Tempest of Wrath and Vengeance (Legacy #3)

5. Axel

5

AXEL

H e was dying.

That was all he could think as he sat in the dark room, alone and chained.

Well, that and he needed a drink. Something warm and coppery would do. Something full of power and heat. Gods, he could practically taste it. Practically taste her. She would taste like smoke and fire, and the magic would be all-consuming. Where would he drink from? Her wrist? Her thigh? Her throat?

Perhaps all three?

He’d heard it was more intoxicating to drink it straight from the source rather than a glass. He wondered how true that was…

“Fuck,” Axel rasped, shifting against the hard wall he was leaning against. Sharp rock dug into his spine, and every movement ripped open wounds that weren’t being allowed to heal. The wound in his thigh was searing. There was no doubt it was becoming infected because Julius wouldn’t let it close. He could feel his blood already trickling down his back, but the pain and sensations brought him back to this place and kept him from thinking about blood, particularly her blood.

He didn’t know exactly where he was. The only light he was ever granted was when the door to the room was opened. Otherwise, he was kept in the pitch black, the room so dark he couldn’t see his own hand in front of his face.

Of course, he also couldn’t bring his hand to his face with the shackles on his wrists.

And the broken arm. That was an issue too.

But the biggest problem was it was so godsdamn quiet in here. There was no music to distract him, and no tasks to keep him busy. He was just left to sit here and think about how thirsty he was, and how empty he felt, and how he would rather be dead than feel like this .

Out of control.

Deranged.

Powerless.

He raked the fingers of his good hand across the stone floor. His fingernails had been broken and torn from repeatedly doing this, but the pain was the only thing that distracted him from the overwhelming need .

His shadows gave a feeble twitch in his soul, but there was nothing else. They were as dead as he felt. His power wells couldn’t even begin to replenish naturally with these bands on his wrists.

He tipped his head back against the wall, a warm-skinned Fae with black curly hair and amber eyes filling his mind.

And he wondered what her blood would taste like.

He knew her name. It was there, in the back of his mind, but that was second to the craving. He knew her name, but all he cared about was that she was Fae.

A powerful Fae.

So much power just there for the taking. Why wasn’t anyone taking that? She was just walking around. There for anyone to have.

No, not anyone.

His .

She was his.

His to have.

His to take.

His to make bleed…

“Fuck!” Axel yelled again, knowing this wasn’t right. It couldn’t be right. He knew she meant something to him, but he didn’t need it all. Just some of her and he’d be fine. It would be enough to take the edge off.

Something in his soul shuddered at the idea, and that was the only thing he could cling to that reminded him this wasn’t right. He wasn’t supposed to want this, but he was supposed to want her. It was confusing, and he didn’t understand, and he couldn’t think in all this godsforsaken silence.

But it did allow him to hear the footsteps some time later, which in turn allowed him to brace for the brightness of the light when the door was thrown open. It still stung as the light filtered through his eyelids and made him squeeze them shut even tighter. He assumed this was the same guard that always came in here, spoon-feeding him food and having him drink warm water from a straw. Wisely, the guard was a Night Child. At least his father hadn’t been lying about taking him to the Underground. Granted, there were a few Night Children employed outside of the Underground, but they tended to stay in the kingdoms that paid them their coin and supplied them their blood.

Maybe they’d had it right all along. Get paid in extra rations rather than coin…

“Do you think anyone has noticed you’re gone yet?”

That voice was not a Night Child though, and Axel cracked his eyes open, squinting through tiny slits at the male Legacy who stood before him. His auburn hair was cropped short, and his mossy green eyes sparkled with some kind of sadistic amusement as he stood over him. He still wore a three-piece suit, even here, as if the mere act of wearing the garment made him better than everyone else.

“What do you want?” Axel asked, tipping his head back once more.

“The same thing we’ve wanted from the beginning,” Mansel replied, moving closer.

Mansel was one of his father’s closest advisors. A distant cousin of his mother, he was a Nith Legacy, a descendant of the god of creativity. It had been his idea to chain Axel’s wrists to the floor with only a few links for movement. Having them also connected to his ankles was a special kind of torture as was being left in his undergarments. The cold of the room had seeped into his bones. He didn’t know how long he’d been down here, but it was long enough to have grown numb to the chill.

So yesterday they had bathed him in ice cold water. His teeth had still been chattering when he’d finally fallen asleep.

Fingers snapping in front of his face had him focusing on the Legacy again.

“Stay awake, Arius Heir. You’ve got a dinner date,” Mansel said, slapping this cheek a few times.

“I don’t think I’m dressed for such an occasion,” Axel replied, turning his chin away.

“That’s what these are for.”

It was only then that Axel realized he was holding clothing in his hand.

“You’re kidding, right?” Axel said. “How do you expect me to get dressed? Or did you forget you broke my fucking arm?”

“I did not forget that at all,” Mansel replied. Then he threw the clothing at him, the fabric falling into Axel’s lap. “I’m sure you can manage a pair of pants.”

He produced a key, unlocking the wrist shackles from his ankles and the bolts keeping the ankle chains secured to the floor. Then the fucker stood back and watched Axel struggle for the next ten minutes to get the loose pants on over the ankle shackles. Mansel grinned at every hiss from Axel when his broken arm was bumped or when the fabric rubbed along the open stab wound. Blood immediately seeped into the thin material, but apparently that was fine for this dinner meeting.

He limped after Mansel, taking his time as he was led down an unfamiliar hallway. If they were indeed in the Underground, he had never been in this place. He was arguably one of the most knowledgeable about the Underground, but even he didn’t know all its secrets.

The stairs were the hardest part of the trek, and he was out of breath when he reached the top. The floor was uneven, and his bare feet were constantly assaulted with cuts and nicks as he went. He knew this was just more punishment from his father, and he assumed there were about to be more demands made of him at this so-called dinner.

He also knew when he refused, the pain and torment were going to become unbearable, so he was stealing these small moments of discomfort knowing there was much worse to come.

The low lighting of the dining room eased the aching of his temples, and Axel swallowed down a curse. That pain had kept him distracted from his craving, and now all he could think about once again was how dry his throat was and how empty his power wells were.

That was why it took him longer than it should have to realize there was someone already seated at the dining table that was set for four.

Bree DelaCrux— one of the four Night Child clan leaders that ruled the vampyres in the Underground.

She was the oldest of the four, an original, whereas the other three clan leaders had risen to power later. But Bree had been here from the beginning, one of the first to be banished when the Underground was created. Axel had always had a good relationship with her, so to find her here could go one of two ways. Seeing her with his father’s closest advisors, however, did not make him feel warm and fuzzy inside.

“Hello, Axel darling,” Bree greeted in her usual seductive lilt. Her onyx hair was half up, the rest curled and flowing over one shoulder. Honey-colored eyes sparkling with a trace of mirth watched him, a slight frown pulling at her red-painted lips. “They have truly done a number on you this time, haven’t they?”

This time?

“Come sit,” Bree continued, gesturing to the chair at her right.

He made his way to the closest chair, though, pulling it out with his good arm, and easing into it. Gods, the cushioned seat felt amazing after sitting on a stone floor for the-gods-knew-how-long. Bree didn’t comment on his seat selection. She only slid him a glass of water.

“It’s not what you really want, but it’s better than nothing,” she said with a small, knowing smirk.

Mansel had taken a seat across the table from Bree, sitting back comfortably in his chair without a care as another vampyre appeared and placed a plate of food in front of him.

“I have clearly missed something,” Axel said, unable to keep his mouth shut. “What the fuck is going on here? Where am I?”

Bree planted her elbow on the table, a manicured fingernail tapping her chin. “One would think you, of all people, would recognize the Underground.”

“Obviously,” he snapped. “Where, exactly, in the Underground has my father hidden me away?”

At that, her smile grew into something dark. “Oh, you were moved after your father was…detained.”

Axel lurched forward; then he barked out a curse as pain shot up his arm. “What do you mean he was detained? What has happened?”

“It appears Theon’s little Source has plans of her own,” Bree sighed dramatically, reaching for a bowl of fruit that had been placed on the table. Picking up a strawberry, she added, “She has daddy locked up somewhere, and your brother is now the acting Arius Lord.”

Axel blinked, trying to comprehend what she was saying, but all he could come up with was, “How long have I been here?”

“With me?” Bree asked, her tongue darting out to lick at the strawberry juice on her lips. “Nearly two weeks.”

“How long since I was brought to the Underground?” he demanded.

“A few days more than that.”

“You have had me for days and kept me in the dark?”

Bree shrugged, sifting through the bowl some more. “I needed some time.”

“For what?” Axel asked, dumbfounded at this turn of events.

A cunning smile filled her lips. “For the craving to begin to become unbearable.”

As she said it, another entered the room, and Axel immediately straightened. His injuries and wounds were an afterthought as a Fae he’d never seen before walked across the room, a Legacy Axel knew at his side.

Shoulder-length blond hair. Blue eyes. Tall and thin. Julius strolled with his hands in the pockets of his suit pants. On instinct, Axel flinched, conditioned to expect pain whenever this male was near him. The corner of his lips turned up into a small, cruel smirk, but he strode past Axel. When he rounded Bree’s chair, his hand came up, fingers dragging along her bare shoulders, while the Fae came to a stop beside her and held out his arm. With a wicked grin, Bree sank her fangs into the Fae’s arm.

The scent of blood immediately flooded Axel’s senses. It became his entire world. All he could think about. All he could smell. He could taste it, and it wasn’t until the pain of his arm became too extreme that he was pulled from that bloodlust.

It was only then that he realized he was on his knees, with sweat on his brow and his entire body shaking with want and need and pain. The three feelings were so intertwined, he couldn’t differentiate them. They may as well be the same thing at this point. But Mansel was there too, a hand on his shoulder holding him back. Julius watched him with sadistic delight as he toyed with a strand of Bree’s hair while she continued to drink deeply from the Fae.

“You are both traitors,” he gritted out, holding Julius’s stare.

His voice was smooth and beguiling as he said, “We are simply realists.”

“How long have you been in her bed while sucking my father’s cock, Julius?” Axel sneered before hissing as another wave of pain wracked his body.

“Now, now,” Bree chided, leaning back from the Fae. “We don’t need any of that.” She stood, her heels clicking when she made her way over to Axel. With her thumb, she wiped at the blood lingering on the corner of her mouth. Bending down, she swiped that blood along his lips as she whispered into his ear, “Just a taste, Axel darling.”

He shook his head, but it was useless. He would have lapped blood off the floor at this rate. There was no resisting it on his lips. His tongue darted out, and he groaned at the taste.

“Good boy,” she crooned, patting his cheek as he licked his lips again, searching for any bit of it he may have missed.

It was everything he’d imagined and more, only this was earthy instead of the fiery taste he wanted. His shadows stirred as his eyes locked on the Fae who still stood by Bree’s vacated chair. He would certainly do until he could find what he truly wanted. He could give him back enough of his power so he could heal and find her.

“Yes, you could have more,” Bree agreed as though he’d spoken his thoughts aloud.

Maybe he had. He didn’t know. All he knew was there was a Fae mere feet from him that had everything he needed to fix all of this.

“We have some things to discuss first,” Bree continued, waving a hand in dismissal.

The Fae took one step, and the growl that ripped from Axel had the male pausing. It also had more pain ripping through him as Julius used his magic to keep him on his knees before Bree. The only sound then was his ragged breathing as the Fae left the room, leaving him once again empty and on the edge of insanity from this craving.

“What do you want from me?” Axel asked.

She couldn’t want the fire Fae. His father wanted her, but Bree would have no use for her outside of feeding off her. But that Fae was his .

“Come and eat, Axel darling,” she replied, gripping his good arm and helping him to his feet and then to his chair. Once he was seated again, a plate of food was placed before him. Steak. Potatoes. Bread. Roasted vegetables. A glass of liquor.

He wanted none of it.

Shaking his head to clear his thoughts, he forced himself to focus on Bree, but her red dress was the color of blood itself, which only made him think of the Fae that was supposed to be his. Amber eyes. Ample curves. Power. A pulse he’d felt beneath his thumb.

Fuck, fuck, fuck.

A faint clunking sound drew his attention back to his place setting where a goblet had been placed beside the liquor glass. A clear goblet with red liquid.

He wasted no time, drinking down the blood in two gulps. It wasn’t enough—not even close—but it was enough to let him collect his thoughts and focus on what was happening before him. Not that he had any idea what was actually going on.

With a shuddering breath, he picked up his fork. The band on his wrist was loud as it scraped against the tabletop, but he scooped up a bite of mashed potatoes, ignoring how it tasted like ash on his tongue. He needed this sustenance as much as he needed the blood.

No, he didn’t need the blood.

He just needed these bands off. Then he could recover his power wells naturally. More blood would only serve to drive him closer to an edge he didn’t want to go over because…

He actually couldn’t remember why he didn’t want to go over that edge; he just knew it was something he shouldn’t want.

Clearing his throat, he brought another bite of food to his mouth before focusing on Bree. The Night Child was watching him with a gleam of amusement in her eyes. She was eating another strawberry, clearly waiting for him to initiate the conversation now.

“I want to speak to you alone,” Axel said, stabbing at tender carrots.

“Leave us,” Bree said without taking her eyes off him.

He didn’t break her stare either as the sound of chairs scraping and footfalls leaving filled the air. It wasn’t until the doors to the room had shut that he said, “I’m a little offended here, Bree. I thought we were on good terms.”

Her amusement grew as she took a bite of her fruit. “You have done well these last years, Axel. I will give you that.”

“So what has this been? You’ve helped me. I’ve helped you. This tit for tat has been for nothing? Has only been for you to betray us?”

“Us or you?” Bree countered.

“What?”

“I feel as though you are taking this personally.”

“I am,” he answered, setting his fork down and reaching for the bread. “I have worked hard to make sure you and all the clans are taken care of.”

“Is that what Theon was doing when he ripped out Henry’s heart?” she asked conversationally.

“Henry was a problem. You cannot deny that. Theon simply took care of it.”

“It was not his place,” Bree said, her tone growing icy.

“Is it not our place to take care of the Underground? To aid you? Is that not what I have promised you?”

She clicked her tongue, sitting back in her chair and crossing her slender legs. “You are like your brother in so many ways. Always knowing the right words to say. I was worried for a while there, you know.”

“Worried about what?” Axel asked, setting his bread aside and settling back in his own chair.

“Theon is too…suspicious of everyone. He trusts no one. You, however… You are the younger heir who is trying to find his place in this world,” Bree said, picking up a goblet of her own that Axel hadn’t noticed.

“What do you want?” Axel snapped, growing irritated by the conversation that seemed to keep going in circles.

“Why, the Underground, of course.”

“Fuck off,” Axel said in disbelief. “You want the Underground?”

“For starters,” she replied, sipping on her glass of blood.

“Oh, I cannot wait to hear this,” he muttered, swiping up his glass of liquor. It wasn’t enough for him to be stuck here, injured and on the brink of destruction. Now he needed to deal with someone clearly staging a coup. What the fuck was he supposed to do with this? It wasn’t like he had any way of contacting Theon or Luka right now. All he could do was gather information and hopefully have time to do something with it.

“The Arius Kingdom seems to be under the illusion the Underground is theirs,” Bree went on.

“It is in the Ozul Mountains which lie in our kingdom,” Axel answered. “We have relations with all the people here. We take care of them. They are our allies.”

Bree only smiled. “Are they?”

“Yes,” he snapped. “I have spent the last few years making sure that is the case.”

“You have had a couple of years, Axel St. Orcas,” Bree replied. “That is a blink compared to my centuries . Do you forget I did not take my power? I was one of the first to be banished here. I have lived in the dark for longer than even your father has lived. The Underground is my kingdom that I have let you all believe you control.”

“Let’s say that is the case,” Axel said. “To what end?”

“To that of me ruling Devram as it should have always been.”

Axel couldn’t help the laugh of disbelief. “The Legacy rule. The gods decreed it.”

“The gods sent their offspring here and left them with lies,” Bree sneered.

Axel paused, his glass halfway to his lips. “Where were you born, Bree?”

“Not here,” she simpered. “I was sent after the realm was created. The gods may not be able to interfere, but you already know that has not kept them from sending others to do just that.”

“And what were you sent here to do?” he asked casually, taking a drink of his liquor.

“You truly are becoming so clever,” she said with a breathy laugh. “But you forget I have been playing these games longer than this world has been breathing. I will not offer you all my secrets right now, but I will offer you something else.”

His brows shot up at the prospect, and she let out another breath of laughter.

“Not blood, Axel darling. Although, if you accept my proposal, you can have all that you’d like.”

“Color me intrigued, Bree,” he replied, sipping on his liquor and wishing to any god or Fate or being that it was blood.

“There is division among the kingdoms of the realm, and Theon’s Source is creating cracks that will become irreparable.”

“What does that have to do with me? As you so eloquently reminded me, I am merely the spare heir.”

“Division among the kingdoms weakens them,” Bree went on. “They are so focused on maintaining their own individual power, and they are so worried about Tessalyn and what she is, that they are leaving themselves vulnerable. They forget we even exist.”

“You want to take on the realm?” Axel said in disbelief. “You are mad. You cannot win.”

“While we have been left to rot in the dark, they have forgotten what we are. Shifters and Witches. Fae who are treated as less than by those who rule. Night Children banished solely for existing unless they need our skills for their own ends,” she said, her tone growing colder and colder with each word. “And then there are the Legacy. Those who questioned. Those who didn’t agree with the way things were being run. Those who tried to stand against them. The kingdoms forget there is wrath brewing here as they worry about the fury walking among them.”

“You cannot win,” Axel repeated.

“We can. We will,” Bree countered, getting to her feet again.

“And what does this have to do with me?” Axel asked again as she came to a stop beside his chair.

A red-painted nail skated lightly through the thick stubble that had grown along his jaw. “You are right, Axel darling. You have been good to me, so I would like to return the favor.”

“How?”

“A spot at my side,” she answered.

The sound that came from him was somewhere between a choke and a laugh. “You cannot be serious.”

“Think about it,” she said, resting her ass against the table. “I have the loyalty of the Underground, and you’re right. You have been building those relations here. You have more respect here than your father or brother. More than that, you are an Arius descendant. You have connections I do not have outside the Underground. We can lead the Underground. The kingdoms are going to destroy themselves from within, and then we will be there.”

Axel shook his head, too dumbfounded to know what to say. “And if I refuse?”

A small frown formed, and she reached out to run her hand through his hair. “Axel, darling, you have no idea how…debilitating bloodlust can be.”

“I think I have a pretty good idea,” he said dryly.

“Not yet, but you will,” she replied, pushing off the table. “I’ll give you some time to think about it, but know that should you decline, these last two weeks will be a dream compared to what will come.”