"I a.s.sure you all of vampire kind will be satisfied with my presentation. Sebastian is preparing the exhibition now. It won't be long." Daniel took my hand and set a lingering kiss on my wrist. "My love, go with our lover and enjoy the night. I'll be with you shortly. Dev, I trust you can keep her out of trouble."

Dev took my hand from Daniel's and nodded, his green eyes deep and seductive. "I'll do my utmost to entertain her. We both look forward to the time when you can join us."

Dev led me away quickly. I looked back at the two men I'd been introduced to. "Hey, I didn't even get to say anything."

"Yes, it was a successful introduction." Dev led me straight to the dance floor. "Let's dance, my mistress." He saw my hesitation because this was not the kind of dancing we'd done at Ether. All around us couples moved together in the formal movements of what looked like a waltz. "Just follow my lead."

He put a firm hand in the small of my back and directed me where he wanted me to go. "So your job is to make sure I don't speak with anyone?"

He led me into a turn. "I wouldn't say that. I just think it best you be kept far away from high-ranking members of the vampire world. You aren't known for your discretion."

"I can be discreet."

"Yes, you discreetly threatened a Council member with decapitation already today." Dev looked down and let me know he enjoyed the view. "Did I mention how f.u.c.king hot you were defending me today? Please promise me the next time you get in a fight you'll go completely commando again because I found it very distracting. I think the enemy trying to get a glimpse of your hootchie could turn the tide of battle in our favor."

I threw back my head and laughed because with Dev, I'd moved past embarra.s.sment. Dev twirled me around, and I just enjoyed the moment. It didn't last long. The song was over, and I realized everyone was looking at us. Apparently there wasn't a whole lot of uninhibited laughter at these things.

"Don't get self-conscious," Dev said as he bowed at the waist. "They're watching us because we're beautiful and full of life, and they would love to know how one as dark as Daniel managed to get two creatures of light in his bed. Trust me, next year threesomes will be all the rage." Suddenly Dev's handsome face lit with something close to terror. "Zoey, my love, remember when I told you I slept with many of this plane's exotic creatures? Here comes one now. Please save me."

I turned around and was surprised to see a tall woman walking toward us. I use the term walking because anything with two legs technically can't slither. But she came close. Her eyes were strange, and she didn't try to hide her fangs. If you took her apart, her separate features might be attractive, but together they were d.a.m.n scary.

"Holy s.h.i.t. You let that bite you?"

"My brother bet me I wouldn't do it," he said in my ear, holding my shoulders like I was his shield. "I was a dumb kid, and I needed to check vampire off the list."

"Devinshea," the icy blonde vampire sort of hissed. I think she meant it to be s.e.xy. "I was shocked when I heard them announce you. Shocked but pleased because I always knew you would seek me out. Once you got over your fear, I knew we could be together again."

"I'm not here for you, Cecilia," Dev managed, not sounding at all like a man who was over his fear. "I'm involved with her."

Cecilia seemed confused as she looked down her thin nose at me. "She is a companion. You're not sleeping with her."

"Oh, yes, I am, as often as her master allows it," Dev admitted. "I also share a bed with her master. Yep, I'm all taken. I'm hers and his."

I laughed because any minute now he was going to declare his love for Daniel in an attempt to get away from his creepy ex-lover. While I would love to hear him declare his mad, gay love, I had to stand my ground. "Please go away. He's still very scared of you."

"Companion, did I give you leave to speak? I see you there with your glow, but it moves me not. I don't like girls so don't try to sway me with your sweet blood. I'll have this one. His blood is the closest I've found to companion blood in a male."

"How about I sway you with the end of a stake, b.i.t.c.h?" I asked, ready to do my best impression of a Jerry Springer guest. Before I got the whole threat out, Marcus took me into his arms and swung me back onto the dance floor.

"You won't mind if I take Mrs. Donovan for a dance?" Marcus asked as Dev's face went shock white. "I see you and Cecilia have much to discuss."

"That was so mean." I looked up at the Italian and saw he took great pleasure from abandoning Dev to Cecilia's mercies. "Is he going to be all right?"

"I a.s.sure you, if Cecilia misbehaves, we'll hear it. I think your Lancelot would not choose to suffer in silence. I believe he'll loudly object to any violation of his person. Besides, after what he has done, I feel perfectly justified in leaving him to deal with someone as forceful as Cecilia."

I tried to catch a glimpse of Dev as we moved on the dance floor. "And what has he done, Marcus?"

"You understand why they dressed you as they have, do you not?" Marcus asked. "This is a carefully chosen ensemble. I a.s.sume your faery prince selected it as Daniel would have bought something from a shopping mall. The color of that gown magnifies the shine we vampires can see in a companion. You practically have a halo tonight, bellissimo angelo. You're merely missing the wings. You glow more brightly than anything in the room. You were dressed to catch the eye of every vampire and every demon in attendance."

"Why would Daniel knowingly want that?" Daniel tended to threaten any vamp who looked at me twice. He didn't like demons looking at all. Daniel had to have planned this with Dev because Dev couldn't see this mystical glow I supposedly had.

"Because no one will pay him any attention when they can look at you and your prince. The two of you are the most vital creatures in the room. There is a reason Devinshea's mother has forbidden vampire kind from the mounds. Faery blood is sweet. The very light of a faery is attractive to a vampire. Even now, Daniel is speaking to certain vampires he might not be able to if the rest weren't distracted by your beauty."

I looked down, unwilling to let Marcus see how upset I was to be left out of this plan of theirs. Daniel and Dev apparently left me out of a lot of their plans.

Marcus wasn't fooled. "I'm sorry to disappoint you. I spoke with the prince at length, and I've decided he is infinitely more dangerous than he looks. When he's not thinking with his c.o.c.k, he's quite intelligent. He's ambitious, your lover. I'm sure he says he's doing this for you. Perhaps he believes it, but he enjoys the game, cara. He's good at it. He'll do whatever it takes to win. This is good for Daniel. It's good for me. It is not so good for you."

"Why are you telling me this, Marcus?" I was tired of playing games.

"Because I figured out several things today. You're not a normal companion and shouldn't be treated as such. You brought Devinshea into your marriage, did you not? It wasn't Daniel's consent that was necessary."

I nodded, not bothering to mention that it was Daniel who had been allowed into my bed with Dev.

"I confess I've had it easy. I've purchased the women I wanted in one way or another. I shall have to take a different tack with you. I find myself excited by the thought of the chase." The Italian's hand tightened on my waist.

"I'm not sleeping with you, Marcus. Daniel would be offended at the thought." I wished there was some way to leave the floor without causing a huge scene.

"Daniel knows how I feel about you, Zoey." We twirled around, and I saw poor Dev being manhandled on the dance floor by creepy Cecilia. "I was warned to not force you. I was told to not try to buy you. He never said anything about seducing you, cara. He will laugh at the thought, but I think you will tire of your lovers' games and deceptions, especially when they begin to hurt the ones around you. Know this, Zoey, you're always welcome in Venice."

"Yeah, I'm sure I am." I could just bet how he would welcome me.

"No, cara, no strings," Marcus said seriously. "I apologize for my earlier actions. I was overly emotional. It's my only excuse. If you need a place to run, my home is yours, and there will be no payment demanded. I'll attempt to seduce you, of course, but I respect you, Zoey. I'll honor your decision. I merely wanted to make my offer and perhaps cause your Lancelot several moments of pure horror."

"May I cut in?" a very proper British voice asked.

Marcus nodded and smiled at me way too intimately before handing me over to Hollywood's hottest vampire. "Decided to go for irony did you, Stewart?"

Stewart smiled a high-voltage smile. "I look d.a.m.n good in this one, Zoey. He's terrified, by the way. He keeps wondering if he's had one too many pints."

I hoped the unfortunate actor didn't have an early call time tomorrow. "What happens to the poor boy when you're done with him?"

"Oh, probably a little time in rehab, I suppose. They tend to call it exhaustion. I really like wearing famous people. It's fun. I try to pop into Paula Abdul at least once a week."

"That explains a lot." I tried not to look as disgusted on the outside as I felt on the inside. "What do you want tonight, Stewart?"

"I want to help. You can't do this without me. You need someone to show you a door. There's no way you can find one on your own," Stewart answered. "I've reserved a room for you and your boys later this evening. Way to give it up, girl. There's nothing a hetero male loves more than a nice g.a.n.g.b.a.n.g. I'll be waiting, and I'll show you the door."

"Why should I trust you? Why am I asking that question? Here's a better one. What's in it for you?"

"Besides costing Brix his angelic Red Bull? I want ten minutes to talk to your husband," Stewart admitted. "I swear on all that is dark and unholy that I merely want to talk to him. I told you I suspect he's going places, and I might be able to help him."

"He's not going to want help from a demon."

"Then he can turn me down, and no one's lost anything," Stewart said oh so reasonably. "It won't cost you a thing, and it will make your little plan go so much more smoothly. You can come to the room in thirty minutes or not. Now that business is out of the way, answer me a question, companion. What's wrong with my puppy?"

I followed Stewart's eyes to Neil. He was watching me carefully. His face held no expression. He didn't look like Neil at all.

"He's just working," I lied.

Stewart's eyes, or the ones he was borrowing, widened. I hated the way he could get into my head. "Poor puppy. Did the nasty vampire put the whammy on him? That's what happens when you take those blood oaths. It never works like you think it would. I wonder what those boys are going to do when you step out of line? I suspect a good spanking, but then you would probably enjoy that, love, wouldn't you?"

I stopped in the middle of the floor and gave Stewart my best "go to h.e.l.l" stare. "What's the room number?"

"Oh, I suspect you'll figure it out. Looks like your dance card just keeps filling up, though you might want to make sure this one doesn't try any dirty dancing on you." Stewart winked outrageously and practically skipped away.

I turned around just as Lucas Halfer bore down on me.

Chapter Twenty-Three.

"h.e.l.lo, Halfer or should I call you Brix?" I stood my ground with what I hoped was a reckless grin. Inside I was screaming and running as far and fast as I could. My lack of weaponry made my hands twitch for a nice, happy gun. Out of the corner of my eye, I could see Neil starting to make his way through the crowd on the dance floor.

Lucas Halfer was a large, imposing man. His features were dark and looked as though they'd been cut from granite. Unlike many of the demons here, Halfer preferred a human appearance to his demonic state. I'd seen his demonic state a couple of times, and I admit I preferred his human body, as well.

"Oh, that's a good question, Mrs. Donovan." Halfer let his eyes go black as they swept down me. "I think we'll go with Lucas until I get a chance to kill you. Then you can call me Brix. You look delicious tonight, Mrs. Donovan. Someone is offering you up on a lovely platter."

"Stand back, Halfer," Neil said flatly, putting himself between me and the demon.

"I'm just talking to her, wolf. Back down." Halfer held his hands up as though showing us all that he didn't mean any harm.

I sure as h.e.l.l didn't buy it.

"You were warned to stay away from her, Lucas." Marcus walked around and placed himself at my side. I already felt better.

"I didn't realize there was a restraining order." The demon looked around, pleased at the scene he was creating. "Aren't you just America's sweetheart, Zoey? Oh, look, you didn't get rid of the faery. Well, I called that."

Dev sort of slid in behind me, putting his hands around my shoulders. He was out of breath. I wondered if he'd had to fight Cecilia to get to me.

"And what the h.e.l.l do you think you can do, faery?" Halfer waited as if amused that Dev thought he could do anything about it if Halfer chose to attack.

"Well, everybody else came. I'm just following the crowd." Dev's arms tightened as he looked around. He was looking for Daniel.

"Where's that vampire of yours? Or has he already gotten tired of you and made a profit selling you to Marcus here? Well, it was probably a good move on his part. I didn't come to cause trouble. I just had a message from your little witch friend. She sends her best." Halfer laughed. "h.e.l.l, I can't lie. She really just cries a lot and begs, but I'm sure she would send her best if I didn't rip her throat out on a daily basis. I would have brought her as my date, but she was in two pieces after I got through with her earlier tonight. I'm sure she's back together by now."

"I'm going to make you pay, Halfer," I swore, all my thoughts of running gone as blind rage pretty much took over. Dev's arms were now a cage.

"Marcus, I believe your b.i.t.c.h is threatening me," Halfer laughed, his voice a silky evil.

Marcus growled, and I knew if I could see him, his fangs would be long in his mouth.

"I love it when there's trouble in paradise." Halfer bowed formally to me. "I believe I'll pa.s.s on our dance, Mrs. Donovan. When I dance with you, I'll need a little more privacy than we have here."

Halfer turned, and before I could sigh there was a sudden hush that fell over the ballroom. My gaze moved from Halfer striding away to Daniel walking in with Sebastian at his side.

Dev leaned his head in close and whispered. "This is the presentation we were talking about. Zoey, keep your face free of emotion. Do you understand?"

I nodded, and his arms came from around my shoulders to settle on my waist.

Everyone forgot the excitement of my throwdown with a demon and watched Sebastian. Daniel took a place beside him, both men above the crowd though Daniel seemed to be the authority figure of the two. With the exception of members of the Council, every vampire in the room and many of the demons cast their eyes down rather than meet his gaze. If this had been a wolf pack, there would be no question who the alpha was.

Two demons pulled a heavy cart behind the vampires. It was covered and on wheels. It shook mightily from time to time. It seemed to be a cage of some kind, like the ones they kept circus animals in. I steeled myself because I knew the animal in that cage. I tried to reach out to grab Neil's hand, but he merely stood there and stared at the proceedings, his whole being blank.

"Demon kind, vampire kind, I welcome you," Sebastian greeted the crowd. "It is my greatest pleasure to introduce Mr. Daniel Donovan, the Council's Nex Apparatus. He has a special presentation for the Council on this evening. If the Council would come forward?"

Marcus looked back at me. "I have to go, cara. Try not to cause too much trouble." He stopped before Neil. "You, wolf, do not leave her side."

Marcus took his place beside Niko, Niles, and Elof. They were joined by the fifth and final Council member. From what I understood from several long, boring lectures Dev had given me, his name was Louis Marini. He was a dark, stunning Frenchman who was born long before Christ. He was the head of the Council. The full Council stood before the cart and waited for the presentation to begin.

Sebastian continued to speak. "I have been asked to explain the nature of tonight's exhibition. As you all know, our numbers fade with each pa.s.sing decade. We were once an army of blood seekers, feared and worshipped as G.o.ds. We now must hide in the shadows as humanity has ravaged the Earth like a plague. Every vampire is precious, yet many choose to meet the dawn rather than walk the night in an aged body. We can no longer wait idly by for our brothers to rise. We must find them. We must turn them when they are strong. We must build our army once more. This is the task set by the Council for the Nex Apparatus. Tonight he has brought our first solider, discovered in the prime of his life and brought over successfully to walk the night."

There was a gasp that went through the crowd as Chad was revealed. He looked much as he had that first night. He was disheveled and savage looking. He screamed and howled his rage as he tried to break out of his cage.

"He hasn't fed for almost four days," Dev whispered in my ear. "It was necessary to emulate his recent turn. This way they believe Daniel killed him, but did not feed Chad his blood. The Council will feed him their own ancient blood and treat him as a normal vampire."

"What if their blood turns him?" I asked quietly.

"It won't," Dev said with a surety I certainly didn't have.

Louis came forward, his large body moving with elegant authority. "You have exceeded our expectations, Daniel. He is a prime specimen. Can you do this again?"

Daniel bowed slightly, showing deference to the head of the Council. "I seek them nightly, sir. You'll have your army. I'll see to it."

Louis waved his hand, and Chad was rolled out screaming and beating at the bars of his cage. I watched in complete horror, wondering what made Daniel think this could work. Chad was so far gone I doubted he even had a speck of Daniel's blood left in him. He was wheeled straight by Dev, Neil, and me. I almost looked away, but I forced myself to memorize Chad's face. He was just one more mistake we'd made.

Then amid his howling rage at the world that denied him blood, he looked down briefly and winked at me.

In an instant, he was all scary fangs and creepy eyes again, and I knew Daniel was right. Chad would be everything we needed him to be. He would fool them all.

As Chad was carried away, the head of the Council praised his a.s.sa.s.sin. "Mr. Donovan, all of vampire kind is in your debt. I would offer you gifts, but what I had planned to give you, I see you no longer need." Louis glanced at Dev and me, smiling knowingly. "If I offered you your choice of the human lovers we brought with us tonight, you would turn me down, would you not?"

"I am content with the blood in my bed, sir," Daniel admitted.

"As would we all be, Mr. Donovan," Louis continued. "We will have to be content with congratulating you on a job well done and perhaps you will find a satisfactory sum in your accounts in the morning. For the rest of the night, we celebrate. Mr. Donovan, you have leave to enjoy your lovers. Please feel free to use the rooms. Anything the three of you require will be provided."

Louis motioned once more and the band began playing again. The Council members moved forward and congratulated Daniel. Louis Marini started to walk my way, his destination plain.

Dev tensed behind me. He whispered directly in my ear. "I was hoping to avoid this. Zoey, he is probably going to bite you on the wrist. Just take it. He has the right. Please don't fight it."

Marini's dark eyes seemed vaguely reptilian to me. "Mrs. Donovan, Your Highness," he held out his hand, and I realized I was supposed to put mine in it.

I forced myself to move my arm, offering my wrist. Unlike the other high-ranking vampires I'd met who bent over and lightly kissed my wrist, Marini pulled it to his mouth. He let me see his fangs, and I felt a tiny sting as he penetrated the vein lightly, his tongue sweeping across my wrist to lick up the blood he'd drawn.