“Wait, you came here for a reason, did you not?”
I turn back around and wring my hands in front of me, suddenly far too aware of my nakedness. “I came here with someone.”
“Ah.” He runs his hand through tawny brown hair. He’s quite a bit smaller than Sitri, which I find altogether less intimidating. He has a boyish face, but he’s handsome enough. I make the mistake of allowing my eyes to wander down and quickly pull them back up. He appears amused by that.Shit. He searches the otherwise empty clearing. “And where did this someone disappear to?”
“They um…” I falter, emotions swelling with the real answer. I should lie. Tell him they’ll be right back.
“Let me guess…they became preoccupied with someone else?”
I find myself nodding, and it feels good to shred that truth to someone.
“I’m sorry.”
“Thank you,” I murmur. He cleaves another step forward, and I cut one back.
Chuckling softly, he raises his hand in surrender. “No need to be afraid. I’m not going to hurt you.” His mouth twists into a frown as he studies me. “Actually, maybe I do know you from somewhere.”
I shake my head. “No, I—I don’t think so,” I stammer.
“What’s your name?”
“Eleanor,” I lie.
“Eleanor,” he repeats, reverently. “I’m Orion.” He slowly creeps forward and offers out a hand. I take his trepidly, before quickly clapping mine back to my side. “I think someone would have to be crazy to leave you behind.”
I know he wouldn’t be saying this if he knew who I was. What I am. He moves forward but I don’t step back this time as he reaches forward and lifts a lock of my hair. The action is forward but cautious, not unkind. He twists it between his fingers. “I like this glamour. It’s unusual.”
Despite the situation, I don’t feel threatened by him. Or maybe I can no longer bring myself to care what happens when the worst thing that could happen already has. “I could be a distraction for you to become preoccupied with,” he offers.
He really looks at me then, gaze trailing down unabashedly, and to my surprise, I feel a spark, a vicious glee.You have no idea…how fucking angry it makes me that other men are going to see you like this.
I still have this desperate pulse between my legs, and if Sitri’s going to find someone to satiate his fire, then I can too. But it’s not desire that spurs me forward. It’s my own violent madness. I’m practically giddy with it. I clamp my jaw tight to keep the manic laugh from bubbling up. “Alright,” I agree eagerly.
He flashes me a surprised, lopsided grin. He didn’t believe that I’d agree. He advances on me, hands wrapping my shoulders as he tugs me to him. My eyes drift shut as he leans forward and brushes his lips over mine.
I’ve never kissed anyone before. Outside the bloody one Sitri stole and I’d barely been cognizant for that. The kiss is soft, wet and warm but there’s no feeling in it. I move closer, place my hands on his arms and kiss him angrily. It only makes me feel more hollow. His hands sweep down my body, and I cringe, regret rising swiftly. His tongue forces its way into my mouth, and his hands clamp around my waist before they begin sweeping up, up, almost to my breasts. I don’t want to do this, after all.
I’m about to extract myself, apologize for my mistake and hope he takes it well when the air around us shifts and his body is ripped from my hands, leaving the space in front of me cold and empty. My eyes flash open and I gasp as his body crashes into the tree across from me and crumples limp and lifeless to the forest floor.
I already know who it is.
Can feel him lighting himself into every one of my veins, every pump of my blood. He stalks forward, fully dressed, violence rolling off his every step. My body jerks. Emotions rise up inside of me in quick succession. Relief, exhilaration, anger…desire. I hate myself for it. I hate him for it even more. For bringing me here, leading me on just to abandon me.
“Pandora—what—the—fuck!” I’ve never seen him so furious, voice shaking with the weight of his wrath. It feeds this sick, twisted feeling inside of me like logs, dry as bone to the licking flames.How does that feel, Sitri?
He comes to a halt a safe distance away, chest still heaving as his fists clench and unclench at his sides. I cross my arms over my breasts, muscles tensing as I fight back the desire compelling my body to go to him. His mouth opens and closes, a strangled sound pushing through his teeth as he struggles to form words. “What are you—do you—what—the—fuck,—pet,” he manages to get out, enunciating every syllable as he motions a jerky arm in the direction of the Magi’s unmoving body.
My eyes flicker over there, guilt dimming my fury as a sinking feeling of dread washes over me. “Is he…”
His eyes dart to him for a split second before he snaps his head away, choking out a noise of disgust. “He’s not dead. Knocked out.” Relief loosens my shoulders. He doesn’t share it, fingers trembling at his sides. “Divine--fucking--mother, that wasn’t enough.” He swiftly turns back to the Magi on the ground and I start forward to stop him.
“Sitri, don’t! He didn’t do anything…” I trail off, steps faltering as he stalks past him, and places his hand against the bark of a tree. My body jolts as a thunderous crack spits the wood, fissuring the tree right up the middle. I watch in horror and fascination, taking several paces back lest he take the whole thing down. Sitri releases a growl as the rupture works all the way up the tree to where the limbs split off into smaller branches.
A tantrum. He’s throwing…a tantrum.
Good.
As fast as the log splits it seams right back together until the crack is a faint scar marring the wood. He breathes heavily, head sagging forward with his hand still splayed against it.
