Adric's Heart

by Rebecca Rivard

  Pleasure slid down her spine. She told herself that Adric wouldn’t do anything in the next few hours, and turned in Fane’s arms.

  “I don’t believe you did.” She threaded her fingers into his silky blond hair and heaved a sigh. “Mate with a man, and he starts taking you for granted.”

  He had the most gorgeous summer-blue eyes, made even more stunning by the dark brows and lashes framing them. Now the blue heated. “Oh, I’ll take you all right.”

  Swinging her into his arms, he tossed her on the bed and followed her down. The T-shirt was deftly removed along with the rest of her clothes. She was still chuckling when his mouth covered her sex.

  But she passed an uneasy night, gut churning, her Gift for strategy working overtime. Sometimes she knew what someone was going to do almost before they did.

  Just before dawn, she bolted upright in the bed. “That ass. He’s going after the prince.”

  Fane rolled over, his corn-silk hair tumbling around his bare shoulders. “Adric?” he mumbled sleepily.

  “Who else?” She tapped her quartz, tried to raise him.

  No response.

  Which was suspicious in itself. Her brother always answered her calls.

  “I’ll kill him,” she growled. “I swear to the Mother Goddess herself, I’ll stick a knife in his big, fat ego.”

  She shoved off the cloud-soft feather comforter—Fane’s purchase, not hers, although her cat was rapidly getting used to such creature comforts—and stalked down the hall to the bathroom.

  She was back in under a minute. As she jerked on her clothes, Fane rose naked from the bed and headed to the bathroom himself. For once, she barely noticed his lean, beautiful body, just sent him a distracted glance as she slid an iron dagger into a sheathe in her boot.

  When he returned, he reached for a pair of slim black jeans. “I’m coming with you.”

  Damn, she loved him. The man had her back—always. But she shook her head. “It’s better if I talk to him alone.”

  “Then I’ll wait for you outside.” He pulled on a cashmere sweater. “I’m not letting you out there alone. The night fae have you in their sights.”

  She sheathed a second dagger in her other boot—her mate-gift from Fane—and laced the boot. Her custom-made iron switchblade was already in her pocket.

  “They haven’t caught me yet.” She rose on her toes to kiss him. “And the sun will be up soon.”

  He caught her arm. “I’m not asking your permission, Jani. You’re not going without me.”

  She narrowed her eyes. Her easy-going mate rarely put his foot down, but when he did, he was as immovable as a boulder. A large, house-sized boulder.

  However, she was the Baltimore second and Fane was now a clan member. Which meant she outranked him, although his place in the hierarchy was…fluid. On the other hand, was it worth a fight? She hadn’t been mated long, but she was learning compromise was key, especially with two people as different as her and Fane.

  “I’ll only follow you anyway,” he added.

  She expelled a breath. “I’m leaving in two minutes.”

  The corner of his mouth lifted. “I’m a wayfarer, love. I’ll be waiting on the surface.” There was a blur of motion, and then their bedroom door opened and she was alone in the room.

  Her lips twitched. Sometimes she forgot how fast he was.

  She grabbed her leather jacket. Time to stop her brother before he did something stupid.

  20

  When Adric awoke just before dawn, Rosana was curled up in his arms, their bodies spooned together. He watched over her shoulder as she turned the amethyst pendant in her fingers, examining it like it was a fucking diamond.

  He nuzzled her temple. “You really like it.”

  “Well, yeah.” She rolled over to face him. “You gave it to me.”

  She had that soft, open expression that hit him like a fist to the chest. Didn’t the woman know how to protect herself?

  He swallowed and touched the pendant so that he didn’t have to look at her face. “You’re not what I expected either.”

  She circled his nipple with a fingertip. Petting him again. Like she couldn’t get enough of him.

  “What did you expect?”

  He shrugged. “A brat. You’re the alpha’s baby sister.” He only just stopped himself from saying spoiled baby sister.

  The hand on his chest stilled. “Doesn’t mean I got a free pass. I worked my ass off in the training cave, and I made warrior with the rest of my cohort.”

  “I know.” He captured her fingers, kissed her knuckles. “That’s what I’m trying to say. There’s more to you than I expected. You’re smart, tough. Good in a crisis. And sexy as hell.”

  A roll of her eyes. “Thanks.” But she resumed petting him.

  Tracing his collarbones, teasing his nipples, bumping a fingertip down each rib. He closed his eyes, drifting in a satiated haze, until she touched his pendant.

  “Your quartz—there’s a swirl of green inside.”

  His whole body jerked—an instinctive reaction. He yanked it away from her.

  “Oh, gods.” She clapped a hand to her mouth. “I’m so sorry. I wasn’t thinking.”

  He gave a taut nod. Only another earth fada could know how bad it hurt—worse than a knee to the balls.

  “It’s all right. But nobody touches our quartz except family.”

  Or a mate.

  Because Rosana’s touch hadn’t hurt. It had felt good, like she’d reached inside and caressed his heart.

  His breath tangled in his chest.

  No fucking way. We are not mated.

  Both members of a pair had to agree to a mating. Words had to be spoken, a commitment made before the gods and the clan. But that sea-green thread was the same color as her dolphin’s eyes.

  She touched his arm. “You are hurt. I should’ve know better. Merry told me…”

  He jolted, jumped out of bed.

  “Ric?” She sat up, the quilt gripped to her breasts. “You sure you’re okay?”

  “Yeah, yeah.” He shoved his fingers through his hair. “Sorry—I’m just….on edge. But don’t touch it again, all right?”

  “I won’t. I promise. But I didn’t know your quartz could change color. Merry’s doesn’t.”

  He wrapped his fingers protectively around the pendant. “It’s…unusual.”

  In fact, he’d never heard of anything like it. Fada mates shared a special, mystical bond. Earth fada pairs connected through their quartzes—that warmth he’d noticed when Rosana was near—but he’d never heard of it appearing as a twist of color.

  But then, he didn’t know any water/earth fada pairs.

  If only his parents were still alive. He needed to ask someone about this, someone he trusted. So few of the clan’s elders had survived the Darktime.

  Rosana was staring at him. Releasing the quartz, he got back into bed and pulled her back into his arms.

  She rested her head on his shoulder, her hand carefully on his waist, far from his quartz. “You sure you’re all right?”

  “I’m fine. Really.” He kissed her temple. “Go back to sleep.”

  She twisted her head so she could examine his face and then relaxed back against him again. Her breath sighed out, and a short time later she was asleep.

  The fae lights dimmed to a muted peach. They floated above the bed like the last, glowing embers of a dying fire, painting Rosana’s creamy skin a warm gold. Her inky hair tumbled over them both. He stroked it away from her face. Her mouth was slightly ajar, the full lips lax with sleep. Her eyelids fluttered but didn’t open.

  She looked so damn young, sweet…in a way he’d never been.

  Mate.

  His chest tightened, as the man recognized what his cougar already knew. The mate bond had already formed. A few fine-spun, hopeful strands, connecting his heart to Rosana’s.

  His stomach sank.

  He couldn’t let it happen, couldn’t leave her behind to suffer as his mom had
. He had to cut the link. He just prayed it wasn’t already too late.

  He slid out from under Rosana and rolled her onto her side facing away from him. She gave a discontented murmur, and he froze until she settled again, head pillowed on her hand.

  He waited another few minutes. Then he set his jaw and rejected the bond. It resisted, more than he expected for such a tenuous connection. But the few strands were already intertwined, his a shimmering blue, hers aqua-green.

  Behind him, Rosana mumbled unhappily. “Não, meu querido, não …”

  Sweat broke out on his brow. He pulled harder at his blue strands, but they just elongated as if they could stretch infinitely long. Without realizing it, his hand closed on his quartz, seeking strength, energy.

  Rosana’s strands wavered, tried to move around the barrier of his fist. And with that, he knew what to do.

  He called on the power of his quartz. His cat clawed at him from inside.

  Mate, it hissed. Ours.

  He ignored it to ruthlessly throw up a barrier between his heart and Rosana’s. There was an almost audible snap as the strands broke, severing the link.

  He jolted. It hurt—bad. Like a crater had opened in his chest. The sheer emptiness made the breath whoosh from his lungs.

  Rosana whimpered and flung out an arm as if warding off a blow.

  He reached out a hand and then curled his fingers into his palm. He ached to touch her, to tell her it would be okay, but he’d lost that right.

  He waited another few minutes before slipping out of bed. When he picked up his quartz, the sea-colored spiral had vanished. Sadness swamped him, bone-deep and grim, like the sun setting on his dreams.

  He dropped the pendant over his head and glided soundlessly out of the room.

  21

  Rosana woke in time to hear the outside door shut. She blinked groggily—then sprang out of bed, snatching up her clothes.

  Everybody leaves.

  But Adric hadn’t just left, he’d cut the connection to her. She’d felt the mate bond last night—a few fragile, delicate strands—but now it was gone.

  Pain slashed her. She curled into herself, arms wrapped around her waist.

  She was six again, begging her mama and papai to take her with them.

  Ula had taken Rosana’s face between her hands. “I’m sorry, love. We’re traveling as our dolphins. You’re too young—you couldn’t keep up with us.”

  Her lower lip had trembled. “Please, Mama. I’m fast. I swear I am. I’m the fastest girl in the creche. See?” She dashed from one side of the sala to the other, then grinned up at her mom, triumphant.

  “Oh, alanna. I love you. But not this time.” Ula’s eyes swam with tears.

  “No!” Rosana hollered and clamped onto her mom’s leg like a limpet.

  Her father had had to pry her off. “Hey, now, bonita. We need you to be a brave girl, okay? No crying. I want your promise.”

  He waited until Rosana gave a tearful nod, then handed her to a grim-faced Isa, ignoring her panicked attempts to scramble out of the nurse’s arms back to Ula.

  “Keep her here,” he commanded.

  “Sim, Senhor Nisio.” Isa held the sobbing girl in a gentle but unbreakable grip. Ula cast her a last, sorrowful look, and then the door shut behind the alpha couple.

  “Mama!” Rosana let out a heartbroken wail and then shoved her fist in her mouth, because she’d promised not to cry. It had been months before she’d spoken again.

  Now she hugged herself harder. Biting her lip so hard it bled.

  She’d been left behind. Again.

  She dragged the amethyst pendant off her head. Goddess, she was an idiot. She’d actually thought it was Adric’s way of saying he loved her. Or at least, that he wanted her, wished things were different.

  Hot tears stung her eyes. She went to fling the pendant across the bedroom—and then hesitated, unable to do it.

  Everybody leaves.

  Her fingers tightened around the chunk of purple quartz. Not this time.

  Dropping the pendant back over her head, she hurriedly donned a fresh shirt and pants and shoved everything else into her backpack before sprinting barefoot up the stairs.

  A wet snow covered the grass with more flakes drifting down. She peered around the side of the house as Adric wheeled a black motorcycle down the short driveway.

  She dashed to the shed, jerked on the quartz handle.

  Locked.

  With a muttered curse, she dragged a boot from her backpack and hammered the handle with the heel.

  Adric sent a startled glance over his shoulder. For a long moment, they stared at each other.

  She took a step toward him. “Take me. Please.”

  He shook his head, donned his helmet. “The lock will open for you in an hour.” He snapped down a dark visor.

  She gave the handle one last thump before looking around for a better tool. Her gaze lit on a rock. She dropped her stuff and lunged for it, but it was larger than it appeared, the bottom two-thirds lodged in the semi-frozen ground.

  Adric zoomed off.

  Her breath sobbed in. “No, no, no. You can’t leave without me.”

  She was never going to catch him, but she clawed at the dirt until the rock loosened. She snatched it up and started to her feet.

  Something slammed into her from behind, knocking her to her knees on the snow-covered grass. The rock flew out of her hands.

  A man’s rough fingers closed around her throat. A knee shoved into her spine.

  She tried to buck him off, but he was bigger, heavier. He easily controlled her.

  The blunt fingers tightened. She scrabbled frantically at them but the steady pressure didn’t let up. Squeezing the breath from her.

  Black edged her vision. Her hands felt strangely numb.

  “Adric,” she rasped.

  A small, broken sound.

  But in her head, it was a scream.

  The fingers squeezed harder. The blackness rose up like a rogue wave and sucked her under.

  22

  Luc had waited outside Adric’s den most of the night. He’d noted Rosana’s scent, of course. Fresh, as if she’d been there recently.

  His mouth flattened. First Lewes, now Baltimore. Adric had finally gotten lucky.

  Luc had never approved of his friend’s obsession with the do Rio female. Adric was the alpha; he should know better. Earth and water fada didn’t mix. Adric could never mate with the woman, and fucking her was asking for trouble. Dion would love an excuse to come down hard on Adric and the clan.

  The rain changed to a wet snow. It clung to Luc’s hair, melted on his face. His pants were soaked through, his feet blocks of ice in his boots. He started to shiver but didn’t shift to his wolf.

  He’d need his hands for what came next.

  Still, snow was good. It would cover his scent.

  He stationed himself upwind anyway. No one knew better than one of Adric’s former lieutenants how sharp the alpha’s senses were.

  Dawn came late in January. The sun was just a glimmer on the horizon when Adric emerged from his den, a duffel bag in hand. He sniffed, glanced around.

  On the opposite side of the house, Luc plastered his back to the bricks. Inside, the part of him that Blaer could never touch implored his alpha: See me. Kill me.

  Death was preferable to being enslaved to a fae.

  But his friend seemed distracted. Getting his motorcycle from the shed, he donned his helmet, shoved the duffel bag into a saddle bag and pushed the bike down the snow-covered driveway.

  The geas pulled at Luc. “Bring Adric Savonett to me.”

  No. He resisted Blaer’s order, shaking and sweating like a goddamn addict needing a fix.

  Blaer would be furious, especially since it was at his suggestion they’d gone to Rock Run first. “Adric will take the river fada straight home,” he’d told her. “We can capture him there.”

  But of course, Adric had never showed—which was what Luc had been counting on
. Disgusted, Blaer had left Luc the car and ’ported herself and Jon back to their hotel, with instructions for him to meet her in Virginia—with Adric.

  If he didn’t return with the alpha, Blaer would want to know why. And she had ways to drag the truth from him.

  Then the woman came out—a river fada.

  Luc did a doubletake. But yeah, it was Rosana do Rio, with Adric’s scent all over her. Not hard to guess what the two of them had been doing last night.

  Even though he’d known she’d visited recently, he was shocked that the alpha had taken a river fada into his den—the same den that was a closely guarded secret from most of Adric’s own clan.

  The man was in deep. Way deeper than Luc had realized.

  He eyed Rosana. A river fada, and the Rock Run alpha’s sister. For Blaer’s purposes, Rosana do Rio was just as good as Adric. In fact, she might even be better.

  And Adric would be safe.

  His gaze swung to the do Rio female. Better her than his friend.

  Luc might no longer be a member of the Baltimore clan, but Adric would always have his loyalty. The man had rescued him from a living hell. That year Luc had been Leron’s prisoner, he’d been tortured by not only Leron and his lieutenants, but his night-fae allies. He’d barely escaped with his sanity intact.

  On the other side of the house, Adric started his bike. Luc took a step toward the street, the geas dragging at him.

  No.

  Crouching down, he dug his fingers into his scalp and resisted with everything he had until the motorcycle’s engine faded into the other city sounds.

  Behind him, Rosana was still in Adric’s backyard. Apparently, her transportation was locked in Adric’s shed.

  He rose to his feet.

  A female, argued his conscience. A young, innocent female.

  Slapping it down like an irritating fly, he loped soundlessly across the lawn—and pounced.

  Rosana groaned.

  Her throat hurt, both inside and out.

  She moved her hand to touch it, and then jolted when she realized her wrists were bound together in front of her. She popped her eyes open.