VALERIA What a day! So many confusing thoughts and questions assailed my thoughts as I sat beside Reese in the hospital room.My heart thudded steadily as I watched his fragile state, my fingers lightly tracing the edge of the blanket that covered his still form. The beeping of the monitors was a constant reminder of how pale and fragile life could be. A twinge of pity wormed its way into my stomach.I shoved down a lump down my increasingly dry throat. My heart was a tangled mess of emotions—fear, worry, anger, and something deeper, more confusing. I clenched my teeth in annoyance.Damn it! I wasn't supposed to care this much. It wasn't part of the plan.I was so close.....I was so damn close to run into his inviting arms back then when he had apologised to me. Something in me coaxed me to accept his apologies.My child didn't even make matters any easier. When his tiny voice called him dad, I almost threw precautions to the wind and jumped into his arms.I may not accept Reese
REESE I stirred, feeling the weight of an eternity pressing down on me. My eyelids fluttered open, and through the haze of disorientation, I recognized the sterile white ceiling of the hospital. The faint beeping of machines and the antiseptic smell, they all indicated that I was somewhere safe. My senses sharpened, and I became acutely aware of a presence nearby. It was Valeria. Her familiar scent, which was a blend of wildflowers and something uniquely her, enveloped me completely, drawing me in like a spell. I turned my head slightly and found her sitting by my bedside. As I looked at her, it was evident that her face was filled with worry and exhaustion. She was talking to someone in a low but urgent voice. "Why didn’t you tell me Reese could wake up any time soon?" she demanded. The edge in her voice was unmistakable. "I didn’t want to give you false hope," came the doctor's calm reply. "His condition was touch and go for a while." "I was prepared for the worst," Valeria
VALERIA I walked up to my front door, and right now, the familiar creak of the wooden steps under my feet brought me a sense of comfort in a way. It had been a long day, and all I wanted was to relax with a glass of wine. The moon was just starting to rise, casting a silvery glow over the front yard. As I reached into my bag for my keys, my mind was already drifting to the peace of my living room. As I opened the door, a sudden pressure against my head jolted me back to reality. Cold metal was pressed into my temple, and a voice growled harshly in my ear, "Move, and you die." Every muscle in my body froze. My breath hitched, and my heart kept pounding in my chest. Slowly, I turned my head, and the fear I felt kept gripping me tighter with each fraction of movement that I made. My eyes met a pair of familiar ones, but the coldness in them was new, and it really chilled me to the bone. "Collins?" I whispered. The disbelief I felt was totally evident in my voice. He just smirked. The
REESE"Dave?!" I gasped in shock as the realization hit me like a sack of bricks.This was the other twin that had been with Valeria for five years, the one whom I thought had passed away.How did we mix them up together?! The resemblance was so uncanny that I didn't realize it, and neither did Valeria.She must have been in a hurry to have recognized that Derek was the one she had picked up and not Dave.Dave's green eyes sparkled eagerly as he peered up at me in confusion. It was as if I could see myself in him.I quickly straightened up and shot him a warm smile, masking the turbulent thoughts inside of me.What do I do? I have to take him back to Valeria."Dad?" His tiny voice broke through my turbulent thoughts, snapping me to the present.I flashed him a stiff smile and said,"Don't worry, Dave. I will take you to your mother right now. Let's go."He nodded and replied, "Alright, Dad.""That's my good boy!" I ruffled his hair andled him outside to the parking lot.We got inside
VALERIAA sharp, acrid, burning smell tugged at my nostrils, snapping me from my unconsciousness.My vision was blurry, and my whole body ached with a dull throbbing pain.As my eyes adjusted, a horrific sight greeted me, almost making me puke in disgust.Oh my god! What the hell happened here?!The entire building had almost burned down! Collins lay on the ground, his body burned beyond recognition.The grotesque image was haunting, sending a bone-deep shiver shooting up and down my body.Wait, we were kidnapped and threatened. So where was Derek?!With panic clawing up in my throat, I scanned the area, still engulfed in smoke that was already fizzing out through the open roof.My heart dropped as I spotted two of my twins lying motionless on the ground a few feet from Collins.Fear surged through my veins, propelling me to go over where they were lying.I could feel the heaviness and pain searing through every fiber of my body.But I couldn't care less about that right now. My child
REESEThe witch's voice was low and eerie, filled with ancient wisdom. "For unto us shall be given a child of prophecy who shall possess the power of the moon goddess."I gasped in shock as her words rang through my mind. I ran a frantic hand through my hair, and beads of sweat dotted my temples."What?!" Valeria and I cried in unison. She was as confused and shocked as I was.What was this prophecy about anyway? This was the first time I had heard of it.I blinked repeatedly, still trying to make sense of the witch's revelation."What do you mean? I don't understand. Please explain further." I said it breathlessly.The witch nodded."Very well. I understand your shock." She started and then paused, taking in a deep breath and puffing it out slowly.My heart was racing with billions of confusing questions and scenarios. How in the world was this possible? Children of the prophecy? I never knew!An uneasy, brief silence hung in the air, making me uncomfortable and restless.Finally, sh
VALERIA"What do you mean?" Reese was quizzed, his voice raspy and his green eyes gleaming with desire.I gulped.I could feel Reese's eyes on me, tracing every curve of my body with an intensity that made my insides coil with a mixture of discomfort and desire.I tried to calm my ragging breathing.but every glance from him felt like torture. His eyes were like lasers, boring holes into my body. The way they raked all over my body was as if he were undressing me with his mind.The air between us was thick, charged with an electric tension that had been building since we met again.I bit my bottom lip aggressively. Damn it! I hated that he could have this much power over me. His mere sight made my skin burn, and my pulse quickened with unbridled desire.But more than that, I despised how badly I wanted it.Fuck! I wanted him so badly! The way his wet shirt clung to his muscular body and the way his brown hair plastered to his face was mesmerizing.His gaze was so searing that I shifte
VALERIA"The kids are awake!" It was the maid.Relief surged through me. Finally, my boys are awake, just as the witch had said!The cool air hit my skin as I climbed out of the pool. Droplets of water clung to me like dew on a summer morning.What the hell just happened a few seconds ago?!My heart pounded aggressively against my chest, like the galloping of a thousand horses. Gosh! My cheeks burned. The near kiss with Reese was still a lingering ghost between us, its phantom touch almost searing through my bones.The evening breeze howled past, causing me to shiver. I quickly wrapped my arms around myself as if to shield my heart from the overwhelming ache that had blossomed in my chest. I felt oddly bereft and devoid of his touch. I bit my bottom lip, fighting the urge to jump back into the pool and continue what we started.I grabbed a towel and wrapped it around my wet body.We had to see our sons now that they were awake. This was super important! I would attend to these chaotic