Page 360 of Primal Bonds

The earth fada shook his head in disgust. “The clan will never accept you. You can’t be anything to him but a piece of ass.”

That hurt. But she was damned if she’d let this cabrão see it. “Go to Hades,” she said wearily and closed her eyes.

She must’ve drifted off again, because when the car stopped again, she jerked awake. They were deep in the forest on a narrow dirt track.

The earth fada rounded the car to open her door. “Out.”

She grabbed the water bottle and downed the rest of it before swinging out her legs.

“Hold still.” Flicking open a switchblade, he cut the rope around her ankles but left her hands bound. He grabbed her arm and helped her from the car. Not gently, but not roughly, either.

She stumbled forward, stiff and aching from their two clashes. As he righted her, his hand slid into her back pocket and she tensed.

Really? He was going to grope her—now?

Then she felt the stiletto he’d slipped back into her pocket.

Her heart bumped. She slid a sidelong glance at him, but he marched her into a small clearing and halted.

A tall blond female emerged from the shadows between a pair of towering maples. It was her. The mixed-blood fae from Lewes.

Rosana’s right hand twitched, itching to go for the stiletto, but she forced herself to remain still. Adric’s life might depend on it.

The earth fada inclined his head. “My lady.”

The fae sauntered out of the trees on strappy high heels, long legs bare under a short silver dress, hands in the pockets of her black leather jacket. She was model-thin with a fine-boned face and a sharp chin. Pointed ears poked from pale shoulder-length hair and coffee-colored brows arched over large eyes so unnervingly dark you couldn’t tell where the pupils ended and the irises began.

“What’s this, Luc?” She eyed Rosana as if she were a piece of day-old fish. “Your orders were to bring me Adric.”

“Yes, my lady. But this is Rosana do Rio. I believe you’ll find her even more useful.”

“The Rock Run alpha’s sister?” A single dark brow flicked up.

The earth fada—Luc—nodded.

The fae pursed her full pink lips. “And you brought her instead of your alpha because—?”

Luc held himself soldier-stiff, but Rosana scented his uneasiness.

“Adric has escaped me. Twice. But his scent is all over this woman. Take her to the prince, and chances are, Adric will walk right into New Moon.” Luc’s mouth twisted. “I know him, you see.”

Rosana’s fingernails dug into her palms. Devious fucking bastard.

“Ah.” The woman’s mouth curved in a cold smile. “A man who thinks for himself.”

He gazed steadily back without saying anything.

The fae lady paced forward, circled the two of them. “But your orders were to bring me Adric Savonett.” Her voice was icy. “Weren’t they, Luc?”

He released Rosana, took a step away. “Yes, my lady.”

The fae homed in on him. Dark magic crackled in the air.

Rosana gave a hard swallow.

Luc clenched his fists at his sides and stared stonily at his fae mistress. She grabbed his quartz, and he jolted. She murmured a few words and a cold white energy crackled around it. Luc jolted again, sinking to his knees with an agonized groan. The blond fae bent with him, the pendant held tightly in her hand.

Rosana gasped as frost covered his torso, spread out to his limbs. Only his face was left untouched.

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