by Lexi Blake
“Well, it’s called an aswang.” I felt myself smiling because I was relieved. The hunt would be so much better with Dev at my side. He always had enjoyed a bit of adventure. “It’s from the Philippines and…” I stared at my lover and shivered suddenly but not from the air conditioner. His words rang in my head. “How did you know she was undead, Dev? I didn’t tell you anything. I told Danny, but you didn’t want to hear about it.”
He smiled at the accusation, settling back in his chair. “Well, sweetheart, I talked to Danny about it later. We do live together. It only makes sense that we would discuss what happened last night.”
Perhaps nothing about the previous night had been a hallucination. I had never once heard Dev call Daniel Danny. He used Dan but never Danny.
I decided to try something. I smiled brightly, my best bimbo look, which would have sent the real Dev into suspicious mode. This version just smiled. Yes, something was wrong and I knew how to figure this out.
“You’re right, baby. I don’t think sometimes.” I leaned across the table and planted a kiss on his lips. He opened his mouth willingly and curved a hand around the back of my head to pull me in closer. Just like last night it was nice but not my Dev. I pulled away from whoever the hell was currently kissing me and sat back. “All right. Who are you?”
He leaned back and studied me. “Is my game up, then? Well, I was hoping for more time, but I will take what I can get. Do not bother calling the bodyguards. I sent them back to the club. I explained to the younger one that I wished to care for you myself. He took the other one with him. So much for the superiority of wolf senses. It is just you and me, Mrs. Donovan. That is the name you go by? You are married to the vampire? Tell me, Mrs. Donovan, do you mind my brother fucking your husband?”
“Declan.” I should have freaking thought about him last night. When your boyfriend has a twin brother, you should probably expect him to show up sometime.
“I see my brother remembers my name,” Declan Quinn, heir to the Daoine Sidhe throne, said, his face taking on an arrogant expression. “Too bad he does not remember his obligations.”
“He has no obligations to you, you cowardly piece of shit.” How dare he walk into Dev’s life and accuse him of neglecting his responsibilities? Dev had fled the sithein to get away from his family’s manipulations. “What do you want with him after all these years?”
“Years?” Declan asked, confusion temporarily clouding his face. “Devinshea left only eighteen months ago. How long has it been on this plane?”
“Seven years.” Time moved differently in a sithein, as once you were in the sithein, you were no longer on the Earth plane. Each faery mound housed a piece of Faeryland, with its own moon and sun and its own distinct clock.
Declan nodded and the lordly look was back. Now I could plainly see he wasn’t my boyfriend. He wasn’t as vibrant as Dev. His eyes, while just as green, didn’t have that sparkle. “That explains much. I wondered how Devinshea had managed to accumulate such wealth in so short a time. He seems to be living exceptionally well, though that should not surprise me. He always found a way to make himself comfortable. I assumed it belonged to his vampire lover.”
“It’s all Dev’s, asshole,” I tossed back at him, not liking the assumption. Dev might like his comfort but he wasn’t afraid of hard work. “He’s an amazing businessman. He owns five nightclubs, and they’re all popular. He’s also good with investments. He’s thriving on this plane and needs nothing from you. Daniel isn’t his lover. I’m the only one he has sex with. He’s a faithful boyfriend in a committed relationship.”
Declan threw back his head and laughed. It made me really wish I could punch him, but I didn’t trust someone to not call the cops. “My brother has never been monogamous in his life. It is against his nature. I would be quicker to believe he had ten women in his bed at once than he was faithful to one. Do not get me wrong. He has certainly kept women before, but while they might have served as his main lover, they were never alone. When he sent word to the sithein that he wanted the Goddess Chain, I had to come and see for myself what game he was playing. I see that you are the pawn. That thing you are wearing isn’t real and it means nothing. If you think it will help you gain some access into Fae society, I promise you it will not. Whatever arrangement he has made with you requires royal consent, and I will not be giving it.”
“It means something to me and it means something to Dev,” I said, my hand going to the medallion. “As for your consent, you can stick it, Declan.”
“I would prefer Your Highness.”
“And I have no desire to have anything to do with Fae society.” I’d had it up to here with the societies on this plane. I didn’t need to go looking for more.
Declan was quiet for a moment as he studied me with interested eyes. “Well, I must say, my brother always had good taste in women. I am afraid we share that. We grew up surrounded by fair, lithe women, so we perversely loved small, curved ones. You look like a fertility goddess, you know. I watched you last night and could not take my eyes off that body of yours. And that hair. We do not have that color in our world. I can certainly see where Devinshea would be amused with you for a while, but I assure you he is not faithful. If he is not screwing the vampire, then he is finding variety elsewhere.”
“You don’t know anything about us, Declan.” I pushed the chair back and rose. “I don’t care what you think. Dev is faithful, and it doesn’t matter if this chain is real or not. The feeling behind it is real. That’s all I need. Good-bye.”
His hand shot out and held me firmly. This was not a man used to having people walk out on him. “Not yet, I think. As I said, I sent your bodyguards away but mine are still here. Please sit, Mrs. Donovan. They will not allow you to leave and will only cause trouble for the humans in this place. I am afraid they care only for performing their duties and not a whit for who gets hurt in the process.”
I sat back, scanning the crowd. Declan chuckled. “You will not be able to see them,” he explained. “They are hidden, but I assure you I have a small army with me. I am a future king and never without my servants.”
“Why are you here?” I wanted to get away from him as soon as possible. I was going to go out to the farm myself and let Dev know his brother was in town.
The waiter showed up, and Declan dug into his prime rib. He liked it rare. I pushed my plate away. Declan shrugged, my appetite obviously none of his concern. “I told you, I wanted to see my brother’s chosen goddess. I wanted to see the female who tempted him from his obligations.”
I held my hands out. “Here I am, buddy. Now you can go home.”
Declan shook his head. “I find myself unwilling to do that. I miss my brother. I wish for him to return home. His fit of temper has lasted long enough. He will return to the sithein with me and resume his duties. His priestesses have missed him. They petition daily for his return, and I am, quite frankly, sick of dealing with his women.”
“Priestesses?” Dev was a priest, but it wasn’t like a Catholic priest. He performed fertility rites and sex magic. There was nothing celibate about Dev. I was pretty certain these priestesses wouldn’t be anything like nuns.
The faery prince seemed amused with my jealousy. “Yes, little human, he has six priestesses. He has six lovely Fae women dedicated to providing him with pleasure so he can perform his duties. Two of the women are even Unseelie. They have extra…bits Devinshea finds amusing. His magic must be practiced or it gets rusty. My brother is dedicated to his magic. He kept those women so satisfied they weep his loss, Mrs. Donovan.”
I was feeling mighty insecure now. This was a part of his life Dev had never spoken of to me, and Dev was open about his past sexual partners. I knew they included most of the phone book, but this was the first I’d heard about an actual harem. “He isn’t going to leave me.”
Declan stared at me, and I really hated the pity on his handsome face. “Zoey, why do you think it took so long for you to realize I was not your lover? I a
m excellent at mimicking my brother. I had years to practice. Why did I call you sweetheart and lover? How did I know to kiss your fingers and constantly have my hands somewhere on you? I knew because this is how he treats all of his mistresses. You might be very sweet, Zoey, and the fact that you are a companion was probably a challenge that Devinshea could not pass up. Only my brother could place himself between a vampire and his obsession. It is yet another thing to check off that list of his.”
Declan was rubbing an old wound raw. When Dev and I started dating, I worried this was his reason for being attracted to me. Dev even admitted a part of him enjoyed the forbidden nature of our liaison. What if that was still his chief interest in me? I wasn’t so secure that I hadn’t looked in the mirror and wondered just what the hell a man like Devinshea Quinn could see in me. I knew about his list. It was a constant joke between the two of us—all the places he wanted to have sex in so he could check it off his list. What if I was the butt of this particular joke? A companion is not a common thing. It would be just like Dev to want that checked off.
“I have hurt you.” Declan actually appeared a little apologetic about it. He sighed and leaned forward. “I did not mean to. I can see you have feelings for my brother. This is unfortunate. I can only apologize for my behavior. I believed you to be a fortune hunter. Though you are a companion, I understand a vampire master can be cruel. Perhaps you thought Devinshea would save you from your husband. Perhaps you believed life in a sithein would be preferable to serving the vampire. When my brother asked for the chain, I thought you had ensnared him in some way. I wondered if he had gotten you pregnant.”
“No.” I didn’t like the awful feeling welling up inside me. I really didn’t like the careful way Declan was treating me. I hated to be an object of pity. I preferred his bile.
“I understand, Zoey,” he said quietly, and I saw another side to the man who would be king. “If your heart has been engaged, then I am sorry. My brother always did this with his mistresses. He makes them dependent on him and then, inevitably, he loses interest. He is simply a romantic always looking for that one woman who will complete him. It is a foolish notion. If it helps, he is always most generous when he breaks off a relationship. He does not mean to hurt his women. They just cannot help but fall in love with him.” Declan stood now and pulled cash out of his wallet. “I apologize if I have caused you distress. I thought you were somewhat different from the other women my brother has kept in the past. I can see now that you are sweet and soft and more than likely submissive sexually. It is what he likes. I am sorry to have injured your feelings. Tell Devinshea I will be calling on him.”
He was looking at me like he’d kicked a puppy, and something inside me just broke. There’s nothing I hate more than being treated like I don’t have a brain in my head. I’m more than willing to use the male population’s belief that anything as curvy as me couldn’t possibly be dangerous, but this was too much. I was sick of every man in my life treating me like a pathetic little toy.
It had taken me six months, but I was back with a vengeance.
“Listen here, motherfucker,” I hissed between clenched teeth. Declan had the good sense to be taken aback. “I’m not submissive. Maybe sometimes it’s fun, but I assure you that I don’t submit on a regular basis. You want to get to know the woman your brother’s been screwing, then let’s get to know each other. We’ll need to head back to Ether. I have to accessorize.”
I walked straight up to him and took a fistful of silk shirt. I pulled him down and his eyes softened, his mouth opening slightly as though ready for a kiss. I stopped just short of his lips. “And, Your Highness, if you wish to survive the experience, I suggest you stay behind me.”
I let him go and walked out the door. I wasn’t surprised when he came running after me.
Chapter Six
I walked into Ether hopeful that Declan would be able to keep up his end of the bargain. I needed him to be Dev in order to get past my bodyguards. Since I moved into the grotto, I had access to everything in the penthouse, but no one had given me the key to the small armory Dev kept in the club. It was tightly locked down and only Dev, Daniel, Zack, and the head of security had a keycard. That was just one of the things that was going to change if I stayed here, but for now, I needed a ruse to get in.
Looking up at Declan, I could see he’d already turned on his Dev face. He looked less arrogant, his smile decadent and smooth.
The club was quiet during the day, with only a minimal staff taking care of restocking, cleaning, and maintenance. I let my hand find his. “You need to look like you want to sleep with me.”
That was a requirement for anyone trying to pass as Dev.
“Not a problem, lover,” he replied, sounding exactly like his brother. “As I stated before, I find you attractive. If you would prefer to spend the afternoon in coitus, I would be more than happy to oblige. It would not be the first time my brother and I have shared a woman. Devinshea can be generous with his lovers. Perhaps I will allow him to bring you back to the sithein when we leave, and then we could share you in all ways. Would you like a future king in your bed, Zoey?”
“I think I’ll take a pass on the offer, but thanks.” I already had enough kings in my bed. Between my vampire king and my personal faery prince, my royal dance card was full. Declan sounded far too much like Dev for my sanity.
Zack and Lee were sitting at a table when we reached the bar area. They were having lunch and going over reports. They looked up and Zack frowned. “Mr. Quinn, I thought you were going to call us when you were ready to go.”
“Ah, Zack,” Declan said in Dev’s smooth tones. “There are some things that require privacy.” He let his hand drop mine and pulled me into a more intimate embrace. He gave me a smile that told the wolves I had probably done something naughty. His arm was around my shoulders, and he used his free hand to nudge my chin up for a kiss. I had to play along, allowing Declan to explore my mouth briefly, but I promised myself I would get him back. He nodded to Zack, who had completely bought the act. “My girl here would like to go to the shooting range and practice this afternoon. Would you be so good as to escort her to the armory? She would like to select her own weapon.”
Zack sighed heavily, like escorting me into the armory was the last thing he wanted to do. It probably was. I was sure the thought of an armed Zoey was not a pleasant one for my bodyguard, but then I had given him no reason to believe me competent. He would have no such impression of me after today.
“Of course, Mr. Quinn,” Zack said in his best professional voice. I thought it made him sound like a kiss ass. He pulled the card out of his pants, and I allowed him to lead the way.
As I walked past Lee, he stared at me, brown eyes searching mine, looking for something. I gave him an encouraging smile and he relaxed slightly, but I saw him staring at Declan as I turned the corner. Lee was going to be far worse trouble than Zack.
Zack let his keycard slide into the door to the armory, and he held it open for me. The odor of gun oil washed over me, the sweet scent of home. I smiled at the thought of being well armed again. Today there would be nothing between me and whatever came my way but my own skills and a happy gun. And Declan, since if anything tried to take a shot at me, I firmly intended to jump behind him. He deserved it and he would heal.
“Let’s see, Zoey.” Zack looked around, probably trying to find the smallest caliber possible. “I’m sure I can find something for you.”
I rolled my eyes and went for the specialized Ruger Daniel had modified for me years before. Why I had ever let myself be parted from it, I had no idea. Somehow it wound up in here when Daniel and I moved in with Dev. I opened the box and took a moment to balance the weight. It felt good in my hands. It belonged to me. It meant something to me.
Sighing, I pulled out the second box that contained the exotic rounds the Ruger had been altered to handle. There were silver bullets, cold iron bullets, wooden bullets, bullets that sent salt through the victim’s b
ody, bullets that injected colloidal silver, and the one I was looking for—tranquilizers.
“Zoey, that’s Donovan’s gun. I don’t think you should play with that,” Zack said like the big brother I never wanted.
“That’s where you’re wrong, Zack.” I loaded the gun quickly and efficiently. “It’s not Danny’s gun. It’s mine, and I’m not playing with you anymore.”
I twisted around and shot him squarely in the chest. I have to say I grinned as he went down with a really surprised look on his face. I didn’t move though because I knew exactly what was coming next. The gun might be quiet but there was no getting past those wolf ears. I firmed my stance and waited.
Lee kicked open the door and had a semiautomatic in his hand. His eyes first went to his brother and then to me. “Zoey, what the hell is going on?”
“He’s fine, Lee.” I kept my aim level with his chest. “It was a tranquilizer dart. He’s just going to take a little nap.”
“Who the hell is that out there, and don’t try to tell me that it’s Quinn because I know it’s not,” Lee said, proving his senses were better than any of us suspected. I always thought he had the look of an alpha but this proved it. Not even Daniel had been able to sense the difference between Dev and his twin.
“It’s his twin brother, Declan,” I explained, not quite able to keep the vindication from my voice. “I’m sorry for having to take Zack out, but it was necessary. He can be entirely unreasonable. The boys told you about last night?”
Lee nodded. He still had his gun trained on me. It was a nice little standoff. “I take it they were wrong. I thought we should check into it, but this is Zack’s gig. I let him make the decisions. So the twin was there last night.”
“Yep. We’re going to hunt down the thing that tried to kill me. I would prefer if you came with us but understand this, Lee, this is my mission and I won’t be bossed around.”
