Alexei Read online

  Dante’s words whispered in the back of his mind, but he wasn’t able to accept them yet.

  He paced the floor of the bathroom as he dried off, impatience riding him hard. Finding no satisfaction, he wandered into the bedroom and grabbed a pair of boxers before heading towards the hallway. His house, he felt so satisfied when he was finally able to move into his own place with the money he earned from working at the family business. He, like the rest of his cousins, somehow ended up working for Dare Securities. Personally he thought it was their parent’s way of keeping an eye on them. Why? Because they were hybrid and honestly no one knew what a hybrid would do, including the hybrids.

  Until today he laughed at their cautious manner, now he wasn’t laughing, there was something dark and hungry inside of him. What it needed he really didn’t know. He slid into his favorite chair, it was affectionately called a cuddle chair or so they told him when he purchased it. It was technically a chair and a half meant for snuggling with that special someone. He wouldn’t know about that. His heart tightened as a pair of ethereal brown eye swam before his. Shaking his head vigorously, he tried to dispel the image. Was he crazy? She was like a cousin.

  A cousin with soft curves that he was now dreaming about at night. She wasn’t a stick figure, he silently said sorry to some of his aunts, but he seemed to be like his dad in this, he loved a soft curvy body and Amber fit the bill and more as far as he was concerned. Not that it mattered, she was dating someone, had been for a while. It was ok, he was content to touch her in his dreams. Such beauty was meant for a male who she would never have to fear, not him.

  Pushing his troublesome thoughts away, he sank into a memory of his recent conversation with his dad.

  “Alexei,” he stiffened when his dad was using that voice, it meant either he was in trouble or they were about to have a long heartfelt talk.

  He swiveled in the chair he was in. He was sitting in his dad’s security room at the house. The image before him was of the backyard where his mom and aunts were hanging out laughing. One of his aunts must have just told a joke and they were all wiping tears from their eyes as they talked a mile a minute. The smile he wore from watching them disappeared as his father came closer.

  “Is there a problem, Sir?” he knew sometimes it was better to be very formal with his father, especially when his dad’s beast seemed to be closer to the surface.

  “Relax, Son we just want to talk to you.”

  His shoulders slumped a little, so it was a heartfelt talk that was coming.

  “Your mother and I have been talking about your request to leave the house.”

  Things were different in his world, in the hybrid world overall. They didn’t just move out when they felt it was time. They needed permission from their parents. The human side of him hated that, the other side of him understood even as it chomped at the bit under his father’s reign.

  “Allowing you to move out is dangerous.”

  Alexei found himself wanting to rise up to challenge his father. He was grown. Why couldn’t his father see that? But things were different; the manic moods he experienced as a teen were no longer in charge of him. He was able to control himself. That felt a little sad, he was an adult and he knew it even if his parents didn’t.

  “Why? How can allowing me to move out and have a space all my own be dangerous?”

  “Because after all these years we still don’t know what part of my DNA is dominant in you. It won’t stay hidden forever, Alexei, and I don’t want you to be alone when it hits.” His father’s eyes were haunted.

  “Having said that, I also can’t keep you confined when you clearly demonstrate you’re ready to be on your own. You master both your emotions and your beast well. You should know your mother has been pleading your case for months.”

  His lips twitched. He loved his mom, it always amazed him when he went to school that some of the friends he made didn’t respect their mothers. In his world, it was unfathomable.

  “The only question I have for you is whether you are planning to buy a house or rent an apartment.”

  His dad’s voice drew him back. Did he want a house or an apartment? Many of his friends lived in apartments and condos, he visited several of them. The noise hurt his head. The ability to hear what everyone in the entire building was saying was nerve wrecking, listening to them have sex made him squeamish, not that he would be telling his dad that. His parents had their room sound proofed somewhere around the time he turned three. He had a clear memory of his mom screaming and him running in to protect her. Something he tried constantly to forget.

  “I want a house on a huge lot like you and mom have.” The look on his dad’s face was one of approval.

  “Glad to hear it, Alexei. Your mom was worried about that.”

  He made sure his face was straight refusing to show the smile or laughter that lingered behind his eyes. His dad loved him and was concerned at times that he would let some of the friends he met at private school influence him.

  His dad wanted him home schooled with tutors brought in. His mom was his champion. She sat in the big common play area where all the family met, crossed her arms and said ‘Over my dead body. You will not deprive my son of the chance to go to school and meet others sort of like him. Playing with his cousins is not enough.’

  He was never surprised when his mom won a battle. As long as it wasn’t about her health or safety, his dad bent over backwards to give her what she wanted.

  The ringing of his c-phone brought him out of his thoughts. He looked at his palm to see the image of his cousin, Dominic, displayed. He had four cousins. That’s all there were, five hybrids among a sea of other creatures that stalked the planet. The theory his Uncle Nicolas came up with was that until his Uncle Ash produced a child, the rest of them would not have another one. He quickly left the thoughts of his Uncle Ash knowing that dwelling on them too long would make him think of Amber.

  He willed the phone to accept the call, audio only.

  “Alexei, what are you doing, no video?”

  “Video means I have to look at your ugly face, Dom. Who wants that?”

  The sound of his cousin’s laughter filled his ear; they both knew he was considered the pretty one. Must have come from his mom.

  “I’m going to tell mom you called me ugly.”

  Alexei laughed. His Aunt Dee would smile then hit him upside the head for being an imprudent boy.

  “What’s on your mind, Dom?”

  “Not much, are you alright?”

  “Yeah, nothing’s wrong over here.” He grimaced, his cousin Dom had a little of whatever his Uncle Dante had in him. Dom always seemed to know, especially when it came to his cousins, when something was wrong. “Look, Dom I don’t know what’s happening, but now’s not the time to talk. If I want a long heartfelt conversation, you know where I will go!” They both laughed.

  “Alright, I won’t ride you, but what are you about to do?”

  “Not sure. Maybe just go to bed. I’ll talk to you later, bye.” He willed the phone off after his cousin said “Later”. He loved the fact that missing a phone call was the thing of the past. His Uncle Hale’s technology wasn’t worldwide yet, but it would be soon. It would change the world, if the war didn’t break out first.

  The nerves in his body crawled, making him jump to his feet. He paced the large room. His cousins had a tendency to congregate here. He liked to think of his house as the party house even though the party was just the five of them. They were different, but he was taught being different made the world a better place.

  He strolled out the room crossing the hall to the wide staircase. He took the steps three at a time making the trip up in around two seconds. His bedroom was at the top of the stairs, something he copied from his parents. He always wondered how their room could be sound proof and they could still hear him trying to sneak out of the house.

  Heading into the bedroom he yanked some clothes out of the closets. The hangers fought to hang on befor
e giving up and springing backwards. Not really caring, he got dressed. If he didn’t leave the house, he would explode. His beast moved under his skin, restless. He, they wanted something, needed something but damn if he knew what it was.

  He resisted the urge to pop his claws out and tear at his skin. The restlessness in his body, paired with the way his heart pounded, told him something was wrong. He stopped to look into the mirror, pants, shirt, shoes, yeah, he was dressed respectfully enough to go out. He grabbed his keys and wallet, leaving his coat in the closet. His beast was too close to the surface for him to feel the coldness outside. He walked into his garage; he too had a fondness for cars like the rest of the males in his family. He only owned three so far but his dad and uncles had no problem conveniently dropping off a car he could keep for a while so his garage was full of them. He went for his Uncle Ash’s car. That male loved sleek expensive cars.

  He wrapped his tall body into the toned body of the Porsche exiting the garage and driving with the headlights off through his property. He pushed down on the gas and allowed the engine to purr as it took off, breaking the speed limit until he came to the highway. He slowed down reluctantly, the last thing he needed was to be pulled over.

  Slowing down to eighty felt like he was standing still but he reined in his desire to leave every one looking at him in awe. He would have become a racer but the spot checks for blood and urine held him back. He’d never pass one, which was the real reason he and his cousins worked for their parents. His Uncle Nicolas took care of all their health care. What would happen when the war broke out and the people of the Earth found out that aliens existed and a shit ton of them actually lived on Earth? Would there be a second war to purify the Earth and was that even possible as he knew for a fact the Created weren’t the only beings calling Earth home?

  He wandered the city driving aimlessly taking in the bright lights. His car turned up a long hill leading to Mt. Washington and without giving it a thought he turned into Dante’s which was brightly lit and welcoming.

  His heart stuttered. He looked around to see Amber jumping out of a car. The male she was with was pulling on her, tearing at her clothes. The beast inside of him roared along with the male. Who dared to touch what was theirs?

  Chapter Three

  Amber turned around to see Alexei bearing down on her. Fire burned in his eyes, she knew that look and it didn’t bode well for Ethan. Not wanting to get her quasi boyfriend beat up or worse she met Alexei head on.

  He was her cousin but not by blood. His Uncle Ash had taken her in becoming her father. There was no way she should feel a tingle in her nether region around him but she did.

  “Move, Amber.” The deep rumble of his voice was already setting her nerve endings on fire.

  “Make me.”

  He reached out placing his hands on her arms intending to pick her up until sparks of fire convulsed through their bodies.

  “Amber,” his voice dropped even lower as his beast raised his head taking a look at her through his eyes. “I said, move.”

  “I said, make me. I’m not scared of you, Alexei.” She wasn’t scared of him at all. What she was—was turned on. A pool of hot desire sat in her stomach leaking out into her panties. She was already wet and would be soaked by the time she made it home. Her nipples were hard buds of longing. Nothing on her body was scared, but she was in desperate need of some good hard loving.

  She glanced over her shoulder to see Ethan slumped over the wheel and frowned.

  “He touched you.”

  His voice was low and dark, calling to her like the night. No male should have a voice like that.

  “At least somebody touched me. Should I remain a virgin all my life, is that your game plan? To watch me wither away and die without knowing the touch of a man.”

  “You don’t need a man.” He moved around her and stalked to the car.

  As tall as she was she had to run to keep up with his long strides.

  “Leave him alone.”

  Alexei pulled Ethan out of the car ready to tear him a new one when Ethan’s head rolled back on his shoulders.

  “Amber, what’s wrong with him?” Alexei asked.

  Her head lowered and shame rolled off of her. “I think he’s having an allergic reaction to me.”

  “What?” Alexei’s brow creased in confusion.

  “I think it’s whatever scent I put out.”

  “This is the first time I have known you not to make sense, Amber. We need to get him help. I can’t tear him apart if he isn’t conscious enough to know what’s happening.” Begrudgingly Alexei picked him up and put him over his shoulder.

  “How sporting of you,” her voice was drool as she closed the car door and followed him to the back entrance of Dante’s.

  Poets could write sonnets about the beauty of Dante’s and never even come close to what real beauty was.

  Peace leapt out to wrap them in its splendor as they walked through the back door. The illusion of a hard working business gave away to a comfortable room where the brothers liked to entertain. The kitchen was actually downstairs. Dante didn’t let anyone in; he often said it would be too overwhelming for the mere Created to take in.

  Alexei dropped Ethan in a chair before he turned to look at Dante.

  “Alexei, did you finally snap and kill Amber’s quasi boyfriend.”

  “That’s not funny,” Amber bared her teeth, feeling like she was walking the edge.

  She paced the room as her legs strained to break into a run taking her far away from the comfort and security of home.

  “He attacked her, mauling her, pulling at her clothes. Why?”

  “I think you’re going a little over-board, Alexei. Besides I am capable of taking care of myself and Ethan wouldn’t hurt me.”

  Alexei stalked her, moving deliberately into her space. “You don’t know what he will do. He’s a man around a beautiful woman!”

  She looked at him stunned; he never so much as acted like he thought of her as anything except an informal cousin.

  “Do you really think I am beautiful?” The words came hesitantly hoping he wouldn’t crush the little breath of a miracle she was feeling.

  “Amber, look at you. You’re soft and thick with deadly curves any male would have a hard time staying away from. You have those ethereal brown eyes that make me think at times you’re a vision instead of flesh and blood. Those pink pouty lips of yours were made for kissing and that brown smooth skin that makes a man want to lick. You’re divine and every man around you knows it.”

  “No they don’t. Every man around me smells this damn pheromone I give off and they don’t care how I look. I might be ugly enough to need a stupid bag over my head and they wouldn’t care because my biology is making them want me. It’s what happens where you’re a,” her fingers made quotes in the air, “more advanced human. You stink and have funky powers.”

  Alexei took a deep breath, “You smell like passionate flowers.”

  “Her pheromones won’t work on you, Alexei.” Dante commented as he sat on the couch watching the play by play.

  Amber ignored Dante and looked at Alexei. “If my pheromones don’t affect you, why did you say all those nice things about me?”

  He sighed. Didn’t she understand? Reaching out, he put an arm around her waist and pulled her tightly to him knocking some of the air out of her lungs when she hit into his hard body. His lips descended, kissing her, searing her, branding her lips forever with his.

  Her arms went around his neck as her mouth opened accepting his tongue. Her body moved feeling his thick cock come up to meet her. “Oh my,” slipped out as she felt it against her. She had no idea he would be so big.

  He grabbed her hips and pulled her deeper into him, grinding against her.

  “Please,” her head tilted backwards as he pressed his mouth against her throat sucking at her smooth skin.”

  “Get a room.” Dante’s voice came out low and deadly. It acted like cold water breaking them a
part and damping the fire, while not really putting it out.

  Amber felt her cheeks burn. “We brought Ethan here because he needs help.”

  She tried to recover, but the faint smile on Dante’s lips followed by the darkness of his eyes told her there was no way she was recovering from that one.

  “Dante.” Alexei started and stopped as Dante raised one perfect eyebrow at him.

  The room drifted to silence. When he was sure no more excuses would be offered, Dante stood and went to look at Ethan.

  He checked him over then called Mick into the room.

  “Take a look at him.”

  Mick was Dante’s brother as well as his second in command being born after Dante.

  “I think the only chance he has is for Amber to give him up. If she continues to lead him on he won’t survive.”

  Dante nodded. “Amber you have a choice. If you want Ethan to have a good life you have to give him up, as in no contact. If you don’t care about his quality of life, then you can continue to string him along.”

  Amber opened her mouth then closed it. She looked like a fish at sea uncertain if she should go for the bait on the hook or not.

  “He’s my friend.”

  “Not anymore. He can’t take what you’re putting out Amber. No human male will be able to take it for long.”

  “What’s the solution?” her voice was high and her eyes were wet. This was yet another person she would have to give up.

  Dante gave her a small lift of his lips. “You have to find it on your own, Amber. Believe me you’re closer to it than you know.”

  She nodded her head. Walking over to Ethan she leaned over to kiss his cheek ignoring the growl that came from Alexei. He didn’t own her.

  “I’m sorry I couldn’t love you, Ethan. There were times I wanted too.” A small tear trickled over a cheek.

  She stood and walked away. “I will give him up. I hope one day we can be friends again, but it will never be more than that.”