DANIEL (The Starlight Gods Series Book 6) Read online

  Relief blossomed through me and I knew I couldn't hide how happy I was that she woke up.

  “Hi,” she whispered.

  I smiled in return and my hand moved on its own, reaching out to gently caress her cheek. “Hey… is your headache gone?” I arched an eyebrow at her. I wanted to make sure our healing efforts were working.

  She slowly nodded. “Besides the fact I feel like I got tackled by a bear shifter, my head feels wonderful. Thank you.” I couldn't help but laugh at her response, genuine laughter only the guys and Michael had ever been able to induce from me. Which reminds me.

  "I better tell the others you’re awake before they plan my execution. I really don’t want to deal with Ryder’s demon. I think we’ve had enough surprises for today. I’ll be right back,” I assured her.

  I gently patted her on the head to give her some reassurance before I turned around and left the room.

  My body wasn't too happy with the short interaction and craved to stay near the female shifter. She was beautiful and had a sense of humor. Her voice alone sent tingles through me and I couldn't deny I was growing hard at the thought of spending more time with her.

  I knew Ryder had first dibs on Makoto. She was his childhood crush and after all the cycles, that hadn't changed. We'd never discussed relationships and stuff because that all came down to what Makoto wanted. Not everyone would want to date more than one shifter and though it was culturally accepted, it was difficult to balance a relationship with more than two people.

  I wouldn't deny that I was turned on by her, but I wouldn't sacrifice my friendship with Ryder. He deserved every bit of her and I'd have to wait on the sidelines and pray he'd be willing to share her and that she would be open to the idea too.

  Regardless, she'd be our Princess first. I was one of her star knights and I'd always be there to protect and return her to good health whenever required.

  If love would ever be a part of the equation, I'd certainly be happy for it to be with her. A smile spread across my lips at the thought and I had to take a deep breath to calm my body down.

  I was inexperienced in this category, but love never came with a manual.

  My eyes slowly raked over Mako's naked body beneath me. I could gaze at her all day as if she was a piece of art, appreciating her perky breasts and her luscious curves that made me hard with lust. I could only imagine how my name would sound when she moaned it and I then felt the desperate need to feel my cock inside her pussy that I knew was drenched because of her arousal for me.

  I wanted her. I wanted so badly to enjoy a pleasurable night of moans and groans as we both reached the pinnacle of ecstasy. I longed to run my fingers through her silky brown locks and hold her head still so I could suck and nibble at her neck, leaving my mark on her.

  I'd let her know how perfect she was and cherish every second with her in my arms, whispering sweet things in her ear before tugging on it gently with my teeth. All the while, her soft pink lips would tease me every chance they got.

  How I craved to press my lips to hers, especially if she bit her pink lips not because she was nervous, but due to her arousal. I'd make them swell from countless kisses. Then I would slide inside her, increasing her arousal and making the perfect lubricant in preparation for the intense sex that was coming.

  Then she would lift her hand to brush against my cheek, causing me to bit my lip, trying to control my gift that threatened to escape my thin hold. I could only imagine what it would be like to use my gift on her.

  The way I'd suck on her breast and make even the smallest lick of my tongue against her nipple cause her to beg for mercy. Or, I could tease her entrance with my mouth before making her cum the moment I slipped my tongue inside her.

  My cock was throbbing hard and it was taking everything within me to resist the urge to fuck her now. I wanted to so badly; it hurt to be patient. But as our eyes connected, those beautiful turquoise eyes I'd come to love, I realized I couldn't be just her knight anymore.

  I wanted more

  "Mew."

  I groaned at the soft paw that smacked my forehead. I opened an eye to see Nightmare's large mismatched eyes staring intently at me. She blinked a few times before stretching. Her three tails wagged back and forth for a moment before she sat down right next to my head.

  "Mew?"

  I sighed, lifting my right hand to pet her. "You ruined a really good dream, you know?" I mumbled.

  She purred at my touch, her tails glowing a soft pink before she got up and moved away, jumping off the bed. I relaxed, letting my hand run through my hair. When I tried to move my other arm I realized I couldn't.

  I looked down and saw Makoto snuggled up next to me. I froze and my heart skipped a beat as I stared down at her beautiful sleeping figure. She was wearing only a pink t-shirt, but it had hiked up to just below her breasts which were pressed against my chest. I could feel her nipples through the thin fabric and felt excitement course through me as I looked down her bottom half. She was wearing gold lace underwear that complimented her plump ass.

  I had to take a few extra breaths in order to think straight; my cock was hard enough already from my wet dream. I was glad I wore black underwear rather than my normal white or gold, having put all my clothes in the laundry bin to get washed.

  At least the black material hid my release, but it still wasn't enough, and I was already throbbing for relief after taking in the sight of Mako's sensual body. I need to wake her up or I'm gonna do something stupid.

  "Probably," Azriel stated and I rolled my eyes.

  You're not helping.

  "If you would just be honest and tell Ryder your feelings for the Princess, you wouldn't have to be jacking off all the time and trying to be the good angel by distancing yourself from her," Azriel mumbled, sounding irritated.

  I would guess he hadn't slept much last since that was usually the main reason why he was so grumpy in the morning.

  Did you sleep?

  "A little. Don't change the subject," he retorted.

  What were you doing?

  He didn't reply, leaving my mind.

  I sighed. I can guarantee he was up late talking with Hope. Since Makoto had begun sleepwalking into our rooms, Azriel would have night talks with Hope. I didn't mind and neither did Makoto it seemed, but it did leave me a little more exhausted than normal.

  I guess we both felt a little left out, but at least he was taking advantage of the little time he had with Hope. I wished I was able to do the same.

  "Makoto." I shook her awake gently and she moaned, pressing herself even tighter against me. I had to fight the moan that wanted to escape in response to the sweet sound Mako made, closing my eyes to regain control. You can do this, Daniel.

  "Mako. You have to get up," I whispered, letting my hand run through her hair.

  She stirred again and her eyes fluttered, opening slowly. She sleepily met my gaze and I smiled.

  "Good morning," I whispered.

  She blinked a few times and her smile lit up her sleepy face. "Morning."

  She rested her head back on my chest and I chuckled. "Makoto, we have to get up," I urged, although it wasn’t like my body was complaining at this point.

  Her addictive vanilla scent surrounded me and I prayed it lingered in my sheets so I could smell her in them during the nights where she didn't randomly sleepwalk into my bed.

  "It's Sunday," she mumbled.

  "I know, but we have to do healing lessons before you go train with Marcus and I need time first to do your hair," I explained.

  She was quiet for at least a minute before she lifted her head. "Are you going to give me a pretty crown braid?" she asked with an innocent look and I grinned.

  "Anything you want," I reassured her, lifting my hand to brush her cheek.

  She looked deep in thought for a moment, then smiled. "Okay. But I want five more minutes."

  "Okay. I'll go shower," I replied.

  She squeezed me gently. "Five more minutes with you," sh
e mumbled against my bare chest and it sent tingles through me.

  I swallowed the lump in my throat and tried to ignore my racing heart. "Okay," I whispered, relaxing back in the satin sheets. I ended up running my hand through her hair subconsciously as I closed my eyes. I wished it could always be like this. To acknowledge that she was mine. Just for this moment, I let my imagination take over.

  Just for these five minutes, my sweet Princess was truly mine.

  "What are we going to learn today?" Mako inquired as I began brushing her dark brown tresses. We were outside in the backyard, wanting to take advantage of the warm weather we were blessed with this Sunday morning.

  I'd brought Makoto's pink stool outside and now she was sitting there in blue short shorts and a white tank top. The guys were all out doing their own things; Ryder and Elias went off to talk with Matthew, and Marcus had gone to do some training. Meanwhile, Nightmare was running around the yard chasing a blue butterfly.

  Mako’s markings were out on display, having no need to hide them when she was home with us. The thin white material of her top showed the neon pink bra she wore underneath. If only I could caress and feel her breasts in my hands.

  I had to take a calming breath before answering her. "We'll learn how to heal a wound," I answered.

  "I know how to do that," she replied, sounding confused.

  I chuckled. "I know you do. We're going to focus on healing a large wound, like an impaled or poisoned liver. There are specific spells that need to be enchanted and used to heal the injured at a rapid pace before they die from their injuries."

  "Ah. Okay, I don't know how to do that. Sounds interesting," she beamed, sounding genuinely excited.

  I grinned, finishing up brushing her hair before I began my work on her crown braid.

  I liked any hairstyle on Makoto, but when she wore it down and curled was my absolute favorite. I knew I wasn't the only one who thought so either.

  Mako was quiet while I worked and I wondered if she'd fallen asleep. "Mako?"

  "Hmm?" she mumbled.

  "Are you awake?" I inquired.

  "Yes," she replied.

  Mako normally talked, hummed or slept when I did her hair. When she was quiet it made all of us worried, unsure of what she was thinking. "You okay?"

  "I have a question, but I feel like it’s too personal," she admitted.

  "You can ask me anything," I reassured her.

  She was quiet for another minute before she spoke. "Why are you so knowledgeable about hair? I’ve never read about men being able to do woman's hair. Is it a special skill or something?"

  I was silent for a moment, wondering if I should tell her or not. Would she judge me for knowing how to do hairstyling if I told her the reason?

  She tilted her head up to look at me, her turquoise eyes filled with worry. "You don't need to answer. Sorry if I said something I shouldn't," she whispered and my heart practically dropped. I didn't like seeing her worry about me and I especially didn't want her thinking negatively. I was one of her knights and had to ensure she was as comfortable and happy here as we could. At least until we returned her home and reunited her with her family. Even then, our mission would be to continue making sure she didn't have to worry about unnecessary stuff.

  "No, don't apologize. It’s just… I'm kinda embarrassed by it sometimes," I confessed.

  "Why? I think it’s amazing," Mako replied, looking confused by my confession.

  I smiled. "Not everyone thinks that way," I replied and she frowned in response.

  "Who cares about what they think? I, Makoto Heart, think it’s awesome and want Daniel Moore to do my hair all the time," she declared earnestly.

  The fearful feeling that had been settling in my mind lifted, and I relaxed at her declaration. My body responded before I could think to stop it and my lips pressed to her forehead. It was a gentle kiss and my lips lingered there longer than I expected them to. I slowly moved away. Her eyes were wide and her cheeks began to burn red.

  "Sorry. Couldn't help it," I spoke quietly.

  She bit her lip and avoided my gaze. "It felt nice," she whispered, looking embarrassed but a small smile formed on her seductive lips.

  "To answer your question, I learned how to do hair when I was small," I began.

  "Were you taught by someone?" she inquired.

  "No, I learned through books and practice. My brother and our private nanny helped occasionally with the difficult styles, but eventually, I learned how to do everything on my own."

  Mako was quiet for about thirty seconds before she asked another question. "Was it a hobby you decided to pursue?"

  "My mom loved everything about hairstyling and modeling. She would wear pretty vintage dresses with lots of colors and have elegant hairstyles to match each outfit. Guess she loved fashion."

  I completed the finishing touches of her crown braid, adding a few pink flowers to brighten up the look. If we had more time, I would have made a flower crown worthy of her elegance.

  "Your mom must be proud that you can do this. I know I would be," Mako said quietly.

  "I hope she is. Guess I'll know when I meet her in the stars above one day," I whispered, unable to hide my sadness.

  Mako turned on her stool to face me. "She's…not here anymore?"

  I reached out and brushed my hand along her cheek, shaking my head. "She went missing after I was born. Don't know if she was taken by rogues or just left because she couldn't handle me. Who knows?" I confessed, shrugging my shoulders as if the thought didn't hurt my heart.

  "I doubt she'd abandon you of her own will. If she did, I’m sure she would look back and regret losing the opportunity to raise a handsome and caring man like you," Mako praised, staring directly into my gold eyes.

  We shared a moment of silence and I stared at her lips. I wanted to kiss her and show how much her words meant to me. I swallowed and gave her my best smile.

  "Thank you, Makoto," I whispered.

  She nodded, and it may have been my eyes playing tricks on me, but I thought I saw a hint of disappointment flicker across her face as her eyes lowered to my lips for a second before she slid off the stool.

  "Thank you for using your talent to do my hair every day," she hummed.

  "Anything for you, Makoto," I replied with a smile. I picked up the hairbrush from the little table I set up next to me.

  "MEW!" Nightmare jumped and grabbed the hairbrush from my hand. "Nightmare?" I called out as she began running around the yard with it.

  Makoto laughed. "Nighty, come back here. That's a royal hairbrush!"

  I watched her run after her familiar and I sighed, realizing I screwed up. Again, I had the opportunity to kiss her on those luscious lips but hesitated.

  If I kept on hesitating, I may never be able to make my dreams a reality.

  TWO ROTATIONS LATER…

  I watched the guys bicker as I leaned against the wall in the hallway. I hid my presence, wanting to feel more awake before I approached everyone. It had been two rotations since we rescued the Princess and I felt like I'd had the least amount of free time with her.

  Aside from my morning sessions doing her hair and our healing lessons, I never got to enjoy quality time with Makoto and it was starting to trouble me. I didn't want to be selfish and I had to admit my sleeping pattern was one of the main reasons why I'd been missing out on breakfast and skipping dinners. I guess I wasn't making enough effort to be by her side more, but admitting that to myself was difficult.

  Last night, after the one versus one test, we'd met Mako's split personality— Midnight. Only Elias seemed to be aware of her existence. Makoto mentioned to him that she hadn’t told anyone else but had been planning to tell the rest of us when she was comfortable with sharing.

  It took the rest of us by surprise, but I knew for some strange reason that Midnight didn't like me. The thought of Midnight's dislike of me or possibly even my entire race, was what made me stay up all night worrying, only falling asleep when Azriel
took over and forced me.

  Since my childhood, being hated by shifters was one of my biggest fears. I thought as time passed and I grew older, that would fade, just like some of the other childlike fears and anxieties anyone would experience during their younger cycles. But that fear and my hate for water remained.

  Later that night I woke up to Ryder, Marcus, and Elias talking through our knight bond, trying to calm Makoto down after she had a nightmare. From her past experience in the facility, I assumed right away she must have thought Midnight's awakening had caused some negative side effects.

  Marcus had to use one of his gifts to calm her down, along with Ryder's presence before she relaxed and fell back asleep.

  By the time I got out of bed and found my way to Marcus' room, Mako was cuddled between Elias and Marcus and Ryder was relaxed in the chair; all of them were fast asleep. Seeing them all so comfortable was another harsh reminder of my loneliness and feelings of being left out.

  I'd woken up this morning due to the amazing scent of breakfast being made, making my stomach growl in anticipation. I wouldn't have guessed it was Makoto cooking and the sight of her in an apron that hid whatever she wore beneath made my cock hard and my breath hitch.

  I could see everyone’s disbelief that Mako learned how to cook just to make us something to eat after last night. I doubt any of them were expecting a reward for their actions. It was just another one of our duties as her knights. But the fact she went to such effort to show her appreciation made my heart warm with admiration.

  Ryder complimented Mako on her actions first and was rewarded with a kiss. After that was Marcus, followed by Elias who clearly had the longest kiss; Mako's soft moans made me lick my lips in desire. I wanted to kiss her too.

  She pulled back and my eyes widened when she bowed before them. When she got back up, she met confused expressions.

  “Thank you all for loving me. You’ve shown me levels of compassion I’d never dreamed of getting the privilege to receive. Thank you for not judging Midnight…or treating us differently. I know I’m still struggling and have a lot to learn, but I’m ready to fight for what I want. I may not know what exactly Midnight wants, but I have a feeling deep within me that she’s happy just to be accepted. So, I wanted to show my appreciation to all of you in some way,” she said softly.