Blood of the Maple

At that the shouting turned angry. “Silence.” Dragos’s voice whispered across the room, and his power flowed with it, staggering in its intensity. Silence fell, instantaneous and total. Parker could barely hear them breathing.

Parker had a hard time getting his voice to work. Damn, Dragos was strong. “Please, try to remember, I was incapable of harming Terri before I found my sotiei. My beast believed there was a connection between us and refused to allow me to kill her. It was fight or flight, and every time, I was forced to choose flight. If I had not found my sotiei, I would be fleeing right now.”

“Is it true? Is Amara your sotiei?”

He didn’t recognize the voice, but the features could only belong to one of Brian’s siblings, and he sounded like he was on Parker’s side. “Yes, Amara is my true sotiei.” Parker leaned on the table and growled, “Speaking of which, have any of you seen her?” He allowed enough of the beast out to remind them of the threat he’d made in the market before all hell had broken loose. He wondered if his announcement there was what had triggered Terri’s wrath. “By the way, now that I have her, my beast is no longer confused. I am free to kill anyone who threatens her.” He let that sink in before adding, almost as an afterthought, “Including Terri.” His eyes turned red, but he kept his voice mild, knowing the effect it would have. “Now. Where is my wife?”

No one answered. Their guilt was matched by their defiance. “I still think Amara did it,” one woman shouted. “How do we know you aren’t protecting your sotiei? Do you know what she truly is? She’s an abomination!”

Parker was nose to nose with the woman before anyone, even the other vampires in the room, could blink. The only one who might have been able to stop him had chosen not to. “I’m sorry.” His fangs were fully extended, the hunt burning red in his eyes, an open threat to the woman who’d dared malign his wife. She couldn’t run fast enough to escape him, and they both knew it, the knowledge obvious on her pale, suddenly sweating face. “Would you care to repeat that?”

“Parker.”

He stiffened in all the right places at the sound of that voice. “Amara.” He turned from his victim and grinned at his woman. “You’re late.”

She was filthy, tired, covered in leaves and had long scratches down her legs he was going to ask her about as soon as he got his hands on her. She wasn’t in the uniform he knew she’d left the house in, but jean shorts and a T-shirt that were both too big. Their scent matched one of the people standing with her.

What had happened to his wife in the forest?

“I was unavoidably detained.” She gestured behind her, and the rest of the people in the room began talking at once.

“Greer Berkeley.” Arms wide, Greer bowed, the gesture flamboyant. His gaze raked the townsfolk. His expression said he found them wanting, and his grin suggested he could have some fun with that. He had blond hair so light it was almost white, streaked with an orange that was barely visible. His eyes were pale brown.

“Mina Chainey.” The woman nodded but didn’t smile. She had hair as dark as the richest earth and eyes to match. She was roughly the same height as Selena, perhaps an inch or two taller.

He was beginning to think the dryads had a serious problem with the people of Maggie’s Grove.

“And last, Ashton Ward.”

Ashton’s stance was easy, but something about the way he held himself said he wasn’t a man to fuck with. His hair and eyes were so bright a green it rivaled the freshest grass of spring.

“These are three of the ruling dryads of Maggie’s Grove.”

Parker bowed, much less flamboyantly than Greer. “Parker Hollis, at your service.”

Mina Chainey beamed. “You’re the botanist who moved into town. The one who’s been working on The Greenhouse exhibit.” Parker nodded, and Mina’s shoulders relaxed. “Your work has been exceptional.” In fact, all three of the dryads relaxed, moving with that same easy grace he’d noticed in Amara.

“Thank you, but how do you know that?”

Greer laughed, the sound light as wind through leaves. “Because we own The Greenhouse.”

Oh dear. These were his bosses. Fancy that. Parker maneuvered around the townsfolk, careful not to hurt any of them. His claws were out, his beast raging, but he battled it back until he could meet Greer’s eyes. “It’s a pleasure to meet you.” He held out his hand and was glad Greer chose to accept it.

“And you. Amara has told us quite a bit about you.”

For the first time, Parker understood the term meet the parents. “Um. Yes.”

Ashton winked. “Call me Ash.”

Mina shook his hand last. “I was especially pleased with your display of endangered asters.”

“Thank you.” Amara settled in against his side, and he put his arm around her shoulders. “It’s been my pleasure to work on the display.” The last thing he wanted to do was give the impression his boss had worked him like ten horses to get it done on time.

“Indeed. Mollie Ferguson has told us what an asset you’ve been. She’s very pleased and has recommended we give you the curator position that opened up.”

She had? And here he’d thought the woman wanted to see him slow-roasted. “Oh. Well. I’m delighted she’s happy.”

“You three never leave the forest, never take part in what happens in town. So why the fuck are you here, and why did you bring her? Is she here to turn herself in?”

Parker growled at the man pointing at Amara. The man stared back, seemingly unafraid, but Parker could scent his terror. Brave. Foolish but brave. He hissed at the man, pleased when he sat back down so hard he bounced. Parker turned back to the dryads, surprised to find them all grinning. “I’m sorry. If you have no interest in the town’s doings, why are you here?”

The three exchanged glances. It was Ash who spoke. “Because Amara needs us.”

“Amara is one of us.” Mina walked toward the council table, the two male dryads following closely behind.

Greer waved cheerfully. “Hello, Dragos. Missed us?”

Dragos shook his head at the blond dryad. “No.”

Greer laughed again. “Same old dragon. Grouchy as hell.”

Mina, her hand on her hip, seemed amused by the elder vampire but didn’t say a word.

When Amara tugged on Parker’s hand, he allowed her to pull him forward. He had the feeling he was about to get a front-row seat to something very interesting. From Kate’s sour look, it was going to be a great deal of fun. Or horror. One or the other.

Parker could go either way.

The dryads lined up in front of the platform, with Parker in the middle. Mina spoke up again. “Dragos. You have a weed that needs pulling.” The familiar words had Parker smiling once more. Mina tsk-tsked like she was chastising a child. “Why weren’t we notified?” She tapped her foot, ignoring the renewed mutters of the crowd, her attention concentrated solely on the mayor.

“Did Amara tell you of Terri?” Dragos rested his chin on his hand. Any sense he was actually in charge had fled the moment Mina and company set foot in the town hall. He couldn’t seem to take his eyes away from the dark-haired, dark-eyed dryad.

“No. We became aware of it when the tree exploded in the market. When the wolves attacked Amara —”

“What?” Parker clenched his fists. Dragos’s fascination with Mina could wait. Fury flew through him. Someone had attacked his sotiei when he wasn’t there to protect her.

“Down, boy.” Amara stroked his arm. “I took care of it.”

“Boy, did she.” Ash’s evil grin was alarming. “They’re dangling from the trees like furry fruit.”

“Are they dead? Did she kill my mate?”

The naiad who’d been carted out by her werewolf mate at Monster Movie Night stood, wringing her hands.

“No. I killed none of them.” Amara tightened her grip on his arm.

“Although she would have been well within her rights.” Mina’s glare scraped the crowd raw. “They attacked