BOUND: Mates at War | 18+

7 Playing With Your Food

I feel warm as consciousness washes over me slowly. I blink my eyes open and try to adjust next to the soft glow of a cackling fire.

My whole body aches, I'm sure every inch is covered in cuts and bruises. Where am I?

Memories from last night flood my mind all at once. Green eyes and dark hair flash through my mind. His handsome, angry face printed on my brain.

A slight movement catches my eye and I jerk my head up.

Him.

What is he doing here? Why am I still alive? I pull myself, with great effort, up to sit against a rock.

I watch him, trembling, as he pulls water to his lips, taking in long gulps. I roughly swallow, my dry throat burning while I watch him.

"Here," he holds the water toward me. I reach out and take it slowly. He must sense my deep confusion.

"I'm still going to kill you," he says matter of factly.

"Right, you just wanted me to be warm and comfortable when you do it..." I gulp down the cold, refreshing water.

His brows pull together and he stares at me.

"Well , get on with it," I say, moving my hair out of my face. I don't know where my bow is, my body can barely move. I'm no match for him at my very best, I don't stand a chance in this condition.

"What?"

"We don't need to drag this out, go ahead and do it. Didn't anyone ever tell you not to play with your food?"

His mouth hangs open in shock for a moment before a deep, raspy chuckle passes his lips, "what kind of magic did you use, I have to know... it feels so..."

I sigh, "there is no magic. I wish there was, I don't want you either," I quirk my brow at him.

He looks surprised and... amused, maybe.

"I don't believe that the moon would bond my soul to an elf... your kind are known for their deceit...this is a trick."

I scoff angrily, "my kind? One elf did something... unspeakable... Now our entire race is condemned? What about you? Your kind has hunted us, nearly wiping out our entire race. You can sit on your high horse but you aren't sinless here. Murdering in the name of a prophecy..."

His face twists in anger, "your kind is a threat to the crown!"

"That's how you see it. Maybe it's time for new leadership," I chuckle angrily, "the Kingdom was once prosperous, open your eyes and look around instead of blindly following orders."

"I follow my mother," he snarls.

"Y-Your mother? You are the warrior Roman?" My voice is a near silent whisper.

"You've heard of me then..." the smugness on his face makes me want to shoot him with an arrow. His reputation proceeds him, but its nothing to be smug over.

"Who hasn't? A ruthless, heartless killer for the crown... you've brought more devastation to my people than anyone."

His face falters, "I will protect my mother at all costs. I wasn't able to help my father but I won't let history repeat itself. If I have to rip each one of you apart limb by limb, I'll do it."

I hate him but I understand him. I would give anything to have been able to protect my parents.

"I wasn't able to protect my parents either," my voice is sharp, angry.

For a few moments we stare at each other, lost in the mixture of hatred and longing, rage and calm. He makes me feel disgusted and full of desire.

"When did they..."

"My mother was a long time ago, I was four. My father was... more recent," I force back a sob, biting into my lip.

He nods slightly, a strange feeling of understanding passing between us. I try to shake it off, we don't need anything else bonding us together, it will only make this harder. We sit in silence for several minutes.
I try not to stare. His features are almost perfect. Curse the bond for drawing me to him. I need to control myself, this is a man who has killed countless people I care about.
Just don't look at his lips.Or his eyes...Or his arms... or his chest.Shit.
"What's your name?" He asks suddenly.

"Solana."

He repeats it quietly under his breath.

He looks at me with unreadable eyes, "I know you're lying, we can't be mates. I just want to know how you're doing it."

I rub my aching hands over my face before pulling myself up on my tired legs. He stares at me warily as I take a few steps toward him. I kneel in the dirt next to him and place my hands on his face. He flinched but doesn't stop me.
The spark that ignites as our skin touches makes my breath catch and my heart beat wildly. It feels like every good thing, like warm fire and cool water and the softness of silk. I have to force myself to ignore it, like I know he will.
I wonder what it would be like to be pressed against him completely naked, to feel his hard body on mine, to feel the bond everywhere...
Stop!

We are enemies, too much has passed between our people for us to ever get passed it. I despise him and everything he stands for.

"I don't know why the universe would be so cruel to put predator and prey together like this, but it's real. You are the other half of my soul. I know what your orders are, and I can promise you that, unless you kill me now, I won't make it easy for you. Bond or not... if I have the shot.. I'm going to take it."

He sucks in a sharp breath. Just as he opens his mouth to speak we both hear the sound of bones cracking in the distance.

We stare at each other for a beat, neither of us moving.

I jump up from the ground and move out of the little clearing. Grabbing the lowest branch I start to pull myself up but stop, meeting his eyes.

He's staring at me, unmoving, with a strange expression on his face. I wait, expecting him to jump up and stop me but he doesn't.

The bond pulls me to him but I won't give up that easily.

I pull myself into the tree and walk over the branch until I can't feel his eyes on me anymore. I move swiftly toward the riverbank, hoping my bow had washed up. I'll need it.

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