Tempting the Dryad Page 5

  “In fact, you’re under orders to stay away from Adric and the Baltimore shifters—or have you forgotten?”

  Tiago took a heartbeat too long to reply.

  His brother growled. A reprimand—and a warning.

  “No,” Tiago said between gritted teeth. “Sir.”

  “Good.” Dion turned to Rui, presenting his back to Tiago.

  Tiago’s eyes narrowed. It was a clear insult—unintentional maybe, but to a fada, turning your back on another male meant you considered him too far beneath you to be a threat.

  “See you around,” he muttered and stalked from the room.

  CHAPTER FIVE

  Alesia stared down at the pieces of acorn scattered on the beach. She’d felt the tiny oak’s pain and fear as it had been forced to grow so fast it split apart at the subcellular level. Its anguished psychic scream had drawn her to this site.

  The fine hairs on her nape lifted. “Why?” she whispered.

  And how? How had Tiago been able to do that? Because it had to have been him.

  She knew he was a hard man, suspected that he’d killed, although he didn’t share that part of his life with her. But this, this spoke of dark magic.

  Fear seeped into her. Chilled, she wrapped her arms around herself, recalling every bad thing she’d ever heard about the fada.

  Picturing Valeria’s bruised, terrified face as the old Greek sea fada, Petros Okeanos, had forced her down the stairs to his underground den.

  And seeing again Tiago’s wintry blue gaze when he returned from a mission.

  She gave an involuntary shudder and knelt to pick up the pieces.

  A single oak produced tens of thousands of acorns. Very few made it to seedling and even fewer to a full-grown oak. Chances were high this embryonic oak would have been food for a squirrel or a blue jay. Still, there was something terrible about the way it had died.

  She curled her fingers around the shattered bits of shell and seed and rose back to her feet again.

  In the forest she clawed one-handed at the soil until she’d made a small depression and then tipped the pieces into it. As she scooped the moist black loam back on top, she felt a flash of anger. The fada might own this island but by their own promise this was her forest, her trees to nurture. Tiago had been a guest. However mad or confused or hurt he was, he had no right to harm one of her oaks.

  A rustle in a nearby tree made her rock back on her heels. A dark-haired dryad was agilely descending a sturdy tulip poplar.

  “Mama?” Alesia jumped to her feet and brushed the dirt from her hands. This was a surprise—and not a good one. Naomi lived on an island thirty miles upriver, but she rarely visited any of her three daughters. They were expected to come to her.

  That she was here now was not good.

  Naomi nodded regally at Alesia and leapt the last few feet to the ground.

  Alesia darted a look at the freshly disturbed soil where the acorn pieces were buried. Her mother couldn’t have picked a worse time to visit. Naomi considered the fada little better than thugs. She’d done everything she could to discourage Alesia’s friendship with Tiago. No way could Alesia let her know about Tiago and the acorn.

  “Hello, dear.” Naomi presented her cheek for Alesia’s kiss.

  “Mama.” Alesia pressed a kiss to her smooth, unlined skin. “This is a surprise.”

  Naomi nodded and glanced around. Her gaze skimmed the disturbed soil and Alesia held her breath, but she turned back to say, “Is everything all right, Alesia? I sensed something—something wrong. Dark.”

  Oh, Goddess. “No, no. Everything’s fine,” Alesia said, then had to swallow against the roiling in her stomach at the lie.

  Naomi sniffed the air. Her gaze sharpened on her middle daughter. “Tell me you’re not still seeing that river fada.”

  Alesia bristled. She might be bruised from Tiago’s abrupt departure and the discovery that he was apparently dabbling in dark magic, but deep down, he was a good man—which her mother would know if she’d bother to get to know him.

  “His name is Tiago do Rio. And he’s my friend.”

  Naomi was still a beautiful woman as she entered her fifteenth decade, with rich brown hair, perfect features and the elegant bearing of a ballerina. Her tree was a stately white oak that dominated its clearing. She arched a single dark brow.

  “He only wants between your thighs—and after he does, you’ll never see him again.”

  “If that’s true, then why wait five years?”

  Her mother dismissed that with a wave of her hand. “He’s playing with you, love. What are five years to us? You can’t trust a fada. They’d love to kill every last fae, because then who’d be left to keep them in check? Not the humans. The Rock Run clan should’ve stayed in Portugal where they belong.”

  Alesia’s jaw tightened. “They have as much right to be here as we do. The first dryads came from the Mediterranean—just like the first fada. And the Portuguese river fada settled Rock Run close to eighty years ago. Tiago’s as American as you or me. Just because we’ve been here a few centuries longer doesn’t make us better than them.”

  “No? They’re beasts, Alesia. Rutting, murderous beasts. Everyone knows they have animal genes—along with human.” Naomi sniffed as only a pureblood fae could. “And now their alpha has mated with the sun fae queen.”

  Alesia sighed. “You can’t control the mate bond, Mama.”

  “No? Well, Cleia always had a weakness for fada. But who knows what that man did when he was holding her prisoner? Probably bound her will somehow.”

  Alesia opened her mouth to object that on the contrary, it had been the queen who’d been harming Rock Run, but her mother was on a roll now.

  “And what about the bacchanalia? Don’t tell me they’ve banned them. Look what happened here on your island—with one of their own women. They’ve just gotten smarter at hiding them.”

  “That’s enough, Mama,” Alesia said sharply.

  Naomi wasn’t used to that tone from any of her daughters. Her mouth turned down.

  “Tiago’s been a friend to me,” Alesia went on. “A good friend. He brings me flowers, bottles of Rock Run’s best wine. In the winter, he makes sure I always have enough food. And he takes care of Phillis and Dina as well,” she added, naming her sisters.

  “That’s kind of him, I suppose. But I didn’t come here to argue about that fada”—her mom’s black eyes narrowed—“unless he had something to do with the disturbance I sensed. That was it, wasn’t it?”

  Alesia swallowed. It was an effort not to glance at the disturbed soil. She had to divert Naomi. She wouldn’t put it past her well-connected mom to report Tiago to the dryad tribune in their Greek homeland. Oaks were sacred to the dryads. A fada compelling an oak to grow until it shattered could start an international incident, ending with Tiago imprisoned—or worse.

  She met her mother’s suspicious gaze and hoped her voice wouldn’t betray her alarm. Another lie on top of the previous one would send her to her knees, but—“I had a couple of earth fada on the island.” This was true, as long as she didn’t say when. “I told them to leave, that this is Rock Run territory. A couple of Rock Run sentries saw them and chased them away. Maybe that’s what you sensed.”

  It had happened, although last month, not as recently as Alesia had implied. Still, Alesia had been grateful that her island was claimed by Rock Run, not the Baltimore fada. The earth people had a sardonic edge, even when they were trying to be friendly. Given the choice between the two of them, she’d choose a river fada any day. At least with them, you didn’t feel as if they’d be smirking as they slipped a blade between your ribs.

  To her relief, her mom accepted that. “They don’t want a fight with Rock Run. I suppose you should be grateful for the river people’s protection.”

  “I am.”

  Naomi’s face softened. “I only want what’s best for you,” she said, taking Alesia’s hand. “I know you’re lonely. The fourth decade is when a dryad’s m
ating urge grows strong. I recall how I was when your father came to me.”

  Male dryads could leave their home trees for longer periods than females, so when the urge came upon them, they set out into the world to seek a mate. Alesia’s own father was from an Ohio forest. He was there now, but he visited frequently and would until either he or Naomi died. Like the fada, the fae mated for life.

  “You’ll find your mate,” Naomi continued. “But when he finds you, what’s he going to think if you’re with that fada?”

  Alesia stared at her, arrested. Her voice, when she spoke, sounded odd in her ears. “If he’s my mate,” she heard herself say, “it won’t matter.”

  Because suddenly it all made sense: Why she always knew when Tiago was near. How she often guessed what he was feeling before he spoke a word. Why she’d wanted him from the first, allowing him to get close even though she’d been raised to fear the fada.

  Her heart had reached out, connecting to his with a filament-thin line. The mate bond, tenuous, not yet complete, but there. And today—touching and being touched by him, breathing his scent, the simple act of saying “yes” to him—today had breathed that bond into life.

  Dryads rarely mated with outsiders, even other fae. They were too different, bound as they were to their trees, preferring the quiet, peaceful life of a solitary to the messy interaction of a clan.

  “Well.” Naomi squeezed her hand. “I just wanted to make sure you’re all right.”

  “Thank you, Mama.” Alesia pulled her into a hug.

  Her mother patted her awkwardly on the back.

  “And don’t worry,” Alesia said. “I’m fine. Tiago would never hurt me.”

  I hope.

  They kissed and then her mother strode lithely back to the tulip poplar. She ascended to the first branch. The air around her shimmered greenly, and then with a wave of her hand, she was gone.

  Alesia’s shoulders sagged. Her stomach still hurt from the lie she’d told, but she barely noticed. Instead, she pressed the heel of her hand to her heart, her chest tight with wonder—and pain. Because the mate bond could only be completed if both people were willing.

  And Tiago was in love with another woman.

  * * *

  Tiago headed for his room in the unmated males’ quarters. It was mid-afternoon, and people were returning to the base to shower and change before dinner. Several hundred adults called the Rock Run caverns home, along with an equal number of children. He passed warriors returning from the day’s workout and sentries heading out for the evening patrols. The teachers who worked in the clan’s creche had handed off the children to their families and were enjoying some free time before dinner. The fishers would’ve dropped off the day’s catch in the kitchen around lunchtime, but those clan members who oversaw the vineyards or farms were just arriving back.

  He was friends with nearly everyone. Ordinarily, he would’ve stopped and chatted, but today he just nodded and smiled and walked on.

  As Tiago entered the sala of the quarters he shared with several other unmated males, Chico stepped out of the room next-door. His face split into a smile.

  “There you are,” he said as if Tiago hadn’t practically choked him an hour ago. “I’ve been looking for you. Me and a couple of the guys are heading down to Baltimore. You in?”

  “Sure.” Right now all Tiago wanted was to get drunk and find a woman, lose himself between her soft thighs. “But look, I’m sorry for grabbing your throat. That was out of line.”

  “No worries. She’s your woman. I’d have done the same if it were me.”

  Tiago opened his mouth to say Alesia wasn’t his woman, then shut it again. Better to let Chico think he’d claimed the dryad so that he’d leave her alone.

  His friend jiggled a key ring. “I snagged a Jeep. Can you be ready at five?”

  A couple of hours later, they were on I-95, traveling the thirty-some miles south to Baltimore. Chico was at the wheel, with two other men from their cohort in the back seat. The windows were down, loud music blared from the radio and the Jeep’s stiff suspension was rattling Tiago’s bones.

  He shot Chico a grin. “Is this as fast as this thing goes?”

  His friend grinned back from behind dark sunglasses and pressed the accelerator down. The Jeep jerked and then sped up.

  “I’m looking to get laid,” Chico said in a voice loud enough to be heard above the music. “What d’you say, my man?”

  “Sounds like a plan.”

  Behind them Gabe and Jaxon made noises of agreement. The four of them had trained in the same cohort from the time they were pups, although they didn’t see each other as much since they’d all made warrior and been assigned to different squads.

  Tiago gazed out at the strip of trees hurtling past. He was thinking about Miguel. The older warrior had been one of Cleia’s first Rock Run lovers. Miguel had never mated, although it had been nearly two decades since he and Cleia had been lovers. For years after his return he’d been only half a man, his life energy inadvertently drained by Cleia, something to do with her being the sun fae Conduit. Then, like everyone at Rock Run, Miguel had been revitalized by the fresh surge of energy that Cleia and Dion’s mating had brought. He was once again the warrior he’d been. But although he was rarely without a woman, he never had a special woman.

  Had Miguel simply never met his mate? Or was he still in love with Cleia? If so, damn, that was pathetic.

  And he, Tiago, was no better.

  The thought made him clench his hand on the window frame.

  Chico was asking if he wanted to go to Spanish Town.

  He released his grip. “Sure.”

  They parked the car in Upper Fells Point and headed for a bar Chico had found recently. Spanish Town was a typical Baltimore neighborhood: long blocks of brick or Formstone rowhouses with only a few scrawny street trees to break things up. The signs on the businesses were in Spanish, though, and the streets peppered with bodegas and shops selling poufy dresses for a teenage girl’s Quinceanera celebration.

  The rain earlier had cleared the air, and the streets were dotted with locals taking advantage of the early spring weather. The humans they passed gave them wary looks and moved aside—and not just because they were four big, hard-looking men. It was because they were fada. Even when a human didn’t know for sure, some primitive sense warned them of the predators in their midst.

  Inside the bar a handful of people hunched over their drinks in the gloom as a Spanish rap song blared from speakers mounted above the bar. The bartender, who turned out to be the owner as well, scurried to make them at home. He was a beefy Latino with slicked-back hair who reminded Tiago of a couple of his Portuguese relatives.

  “Would you gentlemen like a table?” He was already pulling out a chair.

  As they took their seats, he jerked his head at the sole waitress and she came over to find out what they were drinking. They ordered bottles of dark Mexican beer, and on Chico’s advice, large platters of both the chicken and fish empanadas as well as a couple of baskets of homemade salsa and chips.

  The bar was still relatively empty, so they spent the first hour catching up with each other as they downed the surprisingly good empanadas and chips. Chico’s most recent mission had been guarding a sexy fae rock star. His entire squad had been hired to guard the woman, although apparently their main purpose had been to provide hard-bodied men to do her bidding.

  “It was a tough job,” Chico said with a smirk, “but somebody had to do it.”

  As night fell, the small bar filled up. Tiago took a swig of the beer and glanced around. A table of three human females were eyeing them. Some humans got off on having a fada lover, although a mating between a fada and a human was almost as rare as one between a fada and a fae. He caught the eye of a curvy woman with a head of short black curls, and gave her a slow smile.

  Her blond friend nudged her and they both giggled.

  Chico rose to his feet. “Would you ladies like some company?”

>   “Sure,” said the blonde and moved her chair to make room for him. Chico set his chair next to hers.

  Tiago hesitated. Now that it came down to it, it felt somehow wrong—disloyal to Alesia. But he placed his chair next to Chico’s, which left Jax and Gabe to sit with the other two women.

  Chico smoothly drew the blonde into a private conversation, while Tiago, Jax and Gabe talked to her friends. The two of them were friendly enough, but it was clear they weren’t interested in fada, which was a relief as far as Tiago was concerned.

  An hour went by, and he went to the john. When he came back, he, Jax and Gabe exchanged glances and the other two men rose to their feet.

  “Catch you later, Chico,” Tiago said.

  His friend glanced up from where he was toying with the blonde’s earring. “What’s up, Ti?”

  “We’re heading out—but you stay. We’ll get a ride back to Rock Run from someone else.” If not, they could always spend the night in the Fells Point rowhouse that Rock Run kept for any clan member who needed it.

  Chico made to stand. “I’ll come too.”

  “No—we’re okay.” He winked at the blonde. “I’m just restless tonight.”

  “Okay, sure.” Chico dropped back into his seat with a smile for his pretty little friend.

  Tiago tossed some money on the table, inclined his head to the ladies and strode with Jax and Gabe out of the bar.

  CHAPTER SIX

  Tiago contemplated the beer bottle in his hand. It was empty again.

  At some point after leaving Chico, he’d become separated from Jax and Gabe. He’d walked along the waterfront for a couple of miles before heading back to Fells Point, where he’d ended up at the Full Moon Saloon, a cave-like bar that catered to serious drinkers. The Full Moon was owned by Claudio, an Amazonas river fada from Brazil who’d chosen to live as a solitary, i.e., without a clan. Humans were tolerated, but the saloon was mainly for fada.

  After a nod at the big bouncer—a Baltimore shifter, because Adric wouldn’t have stood for a river fada in a security position—Tiago had found a stool at one end of the oak bar and settled into drinking.