If the bouncer, Val, had seemed big to him before, that was no longer true. While not as beefy, the boss gave the appearance of being at least taller and his shoulders were as broad as any linebacker. He had the same jet-black hair and pale skin as Val did, although he wore it swept back in a queue of unknown length. The style accentuated a sharp widow’s peak. His untucked button-down shirt was a deep red, while his slacks were as black as his hair. He walked with a kind of grace powerful men often possessed and his amazingly violet eyes would have made Liz Taylor jealous.
The man stopped at the bottom of the three steps leading to a sunken living room and stuck one hand in a front pocket. “Who do we have here, Mackie?”
The boy shrugged. “Some kid from Minnesota who thinks he can dance.”
“Michigan,” Quinn corrected in a voice too hoarse to impress anyone.
Mackie shrugged again. “Same dif.”
Because the other boy made no move to join the boss in the living room, Quinn planted himself in the entryway, too. He worked up some moisture for his dry mouth. “My name is Quinn Cooper, sir.”
“Quinn,” the man repeated, and this time, his voice held a hint of some kind of accent. “I’m Alexandru Stelalux. Everyone calls me Alex.”
Okay, that explains the accent. He must be from somewhere in Europe. Quinn now had too much spit in his mouth, so he swallowed before speaking. “It’s nice to meet you, sir. I hope you’ll consider me for the job.”
Mr. Stelalux—Alex—stared at him for a moment. His gaze made Val’s perusal seem like a casual glance. “Do you have a resume?”
Quinn fixed his attention on his feet. “Um, no, sir. I’m sorry I didn’t think of that. I’ve only ever worked at my family’s hardware store, anyway. I have no dancing experience other than in school plays.”
Mackie smirked at the confession and Alex chuckled, except it didn’t sound like he was being contemptuous. “Well, that’s all right. It’s not like I’m considering you to tend bar or keep my accounting books. My clientele likes pretty boys to dance for their amusement. They don’t even really care how skilled you are, either, so long as you look good doing it. The only real job requirement is having the right body.”
He paced closer and cocked his head. “You’ve got a nice one from what I can see. All that shaggy blond hair and those bright blue eyes will certainly turn heads.” He stepped to one side. “Yes, lovely profile. You’d make a nice contrast to the other boys. Don’t you think so, Mackie?”
The other boy studied his nails. “I suppose.”
Alex’s expression became stern. “Don’t be bitchy, Mackie. You know I can’t abide that.”
Mackie straightened and appeared contrite. “Yes, sir.” He slanted his gaze toward Quinn. “He’s very pretty, and we haven’t had a blond since Blake left.”
“Exactly. Come here, please.” Alex stepped back and flung himself on the end of a large sectional sofa. Then he braced his arms on the back of it, slung an ankle over a knee and watched as Quinn entered the living room area. “I’m afraid I’m going to have to ask you to strip. Nothing fancy, just take everything off except your underwear. We’re not a nude club—not on the dance floor, anyway.”
Quinn’s head really began to swim and his palms turned sweaty. He told himself it was no big deal as he placed his scruffy backpack on the carpet by a chair. He would have to get used to being mostly naked in front of a big crowd. If I can’t do it now with only two guys watching, what hope do I have of keeping the job?
Silent and self-conscious, he toed off his sneakers, pulled off his socks and unbuttoned his shirt. He folded the clothing and placed it on top of his pack before unsnapping his jeans. His vision blurred and he took deep breaths to keep oxygen pumping into his lungs. The sound of the zipper of his worn jeans lowering rang in his ears at an exaggerated decibel. As he slid the cotton down his legs, the room tilted enough that he grabbed the arm of the nearby chair to keep from tipping over. When he’d stripped to his boxer-briefs, he stood with his arms behind his back and his gaze fixed on the floor. His cheeks felt as though they were on fire.
“Hmm, a bit on the skinny side.” A sigh crossed the room. “Then again, some patrons do like that sort of thing. I think you could use a few good meals, though.”
The mention of food made Quinn’s stomach grumble in protest before it clenched in pain. Quinn couldn’t hold back the gasp. He wrapped his arm around his waist and listed to one side. Once more, he grabbed the arm of the chair, except this time, it wasn’t going to be enough to keep him from falling. His vision blurred then closed to an ever-smaller circle of light before going completely black.
The last thing he was aware of was a rush of movement and something strong catching him.
Keeping the boy from hitting the floor was the easy part. Doing it with a speed that was possible for a human to achieve was what had made the feat difficult. For all the time Mackie spent with Val, the human boy was not privy to their secrets. It was damn inconvenient sometimes, maintaining the façade, especially when in one’s own home. Alex was going to have to have a talk with Val soon. Either the man committed to Mackie or he had to let him go.
The human weighed as little as expected, which bothered Alex. During the thousand years he’d spent with this species, he recognized when they were malnourished. Quinn’s soft skin stretched too tightly over his delicate frame, a testament to not eating enough in recent days or even weeks. That didn’t stop the thrum of his heartbeat from snaking its way into Alex’s blood, turning him thirsty and hard.
As he carried his charge over to the sofa, he tossed Mackie an order. “Find Harry.”
“Sure thing, boss.”
The human’s footsteps retreated, telling Alex that the boy had obeyed—not that he’d had any doubt. Commanding humans was all too easy. They responded to forceful tones. He expected Mackie would find Harry ensconced in his office, as the man usually was. Although Harry was trained in life sciences for exploration purposes, he’d managed to adapt as a physician for the crew. He’d also obtained a human degree in medicine and often aided the employees with minor problems.
He hoped there was nothing wrong with this one…Quinn. A lovely name for a lovely boy. So soft and warm, the way humans typically are. Alex felt the tug of those attributes as he always did. He hadn’t indulged himself in human companionship for quite some time. Knowing his weakness for this species, he worked at abstaining as much as possible for fear of giving away too much of himself and of taking too much from the human.
But this boy was almost irresistible, the perfect embodiment of everything Alex loved in his unwitting planetary hosts—delicate, pale beauty. He was so unlike Alex’s own species and his fair hair was both exotic and silky. The human smelled so sweet, too. Laying him down, Alex took in a deep breath and savored it. Delectable. Like a meadow after a spring rain.
He shook his head and chuckled low at his own flights of fancy. A poet he was not, but he was always a sucker for the needy and the beautiful. Put the two together and his protective instincts roared to the forefront. To that end, he covered the boy in a soft throw to keep him warm and give him back some modesty. Silly, given that Quinn would probably be stripping to a G-string that very night, if he felt ready. The sudden picture of other men slavering over him irritated the hell out of Alex for some reason. Ridiculous. What’s the matter with me?
Knowing hydration would always help and needing to give himself something to do other than gazing at the boy, he sprinted over to the kitchen. He grabbed a bottle of water and a made a cold compress out of a dish towel. He returned to the sofa and found his would-be employee still out. So, he placed the cloth across the boy’s forehead and knelt with the water to wait for Quinn to revive.
His gaze was drawn to the pulse at the base of the boy’s throat. That steady throb mesmerized him. The sound of the blood racing through the veins called to him. He had a hard time keeping his biting canines inside the roof of his mouth. Saliva pooled, making him swa
llow convulsively. It would be so easy to bend and sink his teeth into that slender neck. He knew he could take a quick drink, lap the puncture wounds closed and blame the residual marks as somehow coming from the fall. Over the centuries, he and his men had learned well how to cover their tracks.
But, no. He’d followed a strict code of conduct for close to a thousand Earth years. Consent from human blood donors was critical. They were sentient beings deserving of a certain respect, which included not using them as a blood source without permission. He’d laid down that law for himself and his crew and had lost half of them because of that and other rules. He’d be the worst possible hypocrite if he gave in to this almost-overwhelming urge, notwithstanding that he couldn’t remember ever being so tempted before.
The boy’s long, thick lashes fluttered, pulling Alex out of his need and forcing him to concentrate on those of his guest. Thank God, as the humans would say. Saved from my own weakness by the boy coming around.
Quinn opened his eyes and moaned prettily. “Shit, did I pass out?”
Alex smiled at him to alleviate any concerns that he’d done something bad. “You certainly did. Here, have some water,” he added, unscrewing the cap.
Cupping the back of Quinn’s neck, he helped him raise his head enough to take a few sips. Alex allowed himself to touch that pulse with the pad of his thumb. Just the feel of it sent his cock into overdrive, hardening even more and pressing against his fly. He had to stifle the groan threatening to come out. It was a relief when the boy stopped drinking and dropped his head back.
“Better?” Alex fumbled with unsteady hands to get the cap back on and put the bottle on the floor.
Quinn licked his lush pink lips. “Yes, sir. Thank you.”
“Alex. Everyone calls me Alex. Remember?”
The human’s cheeks turned a dusky rose color in that delightful way they did when the creatures got embarrassed. “Yes, sir. Alex. I, ah, don’t suppose I got the job.”
Before Alex could answer, they were interrupted by Harry rushing in. “Mackie told me I have a patient?”
“Indeed.” Alex stood, reluctantly giving Harry room to tend the boy. “This is Quinn, our new go-go boy,” he added because he wanted that worry off the boy’s mind. He was rewarded with a wan smile.
“Quinn, this is Horatiu Stelalux, my uncle.”
They had long ago adopted human names from the region where they’d first settled. They’d also found the easiest thing to do was to pretend a familial relationship using human terms. After all, they did come from the same hive, so they were related, just not in a way that would make sense to someone like Quinn.
“Everyone just calls me Harry,” the man added before pulling the coffee table closer to the sofa to use as a chair.
Alex winced inwardly. The furniture was too big and heavy for a human to move so easily, but it was hard to keep the pretense a hundred percent of the time. Poor Quinn was still too unfocused to notice it and Mackie hadn’t returned with Harry. The healer went through the usual routine of checking heart rate, blood pressure and the like. Alex marveled at how at ease the guy was. If Alex had to muck about with a human’s bloodstream he might go mad from keeping himself restrained.
Harry sat back. “You seem perfectly fine, young man, other than needing a good meal or two.”
“Thank you, sir.” The boy pushed himself to a sitting position. “I’m sorry for causing all the drama.”
Alex found himself standing by the boy’s head before he even registered his own movement. Good thing Quinn had been staring at his own feet and not Alex’s rendition of The Flash. He laid a gentle, yet firm, hand on the boy’s chest and once more savored the rhythm of the human’s heartbeat.
“Don’t rise until you’ve had more to drink and something to eat.” He used his commanding tone in order to ward off any resistance. He also shoved a couple of pillows behind the boy to bolster his back.
Handing Quinn the bottle of water, Harry nodded in agreement. “Yes, those are the doctor’s orders.”
Quinn took the bottle and drank a healthy amount. “Thank you, Doctor.” He flicked his gaze at Alex. “Sir. Alex,” he amended, then frowned. “Sorry. I make you sound like a knight.”
Alex chuckled, mostly because he found the boy adorable, but also because he had spent some time as Sir Alex back in medieval days. “Relax, Quinn. You’re among friends. I’ll order you some food from the club’s kitchen.”
“I already told Mackie to fetch something,” Harry said, standing. “Ah, here he is now.”
Alex had also heard the elevator opening but could see that Quinn’s human ears hadn’t detected the sound. He hoped the boy put that discrepancy down to his continued fogginess. Mackie tripped in with a tray in his hands and the usual saucy look. Such a brat. Val loved that about the boy—loved meting out punishment, as well. And, of course, Mackie loved most of the discipline he received from Val’s hands. That was why he acted out so much, to get those spankings. Still, the boy had a good heart and was loyal to his friends. Alex hoped Quinn would become one of them.
With a seductive swish of his hips, Mackie brought the tray over and placed it on the spot Harry had just vacated. “I hope you like cream of tomato soup and grilled cheese sandwiches, ’cause that’s what the chef sent. He said it was a safe bet in case you were like…vegetarian or something.”
Quinn pushed himself up a bit more, his face still too pale. “Thanks so much. This is perfect.” He reached for the tall mug containing the soup, but Mackie got there before him and passed it over. The expression on Quinn’s face when he took his first sip was one of amazing gratitude and pleasure.
The sight tugged at Alex’s heartstrings. He felt a sudden need to journey to Michigan and find whoever was responsible for this boy landing in such dire straits. He’d been on this planet plenty long enough to know how badly this species often treated even their own family. Well, no matter… Quinn was now in Alex’s domain and he would be taken care of.
“Drink that slowly,” he admonished in a light tone. “We don’t want you to upset your stomach.”
Having finished packing his physician gear, Harry gave him a gimlet eye. Damn, nothing gets past the old man. “Indeed.” Heading for the door, he added, “I recommend sleep, as well, then more food. Don’t work tonight unless you feel one hundred percent.”
“Excellent advice, Uncle Harry,” Alex chimed in. “Thank you.”
“I’m sure I’ll be fine to work later,” Quinn said over the rim of his mug.
Alex smiled at him and watched with delighted fascination as the boy’s cheeks pinked again. “We’ll see.” He frowned an instant later at a thought. “Do you have a place to stay?”
Quinn swallowed his mouthful. “No, sir. Alex.” Averting his gaze, he took another sip of soup.
“Hmm.” Alex didn’t like the idea of sending the boy back out into the world. The idiot part of his brain latched onto the idea of having the boy remain in his loft. His dick seconded the motion but his rational side won the day…sort of.
“I have a guest room on the fourth floor that’s currently unoccupied.” He did a mental facepalm the second the words left his mouth. As if having the boy one floor below is going to make any difference. The offer having been made, there was no taking it back, however.
Quinn looked at him round-eyed. “Oh, thank you, but I couldn’t impose.”
“Nonsense. It’s only temporary until you get back on your feet, financially speaking.” And, you’ll be right where I can keep an eye on you. That stray thought alarmed him enough to cause him to retreat.
Pulling his wallet out, he grabbed two one-hundred-dollar bills and slapped them on the table. “Here’s an advancement on your pay, which is fifteen dollars an hour, by the way, plus you keep whatever tips you make.” Tips that will be shoved by sweaty hands into the boy’s G-string. Another stray thought that had him practically growling inside.
He backed up some more. “I’m sure I’m needed somewhere, so, Macki
e, please show Quinn his room when he’s finished eating and help him get settled. I’ll, ah…see you later then?”
With that awkward finale to his flustered act, Alex turned and hot-footed out of his own home as if the hounds of hell were nipping at his heels.
Chapter Two
“This is your room—for the time being, anyway,” Mackie added with a sniff.
Quinn looked at his new—albeit temporary—place with raised eyebrows. He’d expected something pretty basic, but this was gorgeous—all rich browns with green and cream-colored accents. A sitting area was arranged in one corner of the room and a bathroom was located at another. He couldn’t believe his new boss wanted him to stay in what was clearly intended for important guests.
“Wow. This is amazing.” Quinn walked over to the bed and sat on the edge. His ass sank into the fluffy duvet and landed on a firm mattress.
“Yeah, well, this floor is normally for family members,” Mackie said as he leaned against the doorjamb. “There are a bunch of them, and sometimes they visit. Harry and his husband and son have a suite at the end of the hall and Val’s room is across from this one.” He studied his nails. “I’m there pretty much every night. It’s almost not worth my keeping an apartment.”
In the little more than an hour since he’d arrived and made a complete jackass out of himself by fainting into his boss’s arms, Quinn had managed to take Mackie’s measure. For all his bored air and bravado, the guy seemed insecure—and nice. He’d hovered over Quinn while he ate and made sure he was steady on his feet when they’d left the fifth floor. Quinn knew fake when he saw it, but Mackie’s concern had struck him as being genuine. The least Quinn could do in return was reassure the boy that he had no designs on the bouncer whatsoever.
Blood Dance Page 2
