Chapter 12- the warmth
1643 Words
Daniel's POV
Hed heard of the bond between mate's before, hed envied the connection people claimed to feel.
Now that he felt it, he was overwhelmed.
He was happy that his mate was someone as perfect as Maia.
Her beautiful brown eyes captivating his every breath.
Shed held onto his arm the entire night.
Effortlessly leading him from room to room, never straying from his side.
Shed spoken to a few artists and people she would refer to as VIPs to me.
She was able to capture his heart further and run her gallery all at once.
He smiled, the moon goddess had gifted them a perfect mate!
They talked about everything. How shed started her gallery, where she grew up. Daniel made sure he would know his mate perfectly.
Her beautiful voice captivating his senses.
She had lost her mother when shed given birth to her younger sister. After her loss, shed have to stay with her step father til he passed away a few years ago from a stroke.
She was a dedicated gallerist...she only left to visit her sister. Maia had sounded protective of her.
His heart had swollen with pride seeing her speak of her younger sister with such devotion.
She had helped her step father raise her as best as she could. But being 6 years older than her sister meant she could only do so much!
Her step father seemed to be a loving parent, always able to play both mother and father well.
Hed been Maia's inspiration for opening up her gallery.
Shed shared how when she was five, her step father had taught her how to paint.
She knew she was a rowdy child and he was trying to get her to channel all that energy into something productive, as he liked to say.
When she kept feeding her then passion for art, the idea hit her. Shed even named her gallery after him, Emiliano's.
Daniel was amazed at how his mate spoke of her family. All the love and caring that came from her was enough to make his heart flutter.
She was amazing.
Hed been so taken in by their conversation that he hadnt noticed the woman until had walked up to them and hugged Maia.
"Maia!" She exclaimed, leaning into Maia for the hug.
Daniel couldnt help but feel uneasy by her scent. She smelt different from the rest of the people in the gallery...
Maia hugged her back with just as much force.
"Lilian! Oh my god, you came!" She breathed.
Daniel smiled, it was his mate's sister.
She finally let go of Maia and turned to him with a smile.
"I'm sorry, i dont mean to be rude. My name is Lilian Miles." She said with her hand out stretched.
Daniel smiled back, "Daniel, at your service." said Daniel as he shook her hand.
Lilian turned to Maia with a smile, "If i would've known you were in such great company, i would've stayed home!" She teased.
Maia blushed, laughing at her sisters boldness.
"Not at all, its nice to meet the person that means so much to Maia!" said Daniel in his best charm.
Lilian smiled, unsurprised that her sister had spoken about her to him.
....
Maia's POV
She was happy her sister had came.
Every year she was the one that helped Maia keep her head on her shoulders from all the stress.
This year Maia had to keep her own cool, but shed started the planning three months ahead to allow time for mishaps to happen.
Her sister looked tired. Was she not sleeping well?
"Where's Michael?" asked Maia.
It was weird that her usually attached at the hip husband was no where to be seen.
Lilian seemed shocked by the question, her furrowed brow revealing she was about to lie.
"He had to help his mom tonight...something about their church." said Lilian with a shrug.
Maia had known her sister well enough to know that she was lieing, but the lie wasnt even believable.
Michael was never religious.
In the 10 years shed known his entire family, they had never once spoken about it.
Maia couldnt hide her confusion from her face, not to Lilian.
But she also knew that she wouldn't pursue it further. Lilian would tell her the truth when she felt the time was right.
Maia smiled, "well, then are you staying the rest of the show?" She asked.
Lilian seemed anxious suddenly.
"No, i wouldnt want to ruin your date anymore. I was just popping in to say hello and then i was going to head home. I dont feel so well." said Lilian, grabbing her own wrists.
Maia smiled, she knew what she meant.
Since they were small and Maia had discovered her healing ability, Lilian would grab her own wrists when she wanted Maia to heal her.
Maia turned to whisper into Daniel's ear, stretching on her toes slightly.
"I'll be right back, would you mind waiting for me?" she leaned back to look at his eyes after she asked.
His eyes softened at their closeness, causing her heart to speed inside her chest.
"Of course I'll wait for you." said Daniel, his words sounding like a soft vow.
Maia squeezed his arm slightly, reluctant to let go of him.
She turned to her sister and grabbed her hand, leading her to the back of room where her door was.
Luckily, Lilian had found them in the fifth room of her art gallery, so her private door to her loft was at the back end of the room.
Lilian had her key already out. So she had planned to ask her to heal her. Maia thought.
Maia took her key and opened her door quickly, shuffling inside with her sister.
She sighed.
"Do you mind if you can heal me here? I dont have the strength to go upstairs" said Lilian.
Maia shook her head.
"Of course i dont mind. But...why do you feel that weak? Havent you ate?" Asked Maia.
Lilian hugged her with brute force suddenly.
The alarm that went through Maia's body was intense. Her sister was in pain.
She hugged her back softly but firmly.
Feeling her sister's body start to tremble with tears was thw last straw.
Maia closed her eyes, forcing her inner peace to come out.
Waves of intense warmth suddenly shot forward, causing her sister's body to relax.
Atleast her tears had stopped.
Maia hummed quietly in Lilian's ear, just like she always did when they were girls.
"Better?" Asked Maia after a few seconds.
Lilian only shook her head in a yes.
Maia's heart broke at the sight in front of her.
Her sister was not one to break easily, whatever was happening was serious.
Lilian leaned back suddenly, looking Maia in the eyes.
The sorrow that filled her eyes was enough for Maia to keep quiet.
"I....I just..dont want to ever lose you." She sobbed.
Maia smiled, "you will never lose me baby." She cooed.
Lilian chuckled, wiping her own tears away.
Maia gave her sister another hug.
Lilian breathed in deeply.
"I'm sorry, I've just been having nightmares..i guess theyre really tearing me apart." said Lilian.
"Its only a dream. If you need to stay, i can watch over you during the night?" Maia offered.
She wouldnt be able to protect her from a dream, but she coukd be there for her if she had another one.
Lilian paused, considering her offer.
She smiled at the end, "I'll call Michael to let him know im staying over. But, go and finish your party first, yeah?" said Lilian.
Maia smiled, thankful that her sister had trusted her to help.
"I'll be up as fast as I can." Maia promised as she cupped her sisters face in her hands.
She turned and walked out the door, only to find a very concerned Daniel on the other side.
...
Daniel's POV
What in the hell had he just felt?
His mind was reeling.
Was there another demon close by?
No. This hadnt felt demonic in nature. It felt too pure to be taken as a threat, but the unearthly feeling was there.
If it wasnt a demon then what had caused that?!
Did you feel that?! Matt asked.
Whats going on? Xander panicked.
Daniel didnt know what to say. He was just as dumbfounded as they were.
Maia and her sister were thankfully somewhere else, but the intense wave of warmth had slapped them all across the face.
I dont know, was that a spell? He asked back to them.
The gallery was still in full bown show mode. He knew the humans hadnt felt anything, all of them blissfully unaware.
He tried to disguise his concern, not wanting to draw any more attention to himself.
No way! That was powerful. I felt it all the way to the entrance! Leslie chimmed in.
This was bad.
If something that powerful had just went off in the middle of the city, then they had to find out what it was and fast.
Matt. You and Leslie check out back. Xander. You and Alina need to check all of the guests and fast. I want anyone who isnt human identified. He ordered.
Yes Alpha they said in unison.
I headed towards where my mate had disappeared, not wanting her to be too far away from him.
The warmth was everywhere. He could even smell it when he breathed.
Although he was panicking over the immense power that was flowing, he felt at peace. Like if the warmth was something he should embrace instead of search.
The closer he got to where his mate disappeared, the stronger the warmth got.
Then suddenly, just as it had appeared, it was gone.
Daniel stopped dead in his tracks.
Was he going insane?
Does anyone still feel it? Luke mindlinked.
The chorus of no's that followed were enough to terrify us all.
What can possibly be that powerful and that elusive at once?
Right before he was able to regain his compusure...his mate walked out of a door and almost into his chest.
She took a small step back and looked right at him, her surprised smile pulling at his heart.
"I was barely going to come for you." said Maia.
Daniel had no other option but to ignore what was going on. What other option could he have?
"I was trying to find a restroom." He lied.
He couldnt risk scaring his mate, or worse. Explaining to her how he could sense the sudden change of the atmosphere.
He'd have to hope his pack would be able to answer his questions.
Right now, he had his mate to focus on.
- Writer
