Page 418 of Primal Bonds

Marjani, Jace and Fane exchanged looks, and then the cougar fada lowered her chin in assent. “We’ll listen. But I’m not making any promises.”

Chapter 40

A key scraped in the lock. Adric lurched into action, snatching up Rosana and scrambling to his feet.

He waited with bated breath as the door swung open to reveal a tall silhouette with a pair of gleaming eyes. The shadows arranged themselves into a night fae female in a warrior’s trim black uniform, her jet hair slicked back in a perfect ponytail.

He shoved past her, Rosana cradled to his chest. “She needs to get in the water. Now.”

Two more warriors, both males, waited in the hall.

“The prince has granted your request,” the female said. “If you’ll follow me…”

“I know the fucking way.” His inner GPS would get him to the surface.

“As you wish.” The men flanked him, and she followed behind.

A few twists and turns, and he was at the stairs leading up to the black marble foyer. He took them at a run. In the foyer, the tall door once again opened as he approached. He jogged up the steps leading to the outside and sprinted the fifty yards to the pond, the long-legged warriors loping alongside him.

Dusk had spread its gloomy fingers over the compound. A few night fae had already emerged from their lairs, but although he caught them eyeing him and Rosana with interest, they stayed out of his way.

He lowered Rosana to the grass beside the pond and stripped off her clothes. The three warriors hovered over him until he snarled at them to back off. “She’s not going anywhere.” Shifters were used to being naked in front of one another, but he was damned if he’d let these cold-eyed fae ogle his mate’s naked body.

The female inclined her head, and they all moved a few steps back.

Dragging off his own clothes, he picked up Rosana again and strode into the icy pond. When it reached his waist, he lowered her into the water.

She shrieked and flung out her arms like a startled infant. One hand latched onto his shoulder in a death grip.

He frowned. “Easy now. It’s okay. You’re in the water now. You can shift.” He bent his knees, submerging her to the chest.

“No!” She shook her head wildly. Both hands clamped around his neck.

“Shift, angel.” He lowered her a little deeper, but she clawed at him, climbing his body like he was trying to drown her.

What the fuck—?

“Rosana.” He gave her a shake. “Shift. Change to your dolphin.”

Her eyes popped open—and looked right through him. “Go away,” she hissed. “You’re not really here.”

Panic coated his throat. He lifted her out of the water and brought his face close to hers. “Rosana! Look at me.”

“No…” She squeezed her eyes shut. “Why won’t you leave me alone?”

“Because,” he growled, “if you don’t shift, you’ll die.” But he had the bad feeling she didn’t hear him.

As he lowered her back into the pond, she flailed her arms and legs, frantically trying to escape. Her breath came fast and hard. He heard the frenzied beating of her heart, saw the frightened flutter of the pulse at the base of her throat. Worse, he felt her blind, unreasoning fear.

He stood it as long as he could, and then rose back to his feet with her. In her weakened condition, she could die of sheer terror.

He cuddled her to his chest. “It’s okay, baby. It’s okay.”

At the pond’s edge, the three night fae warriors gathered like a flock of tall black vultures. Watching and waiting.

He snarled over his shoulder at them. They stared back, blank faced. The eyes of the male on the left flickered red; he was eager to feed. But he didn’t, no doubt under orders from his superiors.

Rosana locked her arms around his neck and burrowed her head into his throat. Like she was trying to crawl right inside him.

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