Page 70 of Storm of Secrets and Sorrow

He heard Luka suck in a sharp breath before he felt a jumble of fear and…pride? Theon couldn’t focus on the emotions right now as his power took one more vampyre to the ground while he kicked out at yet another, sending it backward onto Luka’s waiting blade.

But then he glimpsed her. A Night Child had her, and she was struggling against his hold.

“We’re coming, Tessa!” Luka yelled to her. “Keep fighting!”

A wave of darkness poured out of Theon, blanketing the entire cavern. He heard Axel curse, yelling at Katya to get down, seconds before black flames rained down. This was exhausting their power, but the Night Children sealed their fate the moment they touched Tessa. This was the Underground. They’d find blood somewhere to replenish their reserves.

Except when the darkness and flames cleared, that was Tessa on her knees. Her hands were wrapped around a dagger in her sternum, directly below her heart. The same place she’d held in the passageway when she’d told them not to come in here. She’d known.

She’d somehowknownwhat was waiting for them.

And that was Jagger at her throat, fangs in deep.

That was more vampyres flooding into the cavern.

He was drained. Too drained to end this many at one time, even with Luka and the others.

But he could end one.

His shadows moved ahead, trembling with his fury as the Night Child took another pull from Tessa. She didn’t scream, but Theon felt every bit of agony down their bond. Jagger was so lost to his blood lust and the taste of Tessa’s blood, he didn’t even notice Theon when he crouched beside him.

He noticed when his midnight-coated hand gripped his jaw, though.

With every ounce of control he had, Theon gently removed the vampyre’s fangs from Tessa’s throat.

Then he squeezed, hearing bones crunch and feeling Jagger’s jaw crush beneath his fingers. When the vampyre opened his mouth to scream, tendrils of darkness reached up, yanking his fangs from his mouth before shoving them down his throat, the pointed tips tearing a path all the way down. Then his shadows began working on ribs, cracking them one by one. With his throat shredded, Jagger couldn’t scream, but Theon could see the anguish in his eyes. Watch it on his face.

Feel it coming from Tessa.

That pain jolted him out of his vengeance, and with another thought, his darkness wrapped around the vampyre’s heart, squeezing until it burst.

Tessa was still on her knees, her hands wrapped around the handle of the knife.

“Let go, Tessa,” Theon said, trying to move her hands away, but she shook her head.

“You need…to fight,” she gasped out. “Or this…is pointless.”

There was blood streaming down her neck. More seeping out around the dagger.

Luka appeared, a wall of black flames cutting them off from the fight. When his eyes landed on Tessa, his face paled.

“I…fought,” Tessa gasped out, two tears tracking down her cheeks as she looked up at Luka.

He immediately dropped to a knee, wiping a tear with his thumb. “I saw, little one.”

“Looks like…the training—” She sucked in a shaky breath. “Was still pointless.”

Something feral filled Luka’s face, and he turned to Theon. “Get her in the air. I’ll take care of the rest.”

Theon didn’t need to be told twice. Dragging up what remained of his gifts, his shadow wings formed. He scooped Tessa into his arms, trying not to react to her grimace or the pain that screamed down the bond. Then he launched into the air, keeping them far above the fighting below.

Keeping them out of range as Axel did the same, grabbing Kat and launching into the air.

Keeping them out of range as Luka shifted fully, taking up half of the cavern with his size. The Night Children tried to scatter, but just like by the river, it was no use. Not as Luka let loose a roar before breathing those black flames and incinerating everything, leaving not even ashes.

“He said something to me,” Tessa murmured, her eyes half-closed.

“Hey, beautiful,” Theon said, panic bubbling up. “I need you to look at me.”

---