“Nothing,” Storm barked. “Nothing.” He repeated himself as if it would make his lie more convincing.
Cutter frowned at Storm. When he turned to stare at Alex, Cutter’s expression filled with hurt and pain. But Uli’s bitter sound of disbelief drew Alex’s attention.
“Right.” Uli swung an arm over Cutter’s shoulder. “Come on, Cut. Let’s go dance.”
Cutter’s distress disappeared behind a false smile. “You two have fun,” he said, his voice overcompensatingly cheerful as he and Uli danced down toward the music at the end of the corridor.
Storm sagged against the wall without making eye contact. He rested his weight on one foot and began kicking the wall behind him with the heel of his boot.
“Storm.”
He sighed and turned to glare at Alex. “What?”
“It’s going to be alright.” Alex considered telling Storm everything, but it was too soon. He needed to go through this mysterious secondary transition and convince Uli and all the other million and one things he needed to get in order to explain things. But having his mates angry and upset hurt deeply.
“Yeah. What-the-fuck-ever.” Storm pushed off the wall and stomped down the passageway.
Alex inhaled and exhaled and inhaled again until he found his place of calm. What a night, and the evening just started. He hurried after Storm.
He found Uli, Cut, and Storm standing next to the main dance floor. Excitement passed through him as he studied each of them. They appeared similar. Each were dressed in jeans and black concert t-shirts. The only difference in their clothing was the bands the t-shirts displayed.
Dry ice smoke drifted over the dance floor, curling around half-naked men as they shimmed, bounced, and danced to a blaring, primitive beat. Storm engaged in what appeared to be a heated exchange with Cutter over what Alex guessed by the gestures was a refusal to dance. Cutter’s jaw was stubbornly set while he shook his head at his best friend. Uli’s head kept moving from side to side as if he were searching for something or someone until he caught sight of Alex. Uli’s eyes lit up before he abruptly turned away from Alex as if he were ignoring him.
Alex dodged the gyrating bodies and ignored the grabby hands of the dancing men to reach his irate mates. It was time for some damage control.
Cassidy, jokester extraordinaire, danced over to the group as Alex joined them. One would think he was eight instead of twenty-eight the way he enjoyed hacking into traffic warning signs to warn people about zombies. The guy didn’t seem to mind incurring Lafayette’s wrath and frequently changed the signs in their area to “Zombies Ahead” or “Zombies Suck”. For the most part it was a harmless prank, but it was a bit too close to their truth for Lafayette to find amusement with the stunts.
The attractive man shouted to be heard above the rave music. “You guys know it’s Blowjob Night!” He pulled up his knees to show off his rainbow kneepads. Alex admired Cassidy’s enthusiasm, but at times wished the guy would shut his mouth, especially tonight. He didn’t need anyone giving his mates any ideas. Cassidy was clearly trying to play matchmaker with Uli and Cutter.
This entire situation got more difficult by the hour. Uli wouldn’t go off with anyone other than Cutter, but neither Cut nor Storm had the same compulsion. Alex found his center again and took a deep, calming breath.
“And this is different than every other night here, how?” Storm flirted as he elbowed Cassidy. Alex barely controlled a growl of possession that threatened to erupt from him. Uli and Cut poured all their attention on him before possibly coming to the wrong conclusion about his feelings for Storm.
“It’s different ’cause tonight I’m taking him in back.” Cutter claimed Ulrich’s hand. He stared defiantly at Storm as if daring him to object. Storm shifted his hands to his hips and frowned.
The crowd shifted. Men wedged their dancing bodies between Storm and the rest of Alex’s entourage. Storm stared at the floor as if he tried to decide on a response, but the crowd swallowed him up.
“But it’s not my birthday.” Uli appeared a little confused but a lot horny when Cutter tugged on his hand.
Cassidy snorted. “Blowjobs, they’re not just for birthdays anymore.”
Uli grabbed Alex’s hand to lean in and whispered, “I guess I’ll get it straight from the source from this point forward.” The words had an edge of excitement to them, but his voice was laced with regret.
Alex really just wanted to put his mates out of their misery, but they had to come to the realization their happily ever after involved a foursome. But he didn’t know how to properly break the news, so he let Uli’s hand slip from his grasp.
“Um, okay. I guess I’ll catch you guys later.” With a small wave, Ulrich turned to let Cutter drag him into the back of the club where private rooms were set aside for couples.
Cassidy seemed pleased with the result. “Hey, it’s your birthday. You should totally…”
“Please stop, Cassidy.” Anger and fear ran through Alex at a quick clip. Tonight, Uli would be validated that Cutter was his mate, but he would be more confused and upset for continuing to feel drawn to Alex and Storm. Alex could almost feel the conflict rolling through Storm. Cut seemed to be acting out.
Alex wished his transition were already complete so he’d be able to prove his claim. Then Uli and he could work as a team to convince the other two.
Finally, Cassidy sensed things were not as they appeared. “Oh, sorry.” He gave him a quick kiss on the cheek. “Happy birthday, Alex.” Frowning, Cassidy escaped into the dancing crowd to put his kneepads to good use.
Alex searched for Storm. Separated by the crush of the dancing crowd, Storm pushed around the flailing bodies that had gotten between them. As he leaned close to yell over the music, Storm’s hair tantalized Alex’s senses. “Where the fuck are they going?”
“Where do you think?” Tolerating Storm’s indignation wasn’t going to be easy, but Alex needed to ensure the hothead didn’t try to hook up with another zombie because Alex couldn’t allow that. Uli’s blond head of hair just disappeared from sight.
“Why’d you let them go?” Storm stomped his foot and shoved his hands into his pockets. Storm aimed his frustrated exhale and angry expression directly at Alex, as if the entire thing could be blamed on him.
“How exactly would I have stopped them?” Pushing Storm’s hair out of his face, Alex smelled faint traces of Uli’s Obsession cologne on him. “Besides, what do you care?”
Storm pulled his eyes off the direction Cut and Uli went to stare at Alex. “I don’t.”
“Liar.” Being right wasn’t always productive.
“I mean I just don’t understand why Cut’s so into Uli.” The dark-haired man lifted his hand. “I mean, he’s attractive in a ‘sexy foreign exchange student’ kind of a way, but he’s still a kid.”
“He’s nineteen and only a year younger than you.”
Storm shrugged. “He seems younger. He’s smart and funny but…” His voice trailed off with less anger and more longing.
“So, Cut doesn’t go for smart, funny, attractive guys?”
The dark-haired man cleared his throat and reached behind him to the table to grab his drink. He polished it off in one swig and belched unattractively.
“Maybe you should have danced with him when he asked.” The guy must already be kicking himself and didn’t need the ‘I told you so’. Alex stepped into Storm’s space. He softened his tone, hoping to entice his difficult mate. “Come.” He slipped an arm around Storm’s waist to pull him into the writhing bodies.
“I don’t dance,” Storm said stubbornly.
Alex surfed fingers down Storm’s arm, raising goose bumps. He asked, “Why not?”
“I don’t know how,” Storm claimed.
“So you don’t kiss and you don’t dance?” Alex wrapped a hand around Storm’s hip and guided them into the mass of undulating male bodies.
Storm clung to Alex as if he’d been thrown into shark-infested waters.
Not being able to resist, Alex slid a hand under Storm’s waistband to enjoy the silky, hidden skin. Storm’s form molded into his as Alex led them in a slow, sensuous glide. He inhaled Storm’s scent. As irritating as the guy might be at times, it felt amazing to have him in his arms.
The music changed to a faster beat, but Alex chose to keep their tempo at half time. Alex increased pressure on where he touched Storm so he would resist the tempo change. Storm appeared momentarily confused, but his body melted, as if trusting Alex to direct him. The small victory deserved a reward, so Alex swept aside the shaggy hair blocking those piercing amber eyes. If the eyes were mirrors to the soul, the mate in his arms had a beautiful if injured one. “You’re quite handsome when you’re not being an ass.”
“You’re stronger than I thought,” Storm said with enough surprise that might have insulted someone else.
Snorting with laughter, Alex lead Storm into a number of turns and ended with their lips inches apart. The laughter died as they once again shared air. He teased Storm with anticipation of the kiss.
Storm pulled back. “I…we shouldn’t…not here.” His gaze skated to where they’d last seen Uli and Cutter.
“Excuse me?” What insanity was his mate spurting now?
“What?” Storm shrugged and tossed his head, which moved his long hair over his shoulder. “I told you before I don’t kiss guys.”
“You also said you didn’t know how to dance, but look at you now.”
“It’s just something I don’t do…not in public.” He was a bad liar, and hopefully he’d stop feeling the need to try in the future. The real issue was he didn’t want his best friend and Ulrich to find them making out.
Alex’s true nature asserted itself. There may have been hours before midnight, but he’d make Storm pant and beg before giving him what he needed, and he’d do it right here on the dance floor.
“But at the party you made out with Cut and Uli.”
“Yeah, well…” Storm grimaced at being reminded. His eyes darted to the door their friends had disappeared through. “That was a mistake.”
“Was it? Or is it just me you don’t want to kiss.” Alex chose to forget the episode that triggered Cutter’s jealousy in order to flirt with his mate.
Alex’s ensured he blew warm breath against Storm’s lips. He moistened his dry lips and caught a restrained whimper from his dance partner. He held them still on the dance floor as bodies gyrated past them. He felt Storm’s heart beating in time with the throbbing cock pressed against him. Alex focused his attention on Storm, not bothering to hide his own desire.
On a broken moan, Storm tried to kiss him.
“Not so fast.” Alex shifted back from the victory and grabbed the hair at the nape of Storm’s neck to take in his wide eyes. “I thought you didn’t kiss in public.”
Storm must have recognized his dominance because he clung to Alex. He punished him just a little by getting close to his mouth and backing off. He snaked out his tongue and trailed a wet lick over Storm’s full lips until the man in his arms begged breathlessly.
Alex tried to project an image of cool control. “Admit you just don’t want Cutter and Uli to see you.”
“Fine, you’re right. I don’t want to upset them, but I want to kiss you. Please, Alex
.
” He writhed closer as if he coveted all of their parts touching.
Being able to do nothing but answer his mate’s plea, Alex caressed Storm’s lips with his own. On a soft exhale of surrender, Storm’s petal-soft lips opened, and he invited Alex to deepen their kiss. Alex did. Storm shivered and pressed even tighter against him.
His mate rubbed a full erection against his thigh. The needy man broke the kiss to beg again. “Alex, God you are just so…please.”
When he wasn’t pretending to be tough, Storm had a rather angelic appearance. How could Alex resist? Cupping a palm over the man’s arousal, Alex squeezed and rubbed Storm through his jeans.
The power of his control flooded Alex. He leaned into Storm to lick the shell of his ear before he whispered, “If I keep going you’re going to make a mess in these nice jeans.” He continued to massage Storm’s crotch, making the man in his arms completely at his mercy.
“Don’t care.” Groaning, Storm thrust against Alex’s hand, seeking more friction than he was getting.
Everything in Alex longed to take Storm to completion. No one paid attention to them. Each of the other dancers were involved in similar covert activities. But he wanted an admission of sorts from this difficult man. “What do you want?”
Storm huffed out air and struggled to take in more as Alex made sure his hand remained a little too light. “You know.”
“I might not. You’d better tell me,” Alex teased as he ran his lips over Storm’s throat. Storm wasn’t getting what he wanted unless he asked—nicely.
“To kiss you as I come.” Storm’s eyes begged for mercy, but if it were given before he surrendered completely, Alex wasn’t sure if he’d be able to put the four of them into a position for all of them to get what they craved.
“Beg me.” Alex dropped his voice, the gravelly growl just shy of a command.
“Oh God.” Storm thrust urgently against Alex’s hand. Storm’s breath seemed to quicken when he realized Alex had no intention of giving in until he begged.
Finally, Storm acquiesced. “Please, Alex. I’m begging you. Kiss me. Make me dry clean my fucking jeans. I don’t care who sees us, I need you to just kiss me and…”
Crashing their bodies and mouths closer together, Alex’s precise action controlled Storm’s every movement. Pushing his hand down harder gave Storm the pressure he craved. He rubbed firmly, kissing him until Storm’s head rolled back. Alex slid his mouth to Storm’s throat, licking, biting, and sucking until his limit was reached.
“When I kiss your lips, you may come. Understood?”
Storm whimpered and gave a jerky nod.
Making Storm feel out of control with lust gave Alex an amazing kick of power, mixed with love. He gripped a hank of Storm’s glossy hair and tilted his head at the right angle. He crashed his mouth down on Storm’s in an openmouthed tangle of tongues.
The man lost control. Alex heard a loud groan as the body next to his danced in time with the pulsating cock erupting in Storm’s jeans. Rubbing and massaging the spasming shaft made Alex’s pants tighten. Storm slumped against Alex. The spent man seemed to be trying to catch enough oxygen in his mouth to survive.