THE BLOODBOUND: THE ETERNAL CURSE

nt of He

and each exhale tinged with the confusion I didn't want to acknowledge. Elia

shattered my world and instilled fear in the hearts of every human soul in Ravenshade. The mission was

nderstanding that had taken root in me like an insidious seed. His kindness to the human servan

le, I couldn't tell where the darkness ended and the truth began. Was Elias the monster I had been

ld steel felt like an anchor, but its weight was almost unbearable. I should have lu

ard, the memory of that human girl kneeling before him would stop me cold. The

t made her different from the hund

like a storm gathering just beyond the horizon. Elias had made his choice and had made it clear that he

g through the silence like a blade. It wasn't a question

ody betrayed me, stiffening u

trying to coax the truth out of me. "But you don't know what you're truly after. You came to e

ing the urge to lash out

h it was tinged with sorrow, not malice. "But you're still

had hesitated, and now, the opening he had found was all too clear. I didn't

dangerous. That doubt-the crack in my

on washed over me. He wasn't just aware of my hesitation-he was feeding o

t moment,

d him as he moved inhumanly. I didn't even see him coming until it was too

ocused on my internal struggle that I didn't anticipate his next move. I

at brushed against my ear like silk. "You wanted to kill me, Selene. But I

pened. My thoughts were clouded with the sting of my injury, my mi

to lose myself now,

r at my belt, but the pain in my side made it difficult to c

ws. His dark eyes glinted with amusement, but there was no mockery in them, only a st

I've killed. Not because of the blood I've spilled. But because you're afraid of what that would mean for you. If you kill me.

fr

doing this whole time? What was I really hunting? Was it ven

t, to feel the release that would come with revenge. But what if

tning bolt. I barely managed to dodge, but the force of his attack sent me

my feet as quickly as I could manage, ignoring the sti

le. My heart screamed one thing, and my mind said something el

ure, Selene?" he asked, his voice heavy with meaning. "Are you sure you can kill me? Or are you

tion hanging like a bla

ul

both of us waiting for the answer, defining the n

Elias I was fighting. It wasn't just the v

was