A love like ours ✔️

♚12.🔥Nightmares and temptation

Rafael

✹Present day✹

Star left a crisp white T-shirt and a pair of grey sweats on the bed for me. Male ones. If I didn't knew any better I'd say she'd given me Rokoti's clothes to taunt me. I'm more than certain that he spends a lot of time here, and I pray he sleeps in this room, not hers. Alas, beggars don't get to be chosers. It's either this or nothing, because my clothes are a bloody mess.

I'm pulled from my reverie by a scream. Ray. I'm out of the bed in no time heading for the stairs. My blood is boiling. Whoever thought they could harm her in her own house will have hell to pay, I'm going to tear them limb for limb.

I reach her room and switch the lights on. There's no one but her and Nyx there, and my heart rate slows down. My sweetheart is having a nightmare, and the big feline is trying to wake her up by pawing and licking her face. She's too far gone though.

As I aproach the bed, aware of the wild predator, Nyx comes near me. But her stance isn't threatening. I still, even though my insides are screaming to reach Ray. She sniffs me and licks my hand, then she gently nudges me towards the bed. Message recieved: Help her!

Ray's face is stained by tears. I've never seen her like this, she never had nightmares like this one. I sit on the bed, pulling her in my arms and hugging her tightly. She settles a little. It's that thing between us telling her she's with me. She's safe.

"You're ok, everything it's all right." I whisper in her ear rocking her gently, while I debate on whether or not I should wake her up.

The decision is taken off my handd when she startles awake with a big gasp for air, and without even thinking she hugs me back, nuzzling her head in the crook of my neck, taking my scent in. It's as if making sure that I'm real, that we're safe, that we're here and not wherever the dream has taken her to.

I gently stroke her side with my hand. Her silk PJ top has ridden up, and just as I'm about to lower my palm, I fell the countours of a long scar. Looking down, terror takes over... that one is new and I know from my training that the weapon that made it at least grazed her heart. I squeeze her tighter, she was almost lost to me and I had no idea. All I ever wanted was to protect her, even if it was from me. But I failed, miserably so.

"What happened?"My question is pointed by me rubbing my thumb against the scar.

"I don't want to talk about it, so don't push it." she says softly. There was a time when she would have told me anything, and I'm dead set on getting that back.

"All right then. Sleep now, Star. I'm going to make sure your monsters stay away." I promise, kissing her forehead.

She doesn't protest, just melting in my embrace, letting the darkness claim her. There's a light switch next to the bed too, just as I turn it off, Nyx cuddles to our feet.

•☽•☽•☽•☽•☽✹☾•☾•☾•☾•☾•

"Don't do it." I warn the panther perched on a chair in front of the counter.

She throws me a defiant "watch me" look and paws the spoon she's set her attention on off the table. I swear I can see satisfaction gleaming in her eyes as it hits the ground with a loud cling... for the third time this morning.

"Damn it." I sigh, bending to pick it up and setting it in the sink.

Despite Nyx's little mischiefs, I'm in high spirits. I haven't slept so well in ages. Even after freshening up, Ray's scent is still on me, and I love it.

She was still fast asleep when I left her room to make us breakfast. The kitchen was fully stacked, so finding ingredients wasn't a problem.

She doesn't remeber to eat in the morning, however she always has her coffee. I put the the two plates with syrupy berry panckakes, the orange juice and coffe on a tray, and I make my way towards the second floor. She's an early bird, I know she's either in her office or in the library, working. The later's door is open so I make my way there.