Diana Racine 02 - Goddess of the Moon

need other genetic material. We’ve tried to keep certain of the youth apart. I’ve segregate d some of them because there were…p roblems. Even a ― ” Seth turned away, either unable or unwilling to look at her.
    “Even a what?” Maia asked.
    “A brother and sister ― ”
    “Oh, my G od,” Maia said, cutting him off. Her food, delicious just moments before, now rose in her throat like spoiled leftovers . She stood and paced the perimeter of the room . “What are we doing, Seth?”
    “I stopped them before it happened a second time. Fortunately, nothing … took.” He looked at her apologetically. “Animal attraction is difficult to control.”
    “If anyone should know that it’s you. I’m the perfect example.”
    “I know you’ll find this hard to believe, but you’re the only one I’ve impregnated. Oh, I’ve engaged in other sexual liaisons. I am human, after all. But my only children are your children .”
    Did she believe him? Did it matter? “Yes, and the last time you drugged me. I’m not a baby machine. I didn’t want another child taken from me as soon as I’d given it sustenance. You can’t imagine how painful that is.” Tears flooded her eyes. Damn . “You raped me , Seth .” She brushed the back of her hand across her cheek to wipe away a tear.
    “I’m sorry.” He brushed away another tear.
    “ Y our job may be to make babies; it’s not mine.”
    Seth didn’t speak for a while. “ After you left―after the last time we were together ― I’ve been only an organizer because my sperm didn’t take with anyone else. They even harvested it, but nothing happened . There’s nothing wrong, but … ” his gaze locked on Maia’s, “I can only succeed with you.”
    H eat engulf ed Maia’s body as if flames licked around her, searing her flesh . “This has to stop. You must know that.”
    “We’re in too deep. Our culture has been taught from birth, drilled into us. Rejecting everything we know is going against family. Against my father and mother, against my sister ― your mother.”
    Maia bolted to her feet. “Selene is not my mother . My mother threw herself out a window because life was too unbearable , a nd your sister wait ed in the wings with her talons sharpened to drag my father into this abomination. It’s the old story of Faust, isn’t it? Sell your soul to the devil for riches. But this story has a twist ― sex. Then one day the devil calls in his marker. Am I my father’s marker , Seth? Am I?”
    “Stop ! ” Seth tipped over his chair when he got up. “T his compound can’t be exposed. The world wouldn’t understand our ways .”
    “Do you understand? I grew up in it too. Not from birth like you, but early enough to be indoctrinated. I bought into the whole package until I was forced to have a third child. Then I found out about the kidnappings. It’s one thing to keep our ways within the group, quite another to destroy the lives of others by stealing their babies. Don’t you see how wrong this is?”
    Seth raked his fingers through his hair. Frustration etched his handsome face, the lines deepe ning . But he kept silent .
    “I know the agony of having my baby torn from my breast. Now we’re doing it to innocent people. People who weren’t brought up like we were. They’re in pain and we’re the cause . We must put an end to this .”
    “Don’t say that to anyone else, Maia. As much as I’d like to keep you here, I want you to stay because you want to, not because the leaders forbid you to leave .”
    “ Y ou’ll tell what I said because d uty is burned into your brain, just as fucking is. They’ll never let me go. Not unless you help me. The kidnapped babies must be returned to their parents.”
    “ I need time to think. ”
    He’s wavering. Could he finally see the evil?
    “ The y ’ll do whatever it takes to stop me. Even my father. ” Seth snorted. “ Especially my father . Once I break the code, everything ’s over . F or everyone. You know as well as I that s ex and riches are powerful incentives. Incentives my father and his father before him used to recruit the others . ”
    “ P eople literally sell their souls to the devil, don’t they? Just like we did.”
    “We had no choice. Besides, Satan is no different than any other god. Instead of guilt, we have pleasure. How can that be wrong? How can love be wrong?” He moved toward her , traced h is fingertips around her nipple . “It wasn’t wrong between us, and