Curling in closer to Kehl, I murmured, “Take me home? I want to be home, alone, with you right now.” I didn’t care if we just snuggled in his bed like this, I just needed to be near him right now. To make sure we were on the same page, I clarified, “To your hut. I don’t want to sleep alone ever again. I’ll take you any way I can have you, I just don’t ever want to be another day without you ever again.”
“All know Kehl has Krampus in Kehl now.” Pulling back, his hand lifted towards his face and he grimaced. “Stuck.”
He was stuck in this form?
“This form, the Lo denaii one, you could toss in a third if you like, I don’t care. I love you. I need you. Any way I can have you.” Brushing my hand along the side of his face, it slowly slid higher, lightly tracing several large scars along his temple, then higher.
Closing his eyes, he purr-rumbled like a madman. “Kehl has the luffs for Kehl’ Purr-roo,” he rumbled out.
“We should probably get out of bed and have a minute with everyone here before taking off,” I pointed out.
Kehl cracked an eye open as my hand stilled where it was admiring him. “Have to?” he muttered, which of course made me laugh.
“I’m pretty sure,” I got out on a chuckle.
My stomach chose that moment to let out an ungodly gurgle, horrible timing as always.
Kehl’s lips tipped up into a silly grin as a stupid blush flushed my skin. “Feed my Purr-roo, let healers look over, then we go,” he leaned in to whisper, then press his lips to mine as I nodded, as if to seal the deal.
“My Rothy! They ‘cide they want eat! I help! Bring food!” one of Dorothy’s mates called out.
“Someone run over to Dougie’s and tell them she’s awake for me, would you?! Elle has been popping over every hour on the hour to check in on her for them, bless her!” Dorothy called back.
“You ready, come lived in room,” Dorothy’s mate called out as he walked past our open door and down the hall. “Griever need bring chairs, sets up table.”
Kehl smiled happily as I hugged him to me anew.
When he would have gotten up, I wrapped my arms around his and forced him to stay where he was or risk jerking me up along with him. “Where are you going?” Leaning in, I bit playfully at his neck.
Kehl growled and a shiver stole over him. “My Purr-roo want eat first?” His voice had gone evil villain dark, deep, just shy of guttural.
“Maybe.” My lips tipped up as they pressed into his furry flesh.
“Feed you Purr-roo first!” Griever called out. “Then mate!”
That did it. Like a bucket of cold water had just been dropped atop my head, I let go of Kehl, spluttering at Griever’s brash words as I plopped back down onto the bed.
Kehl dropped down atop me, grinning evilly when I splutteringly insisted he let me up so we didn’t get reprimanded by Griever loud enough for the whole neighborhood to overhear what he was saying again.
“My Purr-roo not want Griever tell all my Purr-roo want her Kehl too much to eat the foods?” he teased.
“Eat the foods, then make the babies!” Griever called out agreeably.
“Now, I know you are not tormenting those two as they share a moment, my love,” Dorothy thundered out as she stormed down the hall with a hot dish leaving a trail of steam behind her in her wake.
“Who? Griever?” Griever grumbled.
“You’re a right butt when you decide to be, did you know that?” she shot back.
Griever laughed, the sound long and loud. Then, “Come. Give Griever, my Rothy best mate, the biggest kisses.”
A series of scoffs sounded off from elsewhere around their place. Dorothy’s mates all began growl-speak barking things at Griever, until he was huffing and chuffing and growling nonsense at them right back. The whole thing had me in stitches.
Realizing Khel had gone quiet, my gaze darted his way. “The head popping thingy unbroke the part of my brain that forgot how to understand the growl-speak.”
“You understand?” Kehl asked slowly in his native tongue.
“Yeah,” I said easily. “I still don’t know how to speak it, though, and some words I don’t know. They don’t make any sense to me. What’s a benass?” I blurted.
