Chapter 44 Axel #3
They rounded a corner, and Axel slowed when he saw the large iron doors that lay ahead of them.
“The dragon dick room?” Axel questioned.
“The what now?” Tessa asked.
“There’s a ton of treasure in there,” Axel replied. “Gems. Gold. Weapons. I remember thinking Luka’s dragon dick would get hard in there.”
Kat’s eyes were wide. “What is wrong with you?” she asked incredulously.
“You haven’t seen his cave, kitten.”
“Yeah, he’s right,” Tessa said, eyeing the doors with new interest. “Luka has random trinkets and things everywhere, and he gets really annoyed when people touch his things.”
“That’s an understatement,” Axel scoffed.
“Can we please focus?” Cade interrupted.
“Right. We just need to incapacitate her,” Axel said. “Then we can Travel her to the Pantheon.” He turned to the only two people with power. “Ready?”
Kat and Tessa both nodded. Flames flickered in Kat’s eyes while the bands of light around Tessa’s wrists sparked and crackled with energy.
“We won’t be able to simply walk in,” Cade was saying. “She has the doors warded.”
“That won’t be an issue,” Tessa said, placing her palm on the door. Her magic seeped from beneath her palm, racing along the doors. Then she reached back and grabbed his hand. “Make sure we’re all touching.”
Pulling open the heavy door, she stepped in. Axel felt the wards ripple, but nothing else happened.
“Do you even feel them?” he whispered to Tessa as they took tentative steps farther into the room.
She shook her head, gaze darting around the room. He did the same, watching for any movement among the stacks of things. Nothing had changed. Weapons of all kinds were along the walls, and chests full of coin, gold, silver, and all manner of jewels and jewelry were stacked on the floor.
“Are you sure she’s here?” he whispered after several tense minutes ticked by.
“She’s here,” Cade muttered. “She’s already seen us.”
“Then why are we hiding?” Tessa asked.
That…was a good question.
But before they could contemplate anything further, Bree appeared, stepping out from behind a pillar. “You brought them just as I asked,” Bree said with a cunning smile. “Thank you.”
Axel whirled on Cade and Rayell. “You tricked us?”
“No,” Cade barked. “This is all part of her games.”
“She’s lying. You know she’s lying, Axel,” Rayell said, for once appearing alarmed at what was happening. “If we were betraying you, we’ve had plenty of opportunities to grab Maddox and disappear.”
Axel bared his fangs at the mere mention of that, but Tessa was asking, “This is Bree?”
“Tessalyn Ausra,” Bree purred, sauntering closer.
Her black hair was straight and swayed with every step.
In her signature red dress, her honey eyes were fixed on Tessa.
She held that stunning sword in her hand.
The gold and ruby hilt. The deep crimson blade.
“I’ve been waiting quite some time to meet you. ”
Tessa turned to Axel. “This is her?”
“Yeah,” he answered, trying to watch Bree but perplexed by Tessa at the same time.
“Tristyn was right,” she said with a frown, more to herself than anyone else. “She even survives the destruction of the realm.”
“Have you met her?” Axel muttered.
“No, but I’ve seen her.”
“Are you going to properly introduce us, Axel?” Bree asked, stopping several feet from them. “It’s the least you could do after all I’ve done for you.”
“All you’ve done for me?” Axel repeated. “Am I supposed to thank you for nearly killing my wife, forcing her into labor, and then trying to abduct my son?”
Bree tsked in disappointment. “I’m hurt, darling.
Did you not find your beloved because of me?
Learn what she was to you? If I hadn’t set you free, would you even have known she carried your child?
If I hadn’t saved you to begin with, would you even be standing here?
Or would you be so lost to your bloodlust, you wouldn’t even be able to make sense of love and hate? ”
He could only stare at her because words were failing him. She couldn’t be serious. Thank her?
“She’s right, Axel,” Kat said suddenly. “We should be thanking her.”
Bree’s gaze slid to Kat, her eyes lighting up with intrigue. “That’s right, poppet. It’s because of me you learned to use that little bond.”
“I know,” she said softly. “Because of you, I at least got to feel that bond for a little bit before it was lost to us.”
“So tragic,” Bree said with mock sympathy.
“Kat—” Axel started.
“Don’t be rude, Axel,” Tessa interrupted with a pointed look. “Please introduce me properly.”
“Tessa, this is Bree DelaCrux, a leader of the Night Children,” Axel said slowly, trying to catch on to what these two were up to.
“I’ve heard a lot about you,” Tessa replied, and her voice made the hair on the back of his neck stand on end. He knew that eerie ring that was slipping in.
“All dreadful things, I’m sure,” Bree said with a sharp smile.
Tessa tipped her head back and forth, as if debating. “Not necessarily dreadful, but interesting nonetheless. I’d thank you for saving him, but at the time, I didn’t really care.”
Axel’s gaze snapped to her because what in the actual fuck?
Bree’s smile grew. “And why is that, my dear?”
“An ex-Legacy? Now powerless? I didn’t need him. Eventually, I’d have to find him to kill him,” she said plainly. “But for the time being, what was there to be concerned about?”
Bree’s head tipped to the side as she studied her. “Chaos come to reign indeed. And now?”
Tessa shrugged, letting some of her magic pool around her, spreading across the floor in a slow crawl. “I still seek power.”
“I hear you’ve taken two for your own,” Bree said.
Tessa sighed. “And they are fairly attached to him despite what he now lacks, but I can’t say he’s entirely useless.”
“That he is not,” Bree agreed, stepping closer to Tessa.
“I’m assuming that’s why you took him from Valter to begin with.”
“Finally, someone who understands,” Bree purred.
“Saw the potential,” Tessa continued. “The way fate could play out.”
“Not like I once could, but perceived powerlessness can be so deceiving.”
Tessa hummed in agreement. “And what of these two? Were they once like you?”
Bree let loose a bitter laugh. “That’s insulting.”
“So they don’t matter?”
“Not in the slightest.”
Tessa nodded. “And Kat and Axel? Is there someplace we can…keep them for the time being?”
“Tessa?” Kat asked, her eyes going wide as Tessa’s power started winding up Kat’s legs.
“Tessa!” Axel barked, lurching forward, only to be ensnared by her magic too.
Bree’s eyes were bright with surprise and delight. “And their son?”
Tessa shrugged again. “I grew up with no one. I’m sure he’ll be fine.”
Bree’s eyes narrowed. “My agreement requires their son.”
“Fine, fine,” Tessa sighed in irritation. “We take them first, and then I get the babe. It makes no difference to me. I don’t understand why everyone is so enamored with it.”
“Tessa,” Axel snarled again, because he knew this was an act. It had to be, right?
But she’d never once held Maddox. Always slipped to the other side of the room or left the room entirely if she could. But Kat. She at least cared about Kat. She wouldn’t…
“And I can take care of these two,” Tessa added, gesturing to Cade and Rayell, who were as frozen as Axel and Kat. All four of them were being held with her chaos.
“Then do it now,” Bree demanded, lifting her chin.
Tessa clicked her tongue. “I’d think long and hard about trying to give me orders,” she replied in a deadly calm. “But why would I give you something without a guarantee in return?”
“What do you want?” Bree snapped.
“I already told you,” Tessa retorted sharply. “I need a place to keep these two for the time being. Until Theon and Luka understand why this has to be done.”
“And why, exactly, is that?”
Tessa’s answering smile was all power. “I do not want the Fates stepping foot here, Miss DelaCrux. I can only assume you desire the same? There are too many distractions right now, and they are keeping me from destroying the mirror gates. Once the mirror gates are dealt with, we can deal with…an Arius Heir that is not mine.”
“Tessa!” Kat gasped in horror.
“You don’t mean that!” Axel said, feeling the blood drain from his face.
“You think I have spent all this time taking the Arius seat only to have a potential rival heir?” Tessa spat.
“I will have the Arius Kingdom and the Achaz Kingdom. I will have this realm. Not Achaz. Not the Fates. It is mine.” She turned back to Bree.
“And if you wish for a place in it, this is the time to show your allegiance. I have no need of the Underground. Only of someone to keep it under control.”
Cade and Rayell were on their knees now, gasping as her power wound around their throats. Kat had two tears sliding down her face, and he was staring at Tessa in complete and utter loss. How could she have deceived them all?
But then she turned to him, her lip curling in a sneer as she said, “Injustice wrapped in pretty words is still injustice thousands of years later. Even the Fates can understand that.”
“I will help you,” Bree said, striding forward, that blade still at her side. “But I want your word I will not be harmed.”
“Done,” Tessa said, her attention back on the vampyre.
“Valter has holdings just inside the Leisure District. They are warded and can only be accessed by him, so I’m not sure how we’ll get them in,” Bree said, drifting closer.
“Leave the wards to me,” Tessa said. “Just take care of them.”
Bree stopped in front of Kat. She reached up, twirling one of Kat’s curls between her fingers. “Looks like I win the game, poppet.” Her gaze slid to Axel. “And you’ll regret betraying me.”
Then her hand was in Kat’s hair, yanking her head to the side as Bree’s fangs snapped out.
“No!” Axel bellowed, struggling against Tessa’s magic, but to his surprise, he could move.
And Bree was thrown back a second before her fangs pierced flesh.
Axel was beside Kat in the next blink, but then he was lurching back as flames coiled around her, leaping for Bree.
His wife stalked forward, letting that fire wrap around Bree where she lay on the floor.
Tessa’s power had created a ring around the female, keeping her trapped.
He glanced at Tessa, and she jerked her chin to Kat. Axel didn’t need to be told twice. He stepped through the chaos to stand at Kat’s side, looking down at Bree.
“You will pay for this,” Bree snarled on a rasp, the flames around her throat burning. “Fire cannot kill me.”
“Oh, we’re aware,” Axel said coldly. “We have a special place waiting just for you. Cold. Dark. I’m told the craving can be such a bitch.”
“I have lived hundreds of years. I will live hundreds more, and I will come for you. Both of you. And your son,” she spat.
“Unless the Fates find you first,” Kat said darkly. “I’ve read some very interesting things about the Fates as of late. They’re as difficult to kill as a god.” She paused before adding, “But not impossible. I’m sure we can figure something out one day.”
Bree’s eyes went wide.
Axel bent down, picking up the beautiful sword that Bree had dropped when Tessa had slammed her power into her. “And if you do escape your prison in the meantime, we’ll be ready and waiting.”
“Luka is waiting to Travel with us to the Pantheon,” Tessa said, coming to his side. “Are you ready?”
“It’s destroyed,” Bree cried with a hysterical bark of laughter. “You can’t keep me there.”
“Between me and a couple deities, we’ve rectified that situation,” Tessa said sweetly. “That way, if Achaz ever does find his way here, you’ll be the first person he sees. Like a happy little reunion, wouldn’t you say?”
“This isn’t over,” Bree sneered. “The Everlasting War is just that. Everlasting. Achaz will never stop until he has what he wants.”
“Perhaps,” Tessa agreed. “But the battle for Devram is coming to an end.”