Moonlit Rivalry: Raya's Heart

Ch. 5

Raya’s POV

As the unexpected force of the push caught me off guard, I stumbled, my feet tangling in the rug. A pair of strong arms caught me before I could hit the ground, sending my body tingling in a way I’d never experienced before. I found myself locking eyes with Dane, his golden gaze meeting mine, intensifying the heat of my blush. I am not as weak or clumsy as the universe seemed to have portrayed me tonight. I cleared my throat, standing up straight with a small nod of appreciation towards Dane.

“Thank you,” I said bashfully.

“Be more careful.” His annoyed tone irked me more than I cared to admit. It wasn't as if I had asked him to catch me. If it was such a problem, he could have just let me fall. Yet, despite my frustration, his hand resting on my stomach sent a surge of unfamiliar sensations through me. It was a feeling so strong, it called on me to turn around and kiss him with everything in me. The temptation was overwhelming, but I forcefully shoved that lustful desire deep down, refusing to let it consume me. Meeting his eyes again, I composed myself, determined not to let my desires get the better of me.

"You can let go of me now. I promise I won't fall," I remarked, raising my eyebrows playfully. This elicited a laugh from the young guy who had pushed me.

"My bad, my fault. In my defense, I didn't think she'd trip. Have you smelled her, Cruz?" he said.

"I could smell her from the door, Garret. You didn't have to push her in," Cruz scolded, rising from his chair. Suddenly, his demeanor shifted, and he appeared friendly when he asked, "Are you okay?"

“"Yeah, I'm fine," I replied, glancing at Amaya who seemed to find the situation amusing for some reason.

"What are you smelling, Cruz?" Amaya asked, as if she knew some kind of secret. Cruz emitted a low growl, causing me to yelp in surprise.

"Sorry," I blushed, feeling embarrassed. I was acting completely out of character.

"She's not my mate, if that's what you're asking. She does smell the way you'd expect your mate to smell, but Maverik hasn't claimed her," Cruz explained, further confusing me.

"Mate?" I tilted my head to the side, accidentally grazing Dane's shoulder in the process. Although he had let me go, he still remained within my personal space.

"It's like what you humans call a soulmate, only so much more. A mate is the other half of your soul, a gift bestowed upon you by the goddess Selene. When we find our mate, they consume our entire being. It's a bond unlike any other, but you wouldn't understand that," Cruz explained, reverting back to his cold and assertive self. "Why are you here?" he directed his question at Amaya.

"Raya won't be staying here indefinitely. I came to make a proposition. Take a month to get to know Raya. If, by the end of that month, you still can't trust her, then I will seal her tongue. She won't be able to speak to anyone about us or to any of us again," Amaya proposed.

"Amaya, no," I protested, unable to fathom a world in which I couldn't communicate with her.

"I have faith that you'll find Raya just as trustworthy as I do. Just don't fall in love with her," Amaya laughed.

"I don't like it," Dane interjected, offering his input for some reason.

"I think it's a great idea!" Garret chimed in, wearing that same playful smirk. He winked at me as he noticed me looking at him, causing me to quickly redirect my attention back to Amaya.

"Fine, but it's not like I'm going to make room in my schedule for her," Cruz reluctantly agreed, settling back into his chair and gesturing for us to leave. Amaya smirked, grabbing my wrist and pulling me out of the room. As I glanced back, I noticed Dane staring at me, and for a moment, I thought he might follow us as he took a step towards us. However, Garret closed the doors, and their conversation became muffled.

"Don't worry, Raya. I know you can charm him just like you charmed me. Let's just go to bed. You'll share my room," Amaya reassured me.

Amaya led the way back to her room, but we ended up not resting at all. We talked about everything we could possibly think of regarding this world. She shared details about her magic and all the things she could do with it. I asked her if her parents were witches too, and she confirmed that witches are born from witches. If a witch were to be with a human, their child would not possess any magic. So, Amaya would have to find a wizard if she wanted her child to have the same abilities as her.

“Magic is great and powerful, but it can also be a scary thing. Not all witches are good, Raya. Beware of those who call themselves sorcerers and wear a ruby ring. They are the ones who aid vampires the most, but they use dark magic, sacrificing others to delve deeper into the magical realm," Amaya warned me.

"Don't worry, once I get to go back home, I don't plan on venturing out ever again," I replied, my laughter lacking any real humor. I was dead serious. I never wanted to encounter another creature of the night again, except for Amaya.

Amaya eventually fell asleep around 4 in the morning, but I couldn't manage to get any sleep no matter how hard I tried. By the time 6 o'clock rolled around, I decided to get up and go for a run. Amaya's closet was filled with black and a hint of gray, but somehow I managed to find some workout clothes. I squeezed into her shirt with a built-in sports bra, although my breasts were threatening to spill out of the top. Letting out a sigh, I decided to stick with it since I had no other options. Luckily, Amaya and I shared the same shoe size, allowing me to slip into a surprisingly pink pair of running shoes. After a bit of searching, I finally found the doors that led outside.

To my surprise, there were already many people awake and bustling about. I kept my head low, putting on my earphones and playing some mellow music to enjoy the scenery around me. As I started to jog steadily, the song "Lost" by Blake Rose began to play. Instead of venturing into the woods, I decided to run around the small town. Initially, it was just houses, but as I went further, I found myself in the center of what appeared to be a shopping plaza. There was a tempting coffee shop that seemed to beckon me, but then I remembered that I didn't have any money on me. I stared at the place with sad eyes, hoping to somehow absorb the caffeine through the scent alone. Suddenly, I felt a light tap on my shoulder, causing me to turn and find Garret smiling at me. His words were drowned out by my music, so I removed one earbud to hear him better.

"I'm sorry, what did you say?" I asked.

"I said, no matter how hard you smell the air, caffeine doesn't work that way," Garret replied. I was certain my cheeks turned pink as he caught me in my silly moment.

"I know that, but a girl can dream. Obviously, I wasn't expecting to be stuck here, so I didn't bring my wallet with me," I explained.

"Come on, I'll get you a cup," Garret insisted, giving me a sweet smile and holding the door open for me.

"You don't have to do that," I protested, feeling a bit awkward about accepting his offer.

"Nonsense, I made you trip last night," he reminded me. I had almost forgotten about that incident.

"When you put it that way," I chuckled, appreciating his gesture as I walked in, ready for the caffeine to course through my veins.

As I entered the coffee shop, I was greeted not only by the strong aroma of coffee grounds and the sound of the espresso machine, but also by the stares of others. They looked at me with such scrutiny, as if my presence alone disgusted them. If I had to venture a guess, I would say they hate humans, or maybe just me.

"Don't mind them, they're just jealous," Garret whispered in my ear, his breath tickling me and causing a shiver to run down my spine.

"Please don't do that," I said, my voice coming out firmer than intended.

"Sorry, did it turn you on?" he smirked playfully, showing no shame. Garret seemed to have no boundaries.

"Not at all, it just made me uncomfortable," I replied, meeting his gaze with a serious expression. I wanted him to understand that I wasn't interested in any flirtation.

"Ouch," he feigned pain, clutching his chest. "I didn't know you could be so straightforward. I have to say, if you don't want guys to look at you the way the guy behind the counter is, you might want to cover up a bit more," he pointed out, gesturing towards my breasts.

I pursed my lips, feeling a surge of annoyance. "It's not my fault. I don't exactly have my clothes here," I snapped, frustrated with the situation.

Garret raised his hands in surrender, acting as if I had attacked him. "I can fix that if you like."

"How?" I asked, curious about his solution.

"We have clothes donated to us. I'll take you to the warehouse where we receive our new donations, and you can pick out some stuff for yourself," he explained.

"Really?" I couldn't help but feel a surge of joy. "Thank you," I said, my arms twitching with the urge to hug him, but I restrained myself.

"I will take that hug you're trying to hold back," he said, seemingly reading my mind.

Unable to resist any longer, I gave him a quick hug. Garret held me close, and a sudden wave of emotion washed over me. It was an odd feeling, different from what I felt with Dane. This felt more like finding an old friend, someone I deeply loved. My eyes began to water inexplicably, blurring my vision before I blinked the tears away. I quickly wiped at my eyes as I pulled back from the hug.

"Did you feel that, too?" Garret asked, his expression filled with surprise.

I nodded, unable to find the words to describe the intense connection we had just experienced. "What was that? It felt so strong, like... like we're somehow..."

"Connected," he finished my sentence, his voice filled with a mix of wonder and confusion. "We need to see Amaya. Sorry, but coffee will have to wait."

"No, but coffee," I pouted, extending my hand dramatically towards the counter. Garret laughed, but then he swiftly scooped me up like a rag doll and began to run at a speed I didn't know was possible on two legs. My heart raced as I tried to comprehend what was happening.