Page 29 of His Blue Moon Princess (The Silver City #1)

“Oh, sure!”

She hands me a water bottle, and I start drinking like I haven’t had any in weeks. Once I’m done, I feel a lot better. Daniel takes the bottle away, and Elena smiles at me and puts her hand on my forehead like a doctor.

“You should feel a lot better now. Do you still feel hot?”

I shake my head, still confused. “Elena, what’s going on? What happened?”

“I found you there this morning; you looked very sick. I thought of taking you to the hospital, but it was just a slight fever. Too many emotions these days, huh?

I nod. I didn’t think I’d feel sick just from all that... Probably the rain from the other day, too... Elena sighs, “Don’t worry, we already gave you some medicine. It works great on werewolves, so you should be fine now.”

So that’s why I feel a bit cold instead of hot... I don’t feel my wolf either; it’s like she is half-asleep.

“Thank you, Elena”

She nods and gives me an extra blanket. “It’s alright. You can sleep anyway; it’s Sunday. Will you be okay about going to work tomorrow?”

Right, work... I can’t believe I have to go to work after everything that happened. It feels a bit surreal, but after all, I wanted this job. I nod. I may not be too happy with it for once, but I guess I must. And it’s not like Damian will come, anyway.

“Okay. Well, just rest for today, Nora.”

I spend the Sunday resting on Elena’s couch. I feel cold and a bit drowsy for most of the day, and when I’m not talking to Elena or Daniel, I just sleep. All those semi-naps allow me to take time to think, a lot. About Damian and our relationship. What I want to do next. About the whole situation of Silver City, too. Sadly, I can’t come up with any solution regarding the Clans.

Regarding my mate, however, I know exactly what my feelings are. When Monday comes, Bobo brings me some of my clothes from the apartment. Elena lent me hers for the weekend, but she is taller than me, and I need to wear my own clothes for work. I put on a denim skirt and a white top, my earrings and my necklace, and Bobo drives me to work after breakfast.

It feels good to be back to work. There is so much to do that I don’t have time to think about anything else. Chef Michel keeps me busy all day, and every other minute, Narcissa is the one giving me chores. During my break, Liam and Tonia send me messages to hear some of my news. Honestly, I’m fine.

I feel better than I have been in a long time. Once my shift is over, Bobo comes to pick me up as promised.

“Are we going back to Elena’s?” He asks while starting the car.

“No, Bobo. Can you bring me back to the apartment? I want to take a shower and change. I will go see Damian after that.”

“Okay.”

The apartment is just as I left it, but colder. Bobo waits for me while I take my shower. It feels nice to wash my hair after a long day of work. When I’m done, I put my denim skirt back on, and pick a white sweater to go with it. Bobo helps me dry my hair while I put some light makeup on.

“How do you feel?”

“I’m okay, Bobo. Talking with Liam was... enlightening. Have you heard about Damian?”

He nods in the mirror, still focused on braiding my hair. “He is not doing well, according to Neal. He didn’t go to work today. Only Nathaniel can approach him...”

That doesn’t sound too good... I remember his voicemail once again. I know it almost by heart now; I listened to it so many times. It is high time we talk. After a few more minutes, I’m finally ready.

In the car, surprisingly, I’m calmer than I have ever been in a long while. My wolf and I are finally synching our feelings, and it’s more peaceful this way. I just want to see Damian for now. It’s only been two days, but it feels like I haven’t seen him in weeks...

We arrive at the Company building, and Bobo accompanies me to the elevator, pressing the button to the top floor for me. Now I’m starting to feel anxious. I play nervously with my necklace as the numbers grow on the little panel. 24th floor, 25th... Calm down, Nora. My wolf is starting to get restless, too.

When we finally arrive, to my surprise, Nathaniel is at the entrance, talking to someone on the phone. As soon as he sees me, he hangs up, surprised.

“Nora? What are you...?”

“I came to see Damian. Is he here?”

He nods. “He is upstairs, in his apartment, but...”

“Can I go see him?”

It takes a few seconds, but he nods and steps aside to let me through. I don’t really know where his apartment is, but I remember his office layout from last time. There was a small corridor with some stairs, and I quickly find the door I’m looking for.

When I enter, everything is dark. All the curtains are down. Didn’t anyone at least put the lights on? I wouldn’t be able to take a step in if it wasn’t for my wolf’s night vision. It’s not only the room that is in the dark— all the furniture is either black, grey, or dark wood. Very different from my own... This place is much colder, neat, and sober. It doesn’t feel like a place to live in.

I leave my shoes at the entrance and walk silently. It’s my first time here, but I can just rely on my wolf’s instinct to find her mate. I progress slowly in the apartment until I reach the master bedroom. Next to a large king bed, pieces of furniture are scattered, like someone broke them violently. Probably the remains of a bed-side table...

“Nora...?”

Damian is sitting next to the glass wall. He looks like a wreck... He’s shirtless but wearing the same pants as last Friday and a three-day beard. He has dark circles under his eyes, and his black hair is in a mess. When I walk up to him, his silver eyes are filled with surprise. I crouch down in front of him, calmer than I expected, despite being so close to him.

He reaches his hand to caress my cheek, and I can see in his eyes he is checking if I’m real. I breathe in, gathering my confidence. “Hi, Damian.”

My voice seems to give him a shock, and he suddenly gets agitated. “Nora, Nora, I’m so sorry! I’ve been an idiot, I... I know I should’ve told you about all this. I’m so, so sorry, Nora...”

I put my hands on his scratchy cheeks, looking into his eyes, trying to calm him down. Our faces are so close. He keeps shaking his head, whispering excuses with a broken voice.

“Damian, calm down,” I murmur calmly.

“I’m so sorry, Nora, I’m sorry...”

He seems to calm down, and without being able to refrain myself any longer, I lean in to kiss his lips. Gosh, I missed this taste... I retreat, and he stares at me, surprised.

“I’m still mad at you,” I clarify. “...But I listened to your voicemail. That, and I talked to Liam, too.”

“My message... I didn’t think you would really listen to it...”

“Well, I did.”

He nods and sighs. He looks really tired... Don’t tell me he hasn’t gotten any sleep since Friday night? It can’t be...

“I meant everything I said. I’m so sorry, Nora... I should have talked to you.”

“Damian, we can’t keep going like this.”

He frowns and looks at me in the eye. I need to say this now because I can’t take it anymore. I take his face in my hands, talking very seriously now.

“Don’t hide things from me. I know you want to protect me, but this is just hurting me more. I don’t want to have to learn things from others again. Tell me, Damian. Anything I’m involved with, everything I need to know. You should have told me about the issues with your Clan and this engagement sooner. I can handle it, okay? Stop protecting me so much.”

He shakes his head. “I will never stop protecting you, Nora. I don’t want you to suffer or be caught in any of this mess.”

“You are making me suffer more with those secrets! Damian, I love you too, but if I can’t trust you, I can’t stay with you.”

Damian suddenly grabs me by the waist, bringing me closer to him with an anxious expression I’ve never seen before. I’m straddling him, but we are both too agitated for any other thoughts right now.

“Don’t leave me, Nora. I don’t want to go through this ever again,” he says, looking more serious than ever.

I put my hands behind his head and look him right in the eye. “Then promise me. No more secrets, Damian. About me, about you, or the Clan. Don’t deliberately hide things from me again.”

“What if you don’t like it?”

“I can handle it. I’m a big girl, Damian, not a defenseless pup.”

I see him hesitating, frowning. He is thinking so hard, it’s like I can hear his inner turmoil from here. He closes his eyes and rests his head on my shoulder. I instinctively start caressing the base of his hairline, brushing his short hair with my fingertips. His arms slide around my waist, hugging me close.

“...What if you don’t love me because of what you are going to hear?”

“Damian, I came back after hearing you were engaged to another woman. Unless you have a wife and kids somewhere, I should be able to handle it.”

He chuckles, and I slap his shoulder, annoyed. It’s not funny! I’m still mad about this whole engagement thing...

I feel him sigh against my neck. “I’m a fighter, Nora. I’ve killed people before, and I will do it again if needed. Not only my own father, but I have a lot of blood on my hands. You are so pure and innocent, sometimes I’m scared all this darkness will scare you away.”

I know that. I knew from the start that one doesn’t become Alpha in a city of werewolves just with relations and money. We live in a world filled with violence. The Black Brothers are not just the three nice young men I know. They hold the lives of hundreds of people in their hands, and many more depend on them. It’s a scary world hiding in their shadows. Even if Liam is a teen like me, he is a fighter. Nathaniel, too, fully supports Damian. Lastly, Damian is the King of this city, the most powerful man and the most dangerous wolf. I never forget that. Even now, when he is in my arms.

“You won’t, Damian. I promise.”

He raises his head and kisses me without warning. A loving, tender kiss. I respond to it, unable to resist. I’ve missed him so much for those two days... His strong arms holding me, the touch of his hands in my hair and on my waist. His body heat and smell melting with mine. After a few seconds of getting drunk on his lips, I gather whatever is left of my self-control to push him away.

“Stop kissing me, Damian. You didn’t promise. Please.”

He sighs, playing with my curls between his fingers. When he speaks again, he looks at me in the eye, very seriously. “No more secrets, Nora. I promise.”

I smile. Finally! Now that I have his word, and I hope he will keep it, I have to ask a question that has been on the back of my mind all weekend. Truth is, I’m a bit scared. I really hope he will give me the answer I need to hear. I take a deep breath and ask him very seriously.

“Damian, that woman... Did you sleep with her?”

I can’t even describe how scared I am right now. It’s like my stomach is filled with ice.

For a second, Damian looks perplexed by my question, and after a while, he sighs and gives me a faint smile. “No.I swear, Nora, I’ve never even kissed her. I don’t love her, Nora, you’re the only one for me. You’ve always been the only one.”

I want to believe him, I really do. I guess it will just take some time now, after everything that happened. I nod to his answer, feeling definitely better, and Damian smiles and gives me a quick kiss. He makes it look so simple...

Just when I’m about to say something, he suddenly starts searching for something around us with his hand. I see him grab one of the wooden pieces left on the floor. It’s small, but triangle-shaped, looking quite sharp. I want to ask what he is going to do with this, but before I can say a thing, he suddenly uses it to pierce his own hand!

“Damian! What the...?”

I grab his wrist to look at his wound, panicked. Why the hell did he just do this? It looks deep, too!

Damian stays very calm, his eyes still on me. “You said no more secrets. So now, I need you to kiss me.”

“What? Are you mad? It’s not the time for kisses, Damian, you’re bleeding!”

He is bleeding! I want to do something, call Nate or someone, but Damian suddenly grabs me by the waist, forcing a kiss on me. I try to push him away. Who wants to kiss at a time like this! But of course, he is way too strong for me. He is so passionate, his forceful lips playing against mine. I’m still worried, but it’s like a conditioned response for me to move my lips. For a few seconds, our breaths intertwine, while my mind is half enjoying it and half worried about his injury. I retreat after one or two seconds.

“Damian, stop! You need—”

“Nora, look.”

Cutting me in the middle of my sentence, he shows me his hand. His perfectly fine hand... What just happened? There was a deep cut right in the middle of his palm just a few seconds ago! Yet now, it looks completely normal, except for a bit of dried blood around it. Even for a werewolf, healing this fast from a wound like this is insane!

“But, how...?”

“It’s you, Nora.”

Me? I stare at Damian, confused. What does he mean by that? Does he mean this kiss was for...? I take his hand in mine, rechecking it, making sure I’m not hallucinating or something. A bit of fresh blood is still there, drying already, but the wound has completely disappeared.

“I don’t get it...”

“I don’t really know how it works, either, but if I kiss you, all my wounds will heal much faster than usual just like this,” he explains.

“How did you know...?”

“From our first meeting. You saved my life like this.”

I suddenly remember the story Liam told me last Saturday. How badly their father injured Damian ten years ago. Liam did say he thought his brother might actually have died from it at that time. Those were no light injuries. They even thought he might have died, but Damian showed up alive and completely fine a few days later... I blink, stunned by what it all means.

“Damian Black, are you telling me you kissed a seven-year-old girl and magically healed from death-threatening injuries that way?”

He smiles, amused by my shocked reaction. I can’t believe him! He knew for ten years that I can do those... weird magically healing kisses, and never said a thing!

“Don’t laugh! You knew since the very beginning that I can do this, and you never told me!”

“I had my reasons. First, it’s tiring for you, isn’t it?”

Now that he says it, I do feel a bit more tired than two minutes ago. Like after a workout or something similar. Not to the point of exhaustion, but I still feel sleepy.

“The first time you did it, you collapsed, Nora. I didn’t want to put you in danger this way. Thankfully, this ability only seems to tire you out if I need healing. As you already know, if we kiss when I’m fine, nothing happens to you. I also think this is linked to you not being able to fast-heal. Since you can heal me, it probably takes away a bit of your own ability, and I don’t really like that.”

It kind of makes sense, in a way... Is it because I’m half a Royal, then? Could it be some sort of secret ability? Healing others instead of myself? But, with a kiss? It’s still a bit... odd.

“Do you think it only works on you, because you are my fated mate? Or maybe...”

What if I used it on others? Well, it’s not like I plan on going around kissing people to try, but still, I wonder if it’s just between the two of us or if it could work on anyone. Damian suddenly makes an angry face after hearing me. Uh-oh.

“Don’t even think about it, Nora,” he growls.

I forgot how possessive he can be, sometimes...

“Wait a second... Don’t tell me that is the real reason why you never told me.”

I wait for an answer, but he actually stays silent, avoiding my eyes. What...? I can’t believe him! How can he be so selfish and jealous? Keeping this a secret the whole time was just because he was afraid I would go around kissing other people? Really!

“Damian Black! You—”

Before I can unleash my anger at him, he suddenly grabs me by the waist again and makes me shut up with a kiss. Gosh, this man!

However, my anger subsides naturally after a few seconds. I’m comfortable in Damian’s arms, leaning on his chest to answer his kiss. I feel his hand, caressing my cheek, playing with my hair, holding me close. I don’t want to part with him. This is where I belong. In this man’s embrace, surrounded by his caresses. Moon Goddess, I feel so much better now, pressed against his chest.

After a long while, our lips finally part. We face each other, Damian’s arms around me. His silver eyes are glowing in the dark...

“I’ve missed you...” He whispers.

“I missed you, too.”

I observe him. He looks older, with the lack of sleep, and the beard. It’s my first time seeing his bare chest, too. I never realized how muscular he was, underneath all the clothes. I can’t help myself and slowly follow the lines of his muscles with my fingertips. He has perfectly shaped abs, like a Greek sculpture. I like it... a lot.

He grabs my hand with his. “My Love, I’m happy that you enjoy the view, but if your fingers go any lower, then you’re going to make things difficult for me.”

I blush a little. Silly, Nora. I kind of forgot which position we are in... He chuckles at my embarrassment, and brings my fingers to his lips, kissing them one by one.

“You work out?” I ask, trying to chase my uneasiness.

“When I have free time. It helps to keep my wolf under control.”

The whole Alpha thing. I guess it’s like me when I can’t manage my anger properly, letting everyone around me feel it. Is that why he stayed here? I look around, my eyes falling on the remnants of furniture.

“Seems like this self-control thing isn’t perfect yet...”

He sighs. “Only when it comes to you... I’m the most irrational man there is. Neal and Nate lectured me lots already.”

I can’t help but feel sorry about all this, too. It seems like this weekend was a nightmare for him...

He leans on my shoulder again, closing his eyes.

“Damian, you should get some sleep, you look exhausted...”

“...Stay with me.”

“I will,” I answer without thinking.

For a few seconds, he stays silent, and I wonder if he fell asleep. To my surprise, he suddenly gets up, carrying me with him, and take us both to the bed. We land heavily on the dark sheets, Damian still holding me against him. We are so close, his lips are almost touching my forehead. I touch his spiky chin again with my fingertips.

“I like it. Your beard.”

“I’ll keep it that way then,” he whispers.

I hear his breath slow down until he falls asleep. I fall into slumber, too, a while later, soothed by Damian’s embrace, the silence around us, and the darkness.