Page 207 of Tempest of Wrath and Vengeance

“Most recently at a luncheon together,” Felicity answered, finally not touching him as she worked on her own meal.

The absence of her touch had some part of him relaxing, able to think more clearly. “Were they alone?” Theon asked.

“No. There are always Fae with them.”

“Dex,” Luka whispered under his breath.

“What does it matter?” his mother cut in, also apparently listening in on the conversation. “As soon as this messy bond is taken care of, you can claim a new Source, she can go to Achaz Kingdom where she belongs, and you can start focusing on the things that matter.”

“Like kingdom politics?” he all but sneered.

“Like finding your brother,” she retorted with a sharp smile.

Theon ground his molars. He hadn’t figured out how to break it to his mother that her favored son was not only becoming a vampyre but likely wouldn’t be back any time soon. He still hadn’t figured out how to track him down, let alone what he was going to say to him to convince him he could still live at home, even as a Night Child. There was no way in all the realms he was going to banish him to the Underground, especially when their father was the very reason he was facing this fate.

The rest of the dinner conversation was short and tense. While they ate dessert, Rordan announced the new overseer of Rosebell and shared what was being done to rebuild the villas and increase security so something like this never happened again. New wards. Tighter protection measures. All things that wouldn’t matter for someone like Tessa. The entire time he spoke, Theon refused to look at her table. Refused to see Liam with his arm around her shoulders. Refused to acknowledge her at all.

After dessert was finished, the floor was cleared, leaving only the six tables for the ruling families. Everyone else would be made to mill about or use the sparse seating set up along the perimeter of the room. But there was no ignoring her when the newly announced Match pairs were instructed to take the dance floor. Tradition mandated they open the dance portion of the evening by sharing the first dance.

He held Felicity stiffly, but she didn’t seem to care. Not as she pressed herself against his chest, one of her hands gently slipping around to cup the back of his neck. Her fingers toyed with the short strands at his nape as they moved.

“I know you are upset by the events of the evening, Theon,” she said quietly. “Tell me what I can do to help?”

“Nothing,” he said flatly.

“I’m trying here,” she insisted. “But I need you to guide me. I want to be the perfect Match for you. I want to be a wife you’ll be glad to have at your side, but you need to teach me, Theon.”

Teach her.

Isn’t this exactly what he’d told Tessa he wanted? Just do as she was told. Listen and obey. Here was a female laying all that at his feet, offering up that very behavior, and he didn’t want it. All he wanted was her wildness and her impulsiveness. He wanted to be challenged just enough. He wanted to take care of someone not because she needed it, but because shedidn’t.

Gods, how had everything become so godsdamn fucked?

The song ended, and before he could extricate himself from Felicity, Tristyn was there.

“May I dance with the Arius Lord’s Match?” Tristyn asked, the question poised to Theon. His gaze flicked to the side almost imperceptibly, but Theon saw it. He followed the look to see Tana, the Anala Heir, intercepting Liam and Tessa.

“Of course,” Theon said, handing Felicity over.

Tessa was just reaching the edge of the dance floor when he caught up to her. He grabbed her hand, pulling her back and spinning her around.

He anticipated the shocks that assaulted him, knowing he had startled her, but the bond was vibrating just as violently at touching her after going so long without.

“What are you doing?” she hissed, but she didn’t fight. She let him pull her back onto the dance floor, and there was nostiffness in his hold this time. She settled into him like she belonged there, a hand smoothing up his chest before reaching to slide around the nape of his neck. Her thumb brushed up and down along his throat, and he wondered if she even realized she was doing that. The back of her dress dipped low, giving him access to bare flesh where his hand sat on the small of her back, while his other clutched hers to his chest.

“Dancing with my Source,” Theon said simply.

“You meanI’m dancing withmySource,” she retorted.

He arched a brow. “Are you claiming me, little storm?”

“No,” she guffawed.

“But you are claimingLiam?”

Her eyes snapped to his, lightning flickering among the grey and violet. “I hardly know him.”

“Yet you’re about to agree to a Match Contract?”

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