Jorge looked confused. He scowled and glanced at Mys as if for help, then bared his teeth at Dion.
Mys stepped to Tiago’s other side. “Accept the challenge. We have your brother’s woman. You might take a chance with your brother’s life, but what about her? And maybe we won’t kill your brother—just cut his spinal cord. Even a fada can’t recover from that.”
That’s when Alesia glanced at the mirror and saw Jorge had a knife to Tiago’s spine.
She gulped, wanting to do something but afraid that if she interfered she’d get Tiago hurt.
Then Rui stepped from the hall that led to the bathrooms, just ten feet away from the booth.
Alesia smothered a gasp.
Rui’s nostrils flared and she knew he scented her, but he kept his eyes on the group at the bar. “Let do Rio go,” he ordered Jorge in a cold-as-ice voice. “This is over. It ends here.”
Jorge had recovered the ability to speak. He ignored Rui to sneer at Dion. “You were told to come alone, but apparently you’re afraid to face me without your bully boy. What kind of alpha are you?”
“A smart one,” Dion shot back. “I don’t trust you worth a damn. But Rui’s right. Why bring Tiago and his woman into this? If you’re so strong, come after me directly.”
“Only a coward would use a woman like that,” Rui added. “But then that’s what you are. A goddamn fucking cabrão who preys on women and children.”
“Maybe. But when this is over, your women will be mine.” He smiled slyly, his gaze darting between Rui and Dion. “Both of them. And your pups, too.”
“Like hell,” Rui gritted and strode forward.
Dion put out a hand to halt him. “Not yet.”
Jorge gestured at Rui. “Kill him,” he told Tiago. “Or the dryad dies.”
A muscle in Tiago’s cheek twitched but he obediently narrowed his eyes at Rui and muttered something that made him inhale sharply and clutch his chest.
Dion tried to go to his second’s aid, but Tiago growled, “No. Stay where you are.”
Dion stared at him, his face sorrowful. “Don’t do this, irmão. Alesia—” He strained forward, his muscles bulging under the jacket as if he were engaged in an invisible tug of war.
Meanwhile, Rui’s face twisted in agony. He dropped to his knees a few feet from Tiago and Jorge and clutched his chest.
The hell with it. Alesia jumped up. She had to stop this. She was trying to push her way past Sean when Dion spoke between clenched teeth.
“Tiago. Listen. Jorge—he doesn’t have Alesia anymore. She got away. She came to us.”
She stilled as Tiago’s gaze snapped back to his brother. His focus must have broken because Rui inhaled harshly and released his chest. But he remained on his knees, struggling to breath.
“This is true?” Tiago asked his brother. “You swear it?”
Alesia heaved a sigh of relief.
But before Dion could open his mouth, Jorge snapped, “That’s a goddamn lie. He’ll say anything to save himself. Now kill do Mar, or the dryad dies—but first, my men get to play with her.”
“No,” Alesia said. “No, Tiago. I’m here.”
But Tiago was already turning to Rui, who had struggled to his feet. Tiago’s hand went out and Rui clutched his chest again. Tiago muttered something and the Rock Run second backed away, step by step, clearly resisting but unable to wrench control from Tiago. His back hit the wall next to Alesia’s booth.
“Not. A lie,” Dion gasped. “Orius is dead.”
Alesia pushed frantically at Sean. “Let me out. I’ve got to stop this.”
He looked at her as if she had straw for brains. “Are you out of your frigging mind? You know what these men are? Fada.”
“I know.” She shoved his shoulder. “Now get out of my way.”
He shook his head but rose to his feet, allowing her to slip from the booth. But instead of leaving, he hovered protectively nearby as she started toward Tiago. That was sweet, but stupid. The fada would crush him like a bug if he interfered.
She swung back to him. “Look, just get out of here. This is serious—fada business. It could come to a challenge. Do you understand?” She lifted her glasses so he could see the fae tilt to her eyes. “And I’m the dryad they’re talking about.”
“Holy mother of—” His mouth went slack. “Okay, okay. I’m out of here.”
He hurried toward the door, along with the other humans still present, until the only people in the bar besides Alesia were fada.
“Tiago.” Alesia took a deep breath and hurried forward. “It’s the truth. I’m okay. I’m right here.”
His head snapped around. His focus broke, releasing Dion from the compulsion.
After that, everything seemed to happen at once. Dion lurched forward toward Tiago and Jorge, while Tiago’s face lit up with relief and something more. Something that made her heart contract.
“Alesia?”
Jorge’s jaw dropped. “Get her,” he snapped at Mys, but Tiago twisted and did something behind his back and the knife clattered to the floor.
Dion was right there. He grabbed Jorge by the throat as Tiago shoved Mys into the bar. Mys swung around but Chico and Eliana grabbed his arms. The three other Rock Run warriors who’d come to Baltimore burst into the bar from various directions to converge on Jorge and Mys.
Tiago ignored them all to stride toward her. The two of them met in the middle and wrapped their arms around each other.
“Thank all the gods and goddesses,” Tiago muttered against her neck. He held for a long moment, his lungs working like a bellows, then cupped her face. “You’re all right?” He ran his hands over her face, her shoulders. “They didn’t—”
“I’m fine. I got away last night.”
“But how?”
“Believe it or not, it was Adric.”
“Adric?”
She moved a shoulder. “He was looking for Jorge and found me instead.”
“Well, damn.” He enclosed her in his arms again. They clung to each other, his face buried in her hair. “I thought”—his breath hitched—“I thought they’d—”
“They didn’t. And you? You’re all right?”
“Of course,” he said with fada arrogance.
Her lips curved. Goddess, she loved this man.
He gave her a last hug. This time when he lifted his head, he took in the lipstick, tight pants and ankle boots. His nostrils flared and she knew he’d picked up the lemon scent.
He quirked a brow. “What the hell are you playing at, anyway?”
She lifted her chin. “Camouflage.”
“Deus, woman.” His gaze raked down her body. They were in a bar full of shifters one inch away from a full-out brawl, but damn if that hot, dark look didn’t send a thrill shooting straight to her womb. “If that’s camouflage, then I’m king of the faeries.”
“It worked. No one recognized me.”
“That’s not the point. You—you’re—” He waved a hand, then shot a frown at his brother. “What the hell is she doing here, anyway?”
“Damn if I know.” Dion narrowed his eyes at her. “She’s supposed to be safe at Rock Run where Jorge and Mys can’t use her as a bargaining chip. Sim, menina?”
She gave him a guilty smile. “I did go to Rock Run.”
Dion just shook his head.
“That reminds me.” Tiago’s mouth flattened. He pushed Alesia at Rui with a muttered, “Take care of her,” and then swung around to where Dion was holding Jorge.
Jorge was still gaping at Alesia.
“You goddamned sonuvabitch.” Tiago sprang across the few feet between them and slammed his fist into Jorge’s grizzled face.
Something cracked and Jorge staggered backward into Dion.
Jorge brought his hand to his jaw and blinked a couple of times, then snarled and shook off Dion to leap for Tiago, knocking him backward into a table. The wooden legs broke under their combined weight, and all hell broke loose.
CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX
Tiago had almost given up hope.
Jorge had a knife to his spine, and Shania and Kelvin were at a nearby table, ready to jump in if necessary.
Then Rui appeared, and Jorge shoved the knife a little deeper. Tiago stiffened, a cold sweat trickling down his nape. One wrong move and he’d be paralyzed for life.
Still, even then he wouldn’t have tried to compel Dion. Not if it weren’t for Alesia.
But he had no choice.
He was stronger now, the beast feeding him energy so that he could keep up the pressure and at the same time knock Rui to his knees. Dion fought hard, but Tiago kept at him, a steady, relentless pressure.
Then Alesia popped out of a booth and he saw his chance. He knocked the knife out of Jorge’s hand and shoved Mys into the bar as hard as he could, and then practically flew the few steps to Alesia, afraid this was a dream and he’d wake up and find her gone.
All he could think was: She’s safe. She’s safe.
Behind him, Jorge muttered, “Fucking whore,” in Portuguese.
Tiago snapped. His woman, his mate, had been kidnapped and spent a no-doubt terrifying night. He’d been drugged and forced to address this feral as “Lord” Jorge. And worse, he’d been compelled to turn on his own brother and alpha.
He handed Alesia off to Rui and smashed his fist into Jorge’s face with everything he had. Jorge came back at him and they went down, but both of them were on their feet in an instant, claws fully extended. For a minute it was two furious animals going at it. Then Jorge twisted away and jumped to his feet.
Tiago started after him, then remembered Alesia. He glanced over his shoulder to find that Rui had hustled her to the side of the bar and was urging her under the table of the booth she’d just vacated. Meanwhile, Chico, bless him, had handed Mys off to another Rock Run man and taken up a stance in front of the booth to protect her. With his mate safe, he turned back to Jorge.
The men in the bar were taking sides, the Rock Run fada lining up with Tiago and Dion, and Mys and the earth shifters jumping in to help Jorge. Shania and Kelvin had disappeared like rats deserting a sinking ship.
A bottle flew toward Tiago. He ducked and it shattered against the mirror behind the bar. To his right, a table overturned. Rui shoved Tiago aside to grapple with Jorge himself. Tiago didn’t have a chance to object before he was fighting an earth shifter, back to back with Dion, who was fighting off two more.
Tiago’s opponent was big and slow moving; he had to be a bear. He pulled a knife and slashed viciously at Tiago’s face. Tiago bobbed and weaved, ducking under the knife and then slamming his fist into the man’s belly.
His opponent grunted but otherwise seemed barely to notice the blow. He came at Tiago again, slow but relentless.
Tiago drew back his arm and punched him in the jaw. The man blinked and then slid to the ground. Tiago turned in time to see Mys break free from the man holding him and dart across the bar to grab Alesia.
Hell.
He started toward them and then watched, stunned, as his shy little dryad grabbed a beer bottle and swung it at Mys’s head.
But Mys had fada-quick reflexes. He ducked under the bottle, caught Alesia’s arm and started dragging her toward the exit at the back of the saloon.
Tiago leapt into action. He was almost on them when another earth shifter—this one a wolf—jumped in front of him. He shoved him out of the way, but the wolf grabbed him from the back. Tiago swore and tried to buck him off as Mys pushed a wriggling, cursing Alesia toward the rear exit.
She lashed out with the beer bottle, hitting his temple with an audible clunk. Mys bit out something nasty in Greek, then grabbed Alesia’s wrist and squeezed until she yelped and dropped the bottle.
“You”—he grasped her braid and jerked her head back—“are going to be a pleasure to tame.”
“Help, Tiago,” Alesia screamed.
He growled and jabbed his elbow into the man-wolf’s ribs, then spun around and kneed him in the balls as hard as he could. The other shifter doubled over like a deflated balloon.
But as Tiago turned toward Alesia, the man-wolf pulled out a knife and lunged. Tiago jumped back, but the knife slashed through his T-shirt, tracing a line of fire down his chest.
Tiago snarled. “Enough.” He shot out a hand, fingers splayed. “Freeze.”
The man stilled in the middle of a knife thrust, body angled forward and his arm out.
Tiago set a compulsion on him to stay where he was and turned toward Mys. “Let. Her. Go. And then don’t move—not a single fucking muscle.”
Mys went rigid but his fingers slowly opened. Alesia backed away as the sea fada watched her, his eyes alive with frustration.
Tiago looked around the bar. “Nobody move. Not a goddamn step. Freeze—all of you.”
They all—river and earth fada—halted where they were, some still locked in each other’s grip. Their chests heaved as they gulped for breath, but they remained in place as if glued to the floor.
Alesia blinked as the compulsion swept over her. He saw her glancing cautiously around. But he’d promised that he would never use it on her, and he’d meant it.
Working his Gift on this many people was a tremendous strain. Dion growled and fought to get free. Tiago gave up and released him—but only him. His instincts wouldn’t let him release anyone else until he knew Alesia was safe.
Sweat beaded on Tiago’s forehead. His jaw clenched with effort. The beast rose up to add his strength to Tiago’s.
Save. The mate.
Tiago glanced at Alesia again. She’d picked up another beer bottle. She caught his eye and with a shrug, set it on the bar.
His eyes narrowed. She had a nasty scratch on her cheek and her shirt was torn open. She saw him looking and pulled the sides together. “I’m okay.”
Tiago bit out a curse and started toward Mys. He was going to rip the man’s throat out. But his concentration had been shattered and his grip over the room broke.
In an instant, Mys had his arm locked around Alesia’s throat. “Let me go,” he hissed, “or she dies.”
“Like hell.” Tiago shot his hand out and mentally squeezed Mys’s heart with the energy like he’d done to Rui—but this time he meant it.
Mys jerked. His arm fell limply to his side and he slumped to the floor.
The other fada moved. Tiago growled and ordered them to freeze again. This time, he focused on just the Baltimore fada, allowing the Rock Run fada, including Dion and Rui, to remain free.
With less people, it wasn’t as difficult, and the beast had caught on to what he needed. It was feeding him energy in a steady stream, easing the strain.
Alesia looked down at Mys and then back at Tiago.
He met her eyes. “He’s dead,” he confirmed, daring her to object.
Her throat worked. “Oh.”
He looked around at the other fada, including those still frozen in place. “And if anyone else touches you, he’s dead, too. Understand? Now listen, all of you. You have a choice—you can either leave or stay as witnesses. But the fight is over.”
He flicked his fingers and released everyone else but Jorge. They cast wary glances at Tiago, but no one left. They shook themselves off and clumped into two groups—the five Baltimore shifters in one group and the Rock Run fada in the other, with Jorge in the center. Only Claudio remained separate, glaring at them all from behind the bar.
Jorge keened angrily. His face flushed a dark red and his body shook with the effort to free himself.
Tiago looked at him coldly. “You want a challenge, Jorge? You got it. But from me, not Dion. But you have to fucking wait until I make sure my woman is okay.”
Jorge growled, but he stopped fighting the compulsion.
Tiago turned back to Alesia and held out his hand. “Come here, Lesia.”
She twisted her fingers together and stared at him without moving.
So that’s how it was. He brought his hand back to his side. His heart felt like it was caught
in a giant vise.
Still, it was her choice. He wasn’t going to force her to mate with a monster. This was who he was. If she wanted him, she had to accept his Gift. Otherwise she might as well take a knife to the mate bond right now.
Then she made a small sound and hurried toward him, arms out.
Tiago’s breath released in a whoosh. His arms came around her like an iron band. But it wasn’t tight enough. He wanted to take her inside of him, where she’d never, ever be in danger again.
“Alesia,” he crooned. “Alesia.” He buried his head in her hair, breathing her in beneath the lemon scent she’d drenched herself in. “You’re my everything. You know that, don’t you?”
She nodded against his neck. “I know. I know.”
“Deus.” He rained kisses on her face. “I was so afraid that they—” He inhaled raggedly.
“I’m okay. They didn’t hurt me.”
Dion and Rui stepped up. Tiago shifted Alesia to one arm, his gaze going to the two men, who had ranged themselves side by side in front of him.
Dion stepped closer. “I believe I told you,” he said between clenched teeth, “to never use your Gift on me again. The others—fine. But not me. I should break your goddamned neck.” He flexed his fingers as if contemplating that very act.
Tiago growled low in his chest and Alesia made a small sound. Tiago gathered her closer and took a deep, calming breath.
“If you want to have this out, fine,” he told his brother. “But back off. Alesia’s had a rough time as it is, and I won’t have you scaring her.”
To his surprise, Dion looked abashed. He muttered an apology—to Alesia, not him, but that was fine with Tiago—and took a step back.
“As my alpha,” Tiago continued, “you have the right to punish me—even banish me.” Alesia caught her breath and he gave her a reassuring squeeze. “But know this—I did it for Alesia. I had no choice. Jorge was going to do to her what he’d done to Marjani—and worse.”
Dion blew out a breath. “I know. And I wouldn’t have respected you if you’d done anything else.”
Tiago inclined his head. “Still, I beg your pardon.”
Tempting the Dryad Page 27