“Mew, mewwww!” Nightmare jumped onto the island, wagging her tails furiously.
I smirked, knowing she wanted to be included in the thanking.
“Even you, Nightmare. Thank you for being the best cuddle buddy ever,” Mako praised and Nightmare jumped up and down with joy.
“Thank you, Princess,” the guys spoke in unison, and I whispered with them, watching as they rose from their deep bows.
Marcus turned to face Elias with an annoyed expression on his face. “You kissed her for a lot longer than ten seconds!” Marcus accused.
“You kissed her in the training room the last time I heard; you didn’t see me complaining,” Elias retorted, rolling his eyes as he headed toward his yellow stool.
“Oi! How did you hear about that? Don’t give me that excuse. Ryder’s been having make-out sessions with her at school!” Marcus argued back, pointing at Ryder.
Ryder poured himself a glass of coffee and had creamer in his hand. He looked over his shoulder at the others. “I get special privileges. Leaders always get extra benefits,” he stated matter-of-factly, returning to making his coffee.
“Smart ass,” Marcus huffed.
Mako was quiet, watching their bickering and she turned slightly so her back was to me. I made my entrance, feeling more awake after the little display, reaching her in a few strides.
"I truly miss Daniel. I wish he was here," she mumbled.
I had to take a second to question if I heard those words right. From the way they were spoken I could tell they were unintentional, probably an inner thought that accidentally became outer monologue, a habit of Mako's that hadn't diminished.
I pressed my body against her and wrapped my arms around her. I took a moment to appreciate her vanilla scent before whispering, “I missed you too.”
My lips pressed gently to her cheek and when I began to pull away, she turned to face me. She lifted her hand, sliding her fingers through my blond locks and pulling me forward; her soft lips met mine.
While my mind struggled to process what was happening, my body responded, dominating her mouth with my own. My hand ran through her hair, pulling it slightly to break the kiss.
She gasped in response, giving me the perfect moment to place my lips on the side of her throat. I'd left her breathless and her quiet gasps were making it hard for me to pull away.
“Morning, Princess,” I whispered against her skin, releasing her hair to meet her stunned gaze and flushed cheeks. Words couldn't express the amount of happiness and amusement I felt from that surprise move.
“A little nagging birdie, who wouldn’t shut the fuck up, told me you made us breakfast,” I announced, glancing at Elias who sipped on his tea while playing with Nighty.
The others all had stunned expressions on their face, which brought me satisfaction.
“I don’t know what you're referring to,” Elias mumbled.
I was thankful for his encouraging words, having pushed me to try and join them for breakfast and dinner when I could, for the sake of Makoto.
“Let’s eat. We have a big night ahead,” Mako announced.
We all agreed, helping set the table and joking around while Nighty jumped around the kitchen.
Seeing Mako's smiling expression with all of us present made my heart swell and left me eager for the future ahead.
"I don't see why a nap is necessary."
I chuckled, shaking my head before turning to look at Mako who sat on my bed, arms crossed with a cute pout on her face.
"Even a two-hour nap would do some good before tonight's exam. You had a rough night and you were asleep at the kitchen island ten minutes ago," I pointed out, folding the remaining pile of clothing to store in my drawers.
Mako blushed and pointed to me. "That— was… I was daydreaming! Yes. Daydreaming," she declared.
I laughed, knowing it was one-hundred percent a lie. "You can't lie to me, Mako, remember? Plus, Ryder and Marcus called for you ten times and you didn't budge. You only woke up because I was going to pick you up from the stool," I explained. The way she was positioned made it impossible to pick her up, so Marcus had to slide her stool back, the jerking movement waking her up.
Her face grew red and she crossed her arms, looking away. "I still don't need a nap," she mumbled, followed by a yawn.
I sighed, putting the last articles of folded laundry into my drawer. I pulled off my white t-shirt, setting it aside and noticed Mako's eyes slowly checking me out. She bit her lip and I grinned, walking toward her.
"A tiny nap with me," I offered.
She looked up and met my gaze. “Okay.”
She shuffled back to the other half of the bed, making room for me. We both laid down and I encouraged her to snuggle against me. She smiled at my open arms, shuffling till she was pressed against my side and her head rested on my bare chest.
We relaxed, both staring at the ceiling. "Are you nervous about your first practical exam?" I asked.
"No. You can't die in this exam so it must be easy," she replied easily.
I looked over to watch her while she continued to stare, making me wonder if she was remembering something from the facility. "What are you thinking?" I whispered as my fingers played with her hair.
She closed her eyes and sighed. "Is it weird for all of this to feel unreal? Like a dream or a fairytale? All my life I dreamed of being free and now that I am, it just feels too perfect. It can't be as simple as this…right? I'm scared to get my hopes up, only for them to be shut down and crushed. I…I'm scared all of you will disappear when I open my eyes and I'll be back in that dungeon, preparing for the experiments to come," she revealed and I heard the fear lacing her words.
"Makoto," I whispered.
She kept her eyes closed and I shifted our position, allowing her to lay against the sheets while I hovered over her.
"Open your eyes, Princess," I begged, brushing her cheek with my thumb.
She slowly complied, staring up at me. I lowered my head to press my lips firmly to hers. Our eyes never left each other as we kissed, starting off slow. When I deepened the kiss, her eyes slowly closed and she moaned into my mouth.
Her hand reached up and slid through my hair and I couldn’t contain the quiet moan that left me. I was tempted to press my groin against her, to make her aware of what her heated kisses did to me, but I didn't want to scare her off.
I knew she hadn't been super intimate with any of us and also I didn't want to step on anyone's toes, especially Ryder's. I released her lips and sucked at her neck before pulling back to stare at those blue orbs, wild with lust, and her swollen pink lips. We were both trying to catch our breath and I was curious if her heart was pounding as fast as mine.
"This is real, Makoto. Not a dream or fairytale. You're with us now, and not returning to the facility ever again," I confirmed.
She slowly nodded and leaned up to kiss me. It wasn't as long as the first, but my body was left in a frenzy when she broke the kiss and tugged at my bottom lip with her teeth.
It took everything in me not to push forward, fearing this time I wouldn't be able to stop.
She smiled and relaxed. "Okay and maybe a nap would be nice now," she whispered before another yawn escaped her.
I nodded and relaxed back onto my side, pulling her into a warm embrace.
Two minutes passed and she was deep asleep, not even stirring when I repositioned us so she rested against my chest when I sat up. A part of me wanted to sleep, but the desire to watch her was stronger. I wanted to cherish this moment with just her in my arms, like the rest of the world didn't matter.
Tonight would be our exam and then we'd finally be able to bring her home to Heila. After that, I would no longer hesitate.
Or that's what I prayed for.
SOLACE ROTATION VII, EARTHALA TRIP
"Are you nervous?" Mako whispered. Her head was relaxed on my shoulder, and her hand was in mine. My left hand turned the steering wheel slightly to follow the curvy uphill road that led to
the hot springs.
"A little," I admitted, keeping my eyes on the road. I squeezed Mako's hand to assure her I was okay.
We had come down to Earthala for the first time with Makoto, treating her as a reward for placing in the top hundred in all of Knightwood. Tonight I would enjoy the evening alone with her, giving her the opportunity to choose the destination for our date.
I didn't think she'd choose the new hot spring location that just opened and the idea of being in the steamy hot water for a long period of time made me anxious as fuck. Mako noticed my sudden change in mood and offered for us to do something else, but I didn't want my phobia of water to get in the way and ruin her excitement and the chance to spend time with her.
She didn't know about my past to that extent. Only Ryder knew the full extent of the event which caused Michael and I to have such a strong dislike of water. The others just knew I hated it and that was all. I wondered if I could work up the nerve to tell Makoto.
Our relationship had been on the rocks the last couple of weeks. It was my own fault for letting my insecurities of Midnight's obvious dislike of me put a strain between Mako and I.
I kept trying to take Azriel's advice as well as the others, knowing I needed to accept the fact that Makoto wasn't like Claire and I wouldn't cause her harm with my gift, but this mental game was a hard one to win.
I prayed this date would somewhat help to ease the awkwardness between us and maybe I'd be able to finally tell her how I feel. I didn't know if I could admit everything, but I had to make her realize that she wasn't the problem; I was.
"We're here," I announced as I turned the wheel, pulling into the parking entrance. Mako lifted her head and repositioned herself in her seat to glance out her window.
"It's brand new?" Mako squealed.
I smirked and nodded.
"Just opened. Apparently, we get first dibs before it opens to the public," I pointed out with a smile.
"I can't wait!" she cheered, wiggling in her seat before taking her seatbelt off.
"Makoto, I haven't parked yet, put your belt back on."
"I won't die. This flimsy strap isn't saving any shifter anyway," she huffed.
"MEW!" Nightmare crawled from the back and walked into Mako's lap.
"See? They don't even make seatbelts for familiars. Proves my point," she stated proudly.
I chuckled, shaking my head. That's our Mako for you.
I pulled into the VIP parking spot and a man in a suit approached us. I got out and he instructed us where to go to check in and that our luggage would be delivered to our room.
Nightmare rested on Mako's shoulder, her three tails curled around her neck as they waited for me to finish talking with the attendant.
I gave my thanks and walked over to Mako, smiling at her bouncing as she struggled to stay still. "You're really excited," I pointed out.
"Really is an understatement. I'm SUPER excited," she cheered.
I reached her side and slid my hand into hers. Her face brightened at the simple gesture which made me sad inside. It proved that she didn't expect me to show affection to her, unlike the others.
My mind could be playing games on me, but that thought continued to run through my mind as we checked in and made our way to our designated room.
"Mew, mew, mew, mew!" Nightmare hopped off Mako's shoulder and began playing in the garden next to us. The hall we were in reminded me of what I had read about Japanese architecture and how they had open halls to give you a view of the garden and backyard.
"Don't destroy anything, Nightmare! You can go scavenger hunting though," Mako encouraged. She had an appreciative smile on her face as she watched Nightmare begin to chase a bunny.
We entered the luxurious room, enjoying the simplistic yet sophisticated appearance. Our luggage was in the corner of the room, a few steps away from the king size poster bed which looked like it was made out of bamboo. The window gave us a ceiling to floor view of the magnificent display of flowers and the overlook of the steam coming from the springs.
She turned to look up at me. "I'm gonna shower first. Is that okay?" she questioned.
I noticed the glint of lust in her turquoise eyes which seemed darker than normal. I glanced down at her pink lips, before licking my own.
I leaned in, giving her a tender kiss. We remained still otherwise, neither of us wanting to initiate what might lead to us shedding our clothes and having passionate shower sex.
Just the thought of it made my cock begin to harden, and I could already imagine her body under the stream of water while I fucked her senseless.
I reluctantly pulled away and immediately regretted it after seeing a hint of disappointment flicker in her eyes.
"Okay," I whispered and she gave me a smile.
She let go of my hand, walking over to grab a few things before heading into the washroom. The moment the door closed, I sighed, ruffling my hair in frustration. What the fuck am I doing?
"You're losing the opportunity to make things work because of your fears," Azriel answered in a monotone voice.
I knew when he used that tone he was upset with my actions.
I know...
"If you would just communicate with her, she'd understand, Daniel. You need more hope in our Princess," Azriel whispered, leaving my mind before I could respond.
I pulled out my phone and before I knew it, I was dialing Michael's number. I heard the shower go on in the bathroom and knew even with Mako's sensitive hearing she wouldn't be able to hear my conversation.
Michael picked up the phone after the second ring. "What's up, little bro?"
"Are you busy?"
"Kinda. I'm driving with Firecracker," he replied.
"I don't think he knows that term is meant for me," a second voice pointed out in the background and I smiled.
"Date with Scarlet?"
"Yup. See he did know it was you," Michael responded and I heard Scar sigh.
"MEOW!"
I snickered at the sound of a cat in the background. "Scarlet? How does your cat appear out of nowhere? He's staying in the car," Michael huffed.
"First, that's animal endangerment. Second, I don't know, he must have snuck into the car. Hey, Moonlight. What are you doing here, hmm?"
Michael groaned. "Sorry, Daniel. What's wrong?" Now that he asked, I didn't want to bother him with my internal dilemma.
"Nothing. Just wanted to say hi," I lied.
Michael was quiet for a moment before he spoke. "What's wrong between you and the Princess?"
I mentally groaned, wishing he wasn't so perceptive. I was gonna brush off the topic but the words left me. "I'm fucking things up. Every time there's an opportunity for me to fix the tension between Mako and me, I miss it. Not because I'm blind and don't see it, but because I'm deliberately ignoring it and I'm just scared Mako's going to pull away from me and not want to be with me. I'm just being stupid and scared I'll hurt her…like how I ended up hurting Claire," I rambled nervously.
He was quiet for a full minute before replying. "Daniel, Mako loves you, but she can't do anything if you keep pushing her away. Telling her even a small portion of your insecurities, or at least informing her none of this is her fault, would be better than just ignoring her attempts to get you to open up. She wants you to trust her."
"I do trust her," I whispered.
"You trust her, but you're not willing to rely on her? How does it sound? How can she rely on you and reveal what’s bothering her if you won't deliver the same?" Michael asked.
I bit my lip, knowing full well he spoke the truth. "I know...you're right."
"You don't need to share everything with her, Daniel. Just let her know you love her and that you're just struggling with some issues, but when the time is right, you'll tell her. Ensure she knows she's not the contributing problem," Michael advised.
"Okay. I'll do that. Thanks, brother."
"You’re welcome. Hopefully, I get to see you before you guys leave. I'm only spending the eveni
ng with Scarlet because the ship was delayed," he explained.
"That worked out at least." I grinned, knowing my brother would always take an opportunity to spend time with his girlfriend when it appeared.
"Yup. I'm about to enter the highway so I’ll need both hands. Call me or text me if you need anything, alright! Love you, silly brother."
I rolled my eyes and my smile widened. "Love you too, asshole."
"You know, you have to stop swearing. It's bad for you," Michael pointed out with a laugh.
"Fuck you. Talk to you soon. Have a fun date," I retorted.
"Will do." We both ended the call. I hung up just in time, hearing the shower go off right after.
Just have to tell her a little. The door opened and I was ready to say something, but paused when my eyes landed on Mako's body wrapped in a thin towel.
She smiled. "You can shower now. I'll go check to make sure Nightmare’s not destroying anything. Maybe take her for a walk before we go down to the springs."
I slowly nodded in response, but didn’t process most of what she said. I watched her like a hawk as she walked over to the bed to where our matching robes had been laid out on the white sheets.
I swallowed the lump in my throat and took a final head to toe perusal of Mako before turning to head straight for the washroom.
I closed the door, leaving it open just a crack to allow the build-up of steam to escape before I showered. It would be a quick one and hopefully painless. I knew I'd have to mentally remind myself that I was in control of the water and no one else. I pulled my shirt off and removed my shorts and boxers, putting them into the little laundry basket in the corner of the spacious washroom.
The cleaning service would wash all our belongings before we checked out. I turned back to close the door when I caught a glimpse of Mako who had just let her white towel fall to the floor.
DANIEL (The Starlight Gods Series Book 6) Page 11
