Life sucked. Amber was caught upstairs in a guest bedroom with Rena who was showing her baby pictures of Alexei. Rena was sitting in a comfortable chair going on about how Alexei was such a cute baby. Amber remembered, she was there.
Alexei had excused himself when his mother told her she had something she wanted Amber to see. Last she saw was his back heading outside. She would get him later for leaving her alone.
Now she felt like an old woman robbing the cradle. Alexi was only six years younger than her. She wanted to throw that in her Aunt Rena’s face except the fact that she was her Aunt, even if it wasn’t by blood, made the whole thing seem a little bit creepier than it really was.
“I guess I should apologize, but I can’t bring myself to,” Amber finally said breaking into the yet another he was such a cute baby line. She needed the real point to come out.
“I don’t need you to apologize. I’m not uninformed, I spotted this long before the two of you had an inkling. What I want to know is how you truly feel. I think I know but honestly thinking you know another’s feelings without asking usually leads to misunderstandings.”
Amber stood and paced. She gave a soft laugh; Alexei was rubbing off on her. How was she supposed to tell his mother her feelings when she hadn’t even told Alexei? Why hadn’t she told him? Because, what was she supposed to say?
Alexei, I remember holding you at Lorali’s and Sergey’s wedding when you were a baby. She really didn’t remember that but someone had gotten a picture of it and she was privy to look at it more than once, too many times actually and now she was sleeping with the person she held in her arms when she was six and yeah that made her some kind of creep needing jail time.
Rena laughed, “The Dare men will make you pace.”
Amber returned her smile, “Alexei is rubbing off on me and I love it. I also love him. I know it doesn’t make sense and I know he’s six years younger than me –but honestly what’s six years when he’s twenty-nine and I’m thirty-five? Really it’s no big deal and I don’t feel like I’m robbing the cradle or anything. The bigger deal is that he’s Hybrid and really maybe in Hybrid years he’s only like fifteen or something and now I feel like a cougar thinking like that.”
“Then let me assure you of a few things. He’s not fifteen in Hybrid years; if he were I wouldn’t have let him leave the house. He has a long life ahead of him. Neither he nor his father knows that, but you’d be amazed at what Dante tells me. I also know you’re his mate, and I knew that before he was born. You don’t think I would bring clothes to just anyone do you?”
“If I’m his mate why are we here?”
Rena gave her a sad smile. “I never said being his mate would be easy, remember that.” She rose up and walked out the door.
Chapter Twenty
The look Alexei threw Amber warmed her. But the talk with Rena lingered. She was Alexei’s mate and part of her rejoiced, but if she was honest with herself she already knew. The way he made her feel and respond. His total aggressiveness around her combined with his desire to never hurt her. She watched him long enough to know he never treated another with the love he treated her. The fact that he never let another touch his body. Yes, they were mates. If Rena knew it then her dad knew it too, probably the reason Alexei was still among the living. Of course, that didn’t stop her dad from casting Alexei an evil look before turning to her.
“Amber,” her dad said with a wicked smile. “How are you feeling today?”
Alexei lowered his eyes before looking at her. She was sure she was missing something important here.
“I’m fine, happy.” She was happy even after having talked to her Aunt Rena, even in the midst of her family who were all now staring at her making her want to squirm in her chair like she was ten again.
Alexei made her happy. His glance stirred the fire deep inside of her that she thought was banked. He was a dangerous male.
Ash gave her a smile, the kind that reminded her he loved and would do anything to ensure her happiness.
She left her chair and rounded the table until she stood beside her dad. Leaning down she hugged him tightly. She loved him, also.
“I’m truly happy, Dad. I don’t know what tomorrow will bring or even if we’ll all be in one piece, but today all is right with my world.”
He stood and held her in his arms for a minute. “As long as you’re happy, Amber.”
When he let her go she noticed there were tears in her aunt’s eyes and her uncles were clearing their throats. They were family. They figured it out and refused to let anything tear them apart and she was part of this unusual dynamic. She threw a bright smile at Alexei as she sat next to him.
“Look, we’re just in time for breakfast.” Dante and his brothers walked in.
“Wow, Dante’s here, who could have predicted that?” Dee asked before dissolving into laughter with Rena.
The rest of her aunts shook their heads. “Dante, really it’s not fair. You have to let the rest of us in on the secret.”
Amber looked around the table, for some unknown reason her Aunts Rena and Dee always seemed to know or at least not be surprised when Dante showed up.
“Soon you will understand, Lorali.” Dante came over to greet Hale and then the rest of her uncles. “We come bearing gifts.”
The gifts were several containers of a drink that only Dante seemed to be able to make but that they all loved. Soon they were all sitting down eating.
“Hale,” Aran said pushing back from the table. “Tell us what you learned.”
“As we all assumed, the ships are here as a show of force to scare us, but they have no outright plans until Yaksim gets here. Seems there has been trouble in securing his release.” Hale’s eyes darted to Dante.
“Why are they waiting for him?” Aran asked, his voice laced with frustration. His eyebrow began to tick before Rena walked over to hug him close.
“This whole invasion was worked up by Yaksim and he’s kept the details close to his chest, so no one is quite sure what to do without him. They also know without a tight plan of action; the chances of them winning are small considering all the different groups represented on the Earth.”
“Earth,” Rena smiled, “the ultimate melting pot.”
Lorali and Dee laughed while everyone else threw her a smile.
“All we need to do is kill Yaksim when he shows up, threat of war over.” Aran’s beast emerged in his smile.
“Not that simple,” Hale interjected. “We kill Yaksim, which gives us a fighting chance. They still have us outgunned and maybe even out manned. I’m still not sure how many they carry on each ship but we can’t keep killing them one at a time. Not if we want to survive this war.”
“Right now it’s the best plan we have. Of course, I hear there were two killed at a time and three…” Aran shot a smile to Alexei and Amber.
“I agree,” Hale gave a look at Alexei and Amber. “I’m just saying we need a better plan.”
Aran’s broad shoulders dropped in a sigh. “I will kill Yaksim, what is the next move or even the first move?”
“Yaksim will escape tomorrow,” Dante said quietly.
“Sounds more like Dante will grant him his freedom tomorrow.” Amber muttered to herself looking down at the table.
“Did you say something, Amber?” The smile on Dante’s face encouraged her to repeat herself.
“I was just wondering if you were a genie granting wishes and favors that’s all.”
“Not even close, Amber, but it was a good guess.”
“Get with us later, Amber,” Lorali said, “we’ll go over the list of things we have tried over the years.”
Amber nodded, she wondered what names her aunts had called Dante in the past when they tried to figure out what he was.
“How long will it take Yaksim to get here?” Alexei asked, “It took these ships almost thirty years to get here.”
“Yaksim is a good deal closer to Earth. Keep your friends close and your enemies closer.
He will be here within two days after his escape,” Dante informed them.
“So three days maximum before things kick up into high gear. Hale, have you discovered anything else?” Aran looked back at him.
“Many of the factions on the ships have different end goals. Several want to destroy the Earth as a warning to the rest of the galaxy. Why, I’m still not sure. Others want to use the people of the Earth as slave labor. A population as large as ours could make them rich on the slave market. Then there are those who simply want to hunt us as sport or have us for dinner.”
Hale frowned pulling his lips down and crinkling the corner of his eyes. “There is one thing they all seem to agree on. No human is a good human.”
Amber frowned and her eyes closed as her shoulders shook. To have so many different types of people feel that way about her entire race upset her. Why couldn’t they see the goodness in her people and the potential that made each person unique?
Alexei’s hands went to her shoulders. He was standing behind her. He began to massage her shoulders bringing a sigh to her lips.
“So what do we do now?” Rena asked looking at Aran.
“Nothing, they’ve confined themselves to their ships for the time being. Any operatives on Earth have been commanded not to bring attention to themselves. We take the next three days for ourselves. Soon we will be at war.”
“What about the human government, will they just sit back and wait?” Alexei asked his father.
“If they want the Earth to survive they will.”
Aran stood and walked out, everyone following except Amber and the Hybrid’s. “Guess were cleaning up again.”
“I’m just glad we were all included,” Alexei said before grabbing dishes.
*~*~*~*
Amber took in the sight of the parking complex under her condo. Alexei was driving the hover car in its ground form. The sleek looking jeep ate up the space quickly until he came to a visitors parking lot.
“Are you sure you want to do this?”
“If we don’t do it today, Amber, when will we get a chance? We have three days and after that your condo may not even exist.”
“That’s not what I’m talking about Alexei and you know it. Do you really want my things as well as me to mingle among yours? Are you simply doing this because you’re scared that in three days you will be dead or I will? We don’t have to move fast; I’m not going anywhere.”
“Let’s go.” He opened the car door and jumped out.
Amber got out the car following him straight back to the elevator that would take her to her apartment. She lived on the ninth floor. Her dad wanted to get her the penthouse apartment but she refused. She figured if she lived there she might as well cut herself off from the rest of the residents in the building.
She got off the elevator to see her neighbor, Jennifer, coming out of the condo across from her with her son, Timmy.
“Amber,” she called and waved. Timmy was on one hip as she closed the door behind her. “I’m so glad to see you. I was worried about you. John and I knocked several times.”
“I’ve been staying with a friend. Jennifer this is Alexei, Alexei Jennifer.”
Jennifer gave him a big smile. “Glad to meet you, Alexei. Amber, it’s about time you got a friend.”
Amber found herself blushing and smiling at the wink Jennifer gave her that was in full view of Alexei.
“I think I approve and I’ll tell John we can stop worrying about you now.”
“Are you staying away from town, Jennifer?”
“I quit my job, John made me. I’m starting up a home business.”
“What are you doing?”
“I’m hanging my shingle as an editor. Half of what I did at my job was editing and that’s the part of my job I loved. This way I can spend more time with Timmy and we don’t really need the money thank goodness, besides no one really knows what’s going to happen. We’re being invaded, Amber. Why haven’t they blown us up or sent aliens down to kill us and what does an alien look like anyway? Will we know one when we see it?”
“I don’t know, Jennifer, but I have a feeling they can make themselves look like us. That means don’t trust anyone, even if you know them and especially if you don’t know them. Hang close to home for a while and don’t invite anyone in. Also don’t go out in three days, keep John home too. Do whatever it takes, I have a feeling it won’t be safe then.”
Jennifer took a good look at Amber before nodding. “I trust you, Amber; John and I will be having a special day with our son. I’ll tell him to tell his coworkers they may want to call in sick that day.”
“Stay safe.” Amber used her palm print to open the door to her condo.
Alexei stepped in and closed the door behind her. “Your place is beautiful, Amber, soft and warm like you.”
“Maybe I should be asking if you really want to leave here to stay at my cold, sterile and half decorated house.”
“I was thinking if we survived the upcoming skirmishes in the war,
maybe I could hit a couple of stores, buy some furniture, do some decorating.”
The living room was a masterpiece of sturdy couches and chairs that didn’t lack for comfort of style. There was an accent wall that livened the place up while still allowing it to give off a feeling of peace.
“I would love to see what you would do with my house.” The house that could be our house.
She smiled and made her way to the bedroom. “Let me get some of my things.”
Alexei trailed behind her taking a seat in the plush chair she kept next to the window. When she unplugged a lamp he took notice.
“Amber, what are you doing with the lamp?”
“Not one lamp, two.” She walked around the bed and unplugged the second one. “You don’t have any lamps by the bedside and these would look so cute there. Follow me, we need a few other things.”
He grabbed the two suitcases she filled as well as the lamps and followed her through the condo. It looked like she was moving in with him. He smiled.
Chapter Twenty-One
“Where are we going?”
“I want to take you to my favorite spot. It’s on my land and I love to just go there and think.”
The jeep was making it ways through the woods. The snow lying on the ground sparkled in the sunlight. The trees lifted their bare branches imploring the sun to spring. There was a large one story structure by a sluggish half frozen lake. He came to a stop next to it.
“So this is where you come to get away?”
“It is, don’t tell the cousins. This is my private think tank. It’s so calm here this time of year. In the spring and summer, even the fall, the running water and the fish jumping makes this place special. Doesn’t matter what time of year, I can always calm myself here. My beast loves this place. I change forms a lot when I am here and go into the water.”
Amber could see him playing in the water in his other form, letting his guard down for a moment and being free to simply be himself.
“I would love to come up here with you one day in the summer.”
“It’s a date. Let’s get into the house.” They exited the car going into the house he called his think tank.
The one floor home was large and open; the bedroom was off to the side but it too was out in the open. “You didn’t design this for company.”
“I designed it for myself and my mate. You’re the only person I have ever brought here.”
Her hand covered her heart as a smile of joy tugged on her lips. “I feel special.”
Keep it light, Amber. She didn’t want to read too much into the gesture, he opened his house to her but really he was avoiding committing to her or saying the L word.
“I was thinking we could spend the night here. I have my c-phone if we need to call anyone but…”
“I would love to spend the night here. I really like it up here, I thought your house was quiet but this has tranquility to it. Maybe it’s being this close to nature.”
“What suitcase should I bring in for you?”
“Grab the small one, you can always get the bigger one if I need it.”
“Or, I can get both of them and be proactive.”
Amber stood on the porch watching him as he went to the jeep. “I love the fact that I can’t see the space ship from here. I know there are plenty of spots where you can’t see it, but standing here listening to the slow trail of water and watching you makes me think everything else is a dream. There are no problems in the world and all we have to think about is you and me.”
“Today, right now, that’s all there is, you and me and the want we feel for each other.”
“How do we …” she bit off her words and walked back in the house. She didn’t know how he felt about her, not in words anyway and she wasn’t going to ask. Maybe she knew but she needed more for it to sink in.
“Here you go, two suitcases.” He walked over to the bed and sat them down next to it. “You will be happy to know the bathroom does have a door and walls. He walked over to what she thought may be a closet and opened it to show her a huge bathroom.
“Nice, you’ve thought of everything.”
“Not everything but I’m working on it.” He crossed the room to the piano. “You know when my mom insisted I learn I hated it. The hours spent practicing when everyone else was out playing. Not that I would know considering how big my parents land is. I played piano while the other males where playing football. My dad forbid me to play any sports. He said it wouldn’t be unfair.”
He sat down at the piano and flexed his fingers before he began to play. It was a slow piece that Amber loved to listen to on the radio; it spoke of the possibility of love after waiting a lifetime.
She came closer because she had to. The music drew her, touching her heart. Her eyes drew misty as he brought the song to a close. She thought of the couple who were reaching for love and wondered if they ever found it. He began to play a faster lighter song. She joined in singing as he played.
She sat down next to him enjoying the music as it wrapped around them. Her voice, his fingers on the keys. They were locked in their own little universe and for a moment in time, everything was right with their world.
Alexei: Love Me Harder - Alien Paranormal Romance Page 13
