*DANIKA*
The light coming from the headlamp was what woke me up from my slumber-at least I thought I was sleeping. That was until I noticed something injected into my wrist. My eyes followed the slight tube-like cord to find out what it was.
“You are awake,” croaked a familiar voice.
My eyes swung to the voice behind me and saw Lance looking edgy, his usually slick hair now flying about his forehead, in a tousled fashion.
“Lance?” I eyed the cord once more, “Why am I here?” I kept looking about the place frantically.
“You… I found you upstairs unconscious after one of the hotel hands said he heard a scream from your room.”
As if I was smacked across the face, everything that happened came flooding back at once. I remember. I was laying down there in our room thinking about the odd behavior of my mate, and at the same time, was unease about his whereabouts.
Suddenly, I had felt this powerful stab in my chest-the exact kind of stab I had felt when-
“He cheated on me,” I breathe out the words, bitter tears starting to form. My mate has cheated on me, yet again. And this time has done it without thinking of how I will be affected.
“Danika,” Lance breathed out as he stepped closer, taking the hospital seat that was laying by the side. He sat down, taking my quivering hands in his huge ones in consolation.
Why me? Why does every good thing have to pass over me? Am I beyond Redemption?
The more I thought of it, the more the tears gathered and fell. Without restriction. I suddenly knew then and there that this is just who I am. I can’t be loved by anyone. Lance was just with me now because he feels pity for me. Very soon he would also get tired and turn his back on me. This is my fate and the sooner I accepted it, the better and less painful it would be for me.
“Danika,” Lance breathe out again. This time closer. “You have to stop whatever is going through that head of yours.”
“When are you leaving me?” I found the courage to ask mildly, taking in labored air to stabilize my composure.
“What?” he asked as he narrowed his eyes at me in perplexity.
“When are you going to stop caring about me? Tell me now so I can be ready. No one has ever given a shit about me. Everyone hates me. I am cursed. When are you leaving so that I won’t wake up someday to the cold stare of this one person that has looked upon me with a kind smile?” I beamed sullenly as the words rushed from my mouth, only stopping to suck in labored air. Lance’s face was looking deeply sorrowful now.
“I will never leave your side. And you are not cursed. Stop sounding pathetic.”
“You lie. You are lying, Lance. You can’t be any different from the rest. You will soon realize I am not worth your care. I am not worth someone like you talking to me. I am a weak, stupid, clumsy, and graceles-”
I didn’t finish the words before the weirdest thing happened. Lance stood unexpectedly and hugged me. He hugged me so tight on the bed, his huge manly arm coming around me.
At first, I was startled to my toes that I stopped talking, becoming very still with wonder. Lance hugged me. No one has ever hugged me since my granny passed away.
It happened very suddenly and unexpectedly that when he didn’t pull away immediately like I had assumed he would, I tugged my hand until I felt the needle that was injected into me fall off. I wrapped my arm around his shoulders, burying in my hair as I inhaled his minty aftershave scent.
This is what it means to be home. This is exactly what having a mate should be like.
Then, maybe finally realizing himself, he pulled away unceremoniously-his facial expression one of dumbstruck.
“I… I… I am deeply sorry about that,” he stuttered and staggered back. “Danika, please do not look at me with resentment at my disgraceful behavior. I just couldn’t let you keep spewing all tha-”
“Lance,” I stopped him, and sat up fully from the bed, ignoring the dull ache in my head. “I will never resent you for anything. As a matter of fact, my respect for you has profoundly improved. Pay no mind to that, you don’t know how much it meant to me,” I lilted in a hollow-filled voice.
“Danika-”
“Do you already hate me, Lance?” I cooed with a disgruntled face.
“No, no I don’t, Danika. I’m just appalled that any man in their right marbles would ever hurt a rare beauty like you.”
My eyes fell to my hands on my lap. I refuse to believe he just called me a beauty. I am no beauty. I am ugly! So ugly that everyone is abhorred by my presence. Why would he insult me by calling me a beauty?
“Say something, Danika.”
“I have nothing else to say, Lance. I am no beauty. In fact, I think I’m beginning to agree with why people hate me so much. Who would want someone like me for a mate? I don’t blame my mates for always cheating on me with better women.”
“Danika-”
“My sister was better than me in every ramification. She had the poise, beauty, sophistication that befits a Luna, everything. She was powerful even though it was stolen from me. Yet, she used it well. I am nothing like her.”
“Yes, you are nothing like her.” My eyes snapped to him at that. He was bouncing his head, that sensual smile of his that amazes me, nowhere to be found. “You are a sweet little girl who is kind and lovely. You conceded the propensity of your power and never used it to harm anyone, even though when necessary. Not everyone can be that tolerant. So I agree with you. You are nothing compared to her.”
I was a watery mess by now. I didn’t hide it as I let myself weep for everything I have lost. Everything I might lose in the future. And for the one friendship that is by my side for once in my life. If eventually, I lose him, then I will make peace with these wonderful moments we shared.
Sometime later when he assisted me out of the hotel’s infirmary, we had ambled back to my room after several disagreements with him that I didn’t want to go back there.
Thankfully, the room was empty when I entered. He helped me into the bed and made me promise to sleep instead of thinking. I had grudgingly concurred, so he could catch some sleep himself. He has done so much for me for the night and I didn’t want to be greedy and take advantage of it.
Laying down on the bed, I struggled to sleep. So I stood and went to the fireplace. I sat cross-legged on the floor facing the spitting fire and toiled to concentrate my mind.
I don’t know why, but I thought maybe I should try doing something new that would exert me. I felt that maybe trying to learn to use my power, might exert me especially, since I don’t use it often. So this was me practicing something extraordinary so I can fall asleep.
I reached my hands forward to the fire and imagined the fire heeding my mind’s call. My eyes fluttered close as my thoughts surged back home. I thought of my mother and what I would have done if I had the power of reviving her.
It brought a smile to my face, enhancing my imagination. I never saw her face since my father had locked away everything that belonged to her in the basement. Therefore, it was difficult at this point.
I reframed from thinking of my Mom but instead thought of my father. He was a vile man. Every day when I woke up back at the house, I had made myself believe I have to keep forgiving him because he is a mourning man. He loved my mother deeply and I took her away from him. Yet, that didn’t stop the reality that he was a cruel man. He despised me to the point of death. I hope he feels every wrath he reigned on me while under his roof.
Abruptly something happened-my hand caught aflame. I screeched and flinched away as I realized what just happened. It worked!
My power worked!
My heartbeat thundered in my ear as I kept staring fearfully at the raging fire at the mantel. It appeared as if the velocity just boosted.
I was startled out of my apprehension when a knock started at the door. I looked from the fire to the door and back, trying to discern if to answer it or not. What if the person noticed the abnormal atmosphere.
“Open the door, Danika,”
Oh, no. My mate. I smoothened my hand hysterically on my gown and ran to the door. Reaching there, I was still consumed with fear of what would happen if he finds out I was practicing in the room. Those with prominent powers like me were often not allowed to use it recklessly. And now I have down it again.
“Danika!”
I unbolted the door at once, and stepped behind it, noticing my treacherous body quiver as it took in the unmistaken scent of my devious mate.
“What have you been doing?” he inquired in an untamed knowing tone.
I shivered, knowing I have been caught.
…