Tempest of Wrath and Vengeance (Legacy, #3)

by Melissa K. Roehrich

“No. He just held me down for a fucking Tracking Mark. He just sat and watched while Theon shoved me under a table. He just⁠—” “Gave you music,” Luka interrupted, prowling towards her. “Brought you doughnuts. Gave you distractions and little things when you had control over nothing. He made you laugh, and he argued with Theon on your behalf far more times than you know.”

“Your war is with Theon. Your fight is with me. Axel is not part of this, and if you don’t believe that, know that he is missing as punishment for saving Katya from the hands of males who would have taken everything from her,”

You’re supposed to be protecting Theon, not here in this space where I can hear you and smell you and see you all the fucking time.” His brow arched at that

Clever tempest. That’s what he calls me.” “More like a temptress,” Luka muttered. She whirled on him. “What did you just say?” “You heard me,” he retorted. “You’re more akin to a wild temptress than a clever tempest.”

She’d never cared about modesty or nudity, but by the gods. That was his mouth going dry at the sight of bare skin. That was his cock already half-hard as she slipped his shirt on. That was his power pushing at him to go take as she worked the buttons of the shirt. That was his dragon growling ‘mine’ as his scent covered her. Wild temptress, indeed.

He didn’t move from his spot at the desk, waiting a full two minutes before he pushed off it and made his way to the door. Pulling it open, he found her standing there, nightclothes clutched to her chest. He said nothing. Only stepped to the side as she stomped back in. “This is only because I need to sleep,” she said, dumping the nightclothes onto the sofa. “Naturally,” he replied.

He’s the one who’s going to take on that responsibility so you don’t have to, because he’d do anything to keep you from harm. He’s the one who will protect you from yourself. I’m going to be the one who lets you decide whether you’re going to crawl, run, or fly, and I won’t catch you unless you ask me to.”

he knew the moment she drifted off to sleep because she rolled into him, draping a leg over his thigh and nestling into his side. Her breathing was deep and tranquil, her hand resting lightly on his abdomen. And he made a choice as he curled his arm around her and tugged her closer. He made a choice knowing there was no one to catch him when the consequences came.

The red against her dark skin was going to be so fucking beautiful. He could already see it sliding down her neck. He’d lick it up with the tip of his tongue before going back for more.

You know nothing of war and torture. You know nothing of fighting for a cause and failing. You see this life as a curse, while others found it to be a blessing.”

“How long have you been a Night Child, Bree?” She stepped closer still, her front brushing his as she reached up. Her hand slid along his jaw before her thumb swiped across his lips. “Longer than this world has been breathing.”

“She’s not mine.” Bree’s head tilted, and she studied him for a long moment, an expression he couldn’t read on her face. Then a small smile tilted on her lips. Her hand slid to his jaw now, her thumb sweeping along his cheekbone. “I know exactly what you need, darling. Just tell me her name, and I will find her for you.”

She’d taken a whole two steps towards her bathroom when a voice made her jump and sent her heart to her throat. “This is what you’re doing now?” She whirled, a hand on her chest. “Gods, Dex,” she gasped. “What are you doing in here? And in the dark no less?”

Can he travel?

she made her way across the room to the off-white feather on the floor. Picking it up, she ran a single finger along the soft barbs. Once. Twice. She carried it with her into the bathroom, turning it over in her hand and studying it.

Correct the balance. Fulfill her destiny. Leave this forsaken world behind forever.

You’ve forgotten, Theon said. Forgotten what? That I’ll always fight for you. You’ll forever be mine.

But here’s a secret for you, Valter,” she purred. She stepped so close to the glass she could see her breath on it when she said, “I’ve become so numb, I can’t feel anything anymore, and unlike you, I’m not afraid to die.”

“Because you are clever like her,” he replied.

I would venture to guess that unlike the Arius Lord, you are an honorable father,” she continued, turning the feather over in her hand. But she saw it in her periphery. She saw the way the male went still. “I imagine that while Valter gave up his secrets to damn his son and save himself from a little pain, you will do the exact opposite.”

“But to make sure we understand each other, I sleep beside him. I kept him from being locked in one of these cells, albeit that was admittedly because I couldn’t have him learning about you just yet. I am his protection in this place now.” “And if I tell you information, you will make sure no harm comes to my son?” the male said, his hands clenched into fists atop his thighs. “If you tell me accurate and truthful information,” she emphasized. “Then yes, I agree to keep harm from your son to the best of my ability. Do we have an accord?” Sapphire eyes bored into hers. Nylah was still sniffing along the floor at the base of his cell, and Roan lifted his head, looking at the male. “It’s a bargain,” the male said.

“If this is my destruction, then I’ll make sure the world burns with me.”

“And some things I will only tell you when you no longer side with the Light King.”

You just told me you wanted me to not side with the Light King. Who is that? Rordan?” “No.” “Achaz then?” He said nothing,

“I made a vow to keep you safe, even at the cost of my own life.” When Tessa only blinked in surprise, he added, “It is not only my son I have endured torture for.”

Valter said you brought me to this realm. Is that true?” “Yes.” “Why?” “To hide you from Achaz.” “In a world the gods could not go to,”

“Tessalyn.” Her name was somehow both a command and a soft reminder, and his voice was so similar to his that it stopped her spiral into the madness that was slowly eating away at her. “She loses herself to the chaos at times too,” he said just loud enough for her to hear. “You speak as if you love her,” Tessa said, startling when Roan brushed against her legs. Always beside her, comforting her, keeping her grounded. “Not in the way Temural does, but she is endeared to me, yes,” he answered.

Well, from what I’ve gathered, you were lost among the chaos. Both Lords spent the next two decades searching for you.”

“My son is here with you? Separated from his Ward?” Tessa blinked in surprise. “That is your question?” The male only nodded, his eyes never leaving her. “Yes,” she answered. “He said Theon sent him to me, but I do not know if I believe him.” “Either way, there is only one instance that would allow him to put another before his Ward.”

The male tipped his head back, his eyes falling closed. She could swear a small smile played on his lips as he murmured more to himself than her, “She is going to hate this.”

Sure, she’d noticed he was attractive, but it hadn’t been like this, even once the three of them had been bonded. She hadn’t been constantly drawn to him.

His eyes shifted to those vertical pupils, and he stared down Roan as he exhaled a stream of smoke. Tessa was kind of impressed. Okay, she was more than kind of impressed as Luka held his ground against her wolves. It did things to her, and⁠—

“I don’t get lost to fury,” she said tightly. Luka blinked, those vertical pupils studying her. “I didn’t say you did,”

“Even if she did, protection follows her everywhere,” Luka added, looking pointedly at Roan, who was still at her side. Nylah was sitting a few feet away, watching everything. “No one knows where the wolves came from,”

“Did you not sleep well last night?” Rordan asked, holding Tessa’s stare, and gods, she knew then that he knew she’d spent the night in Luka’s bed. She felt her cheeks go hot, and she shouldn’t care because caring meant Luka was right. This Lord owned some part of her to make her feel like this.

She hadn’t realized the subtle differences from her own. Her power sparked into something like lightning, chaotic and unpredictable. His light coiled and arched, the sparks like gold-flecked mist.

“How long are you going to make me stay here?” “Is the Guardian bond becoming an issue?” Theon asked. “Not like it has in the past,” Luka said.

But that hadn’t been an issue since he came here, which could only mean it was her. There was no other explanation, and gods, wasn’t that a convenience he didn’t want right now. Because every minute spent here, even with her not fucking speaking to him, was weakening a resolve he’d held firmly in place since the moment this girl had become a prospective Source.

And two hours later, when the bond lurched in his soul and his dragon lifted his head, he knew. She didn’t knock on the door like she had last time. No, this time, she created one of those blinding portals directly into his room. “You need to learn to Travel,” Luka growled, shielding his eyes until the light faded.

It took him a minute to tear his gaze from her bare thighs to realize she was holding something in her hand: his shirt she’d worn his first night here. Dragging his gaze up her body to her face, he found her scowling. Fidgeting in her irritation, she said tightly, “It doesn’t smell like you anymore.”

“No. If you can’t bother showing up for training, I’m not going to let you sleep in my bed. You don’t get to ice me out and still get what you want from me in the end. I’m not Theon.”

“I’m saying that it's a little paradoxical that you hated the monsters so much, you decided to become one only to employ the same tactics you hate. Who cares about the casualties as long as you get the ending you want, right?”

His head tilted, a completely predatory move as his dragon paced, wanting to put her in her place but loving that she wasn’t afraid of him. Not like she once was.

Her eyes were brilliantly violet, flecks of gold shimmering in them, and the power that wove around her arms was doing more than that now. Her feet were an inch off the ground. She hovered in the air, her golden hair floating on a phantom breeze, and what he could only describe as golden ashes were floating among the strands. Gods, she was stunning with all that power and rage. If she could just learn to harness it, she would be unstoppable.

and before he could second guess the action, he closed the space between their mouths. A small, surprised sound came from her, and she went still for a few seconds before she was kissing him back.

Theon sent her a look that would have made her cower the night he'd Selected her, but while Tessa still bore four Source Marks, Theon also still sported the Achaz Mark on the back of his hand too.

She made it well-known that the Fae were treated vastly different in her world. They ruled entire Courts for gods’ sake.

“Only loathing,” she answered plainly. He stopped a few feet from her. “I’ll take whatever you’ll give me.”

His darkness was curling loosely around her ankle, and he was close enough to see the goosebumps appear on her flesh. From here he could also see the dark circles starting under her eyes that told him she was getting as much sleep as he was lately.

“You don’t scare me, Tessa,” he ground out. She gave him a mocking pout. “I really, really should, Theon,”

She reached out, sliding her fingers into his hair, and damn it all, he leaned into her touch, the bond leaping at the first physical contact with her in weeks. Then her grip tightened, yanking his head back.