Sixteen

Lust

A few days prior

M aybe it’s childish to just run away like this, but I just can’t stand listening to them talk about their Bond.

Especially when no one seems to actually know what the fuck is going on with Moon, and then she gets pissed at me because I do know but didn’t say anything. I know some of it, but not everything.

I know she’s either going to follow me or send one of those men to follow me, probably one of her special bonded men since I highly doubt any of them are going to be okay with her walking off into the forest to go after me, someone who is not her Heart Bonded. I wouldn’t let her go after me if I was one of them.

I don’t understand anything that's happening anymore. I’ve been drawn to Moon ever since the first time I saw her in my office.

When we were kids, it was different. I was sent to protect her, but not only that we were just kids.

And then I watched her from afar, kept my eye on her at a distance. Truth be told, I considered leaving this life behind entirely. Sure, her mother was pissed about how far from her I preferred to be. I wasn’t exactly doing my job the way I was supposed to be, but I was a young adult, life is fucking complicated.

Then she applied for a job in my division, in my company. I just knew I had to hire her. When she walked into my office, not only was she a familiar face, but she was so beautiful.

I honestly tried to keep my distance, only flirting with her when I thought it wouldn't be noticed.

Any advances she made, I shot down. And then she wanted to enter the games, she found a Heart Bonded, everything was changing so quickly, and I didn’t know how to handle any of it.

Most of all, I felt like I was losing her.

Now it seems like I have lost her. It sure feels like I’ve lost her, and I’ll never get her back.

I stomp through the forest considering tossing myself off a fucking cliff just to get sent to exile, so I don’t have to see any of those smug fuckers all over Moon again.

Every time one of them touches her I wanna put a hot steel rod through their throats.

Well, okay, that sounded like I want to fuck their mouths. If I want to fuck anyone’s mouth, it’s Moon’s.

I shake off that thought, trying to clear my head.

That's when a cloaked figure steps out from behind a tree. I only have enough time to try and shift and turn to ash, so I can get to a new location before this person causes any harm.

However, something’s wrong. I’m unable to turn to ash. Something that usually allows me to basically teleport.

My magic is stunted, and I understand exactly why when the cloaked man clamps an iron bar around my neck.

Immediately my magic is blocked, and in the next second, I’m knocked unconscious.

Cloaked Man

I hate having to do this. The Phoenix seems like a decent being, but I can’t allow my morals to get in the way of protecting my son.

Until I can find another way, I’m at her every beck and call.

The Phoenix falls to the floor, once the iron bar is around his neck, and I get to work casting the spell I need to cast in order to take control of his mind. This will allow me to remove the bar, so he can access his powers, but by then, he won’t bother to resist.

It won't be true mind control, in the sense that he acts like a puppet. More like a poison of the mind that allows me to plant ideas in his head, and coerce him into cooperating. But it gets the job done, unfortunately for Moon.

When he wakes, he won't be the same as he was even just a few moments ago.

He’ll be no better off than I am.

He'll be under Her control.