Page 3 of Primal Bonds

At his sister’s nod, he snarled. “Someone needs to put that SOB down.”

It was Leron’s fault their parents were dead, too. Oh, he hadn’t killed them directly—just sent their mom to almost certain death in an overseas skirmish, and then dragged their dad into clan politics. Leron was a vile, power-hungry excuse for an alpha.

“She’s a fada,” Takira said. “I know it. We all have a few drops of fae in us, just like we all have some human. But she’s going to be able to shift.”

“How do you know?”

His sister touched her quartz. “I can feel her drawing on my energy already.”

He nodded.

“We’re going to hide her,” Takira said. “Only you, Adric, and Marjani”—she named Adric’s sister—“will know about her. For now, Marjani’s covering for me—Leron thinks I’m still in Florida on a mission. I’ll go back to work in a few weeks.”

“Maybe you should just run,” Jace said, but even as he spoke, he knew it was hopeless. The alpha was too powerful—and fada trackers were the best in the world.

“He’ll hunt us down,” she returned. “You know he will. The best thing is to hide in plain sight.”

Jace nodded. “I’ll back you up any way I can. And you know Adric will.”

“I know.” Takira grabbed his hand. “Promise me something. If anything happens, you’ll keep her safe.”

“Of course. You don’t even have to ask. You know I’d die for her.”

“Say the words.” Her gaze desperately searched his.

He clasped her hand between his. “You have my vow. I will keep your daughter safe no matter what it takes.”

And between the five of them—Takira, Silver, Adric, Marjani and Jace—they were able to keep Merry a secret for four years. And then one bleak January day, Jace stopped by his sister’s apartment to find it had been trashed, the small family gone.

Jace, Adric and Marjani had torn Baltimore apart looking for them—and then extended their search up and down the East Coast. But Jace never saw Takira or Silver alive again.

Chapter 2

The Present Day

Jace should’ve known better than to stop for a drink at a local bar.

Grace Harbor wasn’t his town. Normally a Baltimore earth fada wouldn’t be welcome this close to Rock Run river fada territory. But he’d been visiting the quartz mine his clan was excavating just north of Grace Harbor, and when a couple of Rock Run men had invited Jace and the other miners out for a beer, he’d figured why not? It wasn’t like he had anyone to go home to.

For a Thursday night, the bar was packed. Some of the other fada had hit on the humans, but Jace made it a practice to stay far away from humans—especially females. He’d downed a couple of beers, caught a few innings of the Orioles game on the TV behind the bar, and decided to call it a night. Outside, the air was still warm from the June sun as Jace made his way to the parking lot in the back to get his motorcycle.

The night fae was waiting for him, lurking in the narrow space between the bar and the next building. The only warning was the acrid scent of metal and decay. Then a tall, pale man stepped out of the shadows, buzzing with a dark excitement.

Invisible tentacles slid over Jace’s skin, seeking to entangle him in a net woven from his darkest fears. Death…loss…betrayal…

Night fae liked to play with their prey. A scared, panicky victim was catnip to creatures who fed on negative energy.

Jace’s growl came from the depths of his cat’s wild, primal soul. He drew on his quartz’s energy, resisting with everything he had. A silent, deadly battle commenced—five minutes, ten minutes...

He was losing. Sweat beaded on his forehead. His quartz’s song grew fainter. He thought of Merry and threw everything he had into fighting back.

It wasn’t enough.

The night fae’s teeth flashed in triumph. The shadows shifted and a knife jumped into his hand. He lunged, slashing open Jace’s belly.

It was like taking a red-hot poker to the gut.

Jace grunted and doubled over. When he forced himself upright, the bastard stabbed him a second time right below his navel. Digging deep and twisting.

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