chapter 5

“Well. Aren’t you a pretty one?”

Mina froze. There was danger outside the Throne. She lifted her hands from the yew’s roots and turned.

It was like looking at a darker, meaner version of Dragos. His eyes

weren’t shining silver, but dark gunmetal grey. His black locks hung in waves below his shoulders, where Dragos kept his neatly trimmed. His

square jaw was tight, his thin lips pressed together in disdain. And beneath his skin she sensed—

Holy crap.

No wonder Dragos kept his ancestry a secret. Creatures like the one before her were the stuff of myths and legends. If this got out, more than just Van Helsings would hunt her mate.

Still. She was Queen here, and this man was tied to the forest, tied to her.

If need be, she’d impose her will, or he would die. It was just that simple.

Dragos shouldn’t even be here.

She shook off the insidious whisper. Dragos was here, safe, and the little voice that told her what a bad idea having him here would just have to deal with it. Mina stiffened her spine, calling on her power to surround her. The oak’s branches swayed gently in response, the Throne’s guardians waking at her command. This man must not step foot in the Throne. “If you’re looking for Dragos, he isn’t here.”

A lie, but a small one. Dragos was in his day sleep, guarded by the Throne. He’d refused to return to the mansion, swearing he’d rest better knowing she was safe and nearby. Despite the desperate jangling of her nerves, she’d been unable to refuse him. He’d called Eddy, told the boy to go to Brian and Greg’s where he’d be safe. Eddy had refused, claiming that if he had a free night he was going to have his friends come over. Dragos had grumbled but acquiesced. When the sun began to rise he’d gone to ground inside the Throne. That meant that, although his body might be in the earth beneath her tree, his mind was wherever vampires went when they slept, and only his beast remained.

Mina tried to still her racing heart. If his beast sensed a threat to her Dragos would erupt from the earth and destroy everything around her to keep her safe.

He’ll destroy you too. You need to get him out of the Throne.

The man before her bowed, the move elegant and sensuous. “My name is Lord Vasile Ibanescu, and I am here for my brother.” His brow cocked upward. “As you guessed correctly.” He lifted his chin and scented the air. “He is here, is he not?”

“You could say that, and you could say not.” Mina took a step toward the edge of the Throne, toward the intruder. “He is under my protection.” She put the power of the forest into her voice, using it to enforce her edict.

Nothing would touch her mate while he slumbered beneath the Throne.

He’s no more your mate than Greer is. Get him out now, before it’s too late.

Mina took a deep breath, desperate to keep her fear from reaching the

creatures both before her and below her. The trees around the Throne began to move their branches, forming a protective barrier between Mina and

Vasile.

His dark gray eyes widened in surprise and he took a step back. “I mean him no harm. Our father wishes to speak with him.”

Bullshit. No way was this man here to give Dragos a cute fuzzy bunny

and a note from daddy. He was here for blood, nothing less.

Your blood. Dragos needs to leave before more harm befalls you.

She licked her lips, shivering as his eyes followed the movement. “Does your father wish him harm?”

His pause said it all.

“Then I believe Dragos will remain exactly where he is.”

“My brother, Trajan, is already here. You must beware him. He is closely tied to my father.” Vasile’s thin mouth tightened further. “Laurentiu Ibanescu would see his youngest son dead, and I believe Trajan is here to

assist in that.”

Mina took a deep breath. She didn’t like the thought that there might be someone after her mate, not when she was in such a weakened state.

“Where is your father now?”

Vasile scowled. “I want to speak to Dragos.”

“And you may, tonight, when he awakens.” And she’d had a chance to

check with him that it was all right to speak to Vasile. She had no idea what was going on in Dragos’s life outside of the Throne.

He shouldn’t be inside the Throne. What were you thinking? You know better. He’ll betray you!

The earth beneath her feet rumbled. Hell. The beast was waking up, responding to her rising panic. She had to do something, fast, before Dragos erupted from the earth.

“I wish to speak to my brother now.”

“You don’t always get what you want.” A flash of pale blond hair

streaked with orange made Mina wanted to cheer. Greer and Ash were

stepping out of their trees, responding to Mina’s anger and fear. “Haven’t you heard that song before?”

Ash glided silently across the Throne to stand beside his Queen, his green eyes flashing a warning at the intruder. In his hand his silver sword gleamed. Her guardian meant business, and Vasile would not be getting into the Throne any time soon. He would die before he’d finished planting a

single foot over the line. “And you are?”

Greer bowed, his sunny hair a bright spot in the Throne. His brown eyes

twinkled merrily. “Greer Berkley, at your service. Or not. That depends

entirely on whether or not you’re a dickhead.” He tilted his head and leaned back against his tree, his calm, smiling face not fooling Mina for a second. She’d known him far too long. “You’re not a dickhead, are you?”

Vasile growled, the tone so low it was almost inaudible.

“Ashton Ward, and you’re trespassing here.” Ash’s expression was cold, remote, the sword held at the ready by his side.

“So I gather.” Ash rated a far more wary glance than Greer had. Mina could have told Vasile that, of the two, Greer was far more dangerous.

Everyone dismissed him as a nonthreat, someone to mock or ignore. No one

saw the man coming, and if they did?

Well. None of them had lived to tell the tale.

When her two guardians acted in tandem, all hell broke loose.

They’re here now. They can keep you safe. When Dragos awakes, send him home.

A crack appeared in the earth. “Shh.” Mina sent soothing thoughts to Dragos, hoping to keep him silent, still. Vasile was not going to harm her. She wouldn’t allow it.

“Vasile.”

Mina blinked. The voice in her mind was gravelly, sinful. Dragos, but...not. Dragos’s beast was aware of her, worried for her. She tried to

respond, hoping he’d hear her. “It’s all right. I’m safe. Ash and Greer will protect me, I swear. Go back to sleep.”

With a rumbling mental sigh Dragos settled back down.

When she focused her attention once more on Vasile the man was pale. “That was—”

“Dragos. Yes.” She smiled grimly. “I suggest you not wake him.”

Vasile nodded, his expression thoughtful but his skin still pale with shock. “I had thought that he’d overcome his affliction.”

“Being a vampire is not an affliction.” She wouldn’t necessarily call it a gift, but affliction implied that Dragos was some sort of abomination, and that she would not tolerate.

Vasile grimaced. “It is to us.” He straightened his spine and held up his hand before Mina could protest. “I mean him no disrespect, but when

Dragos became a vampire, our people turned against him. Worse, my father was the one leading the charge. I had hoped...” He glanced away, and for a moment his cruel expression became sad, lost. “No. It doesn’t matter what I had hoped.” His expression was once more set in cold, cruel lines. Mina

was becoming more and more convinced it was a mask Vasile wore to protect himself. “Tell him to meet me when he awakes. I won’t wait long.”

With that, Vasile took off, straight up into the air, the flicker of a wing sudden and shocking. Vaseli Ibanescu was gone in the blink of an eye— only the still swaying branches marking his passing.

Greer sighed happily. “You meet the most interesting people when I take a nap.”

Ash rolled his eyes and sheathed his sword. “Dragos?” Mina responded without thinking. “Mine.”

Over my dead body.

Ash jumped, staring at her with a shocked expression. “Mina?” “Hmm?”

“Who the fuck was that?” “You heard it?”

“Clear as if the speaker was standing next to me.” His gaze sharpened.

“Right where you’re standing, actually. But it wasn’t you. It was someone else.”

“I heard it too. Whatever is going on, it’s coming from the outside, not in.” Greer’s brows rose. “Someone’s been sleeping in your head.”

Mina scowled as Ash smacked Greer on the back of the head.

They were right.

The voice that had been keeping her from Dragos, the one that had locked her in the Throne, wasn’t hers.

“Vasile was here.”

Dragos froze, the dirt and debris he’d been brushing from his clothing forgotten. “Oh?”

Mina nodded. She was keeping her distance from him again, something he intended to remedy before too much longer. “He says your father is

coming for you, and to beware your other brother.” “Trajan.”

“Is that his name? I thought he said Lawrence or something.”

Oh, hell no. That hadn’t occurred to him. If Vasile already knew about Mina, Laurentiu soon would too. Vasile always had been a daddy’s boy, more so than Trajan. “My father’s name is Prince Laurentiu Ibanescu.”

“Prince of Dragons.”

Dragos tried desperately not to growl at Greer. The pain in the ass had been harassing him since he’d woken at twilight. Blurting out that there even was a Prince of Dragons could wind up killing someone—namely

Dragos. He’d had more than one supernatural hunter come after him over the years, and not because he was the mayor of Maggie’s Grove. “Yes.”

“I always said you were cold-blooded.” Greer grinned as Dragos flashed fang at him. “So you’re a vampiric weredragon, huh?”

“I’m a vampire.” It wouldn’t do to reveal all of his secrets, especially to Greer. Now that the ruling dryads had rejoined Maggie’s Grove society the man gossiped like an old church lady, just without the clingy garlic-and- incense smell.

Greer was grinning like a loon. “Still, it must be cool to know you can use your mighty dragon breath to fell your enemies.”

“He can do that anyway. He just has to forget to brush his fangs.” Ash

was studying him closely. “You’ve begun to bond with Mina. Her oak has accepted you.”

Dragos’s brows rose. How did Ash know that? “It’s none of your affair.”

Ash tapped his fingers against his thigh. If Ash felt the need he would attack without hesitation. He was the one Dragos trusted most to watch

Mina when he couldn’t do it himself. Ash was the guardian—the one who

watched out for all of them, protected them. Ash wouldn’t truly rest until Mina was cured and Iva was restored to them. “I believe it is.”

Dragos cocked a brow at him, hoping to get the man to back off. These were Mina’s closest friends. He didn’t want to alienate them, but he would finish his bond with Mina or die trying. “Would you want me to interfere with you and Selena?”

“Yes, please, thank you. He’s been a miserable bastard recently.” Greer made a face. Dragos guessed he was supposed to look like a dour Ash, but instead he merely looked constipated. “Boo hoo, the witch doctor won’t kiss my boo-boos.”

“Like you’re having any better luck with Mollie.” Ash smiled. “By the way, how long has she been dating Carter?”

From the expression on Greer’s face it seemed he didn’t appreciate his friend’s comment at all. Maybe it was time Dragos got them back on track and off their nonexistent love lives before blood was shed. “Gentlemen—”

“Dragos? Could you come here for a moment?”

Dragos was at Mina’s side before she’d finished speaking. “Yes, dragă

Mina?”

“Um.” Her eyes went wide and she took a step back. “You heard about the voice in my head?”

“It’s not you.” And now that he could hear it as well, he could tell her

that with utter certainty. “I’m not certain who it is. They’re attempting to mimic your voice, and have, for the most part, succeeded.”

“To the point where I was ready to toss you out of here the moment you awoke.” She grimaced, and he could hear the voice nattering at her, urging her to do just that.

Dragos scowled and targeted the voice. “Du—te dracului.”

For just a second he felt the intruder, felt their startled response, before they pulled away from Mina. He wasn’t going to fool himself. The presence wasn’t gone. He could still sense it, lurking in the darkness of Mina’s mind, ready to pounce the moment she began to doubt again.

He had to find who was harming his sotiei, and soon. It was unacceptable that she suffered in any way.

“What did that mean?”

Dragos smiled, his fangs fully elongated. “I told the voice to go to hell.” “Oh.” She looked down at something in her hand. It was her cell phone.

He wasn’t about to ask how a woman who lived in the woods kept her

electronics charged. Therein lay madness. “I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but I just got a text from Dominic Davis. He says your Renfield is at the mayor’s office and he’s frightened.”

Shit. Now what? “Dominic or Eddy?” Dominic was the town treasurer,

and a good friend. If Eddy had gone looking for him and been afraid,

Dominic would take care of him. The man might look like an awkward dandy, but he was far more powerful than anyone gave him credit for. He just chose to hide it under a layer of geekiness.

He was hiding, and Dragos was more than happy to help him. If people

knew what Dominic truly was, they would make the poor man’s life a living hell.

Dragos could relate. He’d hidden his light for so long he wasn’t certain it was there anymore. The vampiric beast that lived within him often tried to override his common sense.

“Eddy. Says he’s got, and I quote, ‘a muncher on his tail,’ but he wouldn’t tell Dom more than that.”

“Text him that I’m on my way.” He cupped her cheek. “I’m sorry, my dear. Ash and Greer will guard you until I can return.”

“Damn skippy.” Greer sounded far too cheerful.

Ash merely nodded his agreement.

“We need to talk about your family, Dragos.” Mina sighed. “But your Renfield needs you. Go. We’ll be safe enough here.”

“We?”

She blinked, startled. “I meant... What I mean is...”

Dragos growled. The voice was sneaky—he’d give it that. He hadn’t even felt it stir, and he’d been watching for it. “Who are you?”

“Leave us alone.”

His beast roared to the surface. He took hold of Mina’s arms and stared into the dark depths of her eyes. “Mina is mine.” He threw every bit of power he had at the voice, tossing it out of her head.

Mina screamed, the trees in the Throne swaying violently. “Stop it, make

it stop, make it stop!”

Dragos stopped pushing, and Mina collapsed in his arms. Dragos bit back a curse as he picked her up and placed her on her throne. “Call Selena.”

Ash put his hand on Dragos’s shoulder. Dragos fought the urge to rip it off, literally.

Ash must have heard the low growl Dragos couldn’t contain. “Go. Take care of your Renfield.” Ash’s expression was fierce, his tone grim. “I swear to you, no further harm will come to our queen within the Throne.”

Greer nodded, cracking his knuckles. “You can leave here. She can’t.

Find out what’s going on from the outside while we work from within.”

He gritted his teeth and closed his eyes. Leaving Mina now was like ripping out his soul. The pain was that deep, that far-reaching.

But...

Damn it all to hell. Eddy was afraid, so afraid he’d left the safety of the mansion to try and find him at his office. If Eddy had known where the Throne was, he had no doubt the Renfield would have been pacing outside the sacred circle, waiting for Dragos to save him.

“Go.” Mina’s words were wracked with pain. “You kicked the voice out for now. I’ll be fine, I promise.”

Dragos bent and took her mouth like a ravaging conqueror—the anger and anguish at leaving her side warring with his need to check on his

Renfield. “Stay put.”

She saluted him with a weak grin. “Aye aye.”

“I mean it. Even if you feel like you can leave the Throne, wait for me. If the voice comes back, it could send you into a panic attack, and neither

Greer nor Ashton could return you to here fast enough to keep it from being overwhelming.”

Ash pushed at Dragos again. “Go. We’ll take care of her.”

“Dude, get out of here already.” Greer’s lazy grin sharpened. “We’ll keep her from being too stupid to live.”

Dragos rolled his eyes and took off, confident his sotiei would be right where he’d left her when he finally returned.

It didn’t take him long to arrive at city hall—a small building that housed his office and the administrative staff of Maggie’s Grove. The old Federal-

style home had multiple fireplaces and an old-world charm that soothed him

every time he entered the building. The floors might creak a bit, and the banister might be thicker than his hand, but this, just as much as his mansion, was home to him.

“Dragos. Thank the Goddess.” Dominic raced toward him, his glasses askew and his hair standing on end. “Eddy ran in here as if the hounds of hell were after him. He kept saying someone was going to eat him. You know I’d protect him as best I can, but...” The smaller man shrugged.

“He is, Dom, I swear.” Eddy’s voice, coming from the directly behind Dominic, sounded muffled.

“Who, Eddy? Who threatened you?” Dragos entered his office, not surprised in the least to find his Renfield cowering under his desk.

This was getting to be a habit.

The boy was popping cookies into his mouth faster than Dragos could see. If he didn’t slow down he’d choke himself. “Rajah.”

Dragos blinked. Who in blazes was Rajah?

Eddy rolled his eyes and swallowed the mouthful of Oreo goo that had muffled his words. “Trajan.”

Dragos saw red.

How dare his brother threaten his Renfield, the son of his heart?

“Wait! It wasn’t a threat, I guess. I mean, not like a threat threat. I’m not sure—I don’t think he meant it that way. He could have meant it that way... Oh God, what if he meant it that way and not the other way? Not good, so not good.”

“Um. What?” Dragos blinked, his beast receding as Eddy panted and

tried to shove another cookie in his mouth. His hands were shaking so badly he missed.

Huge green eyes dominated Eddy’s pale face. “I don’t even like guys, Dragos.”

Dragos took a deep breath. It took him a moment to get himself under

control. He didn’t know whether to laugh or scream.

Eddy was Trajan’s mate? Trajan? The brother who’d once agreed with Laurentiu that love between men should be punishable by death? That Trajan?

Things were about to become complicated.

He leaned over the edge of the desk, ignoring the way Eddy jumped. The boy should have sensed him, but he was so caught up in his own head he barely registered others around him. That made him vulnerable, a situation Dragos found intolerable. “Are you all right, Eddy?”

Eddy shook his head, that flop of hair he called bangs landing right in his eyes. “Nope. Not one tiny microscopic bit.”

There was only one way to take care of this. Dragos nodded, threw back

his head, and yelled at the top of his lungs. “Trajan Ibanescu!” “Oh, shit.”

Eddy dove for the door, but it was too late. Trajan appeared, striding through city hall as if he owned it. “You rang?” His grey eyes, the same ones all the brothers shared, stared at Eddy with so much hunger Dragos felt like a voyeur.

“Eddy is frightened, and my sotiei is under attack. As my Renfield, I am concerned that he might also come under fire.”

Trajan’s nostrils flared, but that was the only sign he’d heard Dragos.

“Dragos? What’s going on?” Kate’s strident voice battered at his ears, her heels clacking on the hardwood floors in a staccato tempo.

Trajan reacted as if there were a threat. He turned, placing himself

between Eddy and the door of the office, hissing furiously. Eddy whimpered. “Oh my God, he did mean it that way.”

Dragos pinched the bridge of his nose. “Eddy, he’s protecting you.” “Because he doesn’t want his lunch snatched away by the ho-bag?”

Another cookie was shoved into Eddy’s mouth, the crunching sound loud in the sudden, stunned silence.

He bit his lip to keep from laughing as Kate glared at Eddy. “Dragos, what are they doing here?”

“Eddy is my Renfield, Kate. He’s allowed wherever I am.” He ignored Trajan’s snarl, knowing it for what it was. It would be intolerable for Trajan to hear that someone else, even a blood relation, had a claim to his mate,

especially before he’d managed to lay claim to the boy himself. “Trajan

is...blood.”

Kate reached around Trajan, trying to touch Dragos. “Surely they can take their little discussion elsewhere?”

He stepped back, almost tripping on Eddy. The idea of her fingers on his skin was repulsive. “I think not.”

She stiffened, her hand gradually pulling back. She reached for the fob on her purse, worrying at it as she bit her lip. The sweet scent of cinnamon filled the air. “But Dragos, didn’t we have a lunch meeting scheduled?

Surely your Renfield can take care of your friend without your help.” He shook his head, confused. “Meeting?”

“But, Dragos—”

Kate cut Eddy off before he could finish his sentence. “Don’t you have

something Renfieldy to do? Like cutting your wrists or answering phones?” Trajan sneezed.

Being what he was, that sneeze produced a small ball of flame that landed right on Kate’s skirt.

Kate jumped back with a shriek, dropping her purse and screaming her head off.

Dragos shook his head. What had he been thinking? He had no meeting with Kate today. The council meeting wasn’t until next week, and he had nothing to go over with her until a few days before.

“Dragos! Do something!”

Gods above, the woman’s voice was grating.

Before he could move, Dom picked up a vase of flowers and dumped the entire thing, blooms and all, on Kate’s pretty blond head.

It did little to put the fire out. It did, however, make the witch look like a drowned rat with its skirt on fire.

“Oops.” Dom tilted his head as Kate tried desperately to pat out the fire

with her bare hands. “Well. That was ineffective. Say, Kate? Why don’t you just use magic?”

“Argh!” Kate ran for the ladies’ room, stopping only long enough to pick her purse up off the floor. The flowers and water were a sad reminder of her presence.

“Good riddance.” Dom placed the vase back on the table and began picking up the droopy flowers. “I think Eddy is running out of Oreos, Dragos.”

Trajan turned so fast he should have fallen flat on his ass, Kate’s antics completely forgotten as the dragon focused on his unclaimed mate.

Eddy grinned weakly, black goo covering his teeth.

His brother ignored Eddy’s frightened squawk and cupped the Renfield’s cheek. “What have you been eating?”

“Mookies.” Eddy shoved another one in his mouth and took a step back.

He shook his head in denial as Trajan reached for him again.

“Mookies?” Trajan eyed the bag warily. “Ah. I see.” He glanced at

Dragos, but his gaze swiftly returned to the object of his obsession. “Does he eat these frequently?”

Dragos shrugged. “Only when he’s terrified.” Eddy whimpered.

“Shh. You have no need to fear me.” Trajan’s smile was predatory.

The boy tried to take another step back, but Trajan growled, and Eddy froze like a frightened rabbit. “I had not wanted to disrupt my first meeting

with my lost brother by claiming you, young one. But you are mine, and I will not be denied.”

Eddy nodded, then shook his head so violently Dragos was surprised it didn’t fly right off his shoulders. “Imma Menfird.”

Trajan tilted his head and stared at Eddy. Dragos could see the predatory smile relaxing into an almost real one as Eddy’s innate weirdness worked its magic on his brother. “Menfrid?”

“I believe he means Renfield, sir.” Dom stepped forward to take Eddy’s bag of Oreos.

Eddy pulled them tight against him and glared at Dom. “My cookies.” “Of course, young one. No one will take them away from you.” Trajan

glared until Dom took a step back with a shrug. He turned his gaze once more on Eddy. “Come to me.”

“Oh hell no.” Eddy dodged around Trajan’s outstretched hand and took off, running up the creaky stairs to the second floor. Where he thought he could go from there Dragos didn’t know, but he let him run. Trajan would sooner cut off his right arm than hurt the boy. Eddy was Trajan’s mate,

whether he’d been officially claimed or not, and both he and his Renfield would just have to deal with it.

Dragos would have to make sure Trajan stayed in Maggie’s Grove. He

wasn’t about to completely give up the son of his heart, after all.

Trajan smirked. “I love it when they want me to give chase.” And before Dragos could stop him he was off, gliding silently up the stairs after his reluctant mate. Dragos shook his head, amused. He’d kicked his brother out of his house far too quickly when they’d last met. He’d have to find the time to pin his brother down, find out exactly why he was in town. But for now he let it go. There was no way in hell he was chasing after Trajan when Trajan was chasing after Eddy.

Eddy was almost as safe with Trajan as he was with Dragos, no matter what reason Trajan had originally come to Maggie’s Grove for. Besides, there were some things he did not want to see his brother doing, thank you very much. Especially with the boy he considered his son.

Dominic stared toward the stairs, listening to Kate’s angry muffled mutters and Eddy’s squeal of shock, and sighed happily. “Gods above, I do so love my job.” He adjusted his glasses and, in his precise, rather prissy way, made it back to his own office, not a hair on his head out of place.

Dragos waited until he was safely back in his own office before he allowed his laughter to escape.

Dom was, as usual, right on the money. Gods above, he did love his job.