Page 122 of Tempest of Wrath and Vengeance

He lurched forward, needing to go to her, but he was still being held in place by Theon’s magic.

Theon.

His brother.

“Let me go, Theon,” Axel said, still straining against the magic.

“I don’t think that’s a good idea right now,” Theon said, massaging his jaw where Axel had hit him. “We just had a decent brawl, and I know you would have stabbed me and then gone back to her.”

Axel flinched. It was a full body reaction to his words. “I’m not going to… Thank you. For stopping me.”

Theon’s eyes narrowed as if he was debating if he was being honest or if this was all a ruse.

“You have this band on me. I can’t access my magic,” Axel tried, lifting his arm in emphasis.

“Your magic is the least of my concerns here, Axel,” he said. “You look…”

Axel looked down at his ripped shirt and loose linen pants. He didn’t even have shoes on. How had he not noticed he wasn’t wearing shoes? He’d walked across the entire Underground barefoot. When he really thought about it, though, he didn’t remember the walk here. It had to have been a good two hours, if not more, and he didn’t remember it. He only remembered being focused on her, knowing where she was, and how he could finally have her.

And then he’d nearly killed her. Her and…

That couldn’t have been true. That was a lingering hallucination from the bloodlust. There was no possible way because the Fae were given regular contraceptive shots. Sure, when he fucked around with other Legacy, he took a tonic beforehand to ensure there were no unwanted Arius heirs, but he hadn’t bothered with Kat because of the seasonal Fae shots.

“Axel?” Theon said, his tone a touch softer but still a firm command. “I know you want to be near her, but after what just happened here?—”

“It might not be a bad idea,” the other male cut in, and it was only then that Axel registered it was Tristyn Blackheart who was lifting Katya’s lax form to the bed. “I sent a message to Cienna. Gia is on her way, but having Axel near might ease discomfort until she gets here.”

“Ease discomfort,” Axel said with a disbelieving huff. “I did this to her.”

“I understand,” Tristyn said. “But you weren’t in your right mind, and there’s something you don’t know.”

“I know,” Axel said tightly.

“You know about the bond?” Theon asked in surprise.

And that made two of them, because what fucking bond?

The confusion on his face must have been evident because Theon said, “If you weren’t talking about the bond, what were you talking about?”

“Nothing,” Axel muttered, running a hand through his too long hair. “What bond?”

“You know what? Let’s not go into that here. Not until you’re…thinking more clearly,” Theon said, eyeing him.

“I’m not eight anymore, Theon,” Axel sighed. “You don’t need to protect me from the world. It already swallowed me whole and spit me back out to be fucked all over again.”

“Axel—”

“No,” he cut in. “If it will help her, just tell me what to do. Stay close by, and stop me if I try to… You know. Again,” he said, refusing to meet his brother’s gaze.

There was a long stretch of silence before he felt Theon’s magic release him. He moved stiffly to the bed, sucking in a sharp breath at all the blood. Not because he wanted to taste it, but because what had he done to her?

“It’s all right,” Tristyn said. “We’re here if you try anything.”

“What should I do?” Axel asked hoarsely.

“Just touch her. A physical connection will help.”

“A physical connection?” he repeated, his hand shaking as he reached for her. “That sounds like a Source bond.”

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