Chapter 271: Two Kisses
Blaise’s lips were turned down into a pout as he stared at me with big, watery eyes. I couldn’t resist, allowing a smile to slip onto my face despite the somber atmosphere.
With small quick steps, I practically jumped into Blaise’s arms, which automatically came to wrap around my torso. He spun me around just the slightest, holding me tightly in his embrace as I reveled in the soothing warmth my mate radiated. Then, he leaned down and captured my lips in a breathtaking kiss.
I had to stand a little on the tips of my toes, clinging onto him dearly as the world around us seemed to fade. Even when we finally pulled apart from one another, it was as though there was honey that linked our gazes together, unable to tear away completely.
The light clear of Damon’s throat brought us back to reality, and both our eyes widened as we shot a look at Damon. While my cheeks quickly burned red, Blaise was obviously not as ashamed. He rolled his eyes, huffing as he pulled me closer― we were already practically glued together, if it weren’t for the clothes on our backs.
"Do you mind?" Blaise asked. "We’re having a moment."
"Go have your moment somewhere else, in that case," Damon gritted out. "You’re being an eyesore."
"You’re just jealous," Blaise said with a cheeky smile. However, although his tone was playful, the hand on my waist tightened just the slightest as a tinge of possessiveness swelled within me.
Damon merely rolled his eyes with a huff.
I didn’t know what came over me, but I gently wriggled out of Blaise’s hold. I patted him on the chest twice, offering him a small smile before walking over to Damon. With a hand on his shirt to help steady myself, I went on the tip of my toes once more.
Damon didn’t even have the time to react before I quickly pecked a small, chaste kiss on his cheek, making sure not to linger for longer than needed.
When I pulled away, Damon had spun his head over to face me, his eyes wide with surprise. A faint blush crept up his neck and onto the apples of his cheeks, and his hands — which were previously folded across his chest — touched his cheek where I had just kissed.
"This isn’t goodbye," I said, turning back to look at Blaise. "If you have the time, promise to visit?"
"We don’t know how long you might be here for," Blaise said with a sad smile. "But hopefully, it wouldn’t be longer than a couple of weeks. It should also be enough time for you to train."
"Right," I said, nodding. "We’ll see each other again fairly soon enough." Turning to look at Damon, I beamed at him. "Won’t we, Damon?"
As a man who was usually filled with so many words, Damon had gone awfully quiet. His lips were pressed tightly into a fine line and I could even see him clenching and unclenching his jaw repeatedly. Finally, when he spoke again, he paired it with a sigh.
His big hand rested on the top of my head, gently caressing the strands of my hair as he said, "If it’s any longer than a few weeks, we’ll come visit."
Even though I wasn’t quite sure why, I felt a rush of happiness surge through my chest. Perhaps it was the promise that we wouldn’t be apart for too long, perhaps it was just anticipation for the day we would be together again. Either way, I nodded, my head jerking up and down rapidly as I smiled.
"It’s a promise, then!"
I stood at one side as Damon and Blaise drove away, my eyes following them as far as I could until their vehicle was nothing more than a speck of dust in the horizon. When they were finally out of Thunderstrike’s territory and I could follow them visually no more, my shoulders automatically slumped.
"It wouldn’t be so bad, Luna," Kyle’s voice suddenly sounded from beside me. I didn’t look up to face him, keeping my eyes trained on the path my mates had taken. "They’ll be back soon. Time passes quickly when you’re kept busy."
I laughed coldly, shaking my head. Now that they’re gone, there was nothing more I felt other than waves of sadness. With the distance between us, I could even feel our bond getting weaker and weaker the further they drove. I could still feel them, but just barely. I wondered if they could still feel my emotions― I couldn’t feel theirs.
"You’ll never understand," I grumbled under my breath. "I never knew that physically being apart from a mate would be so... so..."
"Agonizing?" Kyle filled in for me. "I heard," he said, "but it will be over soon."
"Has the waste of oxygen finally left?"
I turned around to see Darach and Milo joining us; Darach, in particular, looked especially elated.
"Darach," Milo chided, "Harper is still here."
"She of all people knows just how much I hate him," Darach said with a wave of his hand. "Blaise could’ve stayed for a while longer, we could’ve provided him a room. But Damon―" Darach shivered a little when the name left his lips. "Damon needs to leave Thunderstrike before he pollutes the air quality around these parts. It might even spread to Hornstead and kill your groves."
Milo made no comment other than rolling his eyes. He scratched the back of his head in defeat before gesturing to the packhouse of Thunderstrike. The impressive manor looked as oppressive as ever, the pillars and marbles looking just as daunting as the first time despite us getting a much kinder host to fetch us in.
"Come," Milo said, holding a hand out to lead the way. "Let us show you to your rooms. You must be tired from your travels."
"There will be a welcoming banquet later this evening," Darach said. "My father might no longer be in charge, but there are still some of his men in the higher ranks that I can’t get rid of yet. They’ve expressed a desire to see you."
"Will your father and sister be there as well?" I couldn’t help but ask.
My heart dropped at Darach’s nod.
"Unfortunately," he said, "they will."
