Chapter 27 Arezoo
AREZOO
Arezoo's phone buzzed just as she was finishing cleaning up after dinner. She wiped her hands on her apron and pulled out the device, smiling when she saw Drova's name on the screen.
"Hey," Arezoo answered, wedging the phone between her shoulder and ear as she continued drying dishes. "How's island life?"
"Boring as hell without the little tyrant," Drova said in her usual dry tone that could mean any sort of mood. "Kian and the others left yesterday. Now there's nothing to do but watch construction workers and compel hard-headed Russians."
Arezoo chuckled. "Who's the little tyrant?"
"Allegra. She's a bossy little thing but oddly entertaining. She kept me busy. Now I'm so bored that painting my nails seems exciting."
"You hate painting your nails."
"Precisely." There was rustling on Drova's end, like she was moving around. "So, tell me something interesting. What's new with you? How's the engagement going?"
Arezoo felt heat climb up her neck. This was the opening she'd been both hoping for and dreading. "I owe you a big thank you."
"For what?"
"The e-book you sent me." Arezoo lowered her voice even though she was alone in the kitchen. "The shifter romance."
"Oh?" Interest sharpened Drova's tone. "You've read it already?"
"Twice."
Drova laughed. "That sounds promising. You must have liked it a lot."
Arezoo set down the drying cloth and walked over to the pantry, where she could close the door and have privacy. "It was educational."
"I knew it!" Drova sounded giddy. "So, what happened? Did you jump Ruvon's bones, or did you play with yourself all night?"
"Drova!"
"What? It's a legitimate question. You've been engaged for weeks and are moving slower than the continental drift." Drova paused. "I'm proud of myself. I actually remembered that from when I was still trying to study for the high school equivalency test."
Arezoo shook her head. "That's not where you remember it from. It was in that movie about the Titans you were obsessed with."
"Oh, right." Drova sounded a little deflated, but not for long. "Enough about me. I want to hear about you and how you used your newly acquired education in practice."
Arezoo smiled. "I went to Ruvon's place last night with containers of food as an excuse."
"Smooth. And?"
"And we talked. And kissed. And did some other things." Arezoo pressed her free hand to her burning cheek. "Nothing too scandalous, but more than we'd done before."
"Define 'other things.'"
"I'm not giving you details!"
"Why not? I was the catalyst. I sent you the book. I deserve details." Drova's tone was matter of fact. "Did you at least get naked with him?"
"Oh, my God, you can't just ask me that."
"Why not? There is nothing to be embarrassed about. In fact, it's more embarrassing that you two have done so little with each other."
"You know that I want to wait for marriage."
"That's an excuse, and we both know it. You are just scared of having sex."
Arezoo closed her eyes. "Do you have to be so blunt?"
"That's what it's called, Arezoo. Sex or intercourse. Making love, if you want to use nice words. What else would you call it?"
This was why talking to Drova was both refreshing and mortifying. The Kra-ell had no filter whatsoever and saw no reason to be coy about anything.
"We didn't go that far," Arezoo admitted. "But we did discuss it. And we're setting a wedding date. Three months from now."
Drova was quiet for a long moment. "Didn't you want to wait a few years to get married?"
"I did, but then you sent me this book, and suddenly I became impatient, but I still wanted to be married before we, you know, had sex," Arezoo whispered the last word.
"Reading it made me realize that what I have with Ruvon, or rather what I can have with him, is nothing like what happened to me in that cell. "
"Of course it isn't. That Doomer was a sadistic asshole who deserved worse than he got." Drova's voice was hard. "Ruvon loves and respects you."
"I know that intellectually. But knowing it and feeling it are different things." Arezoo wrapped her arm around herself. "The book helped bridge that gap. It showed me what healthy intimacy is like. What it's supposed to feel like. It got me excited."
"Good. The fact that you got horny from reading means that the asshole didn't break you. You still got it. My question is, why wait if you are not scared anymore?"
"We're waiting because it's what I want.
I know that it doesn't make sense to you because you didn't grow up imagining a beautiful wedding and a white dress that symbolizes purity.
It's not even about tradition or religion or any of the shackles that held me down.
I want to believe that I've gotten free of them.
It's just that I'm only going to have one first time, and I want to do it right. "
"That actually makes sense. I mean for you. It's just that I'm a little disappointed. I hoped that the book would push you over the edge, but frankly, I was afraid that you'd yell at me for sending you such smut."
"It was a little smutty," Arezoo admitted.
"Some of those scenes were over the top, but the more I read, the more I realized that it didn't scare me.
The opposite. It showed me how making love could be tender and sweet and exciting at the same time.
That it was all about the intimacy and connection. "
"That's precisely what I was trying to show you.
" Drova sounded pleased. "It was a little tame for me, or a lot, but I have to admit that I enjoyed reading about the tender moments even though I would never be caught dead saying some of the stupid things people say to each other in these books.
Some of it actually made me gag." She punctuated her statement with gagging noises.
Arezoo laughed. "You really have zero filter, Drova."
"Why would I need a filter? I say things as they are."
"That's very Kra-ell of you."
"Thank you. I take it as a compliment." Drova was quiet for a moment. "So, you went to Ruvon's place. You kissed. You did other things. And then you stepped on the brakes? I bet Ruvon wasn't happy about it."
"Actually, he was the one who stopped us from going too far." Arezoo's voice softened, remembering the tenderness in Ruvon's expression. "He said he knew I wanted to wait until we were married, even though I was trying to convince myself otherwise, and he was right."
"He's showing good mate potential by prioritizing your emotional well-being over his physical needs."
Arezoo hadn't expected Drova of all people to appreciate Ruvon's sacrifice. Things were very different for the Kra-ell. Then again, what did she know about their customs?
Not much.
"Is that how you evaluate potential mates?"
Drova's laugh was throaty. "As a pureblooded Kra-ell female, I'm supposed to evaluate them based on their ability to overpower me. But I must be a broken Kra-ell because that doesn't appeal to me. Just don't tell anyone because I'm going to deny it."
"Who am I going to tell?"
Drova snorted. "Your gaggle of sisters and cousins, for one thing. Even if you just tell one person, everyone in the village will have heard about it in less than twenty-four hours. Perhaps I should compel you to never mention this to anyone."
Arezoo didn't like that even as a joke. "Don't you dare and never doubt my commitment to keeping your secrets either."
"I was just teasing, Arezoo. Don't be so literal. So, about those other things you did with Ruvon. Did you enjoy them?"
The question was so direct that Arezoo didn't have time to deflect it. "Yes. I did. It was nice."
"Nice?" Drova sounded incredulous. "That's a terrible word for pleasurable sexual activity. Nice is what you say about an afternoon stroll or a good meal. Sex should be amazing, earth-shattering, mind-blowing."
"It was my first time doing anything of the sort," Arezoo protested. "I think nice is a perfectly acceptable description for a first attempt."
"Fair point. First times are supposed to be awkward." Drova sounded thoughtful. "But it will get better as you get more comfortable with each other."
Drova was speaking like she was an expert on the subject when, in fact, she had even less experience than Arezoo. In fact, Arezoo was quite sure that Drova hadn't even been kissed yet.
"I'll take your word for it," she said sarcastically.
"You should. I've read fifty-three romance novels by now. I'm an expert."
That startled a laugh out of Arezoo. "Fifty-three? Last time we spoke it was fifty, and that was just yesterday. When did you have time to read three more?"
"While doing other things and pretending to listen to podcasts and lectures.
I told you about that application that converts text to speech.
I listen to the books with earpieces while I'm running and doing other activities.
My mother thinks I'm serious about getting an education, and in a way I am.
These books are fascinating from an anthropological perspective.
Humans have such complicated mating rituals.
I mean, compared to the Kra-ell. We might be more intense, but we are much more direct and honest about our wants and needs. "
It sounded simple, uncomplicated, but it was also bloody and savage and tailor-made for the Kra-ell.
"To each her own, I suppose."
"Do you want more recommendations?" Drova asked. "After we spoke, I made a list organized by heat level and trope."
"For me?" Arezoo felt warmth spread through her chest.
"Of course, I made it for you. I organized it as a course on human sexuality.
Contemporary versus paranormal. Sweet versus steamy.
Enemies to lovers, friends to lovers, second-chance romance, arranged marriage—though I don't really understand why arranged marriages are considered romantic when they're literally just business and diplomatic contracts. "
"I bet the characters fall in love despite the arrangement," Arezoo said. "The romance develops from an unexpected angle."
"You see? You understand the dynamic better than I do, even without reading it.
Anyway, I can send you several more if you want.
The next one I'd recommend is about a warrior who's been cursed and can only break it through a truelove's kiss.
Very melodramatic but entertaining and quite mild. You'd like it."
"That sounds…interesting." Arezoo bit her lip. "But does it have educational value like the first one?"
"Educational?" Drova snorted. "You mean, does it have detailed intimate scenes that might help you feel more comfortable with intimacy?"
"Yes, that."
"Of course, but as I said, they are mild. I believe the term is vanilla. Sweet and lacking in spice."
Arezoo didn't know what she wanted or what was considered spicy. She liked food with a little bite, and vanilla was too bland for her. "Send me the book, and maybe a few others if you have time. Perhaps several different levels of spiciness, so I can get a taste for things other than vanilla."
Drova chuckled. "I'll send you a good selection. It's not like I have much to do. I'm the junior member of the team, and my only duty is to compel the Russians to keep secrets. My mother and Phinas think that I'm too young for more dangerous operations. It's insulting."
"You are technically a teenager, Drova. You are not eighteen yet."
"I'm almost there. I'm also over six feet tall, I can compel immortals, and I've killed people. I can handle anything an experienced Guardian can."
Drova had been part of the team that had rescued Arezoo, her sisters, and her cousin from the monster. She owed Drova not only gratitude but also respect. A seventeen-year-old with no combat experience had participated in a difficult mission and had gotten injured while saving a bunch of strangers.
"I have no doubt that you can match and surpass most Guardians. You are in a league of your own, Drova."
"Thank you. I appreciate the compliment."
"I wish you were here," Arezoo said. "I could use your support when I tell my mother about moving up the wedding date. She's going to have a fit." Arezoo grimaced. "She'll suspect I'm pregnant."
"Oh, no!" Drova pretended shock. "As if you'll get so lucky."
Arezoo had forgotten how highly valued children were in the immortal and Kra-ell societies. Nothing was more important than that.
"My mother is still traditional despite pretending that she is a liberated, modern woman now, and having a child out of wedlock is scandalous to her.
But once I assure her that I'm not pregnant, and she stops screaming her head off, she'll get on board with planning the wedding.
She likes Ruvon. And she wants me to be happy. "
"Good luck," Drova said. "I know you can handle the drama."
"Yeah, I can."
"I should go. Jade is probably wondering where I am. I'll send you those books as soon as I can."
"Thank you."
"You're welcome."
After the call ended, Arezoo stood in the pantry for another moment, cooling her flushed cheeks with her cold hands. Talking with Drova was always a challenge, but Arezoo welcomed it. The Kra-ell dragged her out of her comfort zone, sometimes kicking and screaming.
She pulled the door open and returned to the clean-up work.
In three months, she'd be married to Ruvon. And shortly after that, she'd be immortal.
The thought filled her with excited anticipation, thanks in large part to a blunt Kra-ell teenager and her reading recommendations.
When her phone buzzed with an incoming message, she pulled it out of her apron pocket and smiled.
It was from Drova. Sending you five books. Start with the cursed warrior one. The others are arranged in order of increasing heat level. The last one is VERY HOT, so maybe save that for after the wedding. Or don't. It's up to you. Enjoy.
Arezoo felt herself blushing again as she quickly clicked on the links Drova had sent, downloading the books to her reading app.
Her phone buzzed again with another message from Drova. I'm reminding you not to tell anyone where you got these recommendations and books from. If word gets out that I'm reading smutty romance novels, my tough girl reputation will be ruined.