"Makoto, talk to me. Please?" Marcus whispered against my ear, brushing the strand of my hair that had fallen from my messy bun.
"I'm sorry. I shouldn't be crying. It's just...that book." I whispered. Marcus didn't rush me, allowing me to calm down and relax in his embrace; his left arm wrapped around my waist as his right hand continued to brush away the tears.
I took a deep breath, composing myself enough to continue. I lifted my head to face him; his concerned eyes landed on mine which were probably red and glossy.
"When I was at the facility, we didn't celebrate Christmas. It was just the same old schedule - breakfast, experiments, arena fighting, and maybe, I'd eat lunch or dinner depending on my condition. I guess you can say the only difference is he allowed us to sleep in for an hour." I let out a low laugh, looking away.
"Mako." Marcus whispered; his hand navigated my head to look back at him. I continued.
"Since I was the Owner's favorite, I got a few hours off depending on the day. On Christmas, the staff always had a huge party that the Owner did just for them, so I'd get a moment to sneak off to the library. That book was the only Christmas storybook, so I'd read it every single cycle, to the point the pages were barely staying attached to the spine." I explained. I lifted my hands to stare at them for a moment as if the book that was a few inches away was in my grasp.
"I'd read the first half of it with such excitement and joy, taking a moment to pray to the Starlight gods that this cycle, I'd be able to celebrate Christmas with my family. Obviously, I didn't know I truly had a family as I assumed I was an orphan; the Owner, Elaine and Lily had been my only family. I'd imagine that we'd all sit around the table, laughing as Elaine made us a huge feast, and we would rejoice that we had a moment to relax with one another. The next day would be me and Lily running to the Christmas tree to open gifts while the Owner and Elaine watched us from afar. Hah, I even imagined a little kitten with mismatched eyes running around in glee."
My shoulders sank as my hands fell to my knees, which were pulled against my chest as I rested in Marcus’ lap. I continued.
"Even after Lily’s passing, I couldn't change the image I created. Even though Elaine stopped coming and the Owner became wicked and evil, my mind would not wander away from that same image I'd created all those cycles before. I'd taken all the books from the shelves and packed them around the single chair in the room, pretending it was a Christmas tree, and the books were my presents from all the shifters of the facility who loved me."
I returned to look at him.
"I'd pick up the book and finish it, landing on that page before I'd break down. I realized my dream would always be that – a dream. I would never receive gifts from my loved ones, being both envied and joyous over my good luck. I would never get to see Lily smile in delight again. I would never witness the kindness that appeared in Elaine's eyes as she served a Christmas dinner, larger and more extravagant than any we've ever had. I would never get to see the proud look in the Owner's eye as he watched me open my gifts from afar.
“Gosh, I'd never have a pet of my own. That's what always plagued me and caused me to cry helplessly for hours in the cold room. So...um, that's why I suddenly broke down. I'm sorry." I apologized. I didn't want to put a damper on our time together with the past.
I'd honestly thought I'd moved on from my past at the facility, trying my best to keep it locked away, so it wouldn't interfere with my new life – a fresh beginning. Yet, it was times like these where the lock came undone and the memories rose to the surface.
Marcus was silent for a moment, before his lips pressed against my forehead; his arm tightened around my waist before his hand gently pulled me to lay back against his chest.
"Don't apologize Makoto. You have no reason to." He whispered as his hands soothingly stroked my hair.
"But..." I began but trailed off.
"When I was young, I was in a similar situation. The place I was...it was difficult to celebrate Christmas. I'd be able to pick one book to read to waste the time, so I'd choose the Christmas book we had there, a boy similar to this girl you talked about. He'd been poor for most of his life and had wished for one Christmas to be with his family in a nice warm house with food and presents around a Christmas tree." He explained, taking a strained breath before continuing.
"This particular Christmas he wished he could do one good thing for his beloved mother, so he stood on the street for hours, begging for change. There were kind shifters who generously gave, while others kicked mud and snow at him. A man stood from afar, watching the little boy stand there for hours before he approached. He asked what he was doing on the street and where his family was.
"The boy explained his situation to the man, and he nodded in understanding. He helped the boy get his mom a nice gift for Christmas and asked the boy to show him where he lived. When he found out they lived in a cardboard box on the street, the man was horrified. So, he told them he'd be right back, and they waited for his return."
I looked up at him, my eyes wide. "Does this have a bad ending? Cause, if it does, that won't help cheer me up." I confessed. He chuckled, leaning down and kissing me real quick.
"No, now let me finish." He had a small smile on his lips.
I nodded, wanting him to continue.
"They waited for hours till the clock reached fifteen minutes to twelve, and the boy realized, the man wasn’t coming back. He was just about to return to his cardboard home when the man returned by car and asked him and his family to hop in. The man took them to a huge, warm house, the aroma of delicious food filled the air around them and the sight of the long, food-filled dining table had the boy’s mouth watering. The man told the boy and his family to eat till their bellies were full and that the house was a gift to the Mom from her son. He then told the boy that as long as you work hard and prayed to the gods, you’d always be rewarded." He finished.
I smiled; the final set of tears rolled down my cheek. "What a happy ending." I whispered.
He nodded. "I read it over and over, telling myself that if I worked hard and prayed to the gods, I'd eventually be rewarded." He replied.
I could hear the pain in his voice. He blinked his eyes, looking away to compose himself. I let my arms wrap around his neck as I changed position, pressing my body against him as I gave him a tight hug.
He kissed my neck; his face rested on my shoulder as we hugged.
"Did you ever receive your reward?” I whispered.
He nodded. "Yes. I landed in Heila and met the boys on a mission to find you. With our hard work and prayers to the Starlight gods, we finally found you. Now my ultimate prize is having you in my arms."
I leaned back to look into his eyes. "I love you." I whispered. His smile widened; a single tear rolled down his cheek.
"I love you, too, Makoto Heart. I know the past is hard, but I promise this Christmas will be different from those cycles. I swear it; the gods as my witnesses." He vowed.
I relaxed in his embrace; his arms around my waist as we sat in a comforting silence.
I'll make sure to enjoy this Christmas, with the men bestowed to protect me and who have accepted all my flaws. I will drown my sad memories with new ones filled with happiness, laughter, and love this holiday.
In stars, we trust.
Chapter Two
I let out a yawn, shuffling my feet as I rubbed my heavy eyelids which struggled to stay open even an inch.
When the boys returned we did our usual activities – dinner together as we talked about our plans of going into town before returning back here to pack.
It was December 17, and Christmas was a few days away, and we hadn't figured out what we'd be doing. We decided to delay the discussion till tomorrow; it was late, and Daniel was already asleep on the floor.
I ended up staying up late talking with Marcus and EliaseAnne. It wasn't anything significantly important, but it felt nice to have a casual chit-chat as we relaxed. I don't know what time I'd fallen asleep, but I woke up
in Ryder's room; Nightmare relaxing at the end of the bed.
Ryder was still asleep when I woke up, mumbling something incoherent before turning over and snuggling with the pillow.
I was glad he was getting more sleep lately. His sleeping habits had always bothered me; the dark circles that formed under his eyes were apparent and the others and I were worried. He hated that Daniel forced him to sleep when he showed signs of sleep deprivation, so I'd come to scowl at him before it got to that point. Now, he would try to get six hours of sleep, reaching eight or nine when I slept in his room.
I think the extra sleep time was due to our exhaustion from having a pleasure filled night. Add in Stryker and Rose enjoying their alone time when we slept and it made us even more exhausted. Not like I was complaining. I couldn't deny that sex was a good sleep inducer.
I shuffled my way to our designated kitchen. I prayed there was some chocolate milk left. Kai had estimated the number of cartons we’d consume during the trip, but by the end of the week, we’d had to slow down drinking so much if we didn’t want to run out soon.
I heard quick footsteps against the brown, wood floor; my heavy lids spotted the white fur ball next to my feet. I stopped; a lazy smile formed on my lips as I knelt down to pick Nightmare up.
She immediately climbed onto my shoulders, snuggling against my neck as her tails waved back and forth. I stood back up, another yawn escaping me before walking forward.
I reached the kitchen in no time; another yawn assaulted me as I shuffled towards the fridge.
"Makoto?" Marcus called out. I mumbled a greeting, still feeling exhausted and half asleep. It would be nice just to drink a glass of milk and go back to cuddling Ryder. Yes, that sounds like a warm plan.
It felt chilly in the resort. Maybe Ryder's long, maroon shirt and my purple boxer shorts weren't doing much justice. Maybe leg warmers would help.
"Legwarmers? Is she sleepwalking?" I heard Elias question.
"No, she's half-awake it looks like." I heard Kai reply; his voice a lot closer than the other two.
I reached the silver two-decker fridge, opening it up to scan for the chocolate milk carton. I frowned after my third scan, refusing to believe the milk was gone. My shoulders dropped as I closed the fridge; my eyes narrowed on the machinery like it was the reason why my milk had vanished.
I felt a warm body press against my back; an arm wrapped around my waist.
"Now, now, Makoto. Don't go giving such a deadly glare to the poor fridge." Kai's relaxing voice whispered in my ear. I relaxed in his embrace, looking up to see his amber eyes which glittered with amusement as he gave me a soft smile.
"There's no more milk. I left some." I argued.
"Yes, you did leave half a carton of milk. But Elias told me the sleepwalking fairy came by and had a milk party in the living room before returning to Ryder's sleeping corridor." Kai explained.
"Oh." I felt my cheeks grow red as I blushed. I knew my sleepwalking habits had been all over the place this rotation, maybe due to the cold weather or me being exhausted from my nightly routine. I didn't think I'd be drinking so many glasses of milk throughout the night.
Kai lowered his head; his lips pressed against mine. The tender kiss made my body hum as tingles flowed through me. He tightened his grip around my waist as if my body, already pressed against him, wasn't close enough. I could feel the hardness of his cock against my ass; his reaction only made me needy.
"If you guys are gonna make out in the kitchen either invite us or get a room." I heard Elias call out; the comment made me giggle as I pulled away. I turned in Kai's embrace, tilting my head to the side to see Elias stretched out, relaxing on the one-seater loveseat with a book in his hand.
I let out an exaggerated gasp.
"Is Elias actually reading a book? What in Starlight is going on here? And you can join anytime you want. Stop being jelly." I pointed out, noticing his face grow red as he turned away. I didn't know if it was regarding him reading a book or him joining us in a make out session. The second option sounded more pleasurable.
"I guess we should tell her what we have planned." Marcus announced.
I lifted an eyebrow, confused. What have they planned?
"You guys are so noisy." A deep, husky voice mumbled. We all turned to see Ryder walking through the entranceway, wearing sweatpants as he was midway through putting on his white t-shirt, his abs on full display as his biceps contracted from the raised arm action.
I smirked, licking my lips at the view.
"Oh no, Ryder; you're distracting her." Daniel joked, sounding amused. I blushed, turning my attention back to him while he pulled his silver-rimmed glasses off, placing them on top of his head – those blonde locks were tied up in a neat ponytail. I didn't know how every strand stayed exactly in place, but Daniel always seemed to achieve such a perfect appearance.
"He's not distracting me." I argued. Kai chuckled; his other arm wrapped around my waist and pressed me against him. The action enough to tilt my head back to stare up at him.
I tried to ignore the throbbing sensation coming from my sex – the pressing of Kai's hardness enough to trigger the reaction. His hooded eyes weren't helping me think straight either.
"He's not, is he?" He whispered; the sound so low and seducing, I was ready to abide to anything he asked.
"I feel this is gonna be a steamy Christmas." Lily mumbled.
"I feel like this is similar to that Earthala drama where you wonder who the main character is gonna fuck first?" Lexi commented.
"I bet you a chocolate sundae that Kai and Ryder would be the first to have her in a three-way." Rose gambled.
"That seems like a possibility. Maybe ninety percent possible." Hope agreed.
"All of you are doing a good job at ruining the moment. This isn't netfights where you can pause and have your prediction talks." Midnight interrupted, sounding annoyed.
“Netflix, Midnight.” Rose corrected.
I tried to ignore their little debate, not wanting to pull away from Kai's embrace.
"For Starlight sake, Ryder. Tell Kai to stop seducing Makoto." Marcus complained. I giggled; Kai grinned at the comment.
Kai leaned down, going straight into kissing mode – his tongue brushed across my lower lip before slipping into my mouth. We both moaned as we deepened the kiss.
I could hear Marcus, Daniel and Elias groan – the frustration more along the lines of wanting to be the one to kiss me rather than Kai who was bold enough to kiss or make out with me regardless of location. I adored his confident nature and loved when he teased the boys. Take notes, my knights.
I heard footsteps approaching us as we continued to kiss. I was ready to pull away, when I felt someone’s body press against my back; lips pressed against the sensitive spot on my neck. I moaned, pulling away to see who was behind me – Ryder's purple eyes greeted me as he turned my head to the side, pressing his lips firmly on my lips. Kai kissed my neck.
"Damn. I was right.” Rose admitted; her tone an octave higher in shock.
"Right? When did Ryder get so bold?" Hope questioned.
"I think Kai's bold attempts are giving the other guys a run for their money." Lily noted.
"Well, I don't know about you guys but it's about fucking time. You think they're gonna have sex right here and now? That would be such a turn on. It's like that book, what was it?"
"Groupie." Midnight answered.
"Ah, Yes! That one. I think we should read that again. Maybe we can get some pointers." Lexi compromised.
"You are all horny spirits and owe Rose chocolate sundaes." Midnight mumbled.
I pulled away, laughing at the comment.
Kai allowed his hands to fall from my waist as I turned to see them both; Ryder moved to my side. They both gave me curious looks.
"Sorry. Hahahaha. The girls in my head were making commentary, and Midnight's comment was just beyond funny. Hahaha." I apologized.
"I bet Midnight was saying to get a room." Elias mumbl
ed.
"Hey, maybe we should get pointers from Jaxson and the others. Ever since Ryder went down there with Kai, they've been tag teaming Mako." Marcus whispered.
"I say we revolt and make a plan." Daniel whispered to the two.
My laughter only increased at their exchange; my shoulders shook as I wrapped my arms around my stomach.
"I can fucking hear you." I laughed; tears formed in my eyes.
I opened my eyes to see the three of them turn completely red, looking anywhere but where Ryder, Kai and I stood. Ryder and Kai both shook their heads.
"No revolting." Ryder declared.
"Ya. If you want Makoto, grow some balls instead of being jealous." Kai confirmed.
I looked up at him; a wide grin formed on my lips.
"Don't." He ordered, pointing a finger at me as I snickered, taking a quick glance at Marcus who already knew what I was going to say; his hand on his lips.
"Why do people say, ‘grow some balls’? Balls are weak and sensitive. If you wanna be tough, grow a vagina. Those things can take a pounding.” I imitated some woman from Earthala called Betty White.
Marcus, Daniel, and Elias broke out in laughter; Ryder chuckled as Kai sighed, turned and pointed at Marcus.
"You need to stop letting her watch so many damn Earthala shows. She's talking about them now." He complained.
"Good. Makes life eventful, hahaha." Marcus replied.
"It will help her, especially with our plans." Ryder agreed, a sly smile on his lips. I turned to face him; excitement built at the mention of plans.
"What are these plans? Don't distract me this time." I gave them narrow glares as I pointed at each of them.
"You're the one who got distracted. Don't go blaming other people." Midnight pointed out. I groaned. Shhh, don't point out the obvious. You're supposed to be on my side here.
"Uh huh. Totally. I'll make the others not interrupt sexy times." She declared before leaving my mind. I love you.
The others rose to their feet, walking over to the kitchen island that reminded us of our old place at Knightwood, minus the colorful stools. We at least put colored sticky notes on each designated stool to give it the "feel" of being home.
Starlight Christmas - Holiday Edition Page 2