Soulless (Book #2 of Hunted)

Feel

He was on the verge of snapping my finger in half and the only thing that came to my mind was the fact that I didn't ever remember my parents telling me it was rude to point. He sighed jadedly and tightened his grip on my hand.

"You really need to stop getting in my way," he whispered threateningly. My hand was screaming in pain but I couldn't let it show.

"You can't just control people like that," I said hoping I sounded confident but knowing that I didn't. He scoffed at me in an adorably annoyed way.

"I can and I will," he said. He jerked my arm to the side and let go of my hand slinging me down so that my back smacked into the stone wall close to the stairs. He turned back to Phoebe. I pushed myself off the wall and massaged my spine.

"Okay, Cutie, let's hear a reversal spell," Keegan said while staring straight into her eyes. I ran over to them and I saw Phoebe's lips moving as she silently came up with a reversal. I shoved Keegan as hard as I could and grabbed Phoebe by the shoulders, giving her a good shake. Keegan had fallen back when I shoved him but quickly regained his balance and whipped around with a vicious snarl. He caught me by the forearm and yanked me around so we were face to face.

"You are really making this more trouble than it's worth, it's very cruel," he said and I could feel sudden tears burning in my throat. He stared straight into my eyes and I could feel nearly every ounce of my will power being siphoned away though I fought hard to maintain it.

"Do you have any idea how much pain you are putting him through?" I couldn't see his lips move but his words were clear. I could never comprehend it; there was no way that I ever could. 

"Every nerve in his body is on fire and screaming with hunger and you, the girl he claims to love, have him chained up suffocating him with the smell of your blood. That is more torturous, more sadistic than anything he's ever done." His words were like a long sword piercing my skin and slowly being driven through my body, obliterating my organs and pushing out the other side. He was right. How could I do this to Zane and still say I love him? I'm worse than Clay. He came right out and tortured Zane but I claim that I'm doing the right thing as the monster within him slowly eats away at his human mind.

I felt hot tears spill over the edges of my eyes and I hated myself. My knees felt like Jell-O and I must have been relying on Keegan to keep me standing because he let go of me and I buckled into a sobbing mess.

"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. I'm a terrible person," I cried. I buried my face in my hands and doubled over at Keegan's feet, all the pity and regret and self-hatred pouring out of me in the form of salty tears. I could feel them all watching me weep and I felt the determination to be strong die. Phoebe darted over to me and knelt down next to me. I could sense her hand hovering over me but before she could touch me Keegan swatted her hand away.

"Don't touch her, she needs to feel this," he said callously. Phoebe sat back on her heels and stared at me with concern painting her face. My body was jolted by violent sobs.

"I-I wish I could le-let him go but I can't. He would never forgive me if I let him k-kill again." I managed to say with my face in my hands and I felt the hatred boiling in me. It had been set at a simmer for the longest time and now...I was burning in my hate.

"I'm fairly certain he would forgive you eventually, but if you're going to get all weepy about it..." he trailed off and crouched down in front of me. I felt his frigid fingers on the side of my face and they were gentle. His fingers coaxed me into lifting my head and he tenderly wiped the tears from my face. "I'm feeling uncharacteristically generous today and seeing as you are my best boy's mot, I imagine I can make this work without letting him go." His words were comforting and as I looked into his eyes I saw a sort of forced softness.