The Lost Sister ✓ [COMPLETED]

Ch. 23 *The Beauty Of The Night*❣️

"Luna."
I stop talking entirely.
He stares at me, deep into my eyes.
It makes my chest tighten and heart pound.

When did I start to feel this?
When did he, Marko, the vampire, the outcast of the world, make butterflies in my stomach take full flight, and make my heart pound out of my chest?

He leans closer. "Do you trust me?" He whispers, warm breath tickling the side of my face.
Every ounce of my body screams yes.
I nod, slowly taking his hand and stepping onto the window frame.

He reaches and snakes his arms around my waist, pulling me tightly into his chest.
I hang on to him for dear life, eyes squeezed shut in fear.

Oh Lord please don't drop me again!

Soon, my feet leave the safety of the window seal, and I begin to feel weightless.
I look up into his face, the moonlight shining down upon us as we're in midair, doing one slow spin.

Any fear I felt is gone, and replaced with sheer joy.
I'm actually IN THE SKY!
I could touch a star if I wanted too!
But the worry of losing my hold on Marko keeps my arms wrapped tight around him.

I laugh, eyes glancing from every corner of the view and sky that I see.
It's breathtaking.
So much better then any plane ride.

He smiles, arms never loosening.
I glance up at him. "It's beautiful."
"You're beautiful," he whispers, before he lifts one hand to gently push aside some of my hair.

My cheeks are probably bright pink.
But I don't care.
There's to much to love and see to be embarrassed from blushes.

Soon, our feet touch the solidity of the ground, and Marko's arms let me go.
"Is that what you wanted to show me?" I smile, both happy and disappointed.

I wanted to stay up there forever, lost in the clouds and beauty of the dark moonlit sky.
But if that's all he wanted to show me, then I'll have to go back to my room...

I don't want that.

He chuckles. "A part of it," he nods towards his moterbike.

Excitement floods my chest as I giggle, following him to his bike and getting on.
What else does he have in store for tonight, I wonder.
He starts it, and soon we fly down the road, running head first into the night.

***

We drove for several minutes, the cool October wind blowing in our hair.
The moonlight shines through the tree branches, and the stars above us sparkle.

It's all so gorgeous.

Soon, Marko parks his bike and gets off.
I follow.
He turns to face me. "Take my hand," he says, which I do, and he leads me deeper into the forest.

I don't know how long we walk for, but I'm not scared. Not scared at all.
Marko is here with me...and with his hand in mine, I feel safe.

He takes me to a little opening with one giant willow tree standing tall, it's branches hanging so low you can touch them.
Surrounding it are gorgeous wildflowers, ones that I can't help but kneel and touch, before picking one to smell and tuck into my ear.

I giggle, before Marko takes a seat beside me.
I glance at him. "Okay, I'll admit, this is way better then sleep."
He laughs, "I'm glad you think so."

I scoot closer to him, letting my hand rest on top of his shoulder.
His arm wraps around my waist.

I exhale deeply, sinking into this feeling of safety, of pure completion.
"I don't want this to ever end..." I whisper, glancing up to see Marko's eyes. "Thank you."

"You're welcome," he smiles, before exhaling softly and staring off into the night.
I glance at him a few times, my heart and mind racing with questions, with desires.

Who was he before becoming a vampire?

"Marko?"
He looks at me.
"What were you like? Before you became a vampire." I ask.
"Did you have any brothers or sisters? Who were your parents? Where did you live?"

I continue to keep asking all these questions I want to know, before his joyless laughter makes me stop.
"Luna," he says, "that's a past I want to forget."
He clenches a fist. "It...wasn't a good one."

I want to ask him why, but the way he cups my face with his hand makes my breath hitch.
"But I'd go through it all again, if it means I'd meet you."

My eyes widen.

He takes my hand, kissing my knuckles. "I brought you out here to tell you something," he exhales a shaky breath, nervousness taking over him.

I hold my breath.
Whatever he wants to say, he's nervous about it.
I can see it the way his hands slightly shake within mine, how he looks everywhere but at me.

I'd be lying if I said I wasn't curious.

He meets my eyes.
"Luna... you're my Mate."

Mate?!

I gasp, yanking my hand away from his.
This cannot be.
I'm not a vampire! How could I be his Mate?
It's not true.
But something in my chest tells me it is.

"Bu-but how?!" I ask, "how am I your Mate?"

"I don't know," he exhales, lowering his head. "I know that this is shocking. That you're human, and I'm a vampire. But..." He gulps, pushing some of his hair aside. "I do have feelings for you Luna. Mating Bond or not, I'd still feel these feelings. You've showed me that there is good in this world, good in humans."

He takes my hand again. "I'll understand if you don't want this. Just say the word Luna, and I'll let you go."

Let me go?
My lips part slightly as I glance down at our conjoined hands.
I'm Marko's Mate...
My heart beats out of my chest.

I felt something that night Marko dropped me when I twisted my ankle, but I thought I was being ridiculous.
But what it really was was our Mating Bond snapping into place.

But, just like he said, Mating Bond or not...
I choose him.

I bring his hand up to my face, smiling softly.
His eyes widen. "Luna?"
"I care about you too," I whisper, "I want to accept this. I want to be with you..."

"Luna..." He says through a exhale, shock and joy taking over his facial expression.
I lean forward and kiss him softly.
My first kiss.

His hands reach up and cup my face, kissing me back.
My heart feels like its about to explode.

Vampire or not, I'd have these feelings for Marko.
Through these months I've known him, they've only gotten stronger.
What I felt for Michael is nothing like I feel for Marko.

For Michael, it was a girlish, giddy short of crush.
But for Marko...
This is acceptance. For one another's pros and cons, for bad and good days, for all of it.

I'll stand by him, wherever he goes.
I am with him.