Close Obsession (17 page)

“Delia? Arus’s charl?”

Mia nodded enthusiastically. “Do you know her?”

“Not well,” Korum said. “I’ve met her a few times throughout the years.” He didn’t seem particularly happy at this turn of events, his expression cooling significantly.

“You don’t like her?” Mia asked, some of her earlier excitement fading. “Or is it just because she’s with Arus?”

Korum shrugged. “I don’t have anything against her,” he said. “What did you talk to her about? And what beach party is this?”

“It’s Maria’s birthday, and she’s organizing a get-together for the charl living here in Lenkarda,” Mia told him. “And we really didn’t have a chance to talk much. Delia said she’s been with Arus for a long time – I think she must’ve met him shortly after you guys arrived. Mostly she was just being friendly, though. Oh, and she told me a new term I’ve never heard before: cheren.”

Korum smiled, and Mia thought he almost looked relieved. “Yes, that’s what you would call me.”

“What does it mean, exactly? Is there a comparable human word for it?”

“No, there isn’t,” Korum said. “Just as there isn’t one for charl. It’s unique to the Krinar language.”

“I see,” Mia said, walking over to the table and sitting down. “Well, the beach party will be in three weeks. It’s all right if I go, right?”

“Of course,” he said, looking up to give her a warm smile. “You should definitely go if you want, make some friends. I think Maria is very nice, and she seemed to like you quite a bit yesterday.”

“I liked her, too,” Mia admitted, smiling at the thought of seeing Arman’s charl again. “She’s exactly how Latino women are often portrayed in the American media – really pretty and outgoing. By the way, I forgot to ask Delia today . . . Do you know where she’s from? Delia, I mean . . .”

“Greece, I think,” Korum replied, placing cut vegetables into a big bowl and sprinkling them with some brownish powder. Swiftly mixing everything, he brought the salad to the table and ladled it onto each of their plates.

Mia quickly consumed her portion and leaned back against the chair, feeling replete. Like everything Korum made, the meal had been delicious, with the familiar flavors of tomatoes and cucumbers mixing well with the more exotic plants from Krina. It was also surprisingly filling, considering that it was only vegetables. “Thank you,” Mia told him. “That was great.”

“Of course. I’m glad you enjoyed it.”

“So I read some more of your history today,” Mia told him, watching as he fluidly rose from the table and carried the dishes to the wall, where they promptly disappeared.

“And what did you think?” He came back to the table carrying a plate of strawberries.

“I was pretty shocked,” Mia told him honestly. “I can’t believe your society survived the plague that almost wiped out those primates. I’m not sure if humans could’ve gone on if eighty percent of our food died out in a span of a few months.”

“We almost didn’t survive it,” Korum said, biting into a strawberry, and licking the red juice off his lower lip. Mia suppressed a sudden urge to lick the juice off him herself. “More than half of our population was killed in fights and battles during that time, and many others died from the lack of the necessary hemoglobin. If the synthetic blood substitute hadn’t come through in time, we would’ve all perished. As it was, it took millions of years for us to recover, to get back to where we were before the plague almost wiped out the lonar.”

Mia nodded. She’d read about that. The aftermath of the plague had been horrible. At the core, the Krinar were a violent species, and that violence had been unleashed when their survival was threatened. Regions fought other regions, centers attacked other centers within their region, and everyone tried to hoard the few remaining lonar for themselves and their families. Even after the synthetic substitute became available, bloody conflicts had continued, as tremendous losses suffered during the post-plague days had left deep scars on K psyche. Almost every family had lost someone – a child, a parent, a cousin, or a friend – and the quest for vengeance became a feature of everyday life.

“How were you able to move past that? All the wars and the vendettas? To get to where you are today?” The brief glimpse she’d had of Krinar life in Lenkarda seemed greatly at odds with the history she’d just learned.

“It wasn’t easy,” Korum said. “It took a long time for the memories of that time to fade. Eventually, we implemented laws curbing violent behavior and outlawed vendettas. Now, Arena challenges are the only socially and legally acceptable way to seek revenge and settle disputes that cannot otherwise be resolved.”

Mia studied him curiously. “Have you ever fought in the Arena?”

“A few times.” He didn’t seem inclined to elaborate further. Instead, he rose from the table and asked, “How do you feel about a post-dinner walk on the beach?”

Mia blinked, surprised. “Um, sure. You don’t think it’ll get too dark soon?”

“I can see pretty well in the dark, plus there is some moonlight. You have nothing to be afraid of.”

“Okay, then sure.” If she didn’t get eaten by mosquitoes, then this could be really nice.

Taking her hand, Korum led her outside. The sun had just set, and there was still an orange glow behind the trees, which appeared like dark silhouettes against the bright sky. The temperature was getting a little cooler, the day’s heat starting to dissipate, and Mia could hear the chirping of some insects and the rustling of leaves in the warm, tropical-scented breeze. A few feet away, a large iguana scooted off a rock and into the shrubs, apparently seeking to avoid them.

“How did the rest of the trial go?” Mia asked. “I stopped watching all the witness testimonies after about five hours.”

“It was fairly uneventful,” Korum said, smiling down at her. “You didn’t miss much.”

“Do you think anyone believed Loris when he made those accusations against you?”

“I’m sure some did.” He didn’t sound overly concerned about that. “But he has no evidence to substantiate his claims.”

“Arus seemed to be on your side,” Mia said, carefully stepping around a fallen log. It was getting darker by the minute, and they were still a good distance away from the beach.

“He has no other choice,” Korum explained. “He has to side with the evidence.”

“Why don’t you like him?” Mia asked, looking up to him. “He doesn’t seem like a bad person . . .”

“He’s not,” Korum admitted. “Just misguided in some ways. He doesn’t always see the big picture.”

“And you do?”

Korum’s smile widened. “For the most part.”

For the next couple of minutes, they walked in companionable silence, with Mia concentrating on where she was stepping and Korum seemingly absorbed in thought. There was something very peaceful about this moment, from the soft glow of the twilight to the quiet roar of the ocean in the distance.

For the first time, Mia fully realized just how tumultuous her relationship with Korum had been thus far. In many ways, it was like a roller coaster ride, with plenty of passion, drama, and excitement, but very few moments like this, where she got to spend time with him without her pulse racing a mile a minute from either sexual arousal or some strong emotion. When she’d imagined herself having a boyfriend, this was always how she’d pictured it – long, pleasant walks together, quiet time spent simply enjoying the other person’s presence. And in this moment, she could pretend that’s exactly what Korum was to her – a boyfriend, a regular human lover whom she could take to meet her parents without worry, someone with whom she could have a future . . .

Suddenly, her foot hit a rock, and Mia stumbled. Before she could do more than gasp, Korum caught her and lifted her up into his arms.

“Are you all right?” he asked, looking down at her with concern.

In response, Mia wrapped her arms around his neck and lay her head on his shoulder, feeling unusually needy. “I’m fine. Just being a klutz.”

“You’re not a klutz,” Korum denied. “You just don’t see well when it gets dark.”

“True,” Mia said, inhaling the warm scent of his skin near the throat area. She felt strangely content like this, being held so gently in his powerful arms. It occurred to her that she no longer feared him, at least on a physical level. It was hard to believe that just a few days ago, she thought he might kill her for helping the Resistance.

He walked for a few more minutes, carrying Mia, until they reached the beach. Setting her down carefully, he kept his hands on her waist. “Do you feel up for a swim?” he asked, and Mia could make out the sensuous curve of his lips in the faint light of the almost-f moon.

“I’m not wearing a bathing suit,” Mia said, looking up at him. The night air was also getting a little cooler – perfect for a walk, but likely less pleasant on wet skin.

“There’s no one around,” he told her. “Except me. And I’ve seen you naked.”

For some reason, that simple statement jolted Mia out of her calm contentment. Her lower belly tightened with arousal, and her nipples hardened. She felt much warmer all of a sudden, as though the hot sun was still beaming down on them. Staring up at him, she asked, “What if someone comes by?”

“They won’t,” Korum promised. “I reserved this portion of the beach just for us tonight.”

He had reserved the beach just for them? She hadn’t realized someone could do that. But it made sense, of course, that if anyone could, it would be Korum; as a Council member, he likely enjoyed special privileges in Lenkarda.

Apparently getting impatient with her lack of response, Korum decided to take matters into his own hands. Taking a couple of steps back, he stripped off his own clothes and removed his sandals, dropping everything carelessly on the sand. Mia’s breathing quickened. His tall, powerfully muscled body was now completely naked, and the moonlight revealed the hard erection between his legs.

“Take off your clothes,” he ordered softly. “I want you naked right now.”

Staring at him, Mia licked her suddenly dry lips. She could feel the soft material of her dress rubbing against her hard nipples and the moisture starting to gather between her thighs. Her whole body felt sensitized, her heart beating harder and blood rushing faster through her veins. Memories of last night’s disturbing – yet incredibly erotic – experience were suddenly at the front of her mind, and she swallowed nervously, wondering if he intended to teach her another lesson or fulfill some other fantasy she didn’t know she had.

He didn’t say anything else, just stood there waiting, watching her expectantly. Mia wondered just how good his night vision was. She couldn’t see the expression on his face in the dim light and had no idea what he was thinking right now.

Her hands trembling a little, she slowly pulled off her boots. The sand felt cool under her bare feet, no longer retaining the warmth of the sun.

“Now the dress,” Korum prompted, and there was a roughness in his voice that made her think his patience was near the end.

Mia obeyed, pulling the dress over her head and dropping it on the sand. She was now completely naked, and she could feel herself shivering slightly in the evening ocean breeze.

He stepped toward her then and reached out to cup her shoulders, pulling her closer to him. “You’re so beautiful,” he whispered, leaning down to kiss her. His hands left her shoulders and curved around her butt cheeks instead, lifting her up against him until the hardness of his cock pressed into her belly.

His mouth slanted over hers, and she could feel the smooth warmth of his lips and the insistent push of his tongue penetrating her mouth. Everything inside her softened, melted, and she moaned quietly, wrapping her arms around his neck. His hands tightened on her butt, squeezing the small round globes, and then he was lowering her to the ground, putting her down on top of their clothes. His right hand found its way down her body, forced apart her legs, his fingers exploring her tender folds with a maddeningly gentle touch. Mia squirmed, her hips lifting toward him, wanting more, and he obliged, one long finger penetrating her opening and finding the sensitive spot inside. The familiar tension began to gather in her belly, and she twisted her hips, needing just a tiny bit more . . . and then she was hurtling over the brink with a small cry, her inner muscles pulsing in orgasmic relief.

Lying there bonelessly in the aftermath, she felt his hands pulling her legs wider apart. His penis brushed against her thighs, the tip impossibly smooth and hot. He was pressed against her opening, and Mia’s breath caught in anticipation of his entry, her body instantly craving more of the pleasure she had just experienced.

“Tell me you want me,” he whispered, and there was something strange in his voice, some dark note she’d never heard before.

“You know I do,” she told him softly, feeling like she would die if she didn’t have him right now. Her skin felt too tight, too sensitive, as though it couldn’t contain the need that was burning her from the inside.

“How much?” he demanded roughly. “How much do you want me?”

“A lot,” Mia admitted, staring up at him, her pelvic muscles clenching with desire and her clitoris throbbing. What did he want from her? Couldn’t he tell how much her body yearned for his?

He lowered his head then, kissing her again, even as his cock pressed forward and entered her in one powerful thrust. Mia cried out against his lips, suddenly filled to the brim. Before she could fully adjust to the sensation, he began to move, his hips thrusting and recoiling, the hard rhythm reverberating through her insides in a way that made her forget all about his strange behavior. She heard her own cries, though she wasn’t conscious of making them, his roughness somehow adding to the coiling tension inside her –