MOONLIT REBIRTH: THE SACRED LUNA'S AWAKENING

EMELINE'S POV

"You lying, cheating bastard!" I screamed, throwing Derek's laptop at his naked body tangled up with his skanky assistant Jasmine on our bed. How could he do this to me after five years together?

Derek tried to cover himself as Jasmine screamed. “Babe, it’s not what it looks like, I swear!”

“Don’t you ‘babe’ me!” I rushed at the furniture, grabbed whatever I could my hands on – shoes, his books, his precious Xbox controller – and threw it at the filthy cheaters. ‘’I just wish I never met you; you’ve wasted my time, you slob, get lost’’.

I slammed the bedroom door and rushed out crying, tears of anger and betrayal tricking my eyes. In the living room, I grabbed my car keys from the nail and then stomped out the door, wanting to escape from Derek as much as possible.

My vision was still blurred with furious tears when I raced out of the building into the street without as much as a glance to the left or right. Car tires skidded, squealed, and I looked in a time just in time to see the front of a black MUSCLE CAR crashing into me as I was knocked flying through the air.

Everything went black. The warmth of the light suddenly brought me back to real life and so did the pain – the extreme pain that was emanating from my whole body, I was in a hospital bed connected to IVs and a heart monitor.

The door opened and in through it walked probably the most handsome man I’ve ever come across in my life. Through the rolling world of pain, for the last fifteen minutes since he had stepped into my room, his presence demanded my focus, on his terms.

A set of cunning, deep black eyes bored themselves into me from a coarse, rather solemn face which bore sharp cheekbones and a beard.

Ink drawings spread all over his chest and arms, his attire was a black tight t-shirt displaying his muscular chest.

"Emeline Peterson?" His deep, raspy voice seemed to reverberate through me.

"Y-yes?" I croaked out uncertainly.

"I'm Khing Emilio Thorne. I was the one driving the car that hit you." His expression was one of obvious regret and concern. "I'm so sorry, you just ran out into the street so suddenly. How are you feeling?"

"Like I got hit by a car," I tried to joke, still mesmerized by him despite my injuries.

He must have been floored by some women based on his dangerous looks alone, but something about him transcended simple physical attractiveness.

There was an enigmatic aura surrounding him that I couldn't quite put my finger on.

He stepped closer until he was right beside my bed, those penetrating dark eyes boring into me intently.

"I can't even begin to apologize enough for what happened. Is there anything I can do for you? Anything you need?"

I opened my mouth to respond, but he cut me off, his expression turning almost awed as he reached out to gently brush a stray lock of hair from my face.

"I knew I would find you one day," he murmured, his touch raising goosebumps along my skin despite my injuries. "After all this time, all these lifetimes...I finally found you again."

I stared at him uncomprehendingly. "What are you talking about? Do we...know each other?"

He let out a low chuckle that somehow sounded more reverent than mocking.

He chuckled. "The ritual must have had a very strong effect on your memory I see." I was even more perplexed.

"I don't understand what you mean." I winced at the pain in my head.

Was this guy serious with this cosmic soulmate nonsense?

I must have been insane to still search his mesmerizing gaze even though I was certain there was something wrong with him.

His eyes bored darkly into my soul and my brows scrunched at the intensity of it.

"Oh my god." I found myself saying as I inhaled deeply, trying to grasp the function of what was happening to me.

An indescribable sense of familiarity.

"You must think I'm insane," he said, seeming to read my skepticism. "But everything I'm telling you is true..." He leaned closer to me, and his masculine but earthy scent wafted into my nostrils.

His scent consisted of elements that I had never for once perceived before. And I was tempted to sniff him for that.

What was he doing, I pressed myself into the bed, perplexed as hell as to why he wanted to kiss me. He noticed this...and chuckled, looking away.

Then he straightened and instead caressed my cheeks. My brows furrowed was again as a maelstrom of sensations pulsed through me.

"Wha..."

"Shhh, don't stress it." He whispered. I found myself succumbing to the unseen charm of this man as though I was hypnotized.

I could only gape at him, incoherent words failing me as I tried to process the electric chemistry still thrumming through my veins. It was crazy and yet...I couldn't deny that something had been stirred in me at the deepest level, beckoned forth by his very presence and touch.

He took my numb silence as confirmation, cupping my face in his large hands.

"You feel it darling?"

I opened my mouth to speak then closed it again.

"Who are you?" I asked while his gaze lingered desirably on mine. "You seem to know me so well. But I..."

Already I knew that denying whatever inscrutable cosmic force was at work between us would be futile.

Something deep inside me was calling out for him, and I had to answer that primitive summons no matter how crazy or impossible it seemed.

Without saying another word, he scooped, me into his strong arms and cradled me against his powerful chest.

Carrying me effortlessly from the hospital, he strode with a sense of purpose and determination as the outside world passed by in a blur of shapes and colors.

As if sensing my silent question, he spoke in that deep, resonant tone. "I know you don't understand right now, but you will soon."

"I think you might have the wrong person." I said weakly but nestled securely in his arms.

I felt a sense of peace and inexplicable rightness gradually settle over me.

As sunset faded into dusk, he carried me towards God knew where.

I had no idea why I was doing this...permitting a stranger to have this kind of easy access to me.

All the same I didn't understand the feeling that kept whilring through me.

But all I knew was, I felt...safe and wanted nothing else but to lean in this coziness.

Just before slipping into a deep, dreamless sleep, I heard his voice murmuring that same reverent vow:

"I knew I would find you one day..."