Primal Bonds

What had the Fae wanted? Was he really her father, and had he, after so many years, had a sudden jones to see his daughter?

Not likely. He’d wanted the sword, and now Andrea was in a position to steal it for him.

As a child, Andrea had envisioned her Fae father as a great prince, a beautiful man who would one day reach out from Faerie and take Andrea into his kingdom. There, she’d become a princess at his side. She’d wear gossamer robes and ride a beautiful white horse and be loved by one and all.

As Andrea had grown older and learned more about the Fae, her childish dreams had died. As poorly as the other Shifters treated her, the Fae likely would be even more vicious to a half breed. Fae apparently didn’t like diluted blood, being very snobbish about breeding with “lesser” beings. Besides, Andrea had grown to love her stepfather deeply and couldn’t imagine him not being part of her life.

So here she was, standing in a grove of trees in a Shiftertown far away from her beloved stepfather, trying to figure out whether the man she’d seen last night was her true father.

Not likely. And damned if she would simply hand the Sword of the Guardian to a complete stranger because he claimed to be her long-lost papa.

“Hey, Fae-girl.”

Andrea snapped her eyes open to see four male Shifters drifting her way. One of them was a guy called Nate, who had a military haircut and build. He worked for Liam as a bodyguard and tracker or in situations when Liam needed extra muscle. Nate didn’t have much in the way of brains, but he was fiercely loyal to his clan leader, whoever it might be.

He was also a shit who shared Jared’s idea that females should be kept shut away to be screwed as often as the male Shifter wanted, plus he thought half breeds should be neutered. He let his opinions be known to Andrea, though never in Sean’s hearing. Nate was at least that smart.

Andrea hadn’t mentioned his shit-ness to Sean, because she refused to go running to him every time someone said something mean to her. Nate couldn’t do anything to her, because the mate-claim made Andrea off limits, and Nate knew it.

Andrea folded her arms and stood her ground. She had a perfect right to wander back here, no need to scramble home because Nate and his bully-boys showed up.

Nate didn’t like her blatant eye contact, but she refused to look away. “I heard you brought Ely Barry back from the dead,” he said.

“He wasn’t dead,” Andrea said coolly. “He was almost dead. Big difference.”

“I heard you stuck your hand above his crotch, and wham, he was all better.” Nate held up his finger. “I cut myself this morning. Want to touch my crotch and see if you can heal me?”

Yuck. “Sorry. Not interested.”

“Why not, sweetheart? Because the healing magic thing is all bullshit?”

“No,” Andrea said. “Because you’re a dickhead.”

Nate’s friends guffawed, and Nate’s look turned ugly. “You need to learn your place, Fae-bitch.”

His eyes went white blue, but Andrea held her ground. If she broke gaze first, he’d establish his dominance over her, and then she’d never have any peace from him.

“This is my place,” she said.

Nate’s Collar emitted tiny sparks in his fury. “Morrissey only made the mate-claim to make himself look generous. The minute he dumps your ass, you are so screwed. Once he cuts you loose, I’ll f**k you until you remember you’re nothing but a submissive Lupine Fae-get.”

Don’t look away. Glory wouldn’t look away. “A Lupine Fae-get whose healing ability might be your only hope for fixing your very small penis.”

More snickers from his friends. They were enjoying the show, but Andrea had no illusion that they wouldn’t help him beat her if they thought they needed to.

Nate’s Feline fangs extended. “I don’t care if you are the Guardian’s. You need to be taught who’s in charge, bitch.”

Andrea still didn’t step back. In her old Shiftertown, if a dominant smacked a submissive, it was considered the submissive’s fault for provoking one higher in the food chain. So Andrea’s pack leader would say while Andrea’s ears rang with his hit. Andrea had never had learned to respect the hierarchy. But this was the Morrisseys’ Shiftertown, and she already knew the rules were a little different here. If Nate tried to discipline her, he’d be toast.

That didn’t mean him starting for her, his eyes white, didn’t scare the crap out of her. She got ready to run.

But Nate’s snarls abruptly broke off, and his friends moved a few paces back, sudden fear shining in their eyes. Released from Nate’s glare, Andrea whirled to see what had scared them.

Dylan watched from a few yards behind her, the man doing nothing but standing there with his hands in his jacket pockets. The breeze ruffled his hair, but Dylan didn’t say a word. He didn’t have to.

Nate swallowed. Without defiance, without offering words of explanation, he and his friends quietly turned around and walked back the way they came, the smell of their fear sharp.

Of course, this left Andrea alone with the most frightening Shifter in Shiftertown, the man who could rip Andrea to pieces and walk away without breaking a sweat. She knew deep in her bones that if Dylan ever wanted to kill her, he would, never mind the Collar, never mind the rules, never mind his own son having claimed her. No piece of Fae technology or Shifter custom could stop Dylan Morrissey from doing whatever he damn-well pleased.

Before she could speak, Dylan said to her, “I was looking for Glory. Have you seen her?”