Chapter 19: The Questions

A/N: And without any further ado, the chapter.

Karina had certainly been kissed before, plenty of times by plenty of people. She was not exactly revolting, and she had been relatively sought after. But nothing could have prepared her for the sensations running through her with Dilandau's lips on hers. Heat seared through her, from her belly it spread outward, to her fingers that were buried in his hair to her back where she could feel each of his fingers pressing her to him. Pressing closer she opened her mouth to him, slipping her tongue between his lips.

Dilandau caught his breath as Karina's tongue caressed his and wondered vaguely if the heat in him would kill him when no sword had managed to. He had never kissed a woman before. That was the truth. He had never wanted to. He was not programmed to have lust for women, only blood, only battle. But this woman had tugged at his emotions and his sensations until he thought he might die if he didn't touch her. And here he was, his hands sliding over her, exploring her as he had wanted to for so long, kissing her with all the pent-up longing he had restrained inside him.

After awhile, it could have been an eternity or only a few minutes, neither of them was sure, they drew back and took in the other's swollen lips and flushed cheeks and ragged breathing. His hand lingered on her waist, hers rested on the back of his neck. Karina looked into his eyes, the eyes that were the color of passion, and saw them burning as they looked into her own.

Dilandau cleared his throat as a blush stole into his pale cheeks.

Karina smiled. "I bet that's what you say to all the girls."

He frowned. "And is that what you say to all the men?"

"No."

He dragged a hand through his hair. "What the hell just happened?"

"Come on, Dilandau, even you are not that ignorant. We kissed, and it was—" she paused as she tried to find a word that suited their last few minutes in heaven.

"Like fire," he finished, barely above a whisper. Dilandau had never felt anything with the same intesity as fire had, with the same power to consume or keep warm, to destroy or create, until now. And that this power came in a telepath he couldn't control his feelings for frightened him, just as the fire did, though he yearned for it still.

"So what happens now?" she asked, her voice slightly less confident than it had been a minute before. "Other than killing the Sorcerers, obviously."

"What do you mean?" His voice held more panic than he would have liked it to. Why did she have to ask questions he didn't know the answers to?

"I mean what is this? Was that just a kiss, or am I supposed to expect more?" She shook her head. "A few months ago I thought you were going to kill me and that I could never fear anybody as I feared you, and now... I need to know what you feel for me."

Dilandau blinked. "You want to know now?"

Karina rolled her eyes. "No, I want to know in a half hour. Yes, now. If the last few minutes were anything to go by I'd say you like me pretty well. Do you?"

"Yes." he replied steadily. He at least knew that much.

"For how long?"

"We need to find the Slayers," he growled, turning away from her curious stare.

"All right. We should go find them then."

"We should." They left the room and walked in silence down the hall, standing several inches away from eachother, not touching. "How long have you—?" he began, but stopped, thinking better of it.

Karina looked up at him. "Awhile. I don't really know how long or anything but, awhile I think." She grabbed his hand and twined her fingers with his. He glanced down at her, an expression of something she could almost call fear on his face. "This doesn't have to be weird." she told him gently. "You want me, I want you. Why can't we just be... together?"

"Do you even have any idea what that means? Being with me? Do you really have any idea what I've done?"

"Yes. I know what you've done, I know everything about you. And I'd be lying if I said I didn't care. But you're not like that anymore, or at least not as much." She smiled a little. "At least you don't go on random killing sprees anymore."

"I don't know you. You could know everything about me and I still wouldn't know anything about you. You can read my mind." he finished.

"And you think that means I know you? I've read your mind twice, Dilandau. Ever. And if things... happen as they tend to in relationships—" she blushed as he looked down at her, a bright light in his eyes— "then I won't be able to help reading your mind. Unless you expect me not to touch you."

He swallowed and said nothing.

"I want you. I want to be yours. Can't you just trust me?"

His eyes were on her again and he tried to shield the emotions in his eyes as he looked at her.

"Do you trust me?" he asked softly.

"Yes," she answered without hesitation.

He paused and his hand tightened on hers. "I trust you."