Page 59 of Primal Bonds

“Unless he was ’ported out,” Adric muttered. His fingers tightened around his quartz. He’d swear Corban had the DNA of a fucking weasel, the way he wriggled out of tight spots.

“You think he’s working with a fae?”

“It’s a possibility.”

“I didn’t pick up a fae’s scent.”

Adric nodded. That was useful intel, although not conclusive. “You did good,” he told Bryah. “Go back to Baltimore. Zuri could use you in the search down there.”

Marjani drove west along the Susquehanna River. Rock Run owned several thousand prime acres along the shore, including the mouth of Rock Run Creek. The river fada’s underground base followed the creek; its actual location was a closely kept secret. Adric had gotten inside once, but the sun fae had wiped his memory of the details, and he’d never been able to get past the wards again.

Adric felt the familiar clench of possessiveness. God’s cat, he wanted Rock Run’s territory for the clan. It had everything—forests for their cats and wolves and bears and deer to run free in. Fresh water to swim and fish in. An underground base that was perfect for a growing clan.

Once, he’d plotted to take Rock Run’s territory, but he’d set that plan aside. Rock Run had three times the people, and now that Dion had mated with the sun fae queen, it would be suicide to go up against them. Queen Cleia could literally incinerate a man where he stood. No, his clan was going to make the money they needed from selling the new quartz technology, and then they’d buy their own chunk of prime forestland.

And Jace Jones was crucial to that plan. He was the brains behind the smartphone project. Kill Jace, and the clan could kiss their plans for new territory goodbye—and Corban knew that as well as Adric.

They reached Rock Run’s border. The road narrowed to a strip of asphalt and gravel. To their left the terrain was thick with trees; to the right, the Susquehanna rushed by just yards away, the rising moon casting a shimmering gold trail on its wide black waters.

“Here?” asked Marjani.

When he nodded, she stopped the jeep. Nika was still unconscious. Adric set her in the grass beside the road.

Marjani followed with Nika’s quartz. “She’s stronger than she’s pretending,” she said as she unwrapped it. “You know we have to do it.”

“Fine.” He dragged a hand over his spiked-up hair. “Do it then.”

His sister’s eyes flashed the chilly sapphire of her cougar. She found a heavy rock, set the quartz on the road and smashed it into several jagged pieces.

Nika jerked and slipped further into unconsciousness.

The quartz shards sparkled like dim stars, still sharing energy with Nika. Scooping them up, Marjani walked onto the narrow beach and tossed them into the river. The last piece, she placed on Nika’s chest where she’d be sure to find it.

“She’ll be all right,” Marjani said, as if he were arguing. “That’s more than Corban allowed me.”

The sparkling pieces were carried rapidly downriver. One by one, they winked out of sight as they sank beneath the water.

A dolphin’s fin appeared upriver. A Rock Run sentry coming to investigate.

“Let’s get out of here,” Adric said, and they jogged back to the jeep.

But he glanced over his shoulder as the dolphin shifted—and felt the shock clear to his bones. It was Rosana do Rio, the only sister of the Rock Run alpha—and the woman he’d wanted for six long years.

“I’ll be right there.”

“Damn it, Ric,” Marjani growled, but he was already moving down the road.

Rosana strode onto the beach. It was too dark to see her clearly, but her image was emblazoned on his brain: a heart-shaped face, a cloud of wavy black hair, and eyes the rich blue of the ocean. Her irises turned a bright, night-glow silver, and their gazes locked.

His heart thundered in his ears. He stopped a yard away. “It’s been a while.” A year, in fact.

They’d danced at Tiago’s mate ball. She’d melted into him for that single dance, and he’d murmured in her ear, trying to entice her to come to him later. But when the dance ended, she’d pulled out of his arms, saying, “I can’t do this,” and walked rapidly away.

Now he hungrily took in her naked body. She was a man’s wet dream—slick from her swim, with high breasts and sleek thighs. Her hair tumbled in damp ringlets over her shoulders and beneath his heated gaze, her nipples beaded. But she kept her chin level and met him look for look, a proud and arrogant do Rio to her very toes.

But she wanted him. He gave a slow, deliberate inhale, letting her know he scented her need.

She glanced from him to Nika. “You’re on our territory.” Her voice was naturally husky. The woman could read a fucking menu and sound sexy.

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