Love & Loss

Chapter 36

"Interesting isn't exactly the word I would use," I began, adding a bit of oil to my hands before trailing them over her shoulders and sides, "He ordered me to go sign a treaty with the Northern pack on his behalf in a couple days, but other than that, the conversation was pretty dull."

She turned her head more towards me, a bit of worry in her eyes.

"A couple of days?" She questioned.

I understood the meaning of her question immediately.

"It'll be after your birthday, love, don't worry," I assured her. "I'm not missing that for anything."

In fact, I had multiple plans for that day.

She relaxed again fully after I had given my answer.

Content with the shine of oil on her, I began lightly pressing my thumbs into the skin of her lower back, earning a hum of approval from her.

"I assume by your words that I won't be joining you." She stated, obviously bummed by the fact.

I drew my thumbs all the way up to the top of her back, earning a short gasp from her as I let my fingers skim her sides.

"I fully planned on taking you with me, but even my mother believed that for your safety, it won't be a good idea. Apparently those vampires will do anything for human blood and despite my higher ability, I don't think I want to risk something going wrong and you getting hurt."

She thought that over a bit before nodding in understanding, "Yeah ok. How long will you be gone?"

"Its an overnight trip, but I plan on leaving as soon as possible because I don't like the thought of you being alone."

I was surprised to hear her giggle at my words.

"If its only one night, then I'm pretty sure I can manage," She said.

Although her sleeping without me wasn't really my main concern.

I mean it definitely was a concern since I still didn't know if ner nightmares would still be there, but it wasn't what I was most worried about.

She continued, "Maybe that night Doe and I can pull an all-nighter or something," She spoke with evident excitement.

That might actually be a good idea.

Although something was telling me that Xander would want Doe back at sometime during the night.

But as long as Khloe stayed in here while she was alone...

"Go for it." I said adding a dramatic sigh for my next words, "Have all the fun in the world while I lay awake wishing you were in my arms" I added with faked sadness.

She giggled at my overdramatic spiel.

"I will, and then in the quiet moments I'll find myself missing you and then immediately go back to having fun." She responded wittily.

I paused the attention my hands were giving her back, slowly leaning forward over her, my hands caging her in on either side of her.

She couldn't help but match my playful smile as leaned down to her ear.

"Just know that once I get back, you're mine for the rest of the day."

She almost turned to face me completely before she recalled that the front of her wasn't exactly covered.

"I wouldn't have it any other way," She replied in an assured whisper.

I couldn't help the satisfying rumble in my chest from sounding.

Very content with her answer, I leaned back again, setting my hands to work out some tension at the base of her neck.

Apparently, that felt very good to her judging by her eyes fluttering closed her very long and very satisfied sigh.

Which filled me with an odd sense of satisfaction.

But then she let out a couple of quiet moans and I knew I had to distract myself with something again.

"So Xander told me that you and Marcus were hooking up earlier," I stated casually.

Her eyes shot open almost immediately, followed soon after by her head lifting.

A new look of alarm covered her featured.

"N-no! We weren't- It wasn't like that I swear! We- He was just-"

She stopped as soon as she heard my laughter, her eyes still wide with unsurety.

I leaned forward again, kissing the back of her neck.

"I know I know, I was just messing with you." I admitted.

I heard her sigh of relief as I kissed that same spot again.

Then I was suddenly pulled forward, left to catch myself on the bed while Khloe flipped herself over, holding herself chest to chest with me so I wouldn't see anything.

I mean, It's not like I was actively trying to look.

If she still wanted to hide herself from me then I was going to respect that.

I glanced down, seeing how she was holding me almost in an embrace, placing a hand on her back to help hold her there.

"Don't scare me like that," She mumbled into the shoulder of my shirt.

I smiled a bit.

I found it cute that she was actually worried about that.

"Were you actually worried?" I questioned.

She pulled her head away from my shoulder to meet my eye.

"Well, yeah, a little bit, I just wanted to clear that up to avoid a fight or something. I wasn't sure if you were actually skeptical about Marcus trying something with me since we're around each other so much."

I shook my head, leaning down again to place a kiss on her forehead.

"I'd be a hypocrite if I expected you to trust me while I'm on these dates, yet not trust you enough to not actually hook up with Marcus or any other slave here."

Her eyes widened the smallest bit. I guess she had never thought about it like that.

"I... I guess you have a point," She eventually said.

"That I do," I replied, "Now do you want to turn over again so I can finish what I started?"

She peered up at me for a moment.

"Close your eyes first."