Nephilim (Academy of the Fallen #2) by Daniele Lanzarotta Page A

She could feel that there was something wrong, so it wasn’t difficult to convince her.
    I promised that I could help her save Benjamin… I promised to keep them safe, and told her about what I am. 
    What she felt for Benjamin’s father was lust… I knew she wasn’t in love with me, but she did love me.  We got married right before Benjamin was born.
    I knew she still hoped that the demon would appear once Benjamin was born, but she didn’t know that my presence there was possibly the reason why he had never returned… even after Benjamin was born.
    A few years passed.  Irene and I got closer.  Benjamin was five years old when Irene got pregnant again.  That was also when Benjamin’s father came around.
    He didn’t look for Irene… he came looking for me.  He ordered me to make a choice, give his son back or he would take you.  To him, a Nephilim was far more valuable than his own son. 
    I told him to leave and not come back.
    There were other things happening at the same time.  Ever since Irene got pregnant, she started to look at Benjamin differently.  She was going crazy thinking that he was evil.  I had to take care of him most of the time because she was afraid.  I didn’t mind.  I loved Benjamin as if he were mine…. still do.  None of this is his fault…. Well, not entirely anyway.
    One day I was out of the house with Benjamin when I felt there was something wrong.  I rushed back to find his father in the house with your mother.  I could see the difference in the way she smiled, the sparkle in her eyes.  Even knowing what he was, she still didn’t care.  She walked over to Benjamin and told him that that was his father and that he had to go live with him for a while.  That he longed to meet and spend time with him.  She actually even seemed excited for Benjamin to get that opportunity.
    I could see the confusion in Benjamin’s eyes.  Everything he knew to be true, falling apart… his world falling apart at such a young age.”
    “What happened then?”  I asked.  “Did you just let his father take him?”
    “I tried to stop him.  In no time, he had your mother in a trance-like-state.  He said that I had two options.  I could let him take Benjamin with no fight or he would make your mother choose to go with him and then he would have not only her and Benjamin, but you as well.  He left me no choice.” He paused.  “Benjamin saw everything.  I assumed he was too young to understand that was a threat, but he clearly understood when I told his father that he could take him.  I could feel it.”
    He looked down, avoiding my gaze.
    “I do think of Benjamin as my son.  To this day, I wish there was a way to help him.  To get him back and away from his father, but I also have to protect the Academy.”
    “What happened after?”
    “Well, your mom went on acting as if nothing had happened.  It was almost as if she felt relieved.  Then, you were born.  Shortly after, she started wondering if she made the wrong choice with Benjamin.  Looking at you, she thought it was impossible that one child was so pure and the other so evil, both coming from her.  Benjamin had never done anything to show any evil up to that point.  He was the child that we raised him to be...”  He paused and took a deep breath.  “Guilt drove Irene mad.  Then she started researching what kids like you and Benjamin are like, and although I knew she was researching it, I’m not entirely sure how much she found out.  One day, a normal day, I took you for a walk in the park and when I returned, she was gone, her things were gone… It was just you and I.”
    “Until you gave me away…”
    “For your protection, Kayla.  I could sense that even though she was gone, Benjamin’s father was still hovering around.  I was afraid to leave you alone, and I couldn’t leave you with others who were unable to protect you.  I didn’t want you to spend your life hiding, so I did what I thought was