Tempting the Dryad

by Rebecca Rivard

  “What d’you mean?”

  “Cleia. You had a protection ward, didn’t you?”

  “The hell I did. Is that what the men think? That I need my mate’s magic to protect me?”

  Rui raised a hand. “Desculpe-me. So you’re saying you didn’t let her make you a ward?”

  “Hell no. The day I need my woman to shield me is the day you can consign me to the water.”

  Rui shook his head. “You’re a tough bastard, you know?”

  Dion took a gulp of beer. It was perfect: dark, bitter and cold as an ice fae’s heart. “That’s why I’m alpha.”

  His friend chuckled.

  They sipped their beers in silence for a minute and then Rui slanted a look at Dion.

  “A dryad, huh?”

  “Hell, if she’ll take him on with a Gift like that, I’ll welcome her to the family with open arms. And you know”—Dion rubbed his chin thoughtfully—“our vineyards still aren’t producing like they could be. Even Cleia can’t seem to get it quite right. Grapes need the right balance of soil, water, and sunshine.”

  His second nodded. “That island of hers is the lushest on the river. Looks like a damn jungle in the summer.”

  “Exatamente.”

  They exchanged knowing smiles.

  Dion glanced at Jorge and sobered. Claudio had unearthed a couple of sheets and he and a couple of the Rock Run fada were wrapping Jorge in one of them.

  “I can handle this,” he told Rui. “You have a mate about to give birth. Get back to the base before she has both of our heads.”

  “If you’re sure—” But his friend was already turning to leave.

  The front door slammed open and Adric strode into the bar. He looked around him, hands fisted on his hips. “What the fuck is going on?”

  Rui swung back to stand beside Dion. “Who the hell called him?” he said out of the side of his mouth.

  Dion shrugged. “It’s his territory.”

  Adric halted a few feet away, his bronze eyes sparking blue fire. “This was Tiago’s work?”

  But they could tell he already knew the answer.

  “Yes,” Dion replied.

  “Jesu.” The other alpha took in the dead bodies. “What in God’s name is your brother?”

  Dion bristled. “That,” he said, “is none of your damn business. But you wanted these men? Here they are. The big one is Jorge, the man back there is Mys. But what I’d like to know is why the fuck your men jumped in on the other side.”

  “They what?” Adric’s spine went rigid. He turned to look at the four earth shifters other than the bouncer still in the bar.

  The other three looked to the largest, a big bear of man with a shaved head who looked even younger than Adric. He gulped and shifted from foot to foot like an overgrown schoolboy. “But, my lord…we thought since the river people harmed Lady Marjani, you’d want us to—”

  Adric crossed the few feet between them and grasped the bear-man by the throat. “Don’t think, Beau,” he said between his teeth. “That’s my job.” He thrust the man from him. “You assholes”—his gaze took in all four men—“it wasn’t Rock Run who hurt Marjani. It was those men there—the dead ones.” He jerked his chin at Jorge and Mys. “Lord Dion claimed the right to clean up his own mess, with my full agreement.”

  Beau winced. “Hell. I’m—I beg your pardon, my lord. We didn’t know…I—Shania said—”

  “Shania?” Adric’s face sharpened. “She’s part of this?”

  Beau nodded. “Shania and Kelvin, they said that Rock Run was moving in on us, that we were needed. Shania told us to come to the saloon ASAP.” He looked around, brow furrowed. “She was here a few minutes ago. Kelvin too.”

  “But why would you take the side of two water fada?”

  “Shania said they were on our side.”

  “And you didn’t scent a lie?”

  “She contacted me through my crystal. But it made sense. She said it was for Marjani.”

  Jace Jones loped into the bar. Of medium height, with black hair and a cat’s wiry build, he was Merry’s uncle and one of Adric’s top lieutenants. He took in the carnage, then glanced from Adric to Dion as if he’d expected to find the two of them locked in a challenge. When he saw they were just discussing things, he visibly relaxed.

  “You heard about Shania and Kelvin?” he asked Adric. When Adric nodded, he said, “We’ve got them. There was another man, but he’s gone.”

  “Who?” Adric bit out.

  “They’re not saying.”

  “No? We’ll see about that.” The other alpha’s voice was cold, but Dion scented the anger coming off him in hot waves.

  The lieutenant glanced at Dion, but Adric jerked his chin. “Talk,” he ordered his man. “They took Tiago prisoner and tried to use him to bring down Dion. Whatever you found out, it involves Rock Run, too.”

  “Sounds like you already know most of it,” Jace said. “Shania and Kelvin were helping Jorge and his men. Luc heard some talk and decided to check it out. When he realized who was involved, he called some of us in as backup. We caught Shania and Kelvin in Sandtown but the other man must’ve realized something was up and he went to ground.”

  Adric’s nostrils flared, but all he said was, “Good work.”

  “What about Shania and Kelvin?”

  “I’ll deal with them,” was the terse reply. Adric turned to Dion and jerked his head at Jorge and Mys. “Need any help with these two?”

  “Obrigado, but no. We’ll take them out into the bay, return them to the elements.”

  Adric nodded and looked at the four earth shifters. “As for you four, I’ll talk to you later. For now, just get the fuck out of my sight—all of you.”

  The men inclined their heads and hurried out the door.

  “Lord have mercy,” Adric muttered. “I have a clan full of fools like them.”

  Dion’s lips twitched. “I have a few of those myself.”

  Adric shot him a look. For a second, his cocky façade slipped and Dion caught a glimpse of a young, in-over-his-head alpha. Then his face hardened and he looked at the dead men, both enshrouded in white sheets now.

  “Thank you for this.” Adric inhaled slowly, scenting them. “Feral?”

  “Yeah. Or as near as makes no difference.”

  “Then they needed to be put down,” was the flat response.

  Dion nodded. That was one thing they could agree on.

  “Give your brother my thanks,” Adric added. “I’ll make sure Marjani knows. She’ll sleep a little easier tonight.”

  “Hell, you don’t owe us any thanks. I’m just sorry your sister got dragged into it. If there’s anything we can do for her—anything at all—contact me. All right?”

  “Thanks,” Adric said, but Dion could tell he was just being polite.

  The other alpha dragged a hand through his spiked-up hair. “Look, I need to know—the deal’s still on with your mate?”

  “That’s between you and Queen Cleia. But you need to get your house in order. I don’t care what deal she cuts with you, I’m not letting you within ten miles of either of our territories if you’re not in full control your clan.”

  “Don’t worry,” Adric said grimly. “I’ll handle it.” He stuck out his hand. “I know you don’t want my thanks, but you have it anyway.”

  “De nada.” Dion shook his hand firmly.

  They wished each other peace and then Adric took his leave.

  Rui had remained silent throughout the exchange. Now he set his empty glass on the bar. “Think we can trust him?”

  “Last week I’d have said no way in hell. But now?” He moved a shoulder.

  Rui nodded. “I’m thinking Tiago’s going to want to stay close to the base now that he’s mated. At least for the next year or so. You know how newly mated men are.”

  “And?”

  “Luis and I were talking, and if this deal between Baltimore and the sun fae goes through, we’ll need someone to supervise the men assigned
to guard the Baltimore miners. Your brother would be perfect. Not only will our men obey him, when what happened here gets out, the earth shifters would be idiots if they tried to pull anything.”

  Dion nodded slowly. “That’s not a bad idea.”

  “Tiago’s alpha material. He’ll be happiest if he’s in charge of something. And with his Gift, the Baltimore fada will think twice before messing with him. Adric, especially. Word is he can hypnotize you almost instantly with that quartz of his.”

  “So I hear. But if he tried it on Tiago, he’d stop him in his tracks.”

  “And it would prove to Tiago that he has your complete trust.”

  They exchanged a look.

  “Smart.” A corner of Dion’s mouth lifted. “This is why I keep you around. Now get the hell out of here and back to your mate.”

  CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE

  Outside the Full Moon Saloon it was still daylight. Tiago blinked. It felt as if hours had passed since he’d first entered the bar, but when he consulted his inner clock he realized it was just after five.

  The Friday-night crowd gave him and Alesia a wide berth. Tiago caught sight of himself in a window and saw why. He looked like a boxer on a bad day: battered face, a bloody gash across his left eyebrow and his hair a tangled mass around his shoulders.

  Ah, well. He was never going to be a cuddly sort of man. But Alesia didn’t seem to be afraid of him—although for a few moments there, she’d had him worried.

  He wrapped an arm around her shoulders. “You know I’d never hurt you, don’t you?”

  “I know.” She pressed a kiss to his neck. “Back there in the bar, I wasn’t afraid of you. And I know you had to kill Mys—or he’d have killed me. It’s just that…this isn’t easy for me.”

  “Alesia.” He turned and gathered her into his arms right there in the middle of the sidewalk, uncaring of the humans brushing past them. “I promise I won’t let it touch you. That’s clan business. I won’t bring it home.”

  “Oh, Tiago.” She touched his cheek. “I don’t think the mate bond works like that. I’ll deal with it. As long as you promise to think long and hard before unleashing your Gift on anyone—even a plant or an animal. I think maybe we’re mates for a reason. I need your strength and you need my—”

  “Peace,” he finished for her. “You’re peace to me. Everything good and green and growing.”

  They kissed then, a slow, sweet mingling of breath and promises, and Tiago fell a little deeper in love with her, if that were possible.

  They turned as one and started down the street again, fingers intertwined.

  Alesia pulled up short. “Uh-oh,” she said under her breath.

  Tiago followed her gaze to where a couple was seated on a bench under the largest tree on the block. Naomi and a man who had to be Alesia’s father. Tiago looked at the man curiously. Male dryads were rare. Many dryad families were polygamous because of it, with one man having several mates, although he couldn’t see Naomi sharing her man with another female.

  The man had the trim, muscular body of a male dancer and the pointed ears of a fae. Like Alesia, his hair was sun-kissed brown where Naomi’s was black, and he had heavy dark brows and chiseled features where his mate’s were more delicate, but the two of them could’ve passed for Alesia’s older sister and brother.

  “Mama—and Dad.” Alesia released Tiago’s hand to hurry forward. “What are you doing here?”

  Tiago squared his shoulders and followed her. This wasn’t the time and place he’d have chosen to meet Alesia’s father, but hell, there was probably never going to be a good time to announce to her parents that she’d mated with a fada.

  The dryad couple rose to greet their daughter. They tried to draw her to one side, but she shook her head at them and turned to Tiago.

  “You already know Tiago, Mama.” Naomi jerked her chin, her expression set, but Alesia ignored her to introduce him to her father, Danaus.

  Tiago inclined his head respectfully to both of them. “Peace to you and yours.”

  “And to yours,” Danaus returned. He crossed his arms over his chest and looked Tiago up and down.

  He accepted the inspection, hands loose at his sides. These were his mate’s parents, after all. He owed them deference.

  “There was a fight,” Alesia rushed to say, “but it wasn’t Tiago’s fault. He was trying to help me.”

  Naomi moved impatiently. She was wearing a forest-green tunic over black leggings, and the jagged green hem fluttered like leaves around her long legs. “I hear some river men kidnapped you. So they think you’re fair game now?”

  Alesia flushed. “No, Mama. The men weren’t from Rock Run. They’re the ones who kidnapped that Rock Run woman five years ago. Tiago tried to stop them and they knocked him out. He—”

  Tiago caught her hand, halting the spate of words. “The important thing is they won’t be bothering your daughter anymore.”

  Danaus lifted a single dark brow. “They’re dead?”

  “Yes.”

  Naomi frowned, but Danaus just said, “Indeed,” in neutral tones.

  Tiago took a subtle sniff. Naomi was clearly agitated, but the dryad male’s scent was as neutral as his voice.

  Danaus turned to Alesia and his face softened. He smoothed a hand down her hair. “You’re all right, little one? These men, they didn’t hurt you?”

  She shook her head. “I’m fine. They didn’t touch me.”

  Danaus briefly closed his eyes. “Thank the gods.”

  Alesia tightened her grip on Tiago’s fingers. “We have something to tell you,” she said in a voice a little higher than normal. “We’re mated.”

  “Oh, Alesia.” That was Naomi. “With a fada?”

  Alesia lifted her chin. “Yes.”

  Danaus narrowed his eyes at Tiago. When Tiago just gazed back, he gave a little half-smile and then slid an arm around Naomi’s waist. “Congratulations. We’re happy for you, aren’t we, love?”

  Naomi expelled a breath. “Yes, of course. But how could you be mated without the ceremony?”

  Alesia and Tiago looked at each other. “It just happened,” Alesia said.

  “But you’ll have the mate-bond ceremony.”

  “Of course,” Tiago replied. “I want everyone to know that Alesia is mine.”

  Naomi nodded tightly and then put out her hands to Alesia. “Congratulations, daughter.”

  Alesia stepped forward and Naomi gave her a sedate kiss on each cheek—and then the two of them were laughing and crying and hugging each other. Well, Alesia was crying and gripping her mother around the waist, while Naomi patted her awkwardly on the back—but Tiago thought he saw the sparkle of tears in her black eyes. Meanwhile Danaus waited his turn with a wry smile.

  Naomi and Danaus wanted to hear exactly what had happened between Alesia and the sea fada. Alesia explained in a few short sentences, glossing over the part about Tiago’s Gift, for which he was thankful. Time enough to explain that their daughter’s mate had the power of compulsion. Instead, in Alesia’s telling, Tiago was a hero who had defied everyone, including his own brother, to save her.

  When the women moved on to discussing the when and where of the mate-bond ceremony, Danaus pulled Tiago aside.

  “You do know,” he said, “that a dryad can’t leave her oak for more than a day or two at a time.”

  “I do. But we’ll make it work. Her tree is in Rock Run territory, after all.”

  “I’ll be honest,” Danaus said, “you’re not who I’d have chosen for my daughter, but the chances of her finding a mate among us was very small. But she’d better be happy, or I don’t care if she’s your mate, you won’t see her for more than a few days a year. Dryads are solitaries. We don’t have to live with our mates.”

  Like hell. Tiago wanted to bare his teeth, but all he said was, “I’ll do my best.”

  Danaus scrutinized him, then inclined his head. “I believe you will. You have my blessing.”

  “Thank you, sir.” Ti
ago turned to where Alesia was finishing up with her mother. “We’ll be in touch about the ceremony,” he told Naomi, “but you’re both invited, of course. And Alesia’s sisters, too.”

  “We’ll be there.” It was Danaus who replied.

  “I’ll stop by in a couple of days to see how you’re doing,” Naomi said. It sounded like a warning, but she lifted her face for Tiago to kiss.

  He set his lips to each of her cool, unlined cheeks, wished the two of them a good journey home and then watched with Alesia as they scaled the tree they’d been sitting under and then winked out of sight.

  Alesia blew out a breath. “That went…better than I expected.”

  “Hey, you can’t expect them to be overjoyed.” He slanted her a grin. “But don’t worry, I’ll turn on the charm. It worked with you, didn’t it?”

  She grinned back. Then her smile faded. “You’re bleeding.” She touched his lip. “Let’s go home.”

  Home—with Alesia. Tiago liked the sound of that.

  Dion’s motorcycle was just up the street. As they headed for it, Tiago set his hand on Alesia’s lower back, and from there his hand found its way to her ass. He could feel the muscles moving through the tight jeans. He gave them a good squeeze.

  She slanted him a wide-eyed look, her scarlet-painted lips making a perfect, round O. He grinned back even as his groin tightened.

  She was his. His mate.

  He was still absorbing the wonder of that. His mate, and he’d fought for her honor and won. Both man and animal wanted to shout it aloud to the world—and claim their reward. He had a primitive need to mark her, brand her as his. He nuzzled her neck, marking her with his scent, then nipped—just hard enough to leave a slight pink imprint.

  She made a small sound of arousal that vibrated up the mate bond. How was he going to wait until he had her back home? But she was exhausted. Thanks to the bond, he knew things about her now that he hadn’t before, and one of those was that the quickest way to restore her energy was to get her back home to her oak.

  But he couldn’t resist another squeeze of that round ass. She blinked and gave him another look with those big fawn eyes.

  His breath hitched. “When you look at me like that…”