Page 102 of Broken Souls

I still, my stomach dropping as I wonder if she will cut it from her belly like too many mothers do when they find out they have an abomination inside them.

“No,” Mother says. Then, “I don’t know. I bound Varius’ true nature with dark magic. I think I did it right, but we won’t know until she’s born.”

Micha’s silent for a long moment, holding my breath in the palm of her hand. Then she asks, “How do you break a blood bond?”

“Get out.” Mother starts to leave, but so does Micha. I spin towards her and grab her wrist. “You know damn well I wasn’t talking to you.”

She tries to tug her arm away but can’t. As Mother slips through the door, Micha glares at me. “Stop touching me.”

“No –”

She laughs coldly. “Of course you won’t listen to what I want. Surprise, surprise.”

I grit my teeth, torn between letting her go and watching her walk out of my life and keeping hold of her, which will break us further. My heart pounding, I drop her arm, then dart in front of the door, blocking her from leaving. I cross my arms. She glares at me.

“We need to talk.”

“I don’t have shit to say to you.”

“Are you going to keep the baby?” Or will she abort her now that there’s a chance our child’s a hybrid?

“Fucking hel, Varius. You don’t know me at all.”

“Micha –”

“Yes, I’m fucking keeping her.” Her eyes go cold. “Even if she is a rape baby.”

I flinch. “I was under the Craving, Micha. The fact that I didn’t kill you –”

“Oh, wow! What a high fucking bar.” She claps slowly, her face so damn sarcastic. “Give my fiance a golden ribbon. He didn’t fuckingkillme when he could have.”

“Not could have,” I say in frustration. “The Craving isn’t something you can control. Ishouldhave killed you, but I didn’t because I –”Love you. Don’t you see? My feelings for you cut through even the mindlessness the Craving causes. I fucking love you, Micha.

But I don’t get a chance to say those words because her gaze softens into that sickly indifference, and they stick in my throat in utter terror.

“Let me go, Varius,” she says flatly.

“No.” My voice fractures, fuckingbreaks.

If she leaves, she isn’t coming back. Physically, yes. I will drag her back here from wherever she goes, and she knows it. But emotionally? Never. I can see it in her eyes, in that utter blankness that is squeezing all the air from my lungs.

“You know…” she says in a monotone, each word a stab to my chest, “as much as I didn’t want to be raped by your brother, I hoped the baby was his. Then I wouldn’t have to have any part of you inside me for the next six months.”

The strength goes out of my legs, and I sag back against the door. “Monster…” I say, my voice breaking. “You don’t mean that.”

She doesn’t say a word.

I stare at her, my heart pounding, wondering how I can fix this. “Just tell me what you need from me,” I beg. “Please. I will do it, Micha. Just please. I am sorry for hurting you and for...raping you.” The word burns across my throat, the absolute fucking fury and disgust I feel for myself twisting in my stomach. “I am sorry I didn’t stop when you asked me to. That I didn’t trust you. I’m sorry. I’m so fucking sorry.”

She stares at me in silence. Not a flicker of emotion. No reaction to what I’m saying.

My throat closes.

My eyes burn.

“I will fix this,” I say desperately, willing those words to be true. “I will get you to fall back in love with me. Just let me try, Micha. Please. Just stay and let me try.”

She stares blankly ahead, not saying one damn word.