“Don’t worry,” Raak told her. “Nobody here but me has any sexual interest in your sweet, curvy little body, baby girl. And they’re only going to see you for a minute anyway. In fact,” he added mysteriously, “You’ll only see yourself for a minute too—or me—so enjoy the sight while it lasts.”
He flashed her that wild grin of his—a white slice in his dark face—and held out his arms as though to let her look at his body, which was, by now, completely nude.
Kara tried not to look and found she couldn’t help herself. She’d seen Raak with his shirt off, of course, but the big Unbondable completely naked was a sight to behold. Her eyes ran up his long muscular legs, cut torso, and broad chest and shoulders before sliding back down to rest on the long, thick shaft that nestled against one thigh like a sleeping snake.
He’s so big! she couldn’t help thinking and her fangs throbbed at the thought. Goddess, if he was that huge when he was completely soft, how enormous must his shaft get when he was hard?
And what would it feel like inside her?
Unbidden, the image of her straddling him as she had before, rose in Kara’s mind. Only this time, instead of just biting his neck, she was piercing him with her fangs as he pierced her below with his shaft. She couldn’t help imagining him thrusting up into her as she sank her fangs into his throat, the two of them penetrating each other for hours and hours…
Her fangs throbbed again as the forbidden image filled her mind and she had to force herself to look away.
“Seen enough, baby girl?” Raak sounded amused and she wondered if he had somehow guessed the naughty thoughts going on in her head.
“Shouldn’t we be going in?” she asked, deliberately not answering his question.
“Not until you get naked,” Raak told her. His deep voice became suddenly serious. “It’s an offense to the Kaji to show any part of yourself and the effects of the Palace of the Unseen don’t work if you’re wearing clothes.”
“The effects?” Kara asked frowning.
“You’ll see,” he promised her. “Or you won’t if you don’t take off your clothes. Of course, if you want, I can leave you out here and try to make the deal with Qi on your behalf.”
“You mean you’ll leave me here all alone?” Kara looked around at the rustling, reflective plant people that still surrounded them chanting,
“New,new,new,new,” in their soft, tinkling voices.
It was like being surrounded by a chorus of leafy wind chimes, she thought. Though she knew they meant her no harm, it was kind of creepy to think of being left alone with them.
Raak shrugged.
“Sure, if you want.”
“No, I’d rather go with you,” Kara said quickly.
“Well then, get naked, baby girl.” he motioned at her.
“All right.” Taking a deep breath to nerve herself up, Kara quickly slipped the silver uniform shirt over her head and dropped it on the pile of clothes Raak had already discarded. Then she stood there shivering, her arms wrapped around herself to hide her nakedness.
Raak’s dark eyes softened.
“Come on,” he told her, his voice dropping to a lower register, “You don’t have to hide yourself like that, Kara. You’re fucking gorgeous, you know?”
“Um, thanks,” Kara muttered. But his warm words and the honest and obvious admiration in his eyes made her stand up straighter and drop her arms to her sides. She could see her nude body reflected in the hundreds of mirrored leaves of the Xephronians around them, but somehow that didn’t seem to matter.
Raak thinks I’m beautiful, she told herself. And you know what—I am beautiful. I’m a strong, powerful female and I’m not afraid to show myself.
The words of self-affirmation helped and she lifted her chin, determined not to be ashamed of her nudity. After all, if Raak could be so comfortable and unconcerned about being naked, it hardly made any sense for her to be cringing and trying to cover herself all the time. Especially when, as he had pointed out, the Xephronians had no interest in her sexually.
“All right,” she said, lifting her chin and letting her arms hang free at her sides. “I’m ready to go.”
“And gorgeous too.” Raak’s dark eyes ran over her body, taking her in the same way she’d looked at him and Kara couldn’t help noticing that his shaft twitched and came to attention as he admired her. “Too bad I won’t get to see you once we get inside,” he added cryptically. “But of course, if I could, it would probably only distract me so much I couldn’t make a good trade with Qi.”
“What do you mean you won’t be able to see me?” Kara asked, frowning.
“You’ll see, baby girl.” Raak motioned to the plant-person who had led them here. “Okay, we’re ready. Open the door and let us into the Palace of the Unseen.”
“As you wish,” the Xephronian said in its high, tinkling voice.
With a rustle of its silvery leaves, it did something to the air in front of where they were standing and then made a motion with its remaining leaves that seemed to beckon to them.
“Enter, esteemed guests of the Kaji,” it said. “And remember, you must be unseen in order to be seen by Qi.”
Kara didn’t understand this at all, but Raak was already taking her by the hand and leading her through the invisible doorway.
“Come on, baby girl,” he murmured. “Let’s go see if Qi can help you with your fangs.”
And then they went through.
Twenty
They stepped into…nothing. The door slid shut behind them with a soft whooshing sound and then they were completely enclosed in what looked and felt like a box of empty air.
