by Sotia Lazu
“Alex? Everything okay? Are you hungry?”
He shook his head and smiled, but the sense of wrongness was still there.
I wasn’t afraid of him. He was my Alex. He was just dealing with things his way.
I was relieved to hear footsteps behind me. “I heard the car,” Constantine said. “Sheena is back, so let’s leave the ladies to it, Alex. We can spar, if you feel up to it.” He was training Alex to control and utilize his superhuman strength, but the two never let me watch.
“Yup, you should go,” I said with false cheer. “I won’t be too late. Just wanna catch up on some girly stuff.” And maybe shake off the weird feeling suffocating me.
Constantine placed his hand on the small of my back, and I let out a sigh. Whatever his reason for doing it, to me it meant he realized I was uncomfortable, and reminded me he was there for me. Little things like this made up for his snark and his occasionally sour disposition.
Alex grabbed the front of my shirt and pulled me to him. Before I could react, he closed his lips over mine, and pushed his tongue into my mouth in a kiss that felt more like raw hunger than love. “See you in bed.” His eyes were clear now, and the roughness of his voice sent goose bumps of the nice kind down my spine.
Lust and unease fought inside me, making my gut clench. “Yes, Mr. Caveman.” Once I regained my balance, I turned and followed the two men out with my gaze, enjoying the view. Even the compounded yumminess of their broad shoulders and narrow hips didn’t calm my nerves, though. Something had really been off there for a while, but as long as Alex was crazy about me, nothing was beyond fixing.
Sheena ducked inside. “Is it safe to enter now?”
“When wasn’t it?”
“When male bravado had replaced the oxygen in the room.” I arched both eyebrows, and she went on. “Remember how your beaus were insufferably polite to each other?”
“Yeah…”
“Well, you can forget it. Don’t know exactly what they were talking about, when you dropped me off, but they seemed a heartbeat away from pulling their cocks out and measuring them—not that it’d be an objectionable sight, but you catch my drift.”
“They were fighting?”
“More like posturing, and trying to stare each other down. I asked if we had any fresh strawberries, and they all but growled at me. I found what I was looking for, and started making our drinks, but then Alex pushed Constantine away, and Constantine grabbed him by the throat, and I had to sneak out and beg Wesley to drive me around for a while. Even the vampettes stayed away, and you know how they go gaga over topless Constantine.”
“Constantine was topless?”
“Because that’s what you need to focus on?” She flicked my ear with one long, lime-green fingernail. “Those boys are playing nice when you’re around, but they need to realize they’re both parts of your life now. Either that, or one of them has to stop being part of it.”
I didn’t want to even think about the latter, but starting a conversation out of the blue about how they both meant a lot to me—in different ways—seemed stupid. “Maybe the field trip will do us all some good?”
“Field trip?”
“Ah huh.”
“The three of you?”
“Yuppers.”
Sheena cracked a smile. “You really are trying for that threesome, aren’t you?”
Though it wouldn’t be the worst possible outcome I could fathom, as far as the three of us were concerned, my hopes for the trip were simply that the two men in my life would do some bonding, and I’d get some peace of mind.
Sheena didn’t seem very convinced when I said so.
The first Margarita mix had turned into watered down slosh, so we made a fresh one, and proceeded to consume it with the fervor of college kids on their spring break.
****
Alex was already in bed, when I turned in for the day. The smell of his shower gel wasn’t strong enough to disguise the smell of blood. His blood. I guessed his sparring with Constantine hadn’t exactly been tame. Maybe that was good. If they resolved their issues on the training mats, everyday unlife would run more smoothly.
He turned and pulled me to him as soon as I was under the covers, and I let my body melt in his embrace. The alcohol I’d imbibed was sufficient to give my vampire constitution a pleasant buzz and dull my worries. “Are you okay?” I whispered. “Sheena said—”
“Shh. Sleep.” He touched his lips to the side of my neck, and tightened his grip around my waist.
I hugged him back, resting my head on his unmoving chest. “I can’t. I’m worried. I know Constantine isn’t your favorite person, and you certainly aren’t his, but this is his place, and we need him.” Alex tensed, and I ran my fingers along his brow. “For now at least. He’s really not that bad, once you get used to him. What happened between the two of you today, anyway?”
“Don’t worry about it.” He caressed the side of my face. “It’ll be fine. Now can we please get some sleep? I’m beat.”
He hadn’t exactly answered my question, but I felt hopeful. I kissed his collar bone. “’Kay. Goodnight. I love you.”
“Love you too.”
That was all that should matter.
Chapter Four
I woke up with Alex inside me.
He’d often used his mouth or fingers to tease me awake in the past, but never his cock.
Now I found myself lying on my stomach, Alex sliding in and out of my pussy in slow, deep strokes. I smiled. The perfect wakeup call. I tried to turn and look at him over my shoulder, but he twisted one hand in my hair and pushed my face to the pillow.
So we were playing rough. Nice.
I tilted my hips upward. The angle changed, and with it the friction. Alex’s cock felt longer inside me. Thicker. Hitting all the right spots. I pushed back, urging him to go faster.
He slapped my ass. “Stop moving.”
“Make me.”
His grip on my hair turned punishing, and he began thrusting inside me hard. Too hard. I planted my hands on the mattress and bucked against him. “You’re hurting me.”
He pulled out, and I expected him to say something, but he didn’t. Instead, I felt strings of cool cum shooting on my lower back.
I dug my nails in his wrist until he let go of me. “What the fuck, Alex?”
“I’m sorry. I must have lost control. Are you all right?” He touched my shoulder gently.
I slapped his hand away, and rolled on my back, not caring if I stained the sheets. “No, I’m not fucking all right. What do you mean you lost control?” It was then I noticed his gaze was unfocused. He seemed stoned. “What happened?” I asked, worry threatening to dilute my anger.
“I don’t know. I’m sorry. I thought I was dreaming. Didn’t know I was really…”
“You were dreaming of using me as a sex toy?”
He cast his gaze down.
“Was it even me?” Or had he been fucking someone else? An insane stab of jealousy sliced through me.
“I don’t know, all right?” His voice was high pitched, infused with a note of panic. “Did I hurt you badly?”
“I’ll survive. Just don’t let it happen again.” It felt too little. I had to say more. He’d fucked me like I meant nothing to him. Like he didn’t care if it was me or any other hole there for him to take his pleasure. He’d made me feel small. Insignificant.
I wasn’t sure I wanted to tell him he had such power over me.
He nodded, black locks falling in front of his grey eyes, and making him look like a lost puppy.
“I need to hit the shower.” And think. I needed to think. Something was wrong with Alex, and I had to figure out what before it was too late. I wasn’t afraid of him; he’d stopped the moment I’d said he was hurting me.
Or my pain had gotten him excited enough to come.
No. This wasn’t—
“This isn’t me,” he said, echoing my thought.
I hoped it was the truth, and this wasn’t a
side of him he’d kept hidden until now. But if it wasn’t him, who was it? Did it have something to do with my turning him?
I got out of bed, and took the sheets with me to the bathroom. Wesley did the laundry, but I could at least shove it into the hamper.
I turned the water on and adjusted it to room temperature before getting under the shower jet. Even with the roar of the water in my ears, I heard the door open. The next moment, Alex pulled the curtain out of the way, and stepped in behind me.
“I’m sorry,” he whispered in my ear. “I’m so sorry. I never wanted to hurt you, Cherry.”
“I know.”
His hands slid around to cup my breasts, then down my stomach, doing nothing more than caressing. “I’ll spend the rest of eternity trying to make it up to you, I promise.”
Logic dictated I shouldn’t be feeling safe in the arms of a man who minutes ago was out of control, but this was Alex. I was safe with him. He was going through a rough patch. I’d been there too, freshly turned against my will and having to adjust to an entirely different existence.
I sighed and turned in his embrace. Shit happened. If that was the worst of it, we’d be okay. “You won’t need to try for that long. The next ten to fifteen minutes should do.”
“Yes, Ma’am.” He kissed his way down my body, and spent the rest of the shower on his knees.
By the time we came out, I was squeaky clean, thoroughly pleasured, and much less worried.
Until Alex told me to get dressed, because we were off to meet his mom in a little over an hour.
****
I wouldn’t suggest meeting your boyfriend’s mother for the first time after you’ve died. It’s practically a given that she’ll find you too pale, and your hand will be too cool to the touch.
Well aware of it, while getting ready to meet Alex’s mom, I’d made sure to feed so I’d at least raise my temperature for a while—which isn’t to say I didn’t worry on the drive to her place. And all the way from her driveway to her front door.
“I should have worn something more dressy.” Alex had insisted my black skinny jeans and emerald-green silken blouse were perfect for a casual family dinner. At the time, I agreed. “Maybe we should reschedule?” I turned to look at Alex, who stood behind me as if to keep me from fleeing.
“Baby, I already rang the doorbell. Do you want us to make a run for it?” He tangled his fingers with mine, and kissed the tip of my nose.
I opened my mouth to say yes, and then realized he wasn’t being serious. “You’re a meanie.”
“Ah come on. You know you lo—Hey, Mom!”
I swiveled around. The door was open, and a woman stood there studying us, a cheeky smile on her face. I liked her instantly. I’d seen pictures of her from fifteen or twenty years ago, but when Alex told me she was in her mid-sixties, I expected to see an old woman.
Mrs. Marsden appeared a decade or so younger than her real age. She was about my height, slim, and beautiful. She had Alex’s midnight-black hair and steel-grey eyes, but I could see no other similarities between her and her son.
She wrapped her arms around Alex’s neck, so she could plant a firm kiss on each of his cheeks. “About time you came to visit. I was arranging to take you off my will.”
I winced. I was the one who’d delayed this visit.
Alex grinned. “You wouldn’t do that. I’m the apple of your eye.”
Mrs. Marsden turned to me. “See how he takes advantage of his poor old mother’s love?”
Now was the time to say something smart. This was my only-chance-at-a-first-impression moment. “Old?” I asked. “But I thought you were his mom.” Nailed it!
“Oh, I knew I’d like you.” She beamed at me. “I’m Sylvia. Come on in.”
I smiled, a weight lifting off my shoulders. Yes, it was still scary meeting my boyfriend’s mother, but she wasn’t trying to make it harder for me. “I’m Cherry. And these are for you.” I offered her the flowers we’d gotten for her.
She took the bouquet, and pulled me in for a hug, which I wasn’t prepared for. The flowers were squished between us. I caught my balance and returned her embrace awkwardly, hoping my breath didn’t smell of blood.
“Come on in. I’ve made meatloaf.” She looked at me. “You’re not one of those vegetarian people, are you?”
“Far from it.” Alex squeezed my hand. I squeezed back, and we shared a smile. If only she knew.
“I love meatloaf,” I said, and we followed Sylvia inside.
I hadn’t been to the Marsden residence since the day after Alex’s turning, when he and I had cleaned up the evidence of his death. I expected to feel repulsion being back there—expected the stench of his life’s blood to assault my nostrils.
I was in luck. The only memories that came back to me as we crossed his mother’s living room were of our first nights together. Having incredible sex in the armchair and falling asleep, still linked. Alex’s first realizing I was a vampire. Spending the day following Willoughby’s attack in each other’s arms.
I inhaled deeply, wanting to breathe in all the scents that made this house part of the man I loved.
Meatloaf was a nice addition to them.
“I hope you don’t mind eating in the back yard,” Sylvia said, leading the way through the kitchen. “It’s such a lovely evening. You can see all the stars.”
“That’s a great idea.” I clutched Alex’s arm. The back yard was where we’d burned the sheets he’d bled out on, but it was okay, because he was still here. With me.
Sylvia had set the table with a checkered red tablecloth that reminded me of my own mom. What was it with me and memory lane tonight?
I focused on the meat, and felt saliva pooling in my mouth. “Sylvia, this smells divine!”
She smiled. “Good! Sit, sit. Alex, I forgot the wine. Could you get it? It’s by the sink.”
I took a seat and watched as Sylvia piled two thick slices of meatloaf on my plate, topped them with gravy, and added mashed potatoes and salad on the side.
“Dig in,” she said. “You could use a little extra weight.”
Yeah, I loved her.
Alex served red wine, and sat opposite me, leaving the seat at the head of the table for Sylvia, who slid in it gracefully.
I tried to be lady like and not overload my fork, but I wanted my first bite to have a bit of everything. And it did. It was perfect—juicy meat, creamy mashed potatoes, and crisp lettuce with the perfect balance of seasoning, olive oil, and balsamic. A little orgasm in my mouth.
Sylvia chose that exact moment to ask, “So, Cherry, Alex tells me you used to model. What do you do now?”
I’m not going to tell you the food lost its flavor, but it certainly turned dry enough to stick in my throat. I coughed, and hit my chest with my fist.
“She’s doing some private investigating, Ma. And she’s good at it.” Alex handed me my wine, and I downed it in one gulp. I’d done private investigating once, but his version of things sounded better than, ‘She’s an unemployed vampire.’
“Right. I forgot that’s how you two met,” Sylvia said.
From what Alex had said, I seriously doubted she was the sort of woman who’d forget anything. She was just being a mom, and trying to find out as much as she could about her son’s girlfriend.
“Are you all right, Cherry?” Her voice was laced with concern.
“I’m fine. Just couldn’t resist stuffing my mouth, and it went down the wrong way. But yeah, P.I. is me. It doesn’t pay that well, but I meet interesting people.”
Alex preened, and Sylvia laughed. “Any exciting cases lately? My son used to keep me entertained with police stories. I sure hope his leave from work doesn’t last much longer.”
It probably would. I could see no way for Alex to return to the force and manage to keep his undead status a secret.
“I’m sorry to disappoint, but I’m on vacation too,” I told Sylvia. And I planned to stay that way for as long as possible.
“Ye
ah, we decided to take the same time off. Get to know each other better,” Alex added. He wasn’t as happy about it as he pretended to be, but work-talk was something he’d been avoiding. I was glad to see it didn’t bring him down now.
As a matter of fact, he seemed more at ease than I’d seen him in weeks. It warmed me up inside, and confirmed my suspicions. In familiar settings, he was still himself. The newness of his situation was what caused his change in behavior. All we needed was time.
“Well, that sounds promising. Do I sense commitment in the near future? Maybe a grandchild, before I’m too old to help raise it?”
“Mom!” I could see my blood rising on Alex’s cheeks.
“Oh, shush. Cherry can tell I’m not going to be pushy about it. Can’t you, dear?” She didn’t give me time to answer. “It’s just that Alex has been badly hurt in the past, and—”
“I’m not planning on hurting him, Sylvia. That I can promise you.” But just that. I couldn’t promise her a grandchild. Ever. I’d taken that possibility away from Alex. Adoption was an option, in theory. But even if we decided to go that way and managed to compel a court into believing we were fit parents, how could we bring a child into our lives?
Sylvia patted my hand. My gaze found hers, and in it I saw all the worries of a single mother who wanted the best for her son. I wanted the best for him too, but I wasn’t sure I knew what that was.
Alex broke the awkward silence. “You wanted to meet Cherry, so I brought her—knowing full well you’d embarrass me. When am I meeting Mr. O’Connor?”
Sylvia blushed.
“Mr. O’Connor?” I asked, arching an eyebrow. Alex had told me about him, but I felt like joining in his teasing of his mom.
“He is…” Sylvia didn’t seem to know to know how to finish that sentence.
“He’s Mom’s boyfriend.”
“That’s so juvenile, Alex. Don’t call him that.” Sylvia made a moue of distaste.
“Okay. He’s your gentleman caller. Your love interest?”
She gave him a light slap on the shoulder. “Cut that out. I get it. You want me out of your business, or you’ll butt into mine. Mr. O’Connor and I are seeing each other. Taking things slowly.”
