Page 52 of A Spark Of Revenge

“I need more skin contact,” I growl, narrowing all of my attention on the girl lying in front of me. “Valen, help me with her shirt.” I’ve healed her neck and spine enough that I’m not worried about moving her, but she’s still losing a lot of blood, and the swelling on her brain has me extremely worried. Carefully, we sit her up, and I lengthen one of my claws, slicing through the fabric of her shirt before gently peeling it off her still mangled body.

Valen curses when her head gently falls to the side, resting on his shoulder before we gently lay her back on the bed. “Move,” I demand, not caring that I sound like a dick. Now's not the time for pleasantries, not when I’m the only one who can save her. Valen growls, his fingers stroking down Meyer's pale cheek before he relents, moving off the bed as I let go of her long enough to tear my shirt up and over my head, then lie down next to her, moving her body so that her chest is flush with my own, trying to get as much skin contact as possible.

“Is she okay?” Creed whispers, voice rough as he nods at Razar, signaling that he’s calmed down enough to be let go.

“Yes. She’ll be fine by morning. Probably tired and a little sore. No training for at least twenty-four hours. But she’ll recover,” I grind out, my mind reeling as I reflect on my dream that Meyer and I narrowly escaped. It’s one I have had so many times—one that I hate more than anything, but it's also the only time I ever get to see Archer.

“What happened to your face?” Valen asks, his eyes still on Meyer as I press her tight to my body, my hands spanning her small back as her breathing gradually grows stronger.

“Beastia,” I clip out, still confused as to how they showed up in my dreams. “She made them physical.” Valen nods like this is no surprise, and I scowl at him. It looks like I will need to pull my brother to the side to get more information about what's been happening with Meyer’s magic. I know he wants to keep everything between them to himself, but if it concerns her safety, I need to be kept in the loop. Had I known that Meyer could make dreams a physical danger, I may have been a little more prepared, and this wouldn't have happened.

“She walked into your dreams?” Creed asks. Surprise colors his tone as he stumbles to the edge of the bed, sits on the mattress, and wraps a hand around Meyer's small ankle, his thumb stroking the soft skin there as his eyes run over her bloody body.

“Yeah. And in true Meyer fashion, everything went to shit the moment she showed up. The girl is chaos on legs,” I grumble under my breath, frustrated, scared, and annoyed with myself that I hadn't been able to keep her safe. Valen watches her out of the corner of his eye as he paces, and I know he’s upset. “What is it?” I ask, dread pooling when I realize there may be something more about my Little Demon that I don’t know.

“She’s been having nightmares. They have been happening since the night she released me. It's usually right when she hits a REM cycle, and it's always the same dream… a dream she shouldn't know about. I’ve stopped them fairly quickly and always sent her into a dreamless sleep, but... fuck, she must have fallen asleep earlier than normal. So when I wasn't there to help, she subconsciously reached out for someone else and ended up in your dream.” I have to stop the thrill that runs through me that it was me who she reached out for. Odds are, I was the only one asleep at the time, and I wouldn't have been if I hadn't fallen asleep while doing paperwork at my desk.

“Things she shouldn't know? Like what?” Razar’s gravelly voice asks from the corner of the room, and I look over, rolling my eyes when I realize he’s picked out the darkest corner to slink into, hiding himself in the darkness as he glares at us all. The flick of an orange fluffy tail catches my attention, and I scowl when I see he’s holding the orange cat he and Meyer were fighting over the other day.

The evil animal hisses and releases an odd noise before sinking its pathetically small teeth into Razar’s finger. I expect him to drop-kick the ball of fluff across the room but am surprised when my serial killer brother cuddles the damn thing close, making it freak out even more, tearing its claws down his arms as it yowls to be set free.

“The Dark Wars. The fall of the Dream Walkers specifically,” Valen announces, shocking me enough that I tear my attention from the cat in Razar’s arms to look up at Valen, who is leaning over the bed, his still gray eyes running over Meyer's body. “An event she wasn't even alive during,” he adds with a puzzled look. His hand moves back to her throat and stays there as he takes a few deep breaths. I can't help but reach for his emotions, trying to figure out what he’s doing. Concern and panic for Meyer are the main emotions, but there is something darker lingering under it all, a fear that I’ve never felt coming from him before. I hate it and grind my teeth, wishing I knew what happened during the four years he’s been gone.

Valen’s trembling hands finally leave Meyer's neck after a moment and trail up to her cheek, making him smile softly when she sighs and leans into his touch.

My heart jumps at the small sign of life from her, thrilled to see her color returning quickly. Hell, I don't even care that it was Valen who got the response from her in the first place.

“What are the odds of that happening right after she was in the church with… that thing,” Razar snarls from the corner, letting go of the hissing feline as he moves forward, closer to the bed to look down at the girl in my arms. “Meyer may be fully grown by human standards, but she’s still incredibly young for a Demon. Who’s to say she isn't helping the Hunters kidnap other Demons? She’s been raised in the human realm and hasn't paid fealty to Orcus, making it possible for her to help them without the pain a normal Demon may go through.”

I open my mouth to tell him to shut the fuck up, but Razar keeps talking before I can.

“This girl is much smarter than any of you fools think. You're thinking with the wrong head when it comes to everything about her, and it will get you killed. She has magic and a shit ton of it, despite what you think you know, Lennox. I can feel it… my Beast can feel it, and it likes her. That should be your first red flag.” Valen stands to his full height, letting his fingers fall from Meyer's cheek as he places his hands on his trim hips, looking at Razar with mild amusement.

“Your Beast likes her?” Valen asks the question we all are thinking, and Razar jerks a nod, a disgusted look on his face as he glares at Meyer. “Hmm, that’s peculiar. I already knew she was Legion compatible with Creed, Lennox, and me, but I was worried about you. This is actually a relief,” he says with a sigh just as Razar snarls and growls, the sound coursing through the air like a whip.

“That girl will not be added to our Legion,” he grinds out, and Creed laughs, then rolls his lips together when Razar glares at him.

“Of course she will,” Valen mutters, waving an unconcerned hand at Razar, and I’m surprised at his audacity.

“Valen, you are not in charge of our Legion. In fact, Father mentioned breaking the bond so that you all can move into my General’s positions once we get home,” I remind him, frowning at the thought of our Legion being broken. We always knew it was going to happen. It was the one thing Father made sure to tell us when we came to him asking to form our Legion.

Since my brothers and I are not of the same blood, our magic had started to clash, driving us to more outbursts and acts of dominance once I came of age. The best way to fix it was to form a Legion bond so we could stay close. As the Heir of Versipellis, I can’t have ties to people who may cause me to act without thinking. Staying in a bonded Legion tempered my magic to help keep our Legion's natural predatory response to a minimum, allowing us to co-exist without the typical power dynamic you would normally see from Demons.

So Father helped the five of us form our Legion with a firm reminder it would only last until I was set to start taking over some of my Royal duties. An heir typically starts presiding over the Demonic court on his thirtieth birthday, but since father had groomed Jesthren to be his heir before I was born, I was able to push off that responsibility to my oldest brother. But I already know Father will want me to step up to my duties when I return home.

Valen purses his lips and looks at me, almost disappointed, before he nods. “I know that is your plan. But Creed and I have already discussed keeping our Legion bond intact, and I was hoping that Razar might stay as well,” Valen whispers, making me blink at them in shock. I mean... Yeah, that makes sense, but the thought of no longer being in their Legion, of being the odd man out, makes me irrationally angry.

I don’t like the idea at all.

I glance down at Creed, who nods, and I curse. “So, you two are what… going to stay in a Legion and play happy family with Meyer?” I ask, tightening my hold on her as I think about them living happily ever after. Fuck that! It’s not happening.

“Yes. But with Razar as well. And you're more than welcome to stay if you want. In fact, I think you would be better for it,” Valen whispers, looking at me with so much hope in his eyes that I actually consider the thought for a moment.

“I can't, and you already know that!” I snarl, frustrated that he’s even put the damned idea in my head.

“That's never happening,” Razar adds in agreement, and Creed chuckles, looking at Valen with a sad smile.

“Ignore him. His Beast is already in love with Lemon Drop. He’s just trying to process his big-boy feelings and isn't emotionally mature enough to do it on his own. I’ll hug it out with him later.” Valen chuckles, and Razar looks like he’s about three seconds from tearing off Creed's head.

---