Chapter 40 — Khloe’s POV
The blood collection was slowly coming to an end, yet it felt like it couldn’t finish fast enough.
I don’t remember it ever taking this long. Then again, I’d never had to stay for the entire process.
I held my arms against my stomach as it grumbled in hunger.
Although Nico and Xander received lunch, we pets weren’t as lucky. The small portion Nico had managed to give me barely kept me from fainting. And poor Doe hadn’t had anything at all.
Hungry and tired, I leaned back against Nico’s chest, noticing how his grip tightened slightly on me.
Waking up this early had never been easy for me. As for Nico and Xander, it was obvious they were bored out of their minds. No one had dared defy the rules since Xander dealt with the man who tried, leaving the brothers nothing to do but watch and wait.
I sighed, debating whether to shut my eyes and rest for a moment. I wanted to, but it probably wasn’t the best idea right now. Not to mention, it wasn’t very “pet-like” to do so.
So, I kept my eyes open, staring at the sky, not caring that the fabric covering my nose and mouth slowly slipped off. I could bear the cold a little longer.
“Ooh, Nico, you’re up,” Xander said from beside us.
Both of us turned to him.
“What?”
He pointed into the line. There was a boy standing there, eyes wide, looking directly at me.
My stomach twisted. My heart began racing.
“Nah, you can take him if you want,” Nico said casually to his brother.
I vaguely heard Xander quietly rejoice.
The boy was close enough for me to recognize his features. My stomach turned when it hit me—he was Samuel, my best friend before my family left the city.
I quickly tugged my collar up to cover my face, turning my head to the side. Why did it have to be him? He probably thought I was dead. It was better that way. It was better he didn’t know I’d become a pet.
What would he do with this knowledge? Tell everyone? Maybe he didn’t fully realize it was me.
Even though there was nothing I could do, I didn’t want people knowing what happened to me—or to my family. My father wasn’t well-liked in the city, and I didn’t want his name tarnished further.
Nico’s hold on me tightened as my breaths sped up.
“Are you okay?” he asked quietly.
My eyes flicked from Nico to Samuel, then back down.
“I know him,” I whispered.
Nico held my gaze for a moment before slowly turning toward Samuel. I could see Samuel shrink back slightly in fear, though he still stole short glances at me. I hated it.
“Do you want to talk to him?” Nico asked.
I froze. That was the last thing I expected. Not only that, he was actually giving me the choice.
I turned my head slightly toward Samuel. I wanted to talk to him, but I didn’t. I didn’t want the attention or to confirm his doubts.
I slowly shook my head, shrugging my shoulders.
Nico clicked his tongue. “Alright,” he said, shifting beneath me. “Stand up.”
I hesitated but eventually followed his instructions, my mind racing through every possible outcome.
Was he going to make me talk to Samuel?
Nico stood after me, startling Xander, who had been too focused on Samuel to notice.
“Where the hell are you going?” Xander asked as Nico grabbed my leash.
“Taking my break,” Nico replied, walking away from the line.
I followed without looking back.
“Wait, we get breaks?!” Xander’s eyes widened.
Nico stopped and glanced at him. “Yeah, but not at the same time.”
We walked through the thin blanket of snow in silence.
“Where’s the nearest food market you like?” Nico asked randomly.
I looked up at him, stomach growling. I had to think for a second.
“Uh… about a five-minute walk from here. Why?”
He placed his hands in his pockets. “Because you’re hungry, and I don’t need a hungry pet.”
My lips parted in surprise. He was getting me food—and using his only break to do it. I couldn’t help feeling grateful.
It hit me—none of the vampires I’d seen had ever left their station during a blood collection.
“I didn’t know you guys got breaks,” I said after a while.
A smirk tugged at the edges of Nico’s lips.
“We don’t.”
