He paced away, his emotions suddenly coming to the surface. “When I was your age, I thought life was passing me by, that everyone was having sex except me. I blamed it on being gay. If only I could come out, I’d meet some great boy and we’d lose our virginity together. Everything would be wonderful.”
He turned and gave Demi a hard look. “I was too scared to come out then, and thank God I was. My parents kicked me to the curb the moment I told them. My whole family turned their backs on me because I refused to ‘accept’ that I had a problem that needed fixing. Can you imagine what would have happened if I’d still been a minor and totally dependent on them? As it was, I told them a few months too soon. I would have been forced to leave home even before I finished high school.”
He pressed his hand against his stomach. The memories of having been tossed away by the people he’d loved his whole life were still fresh and the wound still raw. He shuddered to get himself under control. Mackie, bless him, came over and hugged him from behind.
“It’s okay, sweetie. You’re better off without those assholes. You have a home here with us, now.”
Quinn took a deep breath and whooshed it out. “Yeah, I am lucky. I know you don’t have to worry about any of that, Demi, but my advice still holds. Give yourself time to find the right guy. I think that sex with the wrong person is way worse than no sex at all. Alex has been amazingly kind and gentle with me. I know that’s not true with all men.”
Resting his chin on Quinn’s shoulder, Mackie said, “That’s true. There are some real shitheads out there. And even though your family would rip a guy that hurt you limb-from-limb, you can never get your first time back.”
Because he could hear the hint of sorrow in Mackie’s voice, Quinn shifted to give him a hug. The boy allowed it for only a second before wriggling free and dancing away. Apparently, Mackie was better at handing out sympathy than receiving it. Quinn didn’t push the issue.
“Why don’t we all forget about sex for a while and work out?” Quinn suggested. “That’s why I’m here, anyway.”
Demi sighed. “Fine. It’s better than doing my school work, and the ’rents will let me take an hour break if it’s for exercise.”
“I suppose I should put some time in, too,” Mackie said, heading for the elliptical machine. “After this, though, we should go out, Quinn. I’ll show you the city.”
“Thanks, but I’m not sure I’ll have enough energy for that and work tonight.”
Mackie giggled. “It’s Monday, sweetie. No work tonight. The club is still open, but all the boys have off.”
“Oh. It’s hard to keep track of the days. Everything is still upside-down.”
“You’ll get used to it.” After hopping on the machine, Mackie programmed in his work-out. “And Val’s got me on a curfew, so we’ll be back before sundown.”
“Oh, good.” Quinn decided to try leg exercises next. That meant he’d be back in plenty of time for his dinner with Alex, too. He stopped, frowned. “Why the curfew?”
Mackie glanced over his shoulder while he kept his arms and legs pumping. “The killer, remember? He seems to hunt at night and Val’s being overly cautious. It’s not like the ghoul is focused on the club or anything, not given that the latest victim was some stranger to us.”
“Right. We’ll be okay.” Even as he said it, though, a shiver ran down his spine.
* * * *
Quinn peered into the world behind the circular glass tank with unbridled awe. “This is amazing.” He glanced at Mackie’s reflection. “Thanks so much for suggesting we come here.”
“It’s mostly for little kids.” Mackie shrugged as if it were no big deal, but Quinn could read the boy easily at this point. He knew Mackie was pleased by his enjoyment of the outing.
The day was a beautiful one and they had spent a couple of hours wandering around Boston Common before coming into the cool dimness of the aquarium. Quinn didn’t mind spending the last of his free time inside, though—not when there were penguins and sharks to see. A hammerhead loomed by the side of the glass, causing Quinn to take an involuntary step backward.
Mackie laughed. “It’s almost like you’re right in there with them.”
“Yeah. I’ve never seen anything like this tank.”
The entire internal structure of the building was a ramp that wound its way around the outside of the tank. With each step they took, there was more and more to see. Quinn figured he could spend hours in this place. The little kids pushing past him didn’t bother him in the least. He envied their carefree experience, and for a few hours, he could join them in their innocence. He’d already spent time in the touching-pool area, allowing starfish to crawl on his hand and picking up horseshoe crabs.
He felt odd, teetering between the childhood he’d been forced to abandon and the obvious adulthood of having taken a lover. Did spending time in Alex’s bed, as well as dancing around a pole, mean that he shouldn’t hang out anymore in spaces designed to enthrall children? He didn’t know, hadn’t even considered it. Yet the aches in his body reminded him that he had crossed a significant line.
Mackie nudge him with his shoulder. “Get a load of that turtle. I bet they don’t have anything like that in Missouri.”
“Michigan does have an aquarium. I just never had a chance to visit it.”
“Even though I’m from the Boston area, Val was still the first person to bring me here.”
“Really?” He tried picturing the almost feral-looking bouncer bringing his boyfriend on a date to this kid-oriented place. It seemed incongruous.
“Yeah, he loves the sharks.”
Okay, that makes sense. Quinn returned his attention to colorful fish swimming close to the walls. A movement caught his attention. A pale face framed by long, dark hair appeared across the crowded tank and through the glass at an angle just higher than he and Mackie stood. His heartbeat quickened because, for a second, he thought Alex had arrived. But between one blink and another, the face disappeared, the same way it had when he’d been shopping the previous day. With a jerk, Quinn stepped back and promptly bumped into a woman walking on the ramp behind him.
“Excuse me, ma’am.”
He didn’t wait for an acknowledgment. Instead, he scampered past people ahead of her to catch a glimpse at the man. There was no one anywhere farther along that reminded him of Alex or the other Stelalux men. He pressed himself against the railing, letting others pass while he taxed his brain to remember just what he’d seen.
“Hey, what’s going on?” Mackie slid into a spot between Quinn and a little boy.
Quinn shook his head. “Nothing.”
“You bolted like a spooked steer or something. I mean, if that’s a thing in Mississippi.”
“Michigan,” he corrected absently. He studied the tank all the way up, seeking any hint of the man he’d seen on any level of the tank. “I thought I saw Alex here,” he finally confessed, “or someone who looks like him.”
“Nah. Alex would never come here. Demi is at that awkward age when anything that smacks of little kids’ stuff is automatically off-limits, so he wouldn’t be here with his dads. And besides, anyone from the family would come and say hi at a minimum. It was a trick of the tank lighting or something.”
“I guess.” His head told him Mackie had to be right, yet unease continued to prick at him. Maybe some long-lost relative of Alex’s was wandering around Boston. He’d raise it with the man at dinner, maybe.
“It doesn’t matter.” He shot Mackie a smile, determined not to let anything mar the rest of their beautiful day. “Let’s go find the giant lobster.”
“I know right where it is. Come on.” Mackie grabbed Quinn by the sleeve and tugged him along.
Chapter Nine
“Thank you, Emil. The table setting is lovely and the food smells delicious. You’ve outdone yourself.”
The engineer-turned-chef folded his thick arms and nodded once. “First time you want a romantic dinner in your private quarters? Damn straig
ht I pull out all the stops.” He slanted his gaze at Alex. “I like that boy, you know?”
Alex raised his eyebrows and a spurt of anger had his fangs descending. “Like?”
The man held up his hand. “Put your biters back, boss. I meant that I think he’s a sweet kid who deserves to be treated nicely. Since his family isn’t here to say it, I’m taking it on myself to warn you to be careful with him.”
“Oh.” Alex pulled back his teeth and his anger. “You’ve always been very protective of the humans, more so than even I am.”
“Yeah, well, they need it, don’t they? They’re so hard on each other, and with Dracul and his traitorous bunch always stirring the pot, someone has to play nursemaid.”
Alex clapped his friend in the shoulder. “Your loyalty is appreciated. I couldn’t fight against his horrific behavior without you. And your worry for Quinn does you great honor. Rest assured that my intentions are honorable.”
“Fuck honor. Sir, you’re always honorable, but you need to be careful, too, with this kid. He’s vulnerable. I bet he’s halfway in love with you already.”
“Oh.” Alex stepped back and frowned. “Surely not. I’m his first lover, yes, but that’s physical with some mutual appreciation. Love, though? That’s a different matter. And even if you’re right, I doubt he’d want me if he understood what I am. My supposed blood fetish turns him off. I’m sure of it.”
Shit, who am I trying to convince?
His rather alarming introspection was interrupted by Val storming in. “It’s almost sunset.” He stopped at the sight of the table set for two, complete with snowy white table cloth, fresh-cut flowers as a centerpiece and candles waiting to be lit. “Jesus, Alex. When did you turn into a girl?”
“I beg your pardon?” His tone had turned to ice, even as he worried that Val was right. The effort he was making for this dinner with Quinn was more than any he’d ever gone to.
Val worried his mobile phone in one hand, distracted. “It’s like you’re expecting the queen or something.”
“The Queen of England?” he asked with a frown.
“No. Our queen.”
“Oh.” Damn, we’ve been on this planet too long. He’d almost forgotten his true monarch, a woman who had ascended to the throne shortly before their mission had started. And she wouldn’t have given someone like him a second thought. He was a military man, a drone within their hive and not worthy of her notice, no matter how good at his job he’d been.
He shook off Val’s easy mocking and focused on the man’s obvious tension. “What’s eating at you?”
“I told you. It’s almost sundown.”
“Indeed.” The reminder of the hour caused him to go to the long curtains covering his windows. With a push of a button, the heavy material slid aside to reveal the darkening sky. He had a decent enough view—not very romantic yet more pleasant than a dimly-lit room. With the sun almost set, he could eat with the curtains open.
“The boys aren’t back,” Val bit out.
“Oh!” Alarm spiked within him. “I’m not expecting Quinn for another fifteen minutes, so I hadn’t realized. Have you texted Mackie?”
Val’s lips thinned. “About a million times. The little bastard hasn’t responded. I am going to beat his ass so badly…”
Alex worried the back of his neck with his hand. “It should be fine. Adrian has done his killing at night so far.”
“So far,” Val agreed in a grim tone. “That can change, and now that he’s leaving his kills in such public places, tracking him is near to impossible. Too many human scents are trampling it.”
“His very thought, I’m sure. He’s proving cleverer than I expected.”
Val’s phone chimed. “Finally.”
The man stormed out. Emil, who’d borne silent witness to the exchange, left in his wake. Alex moved quickly to keep up with them. They took the stairs, always faster for them than an elevator, especially when they didn’t have to worry about anyone seeing them almost fly. They hit the main room just as the two boys entered.
“Why didn’t you answer my texts sooner?” Val barked out the question as he strode over to them.
“Sorry,” Mackie replied. “We were on the T and you know how spotty reception can be.” He squeaked as Val grabbed him by the back of the neck and propelled him toward the elevator. “I’m sorry.”
“You think so, but you’re about to find out how truly sorry you really are.” Val’s pronouncement ended on an ominous growl.
Quinn trailed behind them, mouth open. Alex rushed to intercept him with what he hoped was an engaging and distracting smile. “I’m glad to see you home safe and sound.”
The human stopped and shifted his focus. His lips curved in a shy smile. “Hi. Sorry if we worried you. The T was more crowded than we expected because one of the cars broke or something.” He glanced in the direction of the elevator. “We really didn’t get the texts until we’d come above ground again.”
“Of course.” Alex ran his hand down the back of Quinn’s head and gave in to the impulse to give him a quick kiss. Quick turned into lengthy because he found that he absolutely lacked control when it came to this boy.
He gulped in a big breath once he’d managed to let go. “We were a touch concerned because there’s a murderous lunatic running around out there.”
Quinn was equally short-breathed. “Yeah, we know, except come on. What’s the chances that the guy would come after us? There’s tons of people to choose from out there.”
And not one of them warms the beds of two men that Adrian is determined to goad. He didn’t say that, of course. Neither Quinn nor Mackie could know what was happening. There might never be a point when they would, but he didn’t want to focus on that. What time he had with Quinn would have to be measured for now in small increments and fundamental pleasures such as having dinner together this evening.
He flitted his palm across Quinn’s cheek. “I’m afraid Val and I are terribly overprotective.”
Quinn frowned as he stared in the direction of the elevator. “Val seemed mad.”
“Sometimes that’s part of worry.”
“I guess.”
“He won’t hurt him, not in any way that they haven’t agreed is permissible. Now, please, let’s go have our dinner. Emil has created something wonderful for us.”
“Oh.” Quinn’s smile was back and he allowed Alex the pleasure of escorting him to the elevators.
He kept his hand on the small of the boy’s back, needing to keep some amount of proprietary contact. They entered the now-empty elevator and Alex pressed for his private floor. Before he could stop him, Quinn pressed the button for the fourth floor.
“Why did you do that?”
Quinn gazed at him with doe-like eyes. “I need to get cleaned up and dressed.”
“You’re already dressed and perfectly presentable for my humble table, I assure you.”
Quinn stepped back. “No, these are grubby clothes for hanging around in. I have newer and nicer ones.” He frowned at the floor. “This is my first real date. I want to make it special. Okay?” He glanced at Alex.
Alex wanted to argue the point. He wanted to tell Quinn that he intended to divest him of his clothing as soon as possible and lick him up one side and down the other. But, as the elevator chimed for the fourth floor, Alex stuck his hand out to keep the doors open.
He smiled as graciously as he could. “Of course. Forgive me. I understand completely. Please do me the one favor, though, and don’t dawdle. I’ll be waiting as patiently as I know how, which is to say not very well at all.”
Quinn popped onto his toes to give Alex a quick kiss. “I’ll be fast. Promise.”
Alex let the doors close and leaned against the wall with a heavy sigh. His dick was already hard. He wasn’t sure he could make it through dinner. It would be a struggle to stop himself from sweeping all Emil’s hard work off the table and fucking Quinn on top of it.
* * * *
“This is all s
o wonderful. I can’t believe you and Emil went to all this trouble.”
It wasn’t difficult after all to contain his worst impulses. The sheer joy on Quinn’s face when he’d seen the meal laid out had made Alex’s sacrifice worthwhile. It was rather nice, too, to chat as they ate the chilled gazpacho soup and kale salad and sipped on an excellent Chablis. Quinn had told him about his wandering around Boston and visiting the aquarium. Alex thought it cruel of humans to trap animals in small places for their amusement. Although given how they treated each other, what they did to lower species wasn’t a surprise. Quinn had so thoroughly enjoyed himself that he didn’t have the heart to argue any point.
They were on to steak, now. His own was barely cooked, a simple way of satisfying the most basic of his blood craving. Quinn’s was medium, a guess that Emil had made.
“I hope your steak is cooked to your liking?”
Quinn swallowed his mouthful. “Oh, yes, thanks. It’s delicious. Everything is. I don’t know how Emil gets his mashed potatoes so creamy. My mother’s always has lumps.”
The boy’s face fell suddenly and Quinn’s obvious hurt from even a casual mention of his family infuriated Alex. Why couldn’t a mother who made imperfect food see her son for the blessing that he is? Quinn stared at this plate, fine tremors running through his lower lip. Alex’s keen sight had no trouble detecting them, yet he was at a loss as to what to say. Should he even acknowledge the boy’s torment or politely ignore it until he got himself under control again?
“I guess I won’t be tasting those anymore.” Quinn squared his shoulders and cut another piece of steak. “Their loss.” He shoved the food in his mouth and chewed.
Pride rose in Alex over how his boy was able to handle himself with such courage. “Yes, it is their loss. You are wonderful, Quinn. I can’t tell you how much I enjoy your company.”
Blood Dance Page 15
