Tempest of Wrath and Vengeance (Legacy #3)

34. Axel

34

AXEL

H e sat up straight on the small bed. Fully clothed, he yanked the earbuds from his ears so he could focus fully on the Tracking Mark. For four days he’d been at this inn waiting for Tessa to show up at the Acropolis, and finally she was here.

Axel had left the Underground the morning after his dinner with Bree, telling her he had some loose ends to take care of in the kingdoms while he still could. She’d seemed a little suspicious, but ultimately hadn’t objected. Even if she had, he was still an Arius Heir for a little while longer. He didn’t want to burden Theon with protecting Kat. It was his own responsibility. Theon had enough to worry about, and while he knew Theon would never feel threatened by the life growing in Kat’s belly, an irrational overprotective part of him didn’t want him to know yet. If his father ever found out, he would certainly have the child killed. Theon needed an heir before Axel would be allowed to have one, and even then, that heir could never be half Fae. He’d contemplated Luka, but again, he was Theon’s advisor. Tristyn was an option, he supposed. Cienna clearly already knew, but Kat and Tessa were friends. Surely Tessa would want to make sure she was safe. Surely she would help him get her out of the Arius manor house somehow without the others knowing.

That was what he was counting on anyway.

Slipping on his sweatshirt, he pulled the hood up to shield his eyes from the sun. It wasn’t even sunny out, but the daylight in general made his eyes hurt when he was in it too long. He slid on sneakers and left his room, taking the stairs down to the tavern on the first floor. None of the patrons paid him any attention as he made his way out to the streets. He wasn’t technically in the Acropolis. This was a rundown area on the outskirts, and it was perfect for keeping a low profile.

Keeping to the shadows, he followed the pull of the Tracking Mark into the heart of the city, and that was where he found her being escorted into one of the finer dining establishments. Well, fuck. He certainly wasn’t dressed for that restaurant, and even if he was, she was with those Fae that had been claimed by the Achaz Kingdom. Dex and that female. What was her name? Olive? Orleen? It didn’t really matter, but he’d need to get her away from them if he had any hope of speaking to her.

Making his way to the alleys, he found the door to the kitchen of the restaurant. Knocking a few times, he waited until a haggard-looking cook pulled it open.

“We don’t give handouts,” he snapped, already shutting the door, but Axel was there with his shadows, sending them down his throat. Muffling the man’s startled cry, he pushed inside, kicking the door shut behind him. He yanked the hood of his sweatshirt back, letting his magic drift across his irises.

“You know who I am, yes?” Axel hissed.

The male nodded, eyes wide.

“Then kindly forget you saw me here,” he added, stepping back and pulling his magic with him.

“Of course, my lord,” the male said, eyes on the ground. “My apologies.”

“Accepted but not needed,” Axel replied. “Now, where would I find the sound system for the restaurant?”

“The…what?” the male asked, wiping his hands on his apron.

“The music that plays in the background while people eat,” Axel explained impatiently.

“I don’t know, my lord,” he stammered. “The main office maybe?”

“And where would I find that?”

The male gave vague directions, and Axel decided it would probably be easier to find it on his own at this point. The cook did tell him about the side passages the staff used, though, which was helpful in moving about unseen. In the end, the office wasn’t too hard to find, and even better, it was conveniently empty. More than that, it came with a one-way window that overlooked the dining room. Flicking the lock behind him, he stood at the window, searching until he found Tessa seated at a table near the back. Dex and the two other Fae were with her, but there was another male there too. Axel immediately recognized him. A relation of some sort to Rordan, he was an Achaz Legacy. His father oversaw a seaside city, Astown Port, in the south of Achaz Kingdom where the Wynfell River met the Asning Sea.

The male’s blond hair was dark with brown undertones. He was tall and thin, and for the life of him, Axel couldn’t recall his name. Theon would know it, and Axel should know it. He watched them for a minute. The male was speaking, his gaze fixed on Tessa. She was sipping on a glass of wine, her back to the window.

Moving to the sound system, he pulled up the current music selection before syncing his phone. Corbin had taught him a few tricks in their short time together, and he moved back to the window to watch Tessa as he clicked the first song on a playlist he’d created just for her.

He saw her stiffen and her head tilt as the new music drifted into the room. A few other patrons looked around as well, but for the most part, no one seemed to notice. He let the song play for thirty seconds before clicking on the next. After thirty seconds, he moved to the next. On the fifth song, he watched Tessa set her napkin on the table and excuse herself, likely to use the restroom. Dex said something to her, but ultimately she left the table alone.

Perfect.

Being sure to disconnect his phone, he let the original music resume as he rushed from the room and down the stairs. He ducked into a restroom. Male or female, he didn’t pay attention. He made sure it was empty, and then he waited by the door for the Tracking Mark to tell him where she was. When he felt her right on the other side, he yanked the door open and pulled her inside.

Then he was yelping a curse as shocks rippled through his body.

“By the gods, baby doll,” he muttered. “It’s me.”

“Axel?” she said, staring at him in disbelief. “What are you doing here?”

“Came to talk to you,” he replied, taking her in.

Her golden hair was pulled back into a sleek ponytail, while her cream dress was fitted down to the lace sleeves that covered her arms. Not enough to block out the bands of light though. Violet eyes were watching with flecks of grey and gold that peeked through.

“About what?” she asked. “They told me you were missing.”

“I was,” he admitted.

“Where were you?”

“Locked up somewhere.”

Understanding flickered in her eyes. “Then how did you escape?”

“I was kind of…let go, in a way,” he answered, sliding his hands into the front pocket of his sweatshirt.

“Let go,” she repeated, her suspicion evident.

“It’s kind of a long story, but I came to you for your help.”

“My help?” she scoffed. “Have you spoken to Theon?”

“Yes. He filled me in on some things, but he didn’t have time to catch me up on all the details,” Axel said, pulling out his phone to check the time.

She hummed in response, leaning against the locked bathroom door. “What did he tell you about me?”

“That you had left. Went to Achaz Kingdom. That he sent Luka with you so you wouldn’t be alone,” Axel replied. “That you have my father locked up somewhere. Thank you for that, by the way, even if that was the reason I couldn’t be located. Except that…” He trailed off as something occurred to him. “ You could have found me, Tessa.”

“I tortured your father for information and passed it along,” she said icily.

“But the Tracking Mark. You could have found me the same way I found you,” Axel said.

She blinked, her features void of any emotion.

“After everything… You didn’t care?” he asked, beginning to realize this had been a huge mistake.

“I passed along information so they could find you,” she repeated.

“But they didn’t find me,” he said, his voice rising. “I found them . I nearly— You did nothing.”

“I did more than was required of me to begin with,” she snapped.

“Fuck you, Tessa,” Axel snarled, trying to keep his shadows in check. “I was going mad. I almost killed Katya. You could have prevented all of that.”

“I could have done nothing at all,” she argued.

“Instead, you did the bare minimum. Congratulations,” he sneered.

“After everything, I owe you nothing,” she retorted, pushing off the door and prowling towards him. Light echoed each step, a trail of gold mist left in her wake. “I don’t owe anyone anything, least of all the bloodline I am destined to kill.”

“What?”

She smirked. It was cold and unfeeling. “Theon didn’t tell you that part? I vowed to destroy all the Arius blood in Devram.”

“You’re fucking with me,” Axel said, unwilling to believe that.

“It’s my purpose,” she recited.

“Then what are you waiting for?” he demanded, spreading his arms out wide. “I’m right here, Tessa.”

Her smirk faltered before she recovered, her mask slipping back into place. “All in good time,” she simpered. “Still want my help?”

Axel huffed a laugh of disbelief, his arms falling to his sides. “I know the Fates dealt you a shitty hand, Tessa,” he said. “But that doesn’t mean you have to be a shitty person because of it.”

She stepped back from him in shock. “This isn’t about me, Axel.”

“Sure seems like it is,” he replied, striding past her. “If you’re not going to kill me now, I’ll be on my way.” He paused before he unlocked the door. “But the help was for Kat, not me.”

“For Kat?” she repeated, lurching forward. “What’s wrong with Kat?”

“Guess it doesn’t matter, does it?” he answered, before he pulled the door open and left her behind.

He rushed around the room, stuffing various items into two overnight bags. Mainly Kat’s stuff. He had plenty of things at the Underground penthouse for himself. She would need things. And the baby. No, wait. They had time to prepare for that.

Going into the bathroom, he studied all the hair products before swiping them all into the bag with one fell swoop. Admittedly, he should have made sure they were all sealed properly, but he was in too much of a hurry. He’d bought some extra blood from a dealer at the inn he’d been staying at, and he was praying to any god that would listen that would be enough. It had tasted terrible, but if it kept him from lunging for her the second she walked through the door, it will have been worth it.

He was just coming out of the bathroom to grab one of the soft blankets she preferred when the door opened. Amber eyes locked onto him as she pushed the door shut behind her, and she never slowed, crossing the room to him.

“Kat, I?—”

But he never got to finish what he was going to say. Not as her palm went across his cheek, the crack reverberating through the room. He slowly turned back to her, shock rippling through him, and he found flames flickering in her eyes.

“What are you doing here, Axel?” Kat demanded, and there was nothing soft or demure about her right now.

“Okay, you’re angry. That’s understandable in this situation,” Axel started, the side of his face burning.

“Answer the question,” she hissed. “What are you doing here?”

“I came for you,” he said, holding up one of the bags he still held.

“You left.”

“I know, but not because?—”

“I told you how I felt. Told you I believe you are my twin flame. Told you I am carrying your child. You said you were happy. You agreed. And then you fucking left,” she cried, her hands slamming into his chest and shoving.

Axel stumbled back, his chest burning now, and he looked down to find two perfect handprints burned through his sweatshirt down to his flesh.

“I did it to protect you,” he insisted, dropping the bag and taking a step towards her.

“Then why are you here, Axel?” she asked again.

“I thought you’d be safer without me. Both of you,” he said. “I… Cienna showed up to check on you, and she told me the reason Eliza couldn’t give me the twin flame Mark was because I triggered the curse, Katya. When I took so much from you, I… I panicked and left. If I’m away from you, I can’t be a danger to you.”

“You’re not answering my question,” Kat said, the fire still burning in her eyes. “If that’s the case, then why are you here?”

“Because I realized no one will protect you both like I will,” he said, throwing his hands in the air in frustration. “I made a mistake, Kat. I’m here to rectify it.”

“For four days, you have been in the Acropolis, Axel. Yet you just came here now?” she countered.

Well, fuck.

“How do you know how long I’ve been here?” he asked.

“Because I still bear my twin flame Mark,” she snapped, holding up her hand. “It allows me to feel you, find you.”

“Kat, I’m sorry. I’m so sorry?—”

“No,” she interrupted, shaking her head. “You don’t get to apologize to me. For the first time ever, you treated me like just another Fae when you left me.”

“No, Kat. No, that’s not?—”

“For the first time ever, you made me feel like I was beneath you,” she went on, and that fire in her eyes banked as tears filled them, spilling over. “You walked away as if I was something you could simply discard when I was no longer useful to you.”

“No, kitten,” Axel snarled, taking her face in his hands and swiping at her wet cheeks with his thumbs. “I left because if I ever hurt you like I did before, I would not be able to live with myself. But what if there’s a next time, and there’s no one to stop me? What if I kill you? What if this child is born, and then it happens? That’s why I left, Katya. Because I would rather live a life without you, knowing you are healthy and whole, than live a life where I endanger you just by existing.”

“I am not whole without you!” she cried, more tears falling. “Do you understand that? Because I do not. It is not logical, but you being away these past weeks? Axel, it felt like a part of me was dying a little more every day.”

“Kat, I’m sorry,” he murmured, pulling her into his chest. Her salty tears stung as they soaked into the burns, but he’d live every day in agony to never see her like this again. “I’m sorry, kitten. I’m so fucking sorry,” he murmured over and over into her hair.

For the next several minutes, he just held her, and she clung to him, her sobs eventually lessening. He waited until she pulled back, letting her take whatever she needed.

Taking her face in his hands again, he waited until she brought her eyes to his. “I’m sorry, Katya. Please know that.”

She nodded before dropping her eyes and stepping back from him. His hands fell to his sides as she said, “What are you doing here, Axel?”

“I told you. I came back for you,” he answered.

“So you can leave me somewhere else?”

“No,” he said instantly. “No, Kat. I came to take you back with me.”

“Back where?”

“To the Underground.”

She went silent, and he shifted under her scrutiny when she just…stared at him.

After a full minute, he said, “I need you to say something, Kat.”

“You want to take me to the Underground,” she repeated.

“Yes.”

“To stay with you.”

“Yes.”

“In the Underground.”

“Yes.”

“Stop saying yes,” she snapped.

He forced himself to swallow his laugh at her irritation. “I will need to stay there while I…adjust to things, and it’s the only place I’ll be able to keep you both safe. Even once I have things under control, I can’t say that I’ll ever be welcome anywhere else. All Legacy who succumb to the curse are banished to live there.” Then he said words that nearly gutted him to speak. “So if you’d rather not come with me and stay here, I’ll understand.”

She rolled her lips while she got her thoughts in order before she said, “I have lived these last weeks without you, and they were miserable, Axel. But if you are only moving me from place to place and not planning to stay with me, I want to stay here. Where there are people I can depend on.”

“I swear to you, Kat. Never again,” he insisted.

“But how can I believe you?” she asked. “You sat with me on that bed. Told me we’d figure things out together, and then you left. And I…”

“Katya, I need you to understand something,” he said, taking a single step forward. “Love to me is defined as safety, and I know loving someone as protecting them. It’s fucked up, and I know it’s not how the whole love thing is supposed to work, but that’s how I’ve known love. And this thing between us? I don’t understand it either, but I know that I love you. I was loving you when I sent you with Tristyn, and I was loving you when I left you here. I know I need to learn to love you differently. Normally maybe? Whatever it is, I’ll do it. If you’re telling me that loving you means we’re together no matter what, then that’s what I’ll do. Tell me how to love you, kitten, because I’ll pluck stars from the sky and walk through your flames. And when I’ve turned, and this bond we never got to have has faded, I’ll still choose you. I’ll still love you, and it will mean even more because we’re choosing it. We’re not being drawn to each other by some bond gifted by the Fates.”

More tears were tracking down her face as she stared at him. He didn’t know what he was supposed to do in this situation, so he stood there, waiting. He didn’t move when she closed the distance between them. Not until she reached up and slid a hand around the back of his neck, pulling him down to meet her lips. Then he was gathering her close and taking control of that kiss. Her mouth parted easily, and he chased her tongue with his own. His fingers tangled in her curls, and her warmth was seeping into his chilled skin. A perfect balance.

He forced himself to pull back first, dropping small kisses on her cheeks, her nose, her brow. “Does this mean we’re done fighting?”

She huffed a laugh. “Yes, Axel. It means we’re done fighting.”

His lips brushed her temple. “And you’re coming with me?”

“Yes,” she whispered.

“Do you feel up for leaving now? You are not too tired?”

“I’ll be fine.”

“We just need to take a portal. Then you can sleep on the drive. It’ll be a few days to get to the Underground,” he said.

She smiled softly. “Okay.”

“I grabbed some of your things, but if there’s anything I missed, there’s room in the bags,” he added.

“All right,” she murmured. “I just want to change.”

“Of course.”

Katya pulled some clothes from a dresser before heading for the bathroom, but she stopped just outside. “Axel?”

“Yes, kitten?”

“I do not wish for a normal love,” she said. “And I choose you too. I choose us, even if our days are spent without light.”

“Good thing you can make some for us, kitten,” he replied, his soul feeling lighter than it had in months. “You and me.”

Her hand went to her stomach. “You and us.”