She focused on him with an obvious effort. When she spoke, her words were slow but clear. “I know what I’m doing, Rui.”
“He can’t make you do this,” he repeated firmly.
“Unless the woman forfeits the right of refusal,” Okeanos inserted. “It’s Valeria’s choice. If not, I’ll bind you again and leave you in the caves to die.” He glanced at Tiago and Jace. “All three of you.”
“Like hell,” Rui muttered in a subvocal voice. “Even if Benny and Jorge go along with him, there’s three of us and only five of them. He’s drained from using his Gift. He won’t take us easily.”
She reached out a shaking hand to him. When he took it, she clasped it in both of hers and brought it to her lips. He could feel her mouth quivering against his skin, but she kissed him and then met his gaze with solemn dark eyes.
He feathered his fingers down her cheek before rising to face Okeanos.
“Well?” the other man demanded.
“She doesn’t accept—”
“But I do,” Valeria interrupted. “I accept your terms, Petros Okeanos. I, Valeria Lizete da Costa, willingly accept the winner of the mate-duel between you and Rui do Mar.”
Rui’s gaze snapped to her. She was back on her feet, one hand on the wall to support herself, but her chin was raised and she clearly knew what she was doing. Everyone in the cave felt the jolt as the speaking of her true-name bound her to her word.
He growled. “No, damn it.”
Valeria gazed at him, head high and shoulders back, holding herself so straight, so calm, that he suspected only he saw the wild flicker in her eyes.
“This is the only way,” she returned. “It’s not just about me anymore—it’s about Merry, too. You’ll just have to win, won’t you?”
He felt a wave of pride in her, even as he cursed Okeanos for a wily bastard. That was Valeria—proud, courageous and stubborn to the core.
Rui had no choice but to accept Okeanos’s challenge. He saw now what Valeria had seen: if it came to a fight, Tiago and Jace might die with him—and that meant Merry would be lost to the Baltimore shifters forever. He’d simply have to win, because he’d do anything, say anything, break every rule in the book to save Merry from losing a parent yet again—and prevent Okeanos from taking Valeria for his sick games.
The Greek fada’s eyes gleamed with triumph. “So be it.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
“So be it,” Rui echoed.
Valeria gave him an I-know-you’ll-win smile. “Boa sorte,” she mouthed. Good luck.
“Eu te amo,” he mouthed back. I love you.
Her smile broadened. He felt an echo of warmth in his heart and even though she didn’t speak, knew she’d thought it: Love you too. He unconsciously pressed the heel of his hand to his breastbone, sending her a crooked smile in return before turning to face Okeanos.
The other men stepped back to form a circle with Rui and Okeanos at the center.
Jorge raised a hand, assuming the role of referee. “There is only one rule in a mate-duel. The two of you fight until one of you surrenders—or dies.”
Rui inclined his head. He was well aware that a mate-duel was a raw, no-holds-barred fight. “Surrender,” he agreed, “or die.”
Okeanos repeated the words. Jorge brought his hand down and Okeanos sprang, his fingers clawing at Rui’s eyes.
But Rui was expecting something like that. He raised an arm to deflect him, at the same time driving his fist into the other man’s stomach. Okeanos grunted but retained his balance. Without allowing him time to regroup, Rui grabbed him and tried to get him in a headlock. But the other man was slippery as the eel that was his other half—and more sly. He slammed his knee toward Rui’s balls.
Rui cursed and turned aside so that the blow glanced off his thigh. Lightning fast, Okeanos twisted away. With a growl, Rui dropped into a fighting crouch and eyed the other man, looking for an opening.
Rather than charging again, Okeanos dropped into a crouch as well, mirroring Rui. They circled each other, their harsh breathing the only sound in the large, low-ceilinged cavern. Around them the other men shifted to give them space, but Rui barely noticed as he scrutinized his foe, searching for an opening.
Okeanos curled his lip. “I’ll enjoy teaching your woman who her master is.”
Rui just looked at him. Rather than enraging him, the jibe made it clear what was at stake. He settled in to fight coldly, dispassionately.
Okeanos feinted to the right and then came in with a hard left to Rui’s jaw, but Rui had seen the weight shift and was ready for him. He ducked under the punch and slammed his fist into Okeanos’s stomach. The other man grunted and bent double. Rui closed in and rained blows on him—head, neck, kidneys.
Okeanos fought well, getting in a few good blows, but Rui was younger and stronger. In a few short minutes, he had the other man in a headlock.
Desperate, Okeanos tried to use his dark magic again, but Rui resisted long enough to jerk his head to the side. Okeanos’s neck broke with a dull snap and the invisible net that had wound itself around Rui dissolved as the man slid to the floor, dead.
Rui’s chest heaved. He placed his hands on his thighs, sucking in oxygen, his gaze on the lifeless man sprawled before him. He regretted having to kill someone so much older than himself, but the sea fada’s soul had become dark, twisted. If Rui hadn’t stopped him today, he’d have continued to seek out other women—willing or not—for his perverted rites.
Still, Rui muttered a blessing, that the man wouldn’t pass to the next world unsanctified.
Valeria watched him from her place against the wall. Swiping the sweat from his face, he turned and eyed her warily. She’d just accepted the mate bond again and now he’d had to kill a man right in front of her very eyes. Would she understand that it had been necessary?
Their gazes locked and everyone else in the cave seemed to fade away.
Her lips curved in a shaky smile. “Rui? Are you all right?”
“I’m sorry,” he said, forcing the words through the sandpaper that seemed to be coating his throat. “That I had to kill him.”
“Oh, Rui—” She shook her head, eyes moist. “Don’t apologize for that. You did what you had to do.”
Relief flooded Rui. She understood. He hated like hell having had to kill Okeanos in front of her. But this was part of who he was—and if she couldn’t accept that, the bond would never take.
He drew a deep breath and took the greatest gamble of his life. “You don’t owe me anything,” he told her. “I release you from your promise, Valeria da Costa. We all know it was forced from you. The choice to accept the mate bond is yours.”
Her smile trembled. “Rui, I—” Then she looked past him, eyes wide. “Merry.”
Several things happened at once: Jace cursed, Merry in her jaguar form bounded across the floor to Valeria, and the air shimmered and Dion and Cleia appeared in the cave.
Rui ignored everything to go to his two females. Valeria was on her knees hugging Merry, laughing and crying at the same time, while Merry gave excited yips.
Rui helped Valeria to a cushion. Now that the excitement was over, he could tell she was hurting again.
“Careful,” he warned Merry. “Mama doesn’t feel good. You have to be gentle with her.”
The cub nodded and settled next to Valeria. She gave a shudder and Valeria stroked a hand down her knobby little spine. “I’m better now that you’re here.”
Merry crept closer and carefully set her furry head on Valeria’s knee. “Oh, sweetheart.” Valeria placed a hand on her head. “Mama’s so glad to see you.” The little jaguar purred and butted her head against Valeria’s palm.
Cleia knelt down next to Rui. “I can help them now,” she said.
He glanced at Valeria, who nodded. He lightly touched her cheek and rose to face Dion, who was scowling down at Okeanos.
With a shake of his head, he turned to Rui, taking in his bruises. He quirked a brow. “Eliana told me y
ou were in trouble, but it appears you’re handling it.”
“Okeanos forced me into a mate-duel. But I would’ve killed him anyway—the bastard drugged Valeria. He had some kind of dark-magic Gift that allowed him to bind people.”
“Then you did all of us a favor,” his friend replied.
Other Rock Run warriors were pouring into the cavern by now with Davi at their head. At a nod from Dion, they ranged themselves around the four surviving members of Okeanos’s den.
Dion zeroed in on Jorge. “What the fuck is going on? Why are you and Benny in Rock Run territory without checking in with me—and setting up your own den from the looks of it?” he added with a glance around the cavern.
The former tenente’s lip curled. “Why should we check in with you? As far as we’re concerned, you’re no longer our alpha. Okeanos was right. Rock Run gets more like the humans every day—weak, easily led. Nothing but pets for the fae. You’re a prime example.” He cut his eyes at Cleia.
“Maybe so, but I offered Okeanos the hospitality of the clan, and he repaid me by kidnapping one of our own women—and her daughter. If that’s what the old ways are like, I say the hell with them. Okeanos broke tradição, the S.O.B. If Rui hadn’t killed him, I would’ve. As for you four, you’re dead.”
Jorge made a move toward Dion, but Davi had a knife pressed to his throat before he could take one step. Jorge stilled.
“Sim,” Dion said, his smile cold. “We could end your lives right now. But I have something even better in mind. My mate is queen over all the seven sun fae clans—and the clan in Sudan could use some laborers.”
One of the sea fada blanched. “But that’s in the Sahara.”
“That’s right. And to make sure you stay, I’ll have your vow—or you die right here. Swear it, all four of you. I want your oath that you’ll work for the Sudanese sun fae for the rest of your lives.”
They stared back, breathing hard. No one spoke.
Rui almost felt sorry for them. If they gave their oaths, they’d be bound to live out their lives in one of the hottest, driest places in the world—hell on Earth for a water fada. Better a quick death than the long, drawn-out decline from dehydration. But frankly, Dion was being merciful. If it were up to him, he’d execute them right here.
The silence stretched until Dion jerked his chin at Davi. “Kill them.”
“No,” Jorge burst out. He looked at the others. “We’ll take the vow. But damn you to Hades, Dion.”
He went first. The other men reluctantly added their promise to his, saying their true-names at Dion’s demand: Jorge Teles, Benny Escobar, Mys Papadakis, Orius Nikolaidis.
Dion looked at Davi. “Get these scum out of here.”
“Where?”
“Take them to the boats and wait there. Cleia will send for someone to get them.”
Cleia was already talking into a translucent golden bubble, explaining the situation to her cousin, Lady Olivia. “Olivia will be there in ten minutes,” she reported.
The warriors sprang into action, binding the four men’s hands behind their backs and urging them roughly up the stairs. In a few minutes everyone was gone save for Tiago and Jace—and the dryad, who had apparently entered the cave behind Merry and was pressed against a wall, looking as if she’d like to burrow into it.
Jace edged toward the stairs, but Dion stopped him with a look. “You’re not going anywhere, earth shifter. We’re going to settle this today.”
Dion glanced at Cleia. “You’ll take care of this?” He indicated Okeanos’s body.
When she said yes, he turned to Tiago.
Tiago nodded at him, a queer smile on his lips. “Hello.”
Dion stared back, his expression unreadable.
“Tiago was the one who told me Valeria was in trouble.” Rui spoke quickly, before Dion did something he’d regret. “Okeanos kidnapped Valeria and Merry, him and his so-called den. They gave Merry to the earth shifters and then brought Valeria here. If not for Tiago, I wouldn’t have known they had her. Deus knows what they’d have done to her.” He dragged a hand over his face and realized it was shaking.
“Is that so?” Dion was still gazing at his brother. “I’ll take that into consideration. Meanwhile, Tiago can come with me while Cleia sees what she can do for you and Valeria. I want to make sure those four are off my territory.”
Tiago ducked his head submissively and followed him up the stairs, leaving Rui, Valeria, Jace and Merry in the cavern with Cleia and the dryad.
With a resigned shrug, Jace lowered himself onto a cushion across the room.
Now that the adrenaline was wearing off, Rui’s injuries were making themselves felt. The dark net had bruised his ribs, maybe even re-cracked a couple of them, and the battle with Okeanos hadn’t helped. His jaw was swollen, his lip split and he was having trouble putting weight on one of his knees.
Trying not to show how much he was hurting, he lowered himself to the stone floor next to Valeria and Merry. He ruffled Merry’s fur but refrained from touching Valeria for fear of making things worse. It was enough that he was sitting next to her, close enough to feel the warmth of her body along his side. Both animal and man needed this. To lend her his strength—and take back comfort for himself.
Carefully, he stretched out his legs and leaned against the hard stone. He ached in every bone of his body, but he’d heal. He wasn’t so sure about Valeria. The back of her head rested against the wall and her eyes were closed, her chest shuddering with each inhale and exhale as if even breathing were painful.
He sent the sun fae queen a pleading look. “She’s hurting, Cleia. Can’t you do something? The S.O.B. drugged her.”
“Poor thing.” Cleia sent Valeria a compassionate look. “Give me a minute and I’ll see what I can do.”
Kneeling down next to Okeanos, the queen set her hands on his back. There was a white flash and Rui blinked, temporarily blinded. When he could see again, the only thing left of the dead man were ashes sifting through the air to rest on the stone floor. The queen spoke a blessing and then flicked her fingers and even the ashes were gone.
“Back to the Mediterranean with you,” she murmured.
Rui watched with a grudging approval. All water fada, no matter what their clan, desired a return to their own waters when they died. Let Okeanos’s mortal remains mingle with the salty blue water of his native sea. It was up to his maker to judge his soul.
Cleia was speaking to Valeria. “Oh, my dear. What did he do to you?”
Valeria shook her head. “Not me—Merry.”
“She’s fine.” Cleia stroked a gentle hand down the cub’s knobby little spine. “Aren’t you, sweetheart?”
Merry rumbled.
“You’re safe now,” Cleia told her. “No one will hurt you or take you away from your mama ever again. Understand?”
Merry nodded.
Valeria’s gaze was on Cleia. “You…swear?”
“Absolutely.” The queen touched three fingers to her heart. “Merry’s under my protection now. I’ll make certain everyone knows.”
“Thank you,” Valeria whispered. “I—”
“It’s the least I can do.” The two women looked at each other for another moment and then Cleia gave a brisk nod. “Now let’s have a look at you.”
“Okeanos gave her an aphrodisiac,” Rui explained. “To increase sensation. Careful—even the slightest touch is magnified. Pleasure and pain.”
“Stars.” Cleia shook her head in disgust. “It’s going to have to work its way out of her system, but I can relieve some of the symptoms.”
She set her hands lightly on Valeria. Valeria shuddered, then went still, enduring it. Rui flinched along with her. He suspected the drug was at full strength now. He could only guess how it felt, streaming through her blood, ratcheting up her pulse, stimulating her tiniest nerve endings so that even a touch was painful.
She started to tremble, and he couldn’t bear it anymore. He put his hand out, palm up. Valeria set her hand on
top of his. He intertwined his fingers with hers, offering what comfort he could. On the other side, Merry nuzzled Valeria’s leg.
Valeria’s breath sighed out. To his immense relief, the trembling gradually lessened. She closed her eyes and withdrew into herself. He sensed the healing energy start to work and he pushed whatever he could through their fragile mate bond, even as a part of him exulted. The bond was there. Connecting the two of them.
He vowed it would never again shut down from his side.
When Cleia removed her hands, Valeria exhaled audibly and opened her eyes. Rui sent up a prayer of thanks. Her pupils were still dilated, but the trembling had ceased and he could sense that she was through the worst of it.
He gently squeezed her hand. “How do you feel?”
“Better.”
Cleia sat back on her heels. “I wish I could do more, but I suspect you’ll feel the effects for several more hours.”
“Ah, well. At least I’m free of those cabrãos. Thank you, my lady.” Valeria released his hand to wrap her arms around her bent legs and rested her head on her knees. Her breath rasped in, then out. In and out.
Rui made a move toward her, but Cleia raised a hand, stopping him. “Let her be. She’s healing in her own way. Besides, you need healing as well.”
He drew in a breath to object and winced as his bruised ribs made themselves felt. Still, he was a fada male. “I’m fine.”
Valeria laughed weakly. “Oh, Rui. You look like you’ve been run over by a truck. Let her help. Please.”
“If you insist—” Right now if Valeria had asked him to stand on his head, he’d have cheerfully upended himself—especially if it meant hearing her laugh.
“I do.”
Rui turned to Cleia. “You heard the lady. If it wouldn’t be too much trouble—”
“Of course not.” The queen set her hands on his chest. “All you need is another boost of life-energy. Your body will do the rest. You fada are as tough as old boots.”
“Thanks,” he said dryly and braced himself for a jolt.
It never came. Instead he let out an involuntary sigh as he was filled with a soothing heat. It was like sunbathing by the river on a perfect day: golden sunlight, a balmy breeze whispering over his skin, his entire body infused with a sense of well-being. Time was suspended as he floated for several minutes in the peaceful, healing warmth, similar to what Branco had done for him after his last fight, but ten times more powerful.
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