Chapter 767 Can't
Monica slept for a long time, but her hands didn't release Khan's pullover for even a second. Her body prioritized keeping him close over her usual snoring.
In turn, Khan remained exactly in his position, only moving his hands to caress Monica. He didn't care about the chaos unfolding in the outside world during that time. Monica had earned every second he could give her.
Almost half a day had to pass for a change to happen in Monica's mana. A tremor ran through her aura, and her cloudy eyes slowly opened. A familiar scent invaded her nostrils, making her weak voice escape her throat. "Are you really here?"
Khan halted his caresses. His hands closed on Monica's cheeks as he carefully lifted her head. A barrier of curls hid her face, but Khan could still spot the dried-up tears that hindered her vision, and his thumbs promptly wiped them off.
"I'm here," Khan whispered.
Monica seemed still half-asleep. She barely understood Khan's words but recognized his voice, and her hands finally let go of his pullover. Her fingers rose, running over Khan's chest, shoulders, and, ultimately, hair before a sob escaped her mouth.
Tears accumulated in Monica's eyes as the realization sank in. Khan had truly returned, and her arms applied the little strength she had to pull him closer. Khan didn't dare oppose her, and the two fell into a kiss while wet lines ran down her cheeks.
At first, Khan and Monica limited themselves to pressing on each other's lips. It was a slow, romantic moment of reunion. However, Monica's mouth eventually opened, and her tongue searched for Khan's as she wrapped her arms around his neck.
Khan fell prey to the moment. He responded to the more sensual kiss, letting go of Monica's cheeks to slide his hands on her waist. He didn't pull her, but she spread her legs anyway to get as close as possible to him.
Heavy breathing reached Khan's ears as Monica began to rub her waist on his groin. She was on autopilot, her still-weak mind prey to basic urges. She could only think about getting as much Khan as possible, and her passion almost tempted him.
Nevertheless, Khan could see Monica's state through his closed eyes. He would break her even if he tried to be as gentle and slow as possible, so he pushed on her waist, forcing her to separate.
"You must eat," Khan said at the half-confused, half-drowsy face before him.
"Khan," Monica begged, leaning forward to try to reach for Khan's mouth. Yet, Khan lifted a hand to her face to stop her, caressing her cheek with his thumb.
"Eat first," Khan muttered in a caring tone.
Khan's tone and the kindness radiated by his thumb made Monica accept the directive. She nodded and curled on Khan's lap, hiding her face in his neck. She didn't really understand what Khan wanted, but he would take care of that.
Khan almost slammed his fist on the wall to quickly activate the room's menus and gain access to the space station's various services. The structure didn't have luxurious restaurants, but anything would do now. Khan only needed Monica to eat.
Monica's long sleep had updated the entire space station about Khan's location, so receiving an order from his room activated every available service. It only took a few minutes for someone to knock on the door, and Khan went to retrieve the items while Monica clung to his neck.
The soldier who delivered the pile of trays only managed to steal one glance at the scene before a chilling aura sent his eyes to the floor. Khan wasted no time retrieving the metal cart and sealing the door again before returning to the bed's edge.
Monica remained on Khan while he lay and opened all the trays on the bed. He had ordered enough food for ten people, but no hunger assaulted his stomach. His thoughts existed only for Monica now.
"Food arrived," Khan whispered once everything was ready, gently turning Monica toward the open trays. She didn't seem to recognize them, but Khan put a fork in her hands, and her autopilot took the better of her.
Monica dipped the fork into the nearest tray while her free hand clung to the edge of Khan's pullover. No matter what had happened, she was still worried Khan would disappear again, and another concern made its way through her mind before she could take the first bite.
"You don't eat?" Monica weakly asked, glancing at Khan. Even in her state, she worried about him.
"I'll eat," Khan promised, wearing the first smile since the Baoway.
The two slowly filled their stomachs. Khan did his best to match Monica's pace, and she ate while remaining attached to his pullover. Her appetite intensified at each bite, and trays went by.
The couple didn't finish everything. Khan could wolf another round on his own, but Monica returned to his neck once she was full, and he lay down to let her rest. She quickly fell asleep in his embrace, and he held her tight while sensing strength returning to her body.
Mana-enhanced bodies could recover quickly, and Khan also noticed that Monica had gotten close to the fourth level. Her problems came from exhaustion and stress, so sleeping with a full stomach did wonders for her state.
Monica awakened a few hours later and heaved a sigh of relief when she saw Khan looking at her. Her eyes were brighter now, carrying part of her usual wits, but she still jumped on him to resume the previous endeavor.
Ideally, Khan would have held back another day to give Monica more time to recover, but the same urges afflicted his mind. Monica didn't even hold back, storming him with sensual kisses while her waist assaulted his groin. Her mouth moved to his ear when he grabbed her butt, and hearing her panting made thoughts and concerns disappear.
The bottled-up lust didn't lead to anything extreme or perverted. Once the clothes were gone, Monica sat on Khan, clinging with both legs and arms to his waist and neck. She only desired to be as close to him as possible, and he gave her exactly that.
Khan lost track of time as he supported Monica, slowly moving her while she panted on his neck or called his name in his ear. The months spent separated gradually vanished, reminding both bodies of their bond.
When everything ended, Khan found himself lying on the mattress with Monica nestling on his shoulder. She was still awake, leaving kisses on his chest while enjoying the fingers running over her bare back. Monica didn't say a word, but spotting the red mark near the blue scar brought sadness to her eyes.
"Do you want to sleep first?" Khan asked, knowing what Monica wanted.
Monica shook her head, pointing her concerned gaze at Khan. He nodded, and his tale began, starting from the departure from the Harbor and ending at the hole in the current space station.
Khan didn't hide any details. He shared the visions triggered by the toxic substance, Amy's attempted seduction, and more. He described developments the Global Army would pay a fortune to learn and even disclosed ideas birthed while he was stranded.
"The bitch is dead," Monica exclaimed once the story ended. "Good."
"Is that all you care about?" Khan wondered, half-chuckling.
Monica lifted herself up and sat beside Khan to gain a better view of his state. He wasn't injured, but some of his new marks would never vanish, and more were bound to appear on his body.
"The scarlet eyes," Monica sighed. "The Scalqa, my family, your family, the Thilku Empire. Why does everything have to fall on you?"
"It won't just fall on me anymore," Khan said, straightening his back to sit before Monica. "I'll take it."
Monica had always been weak to Khan's overbearing moods, and the separation didn't change that. Yet, his seemingly unbreakable cold expression hurt her. She knew it was necessary, especially after hearing his story, but they were alone now.
Khan read Monica's concern on her face and understood her thoughts when she reached for his cheek. She wanted to pass her warmth to his expression, but he took her hand, slightly moving it away.
"Exposing myself led to this mess," Khan explained. "I'll never show my feelings or anything again."
"Not even to me?" Monica questioned, her tone a mixture of sadness and longing.
Khan inspected Monica before losing himself in the sight. Traces of her exhaustion were still there, but he had never seen a more beautiful face. Love affected his vision, but his feelings spoke truth.
A blue light began to shine on Monica's face, gradually gaining intensity. Khan had allowed his eyes to light up, which glowed brighter than ever. Merely looking at Monica could cause that reaction.
"That's my fiancé," Monica giggled, freeing herself of Khan's grasp to dive her fingers into his hair. "I was worried you didn't like me anymore."
"Unluckily for you," Khan scoffed, "I plan on venting all my future problems on you for the rest of my life."
"Scoundrel," Monica smiled, her voice turning into an affectionate whisper. "I love you more than everything."
Khan pulled Monica closer, but she lowered her head when she realized something. Khan's last line reminded her of his duties, which had only increased after getting acknowledged as a Prince.
"When are you leaving again?" Monica questioned, evident fear in her voice. She was scared to hear the reply.
"I still have to talk with my father," Khan said. "Then, I have to settle things with the Nognes family, the Global Army, the Empire, and the traitors. I'd say a few months before I'm off to Baoway again."
"A few months," Monica repeated, "In which you'll always be busy. Is this one of the few days we'll be able to spend together?"
Monica kept her head lowered, but the lack of replies made her peek at Khan. His face was still expressionless, but she could see his hidden frown.
"What are you saying?" Khan stated. "The next time I go to Baoway, you'll come with me."
"With you?!" Monica gasped before recalling her status. "But I can't."
"Can't doesn't exist anymore," Khan declared, his domineering voice perfectly matching his glowing eyes.
The rational side of Monica's mind knew all the problems connected to the matter. Yet, her doubts disappeared when she looked at Khan. She knew he would make that possible, and the reassurance left room for another emotion.
"Oh, Khan," Monica exclaimed, jumping on Khan in an urge of teary happiness. Needless to say, the two didn't speak anymore, and the trays that had remained on the mattress fell during the mess that followed.
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Author's notes: As always, thank you for the many gifts.