Adrift (The Sirilians Book 1)

by Nicole Krizek

  Before she could give in and break the silence, food was brought. Aevum discreetly glanced at Karo’s hand before she took a bite, to make sure she was using the correct utensil out of the dozen in front of her. She brought a bite of food she didn’t recognize to her mouth, and glanced across the table. Both Kishi and Rifka’s eyes were on her.

  Oh crap! What did I do? She followed their stares to her utensil, but it took a moment for recognition to dawn.

  Unlike babies born with altered DNA, Aevum was left-handed; a recessive trait that was removed during the genetic alteration. It was a physical reminder that she was different than Karo. They didn’t comment, but Aevum still felt self-conscious. Thankfully the heavy silence was soon broken.

  “Karincin tells us that you work for the Department of Anthropology and Biology,” Rifka remarked. “How many years have you worked there?”

  “Nearly fifteen, if you count the years I spent in training.”

  “What is your official position?” Kishi asked.

  “I am an astroanthropologist. My team and I are sent to do the initial analysis of planets we believe have sentient lifeforms.”

  “I see.”

  What did she see? Aevum asked herself as she watched both parents continue eating. She was proud of her career. Proud that she was helping to explore the galaxy beyond their system, and that she was trusted to make first contact with new aliens. She was so busy riddling out the meaning behind Kishi’s words that she nearly missed the next question launched at her by Rifka.

  “How many planets have you been to?”

  “Nine.” This was beginning to feel like the first time she’d met Karo. Now she knew exactly where he got that quality from.

  “Do you have sufficient knowledge and training to change careers within your department, so that you could stay on Siril permanently?”

  Aevum’s brows drew together in question, but it was Karo who responded to Kishi.

  “Mother, what do you mean? There’s no reason for Aevum to change her occupation.”

  “Perhaps not now but once you Pair Bond, and especially once you’re impregnated, your space travel will need to cease.”

  Impregnated? The word sounded so clinical, and brought to mind images of her being strapped down to a table while doctors worked around her most sensitive area. She unconsciously crossed her legs.

  Karo, again, was the one to reply to his mother.

  “It’s a moot subject; I would never ask Aevum to give up a career she loves, and it’s too early to be talking in certainties about our relationship.”

  Rifka and Kishi shared a look, and Aevum hoped that Karo had made his point clear. She continued to eat, and this time she was grateful for the silence. It wasn’t long-lived.

  “What awards or recognition have you attained during the past ten years?” Rifka inquired.

  She gulped down her bite of food. “Umm…”

  “Father, I don’t believe that’s an appropriate question,” Karo interjected.

  Rifka turned a stern expression to his son. “Karincin, we are forced to ask such questions, because you requested that we not research her credentials on the database prior to this Meeting.”

  “I asked you to get to know her yourselves, instead of basing opinions off of third party information.”

  “That is what we’re doing; getting to know her.”

  “A list of facts does not allow you to get to know someone.”

  “We disagree. It’s necessary for us to ascertain if she is a motivated woman, worthy of Pair Bonding with you.”

  Excuse me?

  Aevum’s reply was poised on the tip of her tongue, but she didn’t have the opportunity to defend herself. Karo sat forward in his chair, arms braced on the table, and looked his parents straight in their eyes.

  “That is for me to decide, not you.”

  Everyone at the table fell silent, and from their twin expressions of shock, Aevum could tell that Karo rarely argued with them, if ever. Rifka was the first to recover.

  “As your parents, the Assembly of Eugenics dictates that our opinion holds weight in this decision. We have to be diligent in our analysis, especially since her family’s status is vastly different than our own.”

  “There is nothing for you to analyze,” Karo stated. He stood up and held out his hand to Aevum. She eagerly stood and clasped it in her own.

  “Aevum is a delightful, beautiful, and brilliant woman, whom I hold in high regard. When, and if, we agree to bond, it will be of our own choosing. Your role will be to respect and accept our decision.”

  Aevum had never seen two people more stunned in her entire life. His parents stared at Karo as if their son had just transformed in front of their eyes—maybe he had.

  As for her, she felt hot. He thought her delightful, beautiful, and brilliant? No man had ever said those things to her before.

  She’d never thought of herself as liking dominant or aggressive men but, apparently it was different when it was in her defense. Or maybe it was just that everything was different with Karincin?

  Whatever the reason, she’d never felt so flushed with desire. Tingles shot up her arm from where their hands were linked, her stomach fluttered, and she had the impulse to wrap her arms and legs around him, holding tight.

  She was more than eager to follow him when he headed for the exit.

  CHAPTER 13

  Karo had never been more embarrassed by his parents than he was at that moment. They had outright insulted Aevum in front of her, and then had the audacity to claim that they had a say in their Pair Bonding. It was outrageous!

  How dare they insult my woman!

  His body was tense with anger, and with the need to remove Aevum from their presence. He walked towards the foyer with Aevum at his side, their hands still linked, and felt something on his arm. Her free hand was wrapped around his bicep as they walked—as if she needed more contact with him. He needed more contact too.

  They exited into the parking room, where he called an autotransport. Karo didn’t know where they were going to go, he just knew that he needed to get out of his home immediately. He needed to remove Aevum from anyone who would disrespect her.

  His mind was preoccupied, so it surprised him when Aevum suddenly shifted herself in front of him, their bodies nearly touching.

  At first he was afraid something was wrong. Her breathing was shallow, cheeks were flushed, and he could see her pulse hammering in her neck.

  Oh no, is this it? Was she mad? Furious? She had every right to be. Is she going to tell me that she’s refusing to Pair Bond with me because of my family? His parents had surely insulted her enough for anyone to meet their breaking point.

  He was ready to argue with her, but was stopped short when her eyes finally met his. They weren’t filled with anger; that emotion he’d be able to identify. There was something else swimming in their depths—something unfamiliar.

  He was entranced by her expression, and couldn’t look away. Her hands fell onto his pectorals, her eyes following them. She watched herself as she ran her palms higher, flexing her fingers and feeling his muscle underneath.

  Karo felt his own heartbeat and breaths come quicker, but stayed silent, afraid he’d interrupt the moment and she’d stop.

  Please let nothing prevent her from stopping.

  Her hands continued their upward glide over his shoulders, then locked around his neck. Her eyes briefly met his before she pulled his head down to hers, bringing their lips together in a kiss.

  It was nothing like the one they’d shared the previous evening. This one was a melding of mouths that sent a shock down Karo’s entire body, then centered at his groin. His hands came up to rest on her hips, but he couldn’t focus on anything but her mouth.

  He groaned at the intense sensation, and for the first time in his life, he didn’t stop his body’s arousal. He concentrated on Aevum’s soft lips and experimentally moved his own, massaging and nipping from one corner of her mouth to the other. Sh
e responded by moving herself closer, until their bodies were flush.

  He could feel her warmth, her curves, her soft breasts where they pressed into his chest. The pressure in his groin increased and Karo knew that his cock was filling, expanding. If he didn’t create distance soon, she’d surely feel it.

  Thankfully—or not—the moment was interrupted by an autotransport entering the foyer and pulling to a stop in front of them.

  Aevum pulled back and Karo looked down into her eyes. Now he recognized that glimmer—it was arousal. Realizing that Aevum wanted him ratcheted his own need higher.

  “Let’s go,” she whispered then slid inside. He eagerly followed.

  She entered a destination into the console and the transport began to move. He didn’t care where they were going as long as they were going away from his house, together.

  He especially didn’t care when Aevum turned backwards on the seat next to him, leaning to the side across his lap, and reclaimed his mouth in a fiery kiss. Karo responded in kind, but he felt a pulse travel through his body when she licked the seam of his lips.

  Her tongue was hot, wet, and oh so inviting. He opened his mouth and tentatively touched her tongue with his own, igniting an inferno inside of himself. Her flavor was addicting. I'll never get enough of this.

  He experimentally massaged her tongue with his, and must have done something right because her hands became restless, as if she couldn’t feel enough of him. They traveled all over his torso, shoulders, neck, and head. He cursed his clothes for creating a barrier to his skin—he wanted her touch everywhere!

  He tilted her head to the side to deepen the kiss, but the angle wasn’t right. Frustration mounted, but Aevum quickly solved the problem. Without lifting her lips from his, she raised up and straddled his lap, her legs on either side of his hips.

  Nothing compared to the marvel of having her atop him.

  This is what I’ve been missing my entire life?!

  His hands flew to her hips, and Karo immediately discovered that he loved the feel of her curves under his palms, the way her dress slid over her skin when he flexed his fingers. He could feel her muscles tightening as she moved, which made him hyper aware of the fact that her core was directly over his growing erection.

  He hardened more at the thought, but didn’t will it away like he’d been taught. “Will your mind to calm your body,” his father had repeated time and time again. Now Karo ignored the instruction and embraced the heaviness he felt at his groin.

  This was natural. This was what his body was designed for.

  It was a type of freedom to allow his body to react to another person like it was meant to. He felt as if he’d cast off chains that had been binding him his entire life.

  Emboldened by his mental freedom, he licked Aevum’s bottom lip and sucked on it. She moaned and arched her body, her core rubbing against his hardness. There was no mistaking his erection.

  Karo hesitated. He didn’t want to frighten her by his body’s reaction. But instead of pulling away from him, she rubbed herself up and down his length. A jolt shot through him and he groaned.

  She must have liked the sound because she continued to rock against his body, as if the bulge felt good. Every movement ratcheted his need higher, like a taut cable being pulled too tightly.

  He felt the impulse to move his hips, and hoped that arching them would extinguish some of his need. He was wrong—so wrong. Aevum moaned, breaking their kiss. Her head fell back and she rode him even harder.

  The long column of her neck was exposed, a clear invitation that Karo accepted. His lips latched onto the spot, and never had he felt such smooth skin before. He licked her pulse then inhaled her scent—breathing deep, trying to settle her into his lungs… into his body.

  His hands tightened on her hips and he ran them around to cup her ass. Belatedly he wondered if she’d accept this touch, but he shouldn’t have worried. Instead of stopping, Aevum skimmed a hand down his torso. Karo watched it as if in slow motion, and held his breath. Her fingers continued their downward glide until she cupped his engorged cock.

  His head fell back onto the seat. He moaned, closed his eyes, and languished in the feel of her tentatively stroking her fingers up and down. No wonder Reus always talks about the women he’s with, Karo thought. This moment surpassed anything he’d ever experienced!

  Too soon, Aevum’s hand left him and she began to pull her body away from his. He opened his eyes—about to protest—but realized that the transport was inside an unfamiliar building.

  “Where are we?” he asked. Was that his voice? He barely recognized the deep timbre.

  “My family’s home. My parents are offworld right now, so I have the entire house to myself. Do you want to come in?”

  Karo’s brain wasn’t functioning normally at the moment, so the invitation caught him by surprise. He said the first thing that came to his mind: “Aren’t we supposed to wait to go to your house until our next Meeting?”

  She raised her eyebrows giving him a disbelieving look. Karo mentally slapped himself. Such a stupid thing to say! What the hell was he thinking?!

  “Well, I was planning on taking you to my room and stripping out of this dress, but if you’d rather wait…”

  “Fuck no!” he shouted as he locked one arm around her back, the other anchored under her ass, and got out of the transport with her still pinned against him. She let out a shriek of laughter and locked her ankles around his hips.

  He walked quickly to the console and bent to the side, so she could place her wristunit near the device to open the door. Once inside, Karo walked into her home with her high on his chest. He slowed once he realized he didn’t know where her bedroom was. Thankfully she was paying attention.

  “Down that hall,” she said as she nipped his earlobe. He groaned and quickly moved in the direction she’d pointed. She motioned towards a doorway and he entered her room.

  He got the impression of vibrant colors, but was completely unable to concentrate on his surroundings. He barely kept them both upright as she snaked her tongue around the shell of his ear, then sucked on his earlobe. Who knew ears could be so sensitive? Or erotic?

  His mind was consumed by a raging need, and the only part of the room he cared about was the bed.

  Aevum felt Karo sit atop her bed with her still straddling his hips. She wondered why he hadn’t laid her down—although she couldn’t really complain, since she was still able to arch against his erection from this angle—but it did make her wonder.

  Aevum didn’t have much experience with men—she was still a virgin—but Karo reacted as if he’d never even kissed a woman. How could that be? He was extremely sexy. She hated the idea of another touching him, but how had women kept their hands off of him?

  Was it because of his family? Maybe he’d been taught to ignore his natural urges? Aevum knew that families like his reproduced solely through laboratories. Maybe they discourage all sexual needs?

  If she’d been taught to shun that side of herself her entire life, she’d probably be completely inexperienced, too.

  That brought another thought to mind—if this was his first kiss, she’d bet that he’d never done anything more, either. The thought of being his first sent another wave of arousal through her.

  Karo latched his lips onto her neck and her thoughts derailed. He licked slowly, deliberately, as if tasting her brought him great pleasure. He was learning her, and she hoped that he was a quick study.

  He kissed his way to her collar and Aevum arched against his body, trying to alleviate the ache. The friction only intensified the feeling, and caused it to spread to her breasts, which now felt swollen and heavy.

  His hands were still anchored on her hips, like he didn’t know what to do with them. I can help with that.

  “Touch me,” she murmured.

  He raised his head to look her in the eye. “Are you sure?”

  Aevum nodded. She’d never been more sure about anything in her life.


  His eyes traveled down her body. “Where?”

  Anywhere! She clasped his hand where it rested on her hip, and moved it up her ribcage and onto her breast.

  They both moaned.

  Aevum held her hand atop his, in case he had any ideas of removing his palm, but he was as intrigued by her body as she was at having him touch her.

  They both watched as he ran his thumb over the top of her mound, grazing her nipple. A zing of sensation shot down her body. She gasped, and he immediately took notice.

  He was a smart man, and a quick learner. He concentrated on the puckered bud, rolled it between his thumb and forefinger, then massaged the entire breast.

  “More,” she moaned before latching their lips together.

  Karo ran his hand along her torso from shoulder to hip and down her leg as far as he could reach. He began an upward trek and neither stopped her dress from rising to expose more of her skin. He ran his palm up her thigh and over the curve of her ass, stopping to massage the globe.

  She arched her hips into his body to encourage him, and ran her hands over every part of him she could reach, loving how she could feel his muscles clenching.

  She pulled at the hem of his shirt, and he didn’t make her ask. He pulled back far enough to wrench his shirt over his head, then renewed their kiss.

  He plunged his tongue into her mouth, and Aevum sucked on it while sliding her hands over his back. His muscles rippled, and she suddenly wanted to feel his heat against her own body.

  She pulled back—holding his gaze—and delighted to see his silver eyes alight with desire. No one had ever looked at her like that before. It emboldened her.

  She gripped the hem of her dress where it was bunched around her hips, and began to raise the material up her body, revealing the skin underneath. Karo’s hands followed the material, heating her skin wherever they touched.

  Finally she tossed the dress aside, and nervously awaited his reaction. Would he like what he saw? She was afraid that she was a little too short, her breasts too small. More reminders that she’d been born naturally.