Moondust by J.L. Weil

wacky subconscious, but everything after that… If I was supposed to trust him, why keep so many secrets? Why hadn’t he just sat me down and told me the truth?
    His shoulders squared. “They had a blood bond, linking their bloodlines. It is how I was able to find you.”
    I thrust my fingers into my hair. “This is crazy.”
    That hint of a smirk appeared on his lips again. “Maybe, but I think crazy is our style.”
    Why hadn’t Morgana told me about the relation between Lukas and… I realized I didn’t know who he was. “Explain,” I insisted.
    Drawing in a breath, he leaned forward , putting his elbows on his knees. “Enrec was a witch who shared many of Morgana’s gifts, just as we do, but not all of them. They forged a bond of magic and blood until she ripped the magic from his soul, but the link they created lived on through the generations. Their joined blood flows through our veins.”
    It sounded like he was reciting from a fairytale —unbelievable. “Are you trying to tell me that our lives are entwined together?” I didn’t want to believe it. I couldn’t. Not that I didn’t care for Lukas. I did. But what about my feelings for Gavin? Those were very real… and very intense—an intensity that I didn’t feel with Lukas.
    Confusion clouded my head.
    I knew that I had wavered between the two for months now, but deep down in my heart, I was positive that Gavin was the one . If what Lukas said was true, then how could my heart be so very wrong? How could I not love Lukas in the same way I loved Gavin?
    My stomach dropped.
    Did I make a grave mistake? Or was this a sign not to repeat history—not to follow in Morgana’s footsteps.
    Lukas stood up upon seeing the bewilderment scroll through my eyes and walked to where I was. He propped a hip on the arm of the chair. “Yes,” he said directly. “Would that be so horrible?” There was a soft vulnerability in his eyes I’d never seen before, like I had the power to hurt him.
    I sat back against the cushions, feeling as if the ground were slipping out from underneath me. “I don’t know. I’m sorry. This is all just—” my voice broke.
    There was a shadow of something—pain, sadness, or anger? I couldn’t decipher which, but it didn’t matter. He masked it quickly. He caressed my cheek, lifted my face, and I let him. “Take as much time as you need; I’ll be waiting for you.”
    His head dipped, and I thought he was going to kiss me. I held my breath, but he stopped short. I couldn’t tell whether I was relieved or disappointed. Either way, it would have just complicated matters, and I was pretty sure I couldn’t handle any more layers of complexity. I watched him stride across the room and slip out the door.
    Overwhelmed, I sat there, unmoving, processing what I had learned. My feelings were all over the place, and I felt pressured now more than ever. Was it wrong that I didn’t want to hurt anyone? Did I follow my heart? After my impromptu visit with Morgana, I’d had a renewed sense of confidence in my choices, but now, Lukas’s little revelation knocked that assurance down a few pegs, leaving me once again confused—and vulnerable.
    It sucked.
    Gavin found me in the same spot a few hours later. I looked up, startled to see him. In a daze, I studied the lines of his face, the sharp angles of his cheeks. His eyes were incredibly blue. Fireflies warmed my tummy.
    “ Why do you look like your world is collapsing all around you?” he asked, concern lacing his dark voice.
    “Bec ause that is exactly how I feel,” I grumbled, hugging one of the couch’s decorative pillows.
    His brow shot up, the silver hoop in it glinting off the soft glow of lamplight. He must have flipped on the lights because the darkness was gone. Taking the empty spot next to me, he lifted me into his lap.
    Instantly, I rested my head on his shoulder. “There have been some new developments in my totally screwed-up life.” Being in his arms felt so natural,