Page 1 of Primal Bonds

Saving Jace

A Fada Novel

Prologue

Of Gods and Shapeshifters

They say Dionysus is a wild, untamed god, beautiful in the way of all gods. He loves wine and women, and his rites are dark, tempting, addictive. It was Dionysus and his followers, both fae and human, who created the first fada during his infamous bacchanals. By some mysterious magic, the fada were shapeshifters, a mix of fae, human and animal genes—and a touch of the god himself.

The first fada lived in the Mediterranean Sea, water shifters who could change to dolphins, seals, otters, even sharks and other fish. They were dark, ruthless, and as untamed as the god who’d first given them life. From the Mediterranean, they spread throughout the world’s rivers and seas.

Centuries passed, and then one day, a tiny clan of Arab fae from North Africa’s Fertile Crescent got together and created the earth fada, shifters who could change to land-based animals like cougars or bears or deer. Dionysus found it amusing to provide the spark of life to this new creation. The North African fae gifted the quartz and its special energy to earth fada alone. But like most fae gifts, it came with an edge—with the right incantation, a fae can control an earth fada through his or her quartz.

Fortunately, that knowledge is known to only a few North African fae.

When an earth fada reaches a certain age, he or she is taught the secret of the quartz. They vow to guard the secret with their lives. Because if the fae ever learn the earth shifters can be controlled through their quartz, they’re doomed.

Chapter 1

Thirteen Years Earlier: The Darktime

Jace Jones slogged through a cold December rain on Baltimore’s west side, dog-tired after a rough two-month assignment in South America. All he wanted was a shower and a six-pack.

His best friend Adric was pacing the street in front of Jace’s den. “Takira had her cub.”

Jace’s exhaustion fled. That was bad. His sister wasn’t due for another month. He’d hated to leave her, but you didn’t say no to your alpha.

“She’s okay? It’s too early—”

“She’s fine, and the cub is, too. I just came from their den.”

Jace raced down the stairs to his den, Adric behind him, and tossed his backpack on a chair. “Your uncle? He’s expecting me to report.”

Adric’s uncle, Leron Savonett, was the Baltimore alpha. An abusive, out-of-control alpha who didn’t deserve the title. Sending Jace out of the country when his sister was heavily pregnant was typical behavior for Leron—keep families and friends apart.

Adric’s face hardened. He was Jace’s age—barely in his twenties—but the past few years had left him with an old man’s eyes. “Leave him to me.”

“Thanks, man.” Jace stopped only long enough for a shower, then rushed across town.

He’d missed the clan’s winter solstice celebration. It was early Christmas morning. The streets were empty except for a few hard-eyed humans for whom December twenty-fifth was just another day.

Takira’s mate let him into their tiny apartment. Silver was a half-blood fae, beautiful in the way of all his people. Right now his stunning face was drawn. He looked as exhausted as Jace.

“How is she?” Jace demanded.

“Fine. Tired, but fine.”

Takira was in bed, a tiny bundle in her arms. She looked weak and way too thin for a woman who’d just given birth, her skin an ashy brown, but she smiled proudly up at Jace.

“She has her father’s chin.” She touched the infant’s sharp chin. “And his pointed ears.” She grinned at her mate.

Silver’s spare features softened. “She’s got a lot of her mom in her, too—and I thank the gods for that.”

Jace kissed his sister’s cheek and stroked a finger over the cub’s soft black curls. “She’s beautiful.”

“Do you want to hold her?”

He gulped. It had been years since he’d held a baby. He and Takira were earth fada. Their Baltimore clan had been decimated by a bloody civil war. The two of them had lost both their parents by the time they were in their teens.

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