Children of the Gods - A Chosen Novel Read Free Page B

puncture my skin.
    It forced all the breath out of me in a rush.
He came closer, a look of cruel satisfaction spread across his
face.
    “Do you know my name?” he asked.
    “I do not need to know your name, Sari. I
know what you are, and that is all I need to know.”
    The second hook pierced my skin and I had to
grit my teeth to keep from showing how much pain it caused.
    “The name is Jaxson. I wanted you to know the
name of the one who condemned you. The one you will be cursing as I
use you up.” His tone let on just how much my defiance angered
him.
    There was a sudden sensation like fire
spreading up my back and I understood the screams of the Luna, but
I would not give him the satisfaction. If I could no longer inflict
pain on him, I would turn on the only one I could. The Luna was
going to have this body, that I could not escape, but she would not
get it in the same condition I had it in.
    I raised my head up and smiled as both Griff
and the Sari’s eyes opened wide with fear. They did not have time
to move before I brought it down violently against the metal table.
The sound from the impact echoed in tinny waves.
    There was a thundering in my head then
complete silence as Griff and the Sari ran toward me. The fear in
the Sari’s eyes was enough to release me from consciousness,
satisfied.
    ~o~
    The lights were dim in the room and my head
throbbed. I tried to turn my head and that is when I became aware
of the restraints. My stunt caused them to apply a new one. Now,
not only could I not move my arms or legs but my head was
immobile.
    There was a sudden sharp pain in my back and
what felt like a pressure against my consciousness, trying to dim
me. Instinctively, I tried to fight it, and my body responded to a
perceived physical threat with a surge of strength.
    “Is she still fighting you?” The Sari’s voice
was in my ear as he knelt close, gently brushing a hand across my
face.
    “Yes!” My response was automatic, before I
had a chance to process it fully.
    “She is too strong. I think maybe we should
select a new host, one more docile.”
    “No! No. I can handle her. She is weakening,
accepting her fate.”
    Memories flooded back of all the other times
I had awoken screaming and thrashing. Griff restraining me as the
Sari, or a young girl administered a sedative. I did not want to go
back to sleep again, especially knowing I might not wake up this
time.
    I lay there pulling in deep breathes to calm
myself. The pain lessened slightly and I was able to relax my
muscles some. This appeared to relieve the Sari.
    He leaned over me, his hands on my shoulders
in an awkward embrace. His look was tender. He was concerned. I did
not want to see him as human, so I closed my eyes and remembered
the monster he was. Besides, this look, these emotions, they were
not meant for me. They were for the other person who lived inside
me, the one who was supposed to be in control but somehow, was not.
The Luna.
    Hands caressed my face again.
    “Soon, Anaya, you will be strong enough, and
we will have a proper reunion.”
    His tone made me feel nauseous. His hand was
close enough, if I squirmed, I could bite it. Hearing him scream
would help.
    An image flashed in my head like a memory,
though not my own. It was a pile of bodies, their backs all sliced
open, all in different levels of decay. The eyes of one at the top
caught my attention. They were moving, staring back at me.
    I clamped my mouth shut to keep from
screaming. What sin did I ever commit that was bad enough to
deserve this hell?
    ~o~
    “It has been nearly two weeks.” The Sari
looked agitated as he spoke to Griff.
    “You really riled the girl up before Anaya
transferred. The girls are usually frightened. She was so angry,
maybe that is why this time has been so hard on Anaya.”
    They were speaking quietly, but not as
quietly as they thought. The Sari looked over at me. For a long
time he just watched, his eyes searching mine for something. He
leaned closer to