Chapter 15 #2
So, what would a couple deep in lust do after running out on dinner and settling for piss-like weak beer instead?
I laughed. Walk on the beach?
He smiled, eyes back on mine. Why didn’t I think of that?
Because you prefer to fly over the beach instead of walk in the waves.
You know me so well, Corvus, but we will be flying again soon enough.
I glanced around the bar to see if I could spot anyone out of place, but nobody stood out.
Hopping off my bar stool, I reached for his hand.
His fingers wound through mine, and he followed as I led him by the pool and out the long walkway to the sand.
There were people everywhere. A row of hotels ran all along the beach.
It didn’t matter, or shouldn’t have, since we were putting on a show.
I slipped off my sandals. The sun had set, but the sand had been soaking up its heat all day.
Camazotz kicked his flip-flops off but left them by the walkway. I carried my sandals and walked straight to the water. The waves rolled over my toes, the water warm but nowhere near as hot as our mountain springs.
I was aware of how close he stood, although the usual connection we shared seemed to be on the fritz. I did my best not to read anything into the fake, decidedly non-romantic evening we were playing at.
Then his hand took mine, and he tugged me after him as he waded out of the water and farther down the beach.
I knew it was all an act, yet my heart raced independently of my common sense.
I thought about all the Mayan history and architecture books I’d read recently, anything to keep my thoughts from betraying that flicker of hope.
Couples strolled along the beach. If any of them were spies for Camazotz’s enemies, they all looked like regular tourists to me.
He turned toward a large dune, dragging me through the thick sand.
Without warning or explanation, he sat down on the ground, gently pulling me to sit with my back to him between his bent legs.
I let out a sigh. It had been a long day, starting before dawn with us driving to the airport using the Stag’s Jeep. The Corona only made me sleepy.
Eventually, I relaxed and leaned back against his chest. He didn’t seem to mind, putting one arm across my middle. His thighs closed around me until I was surrounded by him. No matter how I tried to distract myself, it was impossible to keep my thoughts from going down that path.
Relax, Corvus. It’s been a long time for me, and I would enjoy a little bed play if you’d like.
Bed play? I would’ve jumped up from the sand if his arm hadn’t tightened, holding me firmly in place.
Why is that offensive? We are attracted to each other, and we are playing a couple in love. Why not take advantage of that?
No one ever accused you of being romantic.
No, they have not. Which is why this disguise of yours is so perfect. My old enemies would never believe it was me.
And so, why not have sex?
Exactly.
I froze, testing out how I felt about his proposition. He felt so good and masculine around me, and I had been fighting a strong attraction to him from the beginning. But then what? How did I keep from getting mixed-up feelings or wanting more?
There would be no need to use a condom… He was tempting me, but that was a strange approach. Then again, what did I expect from him?
Why not? I couldn’t help but ask.
Because, Corvus, I am sterile and unable to pass on any sort of disease.
He was sterile? My brain struggled with that one. How could he possibly transform another being down to their most cellular level and yet not be able to reproduce?
Don’t tell me you have sex only in order to reproduce?
Get out of my head. And no, I was just wondering if maybe you were sterile because you believed yourself to be sterile in the first place.
Now who is not being romantic?
Good grief. I leaned forward, and he released me. I turned in front of him, pulling up on my knees. The truth was, I was dying to kiss him again, to feel his heat around me.
Fine, let’s copulate if that’s a good enough word for you.
He chuckled and kissed me. Excellent, Corvus, but maybe back in our hotel room? I’m fairly certain we would attract a little too much attention if we did it here.
He stood and offered me his hand. You’re right, plus we’d have to worry about getting sand everywhere.
He pulled me to my feet and grabbed my hand, leading me down the beach in a way that put lie to his previous claims of not being romantic.
This isn’t romance, Freya, just scratching an itch, I reminded myself.
Only I had never been good at casual sex.
And why did I think that sleeping with an ancient being could ever be a good idea?
I dropped his hand and immediately scratched my arm, doing my best to look at ease.
He didn’t react, just matched my slow pace.
We should have been talking and flirting, but I was too busy freaking out to play any games.
He led me in through the back entrance of the hotel to the lobby.
The jungle atrium had exotic birds screeching, the overgrown plants lit from below made it just dark enough for romance.
A large group entered the atrium from the opposite end, small groups surrounding us while we waited for the elevator.
Normally, so many strangers around me would have sent me searching for the stairs, but they made me feel safer somehow.
I would be alone with my Monster soon enough, but not yet.
When a few people pushed between us as the elevator doors opened, I didn’t fight them, looking over at him while we crowded inside. He winked at me before glancing away.
Our room was near the top floor, but it looked like we would be stopping at every other floor first. If only I could get my heart and head aligned in the meantime.
An old Prince song played as the elevator made its slow way up, a song my parents had loved.
One night I had woken up from a nightmare, but they weren’t in their bedroom.
I had crept out to the living room, tiptoeing so they wouldn’t catch me, when I saw them dancing.
The song had been strange, but they were enjoying themselves, both singing their hearts out.
After my father died, I found a collection of mixtapes he had made for my mother in one of his boxes, along with an old Walkman.
I played those tapes over and over again at my uncle’s house, until missing my father hurt a little less.
This song played over our heads, blurring the lines between the past and the mistake I was about to make in the near future.
We stopped at yet another floor. The elevator had emptied out except for two other couples. My Monster glanced over at me and mouthed along to the song a body like yours oughta be in jail, ‘cause it’s on the verge of being obscene…
Heat rushed through me; I had to be blushing.
How could you possibly know the words to this song? I asked him, doing my best not to react when one of the people in the elevator caught what he was doing.
Believe it or not, Corvus, but the radio was invented a long time ago.
I shook my head, laughing with relief as the elevator emptied out.
But how do you know this song, Corvus? It was popular long before you were born.
The doors opened onto our floor, and I hurried out toward our room. Everyone knows that song.
He caught up with me at our door, following me into the room. He was right behind me, grabbing my hand gently. “We don’t have to do this if you don’t want to.”
“No, I know.” I did. His manner reminded me of an old-fashioned gentleman, despite his other, more sinister form. He would never pressure me to have sex with him.
I turned, stepping close to him. His right arm wrapped around me, pulling me even closer.
I looked up at his face, admiring it. This thirty-year-old version of the mountain man persona he wore at home wasn’t better looking, but there was a lot to admire.
He watched me study him in the low light cast by a single lamp.
His features never really changed from either form, the Camazotz version just larger and more exaggerated than the human version.
Both were gorgeous. The human shape more refined than the monster.
He brushed his hand gently down my face.
Goosebumps lit down my back. Feeling bold, I focused on the hideous shirt he had worn for my amusement and worked my way down from the top button to the bottom, pulling it apart to expose his chest. Dark hair sprinkled over tanned skin covered firm but not showy muscles.
I rested my fingertips on his stomach, watching them bunch up as he shivered from my touch.