Page 299 of Dawn of Chaos and Fury
The world didn’t understand, but they did.
Theon already had her in a chair, his darkness around her wrists and ankles, keeping her in place. The fact she could get up if she wanted to told Luka just how right he was in his assessment. She always picked fights when she didn’t know how to ask for what she wanted. Or if she thought they’d deny her.
As if they’d ever fucking deny her.
Make her say it. Make her crawl for it. Make her beg for it. But they’d never deny her.
Luka tipped his head, all predator now while Theon prowled over and took a glass of liquor.
“Look at you, temptress. Tied up and waiting…for what?” Luka mused, setting his glass aside but keeping the one that wasn’t as full. She glared back at him. “Does she know what we’re going to do tonight, Theon?”
“No,” he ground out, unbuttoning his shirt. He didn’t remove it though, leaving it hanging open. “Give me your tie. I left mine in the other room.”
Luka tugged it loose, and then Theon was there, pulling it free. Luka followed him back to Tessa, where he placed the silk fabric over her eyes, tying it behind her head.
She gasped as she lost her vision. “What are you doing?”
“You want to think you’re a villain?” Theon asked, his voice harsh. “That’s fine for now, but you forget, beautiful.”
“Forget what?” she snapped.
He leaned in close, his words a whisper in her ear. “We’re your villains when you need us to be.”
She went still, and Luka chuckled darkly. “Here, baby girl. You’re going to need this tonight.”
He brought the glass of liquor to her lips, tipping it up and pouring some into her mouth. She coughed and spluttered, and he chuckled again. “Trust us, Tessa. You’re going to want this.” He was leaning in now, his words dark as he asked into her ear, “Do you trust us?”
He heard her swallow. Saw her fingers clench around the arms of the chair. Felt her power crackle in nervous anticipation.
“Verbal acknowledgement, Tessa,” Theon ordered, the sound of him removing his belt making her head snap in his direction.
“Yes,” she bit out. “I trust you.”
“Then drink up,” Luka retorted, bringing the glass back to her lips. “We have plans for that mouth.” She drank it down with ease this time, only a small drop escaping onto her lip. He slowly thumbed the drop, pushing it back into her mouth as he added, “We’re taking control right now, but you know you can take it back at any time, right?”
He could swear she stopped breathing for a moment, but she slowly nodded and that nervousness down the bond was coupled with thinly veiled excitement.
“Good,” Luka replied, his fingertips dragging along her jaw.
Then he stepped back and his dragonfire burned her dress away, leaving her naked and tied to a chair.
“I liked that dress,” she said in outrage.
“You’re the Arius Lady. Buy another one,” Theon cut in, shucking off his shirt, then his pants. “The Arius Lady. Soon to be the Achaz Lady.”
“Don’t,” she snapped.
“Yes, don’t,” Luka drawled. “The gods know we don’t want someone who cares aboutallthe inhabitants of a kingdom to have a say in policies going forward.”
“That’s not?—”
“It is, Tessa,” Theon interrupted. “You can say it’s not what you want, but your actions show otherwise. Begging me to claim your friends. Destroying the Sirana Villas. Fighting for the Fae. Giving Eviana a chance to fight for her daughter. Destroying mirror gates to save this world. But…”
“But what?”
Then she was gasping again. Theon had silently moved to her side, completely naked now, as he poured a trickle of liquor down her chest.
“Luka?” Theon said, arching his brow.
