Tempest of Wrath and Vengeance (Legacy, #3)

by Melissa K. Roehrich

“But Axel was,” Theon interjected. “The moment he saw her at the Emerging Ceremony. He insisted we claim her for the Arius Kingdom. Did so before we could stop him.” Katya was blushing once more as Razik said, “A male usually feels the pull first.”

“As with any Mark, there is a cost. Taking the twin flame Mark is an offering of a piece of one’s soul to another. If the two are true twin flames, their souls recognize one another, and the Trials are initiated. If they are not, the Mark fades after time, and the piece of the soul offered fades with it. Some believe they have found their twin flame but are too afraid to test it against the Marking, so they are content to simply be together without the bond,” he explained.

The female, Dex, and Brecken all trailed behind their company. Tessa had stopped trying to figure out how they'd managed to become so trusted by Rordan. Now she just wondered why. Why would he put so much trust in Fae? It only furthered her suspicions that their heritage was as murky as her own. They probably weren't the children of gods, but Rordan only surrounded himself with the most powerful.

I’ll always come for you, Tessa, Theon answered. Until the day you can no longer find me.

“Are they forcing…” She couldn’t say it either. Finally, she rasped out in a rush, “Are they breeding the Fae?” “In the Villas, yes. But the Hybrid Villas are more than that. Keep going,” he repeated.

“I was sent to find the hidden Fae. Those who have Legacy blood, and they don’t know it.” “How do you find them?” He hesitated before saying, “I can sense power and the strength of it.” “How?” “I cannot tell you.” She nodded because an Oath would truly be preventing that.

“Tessa?” he ventured carefully, partly because he didn’t know what was going on, but also because everything in him wanted to comfort her, claim her, and then end whoever had done this to her.

“Tessa…who did you kill?” “Two Legacy.” “Did they hurt you?” “They wanted to. One touched me.” The growl that sounded was more dragon than male. “I cut off his fingers before I killed him,” she added. “Good girl,” he said,

“Your magic will take until there’s nothing left.” “Then what do you do?” she sneered. Luka shrugged. “Something to distract me. An intense training session. Spar with Axel or Theon. Fuck.” He couldn’t tell if that was a wince or a flinch of surprise.

His post-fight high always seemed more intense and savage than theirs did, and apparently Tessa experienced it that intensely as well.

And it was his turn to take a deep breath as she stood there naked in his bathroom. “Shower, Tessa,” he ground out while internally fighting with his dragon.

It took him a second to answer that because Theon was going to know exactly what he was talking about when he told him what was going on. Luka: She’s going through the post-survival and victory high. Then there was a long pause from Theon before another message popped up. Theon: I trust you, Luka.

Omg

“You defended yourself, and I’m godsdamn proud of you for that. Tell me how you did it.” The anger in her eyes faltered a fraction. “What?” “You heard me. Tell me how you killed them. Did you use your power?” “For one of them.” “Did you drag it out?” He watched her throat bob with a swallow. “Yes. Forced him to his knees. Took away his air. Took his power.” “And then?” “I shoved a blade through his throat,” she said breathlessly. “Such a violent temptress,” Luka said, his voice all gravel. “And the other?” “I didn’t use any magic. Only blades.” “I would have liked to see that.”

“Because I’ve seen you when you’re vicious, and it’s stunning to witness.”

“I’m not going to take anything from you, Tessa. You’re going to have to come over here and ask for what you want.”

“What? You want me to crawl across the floor and beg sweetly from my knees?” “If that’s what you want to do.” “Absolutely not,” she snarled. He shrugged again because now that image was in his head, which was just…fucking fantastic. He was already barely hanging on the way it was. His dragon loved the idea of her on her knees, and his magic loved the idea of… Well, just her. Because now that he was spending so much time with her—alone—the pull he’d been avoiding for years was only getting stronger. But these were thoughts he had no business entertaining. Because she was Theon’s. Mine, his dragon growled so forcefully he knew his eyes shifted.

wouldn’t know what to do with me if I crawled to you, Luka,” she purred,

A dismayed huff came from her lips as he braced an arm above her head. “Ask me.”

His mouth was on hers before he knew what he was doing, and gods, he swore every time he did this, her mouth would be the death of him. Yet here he was, coming back for the torment again and again. Didn’t she realize what this was doing to him? What he was going through for her? And she couldn’t fucking trust him?

then her hands were slipping into his hair. Both of them. Which meant she’d dropped that towel. That knowledge alone had him groaning into her mouth, and the sound seemed to spur her on. She arched her back, and his arm slid around her waist before his fingers moved, tracing up the length of her spine to grip the back of her neck and hold her in place. Her mouth was hot and hungry, needing more and needing it rougher, harder. Then it was her moaning into his mouth as he gripped her hips and hoisted her up. Her legs immediately wrapped around his waist, and he cupped her ass, never breaking their kiss as he walked her to the bed.

but Luka had always been drawn to this. A female asking him for what she wanted. Giving her what she needed fulfilled some deep-seated purpose of taking care of her.

His dragon snarled in satisfaction to find her dripping. Or maybe that was him doing the snarling? He didn’t know at this point. All he knew was he wanted to be inside her more than he wanted anything else.

He dipped two fingers into that sweet wetness, then slid them back up where he continued to rub slow circles over her clit. He kept his gaze on her face, not wanting to miss a moment as he played with her cunt. Her hips started rocking against his hand, and her features went hazier and hazier. “I like you like this,” he said. “Not so fucking mouthy.”

Her eyelids grew heavier, and then the fingers she had tangled in his hair gave a sharp yank. “If you’re not going to fuck me, then at least kiss me,” she panted out before her tongue found his again.

And that was when he finally let his magic free. Wisps of black flames licked along her naked flesh, and the sound that came from her was pure sex as her light raced to chase it. Their power meeting was enough to make him nearly give in, but he forced himself to stay focused on her.

this. Making his way to the shower, he gripped his base, pumping his shaft. He was so godsdamn hard it was painful.

His head went foggy, and for the briefest of moments, he had no idea why he was jerking himself in a shower instead of burying himself between her thighs. Taking her. Worshiping her. Claiming what should have always been his. It took everything in him to swallow the groan so she wouldn’t hear as he came

“I can’t trust you, Luka. Your loyalty is to him, not me.” And he found himself asking the same question he’d asked her months ago. “Do you wish it was to you?” The silence stretched on for so long that he thought she wasn’t going to answer until finally she whispered, “Yes.” Every part of his being twisted with both betrayal and satisfaction at the admission until she added, “But wishes and hope are for the innocent and the heroes, not the monsters and the villains, so I no longer bother with either.”

While most Shifters only had one other form, power shifters could shift into any animal or anyone, and they were rare.

They could also shift energy and matter, but they did each have a preferred form.

“Everyone believes the god of peace and serenity is just that. Peaceful. Calm. The god everyone would pray to in the midst of war and conflict,” Tristyn said, his tone low and forceful. “The thing no one realizes is that he is just as cunning as any god. He can be just as cruel when he makes everyone around him feel serene and relaxed just so he can shove a blade into their back.” It took a minute to process those words, his brain feeling sluggish and lax, but when he did, he found Tristyn idly twirling a dagger between his fingers. “You’re a Pax Legacy,” Theon sneered. “But that doesn’t explain how Cienna is your sister because she is clearly a Witch.”

“I am not a Pax Legacy,” Tristyn said. “Pax is my father.” “Bullshit,” Theon huffed, but even as he said it, he knew it was true. Why wouldn’t it be? “As for Cienna, yes. We are full-blooded siblings. Pax fell in love with one of Taika’s descendants,” he replied. “So you are both Pax and Taika Legacy?” “We are not Legacy at all. A direct descendant of a god makes us deities,” Tristyn answered. “And before you ask, Tessa is more than that, despite being a direct descendant of Temural.”

“Anyway, the magic of the witchcraft sisters favors females. I can access it, but it takes more effort on my end. She favors healing and potions; I favor enchantments and spell enhancements.”

“You think I have been doing nothing for hundreds of years while I was waiting for her to get here?” Tristyn demanded, and there was no russet color left in them now. They were pure glowing sage green.

waiting for her to get here?” Theon repeated, slowly lowering his blade when he was sure Tristyn wasn’t going to lunge at him again. “How many years have you been here?” “Four hundred fifty-nine years, seven months, and twelve days,” Tristyn answered, his arm falling to his side.

“You’d know too if it was the last time you’d seen the one you’d sacrifice anything for,” Tristyn replied.

“You’ve been separated from your…wife? For over four centuries?” “She’s not my wife. Not yet,” he answered. “But she will be.” “Where is she?” Sadness filled his face, the glow in his eyes fading. “I don’t know.” “You don’t… I don’t understand,” Theon said. “It’s not for you to understand,” he answered.

“They…” He pushed out a long breath, his hand going through his hair again. “They basically do experiments there. Force Fae to conceive with Legacy. Try to create stronger Fae.”

The Sources of the Lords and Ladies? All of them have Legacy blood. No one else knows. They had them specially bred for this exact purpose.”

“What’s her name?” Theon asked, pouring the whiskey into glasses. “The one you haven’t seen in over four centuries.” He watched Tristyn swallow thickly as Theon brought him a glass of liquor. “Lilura,” he answered hoarsely.

Her words dissolved into a strained whimper as his teeth sank into her throat. Warm and luscious, she tasted exactly like he knew she would. Hot and fiery. Sweet and citrusy. He groaned, sucking harder, and his power wells. Gods. His power wells stirred in excitement, thin wisps of shadows appearing.

With another snarl of rage, Axel started pooling his shadows, letting them writhe around him until a giant feline stood beside him, snarling and snapping.

Then it shattered when her voice echoed in his mind. We need you to come back. Me and our babe. Her hand slid to her stomach, resting atop it as her eyes fell closed again.

“Just touch her. A physical connection will help.” “A physical connection?” he repeated, his hand shaking as he reached for her. “That sounds like a Source bond.” Another few seconds of silence ticked by before Theon only said, “Sort of.” Axel skated the tips of his fingers along her arm, realizing now she was wearing his shirt. He eyed her stomach. Even with her curves, his shirt was too big on her, obscuring her belly. He traced the new Mark on the back of her hand before sliding his palm up, laying it flat over her torso and splaying his fingers wide. There was no possible way.

He knew it hadn’t been a hallucination. Katya had somehow spoken to him the way a Source and Master communicated.

What is your name?” He stared at her, clear displeasure filling those sapphire eyes. “Xan. My name is Xan Mors.

“The descendants of Sargon become the Guardians of the Arius bloodline. Achaz did not like this, so he created guardians of his own from beings known as seraphs. Some seraphs were given additional power, like the ability to Travel and banish their wings, but their primary magic must be stolen.”

But…her Hunter had called Brecken a light guardian. So that meant… Brecken had killed an Arius Legacy at some point to have the power that he did. And if Dex and Oralia were light guardians as well, then they had done the same somewhere along the line. It all fit. The feathery wings she’d thought she’d imagined surrounding Dex. Random feathers in her room.

“Our bloodline is hunted throughout the stars by Achaz, his light guardians, and more. The world we once called home is nothing but a requiem.

Luka emerged from the bathroom and paused when he saw her. She held his stare, allowing him to see it all. This day weighing down on her. The loneliness. The exhaustion. Gave him this rare moment of vulnerability in exchange for letting her have this one night. He didn’t say anything. Only pulled his shirt over his head and set it aside before he slipped into the bed. Tessa rolled into him, and he immediately pulled her into his chest, a large hand sifting through her hair. For an inexplicable reason, tears pooled in her eyes, but she refused to let them fall. For several moments, that was it. The two of them in the dark. His fingers stroking her hair. Her head on his chest. Breathing in his scent and heat. The bond between them hummed in contentment, soothing her as much as his touch was. She didn’t know how many minutes had passed before he said in a voice that was just like his father’s, “Even the monsters and the villains need others. We’re not meant to do life alone.” She didn’t reply, but a single tear slipped free.