Part 36 (1/2)
David noted the careful distance Deven was keeping-but that might be as much about Osiris as about David. Deven had never been comfortable around horses. Experimentally, David moved away from the stall, toward the Prime, who stood his ground.
They faced each other, eyes holding for a while, before Deven said, ”I suppose I'll see you at Council.”
”Right . . . I suppose.”
Another pause. ”Any luck figuring out how those amulets worked?”
David didn't remark on the change of subject. ”Novotny's a.n.a.lyzing the one we found on the body as well as looking for other evidence. We didn't find anything else in the building-nothing at all, not even personal effects.”
”So Sophie's warehouse wasn't where Ovaska was living. It was just a holding pen for us. She might have other artifacts at her real home base.”
”It looks that way. We're working on finding her hideout. There's not much to go on so far, but . . . Novotny's people are smarter than the FBI and have better equipment. They'll find something.”
”What about her client?”
”There were no other vampires in the area that night, at least none that showed up on the sensors. I had Elite canva.s.s the neighborhood. Witnesses we questioned that night saw a limo traveling down Buckland, but it didn't stop at the building. Either her client has a s.h.i.+elding device of his or her own, or her client is a human.”
Deven nodded. ”I'd wager it's a human.”
”Why do you say that?”
”Because the Shadow only hires out to humans. Her leaving her victims' left hands behind indicates she was still following standard Shadow protocol, so it stands to reason she was working for a human.”
”She didn't cut off Miranda's hand.”
”Her client wanted Miranda alive and unspoiled.”
”But we can't know for sure the client is human.”
”Perhaps you can't. But I know my agents.”
David asked what had been on his mind for days. ”Did you mean it when you said you didn't try to recruit me because we were sleeping together?”
Deven sighed, looking down at the hay-scattered ground, then back up at David. ”As I said . . . Sophie was the only agent I was ever attached to. I knew better, even as I let her keep working for me. Caring about them compromises my ability to send them into certain death. There was no way I could have done it to you.”
”Do you enjoy being the Alpha? Killing people for money?”
The Prime gave him a mischievous grin. ”I don't kill people for money, David. I pay other people to kill people for money. I'm a murder pimp.”
David laughed. ”That's one way to put it.”
”And to answer your question . . . I enjoy training warriors. I enjoy the satisfaction of knowing that they're the best in the world. And it's not all about vengeance and greed. More than half of our contracts are for governments that need something done that the human military can't accomplish. Many of my people have stopped wars before they started, brought down dictators, taken out spies. I'm not ashamed of what I do . . . or of what I've done.”
They met each other's eyes again, and David understood what he was saying. Despite the consequences, despite almost dying, Deven would do it all again if it meant bringing Miranda to David . . . and not only had Sophie taught David's Queen, she had fought in the battle of the Haven and had a hand in ending the Blackthorn war. Deven had no regrets about that . . . and, in the end, neither did David.
Finally, Deven nodded. ”It's time for me to go,” he said. ”Take care of yourself . . . and take care of each other.”
”You, too.”
Deven reached out and took David's hand, lifting it to his lips, squeezing it, and then letting go. ”Good-bye, David.”
David didn't expect to feel his heart breaking as Deven walked away, and yet . . . there it was. No matter what, no matter how much time or distance came between them, some part of him would always be at Deven's side, and part of Deven would always reside in David's heart.
David crossed the stable to catch up to Deven, laying a hand on his shoulder. Deven stopped and turned toward him, and David saw the pain in his eyes, pain he had intended to keep hidden until he was safely twenty-five thousand feet above Texas and long gone from here.
David slid his hand up to Deven's face, tipping the Prime's chin and kissing him softly. He felt Deven's arms move around him, and they held on to each other for a moment, eyes closed, memorizing the smell and taste of each other, the sound of each other's breathing.
”I love you,” David said into Deven's ear.
Holding on to his hands, Deven stepped back, his smile remarkably like the one that David had seen on his face after he had healed Kat that night in the city: a smile of peace and happiness, untouched by the sorrow that he wore habitually beneath his coat.
”I love you, too,” Deven replied.
Then he released David's hands and walked away.
Once again, a car was waiting to take Deven and Jonathan to the airport; and once again, Faith was waiting, but this time she was standing inside the Haven's enormous front doors. Protocol be d.a.m.ned-it was cold outside.
The Pair emerged from the hallway with their honor guard. The rest of their Elite were already on the way back to California, but their bodyguards would travel on the jet with them.
David and Miranda had said their good-byes to the Pair in private. They were trying to keep as much of the story under wraps as possible to avoid causing gossip about Ovaska's intentions or origins, so they had all agreed not to make a dramatic production of the farewell; but this time no one was slinking away, just observing tradition in truth instead of hiding behind it. This time there were no furtive glances, and Deven and Jonathan were side by side.
Faith was just glad to have a chance to hug them both.
She smiled to herself. Jonathan gave his Prime a kiss on the forehead, and Deven looked up at him with an indulgent sparkle in his eyes. Yes, this time things were different. Thank G.o.d for that.
”I'm sorry about Lalita,” Deven told her.
Faith nodded. ”So am I . . . you lost her, too.”
”Thank you for not being p.i.s.sed off about that,” Jonathan added. ”Like Dev said . . . her commitment to her post was genuine.”
”I know.” Faith raised an eyebrow at Deven and said, ”But we'll be changing our employee screening methods from here on out.”
The Prime smiled. ”Don't worry, Faith. She was the only agent I had here.”
Now she gave him a look. ”Please, Sire. Surely you know that nothing you say is ever going to go without question again.”
The smile widened. ”Good.”
Jonathan winked at her. ”Take care, Faith. And keep an eye on those two.”
”As always.”
Their guards started to open the door, but Faith asked, ”Can I ask you something, Sire?”
Deven turned back to her, lifting his chin inquisitively.