Close Obsession
2013 Heat 5/5
Close Obsession by Anna Zaires is a 2013 romance. Tropes: Alien Romance, alien-human-romance, Alpha Hero, captor-and-captive, Enemies to Lovers, Fated Mates, forbidden-interspecies-romance, Forced Proximity, immortal-and-mortal-romance, morally-gray-hero, possessive-protector-hero, power-imbalance, Science fiction romance, secret-resistance-alliance, villain-pov-cliffhanger. Heat 5/5. Book 2 of The Krinar Chronicles.
What happened in Close Obsession?
In Lenkarda, the main Krinar colony on Earth, Mia is completely at Korum’s mercy. With no way to leave and no idea how to operate even the most basic Krinar technology, she has no choice but to trust the K who brought her there—the lover whom she had betrayed. Will he keep his promise to bring her home, or is she destined to be his prisoner forever? Can a human become a part of Krinar society? Does Korum love her, or does he only wish to possess her?
What tropes are in Close Obsession?
Where does Close Obsession fall in The Krinar Chronicles?
Book 2 of The Krinar Chronicles. Reading order
What should I read next?
Close Remembrance by Anna Zaires.
Chapters
Chapter 2
From a hidden vantage, a Krinar operative reviews holographic footage of his nemesis Korum leading guardians in a violent raid on a beach hut. When the Krinar Rafor foolishly attacks, an invisible shield fries his nervous system before a stun weapon renders him unconscious; the remaining Keiths are subdued and locked with silvery crime-collars as prisoners pending Council judgment. Korum descends into the wreckage, visibly furious that his enemies will face no mercy. Watching dispassionately, the Krinar—calling the captured family the Keiths—recognizes the futility of direct confrontation and switches off the image, the weight of Earth's future pressing down. He must find another way to neutralize Korum before it is too late.
Chapter 3
Mia arrives in the Krinar colony of Lenkarda with her captor-turned-lover Korum, only to watch him un-build their transport ship with nanomachines, stranding them in the Costa Rican jungle. As panic threatens to overwhelm her, Korum reassures her while revealing the truth about John's sister Dana—she is a xeno in Krina, not a charl—and that John's father is a predator. They reach Korum's intelligent house, which morphs to create doorways and mimics his New York penthouse to comfort Mia. Though she despises his manipulation of her for the Resistance, she cannot deny her attraction as he promises to return her to New York after summer. The chapter closes with Korum's nemesis observing them from the treeline, vowing to save humanity his own way.
Chapter 4
Mia wakes in Korum’s Lenkarda residence, restored by his intelligent bed, and reconsiders her betrayal fears now that he’s spared her despite her Resistance spying. Their charged reunion—filled with kisses and undeniable chemistry—is interrupted by Saret, a Krinar mind expert, who arrives to offer Mia a language implant granting instant fluency in any tongue. Though terrified of brain intrusion after Korum secretly embedded tracking devices in her palms, Mia accepts when Saret assures her the cell-sized device is harmless. When Saret reveals that the UN and Krinar Council demand her testimony in the upcoming treason trial of the Keiths, Korum fiercely refuses, protecting her from public scrutiny and potential danger. After receiving the implant and speaking Krinar for the first time, Mia gains a powerful tool for navigating her captivity while the unresolved threat of forced testimony hangs between her and Korum.
Chapter 5
After gaining the ability to speak every language, Mia shares an exuberant moment with Korum that deepens into passionate intimacy, their connection reigniting amidst the luxury of his Costa Rican home. Over a dinner of exotic Krinarian cuisine prepared in their intelligent house, they explore his world—his design work, faster-than-light communication, and the meritocratic Council that governs his people. But the warmth curdles when Mia confronts the morning's betrayal: she participated in a Resistance attack on K colonies and faces demands to testify before the Council. Korum reveals that as his 'charl,' she belongs to him alone, outside Council jurisdiction—a protection that offers safety but underscores the power imbalance between them. As Mia grapples with her diminished autonomy and Korum's possessive devotion, the chapter closes on their fragile truce, shadowed by the unresolved threat of exposure and the question of what their unequal bond truly means.
Chapter 6
Mia wakes in Lenkarda grappling with the reality of her status as Korum's charl—a legal possession in Krinar society—yet her attraction to the two-thousand-year-old alien remains undeniable. When her cell phone fails due to K shielding, Korum gifts her a custom wristwatch communicator that translates any language, allowing her to reassure her roommate Jessie that she is safe in Costa Rica and to lie to her parents about her summer plans. Their conversation shifts to Korum's upcoming trial, where he explains the dangerous Protector system and warns her away from testifying against ruthless Council member Loris. As Korum prepares to leave for court, Mia secures promises of packing her belongings and prepares for the looming meeting with her parents in Florida, where Korum intends to win them over—leaving the chapter on the unresolved tension between her human life and her new existence in his world.
Chapter 7
Mia infiltrates the virtual dome of Lenkarda to secretly observe the historic trial of the Keiths—seven Krinar accused of treason against their own species. While invisible to the thousands of spectators, she indulges in a forbidden moment of intimacy with Korum, the chief prosecutor, before the proceedings begin. As Korum presents damning holographic evidence of the Keiths' conspiracy with human Resistance forces, the packed arena holds its breath. The Protector, Loris, clashes fiercely with Korum over the proposed sentence of complete rehabilitation, a punishment so severe it shocks the court. When the day ends, Korum privately congratulates himself on having severed ties with the accused just in time to escape suspicion himself.
Chapter 8
Mia spends the day alone in Korum's technologically advanced Costa Rican residence, discovering the house's AI can prepare meals and float objects via voice commands. After canceling her summer internship in Florida, she waits anxiously for Korum to return from a tense legal trial. When he arrives, their reunion quickly turns into a volatile confrontation about her autonomy, her virginity at twenty-one, and his possessive control over her life. Korum reveals Krinar cultural truths—including their two-hundred-year path to adulthood and a brutal punishment called complete rehabilitation that erases criminal personalities—while admitting he can always tell when she lies. Despite her anger and resentment, the tension culminates in a tender kiss and promises of an internship and friendship, leaving Mia stunned and emotionally exposed as Korum retreats to his office.
Chapter 9
Mia delves into the dark history of the Krinar—ancient predators who hunted the lonar for blood before learning to farm them—while Korum prepares her for a dinner with an acquaintance. He dresses her in a wardrobe of light-colored garments, explaining that dark and bright hues signal violence and vengeance in Krinar culture, and fastens a million-year-old shimmer-stone heirloom around her neck. At Arman's floating-furniture home, Mia meets the artist K and his charl, Maria, a vivacious Costa Rican human who won Arman's heart despite species barriers. Over dinner, Mia witnesses genuine love transcending their prejudices, stirring both jealousy and hope in her chest. The chapter closes on an ominous note as an unseen Krinar enemy reviews surveillance footage, plotting his next move against Korum and Mia.
Chapter 10
Mia returns to Korum's seaside home still processing the human-K couple they observed, questioning whether love can survive the species divide. Their evening turns political as Korum explains the ancient grudge held by Loris, whose son Rafor lost all standing after Loris's design firm failed against Korum's centuries ago. When Korum reveals he knew about her secret touches earlier, he uses a neural temple link to immerse them in a vivid virtual nightclub, where he possesses her against a cage while strangers dance obliviously around them. The boundary between reality and simulation blurs until he dissolves the scene, leaving Mia shaken, furious, and aroused despite herself. He follows her into the shower, washing away her shame with tender care until exhaustion claims them both, leaving the morning's trial and Loris's presentation still unresolved.
Chapter 11
Mia wakes haunted by the memory of a scandalous virtual encounter with Korum, only to find him returning from a brutal training session covered in dirt and scratches. Their charged reunion escalates into a passionate, uninhibited encounter that leaves her breathless and questioning her resistance to his domineering nature. Afterward, Korum prepares an exotic smoothie featuring bowit, a rare sweet nut from Krina, before they escape to a secluded Costa Rican beach. Swimming in the powerful surf, Mia feels utterly safe in Korum's arms as he shares dark truths about the Krinar Arena and their lack of animal companions. The idyllic morning ends on a tense note as an unnamed enemy observes their intimacy from the shore, his suppressed cravings threatening the fragile peace.
Chapter 12
The second day of the high-stakes trial opens with Loris, father of accused Rafor, assuming the role of Protector to defend the seven defendants. He presents memory scan evidence suggesting the accused suffer from tampered minds, directly accusing Council members Saret and Korum of mind violation to advance a political agenda. Korum coolly dismantles the accusation, countering that Loris himself erased his son's memories to evade responsibility, noting that only the Protector benefits from the memory loss. When fellow Councilor Arus corroborates the prosecution with fifty witness testimonies validating the incriminating recordings, Loris's defense crumbles. Privately, Korum confirms his guilt with chilling certainty, recalling how he wiped the Keiths' memories to silence the rebellion. The chapter closes on his secret triumph and the promise of his unchecked plan moving forward, while Mia watches anxiously from his podium.
Chapter 13
Mia spends the evening recovering from watching the virtual trial, then escapes to the waterfalls to read, where she meets Delia—Arus's charl from Greece—who invites her to a beach party for Maria's birthday. Back home, Korum cooks dinner and they discuss Krinar history, including the devastating plague that nearly wiped out their food supply and the violent aftermath that led to the Arena tradition. As twilight falls, they walk to a secluded, privately reserved stretch of beach where Korum initiates a passionate encounter. He withholds her climax until she confesses love under duress, then marks her neck with a bite that triggers a chemical frenzy, plunging them into an all-night affair until exhaustion claims her before dawn.
Chapter 14
Mia wakes consumed by regret over confessing her love to Korum, only to find he has cared for her through the night. When he returns from the trial, he surprises her with a dinner at the Food Hall alongside Saret, a renowned Krinar mind expert, and Adam Moore—a Krinar adopted by humans as an infant. The meal becomes an interview as Saret offers Mia a coveted internship studying Krinar psychology at his lab, a chance no human has had before. Thrilled, Mia passionately thanks Korum with a kiss, but later he demands she repeat her confession, forcing her to admit she loves him again. Though he doesn't reciprocate the words, their intimacy deepens as she accepts her feelings, leaving her wondering if a Krinar can ever truly return such love.
Chapter 15
Mia settles into a grueling routine at Saret's Krinar research lab, where experimental knowledge imprinting leaves her dizzy but professionally transformed, earning her respect from skeptical colleagues. While her bond with Korum deepens through daily confessions and nights of intense intimacy—including virtual reality encounters—she maintains a fragile truce with her possessive cheren. When Korum takes her to the Celebration of Forty-Seven, Mia witnesses a public bonding ritual where Leeta and her mate bind their union after forty-seven years, a spectacle that leaves her aroused and envious of their devotion. Meanwhile, political tensions simmer as the Council investigates the Keiths' memory loss, with Korum suspecting Loris. Unbeknownst to Mia, the rival Council member watches her with dangerous obsession, plotting to claim her as his own while hiding his hunger beneath political necessity as Mia prepares to visit her family in Florida.
Chapter 16
Mia witnesses a Krinar bonding ritual where physical intimacy is concealed behind opaque walls while raw emotion plays out publicly through music and stomping applause. Later, at a Krinar party, she is swept onto the dance floor by Korum, whose inhuman athleticism turns dancing into a breathless, spinning flight. When his desire overwhelms him, he abruptly takes her home for a passionate encounter that leaves her sated but trembling. The next morning, anxiety grips Mia as she prepares to introduce her human parents to her alien lover; Korum insists on accompanying her to Florida to ensure her safety from the still-active Resistance. As they depart in his high-speed pod for Daytona Beach, an unseen enemy watches them go, certain that Mia will soon join his cause to save Earth.
Chapter 17
Mia Stalis arrives unannounced at her parents' home in Ormond Beach to reveal her secret relationship with Korum, an ancient alien from the K species. After a tense confession over tea—complete with revelations about her internship at a K Center in Costa Rica and her newfound polyglot abilities—Mia prepares to introduce her boyfriend to her skeptical parents. When Korum arrives, he launches a careful charm offensive, mirroring the family's tea ritual and offering a miraculous migraine cure to her father. As her mother's fear slowly melts into fascination and her father reluctantly accepts the medicine, the chapter closes on the fragile hope that Korum can bridge the gap between his world and Mia's family, leaving the parents cautiously optimistic but still wary of their daughter's extraordinary new life.
Chapter 18
Mia and Korum drive to a secluded beachfront mansion where they confront lingering resentment over her past espionage for the Resistance, trading apologies until passion overrides the argument. Mia calls her pregnant sister Marisa, who reacts with delighted shock to news of Mia's alien romance while revealing her own severe pregnancy complications; Korum promises to dispatch Ellet, a human biology specialist from Lenkarda, to examine her. After reconciling physically and emotionally by the infinity pool, the couple's intimacy escalates into a raw, urgent encounter on a lounge chair, leaving Mia breathless but satisfied as Korum carries her toward a bath.
Chapter 19
Mia hosts a dinner at her Florida home to introduce her Krinar lover Korum to her parents and pregnant sister Marisa, who suffers from severe morning sickness. Korum charms the family with an elaborate plant-based feast and amusing stories, while secretly arranging for a Krinar human-biologist named Ellet to treat Marisa's hyperemesis gravidarum. The next day, Ellet uses advanced nanomachines to normalize Marisa's hormone levels, revealing the baby is a girl. Mia's joy curdles into jealousy when she learns Korum once had a casual fling with the stunning Ellet, but he reassures her that his devotion to her is unique and intense. The chapter closes with the sisters walking on the beach, the unresolved tension of Mia's insecurity and the secret non-interference mandate hanging between them.
Chapter 20
Mia strolls along the beach with her sister Marisa, confessing her deepening love for Korum despite their species difference and his eventual departure. Though she fears the heartbreak ahead, she resolves to seize the moment. Meanwhile, Korum secretly observes the pair from afar, troubled by his planned actions for tomorrow that will hurt the woman he craves. The family gathers for an extravagant dinner at a gourmet Hammock Beach restaurant where Korum charms Mia's parents with immigrant stories, masking his predatory nature. The next morning, the lovers swim and sunbathe in private seclusion, Korum admiring Mia's pale skin and blushing cheeks, until the Resistance fighter Leslie ambushes Mia at the pool fence with a gun.
Chapter 21
Icy terror grips Mia when Leslie ambushes her on a wooden bridge at Ormond Beach, gun leveled at her head. Rather than killing Mia, Leslie reveals a horrifying truth: another Krinar is disintegrating Korum into particles right now, and the Keiths' capture involved more Ks than they knew. Enraged, Mia disarms Leslie through a brutal struggle—biting, breaking a finger, and striking her with the weapon—then sprints across the bridge to intervene. Finding the gun unloaded, she attacks the Krinar barehanded, only to be hurled twelve feet into the dunes with a compound fracture. Korum arrives in time, tearing the attacker apart in a savage display of strength before cradling the bloodied Mia. As she recoils from the mutilated corpse, the chapter closes on the visceral cost of their survival and Mia's shattered composure.
Chapter 22
After a brutal ambush on the beach, Korum rescues Mia from Saur, a traitorous Krinar working with the Resistance, and Leslie, who held her at gunpoint. Korum kills Saur in a savage self-defense, while Mia bites Leslie to escape. Back at the house, Korum showers the traumatized Mia, administers a healing pill that perfectly mends her broken arm, and cradles her through an emotional breakdown. The near-death experience triggers a raw confession of love, answered by passionate, urgent intimacy that reaffirms their bond. Guardians arrive to take Leslie into custody for rehabilitation, while Mia deduces Saur may have engineered the Keiths' memory loss using his mind-manipulation expertise. Korum reassures her that embedded recordings and orbital satellites will prove self-defense, closing the chapter on their shaken embrace and renewed commitment before lunch with her parents.
Chapter 23
Mia hosts her parents for lunch in St. Augustine at The Present Moment Cafe, where Korum charms them with tales of his first visit to Earth seven centuries ago, but Mia remains haunted by his brutal killing of a fellow Krinarian on the beach that morning. During a tense walk through the Alligator Farm, she confronts him directly, pressing him on his body count—both Krinar and human—and learning that Arena combat triggers an unstoppable killing instinct in his kind, while his predatory territorial nature extends to lethal protection of those he loves. Later, over dinner with her healed sister Marisa and brother-in-law Connor—and a movie date—Mia witnesses her family's complete adoration of the alien, even as a flicker of jealousy toward Korum's former lover Ellet surfaces. As the chapter closes, Korum carries her to bed with promises to discuss their future in Lenkarda, leaving Mia suspended between passion and the gnawing fear of aging while her immortal lover endures.
Chapter 24
Mia wakes cradled in Korum's arms, the intimacy deepening into a morning of passion before they plan a road trip to Orlando's theme parks. During the drive, Korum reveals the dark mechanics of their bond: Krinar blood acts as an addictive pleasure drug, and humans can become dependent on K saliva. He explains the tragedy of Leslie's brother, who died at an x-club, and the genetic addiction that binds a Krinar to a specific human's blood. The chapter turns on a chilling revelation—Korum confirms that charls like Mia are kept biologically immortal by their partners, never allowed to age, sicken, or die. The unresolved tension of this possessive permanence hangs over their journey as Mia grapples with the price of their love.
Chapter 25
Mia confronts Korum in the car after discovering he secretly implanted nanocytes into her body two weeks prior while she slept, rendering her effectively immortal without her consent. Enraged by the violation of her bodily autonomy, she tries to flee but he restrains her and forces her back into the vehicle for a tense high-speed drive home. Isolated in a guest bedroom, Mia examines her transformed body—scar-free, ageless, strengthened—and oscillates between fury at being treated as his "charl" and joy at the prospect of centuries together. She recognizes the Krinar's power to grant immortality, hidden behind the non-interference mandate, yet realizes she cannot imagine existence without him, resolving to eventually forgive his possessive act of love.
Chapter 26
Mia descends ready to interrogate Korum but freezes at his shuttered, distant expression as he coldly orders her to leave Earth, offering money and transport home. Crushed by the apparent rejection, she collapses outside weeping, but refusing to accept dismissal, she returns to confront him. Korum reveals he was granting her the freedom she had been fighting for, and the pain of letting her walk away proves the depth of his love. Recognizing this ultimate sacrifice from a man who commands worlds, Mia chooses to remain, and they consummate their reunion in an intense, passionate encounter.
Chapter 27
Mia wakes beside Korum after a morning of intimacy, pressing him with questions about the immortality he granted her. He explains that nanocytes repair her body at the cellular level, preserving her youth for centuries, and reveals that the Krinar Elders—ancient beings who created humanity—enforce a strict non-interference mandate that forbids sharing such technology, save for one exception: a Krinar may claim a human as their charl. The conversation shifts to painful truths when Korum admits he cannot extend this gift to Mia's family, prompting an emotional exchange where both confess their love and he vows never to act without her consent again. As they depart Florida for Lenkarda via Costa Rica, Mia weighs abandoning her college degree to remain with Korum, feeling a newfound security in their bond despite the looming question of her future.
Chapter 28
The epilogue plunges readers into the predatory mindset of Korum, the Krinar who survived Saur’s lethal ambush. Though his enemy failed to kill him, the attack left Mia wounded—a transgression that ignites Korum’s possessive fury rather than deterring him. Seeking distraction, he frequents an x-club and engages with human companions, yet none can satisfy his fixation on Mia’s vulnerability. The chapter traces his chilling transition from vengeful anger to cold calculation as he tallies a productive week of preparations. With a sinister promise that he will soon claim Mia and everything else he desires, the narrative closes on a menacing countdown that leaves her safety hanging in the balance.
Editions
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Close Obsession by Anna Zaires. https://books.mozaikallc.com/en/works/anna-zaires/close-obsession Plot summaries, not full text.