Thanks for the awesome reviews guys. It's great receiving feedback. As for everyone who wants hints at what's going to happen, you're just going to have to read it to find out! ; )

Blood Lust


This Year's Girl



Crash was crowded with the usual assortment of sundry characters that invaded the small bar after sunset. Alec scanned the crowd from his vantage point at the pool table. He could see Max and Original Cindy at their table finishing off the last of the pitcher he'd bought them all. He spotted a few of his Jam Pony comrades around the bar and on the dance floor, as well as more than a few ladies he'd gotten to know intimately in the past. One of them, a busty red head named Clara walked past, tossing him a wink as she reached out to cop a feel as he leaned over to take his shot. Alec threw a dangerous smile at her over his shoulder, but turned his attention back to the game. He didn't really feel like hooking up with anyone tonight.

He made his shot with relative ease as Sketchy mournfully shook his head as he watched his chance at winning go down the tubes. Sketchy should have learned by now that when he played against Alec, he really didn't have any chance to start out with.

Alec walked around the table, supposedly contemplating his set-up, but his eyes were constantly drawn back up to unconsciously scan the expanding crowd as new arrivals made their way in as the night progressed.

Sketchy, leaning on his pool cue, got tired of waiting for Alec to take his shot and, exasperated, said, "She ain't here yet man!"

"Huh?" Distracted with watching the entrances, it took Alec a moment to process this comment. When he did he turned back to Sketchy, a look of studied ignorance on his face. "What're you talking about, Sketch?"

"Alex. She ain't here yet."

"Really? I hadn't noticed," Alec shrugged, trying to play it cool. He bent down to line up his next shot.

"Right," Sketchy snorted. "You've been looking for her ever since we got here. I'm getting neck cramps just from watching you twist around trying to look everywhere at once."

Alec scowled at him and took his shot, just barely making it. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"Whatever man. I don't know why you keep insisting you're not interested." Sketchy kept talking, hoping to distract Alec from the game and salvage his bet. "I mean, even a blind man would be all over her faster than a fat kid on a bag of chips. Besides, just because she shot you down once doesn't mean you won't breach the perimeter next time out."

Alec glared at him openly. "She did NOT shoot me down and I am NOT interested." His jaw slightly clenched, he turned his back to Sketchy, sinking another ball. "Besides, it's not like she's the hottest chick you've ever seen. I can name ten women off the top of my head that are twice as good looking as her."

"Maybe," Sketchy grinned, "but none of them ever said no to you. And why don't you say her name?"

"What?"

"Her name. Alex. Al-ex," Sketchy stretched it out for him. "You keep referring to her as 'her'."

"So? I don't remember half the names of the girls I've been with."

"Yeah, but I know you remember this one. You're just tripping out for some reason."

"I am NOT tripping!" Alec realized he sounded like a bratty kid and scowled to himself, shooting hard. The harsh clacking of the balls did nothing to sooth the energy that was bouncing around inside of him. Christ, why did Sketchy think Alex was such a big deal? He'd made out with her once; she was just a blur among a sea of willing lips. There was absolutely nothing to set her apart from the pack. Besides, why would he be waiting for her when there were a dozen girls in Crash he could take home tonight if he wanted to? They'd be more than happy to help him scratch his itch. Yes, that's what it was. An itch. He was so jumpy because he hadn't been laid over the weekend. In fact, it'd been over a week since his last encounter. All he needed was to get some and then he'd be back to his normal, cocky, devil-may-care self.

Alec had just convinced himself he'd figured out his problem and was confidently leaning over to take another shot when his eyes slid across the room to the table Max and Cindy were sitting at. Only now they weren't alone. Alex was there, looking as tempting as ever in dark jeans and a blood-red sleeveless blouse with her leather jacket overtop. She laughed at something O.C. said and tossed her hair over her shoulder and Alec's breath left his chest as if somebody had body checked him. No matter what he told Sketchy, Alec had a sneaking suspicion that he would find Alex eating ice cream more arousing than seeing any of his ten so-called more beautiful women in their underwear.

Alec's gaze flickered from Alex when he noticed a guy, maybe six years older than her, standing behind her. He was a tall brother with a shaved head and an easy way of standing near her that raised Alec's Manticore-bred territorial instincts. He clamped down tight on them as he felt his animalistic side kick in with the thought to go take his girl away. *His girl?* He definitely needed to get laid.

Sketchy followed Alec's gaze back to their table and was about to offer some smart-ass comment when Alex glanced their way. For just the briefest second she froze, then smiled and waved. Sketchy smiled back and on a mischievous impulse waved her over to join them. Alec suddenly felt a very strong urge to give Sketchy's ass a good beating.

But it was too late. Alex touched her friend's shoulder and said a few words to everyone at the table before making her way over to the pool table. Alec pretended to be very interested in the game. He tried to look casual, but he knew Sketchy, the idiot, would probably find some way to place them in a situation they both wanted to avoid. Still, he couldn't help but unconsciously straighten his shoulders and puff up his chest a bit.

Alex smiled again as she arrived at the table, a mug of beer in her hands. "Hey guys, what's up?"

"Hey Alex," Sketchy said as Alec nodded in her direction. "Not much. Where've you been?" He glanced over at Alec, "Uh, *we've* been waiting for you all night."

Alex shrugged, glancing away. "Oh, we just had to, um, set up some things at home. You know, still unpacking." Truth was she'd been out on a mini-patrol before going out for the night. She'd probably go out for another one with Brian after they left.

"So you and Shaft over there live together, huh?" Alec glanced at her.

"Oh, no! I mean, yes." Alex blushed as Alec raised his eyebrow, suddenly uncomfortable under his gaze. "We live together, but we're not like that. Brian's like an older brother to me. I've known him forever."

"How come you two move around together?" Sketchy asked. "It's kind of strange to follow your best friend from city to city."

"Brian's dad adopted me when I was ten. When he died we agreed that we wanted to stay together since we're the only family either of us has."

Alex noticed Alec seemed to relax ever so slightly upon hearing her explanation and she wondered if she'd imagined his reaction. If he was still interested in her, he'd done a great job of hiding it all day. He'd been polite but aloof, joking around with the other messengers and flirting with any pretty girl that walked by. After talking to Max and Cindy, Alex had figured out that she was just the latest in a long string of women in his life. While she knew it was irrational, she was still slightly irked at how much of ladies' man Alec apparently was.

'Probably did him a favor bringing him down a few notches,' Alex sniffed to herself, choosing to ignore the jealousy inside of her.

Alec chose that moment to make a particularly difficult shot, the ball rocketing into the pocket with deadly accuracy. Off of Alex's impressed look, Sketchy offered, "He does that all the time. The guy's a friggin' machine. I haven't beat him once."

Alex glanced over to see Alec grinning at the comment. "You're that good, huh?" she asked as he lined up the eight ball.

He paused in his shot to shrug humbly. "Well, I don't like to blow my own horn. . . But I could probably win this game blind folded," he said, his usual cocky self shining through again.

"Really?" Alex commented dryly, finding his self-assurance slightly annoying. She decided on a whim to do something about it. "I bet you ten bucks you can't make this next shot."

Alec raised his eyebrows at her, surprised, then shook his head, "Sorry, sweetheart, I don't steal money from beautiful young ladies."

"Then name your bet," Alex retorted.

He stared at her for a second, then grinned. "Alright. I won't take your money, but *when* I win the bet, I get," he paused, thinking, then said, "a kiss from you." This time Sketchy grinned with him.

Alex pretended to mull over his proposal for a minute. "Okay, but if you miss, you gotta give me more than ten bucks. You have to match whatever you guys were betting on the game."

"Thirty," Sketchy supplied helpfully, not doubting for a second that Alec was going to win and finding it amusing that though the two of them insisted they weren't interested, they were both flirting so obviously.

"Thirty it is then," Alex said, coming around the table to stand beside Alec. "Okay, hot shot, let's see what you got."

Alec hefted the pool cue, "Gotta keep your hands off the merchandise though."

Alex held up her hands in defense with a smile. "I promise I won't a lay finger on you."

Alec eyed her for a second, then shifted the cue and leaned over the table, lining up his shot. Alex leaned down next to him, eyeing his set-up. He flexed his shoulders, extremely conscious of her closeness. He finished lining up the balls and grinned over his shoulder at her. "Get ready to pucker up, sweet lips," he said cheekily.

Alex didn't respond. But just as he drew his arm back to take his shot, she leaned even closer, her lips a fraction of an inch away from his skin and blew her warm breath in his ear.

Alec jumped about a mile, every nerve ending suddenly alive. Sketchy stared in shock as the white ball went straight into the pocket without even touching the eight ball. Alex smiled slightly, pleased with her handiwork.

The three of them stood there staring at the table for a second before Alex turned her head to look at Alec. "That was thirty, right?"