The Half-Blood Camp had begun to settle into a tense calm after the recent confrontations. The wounds of the heart had not yet healed, and although Percy continued to avoid Annabeth and Inti, the power of the latter still enveloped those around him. His seductive and indifferent nature made him almost irresistible to those who couldn't see beyond his charms.
As he walked through the camp, Inti felt a different presence. Selene, the daughter of Aphrodite, shone with a unique light. Despite having gone through many tragedies and losses, Selene had an inner strength that made her stand out; a mix of vulnerability and beauty that caught Inti's attention. However, he knew she had a boyfriend, which only added complexity to the situation.
That night, under the stars, Inti approached her. Selene, sitting alone near the lake, seemed lost in her thoughts. The reflection of the moon on the water made her figure appear more ethereal, almost like a goddess.
"You shouldn't be here alone," Inti murmured, approaching with his usual air of confidence. Selene glanced at him sideways, keeping a certain distance. "Maybe I should be alone," she responded coldly, but there was something in her tone that betrayed curiosity. She knew who Inti was; she had heard the rumors, but couldn't help feeling intrigued by him.
"Loneliness doesn't suit you," Inti said, sitting beside her without asking. His closeness sparked something that Selene couldn't ignore. "I've seen what you've been through, Selene. And I can help you forget."
Selene looked him directly in the eyes. His words touched her in a way she hadn't expected. "Forget?" she whispered. "How could you help me forget everything that's happened?"
Inti, with a smile that promised the impossible, leaned toward her. "Sometimes the best comfort isn't in words, but in what we share."
Selene, feeling the intensity of his gaze and the heat of his body near hers, hesitated. She knew that Inti was dangerous, that getting involved with him would only bring trouble. Besides, her heart was tied to someone else. But at that moment, all she wanted was to escape her pain, even if it were for a brief instant.
"I shouldn't..." she began, remembering her boyfriend, but Inti gently placed his hand on hers, silencing her.
"It's not about what you should do," he said softly, his lips barely brushing her ear. "It's about what you desire."
Selene's heart began to race. There was something in his presence that disarmed her, something in his voice that made her want to give in, even though she knew she shouldn't. Inti, with his natural ability to read others' hidden desires, realized he had broken through the barrier that kept her at a distance.
"Let me make everything disappear," he whispered, leaning a little closer. Before Selene could protest, she felt the brush of his lips on her neck.
The touch was soft, like an electric caress that traveled through her body. Selene closed her eyes for a moment, caught in the mix of pain, desire, and temptation. She knew this moment was dangerous, but she also knew that for this night, she could forget.
"It's okay," she murmured, even though her mind screamed that this wasn't right.
Inti smiled in satisfaction, pulling her toward him. What followed was an encounter filled with desire and attraction, a momentary escape from the pain they both felt. The stars were witnesses to a forbidden moment between two souls who, for different reasons, sought something beyond comfort.
As they surrendered to the passion of the night, Selene felt a pang of remorse. She knew this moment wouldn't solve anything, that by dawn, the pain would return. Her heart was bound to her boyfriend, and guilt began to settle in her chest. But for that night, she chose to give in to Inti's temptation, allowing herself to be swept away by the intensity of his power and seduction.
At dawn, Selene woke up, but the emptiness she had tried to fill with Inti remained. Tears rolled down her face as she dressed in silence, knowing that nothing in her life had really changed. She had only added another secret to the long list of burdens she carried.
Inti, for his part, showed no signs of regret. For him, it had been just another night, another escape in his endless pursuit of pleasure and power. He wasn't the type to worry about emotional consequences. His cold and distant gaze made it clear when he left without a word, leaving Selene with her own remorse.
"What did I do?" Selene wondered as she hugged herself, gazing at the horizon. She knew the price for having fallen into Inti's temptation would be high, but the pain she felt inside had led her to seek any form of comfort, regardless of how fleeting or destructive it might be.
And as the sun rose, Selene realized that the emptiness inside her was deeper than ever.