“Want to go somewhere?” Daniel whispered.
I looked up at him, wondering if my wide eyes showed my desperation to escape the chaos happening below. I nodded, pressing my head against his chest.
He placed a kiss on my head. “It’s nearby and you can cry or yell. Anything you need, okay? It will take two minutes. I’ll tell the others where we’ll be,” he confirmed.
“Okay,” I whispered, my voice barely a whisper.
He began to fly to whatever safe haven he was taking me. I didn’t care, as long as I was away from that arena place— needing to escape the memories I’d almost thought I’d forgotten with this new chance at life.
Even though I feared I’d plunge into despair, being in Daniel’s arms made me feel safe. His lavender scent calmed my nerves and his compassion to remove me from those negative triggers made me finally realize what I’d been trying to ignore.
I am in love with Daniel Moore.
~MIDNIGHT~
"I'm okay."
"Are you sure?"
I nodded, taking a steady breath before I pulled out of his embrace. Daniel helped me stand, letting go so I could have some space.
I stared at the beautiful scenery before me. It was already evening and I honestly couldn't remember where the time had gone.
It was afternoon when Daniel had brought me to this hidden waterfall. It was surrounded by beautiful plants and wildlife, but I'd been too busy crying and having my own little panic attack after what had happened.
Daniel didn't ask any questions. He just held and soothed me the entire time. I ended up passing out from exhaustion, but Daniel hadn't moved from our spot, stating he didn't want to take me to the medial center until he knew I could mentally handle seeing the other shifters there. He'd healed all the wounds I'd obtained during that fight while I'd been unconscious.
I was in a different pair of clothing, a long white dress, and tights. Daniel said he didn't want me staying in the dirty armor that was stained with blood, taking the initiative to change my clothes.
I had to admit I loved his modesty and the way his cheeks flushed when I ask if he’d changed me, obviously knowing he must have. I would have never expected Daniel to step up his game like this and prove to me that he deserved to be a part of Mako's team of knights. He'd certainly proven himself as a lover.
I walked to a nearby tree, relaxing against it as I stared at my trembling hands. I pulled out my family heirloom, wanting a few moments to appreciate the intricate design. Only Makoto got the opportunity to enjoy its beauty, but hadn't even gotten a lot of time to appreciate its value and new purpose in our life.
"It's meant for you," Daniel whispered.
I noticed he stood a few feet away, his hands in his pocket as he gave me a small smile. He was wearing his glasses now; the gold frames did help hide the black circles but he looked pale and exhausted. "You look like shit," I mumbled.
He laughed. "The others are rubbing off on you too," he replied, walking to stand in front of me.
"Not really," I mumbled, glancing away.
"Midnight. Look at me," he whispered.
I obeyed, meeting his heated gaze as those gold orbs twinkled in the moonlight that shone down on us. The fireflies already began to buzz around us. My gaze lowered to his lips as my body began to thrum excitingly.
It was as if I'd just realized our closeness and now that I'd acknowledge my love for the angel, after vowing never to fall in love with one since Samuel, I felt the build-up of nerves you always experienced during your first interactions with someone you loved.
He took a step forward, his body centimeters from mine. My back pressed against the tree while Daniel's hand rested above my head against the dark brown bark. His eyes studied mine as we continued to stare at one another.
"Midnight. I...know I shouldn't feel like this. I think I shouldn't? I don't know what Elias or EliaseAnne would say. But...I promised I wouldn't run away anymore. That includes you. I won't run away from being truthful to you and I can't hide these feelings. I thought I'd only love Mako and Azriel would love Hope. But each time I interact with you, the feeling grows and grows and I can't ignore it any longer. In fact...I don't want to. I love Makoto...but I also love you. You are the same person or two sides of the same coin. You don't need to give me an answer now. I just needed you to know how I feel when I'm around you and that you are loved just like Mako," he expressed.
I stood there in shock at his words; happiness fluttered through me as a smile formed on my pink lips. I clenched my fist, deciding to do what I never imagined I'd do.
I kissed him.
I could see his moment of shock; my eyes stayed half open as I stared into those gold orbs that began to close— his soft lips pressed against mine, returning my kiss. I allowed my eyes to close, wanting to savor this moment as my hand lifted to rest on his chest.
His body pressed against mine as we deepened the kiss; a small moan escaped me feeling my body tingle.
Daniel broke the kiss, biting his lip. He opened his eyes; his usual gold eyes were a light copper.
"I may need a few days to control my gift. I can't keep it from affecting you right now," he admitted.
I smiled at his admission wrapping my arms around his neck. "What are you feeling now?" I whispered.
"Happy to be accepted by you, sad I've wasted all this time we could have let go of our differences and focused on growing this...and aroused," he admitted.
"Well then, you can use your gift as long as it's not for evil...or to control me..." I whimpered the last words, trailing off as my head hung low.
Daniel pressed his forehead against mine; my head lifted in time for his lips to crash against mine in a heated kiss. I could feel his love for me through the kiss, his admiration and desire for me.
"I'll vow to never use my gift on you in such a manner. Never," he vowed, emphasizing the single word with a level of conviction I knew was true.
"Okay," I replied.
He pulled me into a hug, holding me close. I knew I'd need to talk to EliaseAnne about this new development, unsure how she'd react to me liking Daniel, or Kai, or the others. How about if I started liking Stryker too like Mako? Would she feel betrayed? Upset? Would she hate me?
"Who would hate you, Midnight?" Daniel questioned, pulling back to stare into my eyes.
I opened my mouth to reply when I sensed another presence.
"Midnight?"
Daniel and I both turned to see EliaseAnne's blank expression. She stood a few feet away at the entrance of the trail Daniel had taken us through to get to this hidden place.
"EliaseAnne," I replied, biting my lip as feelings of guilt and uncertainty went through me.
The others appeared; Ryder, Marcus, and Kai walking down the path and reaching EliaseAnne's side.
They noticed our position, my arms still around Daniel's neck while his hands rested on my hips, making me blush. So embarrassing.
Ryder glanced between me and EliaseAnne, looking confused while Marcus had a huge grin on his face. Kai made his way to where we stood. He greeted Daniel, who nodded in return, releasing me from his hold.
I didn't know what to expect from Kai, but he didn't give me time to question what I should do. He gave me a tender kiss, his hand rested on my left cheek while his other hand rested on my right hip. We kissed for a full minute before he released me, taking a step back to view my dazed expression as I tried to calm my frantic heart. What just happened?
"I just kissed you," Kai answered my outspoken thought, a playful grin on his lips as he continued to grin in confidence.
"Hmm. You have more confidence than before," I mumbled, blushing as I crossed my arms, glancing away.
"I agree there," Daniel replied, sharing a look with Kai. They were probably using their mental communication or something.
"You okay?" Kai asked, giving me a worried look as his amber eyes scanned my body.
"I'm fine. I'm sorry. I couldn't stay there. Mako and the others are a
ll asleep...and I didn't know how I'd react," I apologized, bowing my head.
I heard footsteps; strong arms wrapped around me and pulled me into a hug— the wondrous scent of pine hit my nostrils. I sighed, relaxing in Marcus' embrace as I returned his hug.
"We get it and don't you apologize for something out of your control. We're just glad you’re safe and Daniel interfered. We'll work on everything else. You should rest," Marcus suggested.
I did feel sleepy, but I was still worried. Marcus pulled back so Ryder could give me a hug before he pulled me to the side, giving enough space for us to have a private conversation.
"What's wrong?" he questioned.
I bit my lip, unsure how to explain my nerves and fears.
Ryder sighed. "I can feel your emotions, Midnight. Please don't worry about that. We'll have a talk with EliaseAnne. She's just apprehensive about certain topics. We'll deal with it. You’re not in trouble and she's not mad at you," Ryder reassured me, cupping my face.
"I'm not? But...she's not coming over here," I pointed out.
Ryder closed his eyes for a moment— pure black eyes greeted me when he opened them; Stryker taking control.
"We'll deal with it. There's just a lot going on and EliaseAnne’s just riled up and doesn't want to do something to scare you or worry you," Stryker soothed.
"Her standing there makes me worried," I mumbled.
Stryker grinned, lowering his lips to brush against mine.
I blinked in confusion, but didn't pull away when he kissed me, my body responded to his kiss as if I knew Stryker for cycles— just as Makoto knew Ryder.
We pulled back to share a look— his eyes told me things would work out if I gave them a chance.
"Okay. I won't worry," I mumbled.
Stryker smiled in approval, giving me kiss on my forehead.
Marcus walked to me. "Well, ya'll can’t give her a kiss and leave me out of this," he announced.
Daniel coughed as Kai snickered. Stryker sighed.
"Just hurry and kiss her so she can go say ‘Hi’ to Eli," Stryker huffed, rolling his eyes.
Marcus grinned while I giggled; the situation made me feel like I was in Mako's shoes and in between their little debates on who got to kiss Mako longer.
Marcus and I kissed, his lips lingering on mine for a few extra seconds to emphasize his point, causing me to laugh and break the kiss.
"It's good to hear you laugh," Marcus whispered, rubbing my head soothingly.
I gave him a sad smile. "It feels nice to be around you all," I confessed. I heard footsteps, lifting my head to see EliaseAnne approach us. I bit my lip but stood my ground, not wanting to run away or cower around the others.
We stood there in silence for a few seconds before Eli exhaled and pulled me into her arms.
"What are we going to do with you if everyone’s trying to kill you?" she mumbled into my hair.
"Um. We can hide in our new place in onesies and have a party every day? As long as there's milk for Mako," I pointed out.
The others chuckled as they shook their heads in amusement.
"That doesn't sound too bad," Eli agreed. She moved the hair out of my face before placing a kiss on my forehead. I felt a hint of disappointment at her indirectness, but I knew whatever was going through her mind right now was connected to me in some way and I couldn't be selfish with my needs right now.
"Are you mad?"
"There's nothing to be mad about. I'm just upset you had to go through all of that and we couldn't do anything. I just need a moment to calm down and I'll be back to my normal self, okay?" she reassured me.
"You promise?" I pushed, her words still not enough to calm my troubled heart.
"I promise, Midnight. Cross my heart, hope to fly. Poke a flower in the sky, promise." She grinned before I saw a glimpse of my confident Elias.
I nodded, ready to pull away, but her arms tightened around me as her lips gently landed on mine. I smiled against her lips, feeling my eyes water and a tear roll down my cheek as I kissed her back. I was afraid she'd discard me after kissing the others, but if she was okay with sharing me too as they did Makoto, I'd be forever grateful and would make me just as happy.
We broke apart as we heard a new pair of footsteps, all of us turning to see Kade; his hands in his pockets as his bright blue eyes landed on EliaseAnne and me. I blushed, glancing at EliaseAnne whose face also grew red.
Kade’ grin widened before he walked up to us.
"Sorry to interrupt your lovely reunion, but I'm here to take Midnight home. The medical center’s freed up from the other shifters and everything’s been dealt with. Mom and Dad are worried sick and it would ease them if they saw you while Karen made sure you didn't reach your magic limit," Kade explained.
I pulled away from EliaseAnne; Kade raised his arms to give me a hug. I grinned, happily giving him a hug.
"And I was worried. You okay? I already dealt with that vile woman," Kade stressed.
"She survived?" Marcus asked, shocked.
The others looked just as shocked.
Kade pulled away to face all of us as the guys crowded closer. "No. She died, but her soul was still lingering in her body," Kade said in a matter of fact tone.
I gave him a confused look as I tilted my head.
"How did you deal with her when she's dead?" I wondered.
Kade grinned, a maleficent grin as his eyes glowed, his angel taking over. "I had a word with a few of my contacts and well...let's just say she has a nice toasty spot in hell and Lucifer will find a worthy enough punishment for her to experience for all eternity," Kade’s spirit announced with a smile, his eyes closing and Kade taking control.
We all stood in complete shock at his words, none of us saying a word.
Kade shrugged. "Anyways. Why don't we get that medical exam done so we can have some family time before you sleep, Midnight? We haven't had enough time to catch up. Plus, Kazumi wants to formally introduce himself instead of scaring you guys off with his Lucifer stories," Kade huffed.
"Kazumi is your spirit's name?"
"Yup," Kade replied.
"Oh. It would be nice to meet him. Mako's been curious too," I admitted.
"C'mon. You look like your gonna crash by the time we reach the castle," Kade pointed out.
"I won't," I vowed.
The guys smiled at my determination, only adding to my motivation.
"So the whole selling that betrayer's soul to the Starlight god of hell was a joke, right?" Marcus asked.
Kade blinked, a smirk forming on his lips as he shrugged. "Only he knows." From his expression, I knew he wasn't joking about his earlier statement.
Twin brother diabolical. Hmm, awesome brother.
"I'm not diabolical and we really don't look that alike, Midnight. It's just the hair. I'm glad you find me awesome. Now let's go," Kade urged.
I looked at the others who each gave me goodbye hugs— EliaseAnne giving me one last kiss before letting Kade take me. We were about to leave the clearing when I struggled to walk, my legs were heavy and numb.
Kade paused, looking back at me. I lowered my gaze to my legs, trying to infuse them with magic, but I didn't have any left to spare if I didn't want to face the consequences later.
Kade walked back before turning so his back faced me. He crouched down to his knees, patting his back.
"Piggyback?" I asked. I knew Mako had experienced a few with the guys during her drunk adventure down on Earthala, but I'd never experienced one before.
"Yup. I'll piggyback you all the way home. Just don't fall asleep," he urged.
"I won't," I huffed, but got onto his back.
He lifted me up with ease, beginning to walk up the path. I let my eyes close as I rested my head on Kade's shoulders. I was happy everything was settled. I still had a few worries, but I knew it would work out in time. Once everything settled, I could ask Makoto if I could have a day off with EliaseAnne. Maybe then, we could solidify things and focus on developing our rel
ationship.
I hoped I'd get to learn more about all of them, just as Makoto and the other spirits yearned to get closer to our five knights. I prayed wherever this sixth knight was, he'd be just as understanding and we'd begin our quest to face whatever challenges emerged.
As long as we had our knights, family, and friends...we'd fight the darkness and win.
~ELIASEANNE~
We stood in a circle in the forest; the trail we'd followed led us to a hidden waterfall— Daniel had told us he was there with Midnight.
It’d taken six hours before we'd gotten everything under control. The King and Queen of Heila, as well as King Moore, had gone to a private meeting; Ryder's father and mother arrived to help us sort out and manage the injured. Karen and the medical team didn't expect everyone to get injured in the competition which led them to be short on numbers.
Since Daniel ensured us he'd be okay with Midnight we had to do our duty to help. It was difficult for me to devote myself to that many hours in that fast-paced environment, but I had to put my knight duties ahead of my own insecurities and problems.
I wanted to wrap everything up so I could see Midnight and hold her in my arms. I could already envision her fear-filled eyes as she backed herself against the tree. The next image was the look of shock that registered on her pale complexion before she pushed Daniel out of the way— only seconds from being stabbed with the sword Cecelia's mother aimed to stab them both.
I should have reacted or done something to stop both attempts at taking Midnight's life, yet I couldn't move. I couldn't fight off the hold that woman's gift had on all of us and it left me helpless to help the woman I loved.
I was grateful that Daniel was able to save her and was now comforting her, but I envied him and could feel hints of jealousy flicker within me. I should be there. Not Daniel.
Ryder had noticed my flicker of emotions, but hadn't confronted me about it. I knew he would though and I was debating whether to tell him the full extent of my jealousy.
Midnight was her own spirit and I knew we hadn't established a contract or agreement that our spirits were designated to their designated counterparts, but my rational arguments weren't doing much good in convincing the enviousness that continued to grow with each hour that passed.
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