Soul Bound (Moonstone Saga #2)(20)
Author: Courtney Cole

“And what do you consider the right thing to be?” I asked him calmly.

Goosebumps were starting to form on my na**d flesh.  I knew that I could conjure clothing in a mere second, but I didn’t want to give him the satisfaction of thinking that he affected me or made me self-conscious.  For good measure, I jutted my chin out arrogantly as I stood na**d before him.

He threw his head back and laughed.  “You’re a feisty one,” he observed.  “No wonder Brennan is taken with you.  I can see the attraction.”

In a flash, before I could even blink, he was standing behind me.   Leaning in, he nuzzled the side of my neck.  I held completely still, not breathing, not moving, not even thinking.

“I can certainly see the attraction,” he repeated.   He smelled like the sun, like Brennan did.  He looked enough like Brennan to be his twin brother.  But that’s where the similarities ended.

Brennan still saw the world through young, fresh eyes.  Brennan was able to see the good in everyone.  His father looked at life through the jaded eyes of an Olympian who had lived for eons.  He was studying me now as though I was something that he could dissect, something without thoughts or feelings.  He was completely detached from emotion.  It was terrifying.

He cocked his head.

“So you just figured me out, then?”

I met his gaze.  “What do you mean?”

“You just came to the conclusion that my emotions left me long ago.   I am hardened to the world.  It’s quite alright, moon princess.  I know that.  And I prefer it this way.  Emotions can sometimes cloud your vision while mine is crystal clear.”

He stepped away from me and I took a deep breath.

“And what do you see?” I asked him.

“I see a girl who is letting her emotions run away with her. They are forcing her to make poor choices.  She could easily have it all, if she simply makes the right decision.”

“And what is that?” I asked.  Although, I already had a good idea what he was going to say.

“Leave Brennan to me.  Give me your word, sworn in blood, that you will never reunite with him and I will give up my arguments to Zeus that you should be sent to the Underworld or killed.  I will stand firmly in your corner which means that nothing will stand in the way of having your curse lifted.   All you have to do is leave Brennan alone.  Forever.”

My heart constricted at the mere words.

“I can’t,” I breathed.  Physical pain assailed me at the very thought.  “We can’t be apart now.  Not now that we’ve found each other.  You don’t understand.”

“Don’t I?” Apollo cocked one perfectly sculpted golden eyebrow.  “This was the very reason that Zeus created soul mates.  We are distracted in trying to find them and once we do, they are all we think about.  We bear no threat to him when we are distracted.  You are playing right into his hands, princess.”

“I don’t care,” I told him in agitation.  “I don’t wish to usurp his throne.  That is not a concern that I have.   I only wish to have my curse lifted.  I want to live in peace with Brennan.  That is all I want.”

“How sweet,” Apollo remarked drily.  “I appreciate your loyalty to my son and I’m sure he does as well. But it isn’t necessary any longer. I’m here now.  I’ll take it from here.”

“No,” I said firmly. “Brennan loves me as much as I love him.  Why do you want him so much?  You only just found out that he was yours.”

“So, you admit that he’s mine?” Apollo asked smoothly.

“I admit that he’s your son.  Clearly there is no denying that.  As far as now, no.  He is not yours to keep.  He is mine and I will fight until my dying breath for him.”

Determination filled me up and I stuck my chin out again.  Apollo laughed.  “You’re like a small wet kitten with your dander up, princess.  You are no match for me.  Surely you realize that. Just concede now and you’ll still get what you want the most:  your curse lifted.”

I leveled my gaze at him.  “You still don’t understand.  That’s not what I want the most anymore.  I want to be with Brennan.  That will always trump everything.”

“And you would sacrifice everything for that?” Apollo was incredulous and then shrugged his shoulders.  “That just illustrates my point, my dear, of how emotions cloud judgment.”

“My emotions enhance my judgment at times,” I told him.  “Feeling strong emotions increases my determination and drive.”

Apollo nodded thoughtfully.  “Good point.  I will give you that.  But that doesn’t negate the fact that emotions will always cloud your judgment in the end and prevent you from making a rational choice.  You cannot argue that, princess.”

“I wouldn’t dream of it,” I answered. “But who says that rational is the best option?”

Apollo shook his head, a slight smile on his lips.  “You speak in circles,” he said.  “And I grow tired of it.  There is no way you can win the game, do you realize that?  You are growing weaker by the moment.  It is apparent.”

I swallowed, because he was right.  Everything within me grew weaker, my heart, my soul, my spirit.  I needed a soul to feed me.   I’d already known that for days now.  Even as I clenched my fists in frustration, I could feel my fingers shaking.  My weakness would soon overtake me if I didn’t feed.  And there was no way I could face-off against Apollo in this condition.

“And therein lies the problem, doesn’t it?” Apollo observed politely, as he read my mind.  “You must either feed on one of these healthy priestesses, these women who have taken you under their care and trusted you, or you will die.  If you don’t feed your curse, you will not be able to finish the game.  You’ll never have a life with my son.  What a quandary.”

I gulped in air, trying to force it into my lungs so that I didn’t hyperventilate.  He was impassive and calm because it didn’t affect him. But me… but me…. but me.

Even my thoughts were stuttering and my shoulders slumped limply. It affected me.  I had never in my entire existence fed on a healthy mortal, not even one time.  It would break a stead-fast, iron-clad rule that I had made for myself.  If I crossed that thin silvery line, it would turn me into the monster that I tried so hard not to be.