Tempest of Wrath and Vengeance (Legacy #3)

20. Luka

20

LUKA

H e knew she was back. He could feel it down this godsdamn bond, and it was taking every ounce of self-control not to hunt her down.

Luka had felt her all afternoon. They’d finished their training session before she’d taken off to shower and get changed. They’d left for the Sirana Villas midafternoon. He’d been informed they were having a light dinner with Desiray, but he’d felt her anger, then her distress, then her renewed fury. Both he and Theon had tried to reach out to her, banging against the mental barrier that was keeping them out. That was the thing, though. Eventually, that barrier fell, and try as they might, they couldn’t reach her. She was too lost to her wrath, and he had no idea what had triggered such a visceral reaction. Was she hurt? Did she need help?

His phone was buzzing on the bedside table, but he didn’t need to check it to know it was Theon. He didn’t have any answers for him, so he didn’t bother responding. He’d spent the entire afternoon and evening doing anything he could to keep from thinking about Razik and the potential blood relation. What did it say that the male hadn’t even attempted to reach out?

Then again, neither had he.

Luka had even gone so far as to Travel to Arius House to check on the wolf despite Theon’s consistent updates. But now she was back, and his dragon was pressing at his soul. He hadn’t felt this out of control with his magic and shifting since his power had first emerged.

He was almost grateful when bright light eclipsed the low flames keeping his room dim.

Almost.

He made a mental note to start teaching her to Travel in one of their next lessons because he was sick and tired of being blinded whenever she felt like showing up.

Those exact words were on the tip of his tongue when he turned back to face her, but then his mouth dried out at the sight that greeted him.

She was in white fitted pants and a gold top, and there was blood. All over her clothes. Her face. Her feet left bloody footprints on the floor when she took a single step forward. Her golden hair was down, speckled with red, and those violet eyes were glowing bright with a craze he didn’t know what to do with.

“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.

She didn’t answer. Only watched him in a way that made him feel like he was somehow the prey in this situation, and it had his magic pushing even more.

“Tessa?” he said again, not moving. “Are you hurt?”

“I killed someone,” she said, and fuck, her voice had that ring to it.

“Okay,” he replied.

“Two people actually.”

He nodded. “Okay,” he said again. “Was anyone else hurt?”

“Do you know what they do at the Villas?”

“Yes, Tessa. I know what the Villas are.”

Her features hardened. “The ones behind the manor house too?”

His brow furrowed. He didn’t know there were villas behind the manor house. Whatever his expression told her, it had her relaxing the smallest amount.

“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, starting to understand what was happening. “Did you just get back?”

She nodded. “The others are still there. I came back.”

“Alone?”

“With Brecken.”

“And now?” he pressed, crossing his arms and leaning against the back of the sofa.

“Now I…” She shifted on her feet, her hands opening and closing at her sides before she reached up and brushed back hair from her face. Red smeared across her cheek. “My magic is— I can’t—” She released a frustrated sigh. “Everything is heightened. I feel…out of control.”

“It’s the adrenaline,” he said. “For mortals, it fades, but when you’ve just fought and come out on top, your magic wants more. You need to expel the energy.”

“Just let my magic out?”

“Fuck, no,” he balked. “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.

Pushing off the sofa, he added, “Go clean the blood off, and I’ll take you to the training arena.”

“I don’t want to train , Luka,” she grumbled.

“Then what do you want to do?”

She shifted again, and he knew exactly what she was feeling. It was exactly how he felt every time he won a sparring match. Every time he’d completed a mission for Valter. Every time they fought Night Children. He knew Axel and Theon experienced it too, but he’d always thought his experience was heightened due to his Sargon blood. His post-fight high always seemed more intense and savage than theirs did, and apparently Tessa experienced it that intensely as well. He could see it in her rigid limbs and the inability to stay still. The way she couldn’t process what was happening or put it into words. The way she was struggling to keep control of her magic, but he was so fucking proud of her for doing it. A week ago, she wouldn’t have cared. She would have let her power have her because it was easier than fighting for control.

“I want… I need…” She trailed off, another frustrated sound coming from her, this time accompanied by a flare of her power. He straightened, his flames ready to meet hers, but she got herself back under control. “Just tell me what to do, Luka.”

“If that’s what you need, go to Theon,” he replied.

“I can’t go to Theon.”

“Why not?”

“Because I can’t,” she spat, her power flaring again.

“Control it, Tessa,” he ordered.

“That’s just it,” she cried. “I can’t ! It’s too much. It’s too wild. I’m too wild. I’m too impulsive. I’m too?—”

He was in front of her before she could utter the next word. Taking her chin between his thumb and forefinger, he said, “You are none of those things. Do you understand me?”

She shook her head, silver pools of frustration welling in her eyes where gold flecks peeked out among the violet. He could feel her power vibrating beneath his fingers and see her entire being visibly trembling.

“Okay, here’s what we’re going to do,” he said, his tone a low command. “We’re going to get you cleaned up.”

“That’s not?—”

“One thing at a time,” he interrupted. “Since you came straight here, I’m assuming no one else knows you killed two Legacy today?” When she nodded, he said, “So we need to get rid of the evidence, which means washing away the blood, cleaning up the footprints, and burning this clothing.”

“One foot in front of the other,” she said tightly.

“Yes, Tessa. Exactly that.”

She nodded again, taking in a deep breath as he took her hand and led her to his ensuite. He reached into the shower, adjusting the water temperature. Not sure how hot she’d want it, he left it on lukewarm, only to turn and find her already shedding her bloody clothing and tossing it in a pile.

“So much white,” she muttered, toeing at the discarded fabric.

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. “I’ll take care of the clothing and footprints.”

He scooped it up, refusing to look back at her as he left the bathroom as quickly as possible. He held the clothes in his hand while he burned them, his black flames devouring every scrap of fabric and blood, and then he burned the ashes to nothing too. When that was done, he debated what to do about the footprints. If he burned them away, there would be scorch marks left behind. In resignation, he decided it would be good old-fashioned scrubbing with soap and water, but there was no way he was going back into his bathroom with her naked and wet in there.

He Traveled to her rooms, taking care of her suite first. There was a single set of footprints in here. She truly had appeared here with Brecken and then immediately came to him. He went to her bathroom to get a cloth and soap, and of course, all the towels were white. He’d have to burn that too unless they were going to somehow play it off as her cycle, but with their luck, the Achaz Lord would have the blood analyzed. Burning it would be.

He cleaned her floor before rinsing the cloth and soaping it back up. Then he Traveled back to take care of the floor in his room. After he incinerated it, he swiped up his phone, sending a message to Theon that she was back and fine.

Theon: What the fuck happened? Did she say?

Luka: Apparently she killed some Legacy who tried to hurt her.

Theon: Good.

Luka: That’s what I said, but no one knows it was her.

Luka: And it happened at the Sirana Villas.

Theon: What the fuck was she doing there?

Luka: She insisted on visiting the Villas. But did you know there were more behind the manor house? She seemed relieved when I said I didn’t know about them.

Theon: I had no idea. I’ll look into it.

Theon: Is she all right?

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.

And that was it. Nothing else came in, and Luka cursed under his breath. What the fuck was he supposed to do with that?

With nothing left to keep him busy other than to go check on Tessa, he steeled himself for the encounter. He’d heard the shower shut off a bit ago, which meant she was either wrapped in a towel or naked. The girl’s lackadaisical attitude towards nudity was becoming increasingly taxing. He’d never had a problem with nudity either until she’d started showing bare flesh all the godsdamn time.

His magic and his dragon, on the other hand, were pacing with excitement as he entered the ensuite. She was standing on the bathmat, dripping wet, but at least there was a towel wrapped around her.

Leaning his shoulder along the doorway, he glanced at the vanity. He should have grabbed her hairbrush while he was in her rooms. “What do you want to wear?” he asked.

“I can get my own clothing,” she answered, an edge to her tone that told him she was still riding that high, but there was an undercurrent of ire there too.

“I know you can,” he answered. “I was only offering to help.”

“Help,” she repeated, and the way she said it had him tensing.

“Yes,” he gritted out. “Tell me what you need.”

Her laugh was humorless and tinged with madness. “Why? So you can tell me to go to Theon to get it?” Before he could respond, she went on, “You won’t even look at me. How are you going to give me what I need? Is it because I killed Legacy? Because I won’t apologize for that, and?—”

“I’m glad you killed those fucking Legacy, Tessa,” he cut in, his gaze snapping to hers and holding her stare. “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.”

“Why?”

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

“Stop,” she snapped.

He arched a brow. “Stop what?”

“Saying things like that.”

He shrugged a shoulder. “You asked. I answered.”

“No,” she sneered. “You say things like that. Say you’re going to give me what I need and then deny me. Unless you plan to just take from me like him?”

“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.”

“Ask for it?” she scoffed.

“If you think I’m making this choice for you, think again. You want people to make the hard decisions for you and that won’t be me.”

“I never had to ask him,” she retorted, clutching the towel at her chest. “He just knew what I needed.”

“You think I don’t know what you need?” he asked with a smirk that was all predator. “I know exactly what you need, but I don’t think you know what you need. You accuse everyone of taking from you—when we both know that was one thing he never took from you—so now you need to ask for it.”

“Ask for it,” she repeated again, that fury sparking once more. “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.

She clearly noticed because her features shifted to something sensual. “You wouldn’t know what to do with me if I crawled to you, Luka,” she purred, sauntering towards him.

“Baby girl, I know exactly what I’d do with you,” he countered, immediately rising to the challenge because there was no way he would let her get the upper hand in this. No part of his being would allow it. “However this isn’t about what I’d do with you, but what you need right now.”

“And what is it I need?”

“To expel all that energy from the high of victory,” he replied.

“By sparring?” she drawled, rolling her eyes as she pushed past him.

“No, you brat,” he snarled, spinning her so her back was up against the wall of the bedroom now. A dismayed huff came from her lips as he braced an arm above her head. “Ask me.”

Violet eyes full of wrath and heat and suspicion stared back at him. Her words were tinged with agony when she said, “Please don’t be an asshole with this.”

“Ask me,” he repeated.

Her eyes fell closed for a brief moment as she clearly debated what to do. When she reopened them, she whispered, “I can’t.”

“Why?” The word was guttural as he waited for her explanation.

“Because I don’t trust you,” she admitted. “I can’t trust you.”

Something in his chest twisted at that admission, and his dragon reared back as if she’d struck him. In a way, she had because he was here, with her, and not where he wanted to be. He was training her to control magic that would destroy the kingdom he had sworn to protect. He was standing here, ready to give her what she needed, and she said she couldn’t trust him?

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?

He hadn’t meant for this to be a deep, soul-crushing kiss. Then again, he hadn’t meant to kiss her at all. This was supposed to be soft with light flicks of tongue, but 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.

He lowered her to the mattress, but her hands fisted the collar of his shirt, keeping him close. She was desperation and desire. His hands skimmed up her side, and it wasn’t until he took one of her full breasts in his hand that she finally released his mouth with a gasp.

“Yes,” she rasped, arching into his touch. “More, Luka. Please.”

Theon got off on the begging. He knew that from the times they’d shared a partner in the past, 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.

He tweaked her nipple, the soft moan the sweetest reward he’d ever received. Then he was pulling that nipple into his mouth, sucking hard. Her moan became a gasp, and he was suddenly chasing a different kind of high than she was. Gods, she tasted good. Perfection and wildness. Light and dark. Sunshine and stormy skies.

One hand kept him held above her while the fingers of his other hand skated down her belly, over her hip, and straight to the wet heat between her legs. He dragged the pad of his thumb over her swollen clit, the whimper that came from her instantly becoming his favorite sound in the realm.

“More,” she rasped, her breaths shallow and fast as she thrust her cunt into his hand.

He swiped his thumb over her sensitive nerves again and felt her whole body shudder as he kept rubbing. He took his time, teasing and exploring, until he skimmed his fingertips down to her opening. 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. There would be no coming back if he did, and that thought alone might kill him because he couldn’t do this.

I trust you, Luka.

Those were his words. She didn’t trust him, but Theon sure as fuck did. That was where his loyalty was. So no, he wasn’t going to fuck her. But he was still going to give her what she needed, and later tonight, he’d feel like a bastard because he was going to enjoy every moment of this.

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.”

She tried to scowl, but he took the opportunity to dip his fingers inside her cunt, and again her expression slipped back to rapture.

“More, Luka. Please give me more.”

“What would you want?”

“Anything. Everything. Your mouth. Your hand. Your cock.”

Fucking Sargon.

“I can’t,” he said, nearly choking on the words.

“You said you’d give me what I needed,” she whined, panic filling her features.

“I will, baby girl,” he replied before dipping his head to suck and lick at her breasts again.

A sigh slipped from her, one of her hands moving into his hair. Her fingers tangled in the strands as her legs wrapped around his waist. She was trying her hardest to pull him closer. He was wrong. This might be what killed him. Knowing she wanted it, needed it. Knowing that he could have her, and she would let him do whatever he wanted.

He slid a finger in deep, and she immediately clenched around it.

“By the gods,” he breathed, adding the second finger again. Her groan was somewhere between rapture and pure relief, and it was all he needed to keep going. While his thumb continued its ministrations on her clit, he slid his fingers in and out, keeping the rhythm lazy and letting her climb higher and higher. 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.

She’d gone from rapture and relief to pure desperation now, her fingers clawing at his shoulders. A frustrated sound came from her as she tugged at his shirt, clearly seeking bare skin, but she was still riding his fingers. Still trying to drive him closer with her heels. 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.

“Time to come, temptress,” he ground out, his own breathing just as harsh as hers. His hand kept moving, fingers sliding in and out. He knew she was there, right on the edge. He could tell by the way she was squirming beneath him, clamping around him, and fisting whatever she could find. His hair. His shirt. The bedding. He plunged his fingers in deep once more before curling them and stroking firmly.

Tessa cried out, her words a mix of unintelligible syllables and curses as her climax rippled through her. He felt it all around his fingers, in the way her body shuddered beneath him, in the way her legs squeezed tighter where they were still wrapped around his waist. Then her tiny frame went utterly lax. Her legs fell to the side, a satisfied sigh falling from her lips as Luka watched her eyelids grow heavy for a different reason now.

He eased the pressure on her clit, slowly thrusting his fingers a few more times as she came down from the high of everything. The climax. The fighting. The killing. The victory. It wasn’t until he slipped his fingers from her completely that her eyelids fluttered open, connecting with his.

“Can I sleep in here tonight?” she murmured.

As if he’d let her sleep anywhere else after that.

But he said gruffly, “Yeah. Just let me clean up.”

He turned, heading for the bathroom, but he stopped in the doorway. “You good, Tessa?”

“So good,” she answered, already sounding half asleep.

He nodded, kicking the door shut behind him.

Then he was removing his pants in record time and taking his cock in his hand, fingers still coated in her arousal. There was no godsdamn way he was going to be able to sleep beside her without taking care of this.

Making his way to the shower, he gripped his base, pumping his shaft. He was so godsdamn hard it was painful. He didn’t even bother turning the shower on. Just stood there, his feet wet from the shower Tessa had taken, and his cock wet from her and his own precum he was using to glide his fist along his length.

It didn’t take long before his balls were tightening and his legs were quivering. 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 all over the shower wall, his release shooting through him and nearly making his knees buckle. As he was catching his breath, his brow against the cool shower wall, he finally loosened his hold on the mental shields he’d held in place throughout all of that.

With his fingers still trembling, he undid the buttons of his shirt before tossing it out of the shower and turning on the water to quickly rinse off. When he returned to his room, sliding on a pair of loose linen pants as he went, he found her already nestled under the covers. He couldn’t tell if she’d put clothing on or not, and he was equally hoping she had and hadn’t.

Turning off the bedside lamp, he slipped into bed, and she turned to face him, her hand tucked beneath her cheek. “You told me you always sleep naked.”

“I used to,” he muttered, trying to get comfortable on his back. Which was pointless because all he really wanted to do was pull her against his chest and make sure she stayed there all godsdamn night.

“But you slept beside me naked before.”

“That was different.”

She went silent for a long minute before he felt her roll away from him.

“Roan is doing well,” he said into the dark.

“Thank you,” she answered.

There was another stretch of quiet before he said, “About the Legacy you killed.”

“What about them?”

“Were they Arius Legacy?”

She took a few seconds before she said, “No.”

“But that’s still your plan?”

“I can’t tell you that,” she said, her tone both hard and tired. “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.”