The Pomegranate Society

Twenty-seven: Alina Starkov

Twenty-seven:

Alina Starkov

Her first semester of college was going by faster than she had expected it. She was three months in when she went to her second royal function. It was the opera. Nikolai invited her one afternoon when they were at lunch together after classes. "So," he said, "how do you feel about Opera?"

Alina, who had been taking a bite of her sandwich, stopped just then. "Opera?" she tilted her head to the side. "That's still a thing?"

He nodded. "My family has a box, and my mothers favorite is playing. But there's an embassy event she must go to and she thought it might be a nice outing for the two of us to go together."

"I can't say I've ever been to the opera," Alina said, "I'm not exactly fancy enough for it."

"Well," he said, "opera boxes, as you'll find out, are notoriously excellent places for love making."

She raised an eyebrow. "Are they really?"

He nodded.

She smiled at him. "Did you have another hard on thinking about me?"

"Yes."

"Where?" she asked.

"A meeting with my father there," he said.

She laughed. "Oh, my poor boy." She reached out and ran her hand through his blond hair.

"I don't mean to pressure you, but...."

Alina hesitated. "I don't want to have sex until we're engaged. I'm not trying to be a prude, but if I get pregnant----"

"I would take care of you," he said, "whatever you decided, I would take care of you."

She smiled. "That's lovely. But Nikolai, I'm an orphan. I just started college. I have to be careful."

"I know," he said, "and I don't want to pressure you, but you're beautiful, and I.... I just want to show you how much I care about you, Alina. You're all I've been thinking about and you've also got me hanging out on a limb here because I haven't had the chance to seduce you yet and that's like half my game..."

She laughed. "I don't think you give yourself enough credit."

His brows furrowed. "Really? Because I'm over here acting like a damn fool and you're just...cool, calm, and collected."

Alina put her sandwich down she'd forgotten she was holding, leaned over the table, and kissed him. She threaded her hands through his hair. Nikolai hissed as Alina bit his mouth, and he pulled away, his mouth a little bloody, and smiling at her. He wiped the blood from his lip with his napkin, staring at her.

"I'm not cool, calm, or collected when it comes to being with you," she said, "we've just always had.... people around." She glanced to the side of the street where she could already see photographers, and she knew somewhere off in the distance Matthias and Nina were watching them.

He smiled at her, his hazel eyes twinkling in the sunlight. "I could arrange it so that there weren't people around."

"Could you?"

He nodded. "There's not much leniency when it comes to private time, but we do have it. For instance, our family yacht.... we could take a weekend together."

She hesitated. "I wouldn't want to---"

He shook his head. "I won't pressure you to anything you don't want to, Alina, but I would like to show you..." he kissed her "...exactly how I feel."

She smiled at him. "Let me see what I can do. I'm still a college student, remember? And some of us don't have monarchies to fall back on as far as back up plans go."

He groaned. "That's right. I expect you've got to clear things with your Professor."

Alina raised an eyebrow. "I mean, I'd have to get my homework and stuff. But what do you mean?"

"The internship?" he reminded her. "The one you're doing with that Morozova dude?"

"Oh, right," she said, coughing, "yes, I'll definitely have to clear it with him."

She would have to clear things with Aleksander anyway, because of her contract. But that didn't mean it was any less strange hearing Nikolai talk about Aleksander. She didn't like it, and she would have to be careful.

"Well," said Nikolai, "let me know what weekend works for you, and I'll arrange something. But it's a yes on the opera, then?"

She shrugged. "I guess so."

"Go shopping with Genya when she goes for her birthday trip, and the party and I'll get some funds approved for you. But whatever you want. The opera is formal, but you'll need some things for Genya's party and the trip I expect so have fun. Just don't run the treasury dry."

She laughed. "I'll try not to."

Nikolai glanced at his watch. "Saints, is that the time? I've got to get going. I've got class to go to."

She smiled at him. "Are you actually going to your classes?"

"Always," he said with a smile, "want to kiss me again?"

"I could probably arrange it."

"Good." He leaned over the table and kissed her. "Text me when you know what your schedule looks like. We'll get that weekend sorted out and um----text me when you pick out your dress for the opera."

She laughed. "Want to put it in your spank bank to you?"

"Yes," he said, "god, yes I do."

"Perhaps I'll text you while I'm in the dressing room...."

He groaned. "Damn it, I'm taking a cold shower tonight. Okay." He kissed her again. "I'll see you later."

"Later," she said.

She watched him go, and when he was gone, there was someone sitting in his seat. The last person that she expected to see there. Aleksander.

"Aleks," she whispered, glancing over at the photographers who were now, thank the Saints, disappearing, "what are you----"

"Come with me," he growled, a dark, blazing look in his eyes, "come with me now, Alina."