Page 34 of Tempest of Wrath and Vengeance

“What does that mean? I’ve seen you fight. I know you can do this. I heard about what you did when the Augury tried to kill you. This is no different.”

“Yes, it is.”

“How?”

“It was fight or die!” she cried. “And it wasn’t just me. Roan and Nylah were there. There were others fightingforme. It wasn’t just me against them. It was—” She paused, her breathing coming too quickly now. “I don’t know what it was.”

Luka nodded as if he understood exactly what she was saying, and she didn’t understand how he could possibly know.

“You had something to fight for,” Luka said, unbuttoning his shirt cuffs and rolling his sleeves up his forearms. “I can work with that.”

“This is ridiculous,” Tessa said, throwing her hands up in frustration. “Let’s just—Luka!”

His name was a cry of shock and pain as black flames singed the exposed skin of her torso. She looked down in disbelief, finding her pale skin red and splotchy.

Dragging her eyes back to him, she said, “You burned me.” She didn’t know what else to say. He’d actually fuckingburnedher.

“That fury I see burning in your eyes?” Luka said. “Channel it into your power and focus, Tessa. If you think I’m not going to burn you again, you’re wrong.”

“Luka, wait. I—Stop!”she snarled, feeling his fire lick at her again, this time along her ankles. A faint trace of smoke wafted from the lightweight pants where there was a definite hole with blackened edges.

“Your wolves aren’t here. Your Hunters aren’t here. No one is going to fight for you right now.”

I will always fight for you, little storm.

“He’s not here either,” Luka said, clearly having heard the words she remembered coming from Theon’s lips so many times. “It’s just you, Tessa, and you can do this.”

She cried out again as the sting of a burn blossomed along her collarbone and up her neck.

And then she was crying out a scream of rage.

The power in her palm grew and grew, and while it was chaotic, there was purpose to it. It swirled in her hand, flickering flecks of energy resembling sand in a whirlwind as it grew. Higher it rose, gusts swirling in the room and sending furniture flying into the walls.

“Look at what you can do,” came a gruff voice in her ear. It was low, and she could feel the rumble of it in her bones. Not only that, she could feel an admiration mixed with desire, and she shoved it aside, pushing him out.

He didn’t move though. Instead, he stepped imperceptibly closer, his front brushing against her back as he guided herhand. “Thisis what they are watching for, Tessa. They do not want you to control this power. They only want to controlyou.”

Her fury burned hotter making her magic flare. Drops of water landed on her brow, her cheek, her neck, causing the burn to sting more. This wasn’t just light and energy anymore. This was wind and rain. This was a storm.Herstorm.

And then it was gone, and she was letting out anoomphas she found herself on her back, the air knocked from her lungs. Her power exploded, shattering in every direction, but she was wrapped in a cocoon of black flames, Luka kneeling beside her. A hand was pressed to her stomach, directly atop the burn. His palm was hot, and she squirmed, trying to move away from him. But one warning look from him had her stilling. His eyes glowed that brilliant blue, vertical pupils never leaving her stare. It took a moment for her to realize he was soothing the burn, his power somehow lessening the damage he had caused.

Then she was squirming for an entirely different reason as his palm slid up her torso, between her breasts. It’d been weeks since she’d lost herself in any sort of physical release, and Theon had been right last night: her own hand was never enough. Nothing was ever enough unless it was him, but maybe it could be with?—

She swallowed her gasp when Luka’s hand slid up to her throat, fingers loosely clasping around her neck. There was no silencing the soft sigh that came from her as he soothed that last burn. He leaned over her, coming even closer, and she wanted— No, sheneededthis. But her lungs weren’t working, and she couldn’t suck in a breath. All she could think about was what it would feel like to feel his lips on hers. Anywhere on her body for that matter.

He hovered there, so close she could feel his words on her lips when he said, “I won.”

Her eyes went wide, shock rippling through her. “What?”

“Our little sparring match,” he added. “I won.”

“You did not,” she cried in outrage.

His mouth tilted into that smirk that made her want to become physically violent. “You are on your back. Your power is nowhere to be seen, while mine is still surrounding us. I think that’s a pretty clear victory.”

“You— I— You’re an ass,” she spluttered, shoving at his chest and pushing him away. She scrambled to her feet, glaring at the Bargain Mark on her forearm. The square around three intersecting arrows taunted her about her never-ending impulsivity.

“But a victorious ass nonetheless,” Luka said, crossing his arms and watching her with amusement from where he stood a few feet away.

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