve heard their blood is exotic.”

“Never had one before,” Daniel acknowledged.

“Hunter,” Dev called. “You will join us?”

The Hunter nodded his assent. “I’ll be ready should you desire to call upon me and mine.”

Dev’s face turned savage, and I knew he was thinking about the Duke of Ain and his family. “I’ll be calling on you, Hunter. Make sure you are ready to ride. Now, Daniel, if you wouldn’t mind getting that door open for us.”

Running faster than I could track him, Daniel hit the enormous gates and they exploded outward under the force of his arms. The sounds of battle assaulted us.

Dev took my hand and we found ourselves in the middle of a war.

Chapter Thirty-Three

It was my first look at the plain that separated the
sitheins
.

“It’s daylight.” I started to try to reach for Daniel, but he was already running away from me.

“It’s a magical light, Zoey.” Dev’s eyes moved across the plain, taking in the battle in front of us. “It won’t affect him at all. It’s always daylight on this plain. It’s another defense mechanism.”

I was certain that on a normal day, it was peaceful and beautiful. The grassy plain was flat and almost certainly would be a fertile green had it not become saturated with blood. The sounds of sword hitting sword rang across the field. Even as Dev pulled me along, I turned my head and watched as Declan led Chima and Nim to the back of the Unseelie war machine. There were several tents set up, and I could see what must be the king’s advisors meeting underneath one. I didn’t see anyone I thought could be Angus, but I hoped whoever it was would listen to Chima’s reason. Dev, Neil, and I had the infinitely harder job. We had to do the same thing Chima, Nim, and Declan were doing, but we had to make our way across the entire length of the battlefield to do it and we would be doing it without the aid of eddy winds. It was far too dangerous with all the arrows flying around.

I didn’t like the idea of those arrows rushing toward my vampire. It wouldn’t matter that they weren’t silver tipped. Each one was a little stake flying through the air. He would have to be careful.

“Stay close,” Dev yelled over the clatter. I followed his eyes as he spotted Daniel.

I caught my breath as Daniel ran onto the field and took a mighty leap. He jumped over the back lines of the battle and into the middle of the fray. It only took a second before the bodies started to fly and all attention was on the newcomer. The blood-soaked battlefield brought out Daniel’s beast, and he was on full display. I’d never seen his fangs so long or his claws so sharp. Just the smell of all that blood was enough to put Daniel on the edge of his control. He cut through the lines easily, raining confusion down all around him.

I felt Neil running beside me, his pure white fur a dramatic contrast to the violence around us. We stayed close to the edges of the battle but it encroached. A Seelie
sidhe
battled a large male goblin. It was apparent they had been fighting for a while, hacking little pieces off of one another, but the
sidhe
was tiring and the goblin’s strength held up. The goblin wielded a bloody cleaver and brought it down on the
sidhe’s
arm. I shrank back as the faery’s arm hit the ground.

“Don’t look.” Dev pulled me as far away as he could.

I tried to follow his command, but it was everywhere. Violence and bloodlust filled the world and it made me sick. I wanted to close my eyes and block the sights of people who should work together, cutting each other apart. In the middle of all of it I saw Lee and Zack, their magnificent wolf selves howling even as Daniel became a prime target.

Dev cursed and I found myself on the ground, his big body pressing me into the dirt. He held my head down and forced my torso under his as I heard a horrible sound. It sounded like water rushing violently toward us.

“Don’t move.” Dev whispered the words directly in my ear, and I could hear the worry in his voice. His body tensed as if in anticipation of some horrible pain.

All around me I heard the distinct thuds of arrows hitting the dirt. There were screams of agony as some of the arrows found warm bodies to lodge into. I felt Dev jerk against me and I heard him try to contain his groan of pain.

“Baby,” I said quietly. “Where are you hit?”

“I’m fine. It’s my right arm. Quickly, we don’t have long before they send over another volley.” He rolled off me carefully, protecting his left arm. “Zoey, pull it out or shove it through.”

I wanted to protest that he was crazy if he thought I would do that, but there wasn’t time and he was right. If I could get the arrow out, he would heal quickly and we would move much faster. Neil growled ahead of us, letting me know we had little time.