Silver Claws

32. The moon has many phases

The legend of Adonis begins steeped in sin.

A union foul, a child of incest between father and daughter. Common among the myths of antiquity. Beast-like.

He was the favorite of Venus, his beauty and grace so great he couldn't escape the notice of the gods. Given to the queen of the underworld to watch over. As he grew, she favored him as well. He spent a third of the year with Aphrodite, a third with Persephone, a third to himself.

During this third of the year to himself he was killed by the goddess of the moon, avenging her own favorite. Diana smiled as her boar tore the beautiful hunter to pieces.

Venus pled to Jupiter, such a human, a living work of art must live. And so began that he would spend the cold months among the dead, and the other half of the year in the clouds. Half dead. Half immortal. Always the favored, forever glorious.

And how I wanted to send him to the underworld again.

I could taste my outrage, it lingered over my skin, was stuck like a thorn in my skin over the next few days. I couldnt look at his face without the urge to reprimand him the way I my kind does to their own, with teeth, drawing blood.

I hated him.

I hated him for not doing what he should. He should ascend. There was no reason to wait after he was healed. It would only make everything worse. He was as strong as I was, and wouldn't use his power. I hated him for being afraid to take his place. I hated him for being scared of me. I hated the weakness. It hurt that I hated him, the bond burned against my spine like a brand.

I still couldn't sleep, the dreams were too vivid. My last two hour nap left me shaking for hours after. My bones ached with the weariness.

I stayed near him as a silent sentinel, not engaging anyone in conversation. Somehow they must have guessed how close I was to turning my teeth to them, I could feel the black film beneath my skin--- the darker part of my nature wanted revenge. More than just the one wolf dead, but all of his relatives. I wanted his lineage wiped from the earth. I would still be a guardian for this pack, but not for the unworthy. The impure deserved death, I wanted their teeth for my string.

Each day began to start cooler. The deep blue before the coming dawn cast black shadows of a colorless scape. I watched out the windows and deep into the trees. The shadows moved with the patrolling wolves, over and over like waves on the sand. I would give anything for more time in the water.

Logan was back in his bedroom, I lingered in the living room though. I missed sleeping so close together, the bond made me even more restless now. I felt starved by the distance. Perhaps I should make time to see my females today, it could ease some of the pain, make the craving for blood fade.

"You're up early." His voice was too loud in the dark. It grated on me, even though it was velvet to the ear.

I kept my eyes forward, the stars had already seeped away. "As are you." I whispered. His spring scent began to wrap around me.

"You should really get some sleep. If you don't I'm going to start drugging you."

"The moment your hand slips to my cup you will lose it."

Logan chuckled, which annoyed me even more. His body came closer behind me, the warmth of his proximity was like the sun. Too warm. Too hot.

"We're just worried."

I snarled. "We?"

A deep sigh. "Me. I'm worried."

"Liar."