Page 97

“Ash,” I seethed in his ear, stepping between them and giving a hard look to Ash. The few kids I could see were laughing and running around, appearing blissfully content. “We won’t be in your way for long. Just a day or two before we continue on our journey.”

Iacob nodded, his face relaxing into a smile, waving his arm. “Follow me. I’ll introduce you to those awake, get you something to eat and a place to sleep.”

“Thank you so much.” I glanced back at Ash.Behave.

His eyes rolled up before he released a breath, nodding his compliance. He followed behind while Iacob took us toward the main dome tent.

Mainly fae, with a few humans sprinkled around, the assembly sprawled around the fire, laying on each other. This group appeared youthful, maybe in their early 20s, and barely dressed. They smoked a mix of herbs similar to sage and oregano. Their curiosity in us was piqued with a carnal sexual interest when we walked up.

“Celeste, can you find Dubthach? He can find them a place to sleep.”

“How about with me?” A honey-blonde-haired girl with a thick Swedish accent sat up from a bench seat, her legs hitching over the shoulders of a man who sat below her on the floor. Her tank top drooped down, hardly covering her breasts. A sultry smile curled her lips as she continued to smoke, her eyes on Ash, not hiding what she would love to do with him.

“And she can stay with me.” The half-lidded man between her legs smiled at me. He was really pretty, his bare chest spotless of any tattoos or scars, which I found oddly unappealing.

“I don’t think so,” Ash replied dryly.

The man shrugged, looking up at the blonde, taking the smoke from her lips and putting it between his own.

“Celeste?” Iacob asked again.

“Fine.” She kicked her legs off him, standing up, the tank just coming to her thighs. She had a tall, flawless, model-like frame, a stunning face, and watery blue eyes the color of a lake. Most likely a lake fairy. Her hungry gaze rolled over Ash again, her energy screaming sex.

A stab of jealousy prickled at my shoulders, a growl howling inside my bones.

Threat. Kill. Destroy.

The whisper was louder than normal, my hands rolling into knots as I tried to push back the words chanting in the back of my brain before they consumed me.

My body was still thrumming from where he bit my neck in the wagon. The reaction to it was so primal, so domineering. My pussy pulsed as my muscles went limp under his authority, not understanding how he knew that would subdue me instantly.

It turned me on and terrified the hell out of me that he had control over me. Yet, I was about to cut this blonde for the way she was looking at him.

A touch on my hand jerked my head to the left, like being snapped out of a coma. Ash’s brows were furrowed at me, his fingers grazing mine, wordlessly dragging me from my dark thoughts. The fact he noticed, saw something in me change, twisted my jealousy to anxiety.

I dipped my head away from him, returning to Iacob as he pointed to each person, not hearing any of the names he rattled off. “And you already met Vlad, Viorica, and Codrin.” He nodded as the two men sat down with the rest of the group.

Viorica instantly snuggled up to Vlad, though his expression stayed neutral. He watched Brându?a the entire time when she lowered herself next to the pretty fae guy.

A buzz of magic charged down my spine, drawing my eyes up as I noticed Celeste returning. Sauntering in, her hungry gaze was back on Ash. She dropped back down to her seat, giving way to the person behind her.

My lungs hitched, feeling his magic. It was different from everyone else here, and awareness of it shivered up my spine.

A tall, lean, young African man strolled up, wearing a dashiki-style shirt and cotton pants. The sides of his head were shaved, but his hair was left loose in curls on top. His penetrating brown eyes swept over Iacob and Ash, landing on me.

His magic charged over me like a stampede, picking at my defenses, pounding my heart in my chest.

I knew exactly what he was.

A Druid.

Chapter 21

Ash

The moment the man walked in, Druid magic hummed against my skin, feeling more like an intruder than familiar. Fae magic came in all types, variants, and strengths. Good or bad. It was something fae understood. Accepted.

The energy from a Druid sat differently, and it was always very clear to recognize, especially when you didn’t come across a lot of them.