Hale: Love Me Harder - Alien Paranormal Romance

by Serena Simpson

  Dante took the long way to Hale’s house, never saying anything. He simply gave her time to slow her heart beat and think about what she’d seen.

  Now she looked at all the brothers, not one of them had been surprised. That’s because they’re all aliens her inner voice chimed in. She needed time to process what she had seen.

  Tori was looking for Hale. He had some explaining to do. He killed six men her inner voice reminded her. Maybe we should run long and hard. Too late for that, we should have done it before we got back in the car. True.

  “Tori.” Hale approached her.

  She jerked and turned around. She was going to put a bell on him. A big fat cow bell. The picture allowed her shoulders to relax some as she laughed silently.

  “Hale.” Her voice was tight. She needed more than a cute mental image to make everything ok again.

  “I was hoping we could take a walk and talk.”

  She lifted her eyes up to meet his; she had been focused on his abdomen where he’d been knifed. She couldn’t tell but he looked fine to her.

  “Should you walk? What about your wound? He put a knife in you and twisted it.”

  “I’m fine.” He lifted his shirt to show her his flat stomach. There was a line where he had obviously been stabbed, but the skin was together and it was healing at a rapid rate.

  He’s alien, Tori, did you forget that already? Her inner voice chimed in again and she shushed it.

  “I would like to take that walk.” She clenched her hands.

  He turned and led her out the back door walking away from the outdoor kitchen. They walked in silence for a while until she could barely see the house or hear the sounds of laughter. They stopped when they came to the edge of a small lake.

  “The lake is what drew me to this property.” He sat down on the edge after taking off his shoes to allow his feet to dangle in the water.

  Tori followed suit. The unclenching of her hands was painful. Her nails pressed deeply into her palms kept her from giving into the desire to accuse him of murder as well as the desire to touch him all over to assure herself he was truly ok.

  “It’s beautiful out here.”

  “I’m sure that was a lot to take in. Sorry you had to find out that way.”

  Sorry? Really? A sensation climbed her spine whispering if he could kill so easily what made her think she was exempt. Guilt made her lower her eyes. How could she still want him? Her voice of reason reminded her of the fate they had in store for her, still she was brought up to believe two wrongs didn’t make a right.

  “That’s the thing, Hale, I’m not exactly sure what I found out. You killed six men with your bare hands. Why aren’t I panicking? Of course’ that’s the easy stuff so let’s stick to that for now. Why did you kill them? I mean couldn’t you have incapacitated them somehow?”

  “I could have. Except they would have kept coming for you and they wouldn’t be alone next time. They would add more men to their ranks. They would avoid me and wait to catch you alone or maybe with Lorali or one of the others. Even now it’s not over. Eventually, John will come for you. That’s who I want.”

  “But why? What did I ever do?”

  “Tori, you don’t have to do anything. Most violence is senseless. The strong pick on those who they think are weaker than them. You were picked because of the way you look. No one looked below the surface to see the woman I see. They looked at your face and your body and targeted you. It’s not fair, but often that’s life.”

  “Are you going to kill John?”

  “Yes.”

  Tori tried to feel remorse, to dredge up some words to make him reconsider. She’d been living in fear because of John for over a year. There was no remorse in her. Maybe she deserved a man like Hale. He’s not a man her inner voice whispered.

  “I guess that brings us to the other thing I saw in that alley way.”

  The silence stretched between them. Each lost in their own world.

  “Tori, I am not from this planet.”

  “Really! How could I miss that?” His lips trembled with suppressed laughter.

  She tried to keep a serious look on her face, but couldn’t manage it. She laughed with him.

  “Hale, I’m pretty sure I figured that part out. It’s the missing pieces I need you to explain.

  “Fair enough. My brothers and I are part of an experiment. We call ourselves the Created. We come from a planet of scientists. They used to be warriors, but over time they became so interested in developing their brains they let their bodies go. It took more years than I know, but eventually they couldn’t defend themselves or their planet anymore and needed someone else to do it for them. That’s why we were created.”

  “Sounds like sheer laziness to me.”

  “I disagree. I believe they were at the top of the food chain for so long they took it for granted. In taking it for granted they forgot to be diligent about the things that mattered to them.”

  “I can see that. I have seen many people lose things or even relationships because they stopped paying attention to what mattered.” Tori thought about her and Rita.

  “That doesn’t explain how you got here.”

  “We fought every battle and every enemy that came to our planet, until one day they stopped coming. We waited and then we tried to make a life for ourselves there. That’s when we realized we were unwanted. The people there were scared of us. Rumors and lies the scientist spread over the years were frightening so the people, especially the females wouldn’t accept us. Long story short we left.”

  “You threw a dart at a space chart and it landed in our solar system?” He gave her a slow smile.

  “I like your imagination. We had several choices of places to go, this was just one. In the end we picked your solar system and earth because Dante and his brothers spoke a lot about it. Out of all the Created we have always been the closest to them. If I were to use an earth term I would call them our older cousins.”

  “Does it hurt when you turn into the other being?”

  “No. We just swap forms. We are separate yet we are one. When we were on our first planet, we spent more time in our other form than in this form. That form fights better than this form and we were always fighting or waiting in some awful place to fight.”

  “What happens to me now that I know your secret?”

  “What I always hoped would happen. Stay with me. Let me prove to you we belong together.”

  “What happens if I say no?”

  “After the threat to you has been neutralized you’re free to leave.”

  Tori arched an eyebrow and looked at him.

  “Really?”

  “Yes, really. As much as I would like to keep you here, you’re right, I don’t own you. It has to be your decision to stay.”

  “You’ll abide by whatever decision I make?”

  He nodded his head.

  “Prove it.”

  “How?”

  “Get up, lie over there in the grass, put your hands behind your head and spread your legs. Don’t move.”

  She wanted to do this since early this morning. It seemed unreal that it was the same day. The thought of touching him made her insides melt with desire, even the voice warning her not to get involved with an alien was beginning to see things her way. She had no idea what tomorrow would bring, but today she needed to taste him.

  Tori watched as he laid out spread eagle with his arms tightly behind his head. He look magnificent lying there with his platinum hair spread like a cloud underneath him and his diamond eyes sparkling in the sun.

  She smiled as she sat on him leaning over to kiss his lips. “Now it’s my turn to taste.”

  She licked the seam of his lips until he opened. She sucked his tongue in her mouth, licking it and rubbing against the texture of it.

  “I love your tongue, so thick, and it tastes like you.” She bent closer and kissed him deeply allowing her tongue to penetrate him.

  A soft moan of pleasure escaped her lips
to mingle with Hale’s low growl. She slid her mouth over the column of his throat as she made her way down to what she’d been thinking of all day.

  “All day the picture of you, thick and hard standing at attention, has been in the back of my mind, tempting me.”

  She pushed his shirt up and splayed the palms of her hands over his hard chest. She moved her hand allowing his hard nipple to tickle the palm of her hand.

  Leaning over she took a hard nipple in her mouth and sucked. “You taste so good. I can’t remember the last time I wanted someone as bad as I want you.”

  Her teeth nipped at his nipple and his hips thrust up. She could feel his hardness against her ass. She sucked again, then nipped him again enjoying the feel of him bucking under her.

  She switched to his other nipple not wanting to leave it out. “You’re so nice and hard.” She whispered to his nipple before sucking it down causing Hale to gasp for air.

  She gave a throaty laugh before going lower, aware that at any moment they could get caught. Her inner voice tried to protest, but she caged it. She would listen to any ‘I told you so,’ later.”

  She kissed a trail down his stomach until she reached the band of his jeans. With shaky fingers she undid the button and then zipped it down, gasping at the pleasant surprise. He went commando.

  She pushed the material off his lean waist. His hard cock came out to play. She moaned as she got a nice close look at him. He was thick with a small curve to him. The thought of the head hitting against her sweet spot made her hotter.

  She licked her lips before her tongue snaked out to lick the pearl of cream sitting on the head of his cock. Umm good. She licked again as he tried to hold his hips still.

  Opening wide she took him in her mouth, swallowing as much of him as she could. She could feel him touching the back of her throat and wrapped her hand around the inches she couldn’t take and began to suck.

  “Tori.” Her name came out his mouth in a ragged breath as he tried not to thrust his hips up.

  She sucked hard loving the flavor of him. He tasted so good. Her cheeks pulled in as she sucked on him trying to get his creamy center. She loved the popping sound as he left her mouth so she could lick him from tip to root.

  “You’re driving me crazy, Tori.” Hales voice was unsteady making her feel like a powerful goddess.

  She squeezed him with both hands as he pumped his cock between them.

  “Tighter.” He groaned, moving faster.

  “Tori, I’m going to…”

  She cut him off by putting her mouth over him and sucking hard.

  “Yes...” His body shook as his hips pushed upward and streams of cream poured into her mouth.

  The taste of him had her humming in satisfaction. I could get lost in this. I could want it every day. She told her inner voice who was fuming about being caged up.

  Tori sighed with contentment as she felt the warmth of him in her stomach.

  Chapter Eleven

  Tori snuggled closer to Hale as she traced his jaw line.

  “I thought you would be afraid of me,” he said.

  “I should be. I should be running for the hills hoping you and your brothers don’t find me. Would it do me any good?”

  “Not if we wanted to find you.”

  “That’s what I thought. I know I just rocked your world, but I am still leaving after the wedding.”

  “Why?”

  “I’ll never be safe here. He’ll just keep coming after me. But if I disappear I won’t have to keep looking over my shoulder.”

  “Would you still want to leave if he were no longer an issue?”

  She leaned over and placed a soft kiss against his jaw line.

  Would she still want to leave? She loved Pittsburgh and her business could be a success here, if she just had the right opportunity.

  She nibbled on her lower lip. This wasn’t about Pittsburgh or her business, it was about Hale.

  “How could I be in a relationship with you? We are very different.”

  “You have a saying on earth ‘opposites attract’.”

  “True, but they weren’t talking about humans and aliens.”

  Hale put Tori to one side before he stood. There was a hint of sadness in his eyes that was making her heart slow down.

  “You were just all over me, Tori. Was it just curiosity? Did you just want to see how different I am from a human male?”

  “No! That’s wasn’t it. This isn’t coming out right.” She stood up as the silence expanded.

  What do you want, Tori? Her inner voice said to her in a soft tone. She sighed, what did she want? How could she want Hale? It’s not like they had a long history together. It’s not like she was in love with him, in lust may be the better way to describe it.

  So what, her heart beat faster when she saw him. Really that’s no big deal. Did it matter that she felt safe around him? She hadn’t had that feeling since she lost her parents.

  She began to run her hands through her hair as thoughts of what she should do and say came and went.

  Hale turned and walked away leaving her standing by the lake. Having no idea what she wanted, she followed him back to the house.

  “There you two are,” Lorali said in greeting. “Good news, Sergey was able to secure Heinz Field. One month from today, Tori can you organize a wedding that fast? Tori close your mouth, its hanging open.”

  “You actually managed to secure Heinz Field?”

  Sergey nodded as he slipped his arm around Lorali’s waist.

  “Aran,” Rena walked outside. Her voice rang out breaking the sudden tension. “I want this child born before the wedding.”

  “Doll.” Aran’s deep voice held a soothing tone.

  “Don’t doll me. I’m about to pop here and still no baby Brian.”

  “You’re naming the baby Brian?” Nicolas asked looking at Aran.

  “No, we’re not.”

  “So now I can’t name my own child?”

  “Rena.”

  “Oh now it’s Rena? What happened to doll? Not getting your own way? Good, because if I remember it’s your fault I’m big as a house. I waddle!”

  “You don’t waddle, Rena.” Dee chimed in.

  “Says the best friend who is laughing so hard tears are rolling down her face.”

  She walked into the kitchen leaving them all staring at her. With a sigh she sat in a chair.

  “Brian, really?”

  A soft giggle came from her. “Dante, who let you in.”

  “You think I need a key, Rena?”

  “No, I know better.”

  “That was some temper tantrum.”

  “They needed a distraction. I like the name Brian, though. Would it be a bad thing to name the baby Brian? He will be half human.”

  “What if he is less human than you think?”

  “What do you mean?”

  “There is a possibility he will be a shape shifter. If that happens will he be able to call himself human? Will you be able to call him human? Will you still love him if he is more like Aran?”

  “Don’t act crazy, Dante, of course I will love him. I love Aran and I already love my child.”

  “Do you? Think about it Rena, you’re having the first child of the Created. The first child to actually be born to a mother. Your child will always be special because he was the first. Whatever you name him, he will carry for the rest of his very long life. When you name him remember the three of you will have to live with that name.”

  “Dante, will my child be a shape shifter?” He walked over to her and leaned over speaking into her ear. He whispered something and left the room as Aran walked in.

  “What did Dante say?” Aran asked her.

  “Something I have to think about,” she told him with a lift of her chin.

  He sighed and walked over to her. “You’re not big as a house. You’re as beautiful as the first day I saw you, actually you’re more beautiful.

  He rubbed her belly as he pulled her
closer.

  “Rena, you can be contrary, argumentative or downright disagreeable, I will still be here. I love you and I won’t run no matter how hard you try to push me away. If you really want to name the baby Brian, then we will.”

  “Hush and kiss me, Aran.”

  ***

  Tori was sitting in a bridal store with Rena, Dee, and Janis. They were waiting for Lorali to come out in her gown. The seamstress was making last minute alterations.

  Tori allowed a smile to come over her face as she closed her eyes and thought back to her uncomfortable night. Hale barely spoke to her and she hadn’t spoken to him at all.

  When everyone went home, probably earlier than normal because of the way she and Hale were acting, things went from uncomfortable to worse. But in a way she could handle that. At least he wasn’t calling her mate and making her want him.

  She could handle whatever happened until it was time to call it a night. He didn’t ask or insist she sleep with him. Why would he do that her inner voice chimed in. Tori was planning on killing her inner voice, she just needed a way to do so without actually hurting herself.

  He walked up those stairs with his shoulders slumped and his head slightly bowed. Her proud male who thought he was being used for an experience and discarded like so much trash.

  She wanted to go to him and explain, but she still didn’t have the words. ‘You took the coward’s way out.’ Her inner voice chimed in again. Unfortunately she agreed with her.

  She went into the bedroom he had given her, took a shower, and hit the bed. It will be ok in the morning she assured herself closing her eyes to sleep. Except she didn’t sleep. She tossed and turned for two hours. Finally she gave up, she wasn’t going to get any sleep. All she wanted, wrong, she more than wanted, she needed Hale to be beside her. She needed to feel the warmth that radiated from his body in waves. She needed to feel the strength that made her feel safe in a world she no longer understood.

  She got out of bed taking a deep breath hoping against hope it would give her courage. She concentrated on the feel of the carpet on the soles of her feet as she crossed to the door and opened it.